Gig, Freelance, Independent Contractor Work Is Doomed If Joe Biden and The Democrats Win In 2020

If you're one of the 57 million or so gig and freelance workers out there you might want to take a good hard look at who you're planning to vote for in the upcoming 2020 elections.

Any of you familiar with the new California law AB5 that took effect on January 1, 2020? That epic mess of a bill that was cobbled together by Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, and endorsed by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom? The law that is pretty much decimating the gig economy in California for pretty much every independent contractor other than "doctors, dentists, psychologists, insurance agents, stockbrokers, lawyers, accountants, engineers, real estate agents" and some other lucky ones who happen to live in the Golden State? The bill that is basically forcing businesses to switch independent contractors to employees? The bill that could effectively bankrupt many of those companies and small businesses because they can't afford to hire those contractors full time? The bill that is making people prove that they fit the criteria of being an independent contractor through the ABC Test, which entails submitting a myriad of paperwork?

Guess who supports AB5 and wants to make it national- Joe Biden. Yes, the man who some thought was the most palatable and moderate of the sorry lot of Democratic candidates running for president. Joe Biden tweeted his support for the bill  6 days after Gonzalez actually admitted she was WRONG  for believing the bill wouldn't somehow adversely affect gig workers, including musicians. 

“we never intended for a band member to be another band member’s employer if they’re playing on the weekends or here and there..”

People are losing work- many their livelihoods- due to this epic failure of a law. Female home-based business owners (including women of color)- many of whom need the flexibility of freelance work- are being hard hit. Including LGBTQ folk, and those with physical disabilities.

 According to Forbes:

"In recent years, a growing number of women have flocked to self-employment. Given the glass ceiling and gender pay gap in many companies, some women find they earn more as independent workers than in a traditional job. For those juggling caregiving and a heavy load of unpaid household work, running a business from home instead of commuting is often the only way they can get everything done."

And this:

"... many independent workers in California say AB5’s complexity has scared away their clients, who are afraid of getting hit with fines by the state if they misinterpret it. Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2020 budget includes about $20 million for enforcement."

But it's not just California- there are other blue states including Illinois, New Jersey, and New York considering similar job-killing bills. If the Democrats retain Congress, retake the Senate, and win the White House those 57-plus million gig workers can effectively kiss their businesses goodbye.

So which gig workers are being targeted?

-Newspaper delivery workers (exempt for 1 year)
-Rideshare workers (Uber/Lyft)
-Food delivery drivers (Postmates etc)
-Writers (can only submit 35 submissions per year per outlet, Vox Media fired hundreds of independent contractors because of AB5.
-Photographers (can only submit 35 submissions per year per outlet)
-Many musicians (the industry fought back and some will be exempt) but if you're a musician working in theme parks, forget it.
-Film and TV workers not working under a Union Contract (including freelance dubbing and voice-over work, makeup artists)
-Convention workers
-Unlicensed manicurists (exempt for 2 years)
-Health Aides (in Nursing homes and Assisted Living facilities)
-Janitors and housekeepers
-Land surveyors, landscape architects, geologists
-Campaign workers
-Language interpreters and translators
-Strippers
-Rabbis
-Seamstresses
-Commercial fisherman (exempt until 2023)
-Truckers (some)

Some health professionals are also not exempt. Those include:

Audiologist, clinical social worker (licensed), marriage and family therapist, nurse practitioner, occupational therapist, optometrist, physician assistant, radiation therapist, speech therapist, professional clinical counselor (licensed), respiratory therapists.

The fact that Joe Biden and the Democrats support such a job killing bill should have you truly frightened.  Do your research before you vote yourself out of your freelance jobs.


More info:

Facebook Group Freelancers Against AB5
Who's exempt and who's not..
For those in the Arts and entertainment biz.
Some great info.

