tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61457995783108741272024-03-21T11:19:08.197-05:00The LunchpailDedicated to the courageous "red" Finns of the Iron Range who struggled for what many people take for granted today.Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-9980409884116246952012-01-18T15:52:00.003-06:002012-01-18T15:55:27.176-06:00Say "NO" to the Viking Stadium boon-doggleThe iron Range has nothing to gain by tax-payers footing the bill in any way, shape or form when it comes to building a new Viking's Stadium.<br /><br />The present stadium is good enough for a second-rate football team.<br /><br />The owners of the Vikings should foot the bill not expect tax-payers to subsidize their profits.Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-86156355916434345422009-11-09T14:44:00.000-06:002009-11-09T14:45:02.073-06:00CALL TO ACTION!!<span style="font-weight:bold;">Money for jobs; not for war... unemployed workers shouldn't have to pay any taxes. <br /><br />Make the minimum wage a real living wage based upon all the cost-of-living factors as scientifically calculated by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics and then legislatively tie the minimum wage to cost-of-living increases. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A National Conference to Create Living-Wage Jobs, <br />Meet Human Needs and Sustain the Environment</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">November 13-14, 2009</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">New York, NY</span> <br /><br />The Problem: Even before the onset of our current, deep recession, we faced chronic unemployment, low and stagnant wages, myriad unmet needs and unprecedented environmental degradation.<br /><br />Today’s rapidly escalating unemployment has put job creation back on the public agenda for the first time in recent history. Nearly 15 million workers were officially unemployed in June 2009, and hidden unemployment brings total joblessness up to almost 30 million with nearly 12 seekers for every available job. If it is possible to ignore the chronic unemployment that besets millions of people in normal times, it is much harder to ignore this current, mass unemployment and its staggering social and economic costs.<br /><br /> What should progressive activists concerned about economic justice, labor, the religious community and other concerned people do about mass unemployment? <br /> What long-term goals should we have for the economy? <br /> How can we build a strong, effective unified movement to achieve full employment and living wage jobs for all?<br /><br />A strong economic stimulus is imperative to meet the current emergency. Yet, even if the current stimulus package that achieves its intended goal of creating 4 million jobs, it would only reduce official unemployment by a third! <br /><br />Nor is it good enough to return to official unemployment of 5 million women and men and millions more working poor even in the “best” of recent times, or to be satisfied with the host of unmet needs with which this recession began. In the words of FDR, “We cannot be content, no matter how high the general standard of living may be, if some fraction of our people … is ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed, and insecure.” <br /><br />The Challenge: Crises present opportunities for progressive change. This is the time for Progressives people of good will to mobilize and to develop goals and strategies for an economy that provides living wage jobs for all, sustains the environment, and repairs our social and physical infrastructure and begins the transition to a more stable, productive economy that provides for shared prosperity.<br /><br />Conference Goals and Intended Outcomes:<br /><br />1. Expand public debate and action on the future of the U.S. economy<br />2. Increase public awareness of chronic unemployment and underemployment and its human and economic toll, even in better times<br />3. Build on Increase public awareness of current mass unemployment, its dire consequences for human beings and its waste of potential economic output;<br />4. Raise public awareness of our current economic dead-end—high personal and foreign debt, inequality, wage lag, environmental degradation, military overreach…. <br />5. Steer public debate and action toward:<br />• Government promotion and creation of living-wage jobs, strengthening of the safety net and supportive fiscal, monetary and trade policies;<br />• Government promotion and creation of jobs that improve the physical and social infrastructure (repair of bridges, upgrading public transportation, building affordable housing, improving and expanding public education and child, health and elder care).<br />• Government promotion and creation of jobs that further the goal of a sustainable economy and begin to restructure it.<br />6. Develop plans to pay for this program of reconstruction through more progressive taxes and confinement of military spending to genuine defense needs <br /><br />7. Initiate a movement for living-wage jobs for all and develop strategies for achieving this permanent economic reform-- including similar conferences in cities across the country and a mass mobilization in Washington on behalf of economic reconstruction.<br /><br />You Are Invited to Be a Conference Convenor/Co-Sponsor: We seek broad participation and sponsorship for this National Conference, especially organizations with a primary focus on the quality and quantity of jobs, economic justice, social security, the safety net and poverty prevention. Other critical participants will be organizations not primarily concerned with employment, but whose goals for union rights, health care, education, child care, elder care, disability rights, housing, economic restructuring, public transportation, environmental sustainability, and the arts would be furthered by job creation in their areas of interest. The hope is to gain their ongoing commitment to conquering unemployment and low wages-- even after the crisis subsides. This would build on a plans of the National Jobs for All Coalition and the Chicago Political Economy Group to simultaneously create living wage jobs for all and, through a renewed public sector, to repair our deeply deficient social and physical infrastructure.Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-7295512208451029422009-11-03T22:51:00.001-06:002009-11-03T22:51:57.696-06:00Remember Medicare for All in the healthcare reform debateTuesday, November 3, 2009<br />Remember Medicare for All in the healthcare reform debate<br />http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/66053-remember-medicare-for-all-in-the-healthcare-reform-debate<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Remember Medicare for All in the healthcare reform debate<br /><br />By Kay Tillow, Coordinator, All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care--HR 676, Nurses Professional Organization - 11/03/09 10:06 AM ET<br /><br />We are in danger of losing the opportunity to bring Improved Medicare for All, a single payer plan, before the Congress. Last July Congressman Anthony Weiner and six of his colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee attempted to substitute the real public option—HR 676, a single payer plan—for the healthcare reform in the House. Speaker Nancy Pelosi assured them that if they withdrew the amendment in committee they would have an opportunity to bring it to the House floor for a debate and vote. Now Pelosi is threatening to keep the Weiner Single Payer Amendment from seeing the light of day.<br /><br />If we were able to get this plan really on the table and before the nation in a meaningful way, we could win this hands down. Even Blue Dog Mike Ross, in an unguarded moment, asked why not just have Medicare for All. HR 676, the national single payer legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers, would cover everyone for all medically necessary care through an Expanded and Improved Medicare for All. The bill and its advocates have been blocked, excluded, and beaten back in the current national healthcare reform debate.<br /><br />Yet Medicare for All continues to raise its head. When single payer advocates were excluded from the White House kick off meeting for health care reform, doctors’ opened the door to two single payer advocates with a plan to protest at the White House gate. When Senate Finance Chair Baucus ruled single payer off the table, thirteen doctors, nurses, and others rose to protest. Baucus had them arrested. Those gutsy advocates pried open another door and won a round of publicity for single payer. But still not a place at the table.<br /><br />Yet support for single payer continues to grow. Its simplicity, humanity, and economic efficiency win more supporters each day. The Kentucky House of Representatives, four other state legislative bodies, scores of cities and counties, a half dozen giant religious denominations, NOW, the NAACP, and the National Conference of Mayors have called for passage of HR 676. For unions, it’s the plan of choice. At each contract deadline the double digit rise in health care costs gobbles up the lion’s share of bargaining power. For that reason, 578 unions including 39 state AFL-CIO’s and 134 central labor councils have endorsed HR 676. In September the national AFL-CIO Convention declared unanimous support for single payer as the social insurance plan necessary to achieve social justice.<br /><br />When Physicians for a National Health Program founder Quentin Young, testified before a House committee last June, Representative Weiner listened and was impressed. Weiner turned HR 676 into an amendment that would transform the House bill into a single payer plan. He popularized it as Medicare for All and catapulted the discussion into the national media with his feisty good humor and popular style.<br /><br />Now Pelosi wants to renege on her promise to Weiner. We have sent an action alert to over 19,000 unionists asking them to contact Pelosi, and Waxman (who relayed Pelosi’s commitment publicly) and Slaughter (who heads the rules committee) to assure that they allow the Weiner amendment to come to the floor.<br /><br />The “public option” that remains in both the Senate and the House bills is pitiful and powerless--totally incapable of providing cost control. Those bills, with their forced mandates and fines, their massive transfer of public funds to the insurance industry, and their ban on bulk buying power to rein in the pharmaceutical companies, will fail woefully to cover our people and to make that care affordable.<br /><br />Pelosi should stick to her promise. We’ll keep up the effort to make her do so. Either now or later Medicare for All will have to come to the table. We’ll keep building the movement to make that happen.<br /><br />Source:<br />http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/66053-remember-medicare-for-all-in-the-healthcare-reform-debate<br />The contents of this site are © 2009 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsisiary of News Communications, Inc.Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-65017357376855022362009-10-19T16:43:00.000-05:002009-10-19T16:44:18.075-05:00Iron Range lose second-most construction, mining, logging jobs in the nation in last yearPublished October 02 2009<br /><br />Duluth (MN) area, Iron Range lose second-most construction, mining, logging jobs in the nation in last year<br /><br />By: Andy Greder, Duluth (MN) News Tribune<br /><br />The Twin Ports and Iron Range lost the second-most construction, mining and logging jobs in the past year of any metropolitan area in the U.S., according to a report released Wednesday.<br /><br />Carlton, Douglas and St. Louis counties suffered a 33 percent decline in employment in those three sectors from August 2008 to August 2009, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.<br /><br />Only Reno-Sparks, Nev., at 35 percent, suffered a steeper decline, the association said. Of the 337 metropolitan areas analyzed, 324 lost jobs. The association, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, said about 1 million jobs were lost nationwide in those industries during the period.<br /><br />The bulk of the job losses in the Duluth-Superior metro area were in mining and logging on the Iron Range, said Drew Digby, regional labor analyst with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The number of miners collecting unemployment skyrocketed from 300 in January to more than 2,000 in June, he said. About 1,000 miners collected unemployment benefits in August, DEED numbers show.<br /><br />About 3,600 Northland residents were employed by the mines in September 2008, before the mining companies began cutting production.<br /><br />What the August-to-August report doesn’t show are the recent improvements on the Iron Range, where most mining operations have ramped up production this fall.<br /><br />The latest bit of good news comes from Minorca Mine in Virginia, where employees returned to work this week after a five-month shutdown. All 290 employees were back on the job Thursday, said David Zasadni, vice president of United Steelworkers Local 6115.<br /><br />Since the mine was idled in April, ArcelorMittal kept more than 100 workers busy doing $10 million worth of maintenance and repairs. Now that those repairs are done, the company wants the mine operating at full production, Zasadni told Fox 21 News.<br /><br />Five of the six Iron Range taconite companies are recalling workers, said Craig Pagel, president of the Iron Mining Association of Minnesota. The lone exception is Hibbing Taconite Co.<br /><br />“They are changing on a daily basis; they are all calling back people,” Pagel said. “We are cautiously optimistic and want to keep moving at a steady rate.”<br /><br />Bad summer<br /><br />August employment in mining, logging and construction hadn’t fallen below 9,000 workers this decade — until this year. Employment in the sectors totaled about 9,400 workers last August, but plummeted to about 6,300 in August 2009, said the association’s chief economist Ken Simonson.<br /><br />“Pretty dreary,” Simonson said from his office in Washington, D.C. “This is quite a recent change for Duluth.”<br /><br />While the brunt of the job losses happened on the Iron Range, construction employment regionwide also took a hit and remains weak as fall begins.<br /><br />The Duluth Building and Construction Trade Council, the umbrella organization to 15 unions and 10,000 workers in the Northland, is mired in about 30 percent unemployment.<br /><br />Craig Olson, council president, said about 50 of the council’s 200 painters were without work on Thursday alone.<br /><br />“Normally, this time of year, we have no painters available this late in the fall,” Olson said. “There is usually a last-minute rush until the snow falls, so when I see 49 painters for one local union, that is troubling.”<br /><br />The construction trades have been buoyed by some of the larger public construction projects in the area, including the new Duluth Entertainment Convention Center arena and the Enbridge Energy pipeline among others.Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-33537316271503831952009-07-12T20:02:00.002-05:002009-07-12T20:10:28.487-05:00Racism and the Minnesota DFLThis letter is making the rounds on the internet.<br /><br />For once someone isn't afraid to challenge the racism that pervades the Minnesota Democrats.<br /><br />The only question now is what will be done to correct this disgraceful problem where not one single Native American holds a seat in the Minnesota House or Senate.<br /><br />Now a Native American worker has challenged this and rightly so.<br /><br />The letter writer proposes a just and innovative solution to a problem no one has dared to articulate.<br /><br />This letter deserves the full and immediate attention of everyone in Minnesota regardless of political affiliation.<br /><br />Iron Range Club, CPUSA<br /><br /><br /><br />--- On Wed, 7/8/09, greg paquin <hotpasstheketchup@yahoo.com> wrote:<br /><br />From: greg paquin <hotpasstheketchup@yahoo.com><br />Subject: Minnesota Senate District 4 (seat)<br />To: brian.melendez@usa.net<br />Cc: chair@dfl.org, dcassutt@dfl.org, srego@dfl.org<br />Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 7:15 PM<br /><br />Wednesday, July 8,<br /> 2009<br /><br /> <br /><br />Brian Melendez, Chair, Minnesota Democratic<br />Farmer-Labor Party<br /><br /> <br /><br />Dear Mr. Melendez, <br /><br /> <br /><br />I am writing to inform you that I will be running for the Minnesota State Senate for the District 4 seat.<br /><br /> <br /><br />I would like to run with the endorsement of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party in the Primary Election.<br /><br /> <br /><br />As you are aware, there isn’t one single Native(Anishinabe) American sitting in the Minnesota State Legislature; not in the Senate, not in the House.<br /><br /> <br /><br />This needs to change.<br /><br /> <br /><br />And the change needs to take place now.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Barack Obama promised change. I intend to fight on behalf of<br />Indian(Anishinabe) people to see to it that we get the change that we assumed was coming. Real jobs at real living wages. Our children going to school, not tossed behind bars and forgotten. We lack adequate health care. Native(Anishinabe) American women suffer sexual abuse at rates far higher than the general population.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Our land and our resources, the wealth of our Nations, were stolen out from under us in the most brutal manner and nothing has been done to make things right.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Native (Anishinabe)Americans are the largest single minority population in the State of Minnesota and we have no representation in the State Legislature; anyone can see that this is unfair. <br /><br /> <br /><br />I intend to try to change this with or without the support<br />of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party; I would like to do this with support from the DFL if at all possible, if not, I will use other means.<br /><br /> <br /><br />As a long-time union member of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United<br /> States and Canada (UA), I have always been a loyal supporter of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Should I not hear from you in seven days, I will decide after consulting with my campaign committee and my many friends--- Native and<br />non-Native--- whether to seek the DFL endorsement during the Primary process and Election or run as an independent candidate in the General Election.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Minnesota Native(Anishinabe) Americans, including myself, have repeatedly sought assistance from the local DFL elected public officials who we helped in every way to elect. WE now need their help on a variety of issues of importance to us from jobs to education, housing and health care and environmental concerns, we find ourselves shut out of the political and decision-making process by these same politicians who could not have been elected without the votes of Anishinabe people who are now ignoring our problems and concerns when it comes to doing things by way of finding solutions. Solutions which are often as simple as doing what is right to make sure Anishinabe people get jobs. Often we don’t even hear about jobs until the work is completed. How do others hear about jobs, even in our own communities, before we do? This is not right.<br /><br /> <br /><br />I organized the “We Shall Remain” conference in Bemidji. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Many Native Anishinabe and non-tribal people, from all walks of life showed up at this conference fully expecting to be able to explain and tell elected officials what our problems and concerns are. The only public official who showed up was the Beltrami County Sheriff who informed us that he didn’t know how many Native Americans worked on his staff but he knew the population in the Beltrami County Jail was more than 50% Native American. This was a figure not lost on those in attendance since the current unemployment on most Minnesota Reservations is 50% or more. There is something terribly wrong with this picture and the present DFL State Senator from District 4, Mary Olson, refuses to talk about resolving the injustices creating these problems.<br /><br /> <br /><br />I want to most vigorously point out to you that the MN DFL claims to have a policy that decries discrimination; yet, for all these years the MN DFL has done not one thing to assure Native( Anishinabe) Americans are elected to state and federal offices. There is something wrong with this picture here; you want our money and our votes but you don’t want us sitting as equals with all other Minnesotans in the State Legislature or the halls of Congress.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Certain measures have to be taken in order to ensure that Minnesota Indigenous,Anishinabe people get the seats they are entitled to in the Minnesota State Legislature; those measures have not even been considered, let alone taken.<br /><br /> <br /><br />We are entitled to at least two seats per tribe. I am quite sure most Minnesotans will find this very reasonable. Democracy requires this. <br /><br /> Anishinabe Native Americans are entitled to District 4, 4a, 4b, 2, 2a, 2b seats in the Minnesota State Legislature as a beginning to right this wrong of no representation.<br /><br /> <br /><br />I intend to do everything I can do to make sure that Senate seat 4 is held by an Native Tribal Member citizen, because this is what justice requires. <br /><br /> <br /><br />It is my hope that other Native(Anishinabe) Americans will join my efforts to secure the other five seats.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Most Anishinabe, Native Americans are working people, yet you treat us as if only the cash you get from the casino managements counts for anything. This, too, will change once I am elected to the Senate District 4 seat because the people of Minnesota will be hearing the truth about gaming revenues. If these revenues can be used to elect non-Tribal Natives to political office who then turn around and ignore our problems we can find a way to make sure these gaming revenues remain in our communities being used for meeting the needs of our own people now living in dire straights as the economy declines. I know many families who need food more than politicians need campaign contributions.<br /><br /> <br /><br />It is my hope you will also broach my concerns, distributing this letter, with the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party’s State Central Committee. <br /><br /> <br /><br />I await your response,<br /><br /> <br /><br />Gregory W. Paquin<br /><br />Hotpasstheketchup@yahoo.com<br />651-503-9493 cell <br />218-209-3157 home<br />1511 Roosevelt Rd SE Bemidji, MN 56601Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-5796354961632793172009-06-22T14:50:00.001-05:002009-06-22T14:52:38.898-05:00Support for single-payer universal healthcare comes from Deer River, MinnesotaGood example of Letter to the Editor (approximately 50 words). If you haven’t sent a Letter to the Editor on the health care issue here is a good example of what to send---<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">From the Mesabi Daily News</span><br /><a href=" http://www.virginiamn.com/articles/2009/05/23/your_views/doc4a18c23c546bb646825102.txt"><br />http://www.virginiamn.com/articles/2009/05/23/your_views/doc4a18c23c546bb646825102.txt</a><br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Bailouts first; then comes the single payer</span><br /><br />Published: Saturday, May 23, 2009<br /><br />Well you bailed out Wall Street, the same people that got us in this mess now it is time to give something to the people who are going to pay to get us out of this mess, the American citizen.<br /><br />Single payer health care now.<br /><br />Mel Thoresen <br />Deer River, Minnesota</blockquote>Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-89191355142160061962009-04-21T09:50:00.000-05:002009-04-21T09:51:09.329-05:00Chicken Shit Patriots; War, Peace and DemocracyThis post by right-wing bigot Nancy L. LaRoche to the "<span style="font-weight:bold;">e-democracy forum</span>" pretty much tells us the truth behind all the statements coming from the two-bit, half-assed fascist right-wing talk radio big-mouths who host these programs that somehow these teabaggers are putting on some kind of "non-partisan" events open to all who decry wasteful government spending.<br /><br />Check out this response to me very closely because the truth is in what Nancy L. LaRoche posted in opposition to what I posted.<br /><br />Here is what I posted which she is responding to:<br /><br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Alan wrote: "Yes, you want people to attend your "Tea Party" rallies but you exclude those with a left view from speaking... wow! Real democratic.<br /><br />Invite me to speak; I'll be there."</span></blockquote><br /><br /><br /><br />Now, notice what she says:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Alan: Do you leftist protesters pass their bullhorns and allow the other side to speak at their rallies?</span></blockquote><br /><br /><br /><br />This is a very frank admission that only those from the right side of the political spectrum are welcome at these "Tea Parties." <br /><br />This statement here makes Mitch Berg, Chris Baker, Shawn Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and the rest of the chicken shit patriot crowd so eager to send others off to kill and die in these dirty imperialist wars being waged for control of the oil fields and gas pipeline routes along with regional domination and control of the poppy and heroin trade nothing but outright liars afraid to defend their fascist, racist, warmongering, pro-capitalist, pro-imperialist ideas. They lie when they say these "Tea Parties" were organized by "concerned citizens" from grassroots, when, in fact, these right-wing bigots and blowhards of talk radio have organized these "Tea Parties" for two reasons: 1.) As promotional publicity stunts to promote the now largely discredited right-wing talk radio; and, 2.) To try to move the country firther to the right THAN WHAT BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRATS AND THE WALL STREET CROWD are already trying to take us. Make no mistake, Barack Obama is not liberal, progressive or left in any sense of the meaning of these words... Obama is definitely not a "socialist" as these racist, bigots of right-wing talk radio of are charging. <br /><br />In other words, the teabaggers are not going to allow me (or any known "leftist" to address their <span style="font-weight:bold;">Tax Day Rallies</span> with the message that military spending is wasteful government spending.<br /><br />The organizers of these "Tea Parties" do not want people hearing the truth that the most excessive, wasteful government spending is for wars and militarism.<br /><br />These right-wing blow-hards like Mitch Berg are afraid to have me addressing their crowds saying things like:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">The United States government, dominated by Wall Street bankers and coupon clippers, is wasting trillions upon trillions of dollars of tax-payer monies borrowed from Wall Street bankers to finance a vast and far-flung network of over 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil dotting all parts of the globe instead of building 800 public health care centers right here in the United States providing free health care from cradle to grave for everyone. </span></blockquote><br /><br />Now, this self-avowed, Bircher--- this two-bit, half-assed fascist--- Nancy L. LaRoche declares that I have denied people with differing viewpoints from my own the right to speak at <span style="font-weight:bold;">anti-war rallies</span>.<br /><br />This is another outright and brazen two-faced lie and she is well aware she is a liar in making this statement.<br /><br />I have never in my life prevented anyone--- from any political perspective or persuasion--- with an anti-war view to speak at any anti-war rally.<br /><br />To the extent it has been within my power (as one vote on a committee), I have never allowed anyone with a pro-war view to speak at an anti-war rally. <br /><br />Why would I give consideration to anyone with a pro-war view to speak at an "anti-war rally?" Only a complete idiot and fool like this Birchite, Nancy L. LaRoche, would make such a statement... it is up to her and her warmongering friends who support these wars but never go off to fight them to organize their own "pro-war rallies." <br /><br />However, I have organized (and participated as a debater in debates I had no part in organizing) dozens of debates all over Minnesota--- some ninety debates, in fact--- prior to the start of the war in Iraq, around the question and issue: <br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Should the United States Government Go To War in Iraq?</span></blockquote><br /><br />Participants in these debates, generally consisted of two or three pro and con views. As the main organizer of these debates across Minnesota I did not seek out and select participants according to my personal left-wing views. In fact, these debates included retired military people--- both pro and con--- on the question and the issue. In fact, there were even some right-wing talk show hosts who participated in these debates--- several times as the moderators. Not once was I ever accused of stacking these debates. And not once was the discourse anything but cordial. I would note, the bigots and the Birchites did condemn these debates because they included the anti-war view! You see, these two-bit, half-assed fascists do not believe in democracy or any concept of democracy. To them, democracy is only them getting out their views. These is an obviously perverted view of democracy; the same perverted view of democracy that almost thoroughly permeates right-wing talk radio--- with a very few notable exceptions of those who hold genuinely conservative views but welcome all other views into the "battle of ideas in our modern world." <br /><br />Nancy L. LaRoche intentionally tries to blend "debate" with demonstrations and rallies. She does this intentionally as do all of her bigoted friends because they know that people get their ideas together when they hear the many sides to these complex and complicated questions in the process of public and democratic debate--- and, then, after formulating opinions based upon what they believe to be the best information they can gather; from this informed position they go out a try to convince others to rally and demonstrate with them to try to move government, corporations or whatever in the direction they think society should be moving.