Dem Moves to Repeal Part of Health Bill

Senate Dem Moves to Repeal Part of Health Bill

A key Senate Democrat announced Friday that he would introduce legislation to repeal a provision in the recently-passed health care reform law that would eliminate an overly-burdensome reporting requirement for small businesses that might have left many drowning in paperwork. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., released a statement saying, "I have heard small businesses loud and clear and I am responding to their concerns." The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) contains a provision designed to raise revenue without raising tax rates, that would, beginning in 2012, require all businesses to report payments to and purchases from any business totaling more than $600 in a calendar year, regardless of what the money was used to purchase.
Read More

New Jersey IEC Wins 2010 Legislative Chapter Of The Year Award

New Jersey IEC Wins IEC National Legislative Chapter Of The Year Award

From Left to Right; Steve Struble, Joseph Hovanec Jr.,
Arthur Carver and Greg Haren

NJECPAC Member Organization New Jersey IEC was named the 2010 IEC National Legislative Chapter of the Year at the 2010 IEC National Convention and Expo in Phoenix Arizona.

New Jersey Independent Electrical Contractors Chapter President Arthur Carver and IEC Northeast Regional Director Joseph Hovanec Jr. Accepted the Award from 2010 IEC National President Greg Haren and IEC National Awards Committee Chairman Steve Struble.

The Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) are comprised of almost 70 independently operated Local Chapters across the Continental United States.

The Independent Electrical Contractors National Association has a strong Nationally Recognized Government Affairs Committee representing Independent Electrical Contractors on Legislative and Regulatory issues in Washington DC. IEC National operates http://www.iecvotes.com/ enabling Electrical Contractors across the country to contact their Legislators in Washington on important issues effecting their business.

NJECPAC Chairman
Joseph Coviello



The 2010 Award is New Jersey IEC's second consecutive Legislative Chapter of the Year Award having also won the award in 2009 



"I want to personally thank New Jersey IEC and their membership for their strong support of our PAC and congratulate them on a job well done", said NJECPAC Chairman Joe Coviello

Explore NJECPAC

Higher Paid Workers Begin To Bear Higher Health Insurance Costs

More employers are requiring higher-paid employees to make greater premium contributions toward their health care plans therby tying employee contribution to wages.

With health care costs increasing more and more, an increasing number of employers are adopting a system to pass on the bulk of those costs to workers in higher salary brackets and offering some relief to workers who make less money.

Employees continue to see what they pay toward health care go up as companies ask them to contribute more to premiums and deductibles. But now, as people enroll in health plans for the coming year, the sticker shock is more jolting than ever because so many companies are passing on to their workers most, if not all, of the higher costs.

A worker’s share of a family policy is approaching $4,000 a year on average, and is most certainly going to keep rising through the next few years. For lower-salaried workers, those costs have only compounded their struggle in a brutal economy.
Read More From The NY Times

So Much For Obama Care Reducing Costs !!!!

Stimulus follies: $535 million down the drain in California in “green jobs”

The Obama administration made Solyndra, a solar-power manufacturing company, a symbol of its “green jobs” push in the Porkulus program. Barack Obama himself toured the factory, as did Barbara Boxer.

Taxpayers ended up sinking $535 million into building Solyndra a new facility that promised to add jobs in the clean-energy sector. Instead, now that Solyndra has its new facility, it’s closing another older facility and will lay off dozens of employees and cancel the contracts for 150 more contract workers:

In other words, we invested $535 million, a significant portion from China, into a company that apparently couldn’t compete on a price basis with its foreign competition leaving us on the hook for the investment

Solyndra did all right though; they got a nice new facility and now can dump their old plant. The old building will sit vacant for a long time in all likelihood while Solyndra downsizes and attempts to stay in business at their taxpayer-funded digs.

Read More

It’s an object lesson in the incompetence of politicians and bureaucrats to pick winners and losers in private markets.

Explore NJECPAC

Unions May Not Need EFCA Under New NLRB Regulations

NLRB makes unionization and unfair labor practices more dangerous – unions may not even need the EFCA



AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka
Still Has Friends in High Places



Given the Democratic Party’s loss of a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and the Republican trouncing of Democrats in the midterm elections, the likelihood that the proposed Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) will pass has virtually evaporated. But recent actions of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) suggest that employers haven’t dodged the bullet. Increased risks of unionization still abound and will continue

A majority of the Board’s current membership are former union lawyers who have been aggressively acting to institute new policies that are highly favorable to unions – and dangerous for unionized and non-unionized employers alike.

