Federal or state? I’m pretty sure that federal government employees are allowed to endorse candidates, so long as they don’t do it while working. You can’t wear a McCain pin at work, but you can have McCain bumper stickers on your car.
I’m a newbie, so I could be wrong.
Excuse me? You are telling me that because you work for the government your 1st amendment rights are suspended? I don’t believe it. How do you account for all my blatantly partisan PUBLIC school teachers? How do you account for my American Government teacher who (instead of teaching the curriculum) spent the whole semester bashing Reagan? WTF are you talking about?
What “endorse” means in particular for jayjay I don’t know, but it’s not THAT unique a position he’s in. I’m a journalist, and getting involved with a campaign (volunteering, or donating, I think) would violate the terms of my employment. I think that a bumper sticker on my car or signs at my house, although in reality I have neither, would also violate my contract.
Journalists are another kettle of fish. Why should my garbage man be censored?
Actually, on review of the relevant materials, I CAN express political opinion. I just can’t do it while on duty. Which I was this afternoon, anyway.
I had an imperfect understanding of my limitations, and erred on the side of caution…
The dope has liberated you from your silence!
No, we have First Amendment rights to express our opinion about a candidate. We cannot campaign for a candidate. That means no signage or such. This is because, in the bad old days, state workers were basically required to either work on their political benefactor’s campaigns or donate to them if they wanted to keep their jobs.
I do not think you understand the first amendment. If you cannot campaign or put up a sign, your rights HAVE been abridged. Not that I care. I wouldn’t mind if government workers were forbidden from voting. Same goes for those on the dole. How about a rule? You become eligible to vote when you start paying taxes from a private sector job. After all, a pickpocket will always vote to keep himself in business.
You cannot campaign for a candidate as a government employee, but you may put up a lawn sign, head a caucus delegation, write letters to the editor in support of your candidate, donate money or time to their campaign, and encourage your union to endorse your candidate. Civil Service laws keep non-exempt government workers from being forced to act as agents of a political party.
Your Civil Service rules must be different than mine.
http://www.civilservice.la.gov/OtherInfo/StateEmployeesInfo/other_info_POLITICAL_ACTIVITY.asp
Well, I don’t think I have much of a case to prove my rights are being abridged, as apparently it’s been tested and the Supreme Court has come down on the side of the states, saying they have the right to restrict their employees’ political activity to avoid even the appearance of support for one candidate or political party over the common good.
Let’s put it this way: Pro-Obama Dems should say nothing about HRC during the primaries that, if she should get the nom – as she might – would make them embarrassed to vote for her in the general, or reinforce the memes the Pubs will be using against her. Unless you want another Pub administration for the next four years.
That appears to be the case. Those rules are very wise. They are probably why there is so little political corruption in Louisiana.
My pocketbook could stand a little corruption. You notice the legislators and their staffs don’t have to comply with those rules. Although our new and messianic governor is supposed to change all that. He’s going to wipe out corruption with his mighty charisma and the sheer force of his place in history!
Somewhat less as of this afternoon:
U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 110th Congress - 2nd Session
Bitch or no, not showing up is not acceptable.
Ah, bollocks. Those votes were a bullshit fait accompli once that agreement was established. Each amendment was set to require just over the number of votes they knew they would get (some needing 50 and some 60). It was just further Democratic “bipartisan” complicity. Her vote wouldn’t have made one bit of difference, and that’s been known for about a week.
Yet Obama wasn’t complicit, while Hillary was.
I’d sooner have Feingold than either of them, be we don’t always get our first choice.
Fuck that bitch. Let her go back to Wal Mart.
You say you are tired of Hillary bashing?
Tell your candidate to stop saying shit like this:
Caucus states, the former first lady says, are undemocratic and cater only to party activists. Southern states, like Louisiana, have “a very strong and very proud African-American electorate” naturally predisposed to favor a black candidate. And so-called “red” states like North Dakota, Idaho and Kansas — all of which Obama won on Super Tuesday — will never choose a Democrat in the general election anyway.
This Libertarian is hoping he can vote for Barack Obama come the general election.
Given that you feel this way, it must be terribly disappointing that Obama didn’t show up for the final vote. From Glenn Greenwald at Salon.com:
Bolding mine. Not acceptable, right?