thoughts from podunk

Do I have the right to cast my one precious vote for the kind of country I want without being called names?

2012-01-29T08:15:00.002-06:00

I was added to this glorious FaceBook page, "Baby Boomers 4 Obama," without my permission.

Now on this page I am told anyone who has the audacity to cast their vote for the kind of country they want is now considered a "spoiler."

This is an interesting point of view in a country boasting to the world that it is the greatest bastion of democracy where each and every vote is "dear" and "precious."

But, Democrats not happy with Obama could just as easily cast their votes for Jill Stein, thereby unifying the liberal, progressive and left vote bringing Jill Stein to the White House instead of Obama or Romney whose major distinguishing difference is that Romney is a vulture capitalist and Obama represents the venture Capitalists from the Wall Street crowd as we can see from his "bundlers." Oh, wait! A venture capitalist is a vulture capitalist! No difference at all there.

More to the point. Obama could just do those things he built his campaign around and then there would be no reason for voters to be in this quandary as to who they should vote for. Isn't this a new and novel concept?

In the meantime as Obama carries out his Wall Street agenda of wars, murder and mayhem abroad while sticking it to U.S. tax-payers to pick up the tab, as we get austerity measures shoved down our throats with food prices, electricity and home heating fuels soaring as the robbery at the gas pumps continues unabated; home foreclosures mounting with no end in sight and no prosecutions nor jailing of these Wall Street perpetrators of their crimes that victimize millions of families; college and university tuitions rising in an unending upwards spiral; with police violence and repression shown every night on the news as Obama has eroded our most basic and fundamental Constitutional Rights protected by what is left of the Bill of Rights--- have I left out any reason why people might be thinking of voting for a real progressive like Jill Stein?

Oh, yes; I forgot the bailouts of the bankers and auto industry and the "Health Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010" that we got from Obama instead of the single-payer universal health care system Obama said he was for in order to win the 2008 Primary Election.

Did I leave anything else out?

By golly I did. Obama has refused to enforce Affirmative Action in the billions of dollars of from his "stimulus funding" with unemployment among people of color, women and the handicapped soaring out of sight more rapidly than food prices in the super-market.

Now, do any of you Obama sock-puppets worried about a
"split vote" from "spoilers" want to provide me with your list of 244 reasons to re-elect this Wall Street charlatan who makes Elmer Gantry look like a Tibetan monk?

Do I have the right. in this democracy--- or what purports to be a democracy--- to cast my one precious vote for peace, jobs, social and economic justice without being called names?

The Native Mob--- arrests too late, and no solutions to the problems giving rise to this violence

2012-01-26T11:08:00.000-06:00

Why have the Minnesota government, FBI and other police agencies waited so long to start cleaning out these degenerates in the Native Mob after allowing them to terrorize entire communities for so long?

And why haven't the corrupt tribal politicians who have been using the Native Mob to enforce their rule been arrested, too?

These police agencies and the FBI are as corrupt and rotten as the Native Mob; more so because they tolerated this for so long.

Had these police agencies taken action when they should have ten and fifteen years ago, all these young people now being arrested would not have become involved in these violent, criminal activities.

And had there been the proper programs to give young people the kind of direction and opportunities in life--- like decent educations, the kind of recreation and sports programs all youth require as part of growing up and jobs with real living wages--- none of these gangs would even exist in the first place.

Where are the leaders of this Native Mob? Why aren't they being jailed?

Look at the Red Lake Indian Reservation--- the Tribal Chair, Floyd "Buck" Jourdain has surrounded himself with these creeps.

Then you have Archie La Rose at Leech Lake, the Tribal Chair. Prison authorities have been allowing him to campaign for office using the votes of imprisoned Native Mob members--- one has to wonder who is running the prisons, the wardens or the prisoners.

And then we have this Native Mob walking right into the Beltrami County Jail distributing drugs to everyone from guards to prisoners.

Had governments at all levels been doing their jobs creating a decent and caring society with the kinds of programs kids require, none of these young people would have turned to this violent and criminal behavior.

We need an explanation why this Native Mob has been allowed to freely operate on and off the Indian Reservations.

It's enough to make any concerned and caring person sick. What a dirty shame these young people are now being sent off to prison for dastardly, violent anti-social crimes when society and this rotten government let them down at a time in their lives when they were entitled to much better.

And what are politicians doing to correct the problems? Nothing.

Racist Democrats and Republicans are now using the perverted concept of sovereignty created by the National Indian Gaming Association to attack the Indian Nations

2012-01-26T06:51:00.000-06:00

Racist Republicans in Wisconsin are now using the Indian Gaming Industry's perversion of sovereignty against the people of the Indian Nations. The evidence of this is right here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZosKfHDiQo&feature=player_embedded

Roger Jourdain, the now deceased long-time Chair of the Red Lake Nation, was constantly pointing out that "sovereignty" and "Indian Law" were not intended to be perverted and twisted into being used by corrupt tribal politicians to take away the basic and fundamental human rights of Indian people.

With the corrupt tribal governments using "sovereignty" to deprive casino workers the right to organize unions in defense of their health, lives and livelihoods while forcing workers to endure smoke-filled places of employment causing heart and lung diseases, cancers and complications of diabetes; these corrupt tribal governments have opened the Indian Nations to these kinds of racist attacks.

Even, Tom Bakk, a racist Democratic State Legislator here in Minnesota, has argued that the increased pollution from the Polymet mining project will have less impact on humans than the smoke in the casinos.

These racist politicians are, in essence, taking the perverted concept of "sovereignty" created by the likes of racist rich white bastards like John McCarthy to justify the denial of human rights by Indian Gaming Industry to working people and in the process using the impoverished Indian Nations as a pool of cheap labor to drive down the wages of all working people which in turn pushes the profits of the corporations like the mining companies up; the Indian Gaming Industry, which most everyone now understands is nothing but a front for organized crime and a big slush-fund for corrupt politicians, has so perverted the concept of sovereignty that this perverted concept of sovereignty is now being used against Indian people.

The people to "thank" for having perverted what sovereignty is are those like John McCarthy who heads up the Minnesota Indian gaming association, the crooked and corrupt Stanley Crooks who heads up the huge Mystic Lake Casino empire and those like wife-beater Kevin Leecy who co-chairs the National Indian Gaming Association and Wisconsin's own Ernie Stevens, Jr., the Chair of the National Indian Gaming Association.

Racist Democrats and Republicans in both Minnesota and Wisconsin are now taking the perverted concept of sovereignty created by the National Indian Gaming Association to pollute our streams, rivers and lakes along with the air we breathe and the land we grow our food on as they destroy the wild rice and its related industry.

Now is a good time for everyone to sit down and redefine the issue of tribal sovereignty to what it is supposed to be: a defense of Indian people and Indian Nations, not to hurt and harm people in a continuation of centuries long racist genocide, but to defend the rights--- the human rights, which includes worker's rights--- of the Native American Indian peoples along with the ecosystems and environment we all share.

Enough of this racism.

Enough of this corporate greed.

A defense of real sovereignty for the Indian Nations is a defense of democracy and human rights, the environment and ecosystems important to ALL of us.

Do you believe Obama?

2012-01-25T08:14:00.000-06:00

Everything Obama talked about could have been done already--- he can't blame Congress because we all saw how both Democrats and Republicans repeatedly stood and applauded--- right on cue.

Of course, everything, for some strange reason, can only be done after the election.

At best what Obama spoke about was minimal and would be of little consequence in ending the crisis of everyday living for most working people; at worst, Obama is Obama--- one big liar who will turn everything he makes sound good into one more boondoggle enabling Wall Street to feed at the public trough as he drags us closer and closer to one, two, three and more wars while sticking working people with the tab from which his campaign contributors--- Wall Street vultures--- will profit from... and, it is the worst we are in for.

Remember, it was Obama who built his base of support on two issues:

1. Peace--- in 2008 he was the candidate for peace; he got the Peace Prize and ever since we have been a nation at war;

2. Obama promised single-payer universal health care; once elected we got the "Health Insurance and Pharmaceutical Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010."

Obama hired a gaggle of phoney leftists like Tom Hayden, Bill Fletcher, Jr., Barbara Ehrenreich, and Carl Davidson to help him sell himself as a progressive which we now know for sure he is not.

Will people fall for Obama's crap another time around?

Obama or Romney--- the exact same reactionary Wall Street agenda of wars abroad and austerity measures here at home to pay for the wars is going to continue.

Liberals, progressives and the left--- have you had enough?

We have five alternatives before us as we enter an intense stage of electoral politics:

1. We can drop out and abstain from participating in the class struggle--- don't vote and leave the fate of our democracy solidly without opposition in our enemy's--- Wall Street's hands;

2. We can vote for one of the "lesser evils," who appears to be Romney;

3. We can vote for Jill Stein/Green Party
< http://www.jillstein.org/ >;

4. We can vote for Rocky Anderson/Justice Party
< https://www.voterocky.org/home.html >;

5. We can push for Rocky Anderson/Justice Party and Jill /green Party to join forces and work like hell to break free from this two-party trap as we struggle to take power from these Wall Street parasites who will be putting on a multi-billion dollar show arguing with one another over whether they are "vulture" capitalists or "venture" capitalists--- when they are really nothing but the same greedy bastards coming back in 2012 to pick our bones clean.

Check out the New Progressive Alliance--- working towards a united liberal/progressive/left political alternative:
< http://newprogs.org/ >

Please add your thoughts; circulate and share.

Carter: Gingrich's 'subtle words' have racist appeal

2012-01-22T15:19:00.002-06:00

Carter: Gingrich's 'subtle words' have racist appeal ~ "Former President Jimmy Carter on Wednesday charged Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich with crafting his campaign message in a way that speaks to prejudice. "I wouldn't say he's racist, but he knows the subtle words to use to appeal to a racist group," the former Democratic president. Carter said Gingrich's experience as a former congressman from Georgia prepared him to use rhetoric that would be more popular in the South, including within certain constituencies in South Carolina. Carter said Gingrich uses terms about welfare "that have been appealing in the past, in those days when we cherished segregation of the races." So he's appealing for that in South Carolina, and I don't think it'll pay off in the long run," Carter added. " ~

I like Jimmy Carter; he was a worthless president but in later years has substantially redeemed himself. But, now, in Carter, the Democrats have found a voice to call racists the racists they really are while remaining silent about the fact that Obama has substantially strengthened institutionalized racism because he has refused to enforce Affirmative Action. Since Carter the president only very meekly and weakly enforced Affirmative Action, I guess we should just be happy he has spoken out against the vile racism of Newt Gingrich--- but wait! Stop! Carter has referred to Newt Gingrich's vile racism saying it should be considered "subtle."

What is with these recent descriptions of racism as being "soft" and "subtle?"

And what is with people being unable to clearly explain Obama's refusing to enforce Affirmative Action as contributing to the strengthening of institutionalized racism?

It's kind of like we are being desensitized for the further use of racist language while simultaneously being prepared to accept politicians who do nothing to end racism.

Kind of sad, but these radical and incendiary words seem to be words we need to be hearing, now---

"A good job is as basic and important a civil right as a good education . . . which would require such [affirmative] action by law, was both necessary and right... would require federal contractors to show affirmative action' to meet the goals of increasing minority employment."

and---

"Neither the President nor the Congress nor the conscience of the nation can permit money which comes from all the people to be used in a way which discriminates against some of the people."

We really can't expect Obama and the Democrats like Jimmy Carter to go around talking like this; could we?

Radical, inflammatory and incendiary remarks like above stirring controversy and inciting social disruption.

Words uttered by an angry Malcolm X? No.

What about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? Nah.

President Richard M. Nixon.

Kind of a sad commentary on politics in our country when we can't even expect former President Jimmy Carter and current President Barack Obama to speak and act on a level with the likes of Richard Nixon.

Gingrich's "subtle words have racist appeal."

What signal do you suppose the President of the United States refusing to enforce Affirmative Action sends to the white sheeted crowd? Maybe something like: "We won; we won."

The time has come to free ourselves from this two-party trap

2012-01-22T10:39:00.000-06:00

The time is here to free ourselves from this two-party trap

by Alan Maki on Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 10:25am

I think when people step forward and run for office as Jill Stein has done in running for president by putting forward our agenda for real progressive change, we shouldn't be concerned how "professional" they and their staffs are.

We should be willing to volunteer and pitch in to help fill the gaps.

It doesn't take that much for each and everyone of us to use our e-mail lists to send out information about Jill Stein, Rocky Anderson and Darcy Richardson.

Make a post here and there to sites we visit or normally post to.

Write letters to the editor and op-ed pieces articulating the anger of the majority of the people with the two-parties.

With almost 20,000 people participating on FireDogLake, hundreds of thousands more on FaceBook, if we all did our little part we would be able to become quite a formidable electoral force for real progressive change.

Look at it this way: We are each like one little snowflake, we don't amount to much--- but, together we are like a blizzard.

I also think we need to push very hard to get Jill Stein and Rocky Anderson to reach a "meeting of the minds" in coming together to create a "unity" ticket. We try to unite our various movements in spite of very large differences at times in order to achieve specific goals and objectives, and our activities in the electoral field should receive the same kind of attention.

I am for a Stein-Anderson or Anderson-Stein ticket with them announcing very quickly a cabinet that would consist of an even broad range of thinking from liberal to progressive and left from all regions of the country.

Many people fed up with this two-party trap would appreciate us forging a new political party bringing together the historic coalition which has won so much over the years--- and in this situation, finally breaking free from the Democrats and Republicans in challenging Wall Street for power would be an important accomplishment. Plus it would leave us with a strong movement to push forward for real change.

People should not write-off that it is not possible to win. There will likely be a few more parties capable of getting significant numbers of votes in the mix of things. In a four or five way race everything changes and with a focus on reflecting at the polls the historic coalition of liberals, progressives and the left we would form the largest POTENTIAL voting block--- hence we see the desperation and meanness of these Obama sock-puppets and their friends from outfits like the "Progressives for Obama" whose intent it is to bully us into silence. Let's not get demoralized and feel beat down before we begin to fight.

The die-hard Obama boosters want us to think the world will end if Obama isn't re-elected. This is why they don't want to go up against Romney. Because Romney, where he stands now, is no different at all from Obama. Should Romney get smart and move towards the domestic policies of Richard Nixon, Obama is in big, big trouble. Kind of strange and sad, but if one studies Nixon's record on labor, civil rights (especially Native American issues), the environment--- Nixon comes out light-years ahead of Obama; and, if one looks at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under Nixon, while George Romney was at the helm, George Romney makes Obama entire cabinet look like a bunch of fascist morons.

Richard Nixon said: "A good job is as basic and important a civil right as a good education . . . which would require such [affirmative] action by law, was both necessary and right... would require federal contractors to show affirmative action' to meet the goals of increasing minority employment."

Tricky Dick Nixon, speaking of ending discrimination in employment declared: "Neither the President nor the Congress nor the conscience of the nation can permit money which comes from all the people to be used in a way which discriminates against some of the people."

Obama is sunk if Mitt Romney starts speaking in this way.

People still clinging to two-party politics will likely turn to Romney as "the lesser evil."

Most people will be turned off as Obama and Romney argue over who is the best candidate to carry on the "virtues" of this rotten capitalist system as they argue over whether or not Romney is a vulture capitalist or a venture capitalist.

Not to mention rising food, clothing, gas and home heating oil prices to together with continuing massive unemployment, rising student debt and tuition costs, unending wars and occupations with austerity measures being shoved down our throats with Social Security and all of our public institutions from schools to libraries and roads taking hits.

Under these circumstances we have the perfect opportunity to break free from this two-party trap. And if we don't seize this opportunity to at least build a lasting base for our third party alternative we will have lost a great opportunity.

Such a political development would have the possibility of electing candidates at other levels--- local, state and congressional if some activists with an inclination to run for public office begin making plans now.

One such activist who has seen the opportunity here in Minnesota is Michael Cavlan who has come out swinging against the Democrats and Republicans. He has hitched his cart to the Rocky Anderson wagon--- good thinking in my opinion. Consider what impact a couple dozen campaigns like this across the country would have.

For those who live in areas of the country where it is hard to imagine a snowstorm; think of a little raindrop. One little raindrop doesn't amount to much--- but let it pour!

