The American Federation of Government Employees is launching a nationwide advertising campaign this weekend calling out Republican lawmakers for supporting a plan to pay for the payroll tax relief extension by slashing federal employee wages.

The new ads feature three federal employees from AFGE Locals representing Veterans Affairs nurses, Defense Department workers and federal corrections officers. Each of the employees asks GOP lawmakers to “explain it to me” how cutting federal pay and benefits helps put Americans back to work.

“I earn less than $ 45,000 a year. Explain it to me, GOP, how cutting my pay creates jobs,” says Paul Hoban of AFGE Local 1647, which represents employees at Tobyhanna Army Depot in Pennsylvania.

“Twelve percent of the salary I earn caring for veterans goes to my retirement. Explain it to me, GOP, how cutting my retirement puts people to work.” – Teresa Capecchi AFGE Local 3669,

“I pay more than $ 9,000 a year for family health insurance. Explain it to me, GOP, how cutting my take-home pay lowers unemployment.“- Eric Young AFGE Local 501

The 30-second television ad will premiere in the Washington area during the Sunday morning talk shows on ABC and CBS and will air Monday and Tuesday on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC. A full-page print ad will run in Monday’s Politico newspaper, which is distributed to every lawmaker on Capitol Hill. Versions of both ads also are being sent to AFGE locals to run in their local communities.

Republicans in Congress have proposed paying for the payroll tax relief extension by freezing federal employee salaries for another year.

“Federal employees already have given up their pay raises for two years in a row and many are in danger of losing their jobs because of drastic agency downsizing efforts,” AFGE National President John Gage said. “Freezing their wages for another year adds insult to injury and does nothing to get Americans back to work.”

Hundreds of AFGE members from every major federal agency and representing all 50 states will be in Washington for AFGE’s annual Legislative and Grassroots Mobilization Conference Feb. 12-15. Members will be meeting with their Congressional representatives during the week to address the attacks on federal employees’ pay, pensions and benefits.

The new ads build on the “Explain it to me, GOP” campaign that AFGE launched in December. A special website, www.ExplainItToMeGOP.org, has been created to share information regarding the issue. Copies of the ad can be viewed on this website.

In a world obsessed with the constant availability of new information, PollTell.com offers an accurate real-time polling statistics available in the United States.

Catering to the election newbie and political junkie alike, PollTell has revolutionized the polling world. The site, which incorporates data driven from automated phone surveys, features up-to-date poll information for every region of the United States from the swing-vote state of Florida to the “red”-peppered state of Ohio.

Rather than waiting for major news networks to release the latest poll information, people can visit PollTell’s website, which populates data in real-time, meaning that as the results come through the system they are immediately published onto the site.

“As technology advances and the need for information becomes more urgent, why should 24 hours be the norm for pollsters to publish their results?” – Scott Broomfield PollTell CEO

Social media enthusiasts addicted to the live feeds provided by social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter will find a thrill in PollTell’s real-time data software.

Whereas typical pollsters poll an average of 2,000 individuals a day, PollTell seeks to obtain the most accurate vote possible by polling hundreds of thousands of individuals each day.

“We poll an average of 250,000 people in each poll and publish the results in real-time on our site,” said Broomfield.

“Every state and nearly every city in America is polled to ensure precision. Our results are more accurate than other pollsters because of the sheer volume of people that we poll.”

Although this state-of-the-art technology immensely benefits the general public, it also provides a significant advantage to those on the campaign trail by offering data-specific statistics to candidates. The results gathered by PollTell are indicative of the sentiments of their constituents, allowing candidates to strategize their campaign efforts according to polling changes.

Visitors of PollTell’s interactive site are able to maneuver through the site with the aid of color-coded graphs depicting the results of the questions asked in the polls.

Using the site’s three-dimensional map of the United States, visitors can meander through the polling statistics of even the most recent primary. Traversing the state of Florida from the Kardashian-infested beaches of Miami to the ever-indecisive I-4 Corridor with a click of the mouse, visitors can view district-by-district voting trends.

Just as Facebook changed the culture of social interaction and Twitter eliminated the communication barrier between celebrities and fans, PollTell has revolutionized the election world, creating content from and delivering it into the hands of the American people. So whether Americans bleed red, white, or blue, PollTell will be their most reliable newsfeed for the 2012 election.