<br /><br />But, where has the debate been on the Obama/Wall Street agenda?<br /><br />In fact, there has been no debate.<br /><br />In fact, the "left" which our bigoted, Birchite friend Nancy L. LaRoche so bemoans, has had no voice what-so-ever in a debate, which I would remind the reader, has largely been an attack on socialism. <br /><br />Denying a voice to the adherents of the socialist viewpoint and perspective under these circumstances can hardly pass for democracy.<br /><br />By Nancy L. LaRoche's own words here, these "Tea Party" and tax-protests are nothing more than right-wing rallies; her own words give lie to the words of those like Mitch Berg, Chris Baker, Shawn Hannity and Rush Limbaugh along with the "fair and unbiased" FOX news crew that these rallies are anything but anti-communist, pro-war and pro-corporate bash the working class and attack the rest of the world rallies.<br /><br />That two-bit, half-assed fascists from both the Republican and Democratic Parties participate in these rallies does not mean these rallies are open to all who oppose wasteful government spending; it means that those on the right from both political parties support and sponsor--- and exclude--- anyone not right-wing from participation. <br /><br />After all, when you openly state as Nancy L. LaRoche has done that "leftists for peace" are excluded; here in the state of Minnesota you are excluding a good 40% of the population.<br /><br />And, if you are "not going to pass the bullhorn" to leftists to speak about their concerns about inappropriate government spending no one, not Mitch Berg or Chris Baker or Shawn Hannity or Rush Limbaugh, can make the claim they are speaking for all Americans... they are speaking for a very, very narrow slice of America... perhaps 3% to 4% of the population... no more than this. <br /><br />But, here we are supposedly talking about bringing people of "all political persuasions together" in these Tea Parties who are opposed to "government waste." <br /><br />Are these "Tea Parties" also "pro-war parties and rallies?" If we listen to Nancy L. LaRoche they really are.<br /><br />Not only do the American people have to ask:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Where is the change?<br /></span></blockquote><br />We also have to ask:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Where are the debates on these issues? </span></blockquote><br /><br />Nancy L. LaRoche knew better than to demand the microphone at an anti-war rally because she was pro-war.<br /><br />In her small little demented and perverted mind, patriotism is equated with being pro-war. Waving a flag is equated with being pro-war. That she convinced someone to put down a peace sign and hold the American flag tells us absolutely nothing... did she convince that person to become pro-war? No. And she knows it. That person waved the American flag to demonstrate that peace is patriotic, and war is unpatriotic.<br /><br />I'm not a "flag-waver" but I will stand my patriotism for this country up against the chicken shit patriotism of these right-wing bigots hosting these Fox radio programs any day... and it they who run from the challenge of debating these issues.<br /><br />That they can convince a few stupid fools like Nancy L. LaRoche to join them tells us everything we need to know about this perverted crowd of "teabaggers."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nancy L. LaRoche tells us that she and her friends "don't bite." However, they sure want to give the working class a good "teabagging."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Teabaggers</span> have more in common with the "steal the land from the Indians," pro-slavery, pro-Hitler crowd than with the sons and daughters of the American Revolution and Tom Paine and Benjamin Franklin or Thomas Jefferson.<br /><br />Again, I reiterate my suggestion for real--- face-to-face--- debates in every city where the teabaggers are planning their events... come on Nancy L. LaRoche, your idols Mitch Berg and Chris Baker refuse to debate me... let's me and you tour these sixteen cities debating the issues involved... let's me and you debate what constitutes wasteful government spending... <br /><br />bak, bak, bak, baaakkk, bak, bak, baakk, baaakkkkk, bak, bak. <br /><br />No doubt Hitler was a "teabagger," just like Mitch Berg and Chris Baker in every sense of the word.<br /><br />Something to think about around the dinner table--- if you can keep from gagging.<br /><br />Yours in the struggle,<br /><br />Alan L. Maki<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />From a posting to "<span style="font-weight:bold;">e-democracy</span>" to which the "moderator," Rick Mons, would not allow me the above response.<br /><br /><blockquote>The posting was from: <span style="font-weight:bold;">Nancy L LaRoche</span> Date: 07:23 CDT Short link <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Alan Maki wrote: <br /><br />"Yes, you want people to attend your "Tea Party" rallies but you<br />exclude those with a left view from speaking... wow! Real democratic.<br /><br />Invite me to speak; I'll be there."</span><br /><br />Alan: <span style="font-weight:bold;">Do you leftist protesters pass their bullhorns and allow the other side<br />to speak at their rallies?</span> I've attended some anti-war protests and had great<br />conversations with those opposed to my views. I didn't demand the microphone.<br />In fact, at one three years ago I made friends with a homeless Native American<br />who was given an anti-war sign to carry. After we talked for a while, he put<br />his sign down and picked up a flag. That's what democracy is - the right to<br />have differing opinions and discuss openly with others. You seem to want to<br />dismiss and shut up those who disagree.<br /><br />Come out and talk with us May 2. Try to understand our side face to face.<br />Again, we don't bite.</blockquote>Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-57504592630398830812009-04-12T19:45:00.001-05:002009-04-12T20:17:37.440-05:00Global steel industry awaits auto turnaround as layoffs on the Iron Range mount and MN DFL twiddles thumbs<span style="font-weight:bold;">Statement of the Iron Range Club of the Communist Party, USA</span><br /><br />Barack Obama in an Easter Sunday holiday message had the nerve to lie to the American people about the nature of the economic depression we are in. Obama said he sees "glimmers of hope."<br /><br /> We ask: Where are the "glimmers of hope?"<br /><br /><br /><br />Obama has not been to the Iron Range.<br /><br /> We ask: Where's the change? <br /><br /><br /><br />Here on the Iron Range there are no "glimmers of hope;" only the despair that accompanies growing joblessness and dire poverty making the Iron Range, what Alan Maki has referred to "the Appalachia of the North with the same pits, pollution and poverty."<br /><br />The economic situation and social conditions are worsening by the day on the Iron Range as working class families are now experiencing dire economic straits our grand parents tell us they have not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930's.<br /><br />We and our grand parents were assured such conditions would never come about again.<br /><br />We were told that Karl Marx was wrong. We were told that the capitalist system could be managed by flaky, weirdos like John Maynard Keynes and Alan Greenspan.<br /><br />This generation was assured by the best paid economists Wall Street could buy that this generation would never live through an economic depression where the capitalist system collapses.<br /><br />Yet, today, all economic indicators--- contrary to Barack Obama seeing "glimmers of hope," are pointing to the worst depression ever along with all the misery for working people such a catastrophe will most certainly entail as this "ball continues to drop" if we don't push back against Wall Street, and push back hard.<br /><br />Larry Summers, Director of the National Economic Council--- Barack Obama's chief economic adviser--- describes the economy like a "ball dropping from the table that has not stopped falling."<br /><br />Something is terribly wrong with this entire scenario. We are being played for suckers and fools as if we do not have the brains or capacity to reason and think.<br /><br />Vice-president Joe Biden stated months ago that he and Obama are trying to "dropkick the ball." Here we are, months later, with Larry Summers telling us "the ball is still dropping" and hasn't even touched the ground yet.<br /><br />Key to Obama's lies is that he continues to state economic troubles were caused by the "crisis in the housing market." This is an outright lie. The housing market, sabotaged by a bunch of greedy crooks not of which one has been prosecuted to date as millions of people lose their homes, is part of the problem; part of the problem contributing to the main problem. But not the primary source of the problem that Barack Obama and his over-paid economic advisers are well aware of but refuse to acknowledge because to do so would expose the capitalist system for what it has become: rotten to the core.<br /><br />The present crises the capitalist economic system is experiencing is the direct result of the corporate assault on the standard-of-living of the working class that has been well underway in this country for over thirty years, and Wall Street has intensified this assault on the working class over the last eight years of Republican domination over our lives while Democrats sat back like cowards and did nothing.<br /><br />The problem is one from which the capitalist economic system cannot escape:<br /><br />Workers not being paid enough to purchase back what they have produced. Most working people in the United States have been receiving poverty wages; unable to purchase even the minimal basic necessities required to live decent lives.<br /><br />Capitalist exploitation is THE PROBLEM. Capitalists stealing the wealth created by the working class is the source of this economic mess.<br /><br />Common sense tells us that if the wealth created by the many is being constantly stolen by the rich few there is going to be severe economic problems down the road; we are now at the end of that road.<br /><br />High-paid corrupt union leaders like Leo Gerard, Ron Gettelfinger and John Sweeney have worked in cahoots with big-business in forcing concession after concession from the very workers whose dues are paying their big fat salaries when they should have been putting the unions' resources into organizing the unorganized. Instead, they plowed union dues into supporting Barack Obama and the Democrats who are now kicking workers in the head while down on the ground.<br /><br />How else can one explain taking away the homes of working people who are jobless and going hungry?<br /><br />A moratorium on all foreclosures and evictions should have been and still is the NUMBER ONE requirement needed by hard-hit workers. This is so basic to common human decency we Communists should not even have to be stating this.<br /><br />Minnesota Senator David Tomassoni could not even get the vote of one single Democrat in support of "the Minnesota People's Bailout." And the United Steel Workers and United Auto Workers unions are pumping money into getting these servants of the Chamber of Commerce, the mining, auto, banking and power industries elected!<br /><br />If Senator Tomassoni and any other DFL'ers who consider themselves "progressive" don't see the need to leave the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party after this (first it was betrayal and sell-out on saving the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant) now these same rotten Democrats have defeated "the Minnesota People's Bailout" which would have halted foreclosures and evictions so widespread across the Iron Range and the rest of the state and the entire country.<br /><br />Now these same Democrats are kicking the living daylights out of the working class at every opportunity; not missing an opportunity to kick workers in the head. Case in point: the auto workers; and miners right here on the Iron Range.<br /><br />No two unions did more to help elect Barack Obama and the Democrats than the United Steel Workers union (USW) and the United Auto Workers union (UAW).<br /><br />Steel workers and auto workers are now getting kicked in the head by Barack Obama and the Democrats without any help from the Republicans.<br /><br />What does this tell us about the two-party system?<br /><br />It should tell us what Communist Party leaders William Z. Foster and Gus Hall said over and over again:<br /><br /> Labor needs its own political party.<br /><br /><br /><br />The time has come for working people to get up off the ground and fight back.<br /><br />Since the labor "leadership" is not willing to fight back; the rank-and-file is going to have to stand up and slug it out with these corrupt and wholly incompetent labor leaders, the Democratic Party and Wall Street.<br /><br />Military recruiters are not shy about walking into our public schools trying to convince our children to go fight Barack Obama's dirty imperialist wars.<br /><br />A third of the ore that has been taken from the ground on the Range has gone into wars and militarism as our children die in these senseless wars that Barack Obama said were "stupid" when he wanted our votes.<br /><br />Barack Obama and the Democrats are not as eager to solve our problems as they are to ship our kids off to war.<br /><br />In fact, to a large extent the social and economic problems we are experiencing are directly related to these dirty imperialist wars.<br /><br />As Alan Maki has pointed out, we need "800 public health care centers spread out across the United States instead of over 800 U.S. military bases dotting the globe."<br /><br />On this Easter Sunday, we on the Iron Range don't see Barack Obama's "glimmers of hope."<br /><br />The steel and auto industries need to be nationalized and brought under public ownership and the democratic control of the people.<br /><br />We will not get a "people's bailout" until we organize some kind of "people's lobby" as part of a "massive people's front" in the struggle for an end to foreclosures and evictions and a legislated minimum wage that is a real living wage directly based upon and tied to all cost-of-living factors.<br /><br />Polls now show the American people have completely lost confidence in capitalism.<br /><br />The same polls demonstrate that the time is now to place socialism on the table; socialism is the only way working people are ever going to get out of this economic mess.<br /><br />The time has come for working people to create a people's political party to challenge the monopolies for power, and put us on the high road to peace and jobs through socialism.<br /><br />We ask Barack Obama and the lying, warmongering Democrats: Where's the change?<br /><br />As the article below points out, the steel and auto industries are the key to any healthy economy.<br /><br /> We ask: Does anyone see any indication of these two industries ever recovering again under capitalism?<br /><br /><br /><br />China bailed us out and saved thousands of jobs for us here on the Iron Range.<br /><br />Now that Chinese "leaders" have betrayed their people like union "leaders" here and jumped in bed with Wall Street after having been sold a bill of goods by Alan Greenspan, the CATO Institute and the Heritage Foundation that capitalist markets could provide a "quick fix" to their problems there is no place else for us to look other than to our own strength which comes through our own working class unity in getting out from under this mess.<br /><br />Make no mistake, this economic mess was made by Wall Street capitalists in their never-ending drive for profits; there is no reason for the working class to have to shoulder the burden by way of being driven into poverty to get these vultures and parasites out of this mess that they created.<br /><br />The corporate CEO's and bankers who created this mess are walking away with multi-million dollar "unemployment checks"--- our tax-dollars; and Barack Obama and the Democrats who expect our votes can't even come up with unemployment checks for workers from time of unemployment until time of re-employment as part of a "people's bailout." This is a disgrace.<br /><br /> We ask: Where's the change?<br /><br /><br /><br />Since working people are called upon to solve the problems we had no part in creating, we need to resolve these problems in a way that benefits the working class by improving the lives of working class families and not Wall Street pigs gorging themselves at the public trough provided courtesy of Barack Obama and the Democratic Party at our expense.<br /><br /> Again, we ask Barack Obama and the Democrats: Where's the change?<br /><br /><br /><br />In response to those still saying: "Give Obama a chance;" we say:<br /><br />Join the Communist Party.<br /><br />Join the fight for peace and jobs through socialism.<br /><br />Iron Range Club, CPUSA<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Global steel industry awaits auto turnaround<br /><br />http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090412/bs_wl_afp/commoditiesmetalssteelsector<br /><br /><br />PARIS (AFP) – Steel is on edge and the global industry is cutting back hard, hanging on for either a budget blast from China, new credit for vast Middle Eastern building schemes or resurrection of the US auto industry.<br /><br />Demand has dwindled and steelmakers, notably the giant of them all, ArcelorMittal, are damping down surplus furnace capacity while waiting for credit to flow, construction cranes to turn and factories to roll.<br /><br />A decision by ArcelorMittal last week to pursue temporary production cutbacks, slashing European output by more than half from the end of April according to a union source, dramatises the extraordinary ride and role of steel in the last few years.<br /><br />In just months the global industry has gone from a boom driven largely by China, emerging markets and a property extravaganza in the Middle East to a narrow line between excess capacity and the costs of waiting for recovery.<br /><br />"Over the past six months, demand for steel has dropped dramatically and, as a result, producers have been cutting production," analysts at Barclays Capital said in a study last week.<br /><br />In another report, Morgan Stanley predicted "the current demand shock to lead to excess steel capacity."<br /><br />Consequently, the bank said, steel plants should operate at rates below 75 percent of capacity until 2012.<br /><br />"The steel market is not very different from base metals as a whole, but steel has reacted more rapidly and dramatically since September," said commodities analyst Perrine Faye of London-based FastMarkets.<br /><br />She said the future of the steel industry depended on three factors -- the impact of Chinese economic stimulus efforts, a pick-up in the Middle East construction sector and a revival of the once mighty US auto industry.<br /><br />"Chinese imports and exports are at a standstill. Everyone is waiting for the Chinese stimulus package to see if it will revive demand."<br /><br />The Chinese government last month announced a four-trillion-yuan (580-billion-dollar) package of measures that it said could contribute 1.5 to 1.9 percent to the country's economic growth.<br /><br />Industry experts have meanwhile spoken optimistically of China's prospects.<br /><br />Thomas Albanese, chief executive at steel maker Rio Tinto, said earlier this year that the company foresaw "a short, sharp slowdown in China, with demand rebounding over the course of 2009, as the fundamentals of Chinese economic growth remain sound."<br /><br />Analysts have said steel inventories are falling in China in anticipation of projects expected to emerge from the country's huge stimulus package.<br /><br />"It is encouraging that the inventory of steel products, especially long products, which are mostly used in construction projects, have started to fall (since the end of March), likely suggesting that end-demand is gathering momentum," Frank Gong, a Hong Kong-based economist for JPMorgan, wrote in a research note.<br /><br />On-the-ground evidence suggested that the Chinese industry had been re-stocking in the first two months of the year, followed by a pause in March before major infrastructure projects were expected to start in the second quarter, Gong wrote.<br /><br />In the Middle East, according to Faye, the big problem is a shortage of credit, notably for real estate developers and builders.<br /><br />Construction planners had "counted on a higher price for oil and on credit to finance their huge projects."<br /><br />In addition, demand for such facilities, especially in the Gulf, has died.<br /><br />"They were hoping that Americans and Europeans would buy apartments. But property prices have collapsed in the Middle East as well."<br /><br />In the United Arab Emirates more than half the building projects, worth 582 billion dollars or 45 per cent of the total value of the construction sector, have been put on hold, a study by Dubai-based market research group Proleads found in February.<br /><br />In Dubai, one of the states of the UAE, prices in the real estate sector have slumped by an average of 25 percent from their peak in September after rallying 79 percent in the 18 months to July 2008, according to Morgan Stanley.<br /><br />Faye said the fate of the steel sector was in addition tied to that of the struggling US auto industry, once a thriving steel market but one in which two of its giant players, General Motors and Chrysler, are staring at bankruptcy.<br /><br />The two companies are currently limping along thanks to billions of dollars in government aid.<br /><br />"We are waiting to see if the auto sector in the US will get out of the crisis intact," she said.Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-2207566730963557832009-03-23T11:44:00.000-05:002009-03-23T11:45:24.748-05:00The United States has 800 military bases on foreign soil...What we need--- instead--- is 800 public health care centers spread out across the United States where people can universally access, for free, all their health care needs from pre-natal care, to general health care to eye, dental and mental care right through to burial.<br /><br />Instead of moving in this progressive direction, President Barack Obama and the United States Congress are moving in a most reactionary direction towards establishing military bases in outer space as they seek to insure the profits of both the merchants of death and destruction and the profit-driven health care industries... talk about skewed priorities and your wacky ideas devoid of common sense.<br /><br />In addition to these 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil, Barack Obama and the United States Congress continue funding--- with our tax-dollars--- the Israeli killing machine to the tune of tens of billions of dollars.<br /><br />A network of 800 public health care centers spread out across the United States would create over four-million good-paying, decent jobs--- talk about your "economic stimulus" package!<br /><br />We would be planting the seeds of socialism while helping to eradicate poverty as we keep people healthy and get them well when sick.<br /><br />Think about this kind of solution in relation to what Barack Obama, the U.S. Congress and the Wall Street bankers and coupon clippers are offering the American people, and the peoples of the world... just what is the reason for bailing out the banks and AIG and maintaining more than 800 expensive U.S. military bases of foreign soil?<br /><br />The Mt. Carmel Clinic in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada offers us a glimpse at what militarization and wars continue to rob us of.<br /><br />The problems created by Wall Street will not be solved as long as the military-financial-industrial complex is allowed to squander human and natural resources on militarism and wars... we might just as well be dumping these resources out into the ocean... at least no one would die in wars.<br /><br />These merchants of death and destruction must be stopped if humanity is to survive in a livable world.<br /><br />The time has come to talk about the working class Marxist politics and economics of livelihood... capitalism has failed humanity miserably and left us a real mess.<br /><br />Something for working people to think about and discuss around the dinner table... the capitalist sooth-Sayers certainly are not going to broach such solutions to the problems of working people as they hide behind the skirt of Rosy Scenario as this global capitalist economic depression intensifies.<br /><br />Alan MakiJeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-7164498747803712172009-03-18T09:01:00.000-05:002009-03-18T09:02:05.722-05:00The big lie about AIGThe big lie about AIG:<br /><br />From---<br /><br />U.S.News & World Report (see complete article following my comments)<br /><br /><br />What's Good, What's Bad About the AIG Bailout<br /><br />“It's keeping AIG's insurance businesses stable. Here's something that's really startling: The entire problem at AIG was caused by one unit, the Financial Products division, whose employees constituted less than one percent of AIG's overall workforce. AIG's insurance units - the core of its business - essentially had nothing to do with the fiasco. But if AIG had been forced to liquidate, it could have affected the insurance units and millions of policyholders. With a more orderly process underway, the policyholders are now completely protected.” <br /><br />This is the truth:<br /><br />The entire problem at AIG was caused by one unit, the Financial Products division<br /><br />But if AIG had been forced to liquidate, it could have affected the insurance units and millions of policyholders. With a more orderly process underway, the policyholders are now completely protected.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Question:<br /><br />Who are these AIG “policyholders?”<br /><br />Answer:<br /><br />These AIG “policyholders” are the largest multi-national corporations in the world… and include corporations from every industry, from media to banking/mortgage to auto and steel to toys.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />Question:<br /><br />What kind of insurance policies have the multi-national corporations purchased from AIG?<br /><br />Answer:<br /><br />These “policyholders” have purchased insurance from AIG to protect their profits.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />Question:<br /><br />What kind of “claims” are they filing?<br /><br />Answer:<br /><br />These multi-national policyholders are making claims based upon their loss of profits due to the recession/depression.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />Comment:<br /><br />Our tax-dollars are paying on “claims” being filed by these multi-national corporations for losses in profits as the economy goes south.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Comment:<br /><br />While the disgraceful tens of millions of dollars in executive “bonuses” paid by AIG are now the justified topic of wide-spread discussion; these “bonuses” are being used a “Trojan Horse” of sorts by the media and politicians who don’t want to disclose to the American people where the hundreds of BILLIONS of dollars are going.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Comment:<br /><br />Make no mistake, the $170,000,000,000.00 (one-hundred seventy billion dollars) paid out to AIG is just the beginning… as the depression deepens these multi-national corporations will continue filing claims and AIG will have to honor the policies these corporations purchased to protect their profitability… our tax-dollars are going directly into the pockets of the Wall Street coupon clippers and the very mortgage company crooks who ripped off the American people.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Comment:<br /><br />For the American tax-payer, there is nothing “good” about the bailout of AIG… except to the stock and bondholders and bankers and mortgage companies and the big industrialists and investors who will continue to pocket profits at tax-payer expense, everything about the AIG “bailout” is bad.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Conclusion:<br /><br />The “bailout” of AIG with our tax-dollars is doing nothing but stabilizing Wall Street “profits.”<br /><br />AIG’s insurance business is the business of protecting multi-national corporations against a loss in profits.<br /><br />Once the tax-dollars stop flowing into the coffers of AIG and flooding out to the multi-national corporations, the world stock markets will collapse and we will be in the midst of the worst capitalist economic depression humanity has ever known--- complete with all the accompanying human misery and social strife one would expect--- now being widely predicted by many diverse voices.<br /><br />On top of all of this, the American dollar will become worthless and we will be forced to purchase oil with Euros and Rubles… then what?<br /><br />And if the Chinese aren’t dumb enough to buy into the American capitalist economic mess… then what?