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...

Friday, May 1, 2020

Conspiracies

Is there a “conspiracy” taking place in this country when it comes to militarism and wars, the climate issue, the coronavirus and health care reform, the Minimum Wage, etc?


What would you call it when hundreds of billionaires acting in collusion through their foundation-funded think-tanks all exert pressure on the government through the politicians they bribe to do everything they can to enable these billionaires to make the greatest profits at the expense of us common people and the planet?


About Earth Day and how it’s original intent has been co-opted by these billionaires. How does this happen if not by conspiracy? Is it a coincidence that these billionaires line up so consistently against the majority of the people... our rights, our livelihoods and our living environment?


I wonder how it would be viewed by these billionaires should us common people organize with such unity around our rights, our livelihoods and the right to work and live in a healthy and safe environment? I bet they would make such unity illegal.


Oh, wait; they have made our right to organize to protect our rights and our livelihoods and our living environment illegal... they call these laws things like “Taft-Hartley,” the “Communist Control Act,” “Right to Work,” “At-Will Employment” and all kinds of Executive Orders from Trump giving these billionaires the right to pollute and contaminate our living environment- the water we drink, the air we breathe and the land our food is grown on.


If there isn’t a conspiracy of the billionaires, what might this be called? Capitalism?

Business gets its "free lunch" but workers arestill waiting for their checks.

So, my Congressman says he “doesn’t have time” to find out why every single person who hasn’t received their promised “$1,200.00 stimulus check” hasn’t received one.


I’m guessing there will be millions of people entitled to a check that will never receive their check and there will be no means of accountability...


Just like we will never know who got what with the trillions of dollars doled out to the banks and businesses...


But, WE will end up paying for all this “free money” being doled out to the banks and businesses who are opposed to government “doles.”


You better believe we are going to be paying through the nose for all this “free money” the government is doling out to the banks and businesses.


I notice none of these bankers and business people are complaining “there is no such thing as a free lunch.”

China is our friend, not our enemy; Wall Street is our common enemy.

I mentioned this poll although I had not had the chance to read it.


I will be responding to this poll on my blog over the months ahead and throughout this campaign which will attempt to drag the American people into a new era of intense McCarthyism further eroding democracy while threatening world peace.


This poll pretty much outlines that anti-China hate Trump (and the Republicans) and Biden (and the Democrats) will be spewing during this 2020 campaign as they beat the drums of war.


The racist hate campaign against China goes back over one-hundred years in this country and the anti-Communist and red-baiting hate campaign go back to the 1940’s and the 1950’s as the sensible and sane voices of reason were driven out of the U.S. State Department and all government positions regarding foreign affairs as the media was drawn into this never-ending anti-China hate bashing campaign. Then we had the left-wing kicked out of the labor movement by a bunch of millionaire labor leaders more loyal to the Wall Street bosses than the workers who paid union dues; and these labor leaders joined the bosses in attacking China.


And I would point out that the heavily degreed intellectuals in academia are responsible for spewing this anti-China poison as they have dutifully served their corporate masters in churning out this anti-China/anti-Communist poison non-stop with lie after big lie being passed off as facts and truth.
All of this China bashing has been going on non-stop in this country as an inseparable part of Wall Street’s racist, anti-labor, warmongering imperialist agenda so it really isn’t any surprise that we have such polling results.


https://www.pewresearch.org/…/u-s-views-of-china-increasin…/


This China bashing hate campaign must be taken up and opposed with the facts and the truth by everyone who wants peace, social and economic justice.


And, I must say, it is disgraceful the way many leftists, who should know much better, have allowed themselves to be dragged into this China bashing.

Republicans are more negative than Democrats toward China, though unfavorable ratings have climbed among both parties.

pewresearch.org

Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, Americans' Views of China Increasingly Negative
Republicans are more negative than Democrats toward China, though unfavorable ratings have climbed among both parties.