“None of the candidates are really very pro-American on trade. They talk like they are, but this survey judged the candidates by their actions as well. For example, we based points on what cars the candidates have owned and if their campaigns purchased imported T-shirts and other products.” - Joel D. Joseph Foundation Chairman

Points were also awarded if the candidates opposed NAFTA and other free trade agreements, like those recently enacted concerning Panama, Columbia and South Korea. Points were given to those who supported bailing out General Motors and Chrysler. The Foundation evaluated how the candidates would respond to China’s trade policies.

Out of a potential 100 points, President Obama led the pack with 75 points. The President lost points for supporting new free trade agreements and with being soft on trade with China.

Surprisingly, pro-free trade candidate Ron Paul came in second place with 60 points. Congressman Paul, although a supporter of free trade, has opposed trade agreements like NAFTA because he believes that they are really managed trade, not free trade.

Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum tied with 50 points each, a mediocre rating on trade. Santorum would have beat Mr. Romney had he purchased American-made T-shirts for his campaign.

Sitting all alone in last place is former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich with 20 points. Speaker Gingrich has favored NAFTA and other trade agreements, and opposed bailing out the U.S. auto industry. His only points were garnered by driving American-made cars.

The Made in the USA Foundation is a 23-year old non-profit, non-partisan organization that promotes American-made products in the U.S.A. and overseas.

The Foundation’s website is www.madeusafdn.org.

The mayors will meet with Administration officials to push for a bipartisan agenda that confronts the double-digit unemployment plaguing much of Main Street America, and challenge Congress to act on job creation, transportation and public safety.

The mayors will also express disappointment that Washington is not listening to the needs of the nation’s Metro regions, which have thus far been absent from the presidential debates. Highlighting the session will be the release of an economic report with 2012 employment forecasts, followed by an official address from USCM President Mayor Villaraigosa on The State of America’s Cities, and then a reception at the White House.

Confirmed Speakers Include:

TUESDAY: U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Louisville (KY) Mayor Greg Fischer

WEDNESDAY: HUD Sec. Shaun Donovan, Education Sec. Arne Duncan, Transportation Sec. Ray LaHood, Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA), Congressman Barney Frank (MA), Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ), Consumer Fin. Protection Bureau Dir. Richard Cordray, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, Huffington Post Editor-in-Chief Arianna Huffington, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Indianapolis Mayor Gregory Ballard, Charleston Mayor Joe Riley, Columbus (OH) Mayor Mike Coleman, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, BSG President Joel Benenson

THURSDAY: Health and Human Services Sec. Kathleen Sebelius, NYT Columnist Thomas Friedman, Vice Chairman Edelman Steve Schmidt, Former WH Comm. Dir. Anita Dunn, Americans for the Arts President and CEO Bob Lynch, Brookings Institute Dir. Bruce Katz, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Houston Mayor Annise Parker, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, Green Bay Mayor James Schmitt, Jacksonville (FL) Mayor Alvin Brown, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Boston Mayor Tom Menino, Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, Louisville (KY) Mayor Greg Fischer

FRIDAY: U.S. Trade Rep. Ron Kirk, Presidential Sr. Advisor David Plouffe, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson

Senate Bill 1588/House Bill 1233 would address malpractice compensation claims through an administrative – rather than litigious – process that aims to reduce medical errors; ensure the injured are fairly compensated; and protect caregivers from unfair litigation.

“The current medical liability system isn’t working for patients or physicians. It is adversarial, expensive and inefficient.” – Rep. Jimmy Patronis

“Legislative action in 2012 is essential to protect Florida’s patients and reduce unnecessary health care costs,” he explained.

By replacing the current medical liability system with one legally modeled after the Workers’ Compensation System, the interests of patients, doctors and taxpayers can be aligned. The system discourages the practice of defensive medicine, optimizes quality health care and ensures real access to justice.

The proposed legislation in support of a Patients’ Compensation System would:

    --  Utilize a no-fault, state-driven approach modeled after the legal
        precedent of the Workers' Compensation System to better align the
        interests of patients, doctors and taxpayers.
    --  Lower health care costs by reducing the incidence of unnecessary tests
        and procedures currently ordered by health care providers seeking to
        protect themselves from potential lawsuits. This form of "defensive
        medicine" is estimated to cost the Florida health care system as much as
        $ 40 billion a year*.
    --  Improve quality of patient medical care by establishing a system that
        realigns incentives toward patient safety and a reduction in medical
        errors, while assuring all patient complaints are heard and quickly
        resolved. The system also would ensure more patients are fairly
        compensated.