<br /><br />In spite of what the highest-paid capitalist sooth-Sayers are telling us, capitalism as an economic system is finished… it is time to explore a socialist solution where production takes place to solve human needs rather than for profit… there is no other solution.<br /><br />The multi-national corporations purchased insurance policies to protect their profits against recession/depression incurred losses from AIG, a private--- for profit--- insurance company, which assumed the risk in underwriting such policies. <br /><br />The multi-national corporations did not purchase insurance policies from the United States government; so why should tax-payers be the ones paying out on these claims?<br /><br />This is the biggest corporate swindle in history… in comparison, Bernie Madoff is a piker… we are being played for suckers.<br /><br />We need a national “people’s bailout” based on the “Minnesota People’s bailout.”<br /><br />The time has come to take a “left turn” to get us off this road to perdition as the capitalist system collapses.<br /><br />Big-business created this economic mess as they reaped the profits while leaving working people with ALL the problems. <br /><br />Alan L. Maki<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />U.S.News & World Report<br />What's Good, What's Bad About the AIG Bailout<br /><br />http://biz.yahoo.com/usnews/090317/17_whats_good_whats_bad_about_the_aig_bailout.html?.&.pf=insurance<br /><br /><br />Tuesday March 17, 1:52 pm ET <br />By Rick Newman <br /><br />"There are times when one would like to hang the whole human race, and finish the farce." <br /><br />The latest surreal twists in the AIG bailout bring to mind Mark Twain, who could spot folly as if he were hunting for it with a spyglass. Had Twain had AIG to work with as raw material, we'd probably have another couple dozen enduring epigrams skewering the greedy and the foolish. <br /><br />Many Americans would like to finish the farce and simply cut AIG off, especially now that the company has paid $165 million in bonuses to executives at the very unit that nearly caused the firm's downfall and triggered an unprecedented taxpayer bailout that now totals $170 billion. To almost everybody, it seems self-evident that traders shouldn't be rewarded for wrecking their company and then burning through vast amounts of public funds. Yet AIG insists it is legally obligated to pay the bonuses, because of contracts signed before the damage occurred and taxpayers got involved. There have also been suggestions that the rascals who devised these complex derivatives deals may be the only ones who know how to unwind them, so AIG has no choice but to keep them around - and pay for the privilege of their company. In other words, the bonuses amount to extortion. <br /><br />Okay. Breathe deep. Think calming thoughts. Find your center. Amidst this outrage, it's worth keeping in mind that the AIG bailout is actually doing some good. It's also a kind of learn-as-you-go experiment that's never really been done before. Here's a rough scorecard of what's working and what's not: <br /><br />What's working <br /><br />The AIG bailout has helped stabilize the financial markets. Take a moment to revisit September 2008. That's when Lehman Brothers failed, Merrill Lynch almost did, and AIG would have been forced into a chaotic bankruptcy if the feds didn't arrange an emergency $85 billion loan. With a bit of hindsight, it's starting to seem that AIG, which brokered more than $2.5 trillion worth of derivatives known as credit-default swaps held by many of the world's biggest banks, was the death star of that troubled troika. <br /><br />We've survived the Lehman bankruptcy, after all, and Merrill found a buyer. "The real surprise wasn't Lehman Brothers, it was AIG," Frederic Mishkin, a Columbia Business School professor and former member of the Federal Reserve Board, said in a recent speech. "Who would have thought that an insurance company would have been affected by all this? When that happened, all bets were off." <br /><br />All that federal money has helped AIG redeem some of those derivatives contracts, getting them off its books and out of the system. The financial markets still aren't back to normal, but they're heading in that direction. Forestalling another industrial-strength financial failure, and the chain reaction it would have triggered if AIG had collapsed, has certainly helped. <br /><br />It's also helping AIG unwind itself. AIG's problems snowballed in September when suddenly it had to produce billions of dollars worth of collateral to back up those credit-default swaps. The collateral call was triggered by an unexpected drop in AIG's credit rating, along with the plunge in value of mortage-backed securities around the world. AIG didn't have the cash, and to come up with it, the only option would have been to sell off illiquid assets like its highly profitable insurance divisions or its aircraft leasing company. Try doing that in a week. <br /><br />Had AIG been forced to liquidate those assets, it would have had to accept fire-sale prices, which would have led to a sudden collapse in the prices of other similar assets and companies throughout the world. AIG would have gotten pennies on the dollar for valuable assets and many other businesses would suddenly have been devalued, too. <br /><br />AIG is still in the process of selling off assets, to pay off the government loans that effectively served as its collateral. But it's doing that in a more orderly way, seeking the highest bidders and the best terms. That's generally good for everybody, and it's also the best way for taxpayers to get most or all of their money back. <br /><br />It's keeping AIG's insurance businesses stable. Here's something that's really startling: The entire problem at AIG was caused by one unit, the Financial Products division, whose employees constituted less than one percent of AIG's overall workforce. AIG's insurance units - the core of its business - essentially had nothing to do with the fiasco. But if AIG had been forced to liquidate, it could have affected the insurance units and millions of policyholders. With a more orderly process underway, the policyholders are now completely protected. <br /><br />What's not working <br /><br />Revolting bonuses. It simply goes without saying that giving bonuses to the people who brought down AIG is a perversion of justice. Officials at the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Dept. should have put terms into the original bailout agreement that prevented this. They didn't. It was a chaotic time, and legitimate worries about a global financial collapse obviously clouded thoughts about rules to prevent rapacious traders from holding the government hostage. If it's any consolation, the $165 million bonus pool is relatively small. Still, it grates. <br /><br />Counterparty payouts. AIG has used much of the $170 billion in government aid to basically refund money to big banks and other "counterparties," to cash out some of those credit-default swaps and reduce AIG's massive liabilities. That's sensible, and it's basically the original idea behind the "Troubled Assets Relief Program," which was intended to get the worst derivatives and other securities off the market. <br /><br />The problem is that the government has apparently agreed to $105 billion worth of payouts - at the full face value of the securities. That means that banks like Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Societe General and Deutsche Bank - among the world's most sophisticated investors - are taking no loss at all on securities that had a market value of half their face value or less when AIG redeemed them in full. It's like house prices falling in your neighborhood by 50 percent, and somebody coming in and buying one house for what it was worth at the market peak a couple years ago. And using a government loan to finance it. <br /><br />Regulators at the Fed, Treasury, and other departments still haven't explained why the counterparties got all their money back. They're certainly going to be asked at upcoming Congressional hearings. But in a situation where just about everybody is taking a loss - taxpayers and consumers especially - it will be tough to make a case that the world's richest banks deserve full redemption. <br /><br />Secrecy. We keep learning the terms of the AIG bailout well after the fact. Obviously there are times when the feds need to move quickly and can't have a 60-day comment period. But it's not the same crisis atmosphere as last fall. In general, we should learn the details of the bailout as they occur. <br /><br />AIG strongly resisted releasing the list of counterparties that have been paid back with bailout money, for instance. As recently as March 5, Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Donald Kohn defended that secrecy, saying that firms might be reluctant to deal with AIG in the future if they knew their dealings could become public. <br /><br />Then a week later, under mounting pressure, AIG released a list of counterparties. The world didn't end. AIG is also refusing to release the names of individuals in the Financial Products division who are getting bonuses. They may lose that battle too, since New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has asked for the names and started an investigation, much as he has with Merrill Lynch. Information is going to come out one way or the other, and AIG and its regulators should stop trying to protect the failing company any more than they already are. When AIG pays back that $170 billion in taxpayer money, they can keep all the secrets they want. In fact, once we've got our money back, the less we hear about AIG the better. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />Alan L. Maki<br /><br />58891 County Road 13<br /><br />Warroad, Minnesota 56763<br /><br />Phone: 218-386-2432<br /><br />Cell phone: 651-587-5541<br /><br />E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net<br /><br /> <br /><br />Check out my blog:<br /><br /> <br /><br />Thoughts From Podunk<br /><br /> <br /><br />http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-5466761113870164672009-02-20T10:11:00.002-06:002009-02-20T10:48:42.886-06:00U.S. Steel lays off half its workers at MinntacMinnesota Democrats continue to play games with "The People's Bailout" the same way they played games with legislation that was supposed to save the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant.<br /><br />Over 1,000 Rangers employed in the iron ore mines and taconite industry have now joined the unemployed in the past few months.<br /><br />What is wrong with these politicians? These politicians owe their jobs to us but they do nothing except pretend doing something for working people.<br /><br />Working people are being played for fools.<br /><br />We want to know why Minnesota State Senator James Metzen is dragging his feet in getting "The People's Bailout" through his Committee on Business, Industry and Jobs?<br /><br />There is no end in sight to the problems plaguing the economy. <br /><br />Workers have a right to expect those politicians they elected will now bail them out of this mess.<br /><br />Here on the Range these mining companies have been taking out the profits leaving us with poverty, pits, pollution.<br /><br />The mining companies run off with the profits; we get stuck with the problems.<br /><br />This has been going on for over 100 years.<br /><br />We have been fed the line, "Everything will be alright; recovery is in sight."<br /><br />The problem is every "recovery" results in fewer and fewer jobs here on the Range. There has never been a recovery. Never.<br /><br />The time has come to nationalize the steel industry under public ownership... we can do better than United States Steel. We can't do any worse.<br /><br />We want action not speeches at election time from DFL politicians.<br /><br />We say to the politicians in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party: You brought forward this legislation called "The People's Bailout" thinking that it would be enough to pull the wool over our eyes again. You knew you had no intent in pushing this legislation through the Minnesota Legislature. You knew you were grandstanding. We call your bluff. Now get this "People's Bailout" out of the Committees in the House and Senate and bring this legislation to a vote so the many hurting and suffering working people can get a little help to get them through this mess.<br /><br />If there is going to be a recovery then you should have no problem making this help available to workers and their families from time of unemployment to re-employment.<br /><br />If you can't write this into "The People's Bailout" it means you know there is never going to be a recovery.<br /><br />If there isn't going to be a recovery, than let's bury capitalism in the pits and start anew with socialism.<br /><br />Iron Range Club of the Communist Party USA<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />U.S. Steel lays off half its workers at Minntac</span><br /><a href=" http://www.startribune.com/business/39883292.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ"><br />http://www.startribune.com/business/39883292.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ</a><br /><br />By STEVE ALEXANDER, Star Tribune <br /><br /> <br />U.S. Steel Corp. said Thursday it is laying off 500 union and 90 management employees at its Minntac taconite facility on Minnesota's Iron Range, nearly half the plant's workers.<br /><br />The layoffs, which will occur over the next few weeks, affect two of the Mountain Iron, Minn., plant's five taconite production lines, increasing the number idle to three, said Courtney Boone, a spokeswoman for Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel.<br /><br />It was U.S. Steel's second production cutback in Minnesota since early December, when it stopped work at its smaller Keetac taconite plant in Keewatin.<br /><br />The Minntac layoffs are a response to declining demand for steel products worldwide, Boone said. However, stopping plant production lines doesn't mean they're being closed permanently, she said. The plant's future "depends on U.S. Steel's customer orders and on market conditions," Boone said. At full production, the Minntac plant produces 16.5 million tons of taconite a year, Boone said.<br /><br />It's unclear how the plant's output will be affected by the layoffs. The Minntac plant had 1,100 union and 180 management workers before the layoffs. The idled Keetac plant previously produced more than 6 million tons of taconite annually.<br /><br />The layoffs came as U.S. Steel's stock dropped nearly 3 percent to $24.77 Thursday, the day after an analyst reduced U.S. Steel earnings estimates for 2009 and 2010, citing weakness in the market for steel pipe and the firm's pension liabilities and capital-spending expenses.<br /><br />Steve Alexander • 612-673-4553<br /><br />E-mail: alex@startribune.comJeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-53874684335715307412009-02-13T20:56:00.003-06:002009-02-13T21:21:26.782-06:00It's about time: Iron Range DFL'er pushes "The People's Bailout"Much of what this legislation contains is what the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Iron Range Club of the Communist Party USA</span> has been advocating for a long time and we encourage Rangers to get behind supporting this legislation in full force. <br /><br />We wonder why the USW and the Iron Range Labor Council have been so slow in mobilizing support for this important legislation that will help thousands of Rangers cope with pressing problems associated with this capitalist economic crisis.<br /><br />Members of the Iron Range Club of the CPUSA see no end in sight of this economic crisis. Without the kind of help embodied in "The People's Bailout" many working people will suffer needlessly. <br /><br />Alan Maki has called on Minnesota workers to step up and fight for <span style="font-weight:bold;">The People's Bailout</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglj4Crc1EFxXobNnbMfCL3eMWZNFYoZnXOjk7nS7dyUxFZmaQ4gZgqkKaLcb3jNhDv-zhxZYq5i5Ygwa0lPxRaXyJuLI6Xhxuip61uUKkujGa1wukYojsGMnottxOn2fhyX34GLbn4Hrnv/s1600-h/maki+at+wellstone.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 165px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglj4Crc1EFxXobNnbMfCL3eMWZNFYoZnXOjk7nS7dyUxFZmaQ4gZgqkKaLcb3jNhDv-zhxZYq5i5Ygwa0lPxRaXyJuLI6Xhxuip61uUKkujGa1wukYojsGMnottxOn2fhyX34GLbn4Hrnv/s400/maki+at+wellstone.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302487579668204498" /></a><br /><br />Alan Maki at Wellstone Memorial on Bodas Road<br /><br />Maki, in his blog says, "Don't let the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party betray working people like they did with workers employed at the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant when Senator Tomassoni brought forward SF 607; we second Maki's astute observation.<br /><br />With mines closing down and workers on the Range being thrown out of jobs left and right Rangers need this "People's Bailout" legislation and we expect ALL Range legislators to fight like hell to get it through the state legislature and mobilize all out support to force Governor Pawlenty to sign "The People's Bailout."<br /><br />We urge Rangers to read what "red" Finn, Alan Maki, has to say and check out his blog for all the information. Maki has done a great job in bringing all the tools we need together at the top of his blog. Check out Maki's blog and check it out often:<br /><br /><a href="http://">Thoughts From Podunk</a><br /><br />Thursday, February 12, 2009<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Support S.F. 542 "The People's Bailout" by Minnesota DFL State Senator David Tomassoni</span><br /><br />Support and follow this legislation:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF0542&ssn=0&y=2009">https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF0542&ssn=0&y=2009</a><br /><br />-----Original Message-----<br /><br />From: Alan Maki [mailto:amaki000@centurytel.net]<br /><br /><br /><br />Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 8:53 PM<br /><br />To: <span style="font-weight:bold;">sen.david.tomassoni@senate.mn</span>; rep.al.juhnke@house.mn; rep.bill.hilty@house.mn; rep.dave.olin@house.mn; rep.tom.anzelc@house.mn; rep.tom.Rukavina@house.mn; rep.tony.sertich@house.mn; peter.makowski@mail.house.gov; teresa_detrempe@klobuchar.senate.gov; amy_berglund@levin.senate.gov; elizabeth_reed@levin.senate.gov; 'Peter Rachleff'; mzweig@notes.cc.sunysb.edu; info@jamesmayer.org; rgettel@uaw.net; DLONG@uaw.net; debssoc@sbcglobal.net; 'Ley and Lea Soltis'; 'Joshua Frank'; carl.pope@sierraclub.org; carld717@aol.com<br /><br />Cc: 'jan.alswager@educationminnesota.org'; 'dickanfang@mtn.org'; 'julie.bleyhl@afscmemn.org'; 'simbix@excite.com'; 'carlmnpipetrades@aol.com'; 'sdaniels@steelworkers-usw.org'; 'mderosa0144@yahoo.com'; 'bjderoy@msn.com'; 'aduininck@local49.org'; 'tdwyertcu@aol.com'; 'angelol@teamstersjc32.org'; 'tgrot@comcast.net'; 'billheaney@billheaney.com'; 'bhesse@att.net'; 'shunter@mnaflcio.org'; 'rjkuaw879@yahoo.com'; 'kkillian@mape.org'; 'evdebs_lives@yahoo.com'; 'rkolodziejski@mape.org'; 'rene.lara@educationminnesota.org'; 'rleighton@nmtlaw.com'; 'blehto@mnaflcio.org'; 'tim@cwamncouncil.org'; 'clund@mnaflcio.org'; 'wluneburg@here17.org'; 'starkmad@frontiernet.net'; 'kmakarios@mncarpenter.org'; 'doug.manley@charter.net'; 'harstpbt@mtn.org'; 'cwa7200@msn.com'; 'dobrien@mnaflcio.org'; 'charlieolson91@msn.com'; 'pparris@smw10.org'; 'tpufahl@mnldc.org'; 'utumnlegbd@visi.com'; 'Brandon.rettke@educationminnesota.org'; 'revs0001@umn.edu'; 'ateamster@msn.com'; 'ida.rukavina@afscmecouncil65.org'; 'jschaubach@mnaflcio.org'; 'Lisa.Stager@iamdl143.org'; 'mstrub@visi.com'; 'rvarco@seiu113.com'; 'gpss@comcast.net'; 'dybarra@scc.net'; WCS-A@yahoogroups.com; 'Dee DePass'; shove001@tc.umn.edu; 'Charley Underwood'; brian.melendez@usa.net; mnaflcio@mnaflcio.org; azeve001@umn.edu; benne001@umn.edu; jbono@umn.edu; jbudd@umn.edu; duffy111@umn.edu; jfossum@umn.edu; mzweig@notes.cc.sunysb.edu; glomb001@umn.edu; lmleslie@umn.edu; cmanch@umn.edu; remin003@umn.edu; scovi001@umn.edu; shawx218@umn.edu; wanbe001@umn.edu; wangx010@umn.edu; mzaidi@umn.edu; rarvey@umn.edu; bogna001@umn.edu; benra001@umn.edu; wels0078@umn.edu; carol@carolbergotoole.com; davi1228@umn.edu; tubre001@umn.edu; info@fightbacknews.org; shove001@tc.umn.edu; eliot.seide@afscmemn.org; jo.pels@afscmemn.org; john.westmoreland@afscmemn.org; bob.hilliker@afscmemn.org; jerry.serfling@afscmemn.org; diane.johnston@afscmemn.org; jim.niland@afscmemn.org; eric.lehto@afscmemn.org; michelle.stein@afscmemn.org; lois.mcewen@afscmemn.org; bart.andersen@afscmemn.org; bob.buckingham@afscmemn.org; tom.burke@afscmemn.org; joyce.carlson@afscmemn.org; chris.cowen@afscmemn.org; sandra.curtis@afscmemn.org; jeff.dains@afscmemn.org; kurt.errickson@afscmemn.org; diane.firkus@afscmemn.org; Jeff.Fowler@afscmemn.org; carole.gerst@afscmemn.org; scott.grefe@afscmemn.org; sid.helseth@afscmemn.org; bruce.iverson@afscmemn.org; linda.jackson@afscmemn.org; laurie.johnson@afscmemn.org; jill.kielblock@afscmemn.org; al.lehrke@afscmemn.org; ken.loefflerkemp@afscmemn.org; nola.lynch@afscmemn.org; steve.marincel@afscmemn.org; chas.martin@afscmemn.org; gladys.mckenzie@afscmemn.org; loretta.meinke@afscmemn.org; christi.nelson@afscmemn.org; cindy.nelson@afscmemn.org; matt.nelson@afscmemn.org; lorita.powell@afscmemn.org; amanda.prince@afscmemn.org; barb.sasik@afscmemn.org; marshall.stenersen@afscmemn.org; ryan.welles@afscmemn.org; jim.niland@afscmemn.org; laura.askelin@afscmemn.org; julie.bleyhl@afscmemn.org; jon.grebner@afscmemn.org; pam.lofquist@afscmemn.org; mark.mcafee@afscmemn.org; john.thorson@afscmemn.org; mark.baker@afscmemn.org; ryan.hanson@afscmemn.org; marybeth.juetten@afscmemn.org; adrienne.kern@afscmemn.org; beth.neubert@afscmemn.org; kevin.piatt@afscmemn.org; Jeff.Sabin@afscmemn.org; jessica.hayssen@afscmemn.org; jennifer.munt@afscmemn.org; judy.carlson@afscmemn.org; rita.during@afscmemn.org; leslie.evans@afscmemn.org; amy.williams@afscmemn.org; claudia.schufman@afscmemn.org; cindy.pince@afscmemn.org; jodi.ochocki@afscmemn.org; kathy.mcginnis@afscmemn.org; laureen.karnick@afscmemn.org; laureen.karnick@afscmemn.org; maya.hendricks@afscmemn.org; amy.heitman@afscmemn.org; mary.hamilton@afscmemn.org; dixie.englund@afscmemn.org; Christina.Domeier@afscmemn.org; deb.cassidy@afscmemn.org; maurine.barcus@afscmemn.org; lisa.altendorfer@afscmemn.org; 'Baker, Mary'; 'Maldonado, Alejandro'; teamstersjc32@teamstersjc32.org; baldes@teamsterslocal320.org; javery@teamsterslocal320.org; gburnes@teamsterslocal320.org; mcarey@teamsterslocal320.org; gcejka@teamsterslocal320.org; jderby@teamsterslocal320.org; sgabriel@teamsterslocal320.org; mgolen@teamsterslocal320.org; ljohnson@teamsterslocal320.org; mking@teamsterslocal320.org; modonnell@teamsterslocal320.org; tperkins@teamsterslocal320.org; kseime@teamsterslocal320.org; cswenson@teamsterslocal320.org; eskoog@teamsterslocal320.org; sbastian@teamsterslocal320.org; joni@teamsterslocal320.org; marcia@teamsterslocal320.org; kziembo@teamsterslocal320.org; suzanne@teamsterslocal320.org; rphillips@teamsterslocal320.org; kziegler@teamsterslocal320.org; local320@teamsterslocal320.org; sdaniels@usw.org; kgrover@usw.org; plindgren@usw.org; gparzino@usw.org; jperpich@usw.org; creed@usw.org; twidner@usw.org; jrebrovich@usw.org; cwarner@usw.org; dfichter@usw.org; mgriffin@usw.org; jmiller@usw.org; msusic@usw.org; rwilkey@usw.org; jwiseman@usw.org; rboulton@usw.org; pbitterman@usw.org; gbowen@usw.org; sgentry@usw.org; jkearns@usw.org; tmaki@usw.org; drizzuto@usw.org; nduchene@usw.org<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Subject: Re: People's Bailout (SF 542)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Re: SF 542; The People’s Bailout</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Senator David Tomassoni;</span><br /><br />First, let me commend you for having the courage to bring this legislation forward; I am sure the opposition will be enormous even from your DFL colleagues, not to mention from Republicans and Governor Pawlenty.<br /><br />I hope you intend to call for roll call votes at each step of the process on (SF 542) The People’s Bailout so there is more accountability than we had on S.F. 607 to save the Ford Plant; legislation you so courageously brought forward in the Senate Committee on Business, Industry and Labor where your fellow DFL'ers so shamefully let you, and more importantly, Ford Workers and Minnesotans, down. We need to keep in mind in the struggle ahead over The People's Bailout--- S.F. 542, that it was in this same Senate Committee where you failed to get help from your DFL colleagues in moving S.F. 607 forward--- out of Committee and through the Minnesota State Legislature and onto the Governor's desk.<br /><br />We need to keep in mind that Senator Jim Metzen, while being a DFL'er, is also a banker--- an officer with Key Community Bank known for its very dirty deeds against working people. It is up to you and the rest of us to push Senator Metzen to do his job as Chair of the all-important, heavily DFL dominated Committee on Business, Industry and Labor and twist the arms needing twisting to get The People's Bailout through the Committee... again, I stress the need for a roll call vote to assure Minnesotans have complete accountability--- unlike with S.F. 607 where you received no support from your DFL colleagues yet none of the other Democrats or Republicans would acknowledge their very dirty and shameful role in sending S.F. 607 down to defeat.<br /><br />Why haven’t you included something along the lines of SF 607 to automatically apply to any business closing which has received any kind of local, state or federal subsidies, tax abatement or public assistance of any kind in your People’s Bailout? This would be particularly important in trying, again, to save the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant.<br /><br />I am very leery that this is one more gimmick the DFL is using to make it appear the DFL is trying to do something when the intent is all show since the DFL did nothing to push SF 607 through the legislature; hopefully I am wrong about this since many, many Minnesotans will need such assistance.<br /><br />Might I also suggest that you include rescinding “at-will hiring, at-will firing” legislation as part of The People’s Bailout since this would place Minnesota workers in line to benefit from the Employee Free Choice Act.<br /><br />Also, might I suggest that you include a provision in this legislation that would establish the minimum wage in Minnesota to be in accordance with the calculations of the United States Department of Labor and its Bureau of Labor Statistics based upon the scientific facts pertaining to real cost of living factors and the minimum wage should be recalculated every time these cost of living factors are recalculated.<br /><br />I agree with you that we can not spend our way out of this economic crisis and instead we need to work our way out of this mess which obviously requires all working people to be paid real living wages as a way to completely and thoroughly redistribute wealth in this country.<br /><br /> At the heart of this economic mess is the fact that wealth created by the working class has in fact been stolen in the form of huge profits by corporations not paying workers real living wages in accordance with cost of living factors; common sense tells us that depressions occur when working people cannot purchase back the goods they have produced which are required for human survival.<br /><br /><br /><br />Common sense also dictates that we cannot allow the Ford Motor Company to start bringing Ford Rangers produced in Thailand into the United States instead of continuing production at the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant.<br /><br />Hopefully you will include something in this legislation protecting the rights of Minnesota’s 30,000 workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry who are forced and compelled to work in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state or federal labor laws… I am sure you understand with so many workers employed under these deplorable conditions these workers serve to drive down the standard of living of all workers in Minnesota. I am sure you are aware that casino workers, such as the thousands of workers employed at casinos like Mystic Lake Casino are forced to sign their names to statements that they know they will be terminated should they engage in union organizing. I think you should include something in this People’s Bailout directing the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development that casino workers fired for union organizing cannot be denied unemployment benefits as they presently are.<br /><br />In order to protect the rights of all workers in Minnesota to unemployment compensation which you want to extend (and your proposal for such extension is not long enough in my opinion given the fact that this economic mess is going to be with us for many years--- perhaps you should include unemployment coverage from time of layoff/firing to time of re-employment); but, getting back to the rights of workers to receive unemployment benefits in the first place, you need to eliminate the right of employers to challenge a worker’s right to unemployment benefits without having to provide a reason for the challenge.<br /><br />Combined with “at-will hiring, at-will firing” this places workers in a real bind… fired without reason and then subjecting workers to the further injustice of being denied unemployment compensation due to an employer’s challenge without that employer having to provide a reason… this process can drag on for many months leaving workers without any income or public assistance--- meager as public assistance is in Minnesota… not to mention leaving workers and their families without health care. But, it does little good to extend unemployment compensation if employers are allowed to challenge a worker’s right to compensation without reason or just cause.<br /><br />Without massive mobilization of members from the unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO and Change To Win this legislation has no chance of passing as you fully know and understand.