Read More

Coconuts Removed From Trees In Preparation For Barack Obama's India Trip

India is preparing for Barack Obama's first visit to the country by removing coconuts from palm trees in Mumbai to protect the US president.

As well as the usual security measures that come with welcoming a visiting dignitary, Indian authorities have decided to go one step further. All coconuts around the city's Gandhi museum, one of Obama's stops in the city, are being taken down.

Mani Bhavan, where Mahatma Gandhi stayed during his freedom struggle against the British, is among five places the US president is visiting in Mumbai.

"We told the authorities to remove the dry coconuts from trees near the building. Why take a chance?" Mani Bhavan's executive secretary, Meghshyam Ajgaonkar, told the BBC.

Every year in India people are injured or even killed by falling coconuts.
You just cant make this stuff up !!!!

President Obama: “Because Of You”

"You Live and Die By Your Vote.....As Does Everyone Else"
Joseph Hovanec Chairman of Government Affairs
President Obama: “Because Of You”

In Politics, You Are Either A Player Or A Victim, Which Are You Today

Senators Pennacchio, Doherty, Highlight U.S. Senator Lautenberg’s Failure

NJ Senator Joe Pennacchio

NJ Senator Joe Pennacchio, a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement regarding U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg’s pronouncement that he will investigate the circumstances surrounding the cancellation of the ARC tunnel: 

“The plain fact of the matter is that this was an awful deal for New Jersey taxpayers who would have ultimately been on the hook for a minimum of $1 billion to nearly $5 billion in cost overruns on the ARC project. Sadly, for the commuters and the middle-class families of New Jersey, New York’s much more effective Senate delegation, cut a much better deal for their constituents. Luckily Governor Christie puts New Jersey taxpayers first. Read More



NJ Senator Michael Doherty

Meanwhile, State Senator Michael J. Doherty (R- Warren, Hunterdon) issued the following statement condemning Lautenberg’s investigation into the Governors cancellation of the ARC Tunnel project: 

“Senator Lautenberg’s so-called investigation is a partisan charade and an embarrassment to himself and the people of New Jersey,” said Senator Doherty. “Senator Lautenberg couldn’t deliver a funding arrangement for the ARC tunnel project that was fair to the taxpayers of this state and is now seeking to shift the blame for his failure..............New Jersey taxpayers should not be forced to carry the sole liability for huge cost overruns on a project that was marketed as a regional effort. New Yorkers would benefit substantially from the ARC tunnel but would bear none of the cost.  Read More

Bill Barring Potential Employee Credit Checks Reaches N.J. Assembly

New Jersey Assembly Chamber

Legislation A3238 that would bar New Jersey Employers from requiring credit checks before hiring someone in New Jersey may soon come before the full State Assembly.

 

The measure A3238 would bar credit checks unless the employer is legally required to do one or if it's needed due to the nature of the position being sought. A credit check may also be done if an employer reasonably believes a prospective employee has engaged in an improper activity that's financial in nature.

If the bill becomes law, violators could face $5,000 fines for an initial violation and $10,000 fines for subsequent violations.

The Assembly's labor committee approved the measure earlier this month, but a date for a full Assembly vote has not been scheduled. An identical bill S1922 has been introduced in the State Senate.

New Jersey Election Recap

Runyan Defeats Adler

Ex-NFLer Runyan unseats incumbent in NJ House raceRepublican Jon Runyan, the former Philadelphia Eagles lineman, beat incumbent Democrat John Adler in a tight New Jersey House race, returning the seat to the party that had long controlled it.

Both Runyan and tea party organizations criticized Adler, claiming that his campaign planted a phony tea party candidate in the race to take votes from the Republican. Adler and the independent candidate, Peter DeStefano, both denied the accusations.

Adler was a longtime state legislator who won the congressional seat two years ago after the Republican who had long represented it retired. The district stretches from the Philadelphia suburbs to state's beaches.

Runyan spent 14 years in the NFL. He played for the Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans, Eagles and San Diego Chargers.
Read More Results