Kevin Leecy— wife beater and gambling kingpin; front-man for the mob

2012-01-21T07:51:00.002-06:00

Kevin Leecy— wife beater and gambling kingpin; front-man for the mob
By: Alan Maki Saturday January 21, 2012 6:46 am	Tweet

This article [http://www.startribune.com/opinion/otherviews/137720973.html] was written by Kevin Leecy— a real creep, who not only beats the crap out of his wife (he was arrested, and convicted, for beating her unconscious), but works for some of the most violent and corrupt mobsters in the United States.
As Kevin Leecy is fully aware, not one single Indian or Indian Nation or their tribal gaming enterprises owns anything in these casinos or anything associated with these casinos— one family of mobsters owns the slot machines, another family of mobsters owns the restaurants, another family of mobsters own the bars, another mobster family owns the hotels and motels, etc. All that the Indian Nations own is one great big pile of debt which enables the owners of the slot machines to walk away with huge un-taxed profits.
The lawsuit filed by White Earth Indian Nation against one of the most violent organized crime families in the United States clearly demonstrates the ties between organized crime and this so-called Indian Gaming Industry where everyone profits, including the politicians, except for Indians. There was a huge settlement awarded but collecting on that settlement will be another matter.

For more background information see:

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/12/21/tribal-casino-settlement/

http://www.whiteearth.com/data/upfiles/files/Jan52011_2.pdf

http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=339682

The only thing the Indian Nations own associated with these casinos is a huge pile of debt which is breeding massive poverty.

There is a huge price to pay for gambling with the mob:

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/930823/archive_015665_3.htm

The price Indian Nations and Indian people pay for gambling with the mob is called P-O-V-E-R-T-Y; massive poverty.
Kevin Leecy, Marge Anderson and the rest of these crooked and corrupt tribal officials signing this statement— and, yes, they are all crooked and corrupt— force over 44,000 Minnesota casino workers and those employed in the related hotel/motel, restaurants, bars and theme parks to work in loud, noisy, smoke-filled workplaces that would be violations of state and federal labor laws in any other places of employment here in Minnesota as he enables a bunch of rich white mobsters to abscond with the majority of the profits.
Who believes Leecy’s financial figures? Only those who allow themselves to be duped because they “don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth.” No one can check Leecy’s figures because no appropriate financial records are kept as recent court trials have shown. In fact, the people of the White Earth Nation were bilked out of over $700 million by mobster Anthony Medure— almost one billion dollars. And even with the winning of this law suit the White Earth Band will be lucky if they are able to take possession of an old dump truck from Anthony Medure.
I find it ironic that Archie LaRose, the Tribal Chair of Leech Lake Indian Nation, had the unmitigated gall to sign this opinion piece after his own father and mother were found to be stealing the casino blind. And how much did Melanie Benjamin steal from the casino operations without being prosecuted and here we have Marge Anderson signing this. And then here we have Floyd “Buck” Jourdain signing this while his drug dealing family using Red Lake’s casinos to push their filthy drugs from Red Lake’s three casinos and their Warroad Casino on Lake-of-the-Woods maintains a “party boat” that forces casino workers into prostitution .
This is a disgrace that the Minneapolis Star Tribune would allow this kind of opinion piece to be published without challenging anything that has been written— a bunch of lies intending to deceive by covering up the facts— all of which mirrors the corruption entailed in the Indian Gaming Industry intended to make a few wealthy dregs of society even richer directly off the poverty being forcibly imposed on the Indian people and all casino workers.
These casino operations create huge pools of cheap labor with their poverty wages, which other businesses appreciate because these huge pools of cheap labor push all wages across this state down.
Kevin Leecy and his battalion of high-paid lobbyists (And how many of these high-paid lobbyists are Native American— what’s wrong, there are no Native Americans qualified to do this lobbying? What qualifications for lobbying Minnesota politicians does one need other than being able to carry around a brown paper bag full of cash and handing it out while putting a handful here and there into one’s own pocket?)
Leecy has a lot of nerve talking about problems of people living on Indian Reservations when he is directly involved in creating many of these problems while the politicians the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association back with huge bribes are directly responsible for creating the rest of the problems— problems ranging from:
1. Massive poverty (casino workers paid poverty wages are going to be poor— any school child understands this connection between poverty wages and poverty); over 300,000 people, the family members of those employed in these casinos and related businesses in the jobs Kevin Leecy boasts about creating are all poor.
2. Ill health from working day in and day out in smoke-filled casinos— heart and lung diseases, cancers and diabetes complications related to cigarette smoke.
3. Workers with no rights at work in the workplace— as we have seen, gaming officials and management harass, threaten to fire and fire casino workers who voice opinions and participate in activities contrary to those of casino managements. Hundreds of casino workers in Minnesota were fired when they clamored for casino workers to be included in Minnesota’s “Freedom to Breaths” legislation which our Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council led efforts to get enacted only to be left out of the protection by Minnesota legislators including those who call themselves ”progressive” and talk about “containing health care costs.” For those like Minnesota DFL State Senator John Marty, containing the health care costs of 44,000 casino workers was not as important as receiving what is in the “brown paper bags” delivered by over thirty high-paid lobbyists at election time. It is all about “money, money, money;” the money being stolen from the Indian Nations and Indian people.
Kevin Leecy does not mention casino workers are forced to sign statements as the condition of their employment that they will not engage in union organizing lest they will be immediately terminated. Hundreds of workers have been fired from the huge Mystic Lake Casino operation for being engaged in union organizing. This is blatant illegal conduct on the part of Stanley Crooks who oversees Mystic Lake operations and because Stanley Crooks is such a great “philanthropist,” elected officials are willing to overlook this. Just forcing people to sign a statement as a condition of their employment that they understand they will be terminated should they be found to be engaged in union organizing is, in and of itself, blatantly illegal and in opposition to everything the United Nation’s Declaration of Human Rights stands for not to mention the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights which remain the supreme and over-riding laws of all the Indian Nations— all of whom fly the flag of the United States of America.
Why doesn’t Kevin Leecy tell us about the thousands of casino workers who have been fired for having done nothing wrong at all under the “at will” terms of employment— and how these casino managements will spend tens of thousands of dollars fighting to deny these workers unjustly terminated unemployment benefits?
Kevin Leecy doesn’t tell us how the Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association lives. Why didn’t Kevin Leecy ask the Star Tribune to have his picture taken on the multi-million dollar estate of John McCarthy so Native Americans can see how this man lives at their expense?
And why didn’t Kevin Leecy and Marge Anderson tell us about the nifty little business John McCarthy, this rich white man, bought himself with the proceeds from Indian Gaming.
John McCarthy purchased Tony Doom Supply Company, a campaign supply specialty business.

John McCarthy, the Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, hands out bribes— campaign contributions to all the Democrats and many Republicans— with one hand; and with the other hand he takes the money back for himself through Tony Doom Supply Company which produces campaign yard signs, pens and pencils, and sells the politicians their office furniture, etc.

Tax-payers pay for much of this luxury office furniture for their legislative offices at prices more than ten times it could be purchased from at any other office supply company… quite the scam McCarthy has going— the Minnesota Attorney General, Secretary of State and even Governor Dayton purchase office furniture and equipment from McCarthy’s Tony Doom Enterprises— as do politicians all over the United States who are bribed with the funds derived from Indian Gaming as their pay-offs for creating and supporting the “Compacts” which create and enable all of this corruption.
Kevin Leecy, Marge Anderson, John McCarthy— nothing but a bunch of swindling crooks stealing from Indian people while simultaneously pushing Indian people further into poverty.

By the way; is there a reason why the Minneapolis Star Tribune never questions Kevin Leecy, John McCarthy, Marge Anderson, Floyd “Buck” Jourdain or any of the other signers of this opinion piece as to how much they make? For the answer to this question, check out all the casino advertising in the Minneapolis Star Tribune— ditto for all the other newspaper, radio and television stations.
Kevin Leecy got let off for beating the crap out of his wife and the Minneapolis Star Tribune lets him get away with peddling these lies… it is all about money, money, money— the mobsters and the lobbyists along with newspaper owners and politicians just love money; their love of money supersedes the truth and addressing the problems of the people associated with poverty.

Any day of the week anyone can sit in a Beltrami County courtroom and see people having beat their wives like Kevin Leecy did being sent off to the state prisons; yet here we have this guy writing an opinion piece that is nothing but unchallenged lie after unchallenged lie photographed in the Fortune Bay Casino in a nice fancy suit when he should be photographed in a prison uniform behind prison bars.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/137357813.html

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/otherviews/137720973.html

Minnesota tribes are about more than gambling

www.startribune.com

Some Minnesotans refer to tribes not by their official names but by their casinos’ names, such as “Grand Casino” for the

Romney, Bain Capital, and the 2012 Election

2012-01-20T08:36:00.000-06:00

Romney, Bain Capital, and the 2012 Election
By: Alan Maki Friday January 20, 2012 7:27 am	Tweet

Republicans are now attacking Romney by asking: Why would we vote for someone just like Obama?
I have wondered the same thing myself ever since Obama announced he was seeking election.

Only I asked the question a little differently.

I asked my fellow liberals, progressives and leftists: Why would we vote for Obama; he is no different from Romney?

And now Romney and Obama attack each other.

Obama calls himself a defender of “venture capitalism” while attacking Romney as a “vulture capitalist” and some of Romney’s own Republicans have seized on criticizing Romney as a “vulture capitalist.”

Romney himself is insulted being called a “vulture capitalist” and refers to himself as a “venture capitalist.”

In fact, “venture capitalists” are “vulture capitalists;” and, “vulture capitalists” are “venture capitalists.”

Proving once again there is no difference between Obama and Romney.

And in the meantime, Wall Street becomes uneasy that capitalism is being talked about at all because all this talk about capitalism makes people begin to question the legitimacy of a system that has functioned so well; functioned so well creating wealth for the greedy few as so many people are forced to suffer.

I can’t help but wonder why working people and all the victims of capitalism— including the racially and nationally oppressed and women— haven’t been quick to join in this discussion about capitalism which is now in its most savage, barbaric, cannibalistic imperialist stage?

Why have the unions been so hesitant to join in this discussion?

We are living in the “twilight of world capitalism” as this imperialist stage of capitalism was described by the great working class leader William Z. Foster, while the official voice of Wall Street, Alan Greenspan, refers to our times as being “the age of turbulence.

“Venture capitalist” or “vulture capitalist;” what we are talking about are a bunch of greedy Wall Street coupon clipping parasites for whom the capitalist system works very well at the expense of most of us suffering.

How is Barack Obama’s and Mitt Romney’s Wall Street war economy of venture/vulture capitalism working for you?

“Venture” or “vulture” capitalism— capitalism doesn’t work for most of us so why aren’t we discussing its replacement with a system that will work for everyone? Instead of this dog-eat-dog capitalist system we need a cooperative social and economic system, socialism?

When President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins, was called a “Communist” for advocating “New Deal” reforms “straight out of ‘The Communist Manifesto’,” Perkins looked her attackers straight in the eyes and politely responded: “I would rather see programs helping people instead of remaining mere words on the pages of an old pamphlet.”

Today, we should have the same courage demonstrated by Madame Secretary Frances Perkins as we working people join this discussion and debate about capitalism.

Romney says, “It is capitalism and freedom that make us strong.”

Obama argues in response, “It is freedom and capitalism that make us strong.”

Can someone explain to me where we find the “lesser evil” between Obama and Romney?

They both admit to supporting a very evil— and collapsing— capitalist economic system in its twilight stage of imperialism that is giving us war after war while breeding racism, unemployment and poverty as quickly as maggots in the bottom of a filthy garbage can multiply.

Romney “worked” for Bain Capital. Bain Capital works for Obama.

I wonder why, since corporations are now persons, why Bain Capital just doesn’t run for president in 2012?

A message to Wisconsin liberals and progressives who are convening meetings across their state

2012-01-18T09:06:00.000-06:00

A message to Wisconsin liberals and progressives who are convening meetings across their state:

I'm not a resident of Wisconsin; but, as Director of Organizing for the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council representing thousands of casino workers employed in Wisconsin trying to organize to protect their health, livelihoods and rights, I am wondering when Wisconsin liberals and progressives are going to do what good liberals and progressives should do, stand up for the rights of thousands of casino workers in Wisconsin employed in what is called the Indian Gaming Industry; an industry where all the slot machines and table games are owned by a bunch of rich white mobsters leaving the Indian Nations mired in poverty creating debt with the casino workers forced to work in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and without any rights--- no rights at all--- under the same state and federal labor laws protecting all other workers? In return for delivering this anti-labor/anti-worker agenda to these casino managements, the Wisconsin Democratic Party is richly rewarded with millions of dollars in campaign contributions by tribal governments who are trying to focus people's attention away from the unhealthy smoke-filled casinos by drawing attention to the mining companies. But, does it really make any difference if people die from heart and lung diseases and cancers and smoke-complicated problems relating to diabetes caused by being forced to work in a smoke-filled casino workplace or if people die as a result of the mining companies pumping contaminating pollutants into the fresh water aquifers, streams, rivers and lakes we drink from and catch fish in, or harvest the wild rice from--- or pollute the air we breath along with the soil our food is grown on?

Thousands of your friends and neighbors are being forced to work in these smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights and it is time for you Wisconsin liberals and progressives to join with us in correcting this most atrocious and deplorable situation.

Quite frankly, I find it just a little hypocritical that many of you, especially union leaders, would selfishly ask us to defend your rights when you won't lift your voices or your little finger to defend our rights.

Just saying.

Racism in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party is orchestrated by the Governor

2012-01-18T08:57:00.001-06:00

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton stacks an audience with workers color to promote his jobs bill---

In announcing his new bonding proposals which Dayton calls his "Jobs Bill," Dayton, at his press conference had a packed "audience" at this press conference. The audience was mostly workers of color.

For some reason, after I challenged what he was doing with this hand-picked "audience" which was supposedly most construction workers of people of color by asking a very simple question--- the photo has now been removed. Here is the question I asked under the picture:

If one goes out to any construction site in the state of Minnesota, where do you find this mix including so many workers of color?

Obviously, this "good liberal" governor who refuses to enforce Affirmative Action, knew that anyone could see the validity of my comment--- and the intent of the comment which was: come on Governor Dayton, enforce Affirmative Action like you promised so when people see Minnesotans at work, they actually see what this picture was meant to convey--- a fully integrated workforce as a result of the enforcement of Affirmative Action.

So, what was the governor's response to my comment? Our "good liberal" Minnesota Governor, Mark Dayton, removed the photo from his FaceBook page.

This has got to be one of the most vile acts of racism any public official has ever engaged in by trying to make people believe there isn't a problem of racism when it comes to employment practices in Minnesota. Totally vile. Totally disgusting. Instead of correcting this racist injustice here we have Mark Dayton, the Governor of Minnesota, trying to cover the problem up.

Needless to say, along with the photo being removed, my comments on the photo were also removed--- talk about "democracy."

Shouldn't Mark Dayton be forced to respond by explaining his despicable racist behavior?

Come on Governor Dayton, we need more than "proclamations" to end racism; we need the enforcement of Affirmative Action.

2012-01-15T12:56:00.000-06:00

Mark Dayton appointed the racist bigot Mark Phillips to head up the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and now Dayton has turned around and reneged on his campaign promise to enforce Affirmative Action and close all the loop-hole enabling its enforce in Minnesota.

Come on, Governor Dayton. We need more than nice sounding proclamations; we need ACTION to end racism in employment.

This is the letter you received from me as a direct request from Micah Hinds to place my proposal to you in writing. Now you don't even have the courtesy or common human decency to respond:A letter I sent to Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton insisting he enforce Affirmative Action per our agreement while he was running for office:

Proposal for a Minnesota Governor’s Advisory Committee for the Enforcement of Affirmative Action

Goal and objective: A level playing field.

All the talk about a new Vikings’ Stadium, the need for infrastructure development and repair, talk of light rail and other large-scale public works and joint public-private initiatives and projects begs the question: What will be done to end racism in employment here in Minnesota that has historical roots combined with present indifference?

Fact: People without jobs are destined to be poor.