<br /><br />Have you heard from labor’s registered lobbyists concerning this legislation?<br /><br />What have you heard from the Chamber of Commerce and other organizations representing employers and the business community regarding this legislation?<br /><br />When will the first reading of this People’s Bailout take place? I can’t find anything on the legislature’s on-line calendar.<br /><br />Please keep me informed of any hearings on this legislation as I would like to testify in support of this legislation.<br /><br />Don’t forget; request there be recorded roll call vote at each step in the process so Minnesotans have full accountability; this not only assures accountability, but will cause those business oriented DFL’ers in the Summit Hill Club to think twice should they decide they want to join with their Republican colleagues in opposing this legislation.<br /><br />Might I suggest you develop a newsletter--- printed in hard copy and e-mail format--- pertaining solely to SF 542 (The People’s Bailout) to keep its supporters in and out of the legislature fully and completely informed; a newsletter which requests supporters to do specific tasks in bringing the full weight of Minnesota’s working class--- organized and unorganized--- into support for this important piece of legislation… we certainly don’t want a repeat of only a handful of proponents showing up like what happened with SF 607. We should do everything possible to make sure that Minnesota’s working class “owns” this legislation and that we work together to mobilizes huge turn outs of working people supporting this legislation at each and every stage in the legislative process.<br /><br />In my opinion, we should be looking at organizing Minnesota’s workers to mobilize fully in support of this important piece of legislation, S.F. 542 The People's Bailout, you are bringing forward.<br /><br />You are most certainly aware that your legislation can serve as a model in winning new needed reforms comprising an extension of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal; just as the struggles for Roosevelt’s New Deal received powerful, decisive support from Minnesota’s socialist Governors Floyd Olson, Elmer Benson and John Bernard and other Farmer-Labor Party elected officials along with Minnesota’s working class--- especially the “red” Finns of the Iron Range. Let “The People’s Bailout” become a rallying point for the working class movement, and become a model for Barack Obama and the United States Congress along with other states to emulate and follow through on.<br /><br />I assume you have spoken with Congressman Jim Oberstar and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar about developing similar legislation in Congress.<br /><br />Might I suggest you request an appearance on Amy Goodman’s television program--- “Democracy Now!” to promote national working class unity in support of The People's Bailout.<br /><br />I hope you will suggest to the Minnesota AFL-CIO and Change To Win they bring all their affiliated unions into support for this legislation and these unions in turn fully mobilize their memberships to every extent possible.<br /><br />Your final item regarding state employees is very weak given the intent of leading Republicans to push for things like using the powers of state government to abrogate union contracts. As you know, Barack Obama and Congress are already doing the same thing with autoworkers; whereas, in France the government is prohibiting the abrogation of union contracts and requiring those businesses receiving government bailouts not to cut employment. You might want to take a look at what the French government is doing to protect the rights and jobs of working people.<br /><br />I would encourage you to look at what action can be taken to make the Minnesota government the employer of choice for road building, bridge repair and maintenance so more jobs are created rather than contractors and engineering firms reaping huge profits, keeping in mind the reason for New Deal make work projects being so successful was that the government was the employer--- not private industry and corporations… again, common sense dictates that when you cut out profits more can be paid out in wages for more workers thus, as you say, and I agree, we work our way out of this mess rather than trying to spend our way out of this most severe crisis.<br /><br />In conclusion, I would encourage you to consider some type of resolution calling on President Obama to discontinue his wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as cutting all funding for Israel since it makes little sense to pump three-quarters of a trillion dollars into economic “stimulus” while continuing to squander the exact same amount on wars and militarization, which is like taking our human and natural resources and tossing them into one of those polluted, water-filled, abandoned mining pits on the Iron Range or into U.S. Steel’s “Clear Water Reservoir” in Mountain Iron.<br /><br />Also, as much as I am for road-building and repair to create jobs… I can’t see spending millions of dollars building a road from Minnesota Highway 71 out into the Big Bog for a Canadian peat mining operation to truck away the profits… you might want to mention to Congressman Oberstar that Franklin Roosevelt spent hundreds of thousands of dollars putting the Civilian Conservation Corps to work trying to protect this very sensitive ecosystem; it just destroys our credibility advocating for public works programs when Oberstar has spent millions destroying the good work the CCC did in trying to protect and save the Big Bog. I find it rather ironic this peat mining boon-doggle is taking place right at the site of the Civilian Conservation Corps camp site in the Pine Island State Forest in the Big Bog.<br /><br />S.F. No. 542, as introduced - 86th Legislative Session (2009-2010) Posted on Feb 06, 2009<br /><br /> 1.1A bill for an act<br /> 1.2relating to economic development; extending MFIP assistance; modifying<br /> 1.3unemployment compensation; augmenting foreclosure provisions; establishing a<br /> 1.4jobs creation program; limiting certain layoffs; appropriating money;amending<br /> 1.5Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 256J.42, by adding a subdivision; 268.035,<br /> 1.6subdivisions 4, 21a; 268.07, subdivision 1; 268.085, subdivision 15; 504B.151;<br /> 1.7proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 582.<br /> 1.8BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:<br /><br /> 1.9 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 256J.42, is amended by adding a<br /> 1.10subdivision to read:<br /> 1.11 Subd. 1a. Temporary 60-month time limit extension. For assistance units that<br /> 1.12have reached the 60-month time limit under subdivision 1 or assistance units that will<br /> 1.13reach the 60-month time limit under subdivision 1 before the sunset of this subdivision,<br /> 1.14MFIP benefits are extended to eligible assistance units until the sunset of this subdivision.<br /> 1.15This subdivision sunsets July 1, 2011.<br /><br /> 1.16 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 268.035, subdivision 4, is amended to read:<br /> 1.17 Subd. 4. Base period. (a) "Base period," unless otherwise provided in this<br /> 1.18subdivision, means the last four completed calendar quarters before the effective date of<br /> 1.19an applicant's application for unemployment benefits if the application has an effective<br /> 1.20date occurring after the month following the last completed calendar quarter. The base<br /> 1.21period under this paragraph is as follows:<br /> 1.22<br /> 1.23<br /> 1.24 If the application for unemployment<br /> benefits is effective on or between these<br /> dates: The base period is the prior:<br /> 1.25 February 1 - March 31 January 1 - December 31<br /> 2.1 May 1 - June 30 April 1 - March 31<br /> 2.2 August 1 - September 30 July 1 - June 30<br /> 2.3 November 1 - December 31 October 1 - September 30<br /> 2.4 (1) (b) If an application for unemployment benefits has an effective date that is<br /> 2.5during the month following the last completed calendar quarter, then the base period is<br /> 2.6the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the effective date of an<br /> 2.7applicant's application for unemployment benefits. The base period under this paragraph<br /> 2.8is as set forth below follows:<br /> 2.9<br /> 2.10<br /> 2.11 If the application for unemployment<br /> benefits is effective on or between these<br /> dates: The base period is the prior:<br /> 2.12 January 1 - March January 31 October 1 - September 30<br /> 2.13 April 1 - June April 30 January 1 - December 31<br /> 2.14 July 1 - September 30 July 31 April 1 - March 31<br /> 2.15 October 1 - December October 31 July 1 - June 30<br /> 2.16 (2) (c) If the applicant has insufficient wage credits to establish a benefit account<br /> 2.17under clauses (1) and (3), and paragraph (a) or (b), but during the base period under<br /> 2.18clause (1) paragraph (a) or (b) an applicant received workers' compensation for temporary<br /> 2.19disability under chapter 176 or a similar federal law or similar law of another state, or<br /> 2.20if an applicant whose own serious illness caused a loss of work for which the applicant<br /> 2.21received compensation for loss of wages from some other source, the applicant may<br /> 2.22request an extended base period as follows:<br /> 2.23 (i) (1) if an applicant was compensated for a loss of work of seven to 13 weeks, the<br /> 2.24base period is the first four of the last six completed calendar quarters before the effective<br /> 2.25date of the application for unemployment benefits;<br /> 2.26 (ii) (2) if an applicant was compensated for a loss of work of 14 to 26 weeks, the<br /> 2.27base period is the first four of the last seven completed calendar quarters before the<br /> 2.28effective date of the application for unemployment benefits;<br /> 2.29 (iii) (3) if an applicant was compensated for a loss of work of 27 to 39 weeks,<br /> 2.30the base period is the first four of the last eight completed calendar quarters before the<br /> 2.31effective date of the application for unemployment benefits; and<br /> 2.32 (iv) (4) if an applicant was compensated for a loss of work of 40 to 52 weeks, the<br /> 2.33base period is the first four of the last nine completed calendar quarters before the effective<br /> 2.34date of the application for unemployment benefits;.<br /> 2.35 (3) if the applicant has insufficient wage credits to establish a benefit account under<br /> 2.36clause (1), an alternate base period of the last four completed calendar quarters before the<br /> 2.37date the applicant's application for unemployment benefits is effective will be used. This<br /> 3.1base period can be used only 30 calendar days or more after the end of the last completed<br /> 3.2quarter, when a wage detail report has been, or should have been, filed for that quarter<br /> 3.3under section 268.044; and<br /> 3.4 (4) (d) No base period under clause (1), (2), or (3) paragraph (a), (b), or (c) may<br /> 3.5include wage credits upon which a prior benefit account was established.<br /> 3.6(e) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), the base period calculated under paragraph (b)<br /> 3.7using the first four of the last five complete calendar quarters before the effective date of<br /> 3.8the applicant's application for unemployment benefits must be used for an applicant if the<br /> 3.9applicant has more wage credits under that base period than under the base period in<br /> 3.10paragraph (a).<br /> 3.11EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for applications for unemployment<br /> 3.12benefits filed effective on or after July 1, 2009.<br /><br /> 3.13 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 268.035, subdivision 21a, is amended to read:<br /> 3.14 Subd. 21a. Reemployment assistance training. (a) An applicant is in<br /> 3.15"reemployment assistance training" when:<br /> 3.16 (1) a reasonable and opportunity for suitable employment for the applicant does not<br /> 3.17exist in the labor market area and it is necessary that the applicant receive additional<br /> 3.18training in order to obtain will assist the applicant in obtaining suitable employment;<br /> 3.19 (2) the curriculum, facilities, staff, and other essentials are adequate to achieve the<br /> 3.20training objective;<br /> 3.21 (3) the training is vocational in nature or short term academic training vocationally<br /> 3.22directed to an occupation or skill for which there are reasonable that will substantially<br /> 3.23enhance the employment opportunities available to the applicant in the applicant's labor<br /> 3.24market area;<br /> 3.25 (4) the training course is considered full time by the training provider; and<br /> 3.26 (5) the applicant is making satisfactory progress in the training.<br /> 3.27 (b) Full-time training provided through the dislocated worker program, the Trade<br /> 3.28Act of 1974, as amended, or the North American Free Trade Agreement is considered<br /> 3.29"reemployment assistance training," if that training course is in accordance with the<br /> 3.30requirements of that program.<br /> 3.31 (c) Apprenticeship training provided in order to meet the requirements of an<br /> 3.32apprenticeship program under chapter 178 is considered "reemployment assistance<br /> 3.33training."<br /> 3.34(d) An applicant is considered in reemployment assistance training only if the<br /> 3.35training course has actually started or is scheduled to start within 30 calendar days.<br /> 4.1EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for determinations and appeal<br /> 4.2decisions issued on or after the day following final enactment.<br /><br /> 4.3 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 268.07, subdivision 1, is amended to read:<br /> 4.4 Subdivision 1. Application for unemployment benefits; determination of benefit<br /> 4.5account. (a) An application for unemployment benefits may be filed in person, by mail,<br /> 4.6or by electronic transmission as the commissioner may require. The applicant must be<br /> 4.7unemployed at the time the application is filed and must provide all requested information<br /> 4.8in the manner required. The commissioner shall accept a valid individual taxpayer<br /> 4.9identification number from an applicant who is applying for benefits. If the applicant is<br /> 4.10not unemployed at the time of the application or fails to provide all requested information,<br /> 4.11the communication is not considered an application for unemployment benefits.<br /> 4.12 (b) The commissioner shall examine each application for unemployment benefits to<br /> 4.13determine the base period and the benefit year, and based upon all the covered employment<br /> 4.14in the base period the commissioner shall determine the weekly unemployment benefit<br /> 4.15amount available, if any, and the maximum amount of unemployment benefits available, if<br /> 4.16any. The determination is known as the determination of benefit account. A determination<br /> 4.17of benefit account must be sent to the applicant and all base period employers, by mail or<br /> 4.18electronic transmission.<br /> 4.19 (c) If a base period employer did not provide wage information for the applicant as<br /> 4.20provided for in section 268.044, or provided erroneous information, the commissioner<br /> 4.21may accept an applicant certification as to wage credits, based upon the applicant's records,<br /> 4.22and issue a determination of benefit account.<br /> 4.23 (d) The commissioner may, at any time within 24 months from the establishment of<br /> 4.24a benefit account, reconsider any determination of benefit account and make an amended<br /> 4.25determination if the commissioner finds that the determination was incorrect for any<br /> 4.26reason. An amended determination must be promptly sent to the applicant and all base<br /> 4.27period employers, by mail or electronic transmission.<br /> 4.28 (e) If an amended determination of benefit account reduces the weekly<br /> 4.29unemployment benefit amount or maximum amount of unemployment benefits available,<br /> 4.30any unemployment benefits that have been paid greater than the applicant was entitled<br /> 4.31is considered an overpayment of unemployment benefits. A determination or amended<br /> 4.32determination issued under this section that results in an overpayment of unemployment<br /> 4.33benefits must set out the amount of the overpayment and the requirement under section<br /> 4.34268.18, subdivision 1 , that the overpaid unemployment benefits must be repaid.<br /><br /> 5.1 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 268.085, subdivision 15, is amended to read:<br /> 5.2 Subd. 15. Available for suitable employment defined. (a) "Available for suitable<br /> 5.3employment" means an applicant is ready and willing to accept suitable employment in<br /> 5.4the labor market area. The attachment to the work force must be genuine. An applicant<br /> 5.5may restrict availability to suitable employment, but there must be no other restrictions,<br /> 5.6either self-imposed or created by circumstances, temporary or permanent, that prevent<br /> 5.7accepting suitable employment.<br /> 5.8(b) Unless the applicant is in reemployment assistance training, to be considered<br /> 5.9"available for suitable employment," a student who has regularly scheduled classes must<br /> 5.10be willing to quit school discontinue classes to accept suitable employment when:<br /> 5.11(1) class attendance restricts the applicant from accepting suitable employment; and<br /> 5.12(2) the applicant is unable to change the scheduled class or make other arrangements<br /> 5.13that excuse the applicant from attending class.<br /> 5.14(c) An applicant who is absent from the labor market area for personal reasons, other<br /> 5.15than to search for work, is not "available for suitable employment."<br /> 5.16(d) An applicant who has restrictions on the hours of the day or days of the week<br /> 5.17that the applicant can or will work, that are not normal for the applicant's usual occupation<br /> 5.18or other suitable employment, is not "available for suitable employment." An applicant<br /> 5.19must be available for daytime employment, if suitable employment is performed during<br /> 5.20the daytime, even though the applicant previously worked the night shift.<br /> 5.21(e) An applicant must have transportation throughout the labor market area to be<br /> 5.22considered "available for suitable employment."<br /> 5.23EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for determinations and appeal<br /> 5.24decisions issued on or after the day following final enactment.<br /><br /> 5.25 Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 504B.151, is amended to read:<br /> 5.26504B.151 RESTRICTION ON RESIDENTIAL LEASE TERMS FOR<br /> 5.27BUILDINGS IN FINANCIAL DISTRESS; REQUIRED NOTICE OF PENDING<br /> 5.28FORECLOSURE; RIGHTS OF TENANTS OF FORECLOSED PROPERTY.<br /> 5.29 Subdivision 1. Limitation on lease and notice to tenant. (a) Once a landlord<br /> 5.30has received notice of a contract for deed cancellation under section 559.21 or notice of<br /> 5.31a mortgage foreclosure sale under chapter 580 or 582, the landlord may only enter into<br /> 5.32(i) a periodic residential lease agreement with a term of not more than two months or<br /> 5.33the time remaining in the contract cancellation period or the mortgagor's redemption<br /> 6.1period, whichever is less or (ii) a fixed term residential tenancy not extending beyond the<br /> 6.2cancellation period or the landlord's period of redemption until:<br /> 6.3(1) the contract for deed has been reinstated or paid in full;<br /> 6.4(2) the mortgage default has been cured and the mortgage reinstated;<br /> 6.5(3) the mortgage has been satisfied;<br /> 6.6(4) the property has been redeemed from a foreclosure sale; or<br /> 6.7(5) a receiver has been appointed.<br /> 6.8(b) Before entering into a lease under this section and accepting any rent or security<br /> 6.9deposit from a tenant, the landlord must notify the prospective tenant in writing that the<br /> 6.10landlord has received notice of a contract for deed cancellation or notice of a mortgage<br /> 6.11foreclosure sale as appropriate, and the date on which the contract cancellation period or<br /> 6.12the mortgagor's redemption period ends. The landlord must also inform the prospective<br /> 6.13tenant of the tenant's right to continued utility services if the landlord defaults on utility<br /> 6.14payments during the foreclosure process.<br /> 6.15(c) This section does not apply to a manufactured home park as defined in section<br /> 6.16327C.01, subdivision 5 .<br /> 6.17 Subd. 2. Exception allowing a longer term lease. This section Subdivision 1<br /> 6.18does not apply if:<br /> 6.19(1) the holder or the mortgagee agrees not to terminate the tenant's lease other than<br /> 6.20for lease violations for at least one year from the commencement of the tenancy; and<br /> 6.21(2) the lease does not require the tenant to prepay rent for any month commencing<br /> 6.22after the end of the cancellation or redemption period, so that the rent payment would be<br /> 6.23due prior to the end of the cancellation or redemption period.<br /> 6.24For the purposes of this section, a holder means a contract for deed vendor or a<br /> 6.25holder of the sheriff's certificate of sale or any assignee of the contract for deed vendor or<br /> 6.26of the holder of the sheriff's certificate of sale.<br /> 6.27 Subd. 3. Transfer of tenancy by operation of law. (a) A tenant who enters into a<br /> 6.28lease under subdivision 2 is:<br /> 6.29(1) deemed by operation of law to become the tenant of the holder immediately upon<br /> 6.30the holder succeeding to the interest of the landlord under the lease; and<br /> 6.31(2) bound to the holder under all the provisions of the lease for either the balance of<br /> 6.32the lease term or for one year after the start of the tenancy, whichever occurs first.<br /> 6.33(b) A tenant who becomes the tenant of the holder under this subdivision is not<br /> 6.34obligated to pay rent to the holder until the holder mails, by first class mail to the tenant at<br /> 6.35the property address, written notice that the holder has succeeded to the interest of the<br /> 7.1landlord. A letter from the holder to the tenant to that effect is prima facie evidence that<br /> 7.2the holder has succeeded to the interest of the landlord.<br /> 7.3 Subd. 4. Holder not bound by certain acts. A holder succeeding to an interest in<br /> 7.4a lease lawfully entered into under subdivision 2 is not:<br /> 7.5(1) liable for any act or omission of any prior landlord;<br /> 7.6(2) subject to any offset or defense which the tenant had against any prior landlord; or<br /> 7.7(3) bound by any modification of the lease entered into under subdivision 2, unless<br /> 7.8the modification is made with the holder's consent.<br /> 7.9 Subd. 5. Rights of tenant of foreclosed property. (a) When a holder takes over a<br /> 7.10rental property as the result of a foreclosure:<br /> 7.11(1) a tenant is deemed by operation of law to become the tenant of the holder; and<br /> 7.12(2) all leases, verbal or written, and all terms and conditions of those agreements<br /> 7.13shall be transferred to the holder.<br /> 7.14(b) A holder shall:<br /> 7.15(1) maintain as rental property, property that was used as rental property by the<br /> 7.16landlord;<br /> 7.17(2) offer renewal leases to tenants of the foreclosed property; and<br /> 7.18(3) keep affordable rent levels in place.<br /> 7.19 Subd. 6. Eviction. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a holder must not<br /> 7.20begin an eviction action against a tenant without cause.<br /> 7.21 Subd. 7. Termination of tenancy. Except for lease violations, a holder must not<br /> 7.22terminate the tenancy of a tenant of foreclosed property without cause.<br /> 7.23 Subd. 8. Periodic leases. A holder must offer a fixed-term lease option to a tenant<br /> 7.24with a periodic lease in place at the time the tenant becomes a tenant of the holder.<br /> 7.25 Subd. 9. Applicability. The provisions of subdivisions 5 to 8 apply to all tenants<br /> 7.26regardless of when a tenant entered into a rental agreement with the property owner or at<br /> 7.27what stage the foreclosure process was in when the rental agreement was entered.<br /><br /> 7.28 Sec. 7. [582.33] FORECLOSURE MORATORIUM.<br /> 7.29 Subdivision 1. Emergency declared to exist. The legislature of the state of<br /> 7.30Minnesota declares that a public economic emergency exists in the state of Minnesota<br /> 7.31due to the increase in foreclosure rates. The legislature declares that these conditions<br /> 7.32have created a housing emergency that justifies legislation creating a moratorium on<br /> 7.33mortgage foreclosures.<br /> 7.34 Subd. 2. Court stay. In an action to foreclose a mortgage upon residential property<br /> 7.35under chapter 580 or 581, in which a judgment of foreclosure has not been entered by the<br /> 8.1effective date of this section, the district court having jurisdiction over the matter, upon<br /> 8.2motion of a defendant, shall order the action stayed for two years after the entry of the<br /> 8.3stay. The court may order that certain conditions relating to the property are met during<br /> 8.4the stay, including, but not limited to, possession of the property, payments by the person<br /> 8.5in possession, and preservation of the property.<br /> 8.6 Subd. 3. Application. This section applies only to mortgages executed before<br /> 8.7the effective date of this section.<br /> 8.8EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.<br /><br /> 8.9 Sec. 8. SPECIAL STATE EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION<br /> 8.10PROGRAM.<br /> 8.11 Subdivision 1. Purpose. Federal law currently provides for a federally funded<br /> 8.12extension of unemployment insurance benefits for applicants who have exhausted<br /> 8.13entitlement to regular Minnesota unemployment insurance benefits. But, because federal<br /> 8.14law contains a special requirement that an applicant has earned a certain amount of base<br /> 8.15period insured wages, a significant group of applicants who exhausted their regular<br /> 8.16Minnesota unemployment insurance benefits do not qualify for the federally funded<br /> 8.17extension. The purpose of this section is to provide a state-funded extension to that group.<br /> 8.18 Subd. 2. Eligibility. (a) Special state emergency unemployment insurance benefits<br /> 8.19are payable to an applicant who does not qualify for a federally funded extension<br /> 8.20of unemployment insurance benefits solely because the applicant does not meet the<br /> 8.21requirement under section 4001(d)(2)(a) of the federal Supplemental Appropriations<br /> 8.22Act of 2008 that an applicant have wage credits of not less than 40 times the applicant's<br /> 8.23weekly benefit amount.<br /> 8.24(b) Except as provided in paragraph (a), all requirements for federally funded<br /> 8.25extended unemployment benefits and all requirements of Minnesota Statutes, chapter<br /> 8.26268, must be met in order for the applicant to be eligible for special state emergency<br /> 8.27unemployment insurance benefits.<br /> 8.28(c) Special state emergency unemployment insurance benefits are payable in the<br /> 8.29same amounts, the same duration, and for the same time period as provided for under the<br /> 8.30federal Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008, and any later amendments, but shall<br /> 8.31be no less than 13 times the applicant's weekly special state emergency unemployment<br /> 8.32insurance benefit amount.<br /> 8.33 Subd. 3. Payment from trust fund. Special state emergency unemployment<br /> 8.34insurance benefits are payable from the Minnesota unemployment insurance trust fund.<br /> 8.35Special state emergency unemployment insurance benefits will not be used in computing<br /> 9.1the future unemployment insurance tax rate of a taxpaying employer nor will they be<br /> 9.2charged to the reimbursing account of government or nonprofit employers.<br /> 9.3 Subd. 4. Expiration. This section expires on June 30, 2010, and no benefits shall be<br /> 9.4paid under this section for a week beginning after that date.<br /> 9.5EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the Sunday following final enactment<br /> 9.6and applies only to weeks of unemployment after that date.<br /><br /> 9.7 Sec. 9. JOBS CREATION GRANT PROGRAM.<br /> 9.8 Subdivision 1. Establishment. The commissioner of employment and economic<br /> 9.9development shall develop and implement a jobs creation grant program to make grants<br /> 9.10available to cities and towns for public and private projects that will generate new jobs<br /> 9.11and produce a stronger state economy.<br /> 9.12 Subd. 2. Fund distribution. In distributing funds, the commissioner shall give<br /> 9.13priority consideration to projects that are available to begin immediately and to projects<br /> 9.14that promote environmental sustainability and a green economy.<br /> 9.15 Subd. 3. Funding. To the extent that the commissioner receives funds for this<br /> 9.16purpose in fiscal year 2009, funding for the jobs creation grant program shall be done<br /> 9.17through federal stimulus dollars. If federal stimulus dollars are not available, funds shall<br /> 9.18come from state sources.<br /> 9.19 Subd. 4. Appropriation. $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the<br /> 9.20commissioner of employment and economic development to develop and implement<br /> 9.21a jobs creation grant program. This appropriation is only available if federal stimulus<br /> 9.22dollars are not available. This appropriation is available until expended.<br /> 9.23EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.<br /><br /> 9.24 Sec. 10. STATE EMPLOYEE LAYOFFS.<br /> 9.25For the 2010 and 2011 biennium, in order to prevent increased unemployment and to<br /> 9.26protect jobs, the legislature shall not mandate layoffs of state employees, including, but<br /> 9.27not limited to, employees of the University of Minnesota.