For the past five years, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has worn a USW workers memorial day lapel pin every day to the House and Senate floors that shows a canary in a cage. The pin represents the birds that alerted miners to dangerous gases in mine shafts.

Senator Brown says his pin signifies the continuing struggle for workers' rights and social justice.
"Workers are living longer and have a better quality of life", Brown says because of "what progressives have fought for over the past century — including programs like Social Security, Medicare, workers' compensation, pension guarantees, and clean air and water."

"Eight times I have taken the oath of office to support and defend the United States. My colleagues and I commit ourselves to protecting our nation from all enemies, foreign and domestic. That includes protecting our neighborhoods from unsafe products. And, yes, that also means protecting our workers and businesses from unfair competition."

You have to see this video of Senator Al Franken (D-MN)question BP Safety Director during a Senate hearing about worker safety.

He goes right at him over the fact that BP had 760 willful and egregious OSHA violations (the rest of the industry had one)and several other embarrassing facts regarding BP's safety record. Enjoy!

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Do conservatives really want a smaller government or is it about redistributing income upward. Check out this example of Social Security and Medicare cost saving ideas that conservatives oppose. This comes from economist Dean Baker and his blog BEAT THE PRESS.

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Chart illustrating the affect of the TARP and Stimulus program - very interesting.

How The Great Recession was Ended by Mark Zandi and Alan Blinder.

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How does 16% unemployment sound if the stimulus program hadn't been enacted? Maybe even a few tea-baggers would have been laid off.

From Economy in Crisis,

Coming to Terms with Reality

Uses real world examples of nations that have used industrial policy to develop industry and create employment. Sounds good.

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68% of Americans oppose cuts to Social Security...

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