thoughts from podunk: Democratic leader basks in victory... workers stuck with the bills, again

Question...

Could Minnesota's debt be eliminated by modestly taxing the Indian Gaming Industry in Minnesota?

If, so, why haven't any of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party candidates for governor brought this idea forward as part of their campaigns?

Other businesses and industries are faced with a myriad of taxes... shouldn't there be a level playing field in taxation?

Wouldn't such a tax on gaming revenues amounting to tens of billions of dollars provide working people and small business owners and the middle class with a little much needed tax relief?

Suggestion:

Ask this question at a "meet the candidates forum;" no one else will ask this question if you don't.

Building a new era of justice and peace

Post from Alan Maki's Blog:

Building a new era of justice and peace

By Alan L. Maki - Mar 23rd, 2009 at 8:37 pm EDT

The 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.

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 which will execerbate the problems surrounding the failing capitalist economy, and ideas devoid of common sense.

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. Where is the "change?"

This is the change Americans want, and the change we need:

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!

We would be redistributing the wealth as we are planting the seeds of socialism while helping to eradicate poverty by keeping people healthy and getting them well when sick.

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?

The Mt. Carmel Clinic in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada offers us a glimpse at what militarization and wars continue to rob us of.

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.

These merchants of death and destruction must be stopped if humanity is to survive in a livable world.

The time has come to talk about working class Marxist politics and the economics of livelihood... capitalism has failed humanity miserably and left us a real mess to clean up.

Capitalism is on the skids to oblivion and unless we take a "left turn" we will continue down this road to perdition.

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 while wars rage on.

The times and conditions call for "building a new era of justice and peace;" this is one step in that direction; this is the change the American people voted for.

Alan L. Maki

Founder,

Frank Marshall Davis Roundtable for Change

A gift returned...

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

Thank you for the 3 bottles of wine that you sent me as season’s greetings. I wish to you, your family and everybody in the Embassy a happy new year. Good health and progress to you all.

Unhappily, I noticed that the wine you have sent me has been produced in the Golan Heights. I have been taught since I was very young not to steal and not to accept products of theft. So I cannot possibly accept this gift and I must return it back to you.

As you know, your country occupies illegally the Golan Heights which belongs to Syria, according to the International Law and numerous decisions of the International Community.

I take the opportunity to express my hope that Israel will find security within its internationally recognized borders and the terrorist activities against Israel territory by Hamas or anybody else will be contained and made impossible, but I also hope that your government will cease practicing the policy of collective punishment which was applied on a mass scale by Hitler and his armies.

Actions such as those of these days of the Israel military in Gaza remind the Greek people of holocausts such as in Kalavrita or Doxato or Distomo and certainly in the ghetto of Warsaw.

With these thoughts allow me to express to you my best wishes for you, the Israeli people and all the people of our region of the world.

Athens, 30/12/2008

Theodoros Pangalos, Member of Parliament (Greece)

Ann Holdreith

Michigan poet--- The poetry of Ann Holdreith merges the mystical with the everyday. A chapter of her work is included in "Beyond the Lines", an anthology of Michigan authors published by Plainview Press. Her publishing credits also include: Wayne State University, Gravity Presses, Dixie Phoenix, Poetry Motel, Free Fall, Snakeskin, Gravity Webzine, Stirring (Best Love Poems), Aether, Friction Magazine and a Pushcart Prize nomination. Ann has taught for the Detroit Writer's Voice and is a Magna Cum Laude graduate in Fine Art and Literature from the University of Detroit. She has featured at the Michigan Opera Theatre, The Detroit Festival for the Arts and Spring Fed Arts of Detroit. Her riveting performance style synthesizes her background as an actress, vocalist, dancer and performance artist. Ann has been teaching her Fire Seed workshop, designed to free the authentic self, since 1987. Her work is dedicated to the full expression and elevation of the human spirit.

Autumn Sky

By: Ann Holdreith

On the ride home from Toledo,
from a worn out school
resurrected for good honest men,
for men with kids and grandkids,
guys who eat sugar doughnuts and wink
while they hammer-out fenders
and hurl the carcasses of metal beasts,
against autumn’s haunted sky,
I wonder if they remember
the grip of thighs around engine-less
muscle and sweat, ragged dirty hair
assaulting the wind, buttocks and back
pounding with hooves that know
exactly where they belong
on this earth.