Shame on George Galloway

Very sad to see George Galloway opposing any form of Basic Income Guarantee. But, he is an upper middle class intellectual who then talks about people who would just sit around on their sofa... like he has ever worked in a sweatshop. Of course his RT interviewer agreed with him... she just finds it offensive people don’t want to “work” like she has to.


This is why we need working people thinking and speaking for themselves.


We work so even these so-called “leftists” can pontificate against us claiming they are for us.
Galloway should be challenged on Basic Income Guarantee.


Galloway says everyone who can work, should work even though he really has never experienced real work for himself... he might have a different view of the Basic Income Guarantee if he had to work nine or ten hours a day (Or more) six days a week in a sweatshop for which he was paid a poverty wage.


Shame on George Galloway.

Socialism and China

I’m often asked what I think about socialism in China and whether or not I think China is socialist.


China is a big country with lots of people. Many people in China have different ideas about socialism.


I think China is socialist.


But three things really bother me about what I see from afar.


First; the Chinese have allowed their capitalist joint partners in enterprises to dominate too much power over workers in the workplace and have allowed and often enabled these capitalist joint partners to influence thinking without any push back.


Second; there is something wrong with promoting people in a socialist society to aspire to become millionaires and billionaires in the midst of so much poverty although on the other hand China has lifted more people out of poverty than any other country in human history through socialism.


Third; there is something wrong with any socialist country not having socialized health care. There is no excuse for China not having socialized health care.


As Jimmy Carter pointed out, China has built a modern society because it is not at war... a great big plus!


I’m confident Chinese workers will take care of their problems through socialism... we should consider doing the same.


Let China develop without imperialist threats and interference and socialism will flourish without limit.

Stop the China bashing!

My opinion is that Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party are making great strides towards correcting the problems as they continue to build a just and democratic China.


Instead of all this China bashing we should be focused on creating a just and sane peaceful foreign policy working in cooperation with China.


I would encourage everyone to read the book, “China Hands,” to understand the sordid and corrupt modern history based on the most perverted reactionary anti-Communist Big Lies behind our own country’s foreign policy towards China.


I also find it very encouraging that Xi Jinping has encouraged all the people in China to take up the collective studying and discussion of the “Communist Manifesto;” because, as our own Frances Perkins who as Secretary of Labor responsible for shaping the New Deal reforms pointed out, the “Communist Manifesto” has many very important ideas contributing to building a socially just society and she said people should not be afraid to read it lest these good ideas remain on the pages of an old pamphlet.


So, like our own Constitution and Bill of Rights along with the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights... the “Communist Manifesto” helps us shape the kind of movements required in our struggles for peace, against racism, and for socially and economically justice society.


Working people everywhere should be studying the “Communist Manifesto” right along with our fellow workers in China who need our solidarity, not this China bashing they are getting from Wall Street’s over-paid capitalist Sooth-Sayers passed off as pundits and bribed corrupt politicians.

Picture I took of Nasturtium on the patio


Image may contain: flower, plant, nature and outdoor

Planet of the Humans... my review

Michael Moore has a great new movie out released for Earth Day concerning the hypocrisy of the foundation-funded “green movement.”


You can see the movie for free on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Zk11vI-7czE


In my opinion the movie provides a lot for discussion but falls short.


Capitalism is a system that is not compatible with human needs or taking care of the planet.


It’s unfortunate this movie did not examine the complete carbon footprint of the Military-Industrial Complex, militarism and wars because the planet can sustain a society based along the lines of human needs but it can not sustain a society that includes militarism and wars.


This movie didn’t even consider the cost just in terms of the energy required by the Military-Industrial Complex let alone the huge carbon footprint required to rebuild in the aftermath of all these wars.


https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/climate-change-and-the-military-industrial-complex1?fbclid=IwAR0ZiIEQ_K-Z4a9dS2jR8AfuRcye6rikB8rOCXkI3UiswlMSzVcqhI_6b8o


We can’t even begin dealing with climate change and global warming without taking up the need for peace and disarmament and the complete reordering of our country’s priorities away from militarism and wars and towards meeting the needs of the people in a rational way.