<br /> 9.28EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.<br /><br /> Please direct all comments concerning issues or legislation<br /> to your House Member or State Senator.<br /> For Legislative Staff or for directions to the Capitol, visit the Contact Us page.<br /> General questions or comments.<br /> last updated: 01/30/2009 <br /><br /><br /><br />Again, thanking you for having the moral and political courage in standing up and fighting for the rights and livelihoods of Minnesota's working class, and for having the common sense and intelligence to know that we cannot spend our way out of this economic crisis; rather, understanding and explaining that for working people and the working class the way out of this crisis, and the way to a better future, will be found in working our way out of this crisis.<br /><br />In full support of your leadership in bringing forward The People's Bailout--- Senate File 542...<br /><br />For a living wage job, justice and equality along with a voice at work for each and every worker in Minnesota...<br /><br />On behalf of Minnesota's 30,000 workers in the Indian Gaming Industry organizing and struggling to survive while employed in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages, without any rights under state or federal labor laws...<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Alan L. Maki<br />Director of Organizing,<br />Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council</span><br /><br />Posted by Alan L. MakiJeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-42894002660890366642009-02-02T16:12:00.003-06:002009-02-02T16:21:21.454-06:00Two views on "Economic Stimulus"<span style="font-weight:bold;">"Red" Finn Alan Maki replied to some of the problems he sees with President Barack Obama's "economic stimulus package."<br /><br />First is an article from the Campaign for America's Future. The response by Alan Maki is at the end of this blog posting.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">What do you think</span>?</span><br /><br />Iron Range Club of the CPUSA<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Obama’s Economic Recovery Plan Is Almost As Pure As Ivory Soap<br /><br /> <blockquote> "The bottom line: This is the biggest and boldest progressive legislation in 40 years."</blockquote><br /><br />Oh, really? There are a few important things Bernie Horn has failed to address... read my response to Horn's essay following.<br /><br />Alan L. Maki<br /><br /><br /><br />By Bernie Horn of the Campaign for America’s Future<br /><br />January 27th, 2009 - 9:00pm ET<br /><br />There’s been a lot of bitching and moaning in the progressive blogosphere about the huge business tax cuts that are supposed to be contained in President Obama’s economic recovery plan.<br /><br />In fairness to all, the negotiations took place behind closed doors, leaving us little solid information on which to base opinions. And over the years, we’ve had good reason to be wary of backroom deals in Congress.<br /><br />But there's good news. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is a remarkably “clean” bill. Only between 1½ and 3 percent is being wasted on tax cuts for business. Put another way, the bill is about 98 percent pure—money dedicated to good, progressive causes.<br /><br />The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis, released Monday, says the business tax cuts will cause “a net revenue loss of $13 billion over the 2009-2019 period.” See the discussion on pages 11-12 of this document.<br /><br />The figure of $13 billion is confirmed and explained by the House Ways and Means Committee on pages 2-3 in this document. There are only three business tax provisions that have a significant price tag. First, the extension of bonus depreciation enacted last year, allowing businesses to depreciate capital costs faster than the ordinary schedule, will cost $5 billion. Second, the 5-year carryback provision, allowing businesses to deduct net losses from the last five years instead of the last two, will cost $15 billion. Third, the repeal of a Bush Treasury Department ruling that unjustly benefits the purchasers of certain companies will increase revenues by $7 billion. So $20 billion in business tax cuts are offset by a $7 billion tax increase, leaving a total of $13 billion in benefits.<br /><br />As you probably know, the Senate Finance Committee intends to make larger business tax cuts than the House bill has. The analysis of the Finance Committee’s markup, evaluated by the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation, is on page 3 of this document. The Senate version includes both the bonus depreciation and 5-year carryback provisions, but the Joint Committee estimates these will cost a total of $22.5 billion instead of the House’s $20 billion. The Senate does not include the $7 billion tax increase and adds a bit more than $2 billion more in tax breaks for a total of $24.9 billion in business tax benefits.<br /><br />The CBO tells us that the whole bill costs $816 billion. So if the Senate version is adopted, only 3 percent of the spending is for business tax breaks. (That percentage is about the same with or without the recent Alternative Minimum Tax provision.) If the House version is adopted, it’s only 1½ percent. Either way, this is a bill that is between 97 and 98.5 percent targeted toward good causes.<br /><br />In our nation’s capital, no major bill ever passes without a “sweetener” for the special interests you may oppose. By Capitol Hill standards, this is an exceptionally modest sweetener. And don’t think it’s necessarily being done to gain Republican votes—key Democrats want these too.<br /><br />The bottom line: This is the biggest and boldest progressive legislation in 40 years. By all means, register your complaints against the business tax cuts. But don’t let that dampen your enthusiasm for the overall measure. If you live in a state with a Republican or less-than-liberal Democratic Senator, call them today and urge them to support this bill. You'll be sorry if you don't help out, because this is history in the making.<br /><br /><br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><br />The writer is a Senior Fellow at Campaign for America’s Future and author of the recent book, Framing the Future: How Progressive Values Can Win Elections and Influence People.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Response by Alan Maki:</span><br /><br />Never mentioned by you and the “pundits of the left” (is that at least 30% of this "stimulus" will be sucked away in corporate profits--- more than likely well over 45% once this money passes through all the hands… untold billions sucked off by the banks in interest (at least double before its all paid back because these are loans paying for all of this); and what you refuse to acknowledge is the American tax-payer first subsidized these loans to the banks AND now those loans (remember, this money was never loaned out because no companies wanted to borrow due to a crumbling economy )… so, surprise, surprise--- Obama just borrowed this money (OUR tax money) back from the bankers!!<br /><br />Rather than stimulating anything other than a capitalist feeding frenzy at an expanded public trough… these “stimulus” packages are going to further depress the economy for the simple reason that these capitalist pigs will be lapping up the cream before this money can circulate and get into the pockets of working people.<br /><br />Even Paul Krugman says it will take at least triple and it was relatively easy for anyone who has been following what has been going on with the economy to see that with such “stimulus packages” it would take five to six trillion dollars before working people would gain any relief at all as the economy goes to hell.<br /><br />Plus, we shouldn’t even be worried about stimulating the capitalist economy other than to expose the futileness of such schemes and their primary intent: to provide a way for capitalists to get richer at our expense by stealing the wealth they could not initially attain through exploitation of labor.<br /><br />We need to be supporting “public programs” giving relief to workers to help them through this as we move people into struggle against capitalism… we have no interest in propping up and saving this rotten system.<br /><br />And who knows how much of this “stimulus” money will be siphoned off as sheer graft and corruption? We have seen what has been going on with the "bailouts" to date.<br /><br />Capitalism is in crisis.<br /><br />You might want to consider this from Frederick Engels writing in Socialism: Utopian and Scientific:<br /><br /><blockquote><br /> * * *<br /><br /> Commerce is at a standstill, the markets are glutted, products accumulate, as multitudinous as they are unsaleable, hard cash disappears, credit vanishes, factories are closed, the mass of the workers are in want of the means of subsistence, because they have produced too much of the means of subsistence; bankruptcy follows upon bankruptcy, execution upon execution. The stagnation lasts for years; productive forces and products are wasted and destroyed wholesale, until the accumulated mass of commodities finally filter off, more or less depreciated in value, until production and exchange gradually begin to move again. Little by little the pace quickens. It becomes a trot. The industrial trot breaks into a canter, the canter in turn grows into the headlong gallop of a perfect steeplechase of industry, commercial credit and speculation, which finally, after breakneck leaps, ends where it began--in the ditch of a crisis. And so over and over again. We have now, since the year 1825, gone through this five times, and at the present moment (1877) we are going through it for the sixth time.... The fact that the socialised organisation of production within the factory has developed so far that it has become incompatible with the anarchy of production in society, which exists side by side with and dominates it, is brought home to the capitalists themselves by the violent concentration of capital that occurs during crises, through the ruin of many large, and a still greater number of small, capitalists. The whole mechanism of the capitalist mode of production breaks down under the pressure of the productive forces, its own creations. It is no longer able to turn all this mass of means of production into capital. They lie fallow, and for that very reason the industrial reserve army must also lie fallow. Means of production, means of subsistence, available labourers, all the elements of production and of general wealth, are present in abundance. But "abundance becomes the source of distress and want" (Fourier), because it is the very thing that prevents the transformation of the means of production and subsistence into capital. For in capitalistic society the means of production can only function when they have undergone a preliminary transformation into capital, into the means of exploiting human labour power.<br /><br /> Frederick Engels's---<br /> Socialism: Utopian and Scientific/<br /> New York: International Publishers, 1935, pages 64-65<br /></blockquote><br /><br /><br />Add to this the fact of the complete waste from wars and militarism including billions of dollars we are pumping into the Israeli killing machine and the only thing Obama is doing is setting up the working class for massive poverty and all the misery associated with poverty.<br /><br />Bernie horn stated:<br /><br /> <blockquote> "...the bill is about 98 percent pure—money dedicated to good, progressive causes..."</blockquote><br /><br />Since when do progressives consider tax-money dedicated to corporate profits, corruption and graft, "good, progressive causes."<br /><br />Print this blog posting off and stick a few copies in your lunch pail to discuss with fellow workers during lunch break.<br /><br />Alan L. MakiJeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-40558265390146396192009-01-25T17:55:00.000-06:002009-01-25T17:58:27.593-06:00What Next As The Masses Cheer? by Bruce GagnonPosted on January 20, 2009 <br /><br />by Bruce Gagnon<br /><br />Organizing Notes<br />Jan 20, 2009<br /><br />The New York Times ran a headline immediately after the inauguration today that read “President Obama Vows Era of Responsibility.” They quoted Obama as saying that with our current economic crisis we must deal with “our collective failure to make hard choices.”<br /><br />Those are code words that really mean the “entitlement programs” need to be scaled back. Particularly Social Security and Medicare. There was no language in the speech about cutting the military budget or closing down bases of the empire. In fact in one flourish, where he talked about the “sacrifices” made to destroy Nazism and Communism, Obama sent out a call to the “terrorists” I presume, declaring “you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.”<br /><br />Nothing was uttered about making the rich and the bankers pay back the $700 billion bailout they weaseled out of the tax payers by scaring the nation into thinking they would stabilize the economy if we just handed the national treasury over to them.<br /><br />Nothing about holding accountable those who violated the Constitution by falsely leading us into war. Nothing about those who broke the law by spying on us and arresting and incarcerating innocent people without legal representation or trials.<br /><br />Instead we are told to look ahead, get beyond the divisive past, forget that we’ve been used and abused, that we essentially must forgive and forget.<br /><br />Many in the huge crowd cheered the words from our new president. They are happy that Bush is gone and hope that the coming change will allow them to return to more normal days.<br /><br />Obama has set up a new organization to help him lobby for the policies that his administration will propose. People will get regular emails instructing them to lobby Congress on this bill or that one. One of the bills will be to help further enrich the insurance companies as the Obama team ignores strong public support for a single-payer health care system. Instead, it will be “health insurance for all” which will likely turn out to be a mandate requiring everyone to buy a health insurance policy just like we are now required to purchase auto insurance. For those who can’t afford it there might be some government subsidy available. In the end the government will facilitate the “market” and health care will remain a commodity and not a human right.<br /><br />For those deeply concerned about climate change and our Mother Earth’s declining health we will have nuclear energy, “clean coal” and biofuels. We’ll see more government support for corporate control of food - genetically modified crops - promoted by Monsanto’s new Secretary of Agriculture.<br /><br />In Obama’s opening words he talked about the early vision of our “founding fathers”. He intends to remain loyal to the rich white men who dreamed of their own empire - one that would challenge England’s global power. An empire that would push the Native Americans from their land, ravage the Earth for its natural resources, and move overseas to terrorize and colonize people in Hawaii, the Philippines, Guam, Latin America, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and ultimately the moon in the sky.<br /><br />Days ago I read a story in the mainstream press about wealthy Americans who had repeatedly given Obama big money for his campaigns and inauguration, at every legal opportunity. The Rockefeller family was one such clan mentioned who had given hundreds of thousands of dollars.<br /><br />The rich in America are proud to boast once again about the “peaceful transition of power.” Yes indeed, they have ensured that they have again successfully moved from one president to another - even one party to another - while they remain in control. That is worth a few hundred thousand dollars. It’s almost an embarrassingly cheap investment.<br /><br />Alas, only in America can the rich buy a self-proclaimed progressive politician, turn him rightward, and have the adoring masses stand and cheer as the packaged new leader calls for the people to prepare to accept cuts in social spending and ready their children for another war.<br /><br />Last night Mary Beth and I had an hour-long phone conversation with an activist friend from Canada who had just been physically removed from an expensive luncheon honoring a Canadian general just back from Afghanistan. The conquering general was reporting on their participation in the “right war”. Our friend attended the coronation and silently stood before the general with a sign criticizing Canada for doubling its military budget, cutting social spending, and not focusing instead on dealing with the real enemy of the people - the looming threats of climate change.<br /><br />Few of our Canadian friend’s “progressive” political allies want her to be so bold. She might create the wrong image, alienate some friendly politician, turn off potential donors or supporters, instead they’d like for her to be more reserved and refined. But she has babies and she has been schooled in the reality of the future under a planet in crisis. She hears the alarms ringing in her ears and pounding in her heart. She finds it hard to turn her eyes away from the great wrecking ball. Her conscience pulls her back toward the truth and forces her out of her isolation.<br /><br />It is hard to look the other way. I’ve tried and too find it awfully hard to live with myself when I do.Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-8559054317534187672009-01-14T15:10:00.002-06:002009-01-14T15:15:39.769-06:00MNDFL and USW continue to give mining companies free reign<span style="font-weight:bold;">Question: Why are taconite plants and iron ore mines shutting down if Barack Obama is going to be "greening" our economy?<br /><br />Question: Why don't working people have a say in the decision making process?<br /><br />Question: Why hasn't the USW organized a fightback demanding a cut in hours to thirty hour week at forty hours pay so everyone continues working?<br /><br />Iron Range Club, CPUSA</span><br /><br /><br /><a href=" http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/12/02/us_steel_to_layoff_3500_employees/"><br />http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/12/02/us_steel_to_layoff_3500_employees/</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">U.S. Steel to lay off 3,500 employees</span><br /><br />by Bill Catlin, Minnesota Public Radio<br /><br />December 2, 2008<br /><br />St. Paul, Minn. — U.S. Steel is idling a taconite plant in Keewatin and two other facilities in Michigan and Missouri. <br /><br />The company says about 3,500 employees will be laid off in total. Amid the global economic slowdown, prices for many steel products have fallen at double-digit rates over the past month. <br /><br />In October, Cliffs Natural Resources announced it was cutting production at several Iron Range taconite plants.Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-5519644208647137702009-01-14T14:55:00.002-06:002009-01-14T15:03:17.559-06:00<blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">"Local lawmaker Tony Sertich said he and the Range delegation will do everything they can, to help during this difficult time."</span></blockquote><br /><br />What can we expect from these windbags in the MNDFL?<br /><br />The MNDFL has done nothing except talk a good talk.<br /><br />The time has come to nationalize the mines under public ownership. This is where the struggle to save jobs and our livelihoods needs to center.<br /><br />Why haven't Sertich and the Iron Range legislators initiated legislation placing a moratorium on home foreclosures already. Our Range Cities already resemble Appalachia complete with all the poverty, unemployment and despair. <br /><br />We get the pits and the social and economic problems; the mining companies get the profits.<br /><br />Iron Range Club, CPUSA<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S687979.shtml?cat=10335">http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S687979.shtml?cat=10335</a><br /><br />Updated at: 12/03/2008 09:54:08 AM<br /> <br />By: Renee Passal<br /> <br />U.S. Steel Idles Keewatin Taconite <br /> <br />U.S. Steel announced they are idling several facilities, including Keewatin Taconite, in the next several week.<br /><br />They would not say exactly when the shutdown will take effect, but that it would be temporary.<br /><br />Steelworkers said they were not surprised, but are still nervous.<br /><br />"We've been through this before. We're resilient, we'll bounce back," said Art Hamm, a Keetac Steelworker. <br /><br />We caught up with a crew of Keetac Steelworkers, who were in Duluth for a meeting about pension benefits.<br /><br />"It will be tough for the families," said John Finken. <br /><br />"I just hope it's not long, and the company doesn't lose too much production or profitability, and we can come back and be part of a stronger economy," Hamm added.<br /><br />Steelworkers said they are in the middle of some mini-shut downs for maintenance, and that they heard there would be a 60-90 day shutdown in the spring.<br /><br />The company plans on concentrating their steel production at other facilities. They would not comment on production at Minntac.<br /><br />Local lawmaker Tony Sertich said he and the Range delegation will do everything they can, to help during this difficult time.<br /><br />As for the expansion at Keetac, sources said the company continues to plan for it. Permitting is expected to take several years. U.S. Steel wants to re-start an idled line, and add 75 jobs.Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-76787992047981023322009-01-14T14:40:00.003-06:002009-01-14T14:48:04.900-06:00Oberstar lauds U.S. Steel... silent on Keewatin (Keetac) shutdownAs usual Oberstar has done nothing to save jobs. Not a whimper of protest from this big blowhard and windbag.<br /><br />The Democratic Party has done nothing to save our jobs.<br /><br />We need to consider a real workers' party.<br /><br />All we hear from Oberstar and the MNDFL is "jobs, jobs, jobs." They must be talking about the 40,000 jobs lost. The USW sits on its hands talking tough while giving the corporations free reign to sow misery on the Range. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The time has come to fightback.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Iron Range Club, CPUSA</span><br /><br /><br /><br />Oberstar Applauds U.S. Steel Investment in Keewatin Taconite<br /><br />Friday, February 01, 2008<br /><br /><br />Washington DC – Congressman Jim Oberstar says U.S. Steel’s decision to invest $300 million in Keewatin Taconite (Keetac) is an important step towards making Minnesota taconite more competitive in the global marketplace. The project will produce 500 construction jobs over 3 years and 75 – 100 permanent jobs for the Iron Range. Production at the U.S. Steel Keewatin plant will increase from the current six million tons a year to nearly ten million tons of taconite pellets. <br /><br />“Minnesota iron ore has gone global. Our taconite pellets are feeding blast furnaces from Cleveland to China,” said Oberstar. “With this announcement, U.S. Steel demonstrates it has the vision and capacity to compete world-wide. Keetac sits on one of the richest bodies of iron ore on the Range, and this investment at Keetac will create profits for U.S. Steel and long-term, full-time jobs for iron ore miners on the Iron Range. Steel production is a mainstay of American industrial productivity, and Minnesota’s Iron Range fuels that production.”<br /><br />Keeping Minnesota’s taconite industry competitive has been one of Oberstar’s top priorities throughout his service in Congress. Oberstar introduced the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) which was enacted into law last year. WRDA included provisions to dredge long-neglected, harbors and shipping channels across the Great Lakes. <br /><br />Shallower navigation channels cause Great Lakes ore freighters to reduce their shipments by as much as 7500 tons on each trip from Duluth to the eastern steel mills. “We have to make sure those ore boats go out with a full load to reduce Minnesota taconite costs,” said Oberstar. “If we don’t maintain our shipping infrastructure, we are giving an advantage to nations like Brazil and Russia that are competing with Minnesota taconite.”<br /><br />WRDA also authorized $341 million to construct a second lock to accommodate modern ships at Sault Ste. Marie. Another $134 million is authorized to make other repairs and upgrades on the St. Lawrence Seaway. <br /><br />The Keetac expansion will also embrace new technology that is more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. U.S. Steel will have to make that case to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to obtain the environmental permits the company will need to move forward. Oberstar says he is confident that effort will be successful. “I am ready to work with the gifted and skilled members of the Iron Range legislative delegation on the permitting process that lies ahead,” said Oberstar.Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-40061973931265153042008-12-16T18:53:00.003-06:002008-12-16T19:17:25.732-06:00Global capitalist depression hits Iron Range hard... and this is only the startThe signs are everywhere. The politicians are telling their lies. We are in a global capitalist depression and there is no end in sight.<br /><br />Politicians are trying to give this the best and most optimistic face they can because to say otherwise would require them to spend a little money helping people instead of fighting wars.<br /><br />Maybe Leo Gerard should get his butt up to the Iron Range and explain what he is going to do to mobilize the union to fight for real change.<br /><br />The only <span style="font-weight:bold;">solution</span> is <span style="font-weight:bold;">nationalization</span> of the <span style="font-weight:bold;">mining and steel industry</span>. We should have been pushing this for years instead of waiting for another <span style="font-weight:bold;">capitalist economic depression</span> to hit. <br /><br />Now we are in the midst of the first stage of what is going to be a massive economic depression and once again we are at the mercy of greedy mining bosses who rape the land, exploit the workers and run off with the profits leaving us with new polluted lakes and ore dumps.<br /><br />Where are those "jobs, jobs, jobs" Oberstar and the Democrats always talk about?<br /><br />We have had enough of the capitalist system's "ups and downs." The time has come for the working class to bury this capitalist blood-sucking beast.<br /><br />It is not mining that has <span style="font-weight:bold;">inevitable</span> "<span style="font-weight:bold;">ups and downs</span>" it is capitalism that has its "ups and downs." These "ups and downs" are part of the normal "boom and bust" capitalist economic cycle. For working people on the Iron Range life never improves for most people even during the "booms."<br /><br />When something doesn't work, especially when it fails as capitalism has, most people change to something that does work. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Socialism does work</span>.<br /><br />Iron Range Club, CPUSA<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">U.S. Steel laying off 400 at Keewatin plant<br /></span><br /><a href=" http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/12/02/us_steel_laying_off_400_at_keewatin_plant/"><br />http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/12/02/us_steel_laying_off_400_at_keewatin_plant/</a><br /><br />by Bob Kelleher, Minnesota Public Radio<br />December 3, 2008<br /><br /><br />Hundreds of workers at the taconite plant in Keewatin are wondering how long the layoff will last this time. U.S. Steel has announced it will idle the Keewatin plant, laying off close to 400 workers.<br /><br />St. Paul, Minn. — KeeTac is one of a handful of U.S. Steel's American operations hit by yesterday's announcement of pending cutbacks. It's the first Minnesota taconite operation to shut down altogether since the recession cut deeply into the demand for Minnesota's taconite pellets.<br /><br />Company officials have provided few details of the pending shutdown at KeeTac, saying the mine and plant at Keewatin will be idled within the coming weeks.<br /><br />Spokesman John Armstrong declined to be recorded for broadcast, but said the company will keep enough maintenance staff on hand to bring the taconite mine and production plant back on line when market conditions improve, but couldn't guess when that might happen. Armstrong blames market conditions for steel, which have cut into the sales of autos, appliances and steel used in building construction.<br /><br />Despite the industry's troubles, a full shutdown was shocking to Keewatin residents. Keewatin Mayor Tom Sampson said maybe half the plant's workers live in the small Itasca County town. He's been uneasily watching U.S. Steel's customers struggle for business.<br /><br />"Well I kind of watch the steel market, and it just went from great guns to nothing in two weeks," Sampson said. "Then the rest of the mines started working shorter shifts, and all that stuff, but I didn't think they'd shut this one down."<br /><br /><br />Mining company, Cliffs Natural Resources, announced weeks ago it would cut production at three of its Minnesota mining operations, based in Hibbing, Eveleth, and Silver Bay. But a complete closure of a taconite mining operation like this is the first in years.<br /><br />It brings back bad memories for State Representative Tom Anzelc of Balsam Township.<br /><br />"This was the mine that my dad worked at," Anzelc said.<br /><br />Anzelc said it's hard on the families, especially on young families that maybe haven't prepared for the inevitable ups and downs of mining.