Unemployment, under-employment and poverty-wage jobs are the root of poverty.

Poverty is more than statistics. For living, breathing human beings, poverty means going without adequate food, clothing, health care, education, housing, and transportation.

When unemployment rises well beyond the “normal” levels for people of color, women and the handicapped, Affirmative Action as articulated and defined by Federal Executive Order Number 11246 must kick in unless we end up with large pools of unemployed in communities--- and on Indian Reservations--- of people of color which hurt us all, but no where near as much as it harms the victims of racism in employment.

These large pools of the unemployed serve to push down wages and living standards for everyone.

The enforcement of Affirmative Action will help make sure Minnesotans get the jobs funded by Minnesota tax-payers rather than workers from other states.

The enforcement of Affirmative Action will lead to encouraging and strengthening small businesses and entrepreneurship among minorities as minority contractors help recruit people of color through the enforcement of Affirmative Action.

Politicians who pander to the voices of bigotry, racism and hate often claim that advocating for the enforcement of Affirmative Action is so controversial that its enforcement creates divisions in society which tears apart our social fabric. In fact, issues like a new Vikings’ Stadium, as we have seen, are themselves very controversial.

Politics embodies controversy.

The Governor of Minnesota has the responsibility to provide leadership in the just struggle for the enforcement of Affirmative Action in a way that guides Minnesotans to creating a level playing field for everyone.

Governor Mark Dayton should establish “The Minnesota Governor’s Advisory Committee for the Enforcement of Affirmative Action” and this Committee shall consist of: one member representing the Governor, one member each from the AFL-CIO & Change To Win, one member each representing the following firms: public relations, architectural, engineering, general contractors and minority contractors, with two members representing each of the following communities: Black, Native American and Hispanic with at least one member from each of these communities being among the unemployed; three women and one handicapped representative--- 18 members in total.

All members of this Advisory Committee shall participate, together, in at least one training session explaining the history, goals and objectives ofAffirmative Action and must be made aware of the present problems relating to how racism in employment has led to current social and economic problems in the specific communities of people of color, women and the handicapped.

This Advisory Committee shall present concrete goals and objectives in reviewing all public funding where there is any type of state involvement in funding and financing including proposals for bonding bills and any joint public-private ventures in which more than $20,000.00 in public funding is involved and/or more than 15 employees hired.

The loop-hole preventing enforcing Affirmative Action must be closed by the Governor and State Legislature refusing to participate in any township, city, county, state, park’s commission, school district, college or university where there is not an Affirmative Action Policy in place being enforced.

Affirmative Action must kick in when any project is first publicly proposed or there is significant public-private cooperation towards project development--- whichever occurs first; long before the first shovel is sunk into the ground.

It is up to the parties involved to implement Affirmative Action in a timely manner so as to prevent project delays which might lead to additional costs incurred by tax-payers. Where this is not done, any costs relating to project delays should result in fines levied at the direction of the Advisory Committee on the parties responsible.

Affirmative Action is the law of the land. For the victims of historic racist employment practices continuing today which results in the need for the enforcement of Affirmative Action, Affirmative Action is both a Human Right and a Constitutional Right.

The Governor of Minnesota has a Constitutional responsibility to see to it that Affirmative Action is enforced. This Advisory Committee provides the Governor with the tools to achieve the enforcement of Affirmative Action.

People should not have to resort to law suits, direct action and other means of protest in order to have their right to employment protected.

Everyone has the right to seek employment from a level playing field.

A means to enforce Affirmative Action on the Vikings’ Stadium (and all other projects stated above) in line with stated goals and objectives must be found before planning for this project proceeds any further.

I am submitting this “Proposal for a Minnesota Governor’s Advisory Committee for the Enforcement of Affirmative Action” for consideration to Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton upon request from Micah Hines, General Counsel to Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, who requested I submit this proposal in writing to Governor Mark Dayton.

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Contact information:

58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/alan.l.maki

Copies provided to:
NAACP
Urban League
Minnesota Indian Affairs Council
AFL-CIO
Change To Win
Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party
Republican Party
Green Party

Posted to:
FaceBook... http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150474417745086
Blog.......... http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/proposal-for-minnesota-governors.html

Preliminary response from Governor Dayton:

Thank you for contacting the Office of Governor Mark Dayton. We appreciate your feedback and suggestions about how we, together, can build a better Minnesota. A member of our staff will read your message promptly.

Note: Further responses will be shared. Please share your own concerns on this issue with Governor Dayton. Contact information:

To contact Governor Mark Dayton, please write, phone, fax or e-mail.

Mailing Address:
Office of the Governor
130 State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155

Other ways to reach our office:

Telephone: 651-201-3400
Toll Free: 800-657-3717
Minnesota Relay 800-627-3529
Fax: 651-797-1850

Contact the Governor's Office by e-mail:
http://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/form/

--
Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net
E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

thoughts from podunk
thepodunkblog.blogspot.com

When will liberals, progressives and leftists become seriously and fully engaged in the electoral process?

2012-01-14T14:02:00.000-06:00

When will liberals, progressives and leftists actually become fully engaged in the electoral process?

http://my.firedoglake.com/alanmaki/2012/01/14/when-will-liberals-progressives-and-leftists-actually-become-fully-engaged-in-the-electoral-process/

By: Alan Maki Saturday January 14, 2012 12:39 pm

Rocky Anderson and Jill Stein have just as much of a chance of being elected as Ron Paul. And so does Darcy Richardson.

You know, losing is losing; it really doesn't matter how much you lose by if you leave behind an organized movement ready to meet the next electoral challenge.

Ron Paul is a fascist but he and his John Birch Society are not exactly a bunch of dummies--- after all, they have hoodwinked what looks to be thousands of progressives across this country into building a fascist base for them. People who were first hoodwinked into supporting Obama and now, disappointed with Obama, hoodwinked again to support this rotten racist Bircher Ron Paul.

The important difference between supporting Ron Paul and supporting Rocky Anderson, and most notably Jill Stein and Darcy Richardson, is that you are participating in building a progressive movement that will bode us well beyond 2012.

If you really want Ron Paul to have a chance at winning why don't all of you Ron Paul supporters just order publications from the racist and anti-Semitic John Birch Society to pass out since Ron Paul's victory would require a mass fascist base?

Obviously the likes of PDA, Progressives for Obama, Campaign for America's Future are really NOT for building a progressive base in the Democratic Party as they claim or else they would get behind the campaign of a real progressive Democrat like Darcy Richardson who is challenging Obama in the primaries; plus Darcy is not only a true progressive, he is a proven vote-getter.

While those of you who are spending your time (actually wasting your time organizing a fascist movement that stands in opposition to everything you say you are for by supporting Ron Paul), Darcy Richardson needs 8,000 signatures by January 31 to get on the ballot in Wisconsin.

We are talking Wisconsin here. I'm sure everyone knows what has been happening in Wisconsin.

This would require only 80 people collecting signatures for one weekend.

In terms of dollars this would only cost about $7,000.00 to $9,000.00. This would cover gas, leaflets, food and lodging for 80 people for one weekend of petitioning.

For less than $10,000.00 we can put someone like Darcy Richardson on the ballot in Wisconsin.

For less than another $50,000.00 we can then develop real progressive opposition to Obama in the Democratic Primary in Wisconsin.

Think about this: 600 people contributing $100.00 each could punish Obama in Wisconsin and simultaneously be building the progressive movement; not only in Wisconsin but serve as an example of what progressives can accomplish across the country.

If the Wisconsin Democratic Party really believed in just the concept of democracy they could have placed Darcy Richardson's name on the Wisconsin primary ballot at no cost to them or anyone. But, the Democratic Party doesn't believe in democracy. What a dangerous thought; that voters casting their ballots at a primary election should actually have more than one person to vote for. Wouldn't that be just the pits to have more than one candidate in a Primary Election?

When the Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, Mike Tate, was asked to place another name on the ballot his response was, "Only Obama's name will be on the Primary ballot... if you don't like it, sue me." I suppose someone is going to ask me to prove this by providing a link?

Does anyone except Obama supporters who believe Obama has delivered us into a "Wonderful New World" have any reason to believe Darcy Richardson's name should not be placed on the Wisconsin Primary ballot? If anyone has a reason I would like to hear it.

If there are no reasons not to put Darcy's Name on the ballot then what are we waiting for?

All it would take is 900 people contributing $10.00 each to put Darcy Richardson's name on the ballot by January 31.

Are any of you Ron Paul supporters willing to put up the money?

How about it? Are you willing to pull $10.00 out of your pocket?

I am guessing that if FireDogLake made a special appeal as was done for OWS and the New Progressive Alliance were to join in and we all made pitches on our blogs, facebook pages and put our e-mail lists into action along with make some quick visits to a few friends we could do this.

No one would be paid; all we would be doing is covering the expenses for 80 people for one weekend.

Wisconsin law stipulates that a minimum of 1,000 signatures (and no more than 1,500) MUST come from each one of the 8 Congressional Districts in Wisconsin.

If someone will volunteer to take on the responsibility of raising the money, I will volunteer to recruit 80 people to go to Wisconsin to place Darcy Richardson's name on the Primary ballot.

Of course, we could just forget about the fundraising and 80 to 120 people could come together in Wisconsin to help put Darcy Richardson's name on the Wisconsin Democratic Party Primary Election Ballot.

Come on; are we willing to give real progressive politics a chance?

Interested? Give me a call---

--
Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net
E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

The differences between the 2008 and 2012 Elections

2012-01-12T18:24:00.002-06:00

The differences between the 2008 and 2012 Elections
By: Alan Maki Thursday January 12, 2012 5:19 pm	Tweet

The 2008 Election was about the “peace” candidate Obama versus the dangerous warmonger McCain.

The 2012 Election seems to be shaping up as the voice of the “venture” capitalists’ Obama versus the the “vulture” capitalist Mitt Romney.

Are you getting the picture here of what is taking place, or should I draw a picture?

Should we be afraid of Romney?

2012-01-11T10:50:00.001-06:00

I just posted this on my FaceBook Wall:

Alan L. Maki

I hope no one takes this that I support Romney, because I don't; I will most likely be voting for either progressive Jill Stein or liberal Rocky Anderson from the new Justice Party. I still think the best ticket we could have are the two strongest peace, social and economic justice activists in this country: Cynthia McKinney and Cindy Sheehan. For whatever reason they have both indicated they won't be running. Unfortunate, but that's life.

I think it is unfortunate, too, that liberals, progressives and the left aren't pushing Jill Stein and Rocky Anderson to form a united electoral front under the banner of the new Justice Party because this is what people seeking change really want. We try to unite people in all our other movements so why shouldn't we be working towards a united slate at the polls as part of our movement for change? I think it is short-sighted of both Stein and Anderson they aren't working for this.

What is going on with liberals, progressives and the left in this country, anyways?

There is this outfit called "Progressives for Obama;" the very name of the organization is an oxymoron led by complete idiots and the most opportunist morons--- Tom Hayden who served as AIPAC's poster boy providing a "left" cover for the Israeli killing machine, and this left-wing imposter, Carl Davidson, who enthusiastically supported the butcher Pol Pot.

Why aren't we getting out to support Democratic Party activist, Darcy Richardson, a true, long-time progressive who has a long history of supporting everything we are for, as he challenges Obama in the Primaries? As far as I can tell, only the New Progressive Alliance has supported Darcy. What gives? I don't understand how it is that we demand change and then we can't even put our fingers to our key-boards to support him after his many years of activism trying push a progressive agenda inside and outside the Democratic Party. Look at these hypocrites in PDA and MoveOn.org. They say they are for pushing a progressive agenda inside the Democratic Party--- yet, not a peep from either group about Darcy Richardson's courageous challenge to Obama as he tries to force the issues to the forefront.

But, getting back to Romney.

I strongly and vigorously disagree that Romney is to be feared as someone more right-wing than Obama.

Where are the facts to back this up?

We shouldn't be buying into this Obama hype. It just isn't true.

First, like I said, it simply isn't true that Mitt Romney is further to the right than Obama.

If anything, Romney is articulating a position that is pretty much identical to what Obama is actually doing.

Obama is a master of linguistics using the left-wing terminology he learned from his mentor, Frank Marshall Davis. Frank Marshall Davis, the noted Communist who was the popular voice for the people's front movements for the New Deal era--- see "Frank Marshall Davis, A Voice of the Black Press." Actually, the book is inappropriately titled because Frank Marshall Davis was the voice of the entire working class. Frank Marshall Davis must be reeling in his grave seeing how his star pupil, Obama, has managed to twist and pervert everything he taught him.

Obama has managed to twist and distort through the use of language the selling of his thoroughly reactionary Wall Street agenda--- complete with all these dirty imperialist wars and the associated austerity measures forced down the throats of working people. While using a left terminology, Obama has even managed to gain support for the most brutal and savage murders--- including the elected leaders of other countries which is clearly illegal under our own laws. Obama is a mean and cruel beast of the worst kind as he carries out the instructions handed to him by Wall Street.

In fact, Romney is pretty much running on a platform of what Obama is doing--- presenting the Wall Street 1%, not us the 99%, a win-win situation.

With Obama or Romney, we, the people, get the dirty end of the stick; Wall Street gets the profits.

As liberals, progressives and leftists, we shouldn't be fostering fear of either Obama or Romney--- we should be concerned with challenging Wall Street for power.

A new poll just out (http://www.zogby.com/news/2011/10/18/ibope-zogby-poll-public-favor-split-occupy-wall-st-movement-60-say-demonstrators-lack-clear-goals/) clearly shows that the majority of the American people believe; that persistent organized protests can win real change. And guess what, the people are correct. Why shouldn't we have candidates articulating in the electoral arena what is being struggled for in our workplaces, in our communities and through our protests in the streets?

When we say we "fear" Obama or Romney, we are sending the message to our Wall Street enemies that we are afraid of them. What message does this send other than let's prepare them so we can gorge on them at the public trough.

Liberals, progressives and leftists shouldn't be sucked in to playing this game of one of Wall Street's politicians is more right-wing than the other because the only thing this does is make the Wall Street coupon clippers more arrogant in thinking they can bully and badger us into submission.

Obama must be punished at the polls because he, like Bush, is escaping the required punishment he so justly deserves from the courts.

I never met Mitt Romney, but I knew his dad, George Romney very well. If Mitt Romney is only half as decent as his dad, this country will be better off with him than with Obama. It is possible that Romney, in spite of his rightist talk to appeal to the Tea Baggers, will end up legislating in a far more decent way than what we have gotten from Obama.

Quite honestly, I found George Romney a far more decent human being that 95% of the Democrats who were in the Michigan Legislature at the time--- he supported an end to racist covenants in housing and he strenuously enforced affirmative action. George Romney even called for a fair trial for Angela Davis. And George Romney even added his voice for ending the War in Vietnam. George Romney even worked towards integrated public schools.

Even when George Romney served as Nixon's head of Housing and Urban Development, his door was always open to organizations like the NAACP--- more than I can say for that little wimp Kucinich who agreed to meet with us on school integration in his own district and never showed up for the meeting. I would note that Obama has refused to enforce Affirmative Action.

I never voted for George Romney and told him to his face I would never vote for him or any other Republican; I would never vote for Mitt Romney, either. But, I sure as heck have no reason to be afraid of any candidate Wall Street throws at us; and I don't know why anyone would--- what we should do is stand up and fight for peace and for what is socially and economically just--- and get behind candidates like Darcy Richardson, Jill Stein and Rocky Anderson--- and we should be pushing for the three of them to work together.

Every single day I am chased out of casinos in our organizing campaigns by mobsters who tell me things like they will put a bullet in my head and stuff me in a trunk if I come back... working people keep on struggling for justice in spite of the threats of violence from their bosses--- why should we cower in the face of their politicians?

We shouldn't be afraid of these right-wing bullies--- and make no mistake, Obama is one of these right-wing bullies; we should not fear them; we should unite and fight them.

I don't support Romney but I'm not afraid of him either because all the polls show, and all the people I talk to every day tell me, that the majority of the American people are opposed to these right-wing Wall Street agendas both the Democrats and Republicans are trying to shove down our throats.

Did you ever watch a Rabbi try to fatten up a chicken for butchering by forcing food down its throat before slitting its throat? Even the chicken struggles.

