UMA CALLS FOR CONGRESS AND ADMINISTRATION TO ADDRESS FEDERAL DEFICIT
UMA today, signed onto a statement promoted by the Business Roundtable and signed by numerous other national and state organizations calling on the Administration and Congress to work in a bipartisan manner to effectively deal with the burgeoning federal deficit. The statement follows: STATEMENT ON THE FEDERAL DEFICIT As representatives of the nation’s business, university, science and engineering communities, we believe the future of our nation depends on our willingness to take immediate actions to rein in the federal deficit and drive economic growth. Americans know the exploding federal debt is unsustainable. The Congressional Budget Office projects a 90 percent debt-to-GDP ratio within 10 years, a dangerous prospect that would saddle the country with crippling interest payments on the debt. If we do not act soon, the country at some point will be forced to make truly draconian cuts in government expenditures and impose huge tax increases, while simultaneously experiencing prolonged slow or zero growth. This will weaken our nation and reduce the standard of living of current and future generations. We can still choose our path, however. Past generations of Americans have risen to great challenges, and so can we. Current discussions about deficit reduction by the Administration and Congress have largely concentrated on domestic discretionary expenditures, which are only about one sixth of the budget. If defense and security-related expenditures were included, the debate would still be focused on only about one-third of the budget. We would need to eliminate nearly all of this spending to balance the FY2012 budget. Moreover, concentrating exclusively on reducing discretionary expenditures threatens to undermine the human capital and the physical, technological and scientific infrastructure upon which our future economy, health, and security depend. Largely missing in the budget discussions to-date are entitlement programs, particularly the major ones: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. These three programs alone account for about 40 percent of the budget and their expenditures will grow dramatically in the decade ahead: Social Security by an estimated 71 percent, Medicare by 75 percent, and Medicaid by 125 percent. Any serious and sincere deficit reduction plan must include entitlement reform. An effective deficit reduction plan cannot focus entirely on decreasing discretionary expenditures; it must also include tax reform, spending prioritization and actions to strengthen economic growth. Economic growth and job creation require federal investment to prepare our children with world-class educations and to support the scientific and technology research and innovation infrastructure that enable the private sector to create jobs and compete in the global economy. Americans must set priorities and share in the sacrifice required to put our fiscal house in order. This is consistent with the model discussed in the bipartisan majority report of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform – the Bowles-Simpson commission. We applaud those bipartisan efforts now underway among some Senators to put a broad-based deficit reduction plan on the table, the recent letter signed by 64 Senators calling for a ‘broader discussion about a comprehensive deficit reduction package,’ and the release of a concrete set of goals for reducing deficits and stabilizing the national debt by the House Democratic Blue Dog Task Force on Fiscal Responsibility. We urge the President and the Congress to emphasize bipartisan compromise rather than contention. We call upon them to join together with Congress in making the tough choices on all elements of the federal budget in order to reduce deficits, bring the national debt under control and empower economic growth and job production. LEGAL BRIEFING: LEARN FROM OTHERS' BIG MISTAKES
The Employers Council Recent landmark employment law case decisions and high profile settlements with the EEOC and DOL show countless ways employers can get themselves into major trouble. From sexual banter (and racial name-calling) to botched internal investigations, and from replacing older workers (with younger ones) to misclassifying workers as exempt from overtime or as independent contractors, employers in Utah and surrounding states have shelled out hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for their legal mistakes. In this interesting and interactive briefing, Attorney Camille Johnson of Snow, Christensen & Martineau will share others’ stories and use their mistakes to teach best practices for running your business. The briefing will be held on Wednesday, April 13, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Radisson Hotel, 215 W South Temple, Salt Lake City. The price is $85, which includes full breakfast buffet, validated parking, and materials. To register, reply to this email or call the Council office. Legal Briefings are open only to Council members and attorneys practicing in Utah. Certification: The briefings are approved for 1.5 general recertification hours toward PHR, SPHR, and GPHR recertification through HRCI. They are also approved for 1.5 CLE hours for Utah attorneys. Download the registration form with complete details at www.ecutah.org/lbb.pdf Today in Manufacturing Views vary, but an evaluation today shows that the system has so far delivered more promise than results ... continue
Today in Manufacturing Ultra-fast wireless network is threatening to overpower GPS signals and interfere with everything from planes to police cars to navigation devices ... continue
Today in Manufacturing Some economists are scaling back their estimates for growth this year, in part because flat wages have left households struggling to pay higher gasoline prices ... continue
Quick Manufacturing News Lean guru James Womack says you don't learn by sitting in a conference room or an office. Go out to the gemba. Click to continue
Quick Manufacturing News Retailers and manufacturers operating in the Asia-Pacific region are increasingly feeling the pressure to deliver exceptional customer services on an on-going and increasingly cost-efficient basis. To that end, over one-fifth of supply chain directors in the region are planning to change logistics providers between 2011 and 2012. Click to continue
Quick Manufacturing News National Public Health Week, held April 4-10 this year with a theme of 'afety is No Accident,' is dedicated to preventing injuries and violence at home. Click to continue
ELECTRONIC PHYSICIANS FIRST REPORT OF INJURY
Utah Labor Commission, Division of Industrial Accidents The Division of Industrial Accidents now has an electronic version of Form 123, Physician’s First Report of Injury, available on our website. Physicians can complete and submit this new Form 123 on line. Two submission methods are available--a forms application and a web service. Both methods allow physicians to complete and submit the form electronically, without having to print and mail the form. This is more efficient for physicians and the Division; it is also compatible with the Division’s Electronic Data Interchange (“EDI”) program. Information to get started, along with the registration process, is found on the Division’s website under the red “Easy On-Line 123 Form” icon at: http://www.laborcommission.utah.gov/IndustrialAccidents/index.html Please forward any questions or comments to: STATE OF UTAH LABOR COMMISSION DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS Ronald Dressler, Director (801) 530-6841 160 East 300 South, 3rd Floor P.O. Box 146610 Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6610 Today in Manufacturing Unemployment rates are falling in most metro areas, suggesting recent gains in hiring are widespread and not limited to a few healthy regions ... continue
Today in Manufacturing To reduce the wait to fulfill an order, Pointe Precision's managers undertook a drastic shift in philosophy. The solution was quick response manufacturing ... continue
No comments:
Post a Comment