Friday, January 31, 2014

Some random thoughts on a Friday morning.

There have been serious fractures among what we call the “progressive movement.”

These fractures--- and, quite frankly, some very huge chasms--- are the result of a myriad of problems; and, while we should attempt to isolate and articulate all of these problems for the sake of unity if we are going to make any headway as far as peace, racial and economic equality and improving the lives, livelihoods and standard of living of working people as well as defending and protecting our living environment--- Mother Earth... realizing that the environment in our workplaces should be as safe and healthy as the world we want to live in.

As goes the working class, so goes the fate of the American people as a whole. Only the most muddle-headed and selfish among us doesn't understand this.

In my opinion, for whatever it is worth, I think the main reason we as progressives are stuck in the cracks and crevices of these fractures preventing maximum unity of what has historically been the one and only coalition that has won real reforms is that of liberals, progressives and leftists coming together for clear and well-defined purposes with a clear vision of goals and objectives.

Not just idle talk using properly framed progressive policy directives but with very real and specific solutions to people's problems and the problems confronting our society as a whole.

We obviously have very real enemies.

Wall Street and big-business, the multi-national and transnational corporations are our primary enemies. Their lobbyists, working out of sight behind closed doors in a way we can not see until we put their activities under close examination bribe politicians in ways we can not see but in the most vile and evil ways it is hard to imagine, let alone understand.

But not all of our problems when it comes to forging maximum unity of this historic progressive coalition can be laid at the feet of these parasitical, crooked and corrupt Wall Street corporations although the foundations these “philanthropists” fund which in turn are financing numerous organizations--- many of which hire progressives in order to control them and use them to divide our movements which should be united most definitely are a big part of the problem.

We have an entire group of people posing as progressives who have figured out that they can make good livings selling themselves and their services to these foundation-funded outfits.

These foundation-funded prostitutes and whores have figured out just how far they can push progressive thinking to the point where their services become valuable assets in keeping the grassroots and rank-and-file movements from becoming effective.

Many of these foundation-funded prostitutes and whores are former activists from the 1960's and 1970's who acquired legitimacy by participating in, and even having led entire movements.

These people come from the labor, civil rights and environmental movements. They are now willing to sell their bodies, souls and their ideas to the highest bidders in this foundation-funded industry based on selling out movements.

This has left the rest of us unorganized and ineffective... instead of being able to deliver knock-out punches with a closed fist to our Wall Street enemies we are merely slapping them with an open hand.
There is a reason the clenched fist has become the symbol of militant working class resistance, struggle and working class people's power.

How can we begin to repair the fractures and build bridges across these chasms preventing maximum all-people's unity which brings our progressive movements together?

We need organized forums bringing us together to formulate tactics, strategy and demands that are specific to the required solutions to our problems.

All too often our movements are victims to organizations that always want to be first--- first to get the permits for demonstrations so they can manipulate and control who participates, who can speak and what is said. Often these groups will make promises to do something and while others are holding up their end of the agreement they don't hold up their end because they want to be able to point fingers claiming they are right.

This is no way to build unity.

Crooked and corrupt union leaders along with these foundation-funded whores have learned to step forward with just enough money and resources to make it appear that without their money struggles can not be won. There are always strings attached to this money--- if you don't attach yourself to the strings and agree to be their puppet the strings are cut... and by the time the strings are cut the opportunity to build movements is lost.

We need to learn to “strike when the iron is hot” if we are going to forge powerful progressive movements capable of winning real change and reforms as we seek a socialist alternative to this rotten capitalist system that is crumbling and falling apart before our very eyes--- with such dire consequences: wars, racism, poverty, destruction of our most basic and needed public services from our public schools to the U.S. Postal Service to Social Security. We are denied funds for creating new social programs and public institutions desperately needed--- from child care to health care.

We now see in this struggle for making the Minimum Wage a real living wage how all of this unfolds and how the employers, the Wall Street crowd, has been able to worm and muscle their way into this movement in a way that serves to divide.

Everyone is entitled to a real living wage based on the actual cost of living not poverty wage figures pulled from a hat by self-serving politicians who we know have been bribed by the employers--- our enemies.

