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...

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

What are we getting from the Democratic super majority here in Minnesota?


Except for higher taxes what are working people getting from the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party's new super majority?



Photo: 23legi0503.JPG

Governor Mark Dayton and DFL leaders Thomas Bakk and Paul Thissen spoke to media after their meeting with the GOP leadership Monday afternoon.  Earlier in the day the Governor called the new GOP stadium plan a "hare-brained scheme."  Wednesday, May 2, 2012.     ]   GLEN STUBBE * gstubbe@startribune.com DML - Star Tribune





Perhaps if we put them on the Minimum Wage, locked them out of the State Capitol, and brought in replacements from the ranks of the unemployed and made them work as servers in a smoke-filled casino without any rights under terms of at-will employment for a couple years they might come back and do what is right and just by working people by:

  •   Passing a Minimum Wage that is a real living wage based on all cost of living factors indexed to inflation.
  •   Passing anti-scab legislation.
  •   Passing anti-lockout legislation.
  •   By legislating an end smoking in casinos like all other workplaces.
  •   By Rescinding and repealing "At-will Employment" legislation.
And, what about Affirmative Action? Why does this MNDFL super majority refuse to enforce Affirmative Action? Does this MNDFL super majority not have a responsibility to people of color, women and the handicapped?

And, guess what?

None of these reforms would require a tax increase because none of these very modest reforms would cost tax-payers one single penny.

So; why would a party with "labor" and "democratic" in its name, if it were for democracy and working people, not use its newly handed super majority status to make these reforms for the majority--- the working class?

Plus, the simple act of raising the Minimum Wage to a real living wage based on all cost of living factors would solve ALL budget problems the state is experiencing while enabling tax decreases because tens of thousands of working people would be paying taxes based on their improved standard of living rather than being liabilities costing tax payers money.

Interesting; Democrats are CHOOSING to squeeze the working class just like the Republicans do--- kind of makes you wonder if they aren't both working for the same class which profits from the exploitation of labor?

I could ask why these same Democrats with their new super majority have not chosen to substantially increase the taconite tax and stumpage fees on the mining and forestry industries like former governor Rudy Perpich proposed when these Democrats decided to start calling him "Red Rudy" and helped the Republicans drive their own Democrat from office.

The bronze monument on the Minnesota State Capitol grounds honoring Minnesota's first socialist governor, Floyd B. Olson, stands as an example of the kind of socialist politicians we need if we are going to win real meaningful reforms to improve the livelihoods and rights of working people as we gear up to get rid of this rotten capitalist system.

  • This MNDFL super majority could also lead the Nation by passing a resolution calling on Obama and Congress to put an end to militarism and these dirty imperialist Wall Street wars squandering the wealth of our Nation.

    See: http://www.mnasap.org/
  • This MNDFL super majority could also pass a resolution calling for Congress to pass a real "Full Employment Act" to make it mandatory the president and Congress attain and maintain full employment consistent with all these campaign promises of "jobs, jobs, jobs."

    See: http://fullemploymentnow.blogspot.com/

Again, none of this requires one single penny from Minnesota tax-payers so what is preventing the MNDFL with its super majority from acting?

If we can't expect and count on these very basic and simple initiatives from the Democrats what can we expect from them?


























(Above) Monument on the Minnesota State Capitol grounds dedicated to socialist Minnesota Governor Floyd B. Olson's legacy of dedication to improving the lives of workers and farmers.