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...

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Caucus night in Minnesota Tuesday, February 7, 2012... participate; defend your rights and your livelihoods

From: Alan Maki 

Date: Sat, Dec 31, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: FW: suggested resolutions to submit at upcoming Caucus

To: Mostafa Chatraei
Cc: info@jamesmayer.org, info@alfranken.com, info@pdamerica.org, info@democracyforamerica.com, info@pnhp.org, info@uslaboragainstwar.org, Leah Daughtry , War Times , info@mnfaireconomy.org, editor@tcdailyplanet.net, Unions for Single Payer HR676 , "Editor Southsidepride.com" , editor@indiancountry.com, editor@workdayminnesota.org, Haiti Progres , Latino Policy eNewsletter , rob@opednews.com, Voters for Peace , "Anthony D. Romero ACLU" , Rocky Anderson , Doug Henwood , eric.lehto@afscmemn.org, Dave Culver , Lydia Howell , Harry Targ , Immanuel Wallerstein , Vote Vets , congressman@jessejacksonjr.org, Amalgamated Transit Union , Jeremy Lyons , Laura Bonham , Robert Naiman , NeighborsFor Peace , Masood Naji , Nahid Shahabi , Vijay Prashad , "Dr. M. A. Quassem" , rep.bill.hilty@house.mn, rep.tom.anzelc@house.mn, rep.patti.fritz@house.mn, rep.al.juhnke@house.mn, rep.dan.fabian@house.mn, rep.phyllis.kahn@house.mn, rep.larry.hosch@house.mn, rep.ron.shimanski@house.mn, rep.ann.lenczewski@house.mn, sen.david.tomassoni@senate.mn, sen.linda.higgins@senate.mn, Carl Levin , shove001@tc.umn.edu, sjgluck@aol.com, Green Biz UMN Student Group , usuncutmn@gmail.com, Rabbi Arthur Waskow , richardwinger@yahoo.com, sknutson@mnaflcio.org, "Steve Linnerooth (steven51fbe@mac.com)" , Steven Clift , War Resisters , David Holmbeck , davidbednarczuk@hotmail.com, davido@prairiehome.us, Crazy Dave , suzykoch@comcast.net, Sue Ann , GREG and SUE SKOG , advocacy@clw.org, Michael Eisenscher , medea@globalexchange.org, Jason Mann , Mike Madden , mike@michaelmoore.com, Mike Hersh , mikehersh.com@verizon.net, mikej@senate.mn, mike.opat@co.hennepin.mn.us, Liz Cattaneo , Lennox Farrell


Mostafa and all,

I am asking everyone receiving this e-mail to do just what billionaire Warren Buffet is asking people to do; forward this e-mail on to at least 20 people on your e-mail list--- preferably many more. Please feel free to attach your own thoughts, too, and send to the names in the "CC" and "TO" so we get a full and well-rounded discussion going.

Your e-mail, attached below, is highly misleading and lacking the concerns of working people. Please consider forwarding this entire e-mail to your e-mail list to clarify things.

You might want to inform the people you sent this to that Precinct Caucus Night in Minnesota is Tuesday, February 7, 2012 from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.

They have to check with their Party organization for the location.

I would suggest that people also submit resolutions on these topics, too:

1. Get out of Afghanistan.

2. Make the minimum wage a real living wage tied to all cost of living factors used by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics with quarterly updates/corrections.

3. Bring the "green" St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant and hydro dam under public ownership as an industrial unit producing components for mass transit and/or components for a "green economy"--- wind, solar, etc. This is a perfectly useful plant that has been re-tooled over and over again which has been subsidized to the hilt by tax-payers.

4. End the trade embargo against Cuba and North Korea.

5. Close all loop-holes preventing the enforcement of Affirmative Action in Minnesota. No approval from the governor or state legislature for township, city, county, state or private-public projects/ventures unless Affirmative Action has been enforced in line with Federal Executive Order Number 11246. Establish a "Minnesota Governor's Advisory Council for the Enforcement of Affirmative Action."

6. Establish a national public health care system--- no fees/no premiums, all inclusive, comprehensive, pre-natal through burial, publicly financed, publicly administered and publicly delivered. This would create over 10-million new, good-paying jobs.

7. Establish a national public child care system. This would create over 3-million now jobs.

8. Re-establish the Civilian Conservation Corps without its militaristic characteristics.

9. Re-establish the WPA.

10. Unemployment from time of job loss until time of becoming employed.

And, last, but not least; 

11. A moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions along with legislation mandating the banks, mortgage companies and lending institutions to refinance homes, farms and small businesses in line with economic conditions and real market values at affordable interest rates not to exceed 3%.

12. I would also suggest that people include a resolution requiring all state agencies, departments and universities to divest all financial instruments which go to supporting the Israeli killing machine.

Of course we need both the reform of Congress as suggested by billionaire Warren Buffet--- along with electoral reform creating a multi-party system befitting a real democracy; but, I don't think it was right for you to send out these suggestions from this billionaire who completely ignores the very real problems working people are experiencing.