“It is estimated that one in three dollars spent on health care in Florida currently pays for unnecessary test and treatments that physicians order for fear of being sued.” – Sen. Alan Hays

“Passage of this bill will significantly help reduce the rate of increases in healthcare expenses,” Hays said.

For more information, please visit www.patientsforfaircompensation.org.

Reporters and others have expressed particular interest in the so-called “Santorum Amendment” authored by Senator Santorum, which was adopted in revised form in the Conference Report of the landmark No Child Left Behind Act.

The Santorum Amendment won overwhelming bipartisan support in the United States Senate. In fact, Sen. Ted Kennedy enthusiastically endorsed the Amendment on the Senate floor.

Others voting in favor of the Amendment included Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Joe Biden, Sen. Barbara Boxer, Sen. Harry Reid, Senator John McCain, and Senator Sam Brownback.

The Santorum Amendment did not mandate teaching intelligent design, nor did it encourage teaching creationism or religion in the classroom.

Instead, it encouraged open discussion and inquiry by teachers and students of the evidence both for and against controversial scientific theories such as Darwin’s theory of evolution.

The approach advocated in the Santorum Amendment is favored by the vast majority of Americans, no matter what their race, gender, or political party.

According to a nationwide Zogby poll in 2009, 80 percent of likely voters agree that teachers and students should have the academic freedom to discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of evolution as a scientific theory.

The tradition was founded and is hosted by the former US Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s Philip Lader, who is chairman of WPP plc, the world’s largest advertising/media services company, and his wife, Linda Lader.

Lader said, “For 31 years, Renaissance Weekend has continued to be a cross-generational conversation among accomplished individuals with widely divergent perspectives. Civility prevails, partisanship is frowned upon, and commercialism is banned.”

“Though strikingly different views of religion, politics, media, science, and every other field are represented, there is more light than heat,” Lader added.

The meetings are likened to the reunion of “an extended family” of prominent leaders in business and finance, education, religion, law, medicine, government, the media, science, technology, sports, non-profits and the arts. This year’s gathering includes CEOs, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, Nobel laureates and Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, artists and scientists, astronauts, athletes and university presidents, judges, journalists and diplomats, as well as government, non-profit, and religious leaders.

The preponderance of participants have attended regularly throughout Renaissance’s 31-year history. In response to three decades of Renaissance ideas and challenges, hundreds of participants entered public service, started businesses, founded non-profit organizations, and established private foundations. Also, more than a dozen marriages resulted from couples meeting at these Weekends.

The New Year’s gathering is designed to be the largest of four annual Renaissance Weekends, with 2012 sessions scheduled for Santa Monica on Presidents’ Day, Monterey Bay on July 4th, and Aspen on Labor Day.

“Each Renaissance Weekend over these past 31 years has sought, with equally distinguished participants, to build bridges across traditional divides of religion, politics, and philosophies, generations, geography and personal backgrounds.” Linda Lader

Past participants have regularly included former US Presidents Gerald R. Ford and Bill Clinton, as well as more than 18 past candidates for President and scores of Cabinet members, Governors, & US Senators, Nobel laureates and MacArthur “Genius” Award-, Pulitzer Prize-, Oscar- and Emmy-winners, Olympic champions and astronauts, best-selling authors, celebrated CEOs and investment managers, Internet pioneers and entrepreneurs, and leaders in education, non-profits, social services, law and medicine.

Several churches, including St. Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla and Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church in Jos, were attacked. A Muslim group, Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility. The same group, which, according to a New York Times account, seeks “to install strict Shariah or Muslim law across Nigeria,” was also identified as the perpetrator of another wave of anti-Christian attacks during Christmas last year that killed more than 30 people.

“AJC, which for over a century has been profoundly committed to defending religious freedom, condemns these despicable attacks on Christian worshipers gathered to celebrate their holy day of Christmas.” –  David Harris AJC Executive Director 

“All people of goodwill, and especially all religious leaders of goodwill, should stand together in full solidarity with the victims and in unambiguous opposition to those who would kill and maim in the name of their own perverted faith,” he added.

“We pray for the full recovery of the injured and for the arrest and prosecution, to the full extent of the law in Nigeria, of those who planned and implemented these hate-filled, anti-Christian terrorist attacks,” Harris stated.

This will mean a total of $ 111.7 million in 23 projects from the “Over $ 2 million” category and $ 30.7 million in 30 projects from the “Under $ 2 million ” category.