Make no mistake, these employers are our enemies. They are not some kind of benevolent job creators Obama, the Democrats and Republicans make them out to be.

These employers are motivated by one thing, and one thing only: PROFITS.

Profits they derive from our our labor.

This is the richest country in the world. Working people, collectively, have created this wealth.

If there are employers--- big or small--- who can not afford to pay their employees real living wages, then let them open their books and prove it.
If it is found they can not afford to pay their employees real living wages then all these corporations with huge profits will have to be taxed to whatever levels necessary to provide a Basic Guaranteed Income to the employees working for their fellow employers.

Shouldn't we expect big-business to bailout their small-business friends instead of forcing working class families to suffer in poverty?

If private industry can't handle the cost of basic, fundamental human justice on its own, government has to step in and make these decisions for them. This is the reason why there is a Minimum Wage in the first place. Employers are too narrowly focused on profits and that focus will never change. We will hear the same song-and-dance from the employers forever about how raising the Minimum Wage to a real living wage will kill small business. But, what is preventing very profitable big-business from paying employees real living wages?

How many big-businesses voluntarily pay their employees real living wages based on actual cost-of-living factors? Obama has tried to foster the illusion that this happens... what planet he lives on is questionable. What he is smoking that he doesn't want his daughters to smoke might be the problem. But, most likely, Obama is just mouthing the words his Wall Street backers like to hear.

We are facing the exact same players in this living wage struggle that we faced with the single-payer universal health care struggle.

Only in the living wage struggle these same people who said they were for single-payer and then betrayed us and stuck us with Obamacare are now saying they are for living wages as they put placards calling for a poverty $9.50 Minimum Wage in the hands of people in marches commemorating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Who are these betrayers?

They are the Democrats, they are the millionaire labor “leaders,” they are the overpaid pundits, they are the foundation whores.

On top of this; we, as progressives, have never reached a consensus on what constitutes a living wage.

We have never discussed wages in relation to “cost-of-living.”

Someone has shouted, “$15.00 or fight.” Some of the crowd follows. Some don't.

Have those who shouted “$15.00 or fight” substantiated with any facts this is a living wage in relation to cost of living? Have they fully explained the nature of the “inflation” they want to index and tie this $15.00 to?

These are honest and very legitimate questions.

Right now, in my opinion, if we want to win this struggle to increase the Minimum Wage to a real living wage, we need to be insisting that everyone tossing figures into the ring needs to explain how those figures jibe with actual “cost-of-living” and what inflation really is from the perspective of working class spending. And make no mistake, when we examine the eight categories and 200 sub-categories tracked as the Consumer Price Index, there is a distinct difference between how most working people spend their income and in how the well-heeled upper middle class and the 1% spend their incomes.

If working-class families are forced to buy hamburger instead of steak because they can't afford the steak inflation and price increases mean two different things.

If you have enough money so you can dine on $12.00 a pound steak that used to be $4.00 a pound this price increase really doesn't mean anything to you.

If you are a working-class family forced to live on hamburger helper then the price of hamburger going from $2.00 a pound to $4.00 a pound means something else.

Does it make any difference to you if you pay $1.35 a gallon for propane to heat your home or if you pay $2.35 cents a gallon? If it makes a difference to you, chances are you are working class.

Does it make any difference to you if the price of gas for your car is $2.50 a gallon or $4.00 a gallon? If it makes a difference to you, you are most likely working class?

Does it make any difference to you whether your child has to pay $30,000.00 a year to go to college or if your child was to get a free education--- pre-school through university? If it makes a difference to you, most likely you are not the billionaire living in the Governor's Mansion.

When a billionaire governor walks around talking about a “living wage” and then has the unmitigated gall to try to legislate a poverty wage of $9.50 or $8.00 an hour and then tries to make us feel good that he is going to index this poverty wage to HIS inflation we working people should all be bitter and very angry. We should fight for what is right, not cower.

What should be our response to a shit-ass like Minnesota Democratic State Senator Tom Bakk who boasts that he is a labor leader and then tries to shove an $8.00 Minimum Wage down our throats because we should feel sorry for the small businesses?

