Salsa Scoop
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Signed
President Obama this morning signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, correcting a Supreme Court ruling that essentially stripped victims of pay discrimination of any access to redress.
This victory for working people is also a victory for Moms Rising, one of the most nimble and effective organizations in the Salsa user community (anyone at last June's user conference probably remembers their presentations). MomsRising has worked this legislation hard over the past two years, including one of the coolest twists on write-your-rep that we've seen: when Sen. John McCain opined that underpaid women needed more education, MomsRising answered with a "send McCain your resume" action that inundated him with thousands of C.V.s. (Followed up with another supporting e-action for the day the resumes were delivered in person.)
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11:20 AM Jan 29, 2009 -
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Wikipedia's fierce urgency of now
Never have so many waited so eagerly for the past tense.
Screenshot of George W. Bush's Wikipedia page, 11:58 a.m. Eastern time, January 20, 2009.
Screenshot of George W. Bush's Wikipedia page, 12:01 p.m. Eastern time, January 20, 2009.
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12:10 PM Jan 20, 2009 -
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George W. Bush, in memoriam
"Such was the fate of the son of Marcus, and so easy was it to destroy a hated tyrant, who, by the artificial powers of government, had oppressed during thirteen years so many millions of subjects, each of whom was equal to his master in personal strength and personal abilities." -Edward Gibbon on the death of Commodus
On a day of such relief to see the callow scion strangled in his bath retire to his Dallas mansion, it's easy to get carried away, but this passage would much exaggerate the credit due so many millions of subjects and with it the grandeur of George W. Bush.
Not my country? Nobody who remembers the dark pleasure of those post-September 11 days -- the voluptuous joy of unsheathing the sword without qualm or restraint, the relief of casting off tiresome pieties and giving rein -- can say that without reservation.
George W. Bush was not our Commodus. He was our Smerdyakov.
"You stood before me last time and understood it all, and you understand it now."
"All I understand is that you are mad."
"Aren't you tired of it? Here we are face to face; what's the use of going on keeping up a farce to each other? Are you still trying to throw it all on me, to my face? You murdered him; you are the real murderer, I was only your instrument, your faithful servant, and it was following your words I did it."
"Did it? Why, did you murder him?" Ivan turned cold.
Something seemed to give way in his brain, and he shuddered all over with a cold shiver. Then Smerdyakov himself looked at him wonderingly; probably the genuineness of Ivan's horror struck him.
"You don't mean to say you really did not know?" he faltered mistrustfully, looking with a forced smile into his eyes. Ivan still gazed at him, and seemed unable to speak.
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11:42 AM Jan 20, 2009 -
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Spotlight on CIVIC's perseverance through wintry economic times
The Washington Times ran an illuminating piece today on CIVIC, the Campaign for Innocent Victims In Conflict and one of our favorite Salsa users. It's not only a heart-gladdening story to see CIVIC keep on keeping on, but underscores the perilous situation many small nonprofits are or soon may be facing.
CIVIC had nothing to do with crooked financier Bernard Madoff, but the relief organization was supported by the JEHT Foundation, a strongly progressive funder whose donor unfortunately fell prey to the Madoff Ponzi scheme.
That blow ultimately fell on CIVIC (and scores of other progressive nonprofits), and "illustrates how devastating the Madoff case has been for smaller charities" and has already resulted in one layoff on its four-person staff and the closure of its office.
CIVIC relies totally on grants from foundations and private donations, and that $50,000 grant [from the JEHT Foundation] was the only guaranteed money it had coming in for 2009. ...
The organization has a $350,000 budget. Compounding the problems is that donations are down about 40 percent, according to [Executive Director Sarah] Holewinski. She said CIVIC still needs about $200,000. Until a supporter in Europe gave a large donation last month, Ms. Holewinski said there was a real prospect that the organization would have to close entirely.
What a relief that CIVIC didn't close.
In this case, the Madoff-to-layoff chain is visibly apparent. But the systematic pressure of depressed donations, an implacable statistical inevitability fed by a thousand minute tributaries -- that's the thing to watch out for.
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12:44 PM Jan 16, 2009 -
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The most tragic victim of the financial collapse
With only two weeks left in the Bush administration, these things are going the way of the Confederate dollar.
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09:47 PM Jan 05, 2009 -
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