<br /><br />"I feel very bad for the families, and the kids, and the workers, and the spouses and all of that, but we're a pretty resilient group up here in northern Minnesota, as you know," Anzelc said. "I'm hoping that people will hang in there and that toward the end of '09 things will start to look up again. But 2009 is not going to be a good year in Minnesota."<br /><br />What's surprising is how quickly the fortunes of Minnesota's mining industry have changed. KeeTac is supposed to be getting a $300 million investment to add new equipment for another taconite production line. All that was expected to add 75 new permanent jobs. Anzelc said he's been told permitting and engineering will continue for the expansion, although it's hard to see how U.S. Steel could invest in the plant in the current economic climate.<br /><br />The temporary closing isn't a surprise to Duluth College of St. Scholastica economist Tony Barrett.<br /><br />"It's a little worse than I expected when I hear that they're shutting down the whole mine for a while," Barrett said. "But it's not a surprise. And if anyone thought we might be able to dodge this recession like we did the last two national recessions, this is proof that we're not. This is going to be the start of a rough 2009."<br /><br />U.S. Steel owns another of Minnesota's six taconite operations. Yesterday's annoucement did not mention production or employment cuts at U.S. Steel's MinnTac mining facility in Mountain Iron. MinnTac is Minnesota's largest taconite operation, employing about 1,200 people. But, U.S. Steel is shutting down two other facilities, one in Michigan and one in Missouri.<br />Broadcast Dates<br /><br /> * Morning Edition, 12/03/2008, 7:25 a.m.Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-18731650639885001872008-12-14T22:16:00.002-06:002008-12-14T22:18:38.636-06:00Minnesotans get a political snow jobSunday, December 14, 2008<br /><br />Angela Walker, Global Exchange, Alternetorg collude with corrupt Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party (MN DFL)<br /><br />Every progressive in this country and around the world should be outraged with the lies being invented in order to try to disrupt the struggles of Minnesotans to save jobs.<br /><br />We all know the Ford Motor Company is conspiring with some of the most crooked and corrupt real-estate speculators in demolishing the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant.<br /><br />Since the 1948 expulsion of Communists from the leadership of UAW Local 879 this UAW Local has been nothing but a pit of corruption and sell-outs undermining the living standards of auto workers.<br /><br />We should all remember the real history of UAW Local 879 and the members of the Communist Party USA who blazed the trail in securing the first contract at the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant. These Communists were the only union organizers UAW Local 879 ever had.<br /><br />Maoist Lynne Hinkle worked with his Trotskyist friends to undermine the struggles of rank and file workers at the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant. They have worked together with this creep Roger TerVeen who now presides over the Local as President never consulting the rank and file on anything much less asking them if they want to fight to save their jobs.<br /><br />Democratic State Senator James Metzen who employs a creepy conniving secretary Lisa Sarne who never returns phone calls for the purpose of taking minutes of his Senate Committee meetings that no one can understand helped undermine and defeat SF 607. So why does this Alternet published story circulate these lies?<br /><br />Why didn't the author include an interview with Minnesota State Senator James Metzen?<br /><br />Lynne Hinkle, a Maoist, has colluded with the anti-worker, anti-communists and the company for years leading the attack on the eight-hour day under the pretense of pushing "green." Hinkle's "green" has transformed into more money in the pockets of Ford management. In return, Hinkle has been rewarded with positions on state citizen committees while Ford workers suffer and lose their jobs.<br /><br />Today speedup in the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Plant is unbearable. 900 workers are now producing more than 2,000 workers did just a couple years ago. This speedup is not even mentioned in this Alter.net article that Carl Davidson published on the "Progressives for Obama" blog knowing that the entire story was a pack of lies just like the lies the "Progressives for Obama" published about Barack Obama. Minnesotans don't need a snow-job from Global Exchange, Carl Davidson or Alter.net. We have politicians quite capable of deceit and disinformation on their own.<br /><br />This "green" plan Hinkle has now come up with is only a diversion to enable the Ford Motor Company to demolish the plant.<br /><br />If Hinkle was truly concerned with anything "green" he would have led the fight for public ownership of the hydro dam powering the Ford Plant for free all of these years.<br /><br />Lynne Hinkle is scam artist just like Barack Obama which the corrupt, sell-out scoundrels in UAW Local 879 supported with a sign hidden in their Local's window.<br /><br />Like the Republic Window and Doors plant in Chicago and the Maytag Plant before that Barack Obama has sold out workers at every opportunity never saying or doing anything aimed at saving plants and jobs.<br /><br />How do you save jobs without saving the plants and the industries where people work.<br /><br />Capitalism is one big cesspool of corruption and the time has come to get rid of the whole darn mess.<br /><br />Add to this mess these two pimps for Zionism, Tom Hayden and Carl Davidson with their "Progressives for Obama."<br /><br />A big thank you to Cassandra James and Alan Maki for exposing this fraud.<br /><br />Rita<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Saturday, December 13, 2008<br /><br />All Alternet cares about is money; the facts mean nothing<br />This is the response received concerning the story that Alternet passed off about the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant:<br /><br /><br />Dear AlterNet Reader,<br /><br />Thanks for your feedback.<br /><br />We appreciate your input and applaud you for speaking up. Our<br />editorial staff reads every piece of feedback submitted -- every<br />single one. We do this because we sincerely appreciate your<br />contributions. Our readers are the reason we exist; over the<br />years, we have incorporated valuable reader suggestions and<br />comments into improving our organization.<br /><br />However, as a non-profit organization operating on a tight<br />budget, we simply don't have the staffing capacity to respond to<br />every inquiry we receive. If you would like to support AlterNet<br />and help keep quality independent media available to the masses,<br />please consider visiting https://www.alternet.org/donate/ and<br />making a donation right now.<br /><br />Thanks again for your feedback, and especially for your<br />commitment to being part of the independent media dialogue.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />The Editors<br />AlterNet.org<br /><br />Posted by Alan L. Maki<br /><br /><br />Democratic Party front groups... the Party hacks heap lie upon lie<br /><br />-----Original Message-----<br /><br />From: Alan Maki [mailto:amaki000@centurytel.net]<br /><br />Sent: Friday, December 12, 2008 11:59 PM<br /><br />To: 'cassandra.james@ymail.com'; 'kirsten@globalexchange.org'; 'angela@globalexchange.org'<br /><br />Cc: 'sen.david.tomassoni@senate.mn'; 'Bill Hilty'; Dee DePass 'ddepass@startribune.com'; Benjamin Gross 'bgross8608@aol.com'; Carl Davidson 'CarlD717@aol.com'; Leo Gerard 'lgerard@usw.org'; Ron Gettelfinger 'rgettel@uaw.net'; Dick Long 'DLONG@uaw.net'; 'David Shove'; 'WCS-A@yahoogroups.com'; 'Lynn Hinkle'<br /><br />Subject: re: lies and more lies about the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant<br /><br />Cassandra,<br /><br />Why Angela Walker and Global Exchange knowingly published all of these lies needs to be explained. Any legitimate reporter would have authenticated such an article and sought comments from Minnesota State Legislators.<br /><br />It is interesting that Alternet allowed Global Exchange to peddle these lies without confirming anything in this wholly fabricated story; and then they used Progressives for Obama to do the rest of their dirty work and give these lies credibility… par for the course with Carl Davidson and Tom Hayden.<br /><br />We obviously need to do some research to find out the extent to which Global Exchange and Alternet regularly publish these kinds of lies; who they get their money from etc.<br /><br />I have posted this in the “contact us” at Alternet.<br /><br />Thank you for bringing this article to my attention.<br /><br />This is nothing but lies.<br /><br />You can look for yourself on the Minnesota Legislature’s web site and you can see that there is no such activity as stated here around S.F. 607:<br /><br /><br />https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/getbill.php?session=ls84&number=SF607&version=list<br /><br />I have also Cc’ed this article to Dee DePass a reporter who has previously written articles about the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant.<br /><br />This is the same kind of crap and rumors floated in order to thwart opposition to demolishing the Oldsmobile Plant in Lansing, Michigan… again, in the same way Michigan Legislators remained silent as these kinds of rumors were floated. The politicians and big-business have honed and fine-tuned their lies using their front groups.<br /><br />I have not been able to find one single presently employed member of this Local who knows anything about the Ford Local being in any kind of “coalition” as referred to.<br /><br />If such a coalition has been formed it has been organized behind the backs of the membership.<br /><br />No doubt you will be seeing this kind of thing in Detroit, too.<br /><br />Hinkle and this group are promoting a “people’s ‘green’ capitalism.”<br />They know this will never fly but their intent is to do what these phony progressives are doing with all issues from ending the war to single-payer universal health care--- trying to thwart and derail any movements aimed at saving jobs and plants.<br /><br />As far as the hydro dam everyone says it has been sold but neither Ford nor any government officials will provide the details of the sale.<br /><br />These same politicians enabled Ford to get away without paying one single penny in property taxes for one of the parcels of land ever since Ford owned the property.<br /><br />They run up phony schemes that sound good but they have no intent in fighting for making people think something good is in the works while the people in power are scamming behind everyone’s backs to do their dirty work.<br /><br />Lynne Hinckle and UAW leaders have never organized workers anywhere… the present UAW local leadership dropped the ball on SF 607 as a means to save this plant and two-thousand jobs… they couldn’t even muster the support to push SF 607 through one lousy Senate committee that was dominated by Democrats.<br /><br />The members of this local have never been consulted about this scheme.<br /><br />The Democrats who make up this Senate Committee chaired by a banker, Jim Metzen, even colluded to make sure the minutes of the meeting were not kept properly.<br /><br />As you can see, I have Cc’ed this to Minnesota State Senator David Tomassoni who is on this Senate Committee from which there has been no action on SF 607.<br /><br />In fact, this property upon which is presently situated the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant is going to be turned into a money pit for money grubbing real-estate speculators with poverty wage jobs for workers.<br /><br />St. Paul needs to protect the housing it already has which is being foreclosed on with families being evicted daily and the Minnesota Legislature is too cowardly to act to defend homeowners. Vacant foreclosed on homes are all over the city right now.<br />State legislators allowed United States Steel to close down an iron ore mine which is part of their taconite operation.<br /><br />The only viable alternative to save auto and steel in this country is nationalization of the auto and steel industries and the Democrats are too cowardly to consider this option.<br /><br />The only “green solution” being sought here is money green… it’s the only green that capitalists and their bought and paid for politicians know.<br /><br />These people can “envision” all they want to but the only thing they are going to see in the days ahead is these Ford workers getting the shaft.<br /><br />Now, it is up to David Tomassoni to either confirm the details in this article or to set the record straight.<br /><br />Both Leo Gerard and Carl Pope are part of this corrupt fiasco, too.<br />Let us here from Senator David Tomassoni and State Representative Bill Hilty just what the Minnesota Legislature is considering, if anything, concerning the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant… they have an obligation and responsibility to set the record straight.<br /><br />We see the exact same thing taking place with the anti-war movement and the movement for single-payer universal health care; the same method of operation took place around the impeachment issue, too. We run into the exact same thing with efforts to defend the Big Bog from peat mining.<br /><br />I would also note that it is the responsibility of any union to struggle to save the jobs of its members not to push the demolition of the plant where they work.<br /><br />To date, where ever these “green” schemes have been pushed workers end up with one-half to one-third of their former pay… just ask any steelworker who lost their job in the steel mills now building wind generating equipment.<br />Alan Maki<br /><br /><br />Option for Obama: Transforming Manufacturing Plants into Community-Saving Business Ventures<br /><br />Photo: One of Ford’s Largest Plants<br /><br />Our Future<br />Is With A New<br />Energy Economy<br /><br />By Angela Walker<br /><br />AlterNet.org<br /><br />Nov. 12, 2008 - Hit hard by the slowdown in the marketplace and higher fuel prices, Ford Motor Company recently experienced its largest quarterly loss in its 105-year history. With people evacuating their fuel-inefficient vehicles, Ford is experiencing its delayed rude awakening about the unsustainability of an auto industry geared towards producing pickups and sport utility vehicles. Despite plans to introduce six small cars made in Europe to the U.S. market, Ford today announced another 10 percent reduction in salaried payroll costs and will cut as many as 2,200 salaried jobs by January.<br /><br />Workers and Students Seeking Green Solutions<br /><br />The oldest Ford plant still in operation — the Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant in St. Paul, Minnesota — will be the epitome of the changes to come. With plans to shut down in 2011, an additional 900 jobs will be lost in a plant that used to employ 2,000 workers. Communities throughout the state have already experienced the brunt of the country’s economic downturn, Minnesota having lost 50,000 manufacturing jobs between 2000 and 2006 alone, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.<br /><br />“We’re just hemorrhaging,” states former United Auto Worker (UAW) official, Lynn Hinkle, who retired over a year ago from a 30-year career at the Twin Cities Ford plant.<br /><br />Yet something unusual is in the works that could change the future of this 140-acre manufacturing site and convert it into a model for green manufacturing.<br /><br />A coalition of the local UAW 879, McAllister University students, and affordable housing and environmental groups have formed the Alliance to Reindustrialize for a Sustainable Economy (ARISE) to design a green manufacturing site. The ARISE project is currently being considered by the Minnesota Legislature under Senate File 607 as a way to transition workers into a mixed-use facility for green manufacturing.<br /><br />ARISE is re-envisioning how people look at industry, which historically has collided with the environmental movement. Their reindustrialization plans serve as an opportunity for industry to play a key role in the green economy.<br /><br />“It is becoming increasingly clear to people in the union movement that our job security is dependent upon the new energy economy,” states Hinkle. “If you’re about family sustaining jobs, you have to connect global warming solutions and jobs otherwise you’re going to have neither.”<br /><br />Ford’s current training center would be converted into a green jobs training program for onsite wind turbine manufacturing and installation, and light rail car production. A plan to expand the light rail system is in the works to reach out to surrounding, traditionally low-income communities, which have been working with ARISE on the reindustrialization plans.<br /><br />The Ford plant, located on the Mississippi River, is already connected to a hydroelectric system, which produces 18 megawatts of hydropower, and has powered the plant for over 80 years. Additionally, there exists a maze of tunnels onsite that were originally dug out for silica, used in making glass for windshields. These tunnels may be used for ground-source heating.<br /><br />“We believe there’s enough green energy sources on site to go totally noncarbon,” says Hinkle.<br /><br />With 140 acres, the coalition has the space to get creative with its envisioning and holistic approach. Businesses would be brought in to develop retail shops on the lower levels of buildings with affordable, residential units above. Walkways up and over the buildings would connect rooftop restaurants and bars to urban gardens with beautiful views of the Mississippi River. To connect the shops to the light rail, small electric vehicles would be produced onsite.<br /><br />Throughout the last century, manufacturing jobs and industry have played a significant role in the growth of cities and development of communities by providing families with low entry-level jobs. Communities cannot afford to continue experiencing the off-shoring of their manufacturing jobs, especially during the current economic downturn. ARISE’s plan is to develop this site as a prototype for turning brown fields, or old industrial grounds, into green manufacturing sites to support green jobs and sustainable community development.<br /><br />Student group Summer of Solutions — in partnership with economic justice organization, Global Exchange — sees the future of their generation invested in this project.<br /><br />“If we’re going to build the green economy, we have to start here,” says McAllister graduate Joseph Adamji. “The green jobs movement and the whole idea of shifting and expanding economic opportunity are to make social changes happen. As much as this project is about the Ford site, we need to use it as a model for how we develop communities, intentionally and sustainably.”<br /><br />City planners hope to see this space used as a central hub for sustainability projects for St. Paul and beyond.<br /><br />“We could redevelop old manufacturing cities like Detroit and bring economic opportunities and prosperity,” states Adamji. “We’re trying to say that industry can play a role in the green economy.”<br /><br />Decarbonize, reindustrialize, equalize, is what ARISE is saying. The new energy economy can be used to battle lagging economic opportunities and social inequity. ARISE hopes to inspire communities — from Flint, Michigan to Richmond, California — to decide how they want to develop a new sense of community. Reindustrialization can be part of this process by formulating ways to generate green energy, mass transit, higher density and energy efficient buildings, and affordable housing.<br /><br />“This is an opportunity to change the landscape literally and figuratively,” says Hinkle. “What a great basis to rebuild the union movement. It’s an opportunity for the green union movement to emerge, where unions can stand center stage and create aspirations for our entire society.”<br /><br />Angela Walker is the media director for Global Exchange.<br /><br />© 2008 Independent Media Institute. All rights reserved.<br /><br />View this story online at: <a href="http://www.alternet.org/story/106425/">http://www.alternet.org/story/106425/</a><br /><br />Alan L. Maki<br />58891 County Road 13<br />Warroad, Minnesota 56763<br />Phone: 218-386-2432<br />Cell phone: 651-587-5541<br />E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net<br /><br />Check out my blog:<br /><br />Thoughts From Podunk<br /><br /><a href="http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/">http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/</a>Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-26943413486508567652008-12-10T18:25:00.002-06:002008-12-10T18:36:42.472-06:00Human Rights and Racism in MinnesotaOne day of the year is Human Rights Day in Minnesota... the rest of the year is human rights abuse day for Native Americans by state and federal officials. <br /><br /><br /><br />-----Original Message-----<br /><br />From: Bill Hilty [mailto:Rep.Bill.Hilty@house.mn] <br /><br />Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 4:34 PM<br /><br />To: Alan Maki<br /><br />Subject: Your msg: Big Bog State Rec Question<br /><br /><br />Alan,<br /><br />The Big Bog State Recreation Area received $1,600,000 in the bonding bill this year (CH 179, Sec. 7, subdivision 23). The amount was for "improvements at the Big Bog State Recreation Area, including betterments to the contact station and forest restoration." <br /><br />Let me know if you need anything else.<br /><br />Rebekah Smith<br />Legislative Assistant<br /><br /><br /><br />Request for further information and action---<br /><br /><br />Rebekah Smith and Representative Hilty;<br /><br />Thank you for this information you have provided.<br /><br />I write you today on the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights because the issue at hand is of great relevance to our celebrating this document as we work to assure its full and complete implementation. <br /><br />I need not lecture you because you know and understand all to well the severe abuses of human rights First Nation Peoples have been subjected to... the issue of peat mining in the Big Bog is just one more in a long line of these human rights abuses which seems to be unending when it comes to the plight of First Nation peoples. <br /><br />In fact, the human rights abuses faced by the peoples of the Red Lake Nation for centuries are well documented and if there is a text-book case to be made for the violation of the sovereign and human rights of a people it is the history of the shameful and despicable treatment of the people of the Red Lake Nation by the state and federal governments and a myriad of state agencies and bureaucracies not to mention the daily racist indignities the people of the Red Lake Nation are so often subjected to as they seek a better life and an improved standard of living.<br /><br />Nor do I have to explain to you the complexities of a people striving to survive cooperatively as dog-eat-dog system of "free enterprise" thwarts and stymies all initiatives taken by the people of the Red Lake Nation to survive--- over the years, the people of the Red Lake Nation have endured insults from right-wing conservative politicians who view their sovereign nation derogatorily and derisively as "a welfare state," "a small socialist island in the north woods of Minnesota," and "America's little Cuba," etcetera--- depending on the mood of these racist bigots and to what self-serving political ends they can twist their bigoted musings and stupid racist mutterings.<br /><br />The examples of Mr. Tony Cornish and Mr. Jim Abeler in the current period are only a few such examples of such backwards and racist thinking reaching into the Minnesota legislature. Of course, Mr. Abeler apologized; and Mr. Cornish never even has had the common human decency to apologize. Perhaps if the Indian Nations were represented in the Minnesota State Legislature and on Minnesota's Congressional delegation this racism and indifference to racism would be corrected. Shameful as it is that there is not one single Native American in the Minnesota State Legislature or among our Congressional delegation in spite of the large Native American population whose needs go unmet and unrepresented in spite of the existence of such atrocious problems and important documents like the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human calling for full representation and participation of all members of society.<br /><br />I think you will agree with me that if Minnesota had just one single Native American sitting in the Minnesota State Legislature the permit to mine peat in the Big Bog which threatens the very existence and survival of the Red Lake Nation and its people would never have been issued; now would this racist boondoggle have ever seen the light of day. <br /><br />More information is required; and I would like to advise you of a new dimension and concern regarding this project of peat mining in the Big Bog. As you are fully aware, the fate and the very existence of the Red Lake Nation and its people are intricately, inseparably connected, woven and tied together. The importance of this cannot be stressed enough. The United Nations has for a long time recognized the plight of peoples as connected to the ecosystems that support their continued existence as sovereign nations.<br /><br />Today is the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Even a school child reading this Declaration and then learning of the "permitting process" authorizing this peat mining in the Big Bog can understand the flagrant and intentional violations of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights taking place here in North Minnesota.<br /><br />We had a meeting in Red Lake last night, initiated by the people of Red Lake who are growing increasingly concerned that their tribal officials and state officials along with the Upper Red Lake "Friends of the Big Bog" and federal public officials and governmental agencies have excluded them from the decision-making process as to the future of the Big Bog which has been scientifically established in the most definitive scientific work on the Big Bog in the "Patterned Peat Lands of Minnesota" edited by Wright, et. al. and used in every college and university course on natural resource management contains an entire chapter on the relationship of the Big Bog to the very survival of the Red Lake Nation and its peoples.<br /><br />To make matters worse, the letter you have seen allegedly authored by then Chairman Gerald "Butch" Brun, which I obtained from Pegg Julson--- then head of the MN DNR Littlefork Forestry Division (she was demoted for providing me a copy of this letter from Gerald "Butch" Brun; a letter I then publicly distributed--- a letter immediately and publicly repudiated by the Red Lake Nation Tribal Council after I gave the Council the letter which made the position of the Red Lake Nation very clear as stated through resolution and letter as being the exact same position as was articulated in the "Patterned Peat Lands of Minnesota" which used a statement from then Chairman of the Red Lake Nation, Roger Jourdain, who clearly and forcefully articulated this position on behalf of the Red Lake Nation for over fifty years which remains the guiding position to this very day. <br /><br />A now retired Red Lake Tribal administrative bureaucrat who was part of the Administration of Gerald "Butch" Brun was at the meeting last night and speculated based on the fact he would have seen this letter had it gone through the proper channels as required by the Rules and Laws and Procedures of the Red Lake Nation and is very familiar with Gerald "Butch" Brun's handwriting, could not say for certain if the signature was the handwriting of Gerald "Butch" Brun. As you are aware, Chairman Gerald "Butch" Brun suffered a severe stroke during his brief tenure which could account for the handwriting ambiguity; however, as I have long thought based upon the reaction when I first confronted Chairman Brun in his Red Lake office concerning this "letter" and given his enraged denial in writing the letter... it is now speculated that another individual, namely Roger Head, may have written this letter and forged Chairman Brun's signature to it. <br /><br />At this point, this is speculation as to what happened; however, given that ALL SCIENTIFIC DATA then, and presently available--- including ALL data from the Red Lake Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (which hid very important data that the Black River was already contaminated with mercury before the permit to authorize this peat mining was authorized; including concealing this fact during the EIS process)... but, most importantly, the people of the sovereign Red Lake Nation and their Tribal Government who have a long-standing opposition to peat mining in the Big Bog which is well documented and well known to every single politician in the State of Minnesota, they were not consulted with as required by state and federal laws or the intent of those laws; I am therefore, again, requesting that you broach this issue with the entire MN DFL Legislative caucus at the federal and state level--- both representatives and senators, and in light of the new concerns raised over the "letter" from Red Lake Nation Chairman Gerald "Butch" Brun which "dropped" Red Lake's historic opposition to peat mining in the Big Bog" which we ALL know was the ONLY reason this racist and environmentally destructive project was ever permitted in the first place.<br /><br />Without this "letter" from Red Lake Nation Chairman Gerald "Butch" Brun this permit to mine peat in the Big Bog never would have been authorized; you know this; I know this; every single politician in this state knows this.<br /><br />Someone in government, upon receiving this "letter" from Chairman Brun had a responsibility to go before the Red Lake Nation Tribal Council, the sovereign government of the sovereign Red Lake Nation; and knowing of this historic opposition should have asked what was going on.