I spent Tuesday being an honorary Connecticutian--yes, that’s the correct term. I joined a band of native Connecticutians as part of the “Take Back the Capitol” week in Washington, DC. Our group’s mission: convince Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) to pass jobs legislation to put Americans back to work.

I was lucky enough to be one of many bloggers invited to Washington, DC to write about the 99inDC events happening all week. I decided to hang out with the Connecticut contingent, because I figured it might be a culture shock for a girl from the Midwest.

Last week the Cornell University Global Labor Institute published an extensive report about the true job numbers associated with Keystone XL. They confirm what we've suspected for a long time: TransCanada and their contractors use junk math to inflate their numbers. In fact, the pipeline could destroy more jobs than it creates. Our state and our country deserve to make this decision based on sound facts, not industry-generated numbers based on half-truths.

Here is the overview that the researchers sent out with a link to the full report at the bottom: 

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 8, 2011 — Dan Danner, the president and CEO of the National Federation of Independent Business, issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress this evening.

“Small-business owners needed to hear something bold from President Obama tonight, but instead just heard more of the same. His plan does not address the fundamental problems facing small business today. In addition, recent history tells us that a huge federal stimulus program is the wrong approach, and again sends the message that the president thinks he can spend his way out of this recession.

“The truth is that small businesses need the government out of their way. Tax breaks are always a welcome help to small businesses, especially in these tough economic times. But those outlined tonight by the president are temporary, and avoid the question of meaningful business tax reform. Lack of sales is still a major concern and there is a great deal of uncertainty among small businesses thanks to the threat of higher taxes and the thousands of pending federal regulations. The president’s speech did little to ease those concerns.”

Today, two major unions came out against the Keystone XL pipeline. In a joint press release the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) demanded President Obama deny the Keystone XL permit and focus on creating jobs that rebuild our infrastructure and increase our energy independence.

This is announcement is proof of what we've known for awhile: the fight over jobs vs. the environment is a false one. If we do not protect our natural resources, there will be no future jobs. And we can put Americans to work NOW by creating jobs that heal our land, as President Obama promised when he took office, instead of ravaging it.

The assault on public employees and middle class families that we are seeing nationwide is too important to allow multinational corporate America to try to redefine the rights and values of American citizens.

Last Saturday, more than 350 public employees, teachers, trades workers, union members and middle class families gathered at the Nebraska State Capitol supporting the workers’ right to collectively bargain, something the vast majority of Americans support. Thirty-five people associated with Americans for Prosperity and the tea party were also at the Capitol to protest against workers.

The Nebraska Sierra Club, Bold Nebraska and the Nebraska Wildlife Federation today call attention to the fact that TransCanada’s ever-changing figures show that building the Keystone XL Pipeline would result in few jobs for Nebraskans and increased gas prices, which could range from 7 to 15 cents a gallon in the Midwest.

“We are concerned about the negative impact of an increase in the price of gas on the economy of our state,” said Ken Winston, Nebraska Sierra Club spokesperson.  “Such increases only benefit oil companies, and harm everyone else.”

As the multi-billion dollar anti-aging market indicates, Americans are forever seeking the mythical Fountain of Youth, which supposedly grants eternal youth to all who a) find it and b) drink its water.  However, in today’s economic climate, trading in a few laugh lines for youth might be a terrible choice.  Jobs are scarce, college is breaking the bank and it looks like things aren’t getting better anytime soon.

A recent report from Young Invincibles explains that the unemployment rate for those of us between 18-34 is 12.5 percent, well above the 9.6 percent national average.  Even worse, the jobs that do get added back into the market don’t go to Miillenials.  Young men and minorities are affected worse than other groups, and young minority men get hit the hardest of all.  The breakdown across demographics looks like this:

Labor Day doesn't just signal the end of summer and the start of football season.  It's also a national holiday that celebrates the achievements of American workers.  Organized labor's been demonized a lot lately, and we want to shed some positive light on the same groups that have fought for fair wages and a reasonable work week.

We found a great article from Amy Traub at the Drum Major Institute worth sharing.  Traub defends public workers and explains that by demonizing them, we hurt the middle class.  Here's the start, click on Read More below to read the entire blog.