U.S. House of Representatives – COMMUNIST PARTY OF MAINE

_{^{Early-morning light shines on shops on Main Street, Saturday, June 11, 2022, in Bar Harbor, Maine. Small businesses face a mix of old and new challenges as 2023 begins. A looming recession, still high (although easing) inflation and labor woes are a few things small businesses will have to tackle | Photo via Maine Public}}

_{Reposted from Maine Public Radio}

The National Labor Relations Board’s new rule would expand the definition of joint employer under federal law. The rule says two employers using the same employees would be “joint employers,” and share responsibility for each others actions.

But Maine’s small businesses, many of them franchises, say that can expose them to decisions that they have no control over, like union issues.

Mike Layman, spokesman for the International Franchise Association, says Maine’s 2,200 franchises will be at risk under the new rule.

“This policy is not going to hurt Google and Amazon. It’s going to hurt small businesses and create an environment where on Main Street small business opportunities are going to dry up and be replaced by big businesses that don’t have to navigate this policy in nearly the same way,” Layman said.

The AFL-CIO supports the new Joint Employer Rule, saying corporations often control franchises which gives employees little say in their working conditions.

Adam Goode is Legislative and Political Director for the AFL-CIO.

“What we’ve seen is that corporations have scared small businesses, especially franchisees, into thinking the joint employer rule would destroy small business and the franchise model. We believe that’s false. We believe that it will protect and encourage collective bargaining as a means of solving labor disputes,” Goode said.

The rule is due to go into effect February 26. The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on a resolution next week that disapproves of the rule.

_{Carol Bousquet is Maine Public Radio Weekend Edition Host and Producer}.

_{^{Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.) attend a vigil with other members of Congress on November 7, 2023 to commemorate one month since the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel | (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)}}

_{Reposted from Common Dreams}

“Congresswoman Tlaib’s moral courage will never be extinguishable, but these 22 Democrats’ cowardice, bigotry, and fanaticism will be the only thing the American people ever remember of them,” said Justice Democrats.

Twenty-two Democrats in the U.S. House voted with Republicans on Tuesday to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib—the only Palestinian-American member of Congress—over her response to the deadly Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the Israeli military’s response, which has killed more than 10,000 people in just a month.

The censure resolution, led by Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), falsely accuses Tlaib (D-Mich.) of defending the Hamas attack as “justified” resistance and calling for the “destruction of the state of Israel.”

The final vote on the measure was 234-188, with four Republicans and 184 Democrats voting no. The 22 Democratic yes votes included Reps. Josh Gottheimer (N.J.), Jared Golden (Maine), Susie Lee (Nev.), Brad Schneider (Ill.) and Ritchie Torres (N.Y.).

In a floor speech ahead of Tuesday’s vote, Tlaib said that “trying to bully or censure me won’t work because this movement for a cease-fire is much bigger than one person.”

“There are millions of people across our country who oppose [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s extremism and are done watching our government support collective punishment and the use of white phosphorous bombs that melt flesh to the bone,” she continued. “But let me be clear: My criticism has always been of the Israeli government and Netanyahu’s actions. It is important to separate people and governments.”

“No government is beyond criticism,” Tlaib added. “The idea that criticizing the government of Israel is antisemitic sets a very dangerous precedent, and it’s being used to silence diverse voices speaking up for human rights across our nation.”

In a statement responding to the censure vote, the progressive group Justice Democrats accused the House of taking out “its anti-Palestinian bigotry out on the only Palestinian American in Congress” and called out by name each of the Democratic members who voted yes.

“We ask Representatives Steve Cohen, Jim Costa, Angie Craig, Don Davis, Lois Frankel, Jared Golden, Dan Goldman, Josh Gottheimer, Greg Landsman, Susie Lee, Kathy Manning, Jared Moskowitz, Wiley Nickel, Chris Pappas, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Pat Ryan, Brad Schneider, Kim Schrier, Darren Soto, Ritchie Torres, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Frederica Wilson why the cries of Palestinian babies sound different to them,” said Alexandra Rojas, the group’s executive director.

Tlaib is one of more than 20 members of Congress who have called for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, which is facing an appalling humanitarian crisis as Israel continues bombing the besieged territory and ramping up its ground attack. Major human rights groups and the head of the United Nations have also called for a cease-fire, which is overwhelmingly popular with the U.S. public.

But Tlaib and other progressive U.S. lawmakers who have called for a cease-fire have been met with open criticism from members of their own party and the Biden White House.

Tlaib has accused President Joe Biden of supporting genocide in Gaza, echoing the assessments of legal experts who say the administration’s unconditional arming of Israel and unwavering political support rise to the level of complicity in Israeli war crimes.

A group of United Nations experts warned last week that “the Palestinian people are at grave risk of genocide.”

“The time for action is now,” they added. “Israel’s allies also bear responsibility and must act now to prevent its disastrous course of action.”

Democratic strategist Waleed Shahid noted in a statement Wednesday that “the House did not censure Rep. Brian Mast for stating there is no such thing as an innocent Palestinian civilian and comparing all Palestinians to Nazis, nor Rep. Max Miller for saying Gaza should be turned into a ‘parking lot,’ nor Rep. Josh Gottheimer who was reported in two outlets to have blamed all Muslims for the attacks of October 7.”

“Representative Tlaib has repeatedly called for the recognition of the shared humanity of all Israelis and Palestinians,” Shahid added. “It is clear that while Israelis and Palestinians may be equal in the eyes of God, they are not in the eyes of the United States government. It’s now up to Democrats of conscience to dismantle the horrific hierarchy of human value that has taken hold at the highest places in our party and government.”

_{Jake Johnson is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams.}