Reclaiming Our Working Class Family Values

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Sunday June 24, 2012 · 3:57 PM PDT

2012/06/24 · 15:57

As we move further into the twenty-first century, I have come to the realization that many of us have forgotten where we came from. I would wager many who are doctors, lawyers, elected officials and captains of industry came from humble means. Working class families, such as construction workers, maintenance people and factory workers, just to name a few. And many (oh so many) have turned on the same sort of people that bore and raised them, clothed and fed them, put them through college and called them son or daughter. How do we end this cycle?

Todd Farally

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Sunday May 27, 2012 · 8:04 PM PDT

2012/05/27 · 20:04

So I woke up this morning and as usual the first thing I did was to blindly swipe my arm at my bedside table to snatch up my smartphone to see what's going on in the world. Yes I realized it was 8am on a Sunday morning and most likely nothing had broke yet, but it's force of habit.

Todd Farally

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Tuesday April 24, 2012 · 4:47 PM PDT

2012/04/24 · 16:47

One of my favorite quotes pertaining to Unionism is from renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright:

“If capitalism is fair, then Unionism must be. If men have a right to capitalize their ideas and the resources of their country, then that implies the right of men to capitalize their labor.”

Todd Farally

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Wednesday January 11, 2012 · 3:14 PM PST

2012/01/11 · 15:14

Many times in my life I have been proud to be a member of a Labor Union, specifically a third generation member of Sheet Metal Workers' Local 19 in Philadelphia. We Sheet Metal Workers (AKA Tin Knockers, Tinners, etc.) have always had a long standing reputation of being tough, no nonsense types that don't pull too many punches. Most importantly though, we always try to look out for each other, as those that came before us have in the past. This is at the very core of what it means to belong to a Union.

Todd Farally

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Sunday December 11, 2011 · 1:50 PM PST

2011/12/11 · 13:50

Yesterday (12/10/2011) I received an email from my Local Union (SMWIA Local 19) asking members to contact these Representatives in the PA house to vote against Anti-Prevailing Wage bills that will weaken middle class construction jobs in the state.

Here is an excerpt from a Facebook note written by the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO on the subject:

Today, they are at it again. We need you to stand up and tell them "NO" once more.
Some in the State House are planning to push HB 1329, which will raise the threshold to $185,000. This would eliminate nearly half of the Prevailing Wage projects in the state, and severely cut the incomes of hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania workers and their families.

House Bill 1329 would allow substantially more taxpayer-funded work to be given to out-of-state, low-wage workers. These workers will take our tax dollars OUT of Pennsylvania instead of having them here to revive our economies.

House Bill 1329 will NOT guarantee reduced building and construction costs, taxpayer savings, or the creation of one single job. This is simply an attack on middle class, working families in Pennsylvania.

This gave me an idea, I ask those in Pennsylvania out there reading this, please help in contacting these members of the PA House of Representatives asking them to vote against these despicable anti-worker bills. Without strong Prevailing Wage Laws (as PA currently has) in place good jobs will continue to be lost and working families in the Commonwealth will feel the pain more than ever.

Below is the email I received, names and links for contact are after the break. Thanks!

SEVERAL PREVAILING WAGE BILLS ARE ON THE HOUSE CALENDAR TO RUN NEXT WEEK

Starting today, and through the weekend,
WE NEED YOU to connect with Republican members WE are counting on.
(SEE LIST BELOW)

To make sure they will be IN HARRISBURG for the session next week

4 days are scheduled. (Mon-Thurs)

ALSO WE NEED TO CONTACT ALL the Democrats with the same message as well, and make sure they are IN HARRISBURG voting with us.

Todd Farally

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Sunday August 21, 2011 · 5:53 PM PDT

2011/08/21 · 17:53

A couple weeks ago I was watching Real Time with Bill Maher and Billionaire Mark Cuban was on the panel. They were having a conversation on revenues and taxation under Clinton, Cuban made an interesting point. During the Clinton era two things greatly helped the economy and our treasury as a whole. First were the slightly higher tax rates, but the other that Cuban brought up was the rise of the internet. This got me thinking, every generation had one innovation or another to help push our economy and the job market, but we don’t have one now. And we very well could.

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Reclaiming Our Working Class Family Values

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