Well, the other day a pork-chopper from the United Steelworker's Union came posting on my FaceBook page "refuting" what I had written by saying "too much information; too much to read; I can't be bothered with this."
I never solicited his stupid comment in the first place. He came forward and posted that as a smear tactic as these pork-choppers routinely do thinking people would just ignore what I had to say after reading his "brilliant" brief remarks.
But workers are fed up with these pork-choppers being passed off as "union leaders." They can't even defend the pensions of their own members when these pensions are in writing and signed on to by the bosses. Nor can they negotiate any contract that isn't a concession and give-back to the employers.
But workers are fed up with these pork-choppers being passed off as "union leaders." They can't even defend the pensions of their own members when these pensions are in writing and signed on to by the bosses. Nor can they negotiate any contract that isn't a concession and give-back to the employers.
Well; as it turns out, it seems people are fed up with politicians, too, just mouthing words like "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs" in order to get our votes or with saying they are for health care reform without serious bringing forward the solutions to this health care mess when we can actually create millions of jobs by solving our health care problems.
If this is too much for you to read; then don't read it; just continue getting screwed. Don't bother trying to free yourself from Wall Street's two-party trap. Be content to think the way the millionaire labor leaders tell you you must think... just like they do which pleases the Wall Street bosses.
People are always asking me: Who are you going to vote for?
Why don't you suggest solutions?
So I previously posted this:
"People do not realize what they are in for until they get sick in this country and require health care. Then the nightmare begins.
And this is why we need a National Public Health Care System free from the for-profit system; nothing else will work as the Canadians are finding out just as Tommy Douglas warned after the single-payer reform: "Keep fighting for socialized health care until you get it."
What we need is publicly funded health care that is publicly administered and publicly delivered.
We need a network of community health care centers across our country instead of over 800 military bases dotting the globe protecting Wall Street's profits and investments.
This is the socialist solution to this health care mess.
A united working class movement can win the struggle for real health care reform."
And then I posted this...
"I really think we need to get beyond advocating for single-payer universal health care. Let the liberals advocate for single-payer. We have as much chance winning a struggle for a socialized National Health Care System plus it gives us the added advantage of talking to people how socialists will solve problems.
As socialists, we have been far too timid in advocating socialist solutions to problems.
When Bernie pulls out of the race the Democrats are counting on that ending all talk about socialism. We can't let this happen.
Explaining to people how we socialists advocate solving this health care mess through socialized health care will make sense to lots of people."
And that still wasn't good enough so now I'm posting this...
Some people seem to think that we have to wait for some kind of certain time and just the right political atmosphere to talk about the socialist alternative to capitalism.
Other people think all we need to do is talk about socialism without talking about what it is that makes socialism a good alternative to capitalism.
Some of the biggest issues and most pressing problems being discussed should be what provides us with the platform to explain why we need socialism and what kind of solutions to the problems socialists have.
Ending the wars, health care, living wages with full employment are very prominent right now.
There are those who approach all of this as if these issues are not connected.
Many people are hung up in thinking we need to bring the full 99% into struggle if we are going to bring about change.
If we can bring 20% of the people into active participation in a movement for real health care reform this would be a huge, huge movement.
And health care is very closely associated with these other issues; in fact, so closely it is correct to say that solving all of these problems can not be separated one from the other.
We have to realize that most of the politicians in this country, from the president on down get elected to public office with fewer than twenty percent of the over 18 years of age population voting for them. How many are in the 1%? Can't 20% of the population united and struggling for what they want and need to live decent lives in dignity win with 20% and most other people supporting them?
We know from the polls; we know from talking to people where the majority sentiment lies in this country and it is with a truly progressive agenda for ending these wars and reordering the priorities of this country.
In fact, every single time the people are presented with all the alternatives to the present health care mess they choose a National Public Health Care Program.
The advocates of single-payer refuse to place the National Public Health Care System as an alternative before people.
Why? Because the strength of the single-payer movement is formed by doctors and other "professionals" who have for-profits motives in approaching health care reform--- they want the profits instead of the insurance companies.
I have had exchanges with the Physicians for a National Health Policy on this very question and they admit in private that a National Public Health Care System is far and away superior to single-payer universal health care; but, they also admit they fear advocating for this because they will lose the support of the doctors and other for-profit health care "professionals."
I would never suggest that the present health care system or single-payer be taken off the table for consideration--- what I am suggesting is that socialized health care, a National Public Health Care System, be placed on the table for the consideration of the American people, too. This is only fair. This is what democracy requires when discussing and debating these issues.
When I traveled all across Minnesota the majority of the people favored National Public Health Care once I explained all the options.
In fact, I had many Republicans say things to me like, "I hate socialism but I support socialized health care."
Plus, and this is a huge plus for a National Public Health Care System--- not are we only talking about free health care for all and its public delivery through neighborhood and community based health care centers, we are talking about creating some twelve-million good paying, real living wage jobs in the process. At best, single-payer creates only 2 million jobs.
Of course "how to pay" is always the question.
Let the people decide if they want to pay for health care or militarism and wars. Obviously the current crop of corrupt Wall Street bribed politicians are never going to tolerate or allow people to make this decision in a democratic manner.
The key to winning the struggle for any health care reform is what side of the issue the working class is on and how determined workers are to win the struggle.
The question is always:
Where do we begin?
What needs to be done?
The key to winning is always embodied in this very basic and fundamental formula:
Education + Organization + Unity in struggle = the key to Winning
And, we don't do one and then the other. They all need to take place simultaneously with each struggle building into more massive struggles.
It can start with a leaflet, a letter to the editor; a few people then getting together to table/door knock with leaflets and petitions; then a meeting with public officials and/or selecting someone to run for office committed to making this a main issue among voters and everyone; a picket-line here, a demonstration there. Forums and debates get organized.
Create a "To Do List."
Study up yourself and begin talking to people. The more you talk to people the greater chance you have of finding others willing to work with you.
Let's put the struggle for a National Public Health Care System front and center during this period of the 2016 election cycle... given the circus taking place in the electoral arena we will be talking the ones talking about seriously solving this problem and people will appreciate this.
As socialists, let's take our politics seriously and I think we will find millions of other people welcoming us into the national political discourse.
We need to create the kind of movement on this issue where ALL politicians are forced to respond to us and not the other way around even though at first we will be responding to them.
For those who don't like this approach let them go their own merry ways; but, we shouldn't give into their cheap political shenanigans as they attempt to "properly frame issues" without providing real solutions to our problems while evading connecting the dots as required just to trick people out of their votes.
When Hillary Clinton baits Bernie Sanders with her crap that Bernie doesn't explain where the money will come from for "free college" and "free health care" we need to make our voices heard when Bernie is afraid to open his mouth in rebuttal.
By all rights, we should have small groups of people following both Bernie and Hillary around distributing leaflets, circulating petitions, unfurling banners in front of them which articulate our real progressive socialist agenda.
Maybe we need to nationally circulate some kind of statement with all of our signatures on it like: "The Socialist Solution To This Health Care Mess--- A National Public Health Care System."
And then whenever these candidates come into our communities we get this statement out at their events.
This way these politicians know we are not buying into their phony shenanigans of "properly framing issues" devoid of real solutions while the people are finding out that socialists are bringing forward the real solutions that these politicians do not... thereby we create the foundation for a new working class based political party, too.
Is anyone willing to sign on with me to a National Statement concerning all of this that we can each circulate widely in our own communities in this country?
Oh, and if you got this far, you might want to read a little more... find out what Minnesota's former socialist governor, Elmer Benson had to say about the need to break free from the two-party trap.