<br /><br />In fact, everyone in government, instead of demonstrating a proper degree of concern and a questioning attitude, tried to hide and conceal this very important "letter." <br /><br />Had it not been for the diligence of one single person employed in the bureaucracy of Minnesota government, namely, Pegg Julson--- who lost her job because she took her job and the responsibilities of her job seriously--- still today, we would never have known about the existence of this "letter" even though I requested this letter from United States Congressman James Oberstar, United States Congressman Colin Peterson, Gene Merriam who at the time was Commissioner of Natural Resources, the Koochiching County Commission and from Paul Nevanen, Director of KEDA, who we now know removed this "letter" , now allegedly, from Red Lake Nation Chairman Gerald "Butch" Brun from the file before providing me access to the casino and peat mining venture files... an illegal act on the part of KEDA Director Paul Nevanen which leads me to think he was probably mired in the scheme to embezzle public funds, too.<br /><br />I am firmly convinced that the sloppy and shoddy record keeping systems of both the Koochiching County Board of Commissioners and the Koochiching Economic Development Authority are intended, not only to keep important records out of the hands of citizens so they can be an educated part of the decision-making process as called for by the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights; but, such shoddy record keeping is done in order to cover up embezzlement and other criminal wrong-doing.<br /><br />It is frequently the case where attacks on democracy go hand-in-hand with governmental corruption... so frequent in fact that it is safe to say that corruption and anti-democratic measures are integrally fused and connected with the result ending up as a racist attack on people of color--- as is the case here.<br /><br />To add to all of this, former Commissioner of the MN DNR--- Gene Merriam (a former state senator), to this very day--- denies ever authorizing this peat mining permit. Worse yet, he claims no knowledge of peat mining in the Big Bog even though the permit to mine this peat claims that he authorized it.<br /><br />So, we have here on the one hand, a very suspect "letter" from a very important Tribal government official is now dead who, while living, became enraged when asked why he signed this "letter;" and, we have a still living former Commissioner of Natural Resources, Gene Merriam, who, according to this permit authorized it but steadfastly claiming any and all knowledge of anything to do with this peat mining and adamantly states he did not authorize the permit!<br /><br />And, in face of these two very important facts, and entire state legislature and the governor are allowing peat mining in the Big Bog to proceed as if they are completely oblivious to the consequences.<br /><br />This permit to mine peat in the Big Bog in the Pine Island State Forest to the huge Canadian multi-national corporation--- Berger, Ltd.--- should be immediately revoked; the sheer corruption this project is mired in requires no less; respect for the human rights of the people of the Red Lake Nation requires this revocation of the permit. <br /><br />The terms of the permit are such, and specifically stated that the Minnesota Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources has the discretionary authority to revoke this permit up until the time the first building foundation has been poured.<br /><br />I am requesting that you gather together legislators without haste to determine what needs to be done to right this grave injustice now rising to the level of violating the human rights of the people of the Red Lake Nation.<br /><br />I am sure Minnesota legislators, federal and state, will now be hearing from the grassroots peoples of the Red Lake Nation in support of their Tribal Governments resolution to state and federal public officials and government agencies and bureaucracies.<br /><br />The head of the MN DNR Little Fork Forestry office tells me that full-scale land clearing is to commence right now. This must be halted; the government officials at all levels responsible for the corrupt manner in orchestrating this dirty racist deed must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law with full restitution of all tax-payer expenditures and those funds from the taconite tax be fully repaid.<br /><br />As you are aware, this peat mining was first conceived as a "deal" concocted behind closed doors as an "exchange" for the Red Lake Nation receiving favorable consideration for building and operating a casino in International Falls and Koochiching County being able to promote economic growth and jobs. No matter how this peat mining is viewed, from the perspective of those wanting to mine the peat to those who initially pushed the idea of a casino... both projects are now exposed as the fiasco they were right from the start... the casino deal has fallen through (for whatever reason--- ostensibly the overwhelming majority of the people of International Falls and Koochiching County are opposed to the casino while Red Lake the majority of the people of the Red Lake Nation and most all Minnesotans are opposed to this peat mining boondoggle proceeding in the Big Bog in the Pine Island State Forest.<br /><br />Further, I remind you that tax-payers and the taconite tax fund have been swindled out of hundreds of thousands of dollars--- many of those dollars attached to this peat mining project--- in the now fully exposed theft of public funds through the Koochiching Economic Development Authority by one Brenda Long. I would point out the Director of the KEDA systematically fought all of my requests to examine KEDA documents pertaining to this peat mining for casino venture. <br /><br />Had I been allowed to examine these documents as requested, including requests made through the Data Practices Act and FOIA, hundreds of thousands of tax-payer dollars and taconite tax funds could have been saved and used for real socially needed and necessary programs and projects including alleviating the deplorable poverty of people living on the Red Lake Nation Reservation. <br /><br />To think that what is perhaps a continuing multi-million dollar embezzlement scheme was going on, undetected, almost from the very beginning of this peat mining for casino project when I first sought access to these files until the permit to mine peat was authorized is nothing short of deplorable and shameful. <br /><br />In denying citizens access to important information required to oppose the permitting process--- including access to the letter allegedly submitted by Red Lake Nation Chairman Gerald Butch Brun and the finances of this project. I would further note, that even after I won the right to access to KEDA files, Director Nevanen withdrew the Brun "letter" and financial information from KEDA files and the Secretary of the Koochiching County Board in complete complicity with all members of the County Board with-held this information from me and added further to the complexities of this case as they brought in the office of the Koochiching County Sheriff to threaten me with arrest as I attempted to deliver a written request for these records under the Data Practices Act and the FOIA. <br /><br />(And it was not just I be denied this important public information, because, as you are fully aware, I shared all information on this dirty racist deal with everyone in a way that has empowered them to fully participate in the decision-making process--- something state legislators should have been doing in accordance with the fiduciary responsibility that comes along with being elected to serve the people. Just as I shared this information you provided with people already at Red Lake and beyond.)<br /><br />I don't think you will find anyone who really believes that the Koochiching Economic Development Authority's Brenda Long acted alone in swindling tax-payers and the taconite-tax fund in this embezzlement scheme. It was only she and Director Paul Nevanen working in the small two-person operation in a very small two-room office where anyone with the least little bit of business acumen and basic understanding of accounting practices with a third grader's knowledge of addition and subtraction concerning a mere handful of transactions would have, and should have, been able to stop this criminal embezzlement scheme for which tax-payers and the taconite-tax fund have not, and probably never will be, reimbursed. <br /><br />In addition, I call to your attention the fact that at one point, in the records of KEDA (from the minutes as recorded by none other than swindler and embezzler extraordinaire Brenda Long), these perpetrators of this very racist peat mining for casino scheme lament the fact that "only" $350,000.00 dollars was spent on one of the infra-structure projects on initial upgrading on the road to the peat mining site and that they had another $150,000.00 to spend out of the $500,000.00 allocation for straightening out a few curves in a gravel road and even after the straightening of the curves took place and the "improvements were completed per the requirements of the Koochiching County Engineer, further work was supposedly done on these curves to spend the rest of the allocation!<br /><br />And we wonder why Minnesota is in debt up to its eye-balls to the tune of billions of dollars! With swindlers and embezzlers like Brenda Long having access to public funds it is no wonder no one can come up with a full accounting of our State's real debt. <br /><br />Again, I implore you to step in and put an end to what can only be described as a racist boondoggle and a fiasco financed unwittingly by Minnesota and federal tax-payers. <br /><br />I would also call to your attention the United States Congressman James Oberstar is denying his involvement in this racist peat mining boondoggle even though the head of the United States Army Corps of Engineers in St. Paul, Mr. Robert Whiting, will tell you he authorized this permit to mine peat only as a result of "congressional arm twisting." Robert Whiting identifies Congressman James Oberstar as the "congressional arm twister." <br /><br />I need not remind you of the pernicious and racist role of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers vis-à-vis their activities regarding Red Lake and the Red Lake Nation and the associated ecosystems over many decades; the environmental damage the done by the United States Army Corps of Engineers to this important ecosystem is well documented on their own web site and tax-payers are now footing the bill to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to remedy the destruction to an ecosystem which was being protected well by the people of the Red Lake Nation until U.S Army Corps of Engineer intervention... this, coupled with the depletion of walleye and other fish stocks and now the massive timber harvests laying vast areas of the Red Lake Nation to waste as corporations plunder in quest of greater profits while Red Lake's schools deteriorate, the housing question persists, people cannot afford to heat their homes and joblessness on this reservation is a complete disgrace as drug pushing and casinos create problems... it is with this entire scenario in mind that it is on this day in which we exhorted to foster the goals of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that I implore you, once again, to do something to get this permit to mine peat revoked by discussing this issue with your colleagues, who, on this issue the MN DFL should be in complete control as far as getting the permit to mine peat revoked, if not permanently, than at least on a temporary basis until all of this can be examined fully with proper input from the people of the Red Lake Nation... respect for human rights, and the dignity of the people of the Red Lake Nation and their future existence requires no less.<br /><br />Again, if you could provide me with the complete expenditure allocated by the State of Minnesota for the establishment of the Big Bog State Park, the Big Bog Beach and the Big Bog Interpretive Center including the Boardwalk, this would be appreciated; including all pertinent legislative actions by name and statute number.<br /><br />We really need to know the complete expenditures made by the tax-payers of Minnesota for the complete project because this project has been carried out with the stated intended purpose of educating the public on the need to protect the Big Bog and, supposedly, to educate Minnesotans and visitors to our state on the importance of the people of the Red Lake Nation in protecting the Big Bog for centuries and the importance of the Big Bog to the continued existence of the Red Lake Nation and its people. An interconnection established and confirmed by the people of the Red Lake Nation and confirmed by scientists at every level of governmental bureaucracy then rejected for political expediency serving corporate interests. <br /><br />Once again we see the threats to democracy when the Minnesota Legislature sits in silence and turns a blind eye to this kind of racist injustice embodied in this peat mining for casino venture. Everyone loses except the Canadian corporation which will truck away the profits compliments of Minnesota and federal tax-payers.<br /><br />Please confirm that you have received this e-mail. <br /><br />Again, thanking you for your assistance in this matter;<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />Alan L. Maki<br />Writing on behalf of "Save Our Bog"<br /><br />58891 County Road 13<br />Warroad, Minnesota 56763<br />Phone: 218-386-2432<br />Cell phone: 651-587-5541Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-18132714104660789562008-12-06T11:31:00.000-06:002008-12-06T11:32:12.110-06:00Workers Occupy Factory in struggle for their rightsSaturday, December 6, 2008<br /><br />Workers Occupy Factory in struggle for their rights<br /><br /> "Republic Windows and Doors workers require the support of all working people. They fight for our rights as they fight for their own rights."<br /><br /> Maggie Bird<br /> President,<br /> Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Workers Occupy Factory<br /><br />Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2008<br /><br />Incidences similar to this may soon be taking place across the United States. Seize the day, seize the hour, seize the means of production.<br /><br />The workers of Republic Windows and Doors are right this minute occupying their factory, which was due to close at 10:00 AM this morning. The workers are fighting for pay for their lost vacation days and for the 75 days notice that they are guaranteed under Illinois law. This is the first time in many years workers have taken the bold, militant strategy of occupying their place of work to demand justice. The plan to occupy the plant until the hear the results of the next round of negotiations Monday afternoon. THEY NEED TO KNOW THEY HAVE OUR SUPPORT!!!<br /><br />A rally has been planned for 12:00 Noon tomorrow.<br /><br />Please attend.<br /><br />BUT WE SHOULD ORGANIZE A CONSTANT PRESENCE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS PICKETING OUTSIDE THE FACTORY! BRING FOOD AND COFFEE FOR THE WORKERS. It is our presence and the press that is the workers best defense against the police raiding the factory.<br /><br />These workers are fighting for all of us!!! As the economic crisis deepens we need to launch a working class fight back.<br /><br />These workers are the starting point and deserve our full support.<br /><br />Go to…<br /><br />Republic Windows & Doors<br />1333 N. Hickory<br />On Goose Island, near the intersection of Division & Clyborn<br /><br /><br /><br />Chicago factory occupied<br /><br /><br /><br />December 6, 2008<br /><br />WORKERS OCCUPYING the Republic Windows & Doors factory slated for closure are vowing to remain in the Chicago plant until they win the $1.5 million in severance and vacation pay owed them by management.<br /><br />In a tactic rarely used in the U.S. since the labor struggles of the 1930s, the workers, members of United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) Local 1110, refused to leave the plant on December 5, its last scheduled day of operation.<br /><br />"We decided to do it because this is money that belongs to us," said Maria Roman, who's worked at the plant for eight years. "These are our rights."<br /><br />Word of the occupation spread quickly both among labor and immigrant rights activists--the overwhelming majority of the workers are Latinos. Seven local TV news stations showed up to do interviews and live reports, and a steady stream of activists arrived to bring donations of food and money and to plan solidarity actions.<br /><br />Management claims that it can't continue operations because its main creditor, Bank of America (BoA), refuses to make any more loans to the company. After workers picketed BoA headquarters December 3, bank officials agreed to sit down with Republic management and UE to discuss the matter at a December 5 meeting arranged by U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill), said UE organizer Leah Fried.<br /><br />BoA had said that it couldn't discuss the matter with the union directly without written approval from Republic's management. But Republic representatives failed to show up at the meeting, and plant managers prepared to close the doors for good--violating the federal WARN Act that requires 60 days notice of a plant closure.<br /><br />The workers decided this couldn't go unchallenged. "The company and Bank of America are throwing the ball to one another, and we're in the middle," said Vicente Rangel, a shop steward and former vice president of Local 1110.<br /><br />Many workers had suspected the company was planning to go out of business--and perhaps restart operations elsewhere. Several said managers had removed both production and office equipment in recent days.<br /><br />Furthermore, while inventory records indicated there were plenty of parts in the plant, workers on the production line found shortages. And the order books, while certainly down from the peak years of the housing boom, didn't square with management's claims of a total collapse. "Where did all those windows go?" one worker asked.<br /><br />Workers were especially outraged that Bank of America, which recently received a bailout in taxpayer money, won't provide credit to Republic. "They get $25 billion from the government, and won't loan a few million to this company so workers can keep their jobs?" said Ricardo Caceres, who has worked at the plant for six years.<br /><br />- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br /><br />THE MEMBERS of Local 1110 have a history of struggle. In 2004, they decertified the Central States Joint Board--a union notorious for corruption and sweetheart contracts with management--and brought in UE, a far more democratic organization.<br /><br />In May of this year, Local 1110 mobilized for a contract by organizing a "practice" picket, and 70 workers used their lunch break to confront the boss with a petition listing their demands. The workers were able to turn back company's effort to win major concessions and won solid pay increases.Now, management is trying to get revenge by pocketing money that belongs to the workers.<br /><br />UE officials and workers acknowledge that it will be difficult to stop the plant from closing. But they're determined to get the money owed to them--and they believe that by fighting, they can set an example for other workers facing layoffs and plant closures as the recession deepens.<br /><br />Negotiations are set for Monday, December 8. Whatever happens, however, the workers have already sent a message to employers that if they violate workers rights and the law, they can expect a fight.<br /><br />"This is a message to the workers of America," said Vicente Rangel, the shop steward. "If we stand together, we will prevail until justice is done, and we get what we're due."<br /><br />= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =<br /><br />What you can do<br /><br /> If you live in the Chicago area, come to a rally on Saturday, December 6, at 12 Noon at Republic Windows, 1333 N. Hickory in Chicago, on Goose Island.<br /><br /> If negotiations with Bank of America fail to resolve the issue, there will be a picket of BoA's Chicago headquarters at 231 S. LaSalle on Tuesday, December 9 at 12 noon.<br /><br /><br /><br />Members of Local 1110 need your support.<br /><br />Make checks payable to the UE Local 1110 Solidarity Fund, and mail to:<br />37 S. Ashland, Chicago, IL 60607.<br /><br />Messages of support can be sent to leahfried@gmail.com.<br /><br />For more information, call UE at 312-829-8300.<br /><br />At the Jobs with Justice Web site, you can send a message of protest to Bank of America (http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/bankofamerica/).Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-75640788696540998522008-11-17T13:16:00.002-06:002008-11-17T13:19:09.247-06:00Maki says, "DEBT IS POVERTY!" and we agree<a href="http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2008114616/prepare-great-battle-2009#comment-9452">http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2008114616/prepare-great-battle-2009#comment-9452</a><br /><br />Before I go any further, I want to say something to my progressive friends on the left, and those more liberal than left, who were so adamant that we should all fall in line and give our uncritical support to Obama; and then go on to say in the face of Obama lining up what is obviously a pro-war, anti-democratic, anti-labor cabinet completely complicit in the repressive measures we have seen ranging from taking away signs from those attending Obama campaign rallies saying, “End the wars now!” to “We want health care not war fare; single-payer universal health care now” to remaining silent as black-suited police riot squads attacked people peacefully demonstrating their concerns during both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions: <br /><br />Where are you now when things like this are being published? What has happened to your voices now that you know the economic facts were intentionally skewed and hidden from the American people and we were lied to about the economy by Obama and the Democrats the same way Bush lied about the wars? You must take us all for complete fools when you sing “Give Obama a chance.” What has happened to the great progressive sea-change of epic historical proportions? Where is that fight-back you promised? What has happened to the struggle for peace and social and economic justice you promised to participate in “after Obama gets elected?”<br /><br />Where are your voices in response to these kinds of things being dished out not by the day, but by the minute from those who will do and say anything to save the Democratic Party from a real working class led challenge.<br /><br />In not responding to these pieces you obviously have given up any hope for real progressive reforms like single-payer universal health care.<br /><br />You wrote so eloquently and passionately condemning those of us who wanted no part of your Obama campaign; now you remain silent as these capitalist sooth-Sayers ply their trade, again, under the guise of “liberalism,” “progressivism” and even “socialism.”<br /><br />Where are the Tom Hayden’s, the Carl Davidson’s the Eric Mann’s now that their voices are really needed in defense of working class interests. Where is that big-mouth labor leader Leo Gerard who boasted that he got ten-thousand steel workers out for Obama. <br /><br />We know where Ron Gettelfinger is, holding up the dumb donkey’s tail begging for the sparrows to leave something behind for auto workers.<br /><br />Just like these people always do, talk big and run for cover when their voices are needed.<br /> <br />Just a few days ago Leo Gerard wrote to Obama, “We are with you.” What did Leo Gerard mean, that he was with Obama in driving down the standard of living for the entire working class because if Obama gets away with these trillion dollar schemes, working people in the United States will be no better off than any poverty wracked country in Asia, Africa or Latin America.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DEBT IS POVERTY!</span><br /><br />After I posted the response to this guy (see very bottom), I started thinking and I couldn’t help but add this:<br /><br />I can't help but add this... <br /><br />By Alan Maki | November 17th, 2008 - 1:25pm GMT <br /><br /> <br /><br />You know, you people who boosted Obama act like you didn't know how bad the economy was or where it was headed.<br /><br /> <br /><br />If you really didn't know, why should anyone take your advice now?<br /><br /> <br /><br />The capitalists have become rich by creating all these problems as a result of stealing the wealth created by the working class… leaving working people with nothing but poverty and a mess to clean up.<br /><br /> <br /><br />And now you have the unmitigated gall to suggest that we should give up our future, the future's of our children and probably our great grand children to save this rotten capitalist system.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Barack Obama should have considered being more honest with the American people with where this economy was at while campaigning.<br /><br /> <br /><br />On numerous occasions he was asked how he was going to pay for that pitiful little social programs he advocated with the economy going belly-up. <br /><br /> <br /><br />At no time did Obama nor any of you who so enthusiastically supported him bother to inform the American people how bad the economy was... instead, you chose to plug along talking about what a great progressive "sea-change" was at hand.<br /><br /> <br /><br />And now we find that the only thing Obama is going to do is try to save this rotten capitalist system.<br /><br /> <br /><br />It looks to me like you and Obama have used up whatever goodwill and trust you gained by deceiving the American people as you have.<br /><br /> <br /><br />If Obama did not know the seriousness of the problems he should resign right now because he obviously isn't going to know what to do as far as solving the problems in the interest of working people he claimed to represent. <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Great Battle of 2009</span><br /><br /><br />Campaign for America’s Future STAFF<br /><br />By Bernie Horn<br /><br />November 16th, 2008 - 11:13pm ET <br /><br /> <br /><br />What will be the top priority for the Obama administration at the beginning of 2009? Enacting health care for all? Pursuing energy independence? Rewriting NAFTA? <br /><br />None of those (I’m sorry to report).<br /><br /> <br /><br />The great opening battle—the one we absolutely have to win—is enactment of an economic recovery program of unprecedented size and scope. Without this, our economy will fall into a deep recession, putting all of our progressive goals in serious jeopardy.<br /><br /> <br /><br />This week's lame-duck Congress will do little or nothing to address the problem. January will find us facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Unemployment, foreclosures and bank failures are already going through the roof. The stock market, home values and consumer confidence are already going through the floor. And things will get worse.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Here’s the politically painful truth: The only way to save our economy is to commence a massive increase in federal spending—requiring as much as $1 trillion in deficit spending over the next two years.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Leading economists like Paul Krugman, Joseph Stiglitz, Dean Baker—and even the great majority of economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal—know that economic recovery will be expensive. But Americans don’t even know this issue is coming because it went unmentioned during the election campaign. That’s a political problem because deficit spending is widely unpopular.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Americans assume that deficits are bad and balanced budgets are good. One post-election poll found that 61 percent say “reducing the federal budget deficit” should be a “top priority” for the new president, and another 31 percent say it should be “important.” But in a severe recession, that’s bad economic policy. In fact, trying to balance the budget during a recession is the recipe for depression—it was Herbert Hoover’s recipe, to be precise.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Put in the context of economic recovery, Americans remain sharply divided about federal spending. A post-election poll sponsored by Campaign for America’s Future asked voters if they were “more worried that we will fail to make the investments we need to create jobs and strengthen the economy” or “more worried that we will go too far in increasing government spending and will end up raising taxes to pay for it.” The first statement won agreement from 49 percent; 48 percent agreed with the second. So progressives have work to do.<br /><br /> <br /><br />How do we begin to prepare Americans to support us in the coming battle?<br /><br /> <br /><br />First, keep up a steady drumbeat for an Obama “economic recovery program.” The same CAF poll found that most voters support the general idea.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Second, explain that the recovery program will help “make health insurance affordable and accessible to all Americans,” “end dependence on foreign oil,” and “make job-creating investments in America’s aging roads and transportation systems”—specific goals that are widely popular.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Third, don’t accept the argument that our economic recovery plan is too costly. Even if we spend $500 billion per year, it will still be far less than the cost of letting the U.S. economy plummet into a years-long, severe recession.