The hypocrisy of the “Green movement” entails a lot more than what this movie exposes.


If we had a planned economy, a cooperative socialist commonwealth... the socialism described by Albert Einstein, we could drastically reduce energy production and planning in a world St peace would be for far longer than seven generations:


https://socialismtheoryandpractice.blogspot.com/2007/07/why-socialism-byalbert-einstein.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR3DBVflaZjSIvBjWL7q8SqkRa4Dp1TN8441q-H1SDM9g1dJmzWAmlGE7zA


The movie was critical of capitalism- to an extent- but it certainly did not bring forward the only alternative: socialism.


The question before all humanity now is:


Socialism or extinction?


We can’t go back... we can only go forward.

Michael Moore presents Planet of the Humans, a documentary that dares to say what no one else will this Earth Day — that we are losing the battle to stop cli...
youtube.com
Michael Moore Presents: Planet of the Humans | Full Documentary | Directed by Jeff Gibbs
Michael Moore presents Planet of the Humans, a documentary that dares to say what no one else will this Earth Day — that we are losing the battle to stop cli...

Still waiting?

Why aren’t Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer demanding to know why so many millions of people have not received their stimulus checks as promised?

Are they part of Trump’s scam to provide some of the people with checks but not everyone?

Save the U.S. Postal Service


No photo description available.

Image may contain: one or more people and outdoor

May Day... Dare to struggle, dare to win!

(Please note: per suggestions I have added a few things; I welcome further suggestions and discussion)


I’m going to keep re-posting (I call this digital leafleting and you can help leaflet [share]) this from time to time because people keep asking if they can share it... you can share anything you want from my page:


Republicans and Democrats in Congress backed and bribed by Wall Street are making the decisions affecting working people and working class families without any input from us; this is in no way acceptable. We must let them know by way of asserting ourselves that this is unacceptable. As working people we are entitled to a seat at the decision-making table- this is our lives we are talking about.


It is not right or just or acceptable in any way, shape or form that only our employers have a seat at the decision-making table.


How do we get a seat at the decision-making table when we are arrogantly excluded from the process by politicians who have the unmitigated gall to help our Wall Street employers, bankers and vulture capitalists before helping those of us who create the wealth? We need to raise so much hell until we get a seat at the decision-making table.


Think about this:


Usually a government professing to be democratic will invite all concerned and affected parties to fully articulate their problems through a series of hearings held in locations convenient for many people to attend.


Conclusion:


That this has not been done because the wealthy in power would be embarrassed to hear that they have been selfishly hoarding for themselves the wealth we have created and they don’t want this very fundamental and basic injustice of the capitalist system to be exposed lest they be forced to turn this wealth over for the common good of all in order to prevent mass misery and suffering of those of us who have created this wealth.


We must never forget that it is we, the working class with no small amount of help from Mother Nature who create ALL wealth and we must constantly remind these politicians of this because they would rather all of this not be publicly discussed...


Out of sight is out of mind!


As workers we must never forget this and we must assert our views and our demands for justice...


Right now at this moment of crisis with the capitalist economic system in a state of collapse exacerbated by this coronavirus pandemic we must insist our livelihoods and our rights be protected...


First and foremost this requires every adult be provided by the government with two-thousand dollars a month and every child in the family be provided for with five-hundred dollars a month at least as long as this crisis continues... and, by rights, justice requires this be made permanent.


Let us state in no uncertain terms that we as working people bear no responsibility for the economic crisis or the coronavirus crisis since we have had no seat at the decision-making table when it comes to economic policy or health care policy and this has to change and it needs to change now in order to avoid mass suffering and despair... democracy and the most basic and fundamental rights require no less... so let’s have an end to this hypocrisy of the wealthy few making all the decisions in this country.


Any thinking person, except for the most ethically and politically corrupt, can see and understand there is something drastically wrong with denying the majority of the people- those of us who create ALL the wealth- a seat at the decision-making table.


We also need legislation to be advanced for a National Public Health Care System...


