Seriously?

by: nathanrudy

Mon May 05, 2008 at 06:12:48 PM EDT

We have a three year old.  Yes, spaghetti is a picnic dinner for a three year old.

The last time they called Maureen spoke to them and said she wasn't interested, and they told her they wanted to give her some news anyway.  She said no to that.

Anyway, this is at least the third call even after being told last week we were not interested and we don't want to give them any money this time so my wife said, "Tell them we're not interested."

So I did, and the woman told me she would be there until 9:30 and asked for a better time.  I said we were not interested and she said something that completely blew my mind.

"We'll have to hear it from her, not from you, since she's the one who is a member."

Seriously?  After being told no last time and calling back I'm being told my word isn't good enough?

Now, I ran canvasses for various PIRGs and even a phone bank in RI for PIRG.  I've been called by everyone from Cancer to Sierra Club to churches to NJ Citizen Action and said no to all of them at various times, and I have never heard anything like this.  Not when I wrote the scripts, and not when I was the one being called.

Does anyone else think this is weird, or am I just being overly sensitive that our dinner is being repeatedly interrupted?

Family Medical Leave; update and Call to Arms

by: Jay Lassiter

Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 12:54:07 PM EST

It's been a long time since the atmosphere in Trenton was this positive, especially concerning Family Medical Leave Insurance.  

In addition to the panel vote this morning (update!!  2pm, bill passes Labor panel! DEMS vote yay, GOP -- sans Singer, who abstains -- votes Nay.)  the focus is on Monday's Senate floor vote.  So it's entirely possible that these pro-family measures will be a done deal before summer solstice.  Which just might mean NJ workers won't have to choose between a paycheck and a sick child for much longer.

Today is a baby step.  The real battle is Monday, March 3 when the full senate take a vote.

Family Leave Advocates Strike Back

by: Jay Lassiter

Tue Dec 11, 2007 at 10:56:56 AM EST

Since Lameduck started, big business has been lying through their caps teeth to try to kill Sen. Sweeney's family medical leave bill.  It's been quite a lobby salvo on their part and frankly it kinda caught me off guard.

Yesterday supporters of the bill --led by New Jersey Citizen Action -- struck back and boy was the statehouse teeming. 

There's still time to save this bill but liberals need to get pissed and make this a priority.

So what's your take on the topic?  Ever take time off to care for a sick parent?  To have a baby?  Is ten weeks enough?  This is an open thread, so fire away.