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The Two Faces of Janus: The Billionaires Behind the Supreme Court Case Poised to Dismantle Public Sector Unions The Roman god Janus was known for having two faces. It is a fitting name for the U.S. Supreme Court case scheduled for oral arguments February 26, Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Council 31, that could deal a devastating blow to public-sector unions and workers nationwide. In the past decade, a small group of people working for deep-pocketed corporate interests, conservative think tanks and right-wing foundations have bankrolled a series of lawsuits to end what they call "forced unionization." They say they fight in the name of "free speech," "worker rights" and "workplace freedom." Read the rest of this item here. Arizona "Ground Zero" for Koch Attack on Public Education The annual Koch donors summit took place at the five-star Indian Wells Resort and Spa in the California desert at the end of January. The millionaires and billionaires called to the posh resort from all parts of America by the Koch brothers pledged $100,000 or more for a $400 million effort to keep the U.S. House and Senate in Republican hands in 2018. At the same time, the donors pledged to go to war with parents and teachers in Arizona who are fighting to block the state's massive school voucher expansion. Read the rest of this item here. The ALEC Emperor's New Clothes ALEC named Republican North Carolina state representative Jason Saine its new national chairman late last year. Saine, who took office in 2011, has co-sponsored many bills held dear to ALEC, including those on charter schools, limits to speech on campus, a constitutional convention and federal preemption of state and local rules governing fracking. For pushing the ALEC agenda, Saine was awarded the 2014 ALEC "Legislator of the Year," an award that seems to be a requirement for its top post. Read the rest of this item here.