On the way from Toledo,
a pulsing cloud of blackbirds
hurls its wings against the dying blue;
dark umbrellas opening
to summer’s last ride.

Democratic majority in the Michigan House abandons casino workers...

Wednesday, August 8, 2007--- Lansing, Michigan. By a shameful vote of 63 to 41... not a single Michigan Legislator--- with the exception of one lone Republican--- would take a stand in defense of the rights of casino workers to be employed in a workplace free of second-hand smoke. Not one single Michigan Legislator would take a stand for casino workers being paid real living wages protected by state and federal labor laws along with the right to organize for collective bargaining. House Democratic Floor Leader Steve Tobacman and Democratic Representative Barbara Farrah did this dirty work for the Fertitta Family and the Kansas City mob which will "skim" the profits from the Gun Lake Casino like they have done in all the other casinos managed by the Fertitta Family. The United Auto Workers union leadership, fearing estrangement and being shunned by the Democratic Party, dropped its feeble opposition to this legislation giving a hint as to how they intend to abandon autoworkers in the present contract negotiations with the "Big Three."

This Land Is Your Land

Words and Music by Woody Guthrie, one of America's outstanding working class Communists

Chorus:

This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

As I was walking a ribbon of highway
I saw above me an endless skyway
I saw below me a golden valley
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

I've roamed and rambled and I've followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

The sun comes shining as I was strolling
The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
The fog was lifting a voice come chanting
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!

Chorus

In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office - I see my people
And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
If this land's still made for you and me.

Chorus (2x)

Marxism on right-wing talk radio

Saturday April 25, 2009

The Headliners Hr2. With The Northern Alliance

Mitch Berg interviews Alan Maki, union organizer and socialist.

Length: 00:48:55

AM 1280 The Patriot; Right-wing talk radio with Mitch Berg

Maki calls for:

* health care not warfare

* smoke-free casinos to protect worker health

If He Only Had A Clue

He could get it fixed on Wall St.
create real jobs on Main St.
and select a better crew,
He'd end blank checks to Israel
and bring some peace to that hell
-- if he only had a clue

He could make the Congress line up
if he pressed them all to sign on
but instead he tries to woo
the right-wing crooks who hate him
and will still block and berate him
-- if he only had a clue

He could deal with all the Repugs
imprisoning the worst thugs
and save the constitution too
but instead he will continue
their imperialist venue,
-- if he only had a clue

He could close down all our gulags
and end so-called "renditions"
but this he will not do--
He could bring the world together
and address the changing weather
-- if he only had a clue

posted by Jaded Prole

Your chance to be heard...

I was a member of the State Central Committee of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party (MNDFL).

I have decided to run for Governor of Minnesota in 2010.

I will be meeting with people in "podunks" all over Minnesota to discuss what we can do to convince public officials to enact legislation for single-payer, universal health care and to bring this dirty war in Iraq to an end... personally I support George McGovern's "Blueprint" for ending the war.

Other items you may wish to discuss:

Peat mining in the Big Bog and how this will impact Minnesota's largest and most pristine freshwater aquifer and the Pine Island State Forest as well as the three Scientific and Natural Areas the mining site is situated between;

Minntac's contamination of northern Minnesota's streams, rivers, and lakes that includes the destruction of one of the best designated trout streams in Minnesota... the Dark River;

What, if anything, can be done to save the Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant as a manufacturing facility;

What we can do to gain support from the Administration in Washington to create decent jobs with good living wages.

Global warming...

Anything else you would like to discuss.

It's time to start thinking outside the capitalist box...

We need to get off the beaten path and begin to explore the cooperative socialist alternative to capitalism. The Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party together with the "Red" Finns on the Iron Range created a solid progressive foundation; we can continue to build on the legacy they left to us as we network and grow our movement for peace and social justice by establishing working class clubs for education and action... now is the time to begin discussing how we are going to put an end to capitalism as we struggle to end this dirty war for oil in Iraq and work towards socialized health care by taking the first step with single-payer, universal health care... these discussions should take place frequently around the kitchen table with family, friends, and fellow workers.

An open letter to: The organizers of the “Minnesota Tea Parties.”

Thursday, April 16, 2009

An open letter to:

The organizers of the “Minnesota Tea Parties.”

What kind of ideas do you people have if you are afraid to debate and fear the ideas of others?

You are no better than, certainly no alternative to, Barack Obama and the pathetic Democrats and the even more corrupt and disgraced Republicans.