“The Government is achieving significant results for people in need by focusing on effective projects that are sustainable and efficiently executed. Numerous Canadian organizations put forth many worthwhile projects, calling for rigorous assessments and difficult decisions,” said Minister Oda. “Our government is continuing its commitment to all Canadians who believe that Canada’s international assistance must deliver results and make a difference in the lives of the world’s vulnerable people.”

“Canadians can take pride in all the organizations that are reflecting our compassion and efforts to make the world a better place,”Oda said. “The projects to be supported will address food security in vulnerable regions, improve the health of pregnant women, newborns and children, improve learning opportunities for children, and support the creation of new local enterprises to foster economic growth.”

Some of the projects in the “Over $ 2 million” Category include:

Country: Rwanda

The Rwanda: Co-operative Agricultural Growth project aims to increase food security among vulnerable rural populations in seven districts of Rwanda (Nyanza, Gisagara, Nyamagabe, Ruhango, Muhanga, Kamonyi and Bugesera) and will directly benefit more than 22,000 households and indirectly benefit 132,000 individuals. Building on the success of a three-year pilot project that engaged Rwandan agricultural co-operatives, this project will improve the agricultural production, productivity and marketing capacity of 15 co-operatives and their members. This will be achieved by supporting small-scale rural farmers, organized in co-operatives to improve the quality and quantity of the food they produce, increase their household incomes, and enhance their households’ and communities’ resilience. (Up to $ 3,403,000 over 5 years)

Country: Ethiopia

CHF and its local partner the Organization for Rehabilitation and Development in Amhara (ORDA), will support 36,000 poor farmers, male and female producers, small entrepreneurs and their families by increasing agricultural productivity, income sources and levels, and local capacity to support development initiatives. They will do this by building sustainable livelihoods, supporting equal participation of women in decision-making and reducing inequalities in access to development resources and benefits. The project focuses on increasing food security through food aid, nutrition and agriculture. (Up to $ 5,700,000 over 5 years)

Canadian Red Cross Society

Countries: Kenya and Liberia

The Canadian Red Cross and its partners in Kenya and Liberia will work with the Ministries of Health (MoH) in those countries to deliver a program in Integrated Community Case Management. It is one of the key platforms for improving the health of pregnant women, newborns and children in 44 hard-to-access rural communities. It is estimated that there will be 66,000 beneficiaries, including 12,000 children under five years old and 26,000 women of childbearing age in West Pokot District in Kenya and Bomi, Gbarpolu and Grand Gedeh Counties in Liberia. The Community Health Committees will select MoH-supervised Community Health Workers/Volunteers, who will be trained in community based health and first aid in order to treat and refer sick children, to ensure community-level access to life-saving medications and basic health services. (Up to $ 4,120,000 over 2 years)

Tea Party Express Chief Strategist, Sal Russo, says that business-as-usual, and continued spending by the White House and Congress is irresponsible. Russo says this just prolongs economic uncertainty, because it does not address the fundamental problem of Washington’s out-of-control spending.

Earlier, Rhode Island Congressman Jim Langevin expressed what he said was “distress” over the Tea Party pressuring Republicans to not pass the legislation. See Holdup On Bipartisan Tax Cut Agreement Draws Criticism By Congressman Jim Langevin

The White House, Senate, Congress, Tea Party and other political groups, all have such different agendas and different priorities, that agreement on anything will be difficult.

From all that has been said in the past few weeks, it seems there was agreement on supporting citizens and businesses. The sticking points are spending, which the Tea Party says is out of control, and the positioning that appears to set up “the opposition” for failure.

Tea Party Express strategist Russo says “The goal of Senator Harry Reid is to again out-maneuver House Republicans by trying to ram through legislation at the last second that only positions Democrats to continue to spend without heeding the message from the 2010 elections. While we always support letting taxpayers keep more of their hard-earned money, there must be corresponding spending cuts that bring down the cost of government and our outlandish deficit.”

Senate Republicans who have criticized House Republicans for standing up for taxpayers should be cognizant that Americans want fiscal responsibility in Washington. They are sick and tired of more deals that make for fancy press releases, but do nothing to reign in the out-of-control growth and spending of the federal government.

“It is disappointing to see Republican Senators Scott Brown (R-Mass), Dean Heller (R-Nev) and Dick Lugar (R-Ind) blame House Republicans when it is their capitulation to Harry Reid that has caused the current crisis.

Tea Party Express is so unhappy with Senator Dick Lugar, that it is endorsing Indiana State Treasurer, Richard Mourdock, in the Republican Primary for U.S. Senate against Lugar.