What should be our response to a guy like Minnesota Democratic State Representative Ryan Winkler who Chairs the Minnesota Select Committee on Living Wage Jobs when he stands before “the people” in a hearing held out in the boonies that no one can find and tells the few in attendance, “A living wage is $24.00 to $28.00 an hour that's why I'm behind behind the Governor's $9.50,” even though he knows Governor Dayton has entered into a secret deal with the Chamber of Commerce on a “compromised” Minimum Wage of just under $8.00 ?

Unless we insist on knowing where these numbers are coming from and their relation to the actual “cost-of-living” and the real inflation rate for working class families, we are going to be saddled with a Minimum Wage that remains a poverty wage.

As progressives, we need some kind of forum or roundtable discussion with everyone welcome to participate.

I would further point out that the very concept of a Minimum Wage was first advanced by Karl Marx. And the demand for a living Minimum Wage was advanced by socialists and Communists--- supported by liberals and progressives.

And it was none other than American revolutionary Tom Paine who first advanced the need for a Basic Income Guarantee.

Perhaps President Obama is going to ask the big Wall Street corporations if they are going to chip into a fund providing a Basic Income Guarantee so big-business can help its small-business partners over the hurdle of having to pay real living wages?

I have a final question for Representative Winkler and Governor Dayton:

Why are you paying so many state employees poverty wages?

I have a question for Eliot Seide who heads up the largest union representing State, County and Municipal employees:

Why are you poking your nose into the Minimum Wage issue trying to shove one more poverty wage of $9.50 down our throats when the paper union you preside over like an old Finnish feudal lord can't even negotiate living wages for all of your dues paying members?

The basis for uniting progressives around fighting for a real living Minimum Wage, seems to me, to revolve around coming to an agreement that there is this relationship between wages and cost-of-living.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

These are just my personal thoughts on these issues.

If you agree, okay.

If you disagree, okay.

I hope I have at least provided some legitimate reasons for further discussion.

Yours in the struggle,

Alan L. Maki


at

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Minimum Wage

Questions surrounding the Minimum Wage continue to persist.

Should we just pick a poverty wage number out of the hat and allow the politicians to carry on with their own self-serving political interests?

Yes, $15.00 would definitely "help" many people; but, the fact remains that is still a poverty wage.

The Chair of the Minnesota Select Committee on Living Wage Jobs, Democratic State Representative Ryan Winkler, after calling me a liar for over a year, has finally acknowledged that here in Minnesota, which is one of the lower cost-of-living states, requires a Minimum Wage somewhere between $24.00 and $28.00 an hour for the wage to be considered a "living wage."

There is the argument that the Minimum Wage can't be raised so drastically from $6.15 to $24.00 in one fell swoop... well, why not?

Haven't these employers been pocketing the wages they have been cheating workers out of over these many years the Minimum Wage has been a poverty wage?

Just think of the hardship and suffering working class families have had to endure for all these years because of the pathetic miserly Minimum Wage. This has to count for something.

Quite frankly, employers and these politicians should be very happy workers would be satisfied with getting a real living wage and aren't going to initiate a class action lawsuit to get the back-pay they are entitled to.

If we can't get a real living wage out of this Democratic super-majority we have here in Minnesota with each and every one of these Democrats making the boast that they are "progressive;" then what can we ever expect to get out of the Democrats except for their dirty wars--- and Obamacare... the "Health Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010?"

We have to step up the struggle for a real living wage based on cost-of-living; we must take this struggle into the proverbial "public square" in a way people will have the opportunity to mull all of this over.

Democracy and the standard of living of the American people requires no less than this kind of open and frank discussion with the involvement of working people.
at

Pete Seeger... communist.





What I find interesting about Pete Seeger is that he dropped his membership in the Communist Party but remained active with his friends in the Communist Party.

This is something that isn't being talked about much, in fact not at all, as we mourn Pete Seeger's passing.


This is all part of the very malicious and pernicious slander of the Communist Party by some of those on the left and it is detrimental to working class unity. In fact, to do this is a slander of Pete Seeger himself.

I find it quite dishonest not to consider this fact.

Pete Seeger, unlike many who for various reasons--- most not anti-Communist reasons, dropped his membership in the Communist Party but remained a "small 'c' communist" until the day he died... part of a "circle of friends." Or, as Minnesota's socialist Governor Elmer Benson liked to call himself, "a fellow traveler."