My suggestion would be that you advise people to attend their Precinct Caucuses here in Minnesota on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the designated Place as posted by the political party either on their web page or by calling. For instance, for the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, people can obtain the place where their Precinct Caucus will be held by calling toll-free: 1-800-999-7457.

It is required that all resolutions be placed on resolution forms which may be obtained by calling:  1-800-999-7457

Resolutions can be hand-written or pre-printed on the forms.

I would suggest the people take their cameras to the precinct caucus to photograph the signed resolutions as they are voted on and that photographs of all persons participating in the caucus be taken because precinct caucus resolutions tend to "disappear" between the precinct caucus and the next higher body where they are supposed to be considered again.

I would also strongly suggest and encourage everyone submitting these resolutions should agree to support at least one of the voters for these resolutions to run for county convention delegate and at the county convention run for state convention delegate.

Everyone participating in the precinct caucuses, county conventions, nominating conventions and the state convention should be thoroughly familiar with Robert's Rules of Order and all the rules governing Precinct Caucuses.

I would note that "party hacks" and union bureaucrats have a habit of trying to manipulate and control the proceedings. Of course, like in the MNDFL you have the Summit Hill Club of the big-money people and their very skilled attorneys always seeking to control and manipulate the Precinct Caucuses with the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association being very active in trying to undermine democracy, too.

I would encourage people to vigorously object to any Precinct Caucuses or other party functions being held in any of the casinos and/or casino properties in Minnesota where employees are all forced to work in these loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state or federal labor laws.

I would further note that Tony Doom Supply Company which provides political parties and politicians with everything from yard signs to pencils is now owned by John McCarthy, the Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association who hands out with one hand campaign contributions from the profits derived from Indian Gaming and with his other hand takes these campaign contributions for his own personal profit--- highly dishonest, immoral and unethical if not illegal which perverts and undermines the entire democratic process.

I would also encourage you to enlighten yourself and others about the new Justice Party that has been formed that will be running Rocky Anderson, the former mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah for President giving people an alternative to Wall Street's two major political parties. You might want to check out the Justice Party which advocates reforms for Congress and the political process that are light-years ahead of your Obama-backing billionaire Warren Buffet's suggestions: http://www.justicepartyusa.net/

I would note that Jill Stein is also running for president attempting to get the Green Party nomination; Jill has an excellent program and platform... check it out: http://www.jillstein.org/

And here in Minnesota, peace, social and economic justice activist Michael Cavlan is running for the United States Senate against Amy "Republican Lite" Klobuchar. Cavlan is supporting Justice Party presidential candidate Rocky Anderson. You can find Michael on FaceBook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-Cavlan-for-for-US-Senate-2012/122110937819816

Michael Cavlan has an advertisement up and running and I would strongly encourage you to watch this YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9jLW3cupCFo

Of very important note is the candidacy of Marcus Harcus running in the Minnesota DFL Primary against Joe Mullery to provide the residents of North Minneapolis with a real voice in the Minnesota State Legislature. Marcus is running in House District 58-A.

Troy Parker is running for Minnesota State Senate. Troy is a member of the NAACP, the Pipefitter's Union-AFL-CIO, a fighter against racism and for full equality for all peoples. Troy is a strong advocate for enforcing Affirmative Action. Troy Parker is running for Minnesota State Senate District 58. Check Troy out at: http://www.troyparkerforsenate.com/ 

Troy Parker can be found on FaceBook at: http://www.facebook.com/troyparkerminneapolis?ref=ts

Delmar Jones III is running for the position of the Leech Lake Nation Tribal Chair. I would encourage you to check out and support Delmar in any way you can. Delmar can be contacted through his FaceBook page:

Don't forget to ask your friends, neighbors and co-workers: How is Barack Obama's Wall Street war economy working for you?  

Please feel free to contact me--- all my contact information is listed below and I can be found on FaceBook:

I hope you have found this information useful and helpful.

We need to break free from Wall Street's "two-party trap" while being aware many people will still be seeking the change we all want through the Democratic Party and other parties. We should be supporting everyone working towards our goals and objectives of peace, full equality and jobs for all. This requires working smart in electoral politics in a way that complements our struggles at work, in our communities and in the streets aiming to improve our lives and livelihoods as we defend and advance democracy in a way that takes the words on paper in our Constitution and Bill of Rights together with the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights--- from words on pieces of paper in turning these words into reality for us all. 

Yours in the struggle,

Alan

On Thu, Dec 29, 2011 at 7:48 PM, Mostafa Chatraei <mostafachatraei@msn.com> wrote:



Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:42:21 -0600
Subject: Fwd: Fw: suggested resolutions to submit at upcoming Caucus
From: shahabi.nahid@gmail.com
To: 


Subject: suggested resolutions to submit at upcoming Caucus

 
Winds of Change....  


Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed
around.
   (I'm suggesting these numbered items be submitted as Resolutions, to be submitted at your Jan 3 Caucus.)

_*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*_
1. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into
the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women.

Congressmen/women made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers
envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive  the message. Don't you think it's time?

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!

If you agree with the above, pass it on. If not, just delete.
You are one of my 20+ - Please keep it going, and thanks.



-- 
Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council
 
58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net