Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:
Threatening to Strike?
Labor groups that traditionally support Democrats are threatening to stay away from the polls in the November midterm elections because of what they see as a lack of progress on union issues.
This week the Senate refused to confirm one of President Obama's picks for the National Labor Relations Board. Earlier a pro-union nominee to head the Transportation Security Administration quit before the confirmation process even began. And the so-called "card check" bill, which would make it easier for workers to unionize, has stalled in Congress.
One union boss tells Politico: "Here's labor getting thrown under the bus again." John Gage of the government employees union says it will be difficult motivating election volunteers this fall: "People are going to say, 'What have the Democrats done for us?'"
Hefty Bonus
Meanwhile the liberal group MoveOn.org wants members to complain to the president about his recent remarks that he does not begrudge success or wealth for "savvy" Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, who gets a $9 million bonus this year.
MoveOn urges followers to call the White House and remind them any bonus money the company paid out in the last year belongs to taxpayers and to "let the president know that you're outraged."
President Obama said in that same Business Week interview: "We are pro-growth. We are fierce advocates for a thriving, dynamic free market."
Perhaps he saw last month's Bloomberg poll of U.S. investors. It found 77 percent of respondents believe President Obama as anti-business.
Money Dance
The security firm formerly known as Blackwater, reportedly billed taxpayers for strippers and prostitutes. The New York Times details the allegation from two former employees of the company, now known as Xe Services. The two are suing, claiming Blackwater defrauded the government for years by over-billing and filing bogus receipts.
They allege that a Filipino prostitute in Afghanistan was put on the Blackwater payroll under a "morale welfare recreation" category. They claim the company billed the prostitute's plane tickets and monthly salary to the government.
Spokeswoman for Xe Services Stacy DeLuke tells Fox News the allegations are without merit.
Listen Up
And speaking of stimulating funds, the Polk County, Florida school district is using stimulus dollars to pay for free iPods for parents.
Bay News 9 reports $350,000 of federal stimulus money is going to reward parents of children with disabilities who fill out a 10-minute online survey.
— Fox News Channel's Lanna Britt contributed to this report.
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