IBOPE | Zogby IBOPE Zogby Poll: Public Favor Split for Occupy Wall St. Movement, 60% Say Demonstrato

www.zogby.com

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Are you fed up with this "blame the Republicans" crap when the Democrats are no better?

2012-01-10T20:42:00.000-06:00

I think it is a lot of nerve for the Democrats to be playing this "blame the Republican card" seeing as how the Democrats had two years to do whatever they wanted to do.

The American people gave the Democrats the Presidency and both houses of Congress.

Then the Democrats turned around and blamed their own Blue Dogs when Obama resurrected Joe Lieberman's political career.

There are a few Democrats worth supporting--- Obama isn't one of them--- but not more than a few.

Now until Election Day we are going to be hearing how afraid we should be of the Republicans and how we need to vote for these worthless Democrats.

Moveon.org can take their fundraising and shove it.

And then these Democrats are going to tell us Obama stopped the war in Iraq as he pushed us to the brink of World War III with Iran and China as U.S. tax-payers are expected to pick up the tab for private mercenaries who will try to prop up Obama's puppet government in Iraq costing us a good 20 times the price-tag for U.S. troops.

Of course, Obama has assured his Wall Street business backers that it won't be long before the U.S. working class is on its knees begging to be paid in line with Jamaican, Puerto Rican and Chinese workers as he "challenges" the Wall Street multi-nationals to "bring the jobs back."

Obama and the Democrats deserve to be punished at the polls; Romney won't be any worse.

In 2012 we have two good candidates running for president--- progressive Jill Stein and liberal Rocky Anderson so there shouldn't be any need to even give Obama a second thought.

Besides, Obama can't win anyways... he has been a loser from Day One.

Please note: We need this resolution brought into every precinct caucus in every party---

http://mnasap.org/resolution.html

Endorsers

Organizations

The following Minnesota organizations have endorsed the MN ASAP Resolution

Faith Mennonite Church: (Minneapolis, MN)
St. Luke Presbyterian Session: (Wayzata, MN)
Veterans for Peace, Chapter 27: (Minneapolis, MN)
Holy Trinity Peace and Justice Committee (Minneapolis, MN)
Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer (Minneapolis, MN)
211 members of the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church (Minneapolis, MN)
Women Against Military Madness (WAMM), (Minneapolis, MN)
Minnesota Peace Project (Leadership Team), St. Paul, MN
Chisago County DFL
Senate District 17 unit of the DFL
DFL Progressive Caucus
Veterans for Peace, Chapter 80: (Duluth,MN & Iron Range)
Peace United Church of Christ Coordinating Council & Just Peace Committee: (Duluth, MN)
Minnesota Citizens Federation, North East: (Duluth, MN)
MN Health Care Coalition (MN Statewide Organization)
Northland Anti-War Coalition: (Duluth, MN)
Loaves and Fishes: (Duluth, MN)
Community Action Duluth: (Duluth, MN)
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth: (Duluth, MN)
Duluth DFL Convention: (Duluth, MN)
Duluth / Superior Religious Society of Friends: (Duluth, MN
College of St. Scholastica Center for Just Living: (Duluth, MN)
College of St Scholastica Campus Ministry: (Duluth, MN)
College of St Scholastica Earth Action: (Duluth, MN)
Twin Ports SOA Watch: (Duluth, MN)
UMD Students for Peace: (Duluth, MN)
Grandmothers for Peace - Northland Chapter: (Duluth, MN)
Occupy Duluth

Community Leader Endorsements

Rep. Bill Hilty, MN House District 08A
Sharla Gardner, Duluth City Council President
Steve O’ Neil, County Commissioner, Second District MN
Joel Sipress, Duluth DFL Executive Board
Daniel Fanning, 8th Congressional District (MN) Candidate.
Jim Northrup, Anishinaabe Author and Vietnam War Vet.

Minnesotans speak out on military spending---

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvtER3YMHTk&feature=related

Don't forget to check out the New Progressive Alliance website:
http://newprogs.org/

We have to make it clear that liberals, progressives and leftists have had it with Obama and the Democratic Party.

My response to Barbara Ehrenreich and others; supporting Obama versus voting for real liberals or progressives

2012-01-09T10:49:00.000-06:00

Note; many people were involved in this discussion on FaceBook on Barbara's Wall

[Image]

Barbara Ehrenreich The only reason money rules politics is that some people are dumb enough to base their votes on campaign ads. If you're relying on paid advertisements for information about the issues or the candidates' stands, you should be disqualified from voting.

[Image]
Alan L. Maki
And what about your own role, Barbara, in convincing people to vote for this warmonger Obama? Right now Obama has us on course for war with Iran and perhaps even China. Your deceiving people into thinking that Obama deserved--- deserves--- the support of progressives was every bit as deceptive as any commercial paid for by these Wall Street billionaires backing Obama. Interesting how you blame others but won't confront your own role.

[Image]
Alan L. Maki
And I should point out your buddy Tom Hayden who you partnered with to create the "Progressives for Obama" is now encouraging liberals, progressives and the left to support the racist, anti-Semitic, John Birch Society loving Ron Paul.

[Image]
Barbara Ehrenreich
Hey, I was supporting Obama 4 years ago! May vote for him again, but I will do so stealthily, probably incognito.

[Image]
Lisa Elaine Scott
But this is my point exactly, Alan. What's a voter to do? I will absolutely vote for Pres. Obama because...I have no other choice. I could just stay home as many people will do exactly because they can't stomach either alternative. This is a really sad state of affairs when a third party candidate CANNOT be anything other than a spoiler. And I just want to throw out there that donors not only give to those they want to win, they also give to those who WILL win. In other words, when you have a politician in a safe seat, you find donors give them money because they know that this candidate will win, and they are buying themselves a guaranteed seat at the table.

[Image]
Alan L. Maki
Well Lisa and Barbara; we have two very good candidates for progressives to support--- Jill Stein and Rocky Anderson. I suggest you put your efforts into supporting real progressives.

[Image]
Alan L. Maki
By the way, Barbara; I don't consider your response to be in the way of "stealth."

[Image]
Alan L. Maki
Well, Lisa; both Jill Stein and Rocky Anderson are suggesting exactly what you are proposing.

[Image]
Alan L. Maki
Lisa; I find your "logic" very interesting as you claim I don't understand. On the one hand you say you are prepared not to vote at all and then you turn around and say you aren't prepared to vote for third party progressives. Yes, there is something I don't understand here.

[Image]
Alan L. Maki
Well, Obama is at this very moment pushing us towards World War III with his new sanctions on Iran... if he is so stupid to take action against China to enforce these sanctions we are into very dangerous territory. I fail to see where Obama's policies differ in any way from the Republicans--- his rhetoric that he learned from Frank Marshall Davis is used to give credibility to his thoroughly reactionary imperialist Wall Street agenda. If one votes the "lesser of two evils," you would have to vote for Mitt Romney simply because his dad was a half-way decent guy hoping that Romney's policies would be more like his dad's if elected.

As for Tom Hayden supporting Ron Paul; here is a link to his own page:
http://tomhayden.com/home/ron-paul-a-force-for-peace.html

Being Jewish, I am insulted that under the guise of "progressivism" anyone claiming to be progressive would provide this kind of credibility to this half-assed, two-bit fascist John Birch Society loving creep--- Ron Paul.

Hayden makes the point, that Obama should be forced to chase Ron Paul on the question of peace. This is the most feeble and pathetic position I have ever heard. It is right on line with the thinking of Norman Thomas who led his "socialists" into an alliance with the fascist Hitlerites who were the America First movement.

[Image]tomhayden.com - Peace Exchange Bulletin - Ron Paul, A Force for Peace tomhayden.comSupport the PJRC for continued original analysis on ending the wars, funding domestic priorities, and preserving civil liberties.

[Image]
Alan L. Maki
Yes; Bernie Sanders would be good but he won't run. Plus, he will most likely endorse Obama... what a shame.

[Image]
Alan L. Maki
Six months with Obama was more than enough.

[Image]
Alan L. Maki
How about just punishing deceiving liars like Obama at the polls by defeating them.

[Image]
Alan L. Maki
Money will always be a problem in politics as long as we have capitalism capitalists are going to find ways to finance their candidates. But, all over the world working people break free from capitalists dominating politics by building their own political parties without backing reactionary Wall Street politicians like Obama.

It seems to me what is being missed is the responsibility of the left to be a catalyst for bringing liberals and progressives together to organize a political party capable of freeing us from this two-party trap that has been built by Wall Street.

Now, along comes Barbara claiming that people are stupid when she is backing Obama and has played a MAJOR role in confusing people through her role as one of the PRIMARY initiators of the "Progressives for Obama" when there is nothing at all progressive about Obama.

In fact, Tom Hayden, who has been AIPAC's "left-wing" poster boy for the Israeli killing machine was brought out of retirement to work with the Pol Pot supporting "leftist," Carl Davidson to initiate this "Progressives for Obama" and Barbara was just as stupid and gullible to fall for this scheme and scam and here she is calling people "dumb enough to believe campaign ads." Is not the "Progressives for Obama's" website one big scam aimed at misleading people about Obama beginning with a picture of Obama prominently placed on their web site insinuating that Barack Obama is the candidate for peace when all he is is one more Wall Street warmonger pushing austerity measures down our throats to pay for what Mark Twain called, "dirty imperialist wars?"

Now Barbara says she will be supporting Obama in some kind of "stealth" sand "incognito" manner. Come on; get real--- your name is right there as one of the founders of the "Progressives for Obama." What is "stealth" or "incognito" about this?

There are two candidates more worthy of her support; the progressive Jill Stein and the liberal Rocky Anderson.

And as for all these arguments about "win-ability;" what is "won" by electing Barack Obama? Obama is the best Republican.

[Image]
Alan L. Maki
I would further point out that it is not like leftists have no base to work from. Here is a recent PEW survey; obviously since liberals, progressives and leftists have a strong current of support for socialism, there has to be the basis for building a political party reflecting this by focusing on the problems and their solutions without stooping to supporting Wall Street's Barack Obama:
http://www.people-press.org/2011/12/28/little-change-in-publics-response-to-capitalism-socialism/

[Image]Little Change in Public’s Response to ‘Capitalism,’ ‘Socialism’ | Pew Research Center for the People www.people-press.orgOverview The recent Occupy Wall Street protests have focused public attention on what organizers see as the excesses of America’s free market system, but

Workers Struggle For Justice In Minnesota Indian Gaming Industry

2012-01-08T23:11:00.000-06:00

Workers Struggle For Justice In Minnesota Indian Gaming Industry

" Before our white brothers arrived to make us civilized men, we didn't have any kind of prison. Because of this we had no delinquents. Without a prison, there can be no delinquents. We had no locks, nor keys and therefore among us there were no thieves. When someone was so poor that he couldn't afford a horse, a tent or a blanket, he, in that case receive all as a gift. We were too uncivilized to give great importance to private property. We didn't know any kind of money and consequently, the value of a human being was not determined by his wealth. We had no written laws laid down, no lawyers, no politicians, therefore we were not able to cheat and swindle one another. We were really in bad shape before the white man arrived and I don't know how to explain how we were able to manage these fundamental things that (so they tell us) are so necessary for a civilized society." -John (Fire) Lame Deer, Sioux Lakota 1903-1976

By Pancho Valdez

The history of the American Indian Gaming Industry goes back over 20 years as a "means of addressing" poverty, alcoholism, massive unemployment, poor educational opportunities, poor housing, lack of health care services, all very prevalent social problems on the reservations where many Native American people continue to reside. While the intent may have been good, the reality is that the casinos where over 40,000 Minnesotans work have proved to be a bandaid for the aforementioned problems and in of themselves, another social problem for members of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Lower Sioux Community, Grand Portage Band of Chippewa, Shakopee Ndewakanton Sioux Community, Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa, Prairie Island Indian Community (Sioux) , Upper Sioux Community, White Earth Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Red Lake Band of Chippewa. The different bands and tribes are "owners" of the casinos and have formed their own trade association called the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association (MIGA).

According to Alan Maki, Director of Organizing for the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council workers at these casinos are for the most part women, about 65%, about half of the total workforce are people of color with about 7,000 of which are Native American, are for the most part under age 35 and earn an average annual income of around $10,500, hardly a living wage in today's economy. Maki went on to say that the workers are exposed to high amounts of noise and cigarette smoke as the casinos are exempt from regulation by any municipal, state or federal enforcement agencies including OSHA, EEOC, NLRB and the U.S. Department of Labor. Because these gaming facilities are on Indian reservations, federal laws grant them sovereignty from all regulatory enforcement agencies except law enforcement.(Minnesota is one of few states where Minnesota law enforcement has jurisdiction on the Indian reservation) Upon applying for an accepting casino jobs, workers must sign a pledge that states they will not join a union and if they do, they are subject to being fired for such. Maki stated that paying workers less than minimum wage, denying them over time for work performed over 40 hours and other laws and regulations that protect other American workers have no standing in the casinos.

Rank and file casino workers began organizing their own union in 2000 as unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO refused to assist them. Maki attributes this reluctance to organize the Native American casino workers to three things: 1) the workers are not covered by existing labor relations agencies, 2) The campaign funding from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association to the Minnesota Democratic Farm-Labor Party (the name of the Democratic Party in Minnesota also known as DFL ) The DFL has very close relations with organized labor in Minnesota and the AFL-CIO will not do anything to "offend" the DFL. 3) Racism towards the Native American peoples from both the DFL, the AFL-CIO, organized crime and John McCarthy, the MIGA executive director. According to Maki, the Teamsters and AFT pension funds are among the largest investors in Indian Gaming operations. The Building & Construction Trades have a "sweetheart agreement" with the Indian Gaming Association to hire union labor however the workers do not enjoy the protection of a union contract or Project Management Agreement. Again neither state or federal building, health and safety inspectors are permitted onto the job sites and Affirmative Action is not enforced. Aside from low wages and the lack of on the job democracy casino workers in MIGA sanctioned facilities are subjected to high exposure of smoke from patrons smoking cigars, cigarettes and pipes. The former head of Indian Health Services under President Bush described casino operations "the modern day equivalent to small pox laden blankets!" Maki went on further to say that neither the American Cancer Society, the American Heart or American Lung Associations raise any fuss on these deplorable working conditions as all three receive contributions from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association.

The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association has developed strong ties to politicians of both the Minnesota Republican and Minnesota Democratic Farm-Labor Party. It is these ties that make obtaining justice for the over 40,000 casino workers almost an impossible task as these politicians do not and will not do anything contrary to the interests of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association because of MIGA's political contributions to both parties. The irony of MIGA is that while it appears to be "Indian owned and Indian controlled" the reality is the opposite. John McCarthy a white man is the executive director of MIGA. McCarthy is also the owner of Tony Doom Supply Company an enterprise that produces political campaign materials like yard signs, buttons, etc. The company also sells business forms, office machines and furniture, and produces promotion materials for businesses such as coffee mugs, clothing, caps.

While the Native Americans own the casinos and the debts that are incurred, the mob owns the slot machines and table games through what Maki describes as "a complex maze of franchises." The mob takes in anywhere from 30-80% of everything that goes into the slot machines and table games. Maki traces the ownership of the slot machines and table games back to an Alvin Malnik out of Florida who inherited the "family business" from gangster Meyer Lansky who used to own casinos in Cuba prior to the revolution in 1959. The National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) works with the mob through the slot machines and table games as well as contracting mobsters like the Fertitta family to "manage" some of the casinos. Through this kind of arrangement the Fertitta family is assured 85% of all profits from the new Gun Lake Casino in Michigan through a contract with the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi, formerly known as the Gun Lake Tribe. The Fertitta family is known to the Justice Department as one of the "first families" of organized crime. Frank Fertitta and his people have been involved with casino operations in Kansas City, Las Vegas and California. With such arrangements it becomes easy to see how the gaming industry isn't as beneficial to the Native American peoples as the NIGA would have the public believe.