It's really a shame people have to use the death of someone of the stature of Pete Seeger to twist what he stood for to support their own hollow views.
at

Living wage

















What is a "living wage?"

Here is how most dictionaries define a "living wage:"

liv·ing wage
noun
noun: living wage; plural noun: living wages
  1. 1.
    a wage that is high enough to maintain a normal standard of living.

But, is this definition sufficient to explain what we are fighting for?

What is missing from this definition when it comes to our livelihoods and our struggles for a real living wage?

Think about this; what is missing?

What is missing is the fact that a living wage can only be defined and considered in relation to:

"cost-of-living"

There is only one way to define what is a living wage and this is to compare wages to "cost-of-living."

For working people wages earned mean absolutely nothing except in relation to what can be purchased with wages.

Employers will always run away from any discussion which becomes focused on what workers can purchase with the wages they pay.

Compare your wages to the price you pay for the necessities required for and decent life--- your "cost-of-living":

food
clothing
housing
transportation
insurance
electricity
home heating fuels
gas for your car
health care
education
recreation
toys for the kids
... and so on and so forth--- the list goes on and on.

The United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics breaks all this down into 8 categories and 200 sub-categories; often we don't keep track of our actual "cost-of-living" in this detailed way. A lot of people, including our own government and the employers (one and the same thing?), would rather we not track and follow the actual expenses we have which taken together is our "cost-of-living." 

Why should anyone have to work at any job and be paid less than the actual "cost-of-living" by any employer?

Don't be tricked by the employers and the politicians these employers' lobbyists bribe along with the polical hacks and Wall Street employed linguists, also known as pundits, who twist and pervert the meaning of words like "living wage."

Are you being paid a real "living wage?"

Determine your "cost-of-living" and you will find the answer to this question.

The State of Minnesota's Department of Labor and Industry created this report on the "Minimum Wage;" it doesn't even use the term "cost-of-living:"

https://www.dli.mn.gov/RS/PDF/13minwage.pdf

Here is a "Letter to the Editor" I wrote on the struggle for a real living Minimum Wage:

http://www.superiortelegram.com/content/miserly-minimum-wage-creates-poverty-0





Miserly minimum wage creates poverty

By Alan L. Maki from director of organizing for Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council on Dec 20, 2013 at 8:19 a.m.
Wisconsin State Rep. Nick Milroy, D-South Range, wrote we need a living wage. I agree. But if Milroy believes we need a real living wage, why is he advocating a minimum wage that is still a poverty wage?

In fact, Milroy is proposing a pathetic miserly “increase” in the minimum wage.

Milroy would like us to believe the Republicans are responsible for the present miserly minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

However, President Obama had a super-majority of Democrats when he first entered office and this Democratic super-majority never raised the minimum wage to a real living wage.

In Minnesota, Democrats have a super-majority; and like Milroy, these Democrats mouth the words “living wage,” but not only did they not use their super-majority to raise the minimum wage a plug nickle, they now call for a minimum wage increase that is another poverty wage.

Why this hypocrisy between political rhetoric for votes and actual legislation?

Any schoolchild understands that if you pay a workingman or working woman a poverty wage they are going to be poor.

The minimum wage should be a real living wage which means it needs to be legislatively tied to all cost-of-living factors tracked and monitored by the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, indexed for inflation and then periodically increased to provide an improved standard-of-living.

In addition, most minimum wage workers do not work a 40-hour week.

So, a real living hourly minimum wage is still not the complete answer.

What we need, in addition to the minimum wage being a real living wage, is a guaranteed annual income based on the same cost-of-living factors for every working class family.

Of course, with the huge number of working people unemployed in this country right now the real solution is jobs.

But, if these jobs don’t pay real living wages what good is a job?

Most people work so they won’t be poor.

The politicians — from both parties — talk about “jobs, jobs, jobs” then refuse to take it upon themselves to be responsible for full employment in the same way they hypocritically talk about living wages, and then legislate poverty wages, again.

So this cycle continues and everyone wonders why there is poverty in the midst of such tremendous wealth in the richest country in the world.