Tulsi Gabbard Is NOT A Friend of Conservatives

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend" comes from an ancient Sanskrit proverb that suggests enemies can come together to fight against a common enemy. We've seen this occur most notably during WW11 when Germany betrayed the Soviet Union's pact with the Nazis to divvy up the land between their borders. The Soviets in tandem with the U.S and Britain were instrumental in defeating the Nazis.

It happens quite often when it comes to foreign policy, but the enemy of my enemy is not always our friend- take Tulsi Gabbard. Kudos to her for giving Kamala Harris a pummeling during the 2nd Democratic Debate when she called Kamala out on her abysmal record during her tenure as California Attorney General.

"She put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations, and then laughed about it when she was asked if she’d ever smoked marijuana. She blocked evidence that would have freed a man from death row until the courts forced her to do so. She kept people in prison beyond their sentences to use them as cheap labor for the state of California. And she fought to keep cash bail system in place that impacts poor people in the worst kind of way."

Boom.

And more kudos for giving Hillary Clinton a monumental smackdown in response to HC insinuating Tulsi is a "Russian asset" during a podcast interview with Campaign HQ's David Plouffe.

Hillary Clinton called Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard "the favourite of the Russians" in a recent interview while describing 2016 Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein as "a Russian asset."

During a podcast appearance this week on Campaign HQ with David Plouffe, the former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee did not mention the Hawaii congresswoman by name, but said she believes the Russians have "got their eye on somebody who's currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming her to be the third-party candidate." 

"She's the favourite of the Russians," Clinton said.

"They have a bunch of sites and bots and other ways of supporting her so far. And that's assuming Jill Stein will give it up, which she might not because she's also a Russian asset."

The Russians know they can't win without a third-party candidate, Clinton added.

Tulsi responded on Twitter with the following:

Great! Thank you @HillaryClinton. You, the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party for so long, have finally come out from behind the curtain. From the day I announced my candidacy, there has been a ...

— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) October 18, 2019

The rest of her Tweet:

 concerted campaign to destroy my reputation. We wondered who was behind it and why.
"Now we know — it was always you, through your proxies and powerful allies in the corporate media and war machine, afraid of the threat I pose.

"It's now clear that this primary is between you and me. Don't cowardly hide behind your proxies. Join the race directly."

Boom. Again.

And she's not the only one who believes Hillary has her eyes set on a third presidential run in 2020. There has been speculation from others including ex-aide Mark Penn who said as much back in November 2018. I certainly wouldn't be surprised, considering Clinton's power-hungry lifetime goal has always been to sit in the Oval Office. And it makes total sense calling Tulsi a favorite of the Russians. It's straight out of her playbook. After all, Clinton was the catalyst for the whole Russia/Trump collusion fiasco we've lived with for three unbearable years, and the subsequent rush by Democrats and their leftist supporters to call anyone they disagree with a Russian Bot or any variation thereof. So while I can understand why conservatives would come out in support of Tulsi after the Hillary hit- being called a Russian bot/asset or whatnot is irksome as hell- please remember Tulsi is NOT our friend. In many ways, she's as left as the rest of the Democratic presidential hopefuls.

If you haven't done your research I'll help you out a little. But here's her website for more in-depth information on all the issues, including teaming up with Bernie Sanders to raise the minimum wage, gun control, etc.

MEDICARE FOR ALL:  She's a co-sponsor of H.R.1384 - Medicare for All Act of 2019, which would provide universal health care to all Americans. Plus she's on the Medicare for All Caucus.

CLIMATE CHANGE: " Tulsi is a top leader in fighting for urgent action to address climate change." "I support the carbon neutrality goals of the Green New Deal and the awareness it has brought across the country on the critical issues of energy independence and the climate crisis.."

ABORTION RIGHTS:  She supports the right to choose.

And if that's not enough the website Progressive Army talks about just how progressive Tulsi is.

There might be some issues like her non-interventionist foreign policy stance that many conservatives might embrace, but other than that, she's not even a centrist.