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COMMENTARY: Looking to 2020 — Put Your Vote to WORK!

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Ronald Reagan, who turned his back on organized labor and started America’s middle-class into a tailspin from which it has never recovered, has recently been voted by this administration’s hand-picked NLRB into the Labor Hall of Fame. I think that speaks volumes. Clearly, they have taken a page from the Old Gipper’s playbook. And clearly, it should serve as a dire warning of what is to come should we continue with the status quo.

Published

6 years ago

December 19, 2019

Oakland Post

Vote for candidates that support the millions of working men and women in this country. Vote to keep our jobs, to keep workers safe, to protect the right to organize and to have a voice in the workplace. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

By Ray Curry, Secretary-Treasurer, UAW

If you work for a living but are somewhat up in the air about who to vote for in 2020 or for that matter, if you should even bother getting to that crowded polling place, I’d like to ask that you indulge me for a minute.

Because I’ve got a story to tell you that might help with your decision. A story of working people and politicians who are working against all of us — everyday.

I’d like to go back to 1980, the year that Ronald Reagan was campaigning to the 40th president of the United States. Much of his rhetoric was designed to appeal to labor and the working men and women of this country, promising to protect jobs, to support policies that would create more jobs and put unemployed Americans back to work.

Promises betrayed

The reality of his presidency and his policies came down somewhat differently.

In fact, President Reagan’s eight years in office were devastating for labor and the middle class. He was a champion of deregulation, which systematically weakened workplace safety standards and record-keeping. He specifically went after labor by appointing three management-friendly National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) members, causing the NLRB to depart from its legal obligation to actively promote collective bargaining — the constitutional right and underlying principle for the existence of unions. During his presidency, NLRB caseloads were drastically cut and the cases that did go forward went from the recent 33 percent finding in favor of employers to 75 percent favoring employers.

His economic policies shifted the tax burden away from the wealthy and onto the back of middle-class Americans.

So, why am I bringing up this sad history here in the last days of 2019?

Because Ronald Reagan, who turned his back on organized labor and started America’s middle-class into a tailspin from which it has never recovered, has recently been voted by this administration’s hand-picked NLRB into the Labor Hall of Fame. I think that speaks volumes. Clearly, they have taken a page from the Old Gipper’s playbook. And clearly, it should serve as a dire warning of what is to come should we continue with the status quo.

Stacked against us

Today, an NLRB even more conservative than President Reagan’s has moved as fast as it could to make it more difficult for unions to organize.
In December of 2017, the board overturned a rule that had made it easier to organize smaller units of workers in big factories and stores.

Another decision made it tougher for workers at fast-food restaurants and other franchised operations to unionize. What’s more, this board is further encroaching on labor by looking to slow unionization elections, a move that, as we all know too well, would give corporations more time to pressure workers to vote NO.

Here at the UAW, we saw those stalling hijinks in action in Chattanooga this summer with the effort to organize Volkswagen and give its workers a real say in their work lives.

This administration hasn’t stopped at turning the NLRB into the Chamber of Commerce. Let’s look at the Supreme Court.

Justice Neil Gorsuch was confirmed in the first few months of this administration and he delivered the conservative anti-labor edge to the Janus case almost as soon as he was installed. Gorsuch, who had close ties with groups that bankrolled Janus, cast the deciding vote in a decision that prohibited public sector unions from collecting fees from non-members.

This devastating decision reversed 41 years of precedent and overturned laws in the 22 states that have not adopted “Right-to-Work” policies. And all signs indicate that, when he is not drinking beer, the administration’s second appointee, Justice Bret Kavanaugh will be just as awful.

The Huffington Post in sizing him up as anti-labor, recounted the time when a New York manufacturer created a new spinoff company to avoid bargaining with unionized workers. Federal regulators and a panel of appellate judges said the manufacturer broke the law and violated its employees’ rights.

There was, however, one judge who dissented in the appeals decision and sided with the employer: Brett Kavanaugh.

Say no more.

Supremely anti-labor

A Legal Aid lawyer put it this way, “Along with [Justice Neil] Gorsuch, [Brett Kavanaugh] is the ideal of a Koch brothers judge. He’ll be anti-labor and anti-worker.”

Of course, just as disturbing when it comes to the courts is this fact: While the Supreme Court gets the attention, it’s the lower courts that decide the bulk of the cases. In lockstep with the anti-worker overhaul of our courts, more pro-management judges have been appointed to the federal appeals courts than at any other time in our recent history, and one out of every four circuit court judges have been installed by the current administration.

And the latest anti-labor move? The nomination and seating of Eugene Scalia as Secretary of Labor, a position that historically enforces workers’ rights and U.S. labor laws. This includes laws meant to protect workers from unsafe workplaces, overtime violations, and employee misclassification. I quite honestly cannot think of anyone less likely to safeguard these protections.

Here is a highlight reel:

Back in 2006, he helped Walmart and other corporations win a lawsuit against the state of Maryland, stopping large companies from having to contribute to their employees’ health care plans or Medicaid. In 2011, he got behind Boeing’s threats to move jobs to a “Right-to-Work” state during union contract negotiations. Additionally, he defended casino boss Steve Wynn in his efforts to force casino card dealers to split their tips with pit bosses.

And here’s one for you: Scalia argued that SeaWorld had no responsibility for the violent death of one of its Orca trainers and instead blamed the victim!

Unsafe at work

And finally, we must consider the current disregard for worker safety. In 2017, 5,197 workers went to work and never returned home to their families. That is an average of 99 workers a week losing their lives while making the rich, richer. And this number can be added to the 2.8 million on the job non-fatal injuries and illnesses reported, with nearly 900,000 of them resulting in lost workdays. Current administration memorandums and executive orders have frozen new regulatory protections since the 2016 election.

Rules requiring employers to keep accurate injury and illness records and to disclose safety, health, and labor violations to qualify for federal contracts have been repealed.
Consider this: There are about 2,100 inspectors to inspect more than 8 million workplaces around the nation. That is roughly one inspector for every 59,000 workers or enough inspectors to inspect workplaces once every 150 years or so.

I ask you, what do we do with this? Is it expecting too much to go to work in the morning and come home safe to your loved ones at the end of the day?

I’ll tell you what we do. WE VOTE!

And we vote for candidates that support the millions of working men and women in this country. Vote to keep our jobs, to keep workers safe, to protect the right to organize and to have a voice in the workplace.

Take this voting season as an opportunity to tell your own story. The story of millions of hard-working Americans that our country so desperately needs to hear.

A story of how we rose up in the face of increasing wage inequality, lack of healthcare, job security and threats to a meaningful retirement; rampant corporate greed and a shrinking middle class.

Labor also faces challenges at the ballot box despite rallying their membership base. Look no further than the Presidential election of 2000 with hanging chads, deleted registered voter rolls in the 2018 Georgia Governor’s race, and the 2018 Florida Governor’s race won by a 50% to 49% margin after a recount. All three races lost by the final vote count and all three were labor endorsed candidates.

Think your vote doesn’t count? Please think again.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

1 week ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

1 week ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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1 week ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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