Publicly funded.


Publicly administered.


Publicly delivered...


Based on the model of public education.


We should probably be thinking in terms of building some kind of huge massive “people’s lobby” in order for us (working people) to become participants in the decision-making process.


We should be thinking in terms of a huge Peace Dividend to pay for it all along with a very hefty progressive tax on the rich.


As for the National Public Health Care System, the present Medicare payroll tax will more than pay for this.


Maybe we should consider a really novel idea.


Something like a “We the People” kind of government?


Perhaps we need some kind of “people’s lobby” to push this through to reality:


https://www.facebook.com/100002118322023/posts/3139513512795895/


Not that I want to be accused of inciting revolution like Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson did.

Alan Maki


Why are so few Democrats backing this? Where is the movement being organized to get behind this legislation?

House Democrats have introduced legislation that would expand the federal government’s coronavirus relief cash payments to $2,000 a month until the economy recovers.On Wednesday, Americans who qualify started getting one-time checks from the Treasury Department of up to $1,200 per adult depending ...

thehill.com

House Democrats propose $2,000 monthly payments to Americans
House Democrats have introduced legislation that would expand the federal government’s coronavirus relief cash payments to $2,000 a month until the economy recovers.On Wednesday, Americans who qualify started getting one-time checks from the Treasury Department of up to $1,200 per adult depending ...

My response to David Millstone and the former leaders of SDS who are now backing Wall Street's neo-liberal racist warmonger and rapist Joe Biden,

This is my response to one of the people who signed on to the letter endorsing Biden after he circulated an article critical of Cuomo who he supported for Governor of New York in the same way...


I feel this is fitting for public discussion; he does not, but I don’t understand why not? He accuses me of “sneering;” whatever that means?


Anyways, this is my response to Daniel Millstone...


Daniel Millstone


There is no sneering intended. Why is this a question for a private conversation? It seems to me we need to publicly address movement building since this is the only way we might hold these neo-liberal politicians accountable.


You are the one suggesting we elect these people knowing exactly how they are going to attack the working class. You talk about pressuring these people to do what is right after they are elected, right?


I’m assuming that if Cuomo replaces Biden to lead the Democratic Party ticket as many people in New York and around the country are calling for, you will then be supporting Cuomo for president knowing exactly how he has attacked the working class in New York.


You did very publicly sign your name to a statement supporting Biden so you make yourself a public figure and as such you, too, should be held accountable as to whether or not you are providing the proper advice on these matters to people.


There is no sneering intended nor any kind of animosity...


I just think we have a right to know how those of you who sign on to these statements as leaders intend to lead us out of the messes you help get us into.


As you are aware, I sent an email to the group of you who signed on to supporting Biden... I made a very specific and straight forward suggestion (you are always asking me what I suggest) that we all join together in supporting the legislation introduced by a dozen or so Democrats to provide everyone making less than $155,000.00 a year with $2,000.00 a month until the economy returns to pre coronavirus levels.


There has been no answer to this suggestion; why not?


I’m sure you understand the influence and power of mass movements since I assume when you talk about holding these politicians’ feet to the fire you are talking about mass movements to attain certain specific objectives.


These Democrats have introduced this legislation now because they say, and they are correct- I assume you agree- that the American people need this relief now, not after Biden or Cuomo are elected and assume office a long way off from now.


Let’s have a roundtable discussion about how to proceed... I would be happy to come to New York to discuss publicly building such a movement to win passage of this legislation.


This is an emergency and we should respond as such; don’t you think?

Unemployment soars to over thirty-million

Maybe we need full employment legislation along with those $2,000.00 a month checks that legislation brought forward by a handful of Democrats promises... this is a dire emergency, pass this legislation now.

May Day! A day of working class struggle!

On this May Day demand $2,000.00 a month for every adult and $500.00 a month for each child in the family for every working class family with an income less than $55,000.00 a month.


We are not asking for a handout.


This is the wealth the working class has created to which we are entitled.


A living income for all now!