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Finally, explain to people worried about the politics that while “deficit spending” is unpopular, it’s not a make-or-break voting issue. Voters didn’t punish Ronald Reagan or George W. Bush for their massive deficit spending, and voters didn’t reward Al Gore for the Clinton-Gore Administration’s success in balancing the federal budget.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Bottom line: Barack Obama needs your help. If progressives spend the next nine weeks building support for a robust economic recovery plan, the next president will have a much easier time enacting his top priority legislation.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Tomorrow, the Campaign for America's Future will kick off the conversation with a conference on "Real Investment in America" at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. For more about economic recovery and public investments, see our new Institute for America's Future economy webpage. <br /><br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />The writer is a Senior Fellow at Campaign for America’s Future and author of the recent book, Framing the Future: How Progressive Values Can Win Elections and Influence People.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Get real... </span><br /><br />By Alan Maki | November 17th, 2008 - 12:46pm GMT <br /><br /> <br /><br />You write:<br /><br /> <br /><br />"Here’s the politically painful truth: The only way to save our economy is to commence a massive increase in federal spending—requiring as much as $1 trillion in deficit spending over the next two years."<br /><br /> <br /><br />First of all federal spending on "bailouts" to Wall Street bankers, coupon clippers and the Big Three is only going to make matters worse.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Who do you propose giving this government dole to?<br /><br /> <br /><br />Do you read the newspapers?<br /><br /> <br /><br />Today the headlines blare out at us:<br /><br /> <br /><br />"This is not your 'garden variety' downturn."<br /><br /> <br /><br />We are in the throes of a classic capitalist depression and "overproduction" is the culprit. This means economic depression has struck because workers cannot purchase back what they have produced because they have no purchasing power.<br /><br /> <br /><br />If you deny this is the case, then prove it.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Where are your proposed trillions of dollars going to come from?<br /><br /> <br /><br />Where are those trillions of dollars going to go?<br /><br /> <br /><br />You are assuming, like Barack Obama, that an economic philosophy has failed when it is the capitalist economic system that has failed.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Getting a trillion dollars (your figure) into the hands of working people to spend will require tax-payers putting up well over 6 trillion dollars because Wall Street coupon clippers skim the cream right off the top everytime this is tried.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Spending in this senseless way pushed the U.S. economy to the verge of a never-ending depression just before World War Two began. If not for the buildup to war we would still be mired in an economic depression and poverty just like most of the rest of the world.<br /><br /> <br /><br />And now you are proposing the exact same failed policy, eighty years later.<br /><br /> <br /><br />We need massive redistribution of wealth in this country and we need it fast. This is the only thing that is going to prevent massive human misery.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Rather than spending enormous sums as you propose... Obama should be looking at doing just the opposite of your "maximum deficit spending."<br /><br /> <br /><br />The first thing should be a drastic increase in the minimum wage to a real living wage. Raise the minimum wage so high it makes these Wall Street pigs squeal.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Raise Social Security three-fold to where it should be... we can pay this fund back as we reclaim our stolen wealth that has found its way into bank accounts in the Cayman Islands.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Implement socialized health care; forget about all other health care reforms... this puts trillions of dollars into the hands of working people almost overnite... real purchasing power.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Tax the hell out of business and let them cry.<br /><br /> <br /><br />In combination, begin the most massive infrastructure maintainance and rebuilding in world history... do it through the federal government public works program by-passing the private contractors who have been feeding at the public trough just like the Wall Street bankers and the greedy military-financial-industrial complex.<br /><br />This is where the remaining "bailout" funds should be invested, in your proposed public works projects. <br /><br /> <br /><br />An emergency measure: Forgive all student debt... again, this frees up billions without having to go to the tax-payers.<br /><br /> <br /><br />We need to do everything possible to undermine the capitalist economy including letting the banks fail and pave the way for socialism so that we never again end up with this kind of mess.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Two massive capitalist depressions in the 1800's; one big one in the 1900's; now the grand-daddy of them all and you want to shore up a system that has been breeding this kind of massive human misery? And we haven't even considered the long-term, never-ending poverty of most of the rest of the world!<br /><br /> <br /><br />Stop these senseless wars for oil and dope and invest those funds in the kinds of social programs required to provide working people with the kind of decent life they are entitled to for having created such tremendous wealth now being squandered by a bunch of dumb clucks and being turned over to another bunch of dumb donkeys.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Forget about capitalist economics, forget about "free enterprise;" just do what is required for working people to live decent lives free from poverty for a change.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Give socialism the chance to see what it can do; capitalism has failed.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />Alan L. Maki<br /><br />58891 County Road 13<br /><br />Warroad, Minnesota 56763<br /><br />Phone: 218-386-2432<br /><br />Cell phone: 651-587-5541<br /><br />E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net<br /><br /> <br /><br />Check out my blog:<br /><br /> <br /><br />Thoughts From Podunk<br /><br /><a href=" http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/"> <br /><br />http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/</a>Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-67803493996631389962008-11-05T12:35:00.001-06:002008-11-05T12:37:12.814-06:00U.S. Chamber of Commerce vows to work with ObamaNo doubt profits are the one and only concern:<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chamber vows to work with Obama</span><br />Published: Nov. 4, 2008 at 11:53 <br /><br /><br />WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- The <span style="font-weight:bold;">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</span> announced quickly Tuesday night it would work with President-elect Barack Obama on the economy.<br /><br />The chamber also pledged to work with the new Congress, where Democrats scored big majorities in the House and Senate.<br /><br />The pledges of cooperation were a quick turnaround from the chamber's activities during the campaign. The chamber raised money to oppose Democratic candidates and reported deploying nearly 600 staffers to key states, spending millions of dollars on ads, sending 15 million e-mails and 6.5 million pieces of mail, and making more than 6 million phone calls.<br /><br />"Restoring the nation's economic health must be our top priority," U.S. Chamber President Thomas J. Donohue said in a statement. "Any successful and sustainable recovery will involve the business sector, which creates the jobs, the growth and the revenues on which all Americans and our government depend. The U.S. Chamber stands ready to work with the new administration and Congress on measures to spur growth and jobs by restoring credit and confidence throughout the economy, producing more American energy, rebuilding our infrastructure, and reforming our schools."<br /><br />Donohue said the chamber wants to play a helpful role in the transition process.<br /><br />"We will offer our policy ideas, access to our many domestic and international experts, and views on key appointees," he said.Jeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-77525237675254380572008-10-30T14:19:00.001-05:002008-10-30T14:21:51.697-05:00Middle-Class MuddleMy response to this is at the bottom.<br /><br />You know, there is so much gushing going on over Obama it makes me sick. I can understand people not wanting to see John McCain get elected. But, for those proclaiming themselves to be liberal and progressive to so thoroughly distort--- and convincingly, continuingly, and intentionally distort--- where Obama stands on the issues is nothing short of dishonest. To me it is just as deceitful as the reasons George Bush provided in going to war in Iraq.<br /><br />This anything goes just to get Obama elected is the absolute bottom of the garbage can down among the maggots as far as I am concerned especially when it comes from outfits like the Campaign for America’s Future and the AFL-CIO who, together with about thirty of their “coalition partners” put forward a “program” in opposition to the bailout but then kept on spending and spending on Obama’s campaign to the tune of some 160 million dollars while not providing one single penny for implementing a grassroots and rank and file fight-back around their program which now just sits there hidden away in some archives on the Internet except for when one of these groups or their “coalition partners” drag it out to say, “Look we have a response to Bush.” Well, why haven’t they asked Obama to respond since he, not Bush, is going to be the next President?<br /><br />In fact, the reason for this complete dishonesty is that the Democratic Party hacks have seen up close what is taking place in this country--- millions of working people no longer are buying what Obama and the Democrats are selling in their infomercials.<br /> <br />I also hope you will check out another discussion taking place on the Campaign for America’s Future web site… the one on health care I have highlighted; just click on the topic: How Universal Health Care Changes Everything<br />Alan Maki<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"> <br />Joel Kotkin's Middle-Class Muddle</span><br /><br /><br />By Amy Traub<br /><br />October 29th, 2008 - 11:48am ET <br /><br /><br /><br />October 28, 2008<br /><br /> <br /><br />by OurFuture.org Staff<br /><br />October 30, 2008<br /><br />When Alan Greenspan admits free market ideology is flawed, you know conservative thought is up a creek. <br /><br />But never fear: if conservative economic ideas have been discredited, the Right can still distort progressive ones.<br /><br />Joel Kotkin’s recent article in Politico is a prime example of such misinformation. Kotkin recognizes that economic polarization has put the future of the nation’s middle class at risk. He doesn’t appear impressed by McCain’s warmed-over tax-cuts-cure-all dogma. But he isn’t willing to honestly assess Obama’s plans. Instead, Kotkin chooses to focus exclusively on Obama’s agenda for short-term economic rescue, which he discovers doesn’t adequately address the long-term problems of inequality and a faltering middle class. This disingenuous look at “recent proposals” conveniently overlooks the candidate’s larger agenda – including policies with real potential to strengthen and expand America’s middle class over time. But since Obama didn’t discover the middle-class squeeze just last week, his plans to address it aren’t part of Kotkin’s roundup of what’s been happening lately. <br /><br />Kotkin’s instance on manufacturing political fault lines in absurd places (Al Gore is against infrastructure?) and implying cynical political payoffs behind every policy initiative suggest that he is not genuinely interested in Obama’s long-term plans to bolster the middle class. But the rest of us should be. And there’s plenty there.<br /><br />Kotkin’s refusal to look at the big picture blinds him to Obama’s health care plan, for example, which would extend coverage to 34 million Americans while lowering costs for millions more. While the Obama health care plan is far from perfect, his proposed reforms would nevertheless reduce a major cause of strain and instability for middle-class families struggling to afford sky-high premiums, deductibles, and co-pays, or even purchase coverage at all. In short, they’d be a major step toward strengthening the middle class.<br /><br />Creating middle-class is jobs is critical, Kotkin agrees. But he proceeds to overlook both Obama’s short-term Jobs and Growth Fund that would put Americans to work immediately building needed infrastructure projects and the candidate’s longer term plan to invest in green jobs that would help to foster an entirely new sector of the U.S. economy. <br /><br />Kotkin complains that Obama’s tax cuts don’t create upward mobility, and when it comes to many of the tax plans, he’s right. But Kotkin must have missed the memo about the overwhelming bipartisan, cross-ideological consensus that the Earned Income Tax Credit lifts millions of working Americans out of poverty. And it leaves us with the question: what does create upward mobility? After all, Kotkin denounces Obama’s support for education as nothing more than a sop to the liberal professoriate. And Kotkin neglects to even mention the Employee Free Choice Act which would make it easier for working people to join unions – another proven route to earning middle-class wages and benefits. While our critic would no doubt find it easy to uncover a political payoff in Obama’s support for this measure, the truth is it has tremendous potential to grow the middle class by enabling working Americans to improve their own jobs. <br /><br />Obama has endorsed policies to help middle-class families cope with income and job loss when they take time off to care for a new baby or a sick relative. He has crafted plans to help middle-class families hold on to their single greatest asset – their homes. And he has thought out proposals to improve middle-class retirement security. Kotkin’s cheap shots do justice to none of this and prevent us from evaluating policies that could genuinely address the future of the American middle class. <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The middle class squeeze...</span> <br /><br />By Alan Maki | October 30th, 2008 - 9:50am GMT <br /><br />I can appreciate that the middle class is being squeezed; but, what about the working class being squished?<br /><br />Obama talks, "middle class, middle class, middle class" as if there is no working class.<br /><br />This is an important distinction because when Obama talks about "tax-cuts for the middle class," this leaves out millions of working class people who are so poor they don't even have to pay taxes. I hope you will give this some thought because in just the one industry where I represent workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry, most of these workers are so poor because they receive such miserly wages they don't pay any taxes as it is and no matter how big of a "tax cut" Obama provides for education or health care or anything else it is not going to do these working class people any good.<br /><br />This is why our Organizing Committees working through the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council are supporting "universal" reforms which provide social programs for EVERYONE. <br /><br />Health care: we are for single-payer universal health care as a step towards socialized health care.<br /><br />The minimum wage: we are for a universal minimum wage legislatively established to correspond to cost of living factors--- ALL COST OF LIVING FACTORS--- including the cost of higher education.<br /><br />It is the epitome of arrogance to continue talking about "middle class tax-cuts here and protecting middle class incomes there" when everyone knows that a huge segment of the working class is living in poverty with all the personal and social ills that accompany this poverty.<br /><br />We all know why Barack Obama has chosen to harp on the "middle class;" he is already being attacked by McCain and Palin for being a socialist and an advocate of income distribution. Others on the right are attacking Obama as a Marxist and a Communist.<br /><br />Obama has turned these attacks into a joke when it is not the viciousness of the attacks that need to be responded to but a defense of working people to live in dignity free from poverty.<br /><br />And I couldn't care less what the right-wing has to say or what the right-wing calls what needs to be done. <br /><br />We need to implement those social programs that will enable all working people to live lives free from poverty. Now if this means a real living minimum wage, so be it... the employers are going to have to shell out or do the work themselves. If this means funding social programs to compensate for a lack of an adequate minimum wage, so be it.<br /><br />The wealth of this country has been created by working people and in the wealthiest country in the world, workers should at least be able to live free of poverty with access to everything from adequate housing to food to health care and a higher education.<br /><br />The middle class is already doing fairly well I would say--- as far as having achieved more than adequate incomes; not that I begrudge them the right to do even better so they can own a million dollar home rather than a 650-thousand dollar home, take two trips to the Caribbean Islands every year--- one to deposit their money in off-shore bank accounts and one to soak up the sun, go to Las Vegas three times a year instead of twice and spend three days at the golf course instead of two. No doubt Obama's program offers the middle class a great deal.<br /><br />However, in offering the middle class something in return for their votes, Obama is ignoring the plight of the working class, and most shamefully, is ignoring the plight of the poorest of the poor whose poverty will increase with every middle class tax break.<br /><br />I say first things first and the middle class has a responsibility to join with the working class in raising the standard of living of working people first.<br /><br />Yes, it is true that some "middle income" working class people might find some benefit in Obama's programs; but, given the closings of mines, mills and factories in this country coupled with the cuts in public services "middle income" wage earners are fast disappearing in our country and Obama has not put forward one single solution for the problem of mines, mills and plant closings. <br /><br />His "green economy" will offer many workers previously employed in "middle income" paying jobs... poverty jobs. The proof is in the pudding as they say.<br /><br />We see previously employed workers from the steel mills who were making upwards of fifty-thousand dollars a year now working in the wind generating industry for eleven, twelve, thirteen dollars an hour while those previously employed on the Iron Range in the taconite industry going to work in casinos for seven and eight dollars an hour... you do the math... millions of workers have gone from "middle income" wage earners to living in poverty. <br /><br />The intent to create poverty wage jobs is nothing to be boasting about. <br /><br />Barack Obama jokes about McCain calling him a socialist and ridicules those calling him a communist as he clings to defending the "middle class" while failing to advocate for the kind of universal solutions to the problems being experienced by the working class.<br /><br />And let me tell you a little something that you obviously do not know about this "Employee Free Choice Act," which Democrats are touting. John Edwards was the great protagonist of the "Employee Free Choice Act" until he was caught with his pants down and his heroic defense of working America came to an abrupt end. But, this "Employee Free Choice Act" isn't what it is cracked up to be simply because in the twenty-eight states have "at-will hiring; at-will firing" legislation, for working people trying to organize, the "Employee Free Choice Act" will mean absolutely nothing. But then again, this is something those making appeals to the "middle class" do not understand. But, understand this: As long as "at-will hiring; at-will firing" legislation remains on the books in twenty-eight states--- including states like Minnesota and Michigan--- your argument that the "Employee Free Choice Act" will in any way contribute towards eliminating poverty among the working class is shot right to hell.<br /><br />My conclusion is this, which is--- obviously--- at odds with yours, is that too many middle class people are sticking their noses into this campaign who know nothing about working class problems and the shame of it is, you have turned even politics into no more than a middle class game where the only object is to win... when the power to do what is right is conceded to big business and the Wall Street bankers and coupon clippers and in the process of ignoring the plight of the working class, the middle class will suffer, too--- just look at your 401k's.<br /><br />I had $289.00 in my 401k; now I have $202.00... how is your middle class 401k doing?<br /><br />One final comment about Alan Greenspan's "free market ideology" being flawed. This is also a nice middle class perspective that if we just change the thinking, provide a regulation here and some oversight there the system--- capitalism--- will work just fine--- maybe capitalism will work just fine for the middle class with a little tweak here and a little tweak there. But, most working class people think the entire system is rotten to the core. If you don't believe me just ask any of the millions out of work, the millions "living" on poverty wages or the millions being foreclosed on and evicted from their homes or the millions more without health care whose children will have about as much opportunity to get a college education as they will have to get heart surgery when their arteries clog up from working in smoke-filled casinos without any rights.<br /><br />I know all of this is too much for you and Barack Obama to understand; this is why I voted early for Cynthia McKinney... at least when she visited the Twin Cities here in Minnesota, one of the first stops she made was to talk with workers at the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant slated to close and put another two-thousand workers out on the streets. Obama has come to Minnesota and never had the decency to mention the Ford Plant closing out of fear someone might have asked him what he would do to keep the plant open. Cynthia McKinney came with an idea--- bring the plant under public ownership with worker and community control.<br /><br />Alan L. Maki<br />Director of Organizing,<br />Midwest Casino Workers Organizing CouncilJeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6145799578310874127.post-39395305637770604862008-10-25T21:11:00.002-05:002008-10-25T21:14:20.719-05:00Detroit labor legend reflects on possibly electing first Black president<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZ4grrVp1ljRBxKSuGkmaCzRPO2kwMsKWM0j4oVT6SNv81w0W4nB1Z2DrJgGe3y5IzCT2FyIstm4ek3VMVgsF7flFwqrXYNIB8uhn-ztE19zBrsFdHN55LHNA14NiZj4s901LCHgsdyp7/s1600-h/3119-800x600moore.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZ4grrVp1ljRBxKSuGkmaCzRPO2kwMsKWM0j4oVT6SNv81w0W4nB1Z2DrJgGe3y5IzCT2FyIstm4ek3VMVgsF7flFwqrXYNIB8uhn-ztE19zBrsFdHN55LHNA14NiZj4s901LCHgsdyp7/s400/3119-800x600moore.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261279977708796466" /></a><br /><br />Author: Pepe Lozano <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">People's Weekly World Newspaper</span>, 10/24/08 16:51 <br /><br /> <br />Dave Moore DETROIT, Mich. — These days, as millions nationwide work to elect the first African American president, 96-year-old Dave Moore, longtime labor and community leader, wonders if it’s all just a dream. <br /><br />“I don’t want to sound pessimistic, but I’ve been Black all my life, and sometimes I don’t know if I’m dreaming,” Moore told the World. He said he was “blown away” at how many white votes Barack Obama won during the primaries and the impressive display of thousands of white voters at Obama rallies across the country. <br /><br />“When I wake up the next day after the election and Obama wins, then I will know that this country has begun to take a turn for the better,” said Moore. <br /><br />Born April 6, 1912, as a teenager Moore left what he calls the “slave state of South Carolina” with his family and moved to Detroit. New to the big city, he says he had never seen so many people before hustling and bustling about. <br /><br />Moore recalls joining a community water polo team as a youth on the city’s East Side, at a time when “colored” and “white” signs were common. His team made it to the finals and traveled across town to a park in a predominantly white area to face an all-white team. Although the park required segregated seating, Moore said the players ignored the rule and sat where they wanted because the mayor of Detroit had declared the city’s public areas open to all. “And we won the city championship,” Moore said proudly. <br /><br />Moore remembers the Great Depression of the 1930s when people had little food and ate rotten vegetables and fruits to get by. “And we didn’t have heat in the winter so we would use wood from the porch out front to stay warm,” he said. People at that time lived through “hardships, suffering, pain and agony while the fat cats gobbled up all the money.” His parents lost $500 when banks closed. That was a lot of money back then, said Moore. “All of us were suffering like hell.” <br /><br />Moore became active with the Unemployed Councils, which mobilized people to fight against mass hunger and home evictions. Those experiences taught Moore the importance of unity among Black, white and Latino workers. People came together and rallied for their basic rights against rich employers who left millions out in the cold. <br /><br />Moore’s most memorable and proudest moment came in 1941 when he was instrumental in organizing workers into the United Auto Workers union at the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Mich. At the time Ford was the third largest industrial giant in the world and 75 percent of the workforce there had been laid off with no public relief. People were dying from cold and hunger. <br /><br />In 1932 Moore helped lead a hunger march where five union members fell victim to machine guns fired by thugs hired by anti-union Henry Ford. It was the multiracial unity among the workers that overcame the divisions that Ford tried to provoke. That struggle eventually opened the door to the organization of the nation’s auto industry and the founding of the UAW. <br /><br />Moore was eventually elected to leadership positions at UAW Local 600, the powerful Ford local. Like many others, however, Moore fell victim to McCarthyism and was dismissed from his elected position in 1951. But as McCarthyism waned, he was reinstated in 1963 and was assigned as a national UAW representative. Moore was a founding member of the National Negro Labor Council and served as a legislative assistant to legendary Rep. George Crockett. Later Detroit Mayor Coleman Young appointed Moore the city’s senior citizens director. <br /><br />Reflecting on the history he has lived and battled through, Moore said the Black community has been hit the hardest with the current economic crisis. “We got a lot of people unemployed today,” he said, adding that many of his neighbors have been laid off from the once booming auto industry. Moore believes the economic meltdown is going to propel Obama to become the first Black president, but “it’s not going to be easy for him.” <br /><br />During the Depression of the 1930s, President Roosevelt had the people behind him, said Moore. “And that is what Obama needs to do — have the people behind him. I believe the key to Obama’s campaign lies with the working people.” <br /><br />“I think Obama has the best program, but no matter what happens the fat cats of Wall Street and tycoons of big industry are the ones who control the finances of this country,” he said. “They don’t want to see a movement for unity of all people coming together.” <br /><br />“It’s a long, long road that working and poor people have to travel but we have to remember this is a capitalist country and the fat cats on Wall Street will do whatever they can to keep it that way. Take a look at this country’s history — big business has always called the shots. I hope Obama goes all the way when he says he’s for change.” <br /><br />When it comes to fighting for unions, multiracial unity, civil rights and peace, Moore has seen it all, he said — he knows what it means to struggle for a working people’s agenda in victory and defeat. Today, he sees great hope for the future. <br /><br />“I’d like to see unity of all people one day where racism in this country is behind us,” he said. “I’d like to see a world where people don’t have to worry about starvation or unemployment. Where youngsters can get an education and become contributors to the betterment of society. Where our country’s government truly plays a role to help educate our children in a world based on peace, understanding and brotherhood regardless of race, creed, religion or color.” <br /><br />Moore is looking forward to seeing a step in that direction with the election of Obama on Nov. 4 <br /><br />plozano@pww.orgJeff Sippilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989896414609999063noreply@blogger.com