And if all this isn’t bad enough, both parties continue to squander the wealth of our Nation on these dirty wars killing our jobs the same way they kill people.

We need to create tens of millions of jobs to put America to work.

How do we create jobs when we are wasting all this money on wars?

Thanks to Democrats like Milroy who take campaign contributions from the managements of the Indian Gaming Industry, we are having one heck of a time trying to organize workers employed at the Bad River Lodge, Casino and Convention Center.

With the miserly minimum wage of $7.60 an hour being proposed by Milroy, and opposed by Republicans, a working man or working woman would have to work three 40 hour a week jobs and they would still be living on the edge of poverty.

What we need is a huge working class movement like the one that forced President Roosevelt to enact minimum wage legislation in the first place.

From this movement will come working class politicians. We need a new working class based progressive people’s party if we are going to turn this country around.


I also wrote this "Letter to the Editor" which was published in the Albert Lea Tribune:

Where is the real minimum wage?

Published 9:00am Wednesday, December 25, 2013
http://www.albertleatribune.com/2013/12/where-is-the-real-minimum-wage/

Holiday shoppers and voters should beware of the bait and switch.

Bait and switch is an illegal advertising gimmick in the retail world; but, in politics bait and switch has become the way of life, the new normal.

For example: Obama campaigned for the Democratic Party’s nomination telling everyone, everywhere he went, he was for a single-payer universal health care system like they have in Canada; this was the bait.


Once elected, Obama pulled a switch and delivered Obamacare/Romneycare or as it should be known, the Health Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010.

Another example: Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party Gov. Mark Dayton campaigned for office saying he would raise the minimum wage to a real living wage — this was the bait. Once elected, Dayton, a multibillionaire, is now pushing a miserly increase in the minimum wage which would keep the minimum wage a poverty wage — the switch.

Buyer (voter) beware of bait and switch.

The Minnesota DFL Party has a super-majority. Republicans have no say about anything; all they can do is cry.

We should at least be able to get a real living minimum wage out of these Democrats corresponding to actual cost-of-living factors as tracked and monitored by the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics — the minimum wage should also be indexed to inflation with periodic increases to improve the living standards of working people.

Working people are entitled to this in return for their votes, especially from a political party which makes the claim that it is for labor.

If there are any obstacles the Democrats are encountering that would prevent them from implementing a real living — non-poverty — minimum wage, I would like to hear what the impediment is.

Alan L. Maki
director of organizing
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council
Warroad
There can be no talk of eliminating poverty without legislation:

- For a real living Minimum Wage based on actual "cost-of-living"

- For a "Basic Income Guarantee"

- For a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity."

 














What is the main reason we have this "income inequality?"

Poverty wages.

Unemployment.

How is this fixed?

Pay working people real living wages.

Create jobs. Put people to work in massive government universal social programs designed to improve the lives of people.

For less than the cost of these dirty imperialist wars we can put people to work providing the American people with free health care and free child care in a National Public Health Care System and a National Public Child Care Program which would be: publicly funded, publicly administered and publicly delivered... just like public education.
at

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

A facebook discussion on the environment. Why the envirinmental movement can't win any struggles.

Sally Lacy



Citizen Voices Matter - Sustainable Economic Alternatives to Open-Pit Mining
youtube.com
People in northern Wisconsin have worked to create a sustainable economy in the state's iconic Northwoods. But their livelihoods could be threatened by envir...
Like · · · 12 hours ago

  • John Schneider and 10 others like this.
  • Steve Sohn I like that a lot><^+++
    12 hours ago · Like · 1
  • Jayne Hogfeldt Well done. I like this very much.
    12 hours ago · Like
  • Sally Lacy Someone shared it on the Washington County Dem Party page; I just shared it. I think it is excellent.
    12 hours ago · Like
  • Laura Priebe So very true.
    10 hours ago · Like
  • Alan Maki How much do you pay the people you employ?
    4 hours ago · Like
  • Alan Maki What kind of alternatives? Loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos paying poverty wages where workers have no rights under state or federal labor laws and a bunch of wealthy white mobsters who own the slot machines run off with all the profits they can skim off the top?

    Let's talk about the facts.

    Let's talk about what it will take to make every non-mining job a good paying job.

