Netroots Nation 2011

The Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council extends a progressive welcome to bloggers from across the country and from around the world as you gather in Minneapolis-St. Paul for Netroots Nation 2011.

Welcome to Minnesota where the state government is about to shut down!

Welcome to Minnesota!

Minnesota is the home of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party that elected two socialist governors--- Floyd Olson and Elmer Benson--- and a Communist Congressman from the Iron Range--- John Bernard.

Minnesota is a state where historic working class struggles have taken place on the Iron Ore Range, on the docks of Duluth, in the northern region's forests, the great 1934 Teamster Strike in Minneapolis, the struggle to organize the UAW at Ford in St. Paul and struggles of family farmers against big agri-business.

Today, casino workers are fighting for their rights and union recognition.

We ask you not to patronize any casinos  during your stay in Minnesota.

41,000 thousand Minnesotans are forced to work in these loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without a voice at work and without any rights under state or federal labor laws under the most Draconian working conditions imposed by a bunch of mobsters who own the one-armed bandits.

These mobsters working through the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association contribute tens of millions of dollars to the campaign coffers of the Democrats to make sure it all stays this way with the profits going out as the workers are impoverished and the already impoverished Indian Nations are pushed further into poverty as the people are used and abused as a pool of cheap labor for these casino managements.

Casino workers are forced to sign statements contingent upon being hired that they will not engage in union organizing all in complete violation of international labor laws and all human rights standards.

Hundreds of casino workers have been fired for the very reason why all of us a gathering here for this Netroots Nation national convention in Minneapolis--- blogging.

Fired for blogging about their living and working conditions.

The State of Minnesota routinely denies unemployment compensation to these casino workers fired for blogging.

Please don't patronize any of the casinos in Minnesota while enjoying your stay in the "land of ten thousand lakes" where every single one of these lakes is contaminated and polluted by the mining companies, big agri-business and bad forestry harvesting practices.

While visiting the Twin Cities, consider having your picture taken at the bronze monument of socialist Minnesota governor Floyd B. Olson just outside of the Capitol Building in St. Paul.

Portraits of both socialist governors--- Floyd B. Olson and Elmer Benson--- hang in the Minnesota State Capitol Building, another great photo opportunity--- great photos for your blogs!

You also don't want to miss out in visiting the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant. If the Ford Motor Company, Democrats and Republicans have their way, this historic manufacturing facility which operates from the clean green hydro produced electricity from the adjacent dam on the Mighty Mississippi River will be bulldozed over with 2,000 jobs lost just a few months from now to make way for up-scale apartments and condominiums.

Allow me to explain how politics works in Minnesota...

The head of the Minnesota Indian Gaming association is a racist rich white man, John McCarthy, whose personal wealth is derived directly from the impoverishment of Indian people used as a pool of cheap labor by the casino managements.

The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association then receives a portion of these profits to distribute as campaign contributions.

Not one single Native American Indian sits among Minnesota state or federal legislators.

John McCarthy, as head of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association with one hand he  hands out tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributions on behalf of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association to Minnesota Democrats.

John McCarthy, the head of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association and the owner of Tony Doom Enterprises then with his other hand takes back these campaign contributions from these Democrats as they purchase their campaign materials from Tony Doom Enterprises.

Quite the set-up, eh.

Ethics?

Morality in politics?

Not in Minnesota.

Something to think about:

Minnesota legislators banned smoking in all workplaces in Minnesota but intentionally excluded the casinos from this ban in spite of the fact that workers in no other industry suffer the wide-spread health consequences as Minnesota's more than 40,000 casino workers.

Please don't patronize any casinos in Minnesota.

Listen to what Minnesota's Democratic Farmer-Labor Party's politicians will be telling you about how "progressive" they are; you are best letting what they say go right out the other ear until you can check out the truthfulness of what they tell you because the truth and the facts seldom jibe with their high-sounding words.

Thanking you in advance for your solidarity,  

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

I will be at Netroots Nation 2011 and look forward to discussing these concerns with you; feel free to contact me: 651-587-5541


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