Over the weekend, a recently-retired Republican staffer of 28 years wrote an article about why he was leaving his party and his job, citing, among many other things, his belief that "the GOP cares solely and exclusively about its rich contributors." An exclusive look at the biannual fundraising and strategy conference held by billionaire GOP benefactors Charles and David Koch, shows why. Mother Jones reports that before Charles Koch names the 32 donors of $1 million or more in the last year who supported their right-wing causes, he promises that the 2012 election will be the "mother of all wars" against "Saddam Hussein." Specifically, Koch said: more ›

Amid reports of violence on the picket lines, the Communications Workers of America and the IBEW announced that their Verizon workers will return to their jobs on Tuesday, ending a two-week strike that was the country's longest in four years. "We have reached agreement with Verizon on how bargaining will proceed and how it will be restructured," the CWA statement reads, "The major issues remain to be discussed, but overall, issues now are focused and narrowed." more ›

As the 45,000-workers strong Verizon strike finishes up its second week, union picketers are reporting violent confrontations with Verizon managers and scabs. On Thursday, one Communication Workers Of America union member was allegedly assaulted by a Verizon manager at the Suffolk County National Bank, Newsday reports. more ›

Other states love it when Mayor Bloomberg lectures them on how to run things in their quaint provincial governments. Arizona really appreciated it when Bloomberg sent investigators to do a hidden camera sting at a gun show, and now it's Wisconsin's turn to get advice from Bloomberg, who has repeatedly denied he's running for president while busting out presidential-sounding talking points. In an op-ed in the NY Times today, the mayor sympathizes with Wisconsin legislators' need to balance the budget, while also siding with unions' right to bargain collectively: more ›

The rally for women's health wasn't the only protest to happen in Manhattan yesterday. Hundreds of protesters gathered at City Hall yesterday morning in support of government worker unions in Wisconsin. Wisconsin lawmakers debated a proposal made by Governor Walker that would end collective bargaining. Protesters said an end of collective bargaining was an attack on the middle class: “We’re reducing American workers’ wages to a global, Third World wage,” one woman told CBS 2, “and it makes the people at the top wealthier." more ›

An alt-news editor from Buffalo pretending to be billionaire David Koch got through on the phone to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Ian Murphy, who runs the website Buffalo Beast, recorded the twenty minute conversation (below) between the marionette and his "master." There's nothing too shocking here if you're at all aware of the cozy relationship between politicians and big business (Koch Industries was one of the biggest donors to Walker's campaign). But burn. At one point "Koch" proposes "planting some troublemakers" among the protesters, and Walker says, "We thought about that." more ›

Attempts are allegedly being made to reverse the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) policy of removing children from strollers during rush hour on the Red Bus (passengers are told to fold the strollers up before boarding). According to Roosevelt Islander, the open stroller ban has "pitted one set of riders against the other." (The MTA recommends the same on all city buses, by the way.) Well, the war on strollers isn't just a New York City thing... turns out the pleasant folk in Madison, Wisconsin have also battled it out over this issue. So much so that they even made a video (with a jingle!) on how to deal with stroller use on public transportation. Do you think they also have a problem with babies in bars over there? It's nice to know we're not alone. more ›

A 50-year-old Wisconsin paper boy who tried to get a life (thank you) by billing the Times for thousands of fake subscriptions is now charged with wire fraud. Martin Holtet of La Crosse, Wis. allegedly created 8,500 fictitious New York Times readers to help boost his sales numbers; lawyers for the Times say the company then paid him $227,000 to deliver the papers, which he recycled instead. The Times also claims it lost almost $100,000 in printing expenses, and of course the Sulzbergers will want something for the emotional trauma suffered after discovering they have 8,500 less readers than they thought. more ›

The Wisconsin, Washington and Hawaii primaries have been going on today, and while John McCain is expected to further solidify his presumptive nomination, the Democratic race is tight as ever, with a Gallup pole now showing Clinton closing the gap on Obama after his string of eight straight victories. more ›