    Let's talk about what it will take to create a full employment economy with all jobs turned into good jobs paying real living wages with safe and healthy working conditions.

    Tell Mike Wiggins and the Bad River Tribal Council to provide his casino workers with a smoke-free workplace and real living wages comparable to what workers make in the mining industry... then people will believe there are real alternatives to mining; until then, you are fighting a losing battle.
    4 hours ago · Like · 1
  • Wendy Thiede Right now this area has job openings for doctors, lawyers, accountants, nurses and the whole gamut of industries that support the increasing (yes, increasing) number of retirees moving into the area. These professionals would come with families and the jobs would be clean and lucrative. And for those who don't want to spend that much time and money on education, there are a gazillion service jobs--landscaping, tree management, cleaning. Many of these retirees have money and a need for people to help them do the things they are no longer capable of. But we're missing the boat by not encouraging our kids to go into these fields. http://woodsperson.blogspot.com/.../alternative-to-mining...
    2 hours ago · Like · 3
  • Wendy Thiede However, a University of Alabama Extension study found that “population and employment growth in rural areas with strong tourism and retirement industries has outdistanced the growth in those rural areas that depend on manufacturing, mining, and agriculture.”
    2 hours ago · Like · 1
  • Alan Maki I don't see the jobs in the hospitality and tourism industries proving real living wage jobs in northern Wisconsin. To achieve this would require union organizing. Every single job should be a good job paying real living wages providing decent benefits like paid vacations, paid sick days, etc.

    The politicians and mining companies have two main things going for them that opposition to this hideous mining project will never be able to over come:

    1. Poverty wage jobs.

    2. Massive unemployment.

    Thousands of people are eagerly awaiting the opening up of these mining jobs--- do you blame them?
    about an hour ago · Like
  • Wendy Thiede Alan, you didn't read my post. I'm not talking about hospitality jobs; I'm talking about professional careers that pay better than mining jobs and they don't wreck the environment. At this very moment Marshfield Clinic is trying to find a dr. for Mercer to replace the one retiring. Lawyers specializing in elder law are needed. Financial planners, etc. And yes, there is also a need for menial jobs, opportunities for people to go into business for themselves doing home maintenance, tree service, etc. And you can't tell me that every mining job is going to pay a high wage or that everybody in the area is qualified for those jobs. See my research on that topic: http://woodsperson.blogspot.com/.../08/the-jobs-promise.html
    58 minutes ago · Like · 1
  • Maureen Matusewic Well, that's quite sad because there won't be thousands of good paying jobs. Some of the people complaining here are luckier than people in other parts of the state with higher paying jobs because they have affordable housing and a much higher percentage of people in Iron County have acreage. Know many young families in the cities that can afford a home and cabin in the woods making $35-$40k a year?
    55 minutes ago · Like · 1
  • Wendy Thiede And these "thousands of people waiting for mining jobs" has that been since 1960 when the mines left? Have any of them thought about getting educated in a field that is needed? Or are we putting all our eggs in one basket here? I am really tired of the "wait for the mine to come" attitude. There's no guarantee that it will come and even IF it does, it won't be for a long time.
    51 minutes ago · Like · 1
  • Maureen Matusewic Most of the people I see and hear complaining, are businessmen or government/educators who seem to be in great financial shape. We have great forests, great waters, lots of land that could be made into small organic farms with help from local government.
    41 minutes ago · Like
  • Rob Ganson Alan Maki, GTac has made it clear that they would bus people up for construction labor, that they would be non union employers, that they would not train locals, but hire out of work qualified operators at scab wages. They are a fly by night limited liability corporation, designed to go bankrupt after they get what they want, so you can forget retirement, ongoing benefits, etc. Sustainable industry could employ many more with forest products, value added products being manufactured, etc. Long term jobs...
    40 minutes ago · Like · 1
  • Maureen Matusewic Minnesota drilling company back again, fyi.
    39 minutes ago · Like
  • Alan Maki You all have missed my point. I guess I didn't make myself clear, eh?

    Well, let me try again.

    Anyone can see that there are thousands of people employed in northern Wisconsin doing all kinds of jobs. Most of these jobs are rotten jobs only because they don't pay real living wages and provide decent benefits.