Come on, put your ideas up against a real socialist.

I challenge you to hold debates in everyone of the Minnesota communities where you had your big-business/Wall Street financed “Tea Parties.”

Just give me the dates and times and I will be there to debate any of you on the issues you claim to be so concerned about.

It is easy for you to rant and rave against the perverted caricature of socialism you have created without having to sit side by side with a socialist and debate the issues.

Here I am… let’s have at it… or are you afraid to put your ideas out where they can be challenged in the “public square.”

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

When I try to post this message on the Tea Bagger's blog I keep getting this message with my posting never posted:

Please Note: Your comment is awaiting moderation.

What I see in your Tea Party “movement” is:

1. racism
2. vicious anti-communism
3. warmongers
4. people sucked in by Wall Street
5. a gross distortion of “patriotism.”

I would encourage all of you to read “Citizen Tom Paine” by Howard Fast and his other historical novels on the American Revolution to get some kind of basic grounding and understanding as to what constitutes fighting for freedom, justice and liberty.

You really have a very shallow understanding of the issues.

For instance—

Why no mention of this “little” fact:

Our government is wasting trillions of dollars maintaining over 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil dotting the globe in countries where we have no business when, instead, we should be establishing 800 public health care centers spread out across the United States providing free health care for everyone.

It is easy for you all to say things like you do using assumed names and monikers… I am wondering if you would dare to say such pathetically stupid, harmful and hurtful things if you had to sign your real names and provide contact information?

I would challenge any of you to debate these issues: anytime, anyplace anywhere.

Any takers?

Bak, bak, bak, bak, baaakkk, bak, bak, bak, baaaaakkkkkkkk.

Just a bunch of chicken shit patriots.

Give me a call if you can converse intelligently.

Alan L. Maki
218-386-2432

Alan L. Maki

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Check out my blog:

Thoughts From Podunk

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

The 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.

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.

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.

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!

We would be planting the seeds of socialism while helping to eradicate poverty as we keep people healthy and get them well when sick.

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?

The Mt. Carmel Clinic in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada offers us a glimpse at what militarization and wars continue to rob us of.

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.

These merchants of death and destruction must be stopped if humanity is to survive in a livable world.

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.

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.

Alan Maki

Simple Crusty Bread

[This recipe, from the New York Times, really is simple and produces a crusty crust and soft interior. It uses the bare minimum of ingredients, and no kneading, and works fine with either free-standing or pan loaves. Next time I may enhance it with sun-dried tomatoes, or Kalamata olives, or onions.]

1½ tablespoons yeast

1½ tablespoons salt

6½ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough

Cornmeal.

* * * Directions * * *

1. In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water.

Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches.

Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid.

Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

2. Bake at this point; or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks.

When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife.

Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom.

Put dough on pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes.

Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it.

3. Place broiler pan on bottom of oven. [Instead of this, I spritzed the oven with water several times during the baking.]

Place baking stone on middle rack and turn oven to 450 degrees; heat stone at that temperature for 20 minutes.

4. Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three times [once worked fine].

Slide onto stone.

Pour one cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam.

Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes.

Cool.

Yield: 4 loaves.

Variation: If not using stone, stretch rounded dough into oval and place in a greased loaf pan.

Let rest 40 minutes if fresh, an extra hour if refrigerated.

Heat oven to 450 degrees for 5 minutes.

Place pan on middle rack.

Here is a good recipe for Au Gratin Potatoes:

Nine ingredients…

A. 9 large potatoes

B. 1 16 oz container sour cream

C. 2 cans cheddar cheese soup

D. 1/2 cup melted butter

E. 2 tsp salt

F. pepper to taste

G. 1 pint half and half or regular milk or evaporated

H. onion – optional

I. 12 oz package of mild shredded cheddar cheese

Seven easy steps…

1. Cut uncooked potatoes in thin slices

2. Spray 9x13 pan with oil spray

3. Layer cut potatoes in oiled pan

4. Mix above ingredients together

5. Pour ingredients on top of potatoes

6. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until potatoes are soft and done

7. Ten minutes before taking out of oven add shredded cheese

Recipes for Jams, Jellies & Juice...

Green Tomato Preserves

8 lbs. green tomatoes, cut up

4 lbs. sugar

1 quart vinegar (white)

1 tbsp powdered cloves

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp salt

Boil slowly and stir frequently till thick. Can in sterile jars.

