Latest Gallup Pole:Majority of Americans Favor $775 Billion Economic Stimulus

      The Gallup Poll  was done January 6-7 and the question was:

  Do you favor or oppose Congress passing a new $775 billion economic stimulus program as soon as possible after Barack Obama takes office?

Favor ( 53% ), Oppose ( 36% ), No Opinion ( 11% )

   Republicans are, of course, against the plan.  34% favor it and 56% are opposed to the plan. Among Democrats:  67% favor, 19% oppose. How about the Independents? 54% favor, and 37% oppose.

Most likely, this tepid response from Republicans represents both a typical conservative reluctance to increase government spending by such a large amount, as well as a negative reaction to the fact that the plan is being pushed by the Democratic president-elect.

Still, given that 11% of Americans interviewed don't have an opinion on the issue of the stimulus package, the results show that the measure "passes" by a 17-point margin (53% to 36%) when those in favor are compared to those opposed.

  Let the games begin!

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Starbucks Facing More Union Busting Charges

   Back on December 27,2008, I reported that Starbucks was found guilty of extensive violations of federal labor law in its bid to counter the IWW Starbucks Workers Union.

  Well, now it seems that the firm is in hot water once again. Some corporations never learn, I guess.

Dollars&Sense

(Minneapolis) On the heels of a landmark decision finding Starbucks guilty of almost 30 labor violations in New York City, the IWW Starbucks Workers Union has slapped the embattled coffee giant with nearly 30 additional counts of illegal union-busting in Minneapolis/St. Paul. The union alleges that Starbucks broke federal law repeatedly by interrogating workers about union sympathies, instructing supervisors to spy on the union, and disciplining workers for participating in the union. Union baristas plan to illustrate their disgust by delivering an oversized six-month "Performance Review" of Starbucks to regional management at an 11am press conference at the Franklin and Nicollet store on Thursday.
Union barista Erik Forman said, "After the guilty verdict in New York City and settlements in the Twin Cities and Grand Rapids, we had hoped that Starbucks would have learned its lesson, but unfortunately, the company has chosen to continue the pattern of illegal union-busting they have established across the US. We will not stand for this, Starbucks must respect our right to organize."

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