Texas Longhorns with newborn calf in Bluebonnets

Texas Longhorns with newborn calf in Bluebonnets

Please note I have a new phone number...

512-517-2708

Alan Maki

Alan Maki
Doing research at the LBJ Library in Austin, Texas

It's time to claim our Peace Dividend

It's time to claim our Peace Dividend

We need to beat swords into plowshares.

We need to beat swords into plowshares.

A program for real change...

http://peaceandsocialjustice.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-progressive-program-for-real-change.html


What we need is a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" which would make it a mandatory requirement that the president and Congress attain and maintain full employment.


"Voting is easy and marginally useful, but it is a poor substitute for democracy, which requires direct action by concerned citizens"

- Ben Franklin

Let's talk...

Let's talk...

Monday, October 6, 2008

Middle class bail out or working class bail out?

We need more concrete proposals from Barack Obama on how he intends to save "Main Street"... As anyone can see, people are expecting much more than what is in your typical newspaper story about "middle class bail out."

We especially need to end this talk about "middle class bail out;" we need to be talking about solving the problems of the "working class."

Solving the problems of the working class means talking about specific solutions aimed at eradicating poverty, which at a minimum, requires a massive redistribution of wealth in this country.

People want, and expect, Barack Obama to get specific. How are we going to bail working class people out of poverty?

Wall Street received its "bail out," now the working class is entitled to its bail out... a working class "bail out" requires two legislative acts--- 1.) make the minimum wage a real living wage; and, 2.) socialized health care.

All this talk about "the middle class" which has become so popular in the politicians' vocabulary is nothing more than an excuse for evading what really is required and needs to be done to eliminate poverty.

Anyone with an ounce of common sense, compassion and empathy for human beings understand that what is required is a detailed program and plan of action to eradicate poverty.

October 17 is the International Day of Action for the Eradication of Poverty yet we haven't heard a mention of this by Barack Obama or his campaign.

December 10, 2008 marks the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights--- Barack Obama and his campaign have ignored this important document which clearly enunciates and articulates the rights all human beings are entitled to by birth.

As long as our country's resources are squandered on weapons of war and militarism and the interests of the Wall Street coupon clippers remains of paramount importance in the United States, poverty will remain and our basic and fundamental rights articulated in the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights will not be attainable for the vast majority of the working class, of which many working people are impoverished; most working class people know nothing about a "middle class" life.

The Wall Street bail out will lead to further impoverishment of the working class.