Red Pepper Jelly

7 sweet red peppers

2 sweet yellow peppers (optional)

5 hot peppers

1½ cups vinegar

1½ cups apple juice

1 package powdered pectin

½ teaspoon salt

5 cups sugar

Wash peppers and remove stems and seeds. Cut up. Puree peppers and vinegar. Stir in apple juice. Refrigerate overnight.

Strain mixture through cheesecloth. Measure 4 cups juice. Combine juice, pectin, and salt in a saucepot. Boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Boil 1 minute more, stirring. Remove from heat, skim foam (if any).

Ladle hot jelly into hot, sterilized jars. Process 5 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Tomato juice

Cook the following for half an hour:

Heirloom tomatoes, mixed varieties and colors

Fresh herbs (basil, Italian parsley, oregano, thyme)

celery, chopped

carrots, chopped

onions, chopped

garlic, cut up

hot and sweet peppers, cut up

lemon juice

salt, pepper

Put through a food strainer. Process pints 40 minutes, quarts 45 minutes, in a boiling water canner.

thoughts from podunk

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Democratic leader basks in victory... workers stuck with the bills, again

Question...

Most red ink ever: $9 trillion over next decade

Health care reform

Organ!ze

From Capitalist Crisis to Building a Movement to Win a New Era of Justice and Peace: A Worker's Perspective by Alan L. Maki, Director of Organizing, Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council and Founder, Minnesotans for Peace and Social Justice

A note from Governor Pawlenty

Important Notice...

Ideas and Opinions

Some of my more controversial blog postings...

Senator David Tomassoni

The People's Bailout... Senate File 542 / House File 0626

Global capitalism in crisis...

Health Care Reform... a real proposal for change

Building a new era of justice and peace

Contact Barack Obama, let him know what is on your mind...

Primer on Middle East conflict

Wednesday 11 March 2-6pm, House of Commons, London (nearest tube Westminster)

A gift returned...

Auto workers fight for union recognition 1930's

Labor Journal

Capitalism on the skids to oblivion...

The crisis of working class family debt

Ray Stevenson, working class legend

We are fed up! Boycott Mobil/Exxon/Esso

Health care: Single-payer Universal Health Care, don't get tricked into supporting less...

The "New Deal"... the real history

Coleman Young... a politician who brought forward real solutions to the problems of working people

Coleman Young testifies before House Un-American Activities Committee

A great YouTube video from Virginia Beach... Karl Rove on Trial

Everybody knows...

Frank Marshall Davis Roundtable for Change

Historic victory

AKEL anti-fascist, anti-imperialist elected

Eleni Mavrou

It takes a struggle to win...

Action Center... what you can do

Madam Labor Secretary

International Women’s Day

Ann Holdreith

Autumn Sky

Carlton, Minnesota

Help Stop Sulfide Mining in Michigan's Upper Peninsula... urgent action needed

Along the North Shore of Lake Superior

"Peace Bridge" demonstration

Democratic majority in the Michigan House abandons casino workers...

Minnesotans give Bush a piece of their mind...

My other blogs...

Lake Michigan

Michigan: Gun Lake Casino venture... workers' rights and health are the issues

A thought...

Wisconsin homestead on a fall day

About Me

Blog Archive

What's in the clouds? Perhaps some harmless water vapor?

Stay tuned...

This Land Is Your Land music video

Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie

This Land Is Your Land

Marxism on right-wing talk radio

Senator Bernie Sanders questions Fed Chair Ben Bernanke

Super Profits and Crises; Modern U.S. Capitalism by Victor Perlo

Did anyone notice former President Jimmy Carter did not address the Democratic National Convention?

Owl on cold winter day

Minnesotans give United States Senator Norm Coleman a piece of their mind about the Iraq War...

As these Minnesotans protested outside Coleman's office...

Others went inside to write their statements calling for an end to this dirty war in Iraq

These protests at Coleman's local office will continue as long as he continues to support the war

Northern Minnesota sunset

Photography

My Address

My E-mail Address

My Phone Number

Phillip Bonosky

Current Book Being Read

Fidel Castro Ruz read and studied Alan Greenspan's book

Alan Greenspan

Some previous books read...

From Capitalist Crisis to Building a Movement to Win a New Era of Justice and Peace: A Worker's Perspecti ve by Alan L. Maki, Director of Organizing, Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council and Founder, Minnesotans for Peace and Social Justice