Romney to bosses: Tell workers how to vote

In a June 6 conference call that went unreported before Wednesday, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney urged an audience of small business owners to do something that’s long been considered illegal in the U.S. until just recently: He asked the bosses to tell their workers how they should vote in November.

“I hope you make it very clear to your employees what you believe is in the best interest of your enterprise and therefore their job and their future in the upcoming elections,” Romney told members of the ostensibly nonpartisan National Federation of Independent Business, an anti-union group whose endorsements tend to align with Republicans.

“And whether you agree with me or you agree with President Obama, or whatever your political view, I hope — I hope you pass those along to your employees,” he added. “Nothing illegal about you talking to your employees about what you believe is best for the business, because I think that will figure into their election decision, their voting decision and of course doing that with your family and your kids as well.”

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Democracy Now! National and Global News Headlines for Thursday, October 18

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told a courtroom at Guantánamo Bay that the United States had killed more people in the name of national security than he is accused of killing on 9/11. Mohammed addressed the court during a hearing ahead of his trial for coordinating the attacks. Speaking through a translator, Mohammed said that while about 3,000 people were killed on 9/11, the United States has killed thousands or even millions. He said: "Many can kill people under the name of national security. And to torture people under the name of national security. And detain their children under the name of national security." He went on to say: "I don’t want to be long, but I can say that the President can take someone and throw him in the sea in the name of national security. And so well he can also legislate the killings, assassinations, under the name of national security, for American citizens. My only advice to you that you do not get affected by the crocodile tears. Because your blood is not made of gold and ours made of water. We are all human beings."