    My position is this: If you expect people to oppose this hideous mining project you need to help make sure that all these people presently employed are paid real living wages. Then they will join with you in actions to protect the living environment.

    Why is this so difficult for so many of you environmentalists to understand?

    Why aren't you insisting that Mike Wiggins provides casino workers with a smoke-free healthy workplace environment and real living wages?

    If you are going to suggest jobs in "sustainable" forestry; then you are going to have to insist that such industries and companies provide real living wage jobs in healthy and safe workplaces.

    You sat in silence as Red Cliff put up a brand new casino forcing more workers into an unhealthy working environment filled with smoke. Paying these workers poverty wages. And you sit in absolute and utter silence as these workers are forced to work without any rights under state or federal labor laws.

    From a working class perspective, how is a mining operation any worse than these casino operations.

    You say the mining operation will be non-union.

    Well, when will your buddy Mike Wiggins sit down and negotiate a contract with the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council--- he doesn't like us; well pick another union; maybe an AFL-CIO union or Change To Win union... all supporting this hideous mining project.

    I have an idea; lets all agree to convene a huge meeting bringing together progressives to thoroughly hash out how we are going to solve these problems.

    You see, I don't understand how environmentalist can kiss the rear end of Mike Wiggins who is killing workers in a smoke-filled casino while remaining silent and then expect people to support a struggle against mining.

    How difficult can it be to get Mike Wiggins to put up "No Smoking" signs?

    I would suggest that if you can't convince Mike Wiggins to put up "No Smoking" signs it is going to be a lot more difficult to stop a mining operation... something you might want to think about.

    • Bret Deutscher Are there any smoke free casinos in Wisconsin?
      3 minutes ago · Like
    • Alan Maki No there are not because the Democrats enabled the casinos to allow smoking because Mike Wiggins and the regional and National Indian Gaming pumped millions of dollars bribing these politicians to allow smoking to continue.

      What is your point?

      All the other casinos can force employees to work in these unhealthy conditions so Mike Wiggins and company can be tolerated doing the same thing?

      Same applies to mining, to, eh?

      • Rob Ganson Trolls are but temporary visitors.
        about a minute ago · Like
      • Jim Limbach You know, I can't remember one snowmobile at Bad River.
        about a minute ago · Like
      • Alan Maki What do snowmobiles have to do with smoke-filled casinos?

        • Rob Ganson Mr Maki, do you have an agenda here? Are you representing some entity when you make your attacks?
          9 minutes ago · Like
        • Jim Limbach Alan, I would have thought a Marxist materialist would have understood the economies of sustainability.
          6 minutes ago · Like · 2
        • Alan Maki Mr. Ganson. You keep calling my comments "attacks." I am merely stating the facts.

          I do in fact represent casino workers as the Director of Organizing for the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council. I also represent a number of people who are opposed to this mining operation.
          3 minutes ago · Like
        • Alan Maki Jim, I don't support any "economies of sustainability" which do not include living wages and rights for workers. To me, to discuss "economies of sustainability" without discussing the rights and livelihoods of workers is a perversion of the very concept.
          about a minute ago · Like
        • Alan Maki



          • Rob Ganson You made personal charges that were unsubstantiated and uncalled for, which I promptly removed. If you are actually against the proposed mine, I ask you to consider not being counter productive in that regard. Note the name of the group. It is not called citizens forum for grinding personal axes.
            3 minutes ago · Like · 1
          • Alan Maki I have noted your lack of respect for democracy, Mr. Ganson. I am sure people really appreciate you removing the comments you disagree with.

            You start with my comments; who will be your next victim?


            • Rob Ganson For the record, he did.
              a few seconds ago · Like
            • Alan Maki Calling me a "troll" is nothing but slander. I am glad you acknowledge that democracy is for other venues but not for the FaceBook page you are the administrator of. I would request that you re-instate my comments and bring this matter up for discussion with others who support this FaceBook page for them to determine if working class environmental views such as mine will be tolerated.

              I wonder how you ever expect to get the support of working people. Perhaps you don't care.
              Unable to post comment. Try Again

              I was subsequently banned from making further posts to this FaceBook page.

              And then the "discussion" continued with attacks on me without my right to respond...



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