According to the website of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association funds from the casinos is divided up as follows: 28% for healthcare, 22% for government operations (no specifics), 20% for education, 13% for housing/economic development, 10% for human services, and 7% for infrastructure. Despite the fact that the casinos have been in operation since the late 1980's, Native American peoples in Minnesota continue to live in extreme poverty, sub-standard housing, receive inadequate healthcare services and less than adequate education for their children. According to a Harvard University study in 2005, living conditions "improved" more for gaming tribes than non-gaming tribes in the years 1990- 2000. Unfortunately no one knows exactly how much of the revenue is going into the reservations as tribal leaders refuse to divulge this information even to members of the tribes. The Red Lake Tribal Council insisted that the Red Lake Gaming Enterprises be audited by a reputable auditing firm, Touche and Anderson. When auditors arrived to conduct the audit they were denied access to the information by the Chief Financial Officer. According to Alan Maki records for three casinos, a hotel, a motel, two restaurants and an indoor water park were kept in shoe boxes at the home of the Chief Financial Officer! This is a major factor why Meyer Lansky began the Indian Gaming Industry as he knew that no municipal, state or federal agency could hold the casino owners accountable for the finacial records of the gaming businesses.

The Minnesota Indian Gaming Industry's website also posted the following unmet needs that the tribes in Minnesota face on a daily basis: 1) Native American life expectancy is 2.4 years shorter than other Americans, 2) Native Americans are three times more likely to die from diabetes related complications, 3) Native Americans are six times more likely to die of alcohol related causes, 4) Native Americans are five times more likely to die of tuberculosis, 5) Native Americans are five times more likely to be victims of homicide, 6) Native American adults are twice as likely to commit suicide, 7) Native Americans under 18 years of age are three times likely to commit suicide, 8) Native American infants are twice as likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), 9) Native Americans are three times likely to die from motor vehicle accidents.

Conclusion/Possible Solutions: Clearly the situation of indigenous people in the state of Minnesota is neither acceptable or just. One can only imagine that similar or worse conditions exist in other states including Texas where the Kickappoo and Alabama-Coushatta tribes own and operate casinos. (According to the web, the state of Texas successfully sued and shut down the Alabama-Coushatta casino)

For Minnesota, Alan Maki has assisted in organizing the casino workers into a democratic union of their own choosing. He said that when casino management was prepared to recognize the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council, the AFL-CIO stepped in and offered the bosses a "better deal."This offer is clearly a violation of the worker's right to self determination as well as highly unethical. Only through a union of their choosing will the wages and working conditions improve. Workers employed at Indian Gaming enterprises deserve to have the same protection as other American workers. While sovereignty of the Indian nations should be respected and continued, sovereignty should not be an excuse to exploit and oppress workers. With improvement in the wages the conditions on the reservations will also improve.

Maki has also advocated for a joint venture between the state of Minnesota and the Indian Tribes that would entail a slot machine manufacturing plant that would employ around 2,000 Native Americans in good paying jobs and also be instrumental in ridding the Minnesota Indian gaming industry of the organized crime element. With the absence of the mob, all proceeds would go directly into benefitting the various tribes to improve the delivery of health and human services, schools and economic development on the reservations. However along with the mob the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party and the Minnesota AFL-CIO remain the chief opponents of such a joint venture.

Maki also went on to mention that some (not all) of the tribal governments have been corrupted and are not interested in making working conditions and pay better for the casino workers. Unfortunately they have learned that for them as individuals, capitalism is a good thing and the situations of the other members of the tribes are of no consequence to them. Corruption of local tribal governments along with corruption in the Bureau of Indian Affairs is common and a festering issue amongst various indigenous tribes not only in Minnesota, but across the nation!

Other solutions would entail for the federal government to improve upon funding for the Indian Health Services program as underfunding has resulted in less than adequate healthcare for the workers and their families. Maki mentioned that the health benefits offered by the casinos is not that good and in fact many physicians and dentists in the northern part of Minnesota will not accept the casino health plan due to slow processing of payments.

For the 41,700 gaming industry workers the situation is clearly grave and depending on those entitities created to address the issues is near hopeless! By getting the word out it is this author's sincere hope that the wheels of justice will begin turning in favor of the workers, their families and their communities. Anyone wishing to learn more about this situation can contact Alan Maki, Director of Organizing, Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council: alanmaki1951@gmail.com

=Pancho Valdez is a veteran civil rights, labor and peace activist of more than 45 years. He can be reached at: 210-422-8000 or at: mestizowarrior59@yahoo.com

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

2012-01-01T20:22:00.000-06:00

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:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1411244999&ref=ts

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:

http://www.facebook.com/alan.l.maki?ref=tn_tnmn

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

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Some thoughts about politics and poverty

2011-12-24T11:04:00.001-06:00

Years ago I had a long discussion about poverty and unemployment with United States Congressman Guy Vander Jagt of Michigan; I asked him if he wasn’t concerned about how the unemployed people and the poor would vote.

This right-wing conservative Christian Reformed Congressman replied, very callously, “I won’t get overly concerned with unemployment and the poor until they outnumber the people who are working. Until that time I’m not going to worry about you bringing these people out to vote against me.”

That was in the early 1970′s as Wall Street investors were just beginning their shift to high-tech automation while already beginning to move our industrial base to cheap labor markets.

Now, however, Wall Street has just about completed its destruction of our basic industries in mining, steel and auto.

And with this shift Congressman Guy Vander Jagt’s worst nightmare has begun to come true— in states like Congressman Guy Vander Jagt’s Michigan, about half the people are now poor with well over 40% either long-term unemployed, under-employed, working at poverty wage jobs or at jobs where unions have “negotiated” concessions as part of this “new” breed of labor leadership’s idea of “class struggle” which sees many of the auto workers still employed working at poverty wages— and if you are being paid poverty wages you are going to be poor.

It used to be fairly easy for these worthless politicians like Congressman Guy Vander Jagt to speak very callously towards the poor; now, when these bozos get elected by dumb people who think they are smart they, like Wisconsin Governor Walker and Michigan Governor Snyder are facing some major opposition… but, the problem is the Democrats are no better except they pander to the poor for votes by pretending to be concerned; but like with Obama and Minnesota Governor Dayton who pose and posture as liberals in public at election time as they do their duty behind closed doors to help their billionaire 1% class by pushing the entire working class into deeper poverty with most of the real liberals, progressive and the left afraid to challenge these hypocrites by asking the American people:

How is Barack Obama’s Wall Street war economy working for you?

I don’t understand why there is this fear of asking this question? What better question is there to ask American voters as we approach Election Day?

I guess people are afraid to ask this question because they will be called “Communists;” just like they call people who insist the wealth be redistributed through the creation of universal social programs when these phony “liberals” are pandering to this crap that “the free market will solve our problems if we help the entrepreneurs and small businesses.” The problem with this is that these “entrepreneurs” and “small businesses” are paying the lowest of the poverty wages and paying poor people poverty wages sure doesn’t solve the problem of poverty no matter how many jobs are created.

Poor people will continue to be poor and more people are going to become poor until we break ourselves free from Wall Street’s “two-party trap” and we seek solutions to our problems outside of the capitalist “box.”

And it sure doesn’t help matters any to have the wealth of our nation squandered on militarism and wars— as if we are all so rich we can empty our pockets into the ocean.

We had better start to think in terms of massive universal government social programs as the way to rescue us all from poverty while solving our pressing problems.

One example of what we need to do, sooner rather than later, is solve our health care mess by creating a National National Public Health Care System which would create over ten-million jobs providing the American people with world-class health care.

I have never heard anyone except Democrats and Republicans complain about getting a pay-check signed by the government. The irony here is that those like the President and members of the House and Senate get the biggest government pay-checks— well, almost the biggest because those getting the biggest government handouts are the Wall Street coupon clippers pulling their strings.

Congressman Guy Vander Jagt is long dead and buried; capitalism is limping along. It is time to stop feeding this sick system and bury the beast before it kills us all with its militarism, wars, unemployment and poverty.

Come to think of it; these dirty imperialist Wall Street wars are going to make us all poor--- except the rich who get richer from the profits made from war.

Before you put your hard-earned money into the "one-armed bandits" of the Indian Gaming Industry this holiday season, here are some facts you should know...

2011-12-23T22:33:00.000-06:00

I have been suggesting--- for 8 years--- that the state of Minnesota and the Indian Nations should go into a joint venture manufacturing slot machines. This joint-venture would create around 2,000 good-paying high-tech jobs while getting organized crime out of the Indian gaming business.

Quite literally, over a twenty year period, trillions of dollars would be pumped into Native American communities as a result of all the proceeds derived from Indian gaming going back to Indians instead of wealthy white mobsters who now take anywhere from 35% to 65% right off the top from all the money that goes into each and every slot machine in the United States.

I personally met with every single State Representative and State Senator, including your own--- Tom Rukavina and David Tomassoni--- with this proposal.

The Democratic Party and organized labor seek out and use the conference, convention and banquet/party facilities of the Indian Gaming Industry instead of using union organized hotels and other facilities.

I suggested that the start-up funds come from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) and a factory be built where it would employ members of the Red Lake, White Earth and Leech Lake bands; people suffering from the highest unemployment rates in the country.

But, the obstacle to this very common sense proposal is that EVERY SINGLE MEMBER of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party’s legislative caucus receives huge campaign contributions from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association whose Executive Director, John McCarthy, is a white man who represents the interests of the owners of the slot machines and table games not the Indian people.

Minnesota Indian Gaming Association (MIGA):
http://www.mnindiangamingassoc.com/contacts.html

The IRRRB would get back its investment for a change, too, instead of the money going to finance boon-doggles like the peat mining project now destroying the largest freshwater aquifer in the lower-forty-eight in the Big Bog which will create at most 30 jobs with people being paid $8.00 an hour by the Canadian multi-national corporation out of Quebec, Canada--- Berger Peat. Tax-payers have now invested over twenty-million dollars in this boon-doggle.

What you suggest is something we should all get together and push for. It would cost a lot less to build a factory to manufacture slot machines than what it cost to build the new prison in Red Lake--- plus it’s much cheaper to create jobs like this than to put poor people in prison.

As a side note; John McCarthy now owns Tony Doom Supply Company, a company that produces campaign materials like yard signs for politicians. So, with one hand here we have John McCarthy doling out the proceeds derived from “Indian” gaming, and with the other hand he is raking in this money for himself. Indian Gaming has become quite the “racket” in the full sense of the word--- Al Capone, Bugsy Siegle and Meyer Lansky must be smiling.

McCarthy purchased Tony Doom Supply Company with money he has stolen from Native American Indians--- How many Native Americans are employed by Tony Doom Supply Company?

http://www.tonydoom.com/about.html

Oh, I forgot to mention, a little old man--- Alvin Malnik, in Boca Raton, Florida, actually owns, through a complex network of “franchises” issued to his “family,” every single slot machine in the Indian Gaming Industry--- the little old man inherited the “family business” from mobster Meyer Lansky whose big brain-fart gave creation to the Indian Gaming Industry because Lansky needed three things:

1. A way to make money once his casinos were kicked out of Cuba;

2. A place where he would not have to maintain financial records;

3. A place where his rackets would be virtually free from police and regulation by government agencies.

I also pitched this idea about a joint state-federal-tribal venture manufacturing slot machines for the Indian Gaming Industry, in person, to none other than Barack Obama in a three hour meeting with him--- but, guess what? Barack Obama receives millions of dollars in campaign contributions from the National Indian Gaming Association and its affiliated members.

Obama also receives campaign funds from the Fertitta Family which manages through their Colony Casino empire, many of the casinos in the Indian Gaming Industry. The Fertitta’s are known to the United States Department of Justice to be one of the “first families” of organized crime in the United States. The Fertitta's have been involved with the Kansas City Mob in their casino "skimming operations."

We hear a lot of hot-air from Obama and Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton about the need for government to bolster the “entrepreneurial spirit” and to subsidize “small business.” But, when it comes to creating jobs for Indian people manufacturing the slot machines for what is supposed to be their industry, the Indian Gaming Industry, everything goes into the pockets of these white mobsters while the Native American people are plunged further into poverty resulting from the huge debts they underwrite--- because, as any economist knows, a nation in heavy debt is going to be poor.

Everyone, except for Indians, are walking off with the profits from Indian Gaming.

As for labor issues:

Workers in the Indian Gaming Industry have NO rights. None. Not under state, federal or tribal laws.

Workers are forced to work in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos.

With very few exceptions all are paid poverty wages--- some less than the minimum wage because the U.S. Department of Labor refuses to enforce the minimum wage as well as things like hours and working conditions. Not even the Family Leave Act is enforced.

Rank-and-file casino workers began to organize in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan in about 2000. We had to create a self-financed organizing council because the AFL-CIO unions refused to support the effort. In fact, the few times we have had some of these casino managements just about ready to recognize us these unions stepped forward and told these casino managements they would "give them a better deal." I sent John Sweeney a tape recording I made of a four hour meeting I had with Minnesota AFL-CIO president Ray Waldron in which Waldron repeatedly made comments like, "I'm not going to let a bunch of reds take over this state fed--- I don't care if they are Indians or Communists like you."

All of the attacks on us coming from organized labor result because the Democratic Party is so heavily funded by the National and State Indian Gaming Associations.

The Democratic Party created the "Compacts"--- the joint tribal/state/federal agreements--- giving birth to the Indian Gaming Industry.

Democrats, with organized labor looking over its shoulder, as a favor to Alvin Malnik, made sure these "Compacts" would exclude workers rights.

In fact, the Teamster and Teacher Union pension funds are among the largest investors in Indian Gaming operations.

The Building and Construction Trades unions have a sweat-heart agreement with the Indian Gaming Associations to hire union labor except the workers do not work under the protection of a union contract or Project Management Agreement. State and federal building, health and safety inspectors are prohibited from coming on these job sites. Affirmative Action is not enforced.

The head of the Indian Health Service under George Bush described these casino operations forcing workers to work in smoke-filled casinos as, "The modern day equivalent to small pox laden blankets." The American Cancer Society and the Heart and Lung Foundation who have pushed smoke-free workplaces for years remain silent concerning the Indian Gaming Industry which provides the foundation-funded outfits with millions of dollars.

News media remain silent; never probing the labor aspect of the Indian Gaming Industry because Indian Gaming has become the number one purchaser of advertising in the United States. Look at any newspaper, listen to any radio station or watch any television station and you will see ad after ad for Indian Gaming.

Note: My blogs contain a lot more information including information on our struggle to organize casino workers at the Gun Lake Casino that has become notorious because it was at the center of sending Jack Abramoff to prison. Some of this, albeit very distorted and inaccurate, came out in the movie: Casino Jack. The Fertitta Family now manages the Gun Lake Casino south of Grand Rapids, Michigan in exchange for receiving 85% of the casino's profits.

Also, the movie "Casino" is based on the true story taken from Gary Hart's prosecution of Frank Fertitta and members of the Kansas City Mob.

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm refused to insist that casino workers receive all the protections all other workers enjoy under state and federal labor laws before signing the "Compact" creating the Gun Lake Casino.

Workers in the Indian Gaming Industry are forced to sign statements as a condition of their employment starting that if they become involved in union organizing they we be terminated immediately.

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has reneged on the three point agreement he made with us in return for supporting him. Neither Dayton nor ANY candidate receiving campaign contributions from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association or any of the associations affiliated with the National Indian Gaming Association will receive our endorsement or support; instead, we will work to defeat these candidates regardless of party affiliation.

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

It has "occurred" to many of us that something is drastically out of kilter in this country... What are we going to do about it?

2011-12-18T10:17:00.000-06:00

Cindy Sheehan posted this on her FaceBook wall today:

"It occurs to me after another "end" to the "war" in Iraq; my son and hundreds of thousands of other people are dead for absolutely nothing good. Dead for lies for profit."

I think this is "occurring" now to many people especially as we see the Iraqi people celebrating U.S. troops leaving their country by burning U.S. flags as the same corporate owned U.S. MainStreamMedia that force-fed us all the lies about why this dirty imperialist war was needed is trying to feed us another lie that "the U.S. flag is being brought home."

Now tax-payer funded mercenaries provided the name of "contractors" have been charged with the effort to "maintain law-and-order" as the Iraqi people complete their civil war over whether multi-national corporations will rob them of their oil using them as sources of cheap labor.

As the great anti-imperialist Mark Twain explained, "I wasn't an anti-imperialist until our government got involved in the Spanish-American War."

