From the Free Press:

 

The following article was just posted to the website of The Free Press ( http://freepress.org ). Check it out today!
The most important election issue in America: Issue 2 in Ohio by Bob Fitrakis
Labor Day has come and gone, but the real battle over whether workers are actually honored and valued in Ohio will be decided on Election Day in November. To understand what’s at stake, one must begin with the concept of American exceptionalism -- the notion that America has its own unique political ideology embracing individualism and entrepreneurship.  Read more:  http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3/2011/1900

 

 

From Policy Matters Ohio - The State of Working Ohio.

 

It won't come as news to anyone that Ohio workers are struggling as we emerge from this Labor Day weekend, but Policy Matters' State of Working Ohio 2011 finds the numbers are particularly grim. In the past decade in Ohio, median wages declined more than in any other state. The percentage of men who are working is the lowest in recorded history in Ohio, and long-term unemployment - the percent of the unemployed who've been out of work for at least half a year - is higher than it's ever been in sixty years of record keeping, both in Ohio and in the nation.

 

As federal and state policymakers obsess about deficits, lowering taxes, and slashing the public sector, it's clear that they are missing the point. What Ohio really needs is a much stronger job creation and preservation agenda. This report provides a roadmap back to an economy where every Ohioan can contribute - and benefit.

 

The dismal findings yielded dozens of news stories all over Ohio, including editorials affirming some of our recommendations in the Akron Beacon Journal, the Toledo Blade and the Plain Dealer, as well as this television coverage on Cleveland's News Channel 5.

 

 

Columbus GreenSpot Backyard Conservation Program

 

The City of Columbus invites Columbus GreenSpot members to buy discounted rain barrels while supplies last (limit one per household, Columbus residents only). Residents can attend a rain barrel workshop in person or pass an online quiz to be eligible for the barrels at the reduced price of $45. The program's goal is to demonstrate ways to put rain water to use to conserve water and save money while reducing the impact of stormwater on our rivers and streams. More information, registration and the online quiz can be found at www.ColumbusRainBarrels.org or call Franklin Soil and Water at 486-9613.

 

 

National Priorities Project – 10 Years: Cost of War

 

Finding Funding for FEMA?