Now that it is "occurring" to many people here at home and around the world that this war (an imperialist war) has been fought for the exact same reasons as the Spanish American War--- to secure cheap natural resources and regional domination for "policing" these areas of the world to maintain Wall Street's ability to reap maximum profits, the American people are now getting the bill to pay for it all via the most draconian austerity measures being imposed by Obama, we will no doubt find many people saying, "I wasn't an anti-imperialist until the war in Iraq."

Something to think about: After over one-hundred years we are still paying for this country's very first imperialist war--- the Spanish American War--- and we still have the U.S. military "policing" both the Philippines and Puerto Rico.

The United States government honors Mark Twain with a "Forever" postage stamp without so much as a mention that he was a great anti-imperialist who tried to warn the American people about the need to resist imperialist wars while encouraging us to join the struggles in solidarity with the victims of these imperialist wars lest we become the victims of these dirty imperialist wars ourselves.

We have had many great anti-imperialists amongst us--- from Mark Twain to General Smedley Butler to W.E.B. DuBois, Paul Robeson and Albert Einstein who the despicable pervert J. Edgar Hoover viciously smeared and attacked for his anti-imperialist activities as "having more Communist friends than Joseph Stalin."

A dirty, corrupt, profit-driven Wall Street government can only continue to get us involved in imperialist war after imperialist war. Wall Street is our enemy and the enemy of peoples everywhere.

The time has come for the 99% to challenge Wall Street for power.

A good, solid, united anti-imperialist movement in this country would go a long way towards driving these Wall Street shills like Obama from power.

Anti-imperialist education, organization, struggle and solidarity... Forever.

Mark Twain should be honored with more than his picture on a postage stamp if we are ever going to live in peace and cooperation with the rest of the world.

What is this country coming to?

2011-12-11T11:27:00.002-06:00

We sure have a bunch of lazy bastards in this country.

I just read about this guy named Herne who has college degrees up the wazoo who is complaining he can't find a job.

I'm telling you; the guy doesn't want to work. He wants to begin his working career as an Administrative Assistant to the governor or something.

I asked Herne: Have you tried applying for a poverty wage paying job at Wal-mart or looked into working at one of the smoke-filled casinos dotting Minnesota?

Probably not; you are just another lazy bastard looking for a real living wage job in a healthy working environment. If you can't find a job with all your degrees in the private sector, I suggest you check out the jobs available in the public sector--- Uncle Sam would love to have you.

If all this fails, come on up and apply for one of these "middle class" jobs offered so kindly by the Marvin Family working in their big yellow building adorned with pretty roses.

What a bunch of lazy bastards we have in this country. They can't find a job for what they spent on a college education and then they start complaining.

Where's the cops when you need them to shut these people up?

Let's strive to make 2012 the year we come together in anti-imperialist solidarity

2011-12-09T15:19:00.002-06:00

Let's strive to make 2012 the year we come together in anti-imperialist solidarity to carry forward the work begun by the great anti-imperialists like Mark Twain and Paul Robeson.

This is an "art technique" I learned in a class taught by cartoonist Gary Huck who told me I had no talent to draw--- lol! So he taught me to use the art of others. I just posted this on his FaceBook wall:

Gary; A technique I credit as learning from you. I used my camera and the art of others compliments of the U.S. Postal Service and an appointment book from my insurance company to create an anti-imperialist message of struggle and solidarity about the kind of movement we need in the coming year.

International anti-imperialist solidarity--- Forever!

... in our communities, where we work and go to school; in the streets and at the ballot box.

Some facts about Marvin Windows and Doors Barack which Obama conveniently left out of his speech while praising this union-buster

2011-12-08T10:06:00.003-06:00

Barack Obama held up Marvin Windows and Doors headquartered in Warroad, Minnesota as his idea of a company that cares about its workers--- have Richard Trumka, Leo Gerard, Bob King and Jimmy Hoffa had enough of Obama's lies, now?

Marvin Windows and Doors is a company that engages in racist hiring practices; pays poverty wages of $7.50 to 10.00 an hour to most of its employees and has reduced the wages of these poverty paid workers by over $800.00 a year this year while pushing workers to produce more for less pay. Most of the workers employed at Marvin Windows and Doors are so poor they are on some form of government assistance and their children even "qualify" for free and reduced price school lunches as the government subsidizes the wages with Food Stamps.

Every worker Marvin hires is scrutinized by a union busting detective agency before they are hired.

The Marvin's big boast is that they have hired violent thugs to thwart and stymie three union organizing drives by the Carpenters Union, the Teamsters and most recently the International Association of Machinists.

The Marvin Family runs the City of Warroad as a company town. A Marvin is the Mayor. The Marvin Family and their relatives own just about every business in town including the one bank and the one super-market and even most of the gas stations.

The Marvin Family contributes to both the Republicans and the Democrats including making huge campaign contributions to Minnesota's two most reactionary Democrats who would feel right at home in Mississippi--- U.S. Congressman Colin Peterson and State Senator LeRoy Stumpf.

Maybe Richard Trumka should consider one more organizing drive at Marvin Windows and Doors to find out just what kind of candidate the AFL-CIO is backing in Barack Obama.

What Obama doesn't say is that he heeded the advice of the Marvin Family in chucking the Employee Free Choice Act.

Why would Marvin Windows and Doors want to lay-off employees during tough economic times when they can force workers to produce more for less pay while the government subsidizes the living standards of its employees so Marvin Windows and Doors can drive its competition out of business selling shoddy products touted in their advertising as the best in the industry while boosting its profits making billionaires out of the Marvin Family in an area that is the most impoverished region in the Nation, second only to Appalachia? Oh, yes; Marvin built a brand new plant in the right-to-work state of Virginia because it could reduce its labor and resource costs even further.

By the way, here in Warroad, Minnesota, this is the only place in the United States that I know of where the Mayor tells the Chief of Police to take battered women to jail and the psych ward because, "We don't have a women's shelter."

The local casino owned by Red Lake Gaming Enterprises works hand-in-hand with the Marvin Family to keep wages down.The Mayor of Warroad determined that it was against the law to distribute union leaflets on any public sidewalk in Warroad because sidewalks are really privately owned and the owners are just kind enough to permit people to walk on the sidewalks provided they don't pass out union leaflets while walking on the sidewalks.

Marvin Windows and Doors--- welcome to Barack Obama's wonderful new world of a new kind of labor relations intended to create and enforce poverty.

From the New York Times:

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/obamas-tribute-to-a-company-that-preserved-jobs/

December 7, 2011, 2:10 PM

Obama’s Tribute to a Company That Preserved Jobs

By ANDREW MARTIN

Ben Garvin for The New York TimesOn the factory floor at the Marvin Windows and Doors factory in Warroad, Minn.

In President Obama’s populist speech in Kansas on Tuesday on rebuilding the middle class, he urged business leaders to realize that their obligations extended beyond the desires of their shareholders.

In citing an example of the type of ethos he envisioned, Mr. Obama citedMarvin Windows and Doors, a midsize, privately held manufacturing company based in Warroad, Minn. Hard hit by the decline in the construction trade, Marvin executives vowed not to lay off any of their workers or cut their health insurance benefits, a credo detailed in a Sept. 25 article in The New York Times. Instead, they cut back hours and pay, including their own, and eliminated some perks.

Mr. Obama quoted Marvin’s president, Susan Marvin, who told The Times, “You can’t grow if you’re cutting your lifeblood — and that’s the skills and experience your work force delivers.”

“That’s how America was built,” Mr. Obama said. “That’s why we’re the greatest nation on Earth. That’s what our greatest companies understand. Our success has never been about survival of the fittest. It’s been about building a nation where we’re all better off.”

In Warroad, Marvin executives were thrilled with the shout-out from the president, even if they are reliable contributors to Republican campaigns, including John McCain, Mr. Obama’s Republican opponent in 2008.

“We’re honored that the president took notice of our longstanding efforts to strengthen our communities as we keep our work force intact,” said John Kirchner, a Marvin spokesman (and family member), in a prepared statement. “As a family-owned and operated company, our philosophy is simple: Do the right thing. If we stay focused on doing the right thing for our customers, our employees and our communities, then our business will be just fine. It’s been a tough few years, but by pulling together, we’ve survived — and we believe we’re poised to thrive.”

"The Hill" newspaper deletes my comment; so much for democracy... read my comment for yourself

2011-12-06T12:03:00.001-06:00

I posted this comment to an article on Jill Stein's campaign (http://thehill.com/capital-living/cover-stories/195781-occupy-the-white-house) in The Hill:

I am presently supporting Jill Stein for President. Jill is a "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" kind of citizen/activist we need in this country right now. Jill Stein is walking in the footsteps of Frances Perkins in promoting real ideas aimed at solving the social and economic problems we are experiencing.

It is encouraging that we are seeing a lot of third party activity. Notably there is the rise of the Justice Party which will be running former Salt Lake City mayor Rocky Anderson.

I think there are a lot of people like me who would like to see all of these entries into third party politics trying to break free from the two-party trap come to a "meeting of the minds" and figure out how they might work together for the kind of change that is really needed which only Jill Stein to date has had the courage to place in writing.

Plus, from the standpoint of the workers I represent trying to organize who are forced to work in the smoke-filled casinos of the Indian Gaming Industry at poverty wages without any rights it would be good to know we had a president who really is concerned with the health, rights and livelihoods of working people.

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Occupy the White House

thehill.com

If Green Party political veteran Jill Stein were to visit Occupy Boston several times. If Green Party political veteran Jill Stein were to visit Occupy Boston several times, and if she were to describe the Occupy Wall Street movement’s grievances as “synergistic” with her own policy beliefs, and if ...

Rocky Anderson returns — this time shooting for nation’s top office

2011-11-29T23:07:00.002-06:00

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/53014248-90/anderson-ballot-former-hall.html.csp

Rocky Anderson returns — this time shooting for nation’s top office

BY ROBERT GEHRKE

The Salt Lake Tribune

Nov 29, 2011 06:50PM

Disgusted with what he calls the corrupting influence of corporate money and militarism in politics, former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson is launching a new national political party and will likely be its presidential nominee.

“The end game is changing public policy in the interest of the people of this country. It’s changing our government,” Anderson said. “This is about taking on the two corporatist, militarist parties and in the process bringing the people of this country together so they can see that their interests, by and large, are really aligned.”

Anderson said he will likely be a candidate for the presidential nomination for the new party — which is yet-to-be-named. He said the formation of the party will be announced next week “and shortly thereafter I’ll be announcing my candidacy.” He has already started filling out paperwork for a presidential exploratory committee.

Once the announcement is made, he said a major effort to get on the ballot will start soon in all 50 states. The focus will first be on Mississippi and Vermont, which have a Jan. 1 deadline, but a relatively low bar to get on the ballot, Anderson said.

“This is being done with a long-term view so that we can grow and sustain a movement that will ensure that the public interest, rather than the corporate interests, are promoted by our elected officials,” said Anderson, who acknowledges he wishes he would have started the effort earlier.

Anderson said he is leaning toward calling the new organization The Justice Party or the Public Interest Party. He plans to host the party’s national platform and nominating convention in Salt Lake City over the Presidents Day weekend.

Anderson’s party won’t be alone in this election. The group Americans Elect has spent months qualifying its party for the ballot and plans to nominate a presidential candidate through a first-ever on-line primary. The group qualified for the Utah ballot earlier this month.

Anderson said the new party would converge nicely with the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations around the country, but his intention is not to co-opt that movement.

Thad Hall, a political science professor at the University of Utah, said Anderson is mounting a far-fetched, quixotic crusade.

Hall said states make it difficult to get on the ballot and it’s even more difficult to win.

“Basically what Rocky is saying is he wants a bunch of Republicans to get elected,” Hall said, “because what’s going to happen in theses situations … he’s going to peel votes away from Democrats and end up electing a bunch of ultra-pro-life, ultra-gun, don’t-tax-the-rich, cut-benefits-to-the-poor people.”
Hall said American political parties are also well-branded and people “are well-sorted” into the Democrat or Republican bin. Few are truly independent, and “competing against thief branding is going to be really frigging hard” and require an enormous amount of money.

Matt Lyon, executive director of the Utah Democratic Party, said he doesn’t consider Anderson’s latest action a repudiation of the Democratic Party — where Anderson ran for Congress in 1996.

“Rocky has always done what Rocky is going to do,” he said. “He hasn’t been involved with the Democrats for a very, very, very long time. ... He’s just Rocky.”

Anderson was in Washington last weekend meeting with supporters, formulating plans for the launch.
A leaked copy of the meeting agenda and minutes from a previous meeting noted that there was support for Anderson forming an exploratory committee as soon as possible. The document outlines a platform for the party focused on ending the corporate influence, stopping wars, promoting human and civil rights and ending for-profit prisons.

“The middle class in this country is being decimated and it’s without regard for political affiliation,” Anderson said in an interview. “All of us are being harmed while a very few are profiting enormously by the corruption, by bad public policy that they essentially purchase. These folks in Congress and the White House act as if they’re on retainer by Goldman Sachs, the insurance industry, with the coal and oil and gas industry, with the defense industry.”

Others involved in the discussions include Margaret Flowers, a doctor and leading proponent of a single-payer health plan; Kevin Zeese, an organizer of the Occupy D.C. movement; and former U.S. Rep. John Anderson, who ran for president as an independent in 1980.

Anderson said there is a “rich history” of third party candidates in the United States, from the Bull Moose Party of Teddy Roosevelt to the challenges mounted by Ross Perot and later Ralph Nader.

And he said it is unfair to blame Nader for costing former Vice President Al Gore the election in 2000 — although a relative handful of Nader voters could have swung the election in Gore’s favor. Anderson said the blame lies with voters who backed George W. Bush.

In August, Anderson sent a scathing letter to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, scolding her for failing to oppose torture, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and increased defense spending and refusing to address climate change, health policy and defense spending.

gehrke@sltrib.com
Twitter: @RobertGehrke
Paul Rolly contributed to this report.

--
Circulated by:

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net
E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Proposal for a Minnesota Governor’s Advisory Committee for the Enforcement of Affirmative Action

2011-11-21T19:33:00.002-06:00

Proposal for a Minnesota Governor’s Advisory Committee for the Enforcement of Affirmative Action

Goal and objective: A level playing field.

All the talk about a new Vikings’ Stadium, the need for infrastructure development and repair, talk of light rail and other large-scale public works and joint public-private initiatives and projects begs the question:

What will be done to end racism in employment here in Minnesota that has historical roots combined with present indifference?

Fact: People without jobs are destined to be poor.

Unemployment, under-employment and poverty-wage jobs are the root of poverty.

Poverty is more than statistics. For living, breathing human beings, poverty means going without adequate food, clothing, health care, education, housing, and transportation.

When unemployment rises well beyond the “normal” levels for people of color, women and the handicapped, Affirmative Action as articulated and defined by Federal Executive Order Number 11246 must kick in unless we end up with large pools of unemployed in communities--- and on Indian Reservations--- of people of color which hurt us all, but no where near as much as it harms the victims of racism in employment.

These large pools of the unemployed serve to push down wages and living standards for everyone.

The enforcement of Affirmative Action will help make sure Minnesotans get the jobs funded by Minnesota tax-payers rather than workers from other states.

The enforcement of Affirmative Action will lead to encouraging and strengthening small businesses and entrepreneurship among minorities as minority contractors help recruit people of color through the enforcement of Affirmative Action.

Politicians who pander to the voices of bigotry, racism and hate often claim that advocating for the enforcement of Affirmative Action is so controversial that its enforcement creates divisions in society which tears apart our social fabric. In fact, issues like a new Vikings’ Stadium, as we have seen, are themselves very controversial.

Politics embodies controversy.

The Governor of Minnesota has the responsibility to provide leadership in the just struggle for the enforcement of Affirmative Action in a way that guides Minnesotans to creating a level playing field for everyone.

Governor Mark Dayton should establish “The Minnesota Governor’s Advisory Committee for the Enforcement of Affirmative Action” and this Committee shall consist of: one member representing the Governor, one member each from the AFL-CIO & Change To Win, one member each representing the following firms: public relations, architectural, engineering, general contractors and minority contractors, with two members representing each of the following communities: Black, Native American and Hispanic with at least one member from each of these communities being among the unemployed; three women and one handicapped representative--- 18 members in total.

All members of this Advisory Committee shall participate, together, in at least one training session explaining the history, goals and objectives of Affirmative Action and must be made aware of the present problems relating to how racism in employment has led to current social and economic problems in the specific communities of people of color, women and the handicapped.

This Advisory Committee shall present concrete goals and objectives in reviewing all public funding where there is any type of state involvement in funding and financing including proposals for bonding bills and any joint public-private ventures in which more than $20,000.00 in public funding is involved and/or more than 15 employees hired.

The loop-hole preventing enforcing Affirmative Action must be closed by the Governor and State Legislature refusing to participate in any township, city, county, state, park’s commission, school district, college or university where there is not an Affirmative Action Policy in place being enforced.

Affirmative Action must kick in when any project is first publicly proposed or there is significant public-private cooperation towards project development--- whichever occurs first; long before the first shovel is sunk into the ground.

It is up to the parties involved to implement Affirmative Action in a timely manner so as to prevent project delays which might lead to additional costs incurred by tax-payers. Where this is not done, any costs relating to project delays should result in fines levied at the direction of the Advisory Committee on the parties responsible.

Affirmative Action is the law of the land. For the victims of historic racist employment practices continuing today which results in the need for the enforcement of Affirmative Action, Affirmative Action is both a Human Right and a Constitutional Right.

The Governor of Minnesota has a Constitutional responsibility to see to it that Affirmative Action is enforced. This Advisory Committee provides the Governor with the tools to achieve the enforcement of Affirmative Action.

People should not have to resort to law suits, direct action and other means of protest in order to have their right to employment protected.

Everyone has the right to seek employment from a level playing field.

A means to enforce Affirmative Action on the Vikings’ Stadium (and all other projects stated above) in line with stated goals and objectives must be found before planning for this project proceeds any further.

I am submitting this “Proposal for a Minnesota Governor’s Advisory Committee for the Enforcement of Affirmative Action” for consideration to Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton upon request from Micah Hines, General Counsel to Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, who requested I submit this proposal in writing to Governor Mark Dayton.

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Contact information:

58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/alan.l.maki

Copies provided to:
NAACP
Urban League
Minnesota Indian Affairs Council
AFL-CIO
Change To Win
Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party
Republican Party
Green Party

Posted to:
FaceBook... http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150474417745086
Blog............ http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/proposal-for-minnesota-governors.html

A victory for peace, the people and the environment; proving the people can win through determined struggle.

2011-11-19T22:55:00.000-06:00

Please watch this video to get up to speed on this important issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_aSJgZOkLlU&noredirect=1

NEW 7 WONDERS OF NATURE ISLAND JEJU SAVED - FOR NOW

Sunday, 20 November 2011 09:38

http://www.international.to/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3323%3Anew-7-wonders-of-nature-island-jeju-saved-for-now&catid=97%3Abreaking-news&Itemid=119

SUNDAY 20 November 2011. Thanks to ALL of you, who wrote to Jeju-do Governor Keun-Min Woo and UN SG Ban Ki-Moon in order to avert the planned dynamite blast of Gureombee (Gureombi), the world-famous volcanic cloud-rock and cultural site along Jeju's Southern coastline.

On November 18th, the government in Seoul - abusing the South Korean Navy under their orders - and SAMSUNG construction company (part of SAMSUNG Corp.) wanted to dynamite-blast Gureombee (Gureombi) belonging to Gangjeong village where the local people have been resisting day and night for now almost 5 years and demand to stop the building of a naval base, which also would see USAmerican naval vessels with nuclear weapons be stationed.

Thanks to YOUR efforts and due to the stand of Governor Keun-Min Woo that was averted.

In a global collective effort to stop this destructive blast, which also would have been a blast against national and international law as well as against world peace, would have crushed local needs and traditions under military boots and would also would have destroyed the pristine environment as well as the cultural heritage of the Jeju people forever, this rape of Jeju could be stopped - for the time being.

Apparently the police have turned down the companies' request for the blast of the Gureombi rocks now for the third time. It is told that the reasons were: 1. insufficiency of the documents; 2. concerns about possible incidences during the blast; 3. requirement for the agreement with the Island governor.
Several legal interventions against the naval base are also still pending while the powers-that-be, their military and their business cohorts like SAMSUNG wanted to just go ahead.

But, it is not over yet. (... and those, who didn't write yet have here another opportunity)

Jeju, an autonomous province, was recently selected among the New Seven Wonders of Nature, which with its UNESCO triple-crowned status lists the island among the world’s most precious cultural and national treasures. In addition, the marine ecosystem that lines Gureombee is an absolute preservation area designated by the South Korean government because of the many endangered species that inhabit this pristine ecosystem, including soft coral and the red-clawed crab. The spring water that bubbles up from the volcanic rock provides up to 80% of the drinking water for all residents of Seogwipo City, the southern half of Jeju Island. The destruction of Gureombee threatens the surrounding marine life and the clean water that farmers and villagers depend upon for their survival. As one villager expressed it, “Gureombee is Gangjeong, Gangjeong is Gureombee. We are One.”

Please take action now and send an email to Jeju Governor Woo urging him to stand strong and avert any blasting as well as the whole construction of the naval base. The Jeju Island governor must stand with his people to protect Jeju’s pristine nature from being destroyed. Governor Woo has the authority to order the Navy to halt the destruction of this pristine coastline.

Please send also an e-mail to the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon, who - himself a South-Korean - actually holds the supreme military command for South Korea in his hands.

All Gangjeong villagers are pleading for your help to prevent any destruction of Gureombee and to put a halt forever to the naval base plans -at whatever cost. Your contacting the Governor and the UN Secretary General now will not only encourage them to o the right thing and really help save the village and lives, but also help to free the innocent officials, villagers and peace activists from state persecution.

STOP the BLASTS ! STOP the BASE ! FREE INDIGENOUS DETAINEES !

Sample letters

Write to: Gov. Keun-Min Woo : lmw2828@jeju.go.kr
Governor of Cheju-do, the Self-Governing Jeju Province and Cheju Island

Honourable Keun-Min Woo,
Dear Governor Woo,

Thanks you very much for your strong stand so far to stop the blast of Gureombee, a government-designated absolute ecological preservation area.You hold the powers in your hand to make that decision permanent.

You also have the power to order the South-Korean Navy to stop the construction of the naval base, to release innocent citizens from detention and to stop state persecution of officials, villagers and peace activists. Please do so.
We believe you don't want to leave behind a legacy of overseeing the destruction of a UNESCO preserved site and ancient Korean relics, and you want to be remembered as a protector of democracy and peace on Jeju Island.

South Korea’s Constitution guarantees all of its citizens’ human respect and the right to pursue happiness. Please be a pillar to restore and maintain peace in Gangjeong today.
Please uphold your promise to those who elected you and stop navy constructions and any planned destruction immediately. We don’t want the ‘New Seven Wonders of Nature’ to be brutally destroyed and be replaced with something which only can serve war.

Please speak out now in public to declare that you stopped that ill-conceived project once and for all and that all officials, villagers and peace activists will be set free and no further harassment of people, who just fulfil their democratic duties, will be allowed.

Sincerely,
----

Write to: Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon
United Nations
New York, NY 10017 USA
+1-212-963-5012 fax: +1-212-963-7055
Email: ecu@un.org
CC to: Jamille Mc Cord, email: mccord@un.org and Anne Sophie Persson, email: persson3@un.org
as well as to: Mr. Kim Soo-Gwon < kimsoogwon@gmail.com>, because South Korea is violating Universally Guaranteed Rights. He is the chair of the human rights desk at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, located at 335 East 45th St New York, New York 10017. His telephone number is +1-212-439-4051and his cell phone is +1-646-831-7188.

Your Excellency,
Dear Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon,

You said yourself: "World military spending has now risen to over $1.2 trillion. This incredible sum represents 2.5 per cent of GDP(global gross domestic product). Even if 1 per cent of it were redirected towards development, the world would be much closer to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.... I believe in a world of justice and human rights for all."

You have the historic opportunity to show to the world that you mean what you say, because until April 17, 2012, you as Secretary General of the United Nations are technically the top of the chain of command and head of the still functioning UN Command in charge of all forces in South Korea. Thereby you are also in command of the South-Korean Navy.

Please order them today to stand down in any plan of establishing a naval base on Jeju Island and to leave the Jeju Islanders in peace.

Please stop any military action on Jeju and prevent the destruction of Gureombee - the world famous "Cloud-Rock" with its many ecological, cultural and economic functions important for the well-being of the Jeju people and their natural marine and island ecosystems.

As it appears the chief of the naval base business committee will be changed on Nov. 23. The newly appointed person could be the vice-commander of the 2nd Fleet, Pyeongtaek base, where the large U.S. military base locates. Please support all the people in South-Korea, who do not want to be dragged in a new regional conflict between the U.S.A. and China and rather would like to work hard to see North and South Korea be reunited.

Please also help to free innocent detainees and to stop the persecution of innocent officials, villagers and peace activists.

Please instruct UNESCO and UNEP to stand up against the wanton destruction of the natural and cultural heritage of these indigenous people on Jeju Island and protect their rights as well as endangered species of the pristine marine and island ecosystems.

As famous visual artist Choi Sung-hee stated: Jeju Island is the pearl of Korea and Gangjeong village is the diamond of Jeju Island.

Nature protected you, dear Secretary General, when you fled with your family to the remote mountainside for the duration of the Korean War, so now please help the Jeju people and especially the Gangjeong-do villagers to protect their nature and maintain peace.

Thanks

----

The Jeju Islanders also ask you to write to the South Korean Ministry of Defense to revoke the naval base construction policy and not to blast the Gureombi (Gureonbee) on Jeju Island, South Korea so that the military or navy do not commit this crime on their own.
Please write to:
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-Jin < defenattache@yahoo.com> and ask him to stop the plan.

... and because it has transpired that actually the government of the United States of America is behind the whole naval base plan, we urge you to try and reach out to President Barack Hussein Obama http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments
Also tell the people at his re-election campaign http://www.barackobama.com/contact-us?source=footer-nav that they can forget about any donations and support unless the U.S. government and their present president would rescind from dragging the whole world into warfare, close the U.S.American military bases especially in South-Korea and let the people re-unite peacefully.

---
Please send copies of all your letters in CC to
President Lee Myung-bak < president@president.go.kr>, who himself voted for Jeju Island as one of the NEW 7 WONDERS OF NATURE, but is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, not only the chief executive of the government and the head of state of the Republic of Korea, but also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, who already created havoc on the island in the recent past, though it is a self-governed, autonomous province.

Please send your missives also in BCC to office[AT]ecoterra-international.org
---

* FREE THE JEJU THREE
See: http://www.fpcn-global.org/en/system/files/%252Fhome/fpcn/files/drupal/save_jeju_island_oct_2011.ppt
Free the three peace activists who have been in prison for the past 82 days. They pose no threat to the community, will not flee from their home and therefore, there is no need for them to be locked up in detention . They are:

Mr. Kang Dong-gyun, The Mayor of Gangjeong village www.freemayorkang.org (He only did his mayoral duties.)
Mr. Kim Jong-Hwan (Uncle Jong) - Age 57 | Peace Activist and cook for the peace-camp
Mr. Kim Dong-Won - Age 25 | Photographer/videographer (Both KIMs only assisted the mayor during the brutal arrest.)

----------

STEP UP THE
BOYCOTT AGAINST SAMSUNG
See: http://www.savejejuisland.org/Save_Jeju_Island/Samsung.html
* SAMSUNG and HYUNDAI corporations are instrumental for the past, ongoing and planned destruction at Jeju Island and are behind most of the illegal detentions and harassments of peaceful protesters on ground of "disturbing business".
SAMSUNG has become an integral part of the military-industrial complex.
Please prepare for a global boycott of their products. We need to do all to stop them from destroying this particular place where an activist made this video-appeal to the world, to you:
See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JaZhcrUvt4&feature=player_embedded
That SAMSUNG is perceived as a thief has been legally established just recently in democratic countries of Europe, where their products with apparently stolen patents were banned from being sold.
PROTECT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYeUB-JLPFU&feature=player_embedded
WRITE TO:
Jung, YeonJoo: President & CEO,(Engineering & Construction Group) and urge him to
STOP SAMSUNG from stealing pristine nature from the Gangjeong villagers and the world.
Also write to:
Jeong, Ki Cheol - Senior Executive Vice President
Kim, Hee Won - Executive Vice President
Kim, Deok Lim - Vice President
Kim, Sung Lae - Vice President
via e-mail Samsung < kd78.park@samsung.com>
and tell them that the results of their Overseas Business Division will seriously decline, if their destruction on Jeju doesn't stop immediately and they wouldn't opt out from this disastrous project on Jeju island and from being at the core of serious human rights violations. Gangjeong KR Naval Base Protest Chaos Video EN GKNBCV 1
Consumers the world over will judge with their own purchase decisions, whom to trust and whom to give their money.

A couple "characters" have complained that they are victims of "racial discrimination" on the part of one of our Organizing Committees

2011-11-11T09:47:00.001-06:00

Now some friends of Leech Lake Tribal Chair Archie LaRose are complaining that our Leech Lake Casino Workers Organizing Committee would not let them join and they are charging they have been the victims of "racial discriminated."

Since this has become a public dispute, with reporters from Fox News and Minnesota Public Radio who have never provided any coverage of our organizing activities before, as the Director of Organizing for the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council to which the Leech Lake Casino Workers Organizing Committee is affiliated, I will explain the situation here--- and since Fox News Television reporters and Minnesota Public Radio reporters are reading my FaceBook page they are free to quote me as they choose.

First; No one here has been discriminated against based on race.

Second; Each of our Organizing Committees is composed of members of all races employed in that particular casino--- including Leech Lakes' three casinos with a majority of each executive board being Native American.

Third; because these are organizing committees precautions have to be taken against infiltration by the casino managements since these casino managements have employed a number of detective agencies including Altegrity/USIS which is assisted by the FBI and the "Red" Squads centered around the Public Safety Commission here in Minnesota working in league with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and county and city police departments. Why these federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and departments are concerned about the activities of casino workers who strive for a safe and healthy working environment free from smoke and with tolerable noise limits as prescribed by various federal and state agencies while being paid poverty wages working without any rights beats me; let the reporters ask these agencies and police departments about this. Doesn't sound like a good investment of tax-dollars to me in these tight times where budget dollars are at a premium.

Fourth; It is up to each Organizing Committee's Executive Board--- all of which are interracial--- to vote, a simple majority vote, on who is allowed to be on the Organizing Committees.

Fifth; The characters in question, and to refer to them as "characters" is being rather nice since they are known to associate with the Native Mob and Archie LaRose whose position as Chair of the Leech Lake Tribal Council places him as the head of management of Leech Lake's three casinos- The Palace, White Oak and Northern Lights.

We would be complete fools to welcome such characters into our Organizing Committees.

My suggestion to these "characters" is that if they want to become part of a union so bad is that they convince their friend Archie LaRose to sit down and negotiate a contract with us and then all the workers from these three casinos, including these "characters," will be in the union and free to run for union office and participate in the union as they so choose.

My suggestion to Fox News and Minnesota Public Radio reporters is that since they will be doing a first story in over twenty years on labor/management problems relating to the Indian Gaming Industry and Leech Lake's three casinos, is that they look into the working conditions and pay of casino workers. They might begin with interviews of the foundation funded outfits receiving financial contributions from the Indian Gaming Association whose funding they receive to keep their noses out of the smoke-filled casinos where they would be forced to explain using science and medical information what happens to people forced to work in these smoke-filled casinos day after day--- yes, go interview the directors of the American Cancer Society, the Minnesota Heart and Lung Foundation and talk to Congressmember Keith Ellison about what this smoke does for people with Asthma.

As for interviewing me; I have nothing to talk to you pricks about.

Why OWS needs specific concrete demands and leadership

2011-11-06T08:05:00.002-06:00

Why OWS needs specific concrete demands and leadership

by Alan L. Maki on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 9:12am

Why OWS needs specific concrete demands and leadership

By: Alan Maki Saturday November 5, 2011 7:03 am

Originally published in two posts on Firedoglake
Links:

http://my.firedoglake.com/alanmaki/2011/11/05/why-ows-needs-specific-concrete-demands-and-leadership/

http://my.firedoglake.com/alanmaki/2011/11/04/we-need-to-talk-about-the-politics-of-economics-of-livelihood/

It is not logical to think people will continue to occupy anything indefinitely— not a park or a factory or a school or a Wall Street office or a politician’s office.

Movements for social and economic justice need clear demands aimed at solving specific problems intended to improve the lives and living conditions of people.

This is what unites and brings people into struggle.

All successful movements for social change have used this simple formula; it is the only one that achieves results:

Education + Organization + Unity in action = Victory for the people

In other words, you start out helping people to connect all the dots relating to their problems.

We have many people saying the strength of the OWS movement is that it is “leaderless” and “without specific demands.”

This creates confusion which is good for who? Obama, the Black Box?

So far what we are getting out of the OWS movement is that people are “fed up.” This is good that people vent their anger.

But, are people “fed up” with government, Wall Street or capitalism— or all three?

People are “fed up” because they are experiencing problems— very specific problems.

Unless people clearly articulate what they are “fed up” with anyone and everyone can claim they speak for OWS without having to solve the very specific problems of everyday living people are experiencing.

It is not like it is difficult to find out why people are “fed up.” Anyone can walk through a grocery store talking to people. Start up a conversation at the gas station. Engage people where they work or go to school.

In talking to people one quickly finds what the specific problems are.

It is only logical that people who are “fed up” should articulate their specific problems if they want these problems solved.

The problems can be articulated in a way that leads to people arriving at the conclusion there are specific solutions to their problems.

The specific problems and their specific solutions must be clearly articulated or people who are “fed up” are going to become more frustrated. Eventually they will come to the conclusion there is nothing they can do about their problems if struggles do not lead towards solutions to their problems.

If people become disillusioned in thinking it does no good to organize and come together, the result, if this happens, is that Wall Street remains in power and the problems just get worse.

Isn’t it our goal and objective to solve the problems people are experiencing in a way that the people have a chance to successfully challenge Wall Street for power?

That specific, concrete demands providing solutions to problems aren’t being adequately articulated by the OWS movement is not the movement’s strength it is a severe weakness. All movements need leadership. The more collective the leadership the better; but leadership none-the-less. After all, someone eventually has to sign a union contract or in some collective way agree that problems have been solved.

I question just how “leaderless” the OWS movement really is.

George Lakoff and his Rockwood Institute advising these do-nothing "progressive" Democrats have for a very long time articulated the position that only “progressive policy directives” are required and specific solutions to problems should be avoided at all costs. (See “Don’t Think of an Elephant!: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate–The Essential Guide for Progressives” by George Lakoff)

It appears to me that OWS has a leader— the wrong one; either by chance or by intent, it doesn’t matter how this has happened. We need to turn this situation around.

Amy Dean, the darling of the Obama loving Democrats who seeks to turn every concern of the people into her own personal profit by "advising" people on what to do, “let the cat out of the bag” in her recent essay which tries to guide people towards the “leadership” of the Rockwood Institute. See: http://my.firedoglake.com/amybdean/2011/11/04/unity-is-strength-for-progressives/

Republicans have their “fed ups” with the Tea Party— another movement that is “leaderless” and without specific demands by design.

The Democrats now want their “fed ups” as long as people don’t come articulating specific problems they want solved.

Additional Note # 1. Please note: I added this comment after reading the discussions to my initial post on Firedoglake and several phone conversations:

If you look at the Occupy Oakland protests thousands of people turned out bringing with them their problems stated on the signs they were carrying.

People aren’t interested in shaping some new kind of democracy in isolation to their problems.

People want a say in the decision-making process so their problems get solved. People are fed up with politicians who won’t respond to their problems in a way that solves their problems.

If OWS continues to ignore the specific problems people are having people will get fed up with OWS, too.

We are beginning to see some discussions about occupying homes being foreclosed on and some discussions about occupying plants slated to close in order to try to save jobs. This is the general direction OWS will have to move in order to keep the movement growing.

We also saw how OWS made a list of demands an on that list was the demand to solve the health care mess— but, what did this demand for health care reform consist of? It called for a “financial means test” to determine eligibility for access to health care.

To suggest that it may take years for OWS to articulate demands relating to solving the problems people are experiencing smacks of the same kind of thing we hear from Obama and the Democrats so why not give Obama a chance to see what he can do with another 4 years?

If the main thing people were interested in is making friends and helping people one person at a time while a new kind of democracy is being talked about then the signs people were carrying in Oakland would have reflected this.
Lots of signs said people want jobs; many others conveyed the idea that people want real health care reform.

Other signs took note of rising gas and food prices while other signs called for a moratorium on home foreclosures. Lots of signs called for defending public education from cuts. All kinds of signs called for peace, not wars.

What people are saying when they turn out in the thousands everyplace is that the majority wants peace and social justice and in a democracy this is what people should get.

I can guarantee that most of the 99% are not going to participate in long-winded discussions about “democracy” when they are without jobs, hungry and homeless.

Eradicating poverty is the most democratic demand of all.

It is the struggles of the people trying to solve their problems in the process of creating a better world to live in with improved living standards and a healthy and safe environment at work and in their communities that defends and expands democracy not the other way around.

Additional Note #2. Please note: This is the second edit including another comment to responses I have received on FireDogLake:

Leadership involves much more than some specific person. Leadership implies having an ideology that understands that bringing forward specific demands aimed at solving the specific problems of the people through universal social programs is the way to go.

In fact, “leadership” is being provided to the OWS movement or we wouldn’t be hearing this talk about how the movement should remain “leaderless” without specific demands. This is leadership through ideological saturation; a “leadership” I believe is wrong-headed intended to serve the goals and objectives of Barack Obama and the Democrats.

The criticism of Obama is that he hasn’t acted to solve the problems of the people in a timely manner. Obama and the Democrats demagogically claim they need more time.

Now we are hearing the exact same thing from the “leaderless?” OWS movement that it will take, perhaps years!, to develop specific goals and objectives which include bringing forward solutions to our common problems as we (the 99%) are all pushed into poverty.

It isn’t rocket science to determine what our common problems are and their solutions. Go into any supermarket in a working class community and most anyone can itemize the problems and provide a shopping list of the solutions.

Here it is. This isn’t something I thought up in a dream. This comes from years of discussing with people what kind of problems they have and what they think the solutions are. Anyone can print off this program and take it to church, to work, to school, shopping to ask people what they think about it. Here is an idea… maybe listen to the people for the “leadership” the OWS movement requires… what a novel idea when it comes to considering how democracy is supposed to work!

A program for real change…

* Peace— end the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya and shutdown the 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil.
* A National Public Health Care System – ten million new jobs.
* A National Public Child Care System – three to five million new jobs.
* Works Progress Administration – three million new jobs.
* Civilian Conservation Corps – two million new jobs.
* Tax the hell out of the rich and cut the military budget by ending the wars to pay for it all which will create full employment.
* Enforce Affirmative Action; end discrimination.
* Raise the minimum wage to a real living wage
* What tax-payers subsidize in the way of businesses, tax-payers should own and reap the profits from.
* Moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions.
* Defend democracy by defending workers’ rights including the right to collective bargaining for improving the lives and livelihoods of working people.
* Roll-back and freeze the price of food, electricity, gas and heating fuels; not wages, benefits or pensions.
* Defend and expand Social Security.
* Wall Street is our enemy

How is Barack Obama’s Wall Street war economy working for you?

Let’s talk about the politics and economics of livelihood for a real change.

Tell Richard Trumka, Leo Gerard, Amy Dean, Joe Hansen and Jimmy Hoffa to get up off their asses and strike while the iron is hot

2011-11-03T09:30:00.000-05:00

by Alan L. Maki on Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 9:01am

Now is the time for working people to move into action against Wal-mart with a massive organizing campaign. In my opinion, any campaign to boycott Wal-mart at this time should be in conjunction with a full-scale international union organizing campaign with Wal-mart being taken on by workers across the globe. With Occupy Wall Street spreading across the globe like a prairie fire on a windy day, this would be a perfect time to launch an international campaign to organize Wal-mart workers. Wal-mart is now the largest employer in the world--- what better target for Occupy Wall Street than one of the largest and most profitable of Wall Street's multi-national companies? All the ingredients are now here for a victory--- Wal-mart workers want a union and there is massive anti-Wall Street sentiment sweeping the globe which would make a consumer boycott very effective. I think people like Richard Trumka, Leo Gerard and Amy Dean need to be explaining why they are not thinking along these lines and throwing all their resources into this kind of working class struggle instead of pissing away the money of union members supporting Barack Obama who is obviously Wall Street's president. Wal-mart brings its products into this country by ship in containers from the low-wage areas of the world where these commodities are being produced and the longshore union is in a mode to fight. A consumer boycott and Wal-mart not being able to get its goods off the ships would make for a huge working class organizing victory. Now is the time to strike while the iron is hot.

It's time to blow the flame out

2011-11-02T10:50:00.000-05:00

Have you had enough? New Party on the horizon

2011-11-01T20:51:00.000-05:00

Rocky Anderson

418 Douglas Street

Salt Lake City, UTAH 84102

E-mail: rockyandersonrocky@yahoo.com

Press Release - October 21, 2011

Have you had enough?

New Party on the horizon

The former Mayor of Salt Lake City and Executive Director of High Road for Human Rights, Rocky Anderson, calls for the formation of a new political party and a sustained movement committed to the public interest.

Two months ago, Anderson “divorced himself” from what he referred to as “the spineless, gutless Democratic Party.” Responding to an email from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which showed as the subject, “Standing strong,” Anderson wrote: “How dare you send an email with the subject line ‘Standing strong.’ You didn’t do it on Iraq, you didn’t do it on torture, you didn’t do it on signing statements, you haven’t done it onAfghanistan, you haven’t done it on defense spending, you haven’t done it on real health care reform, you haven’t done it on the debt ceiling fiasco.”

(Rolly: Rocky Anderson says adieu to the Democratic Party,” The Salt Lake Tribune, August 12, 2011.)

Anderson continued: “I’m done with the Democratic Party… I think the answer is a new political party that actually will advocate for and promote the interests of the public rather than the narrow interests of the wealthy who bought and paid for not only Congress but the White House… The Constitution has been eviscerated while Democrats have stood by with nary a whimper. It is a gutless, unprincipled party, bought and paid for by the same interests that buy and pay for the Republican Party.”

(Romboy, “Former S.L. mayor Rocky Anderson divorces himself from ‘gutless’ Democratic Party,” Deseret News, August 13, 2011.)

This country needs a new, powerful party that can win elections, according to Anderson. “The pensions and other savings accounts of the middle class in this country have been decimated. The only way out is another party. I would call it, frankly, a second party that actually represents the interests of the American people. There isn’t a real opposition force in Washington, D.C., any more, and we the people have the capacity to change that -- and we must if our republic is going to survive. I consider myself an Independent, but I would be very pleased to work with others to form not just a political party to run another campaign, but to launch a sustained movement for major change in this country.”

(“Rocky: Not a Democrat,” (Interview with Rocky Anderson by Lexie Levitt), City Weekly,September 26, 2011.)

Anderson said that people are fed up with the Democratic and Republican parties, Congress, and the Obama administration to the point of being ready to support a new party that rejects the corporatism and militarism of the two “Wall Street lap-dog” major parties.

The polls support Anderson’s view that the people of the United States are desirous of a new party, and bold, new leadership, like never before. Patrick Caddell and Douglas Shoen have written:

“The United States is in the midst of what we would both call a pre-Revolutionary moment, and there is widespread support for fundamental change in the system. An increasing number of Americans are now searching beyond the two parties for bold and effective leadership.”

(Caddell and Schoen, “Expect a Third-Party Candidate in 2012,” The Wall Street Journal, August 25, 2011.)

"Have you had enough?" asks Anderson. “Would you support the formation of a new party that will commit to:

affordable universal health care;
an end to the wars;
a significant reduction in the military budget and an end to the military-industrial-congressional complex;
investigation of illegal conduct, including war crimes, by executive officials during the current and prior administrations;
investigation of the events on 9/11 to answer significant questions that have been raised;
prosecution for illegal conduct leading to the economic melt-down;
disincentives for U.S. companies to send jobs overseas;
employee and environmental safeguards in trade agreements;
implementation of major domestic jobs and infrastructure programs;
an end to the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy;
campaign finance reform to end the corrupting influence of money in politics;
treat substance abuse within a public health framework rather than as a criminal matter;
repeal the PATRIOT Act;
compassionate and rational immigration reform;
marriage equality;
an end to subsidies for oil and gas companies;
a ban on a Canada-to-Mexico tar sands pipeline;
air quality protection, including stricter ozone limits; and
aggressive action and leadership on the climate crisis and the environment?”

Rocky Anderson has been in the process of contacting some of America’s leading social, environmental and political activists with the goal of creating a powerful, broad-based political alternative to the increasingly unpopular Republican and Democratic Parties. He intends that the new party will have candidates in local, state, and federal races throughout the nation.

Anderson plans on hosting a meeting soon between leaders in various sectors of the country in order to draft a new platform and a long-term strategy capable of attracting a majority of voters, including millions of dissatisfied Democrats and Republicans who, until now, had nowhere else to go.

Anderson has stated his intention to do what is possible to get on the ballots in all 50 states and to campaign for candidates aggressively in all states. "The Democratic and Republican Parties have acted as if voters have no other real options. The people of this country will demonstrate that we, indeed, have another option - a party that will work in the public interest, rather than for the defense contractors, the health insurance companies, and the rapacious financial institutions that have caused such economic havoc in our nation and the world."

Anderson anticipates a broad-based coalition, similar to the one built by the New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP), which won impressive political gains in the Canadian federal elections last May. The NDP is the political party that brought universal health care to the Canadian people.

Press info: Mackenzie Scott - Tel. 801-520-0491

Rocky Anderson - Tel. 801-557-9007

E-mail: rockyandersonrocky@yahoo.com

A response to Michael Zweig

2011-10-29T11:57:00.000-05:00

A discussion with social democrat Michael Zweig, friend to those who lead organized labor

by Alan L. Maki on Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 11:24am

This article written by Michael Zweig was published in the Huffington Post and Michael Zweig e-mailed me the article seeking my comment. My comments are in italics bold... I would also like to point out, based upon my limited interaction with Michael Zweig, that he strives to stifle discussion rather than encourage debate.

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

OWS Has Lessons to Learn From Past Movements

Posted: 10/28/11 07:19 PM ET

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-zweig/ows-has-lessons-to-learn-_b_1064743.html

Michael Zweig
Professor of Economics, Stony Brook University

The Occupy Wall Street action in lower Manhattan has unleashed the energies of hundreds of thousands of people across the country and changed the national conversation. The heart of its appeal lies in the formulation: "We are the 99%." For the first time in years, the finger of responsibility for our country's troubles is pointing up at the 1%, rather than down at the ordinary people who do the work of business and government.

This is true; but, the question needs to be asked: Why haven't Michael Zweig and the union "leaders" he runs with like Leo Gerard and Richard Trumka taken up these struggles before? Obviously they have the resources and "lead" organized labor. Why did Michael Zweig and his friends who lead labor support, and continue to support, Wall Street's chosen one--- Barack Obama? Why haven't Zweig and his friends who "lead" organized labor asked those workers who pay the dues which pay their big fat salaries: How is Barack Obama's Wall Street war economy working for you? To Zweig's credit he has made some feeble attempts to question the war in Afghanistan which his friends who lead organized labor have finally come to call for an end of so we can focus on creating jobs in our own country although both Zweig and his friends who "lead" organized labor have failed to condemn, denounce and encourage a fight-back against Obama's Wall Street imperialist agenda of wars abroad financed with austerity measures here at home which is where responsibility for all of our problems clearly lies.

In challenging the 1%, OWS has taken the moral high ground at a time when our country seems to have lost its moral compass. The growing movement holds corporate elites and their political representatives responsible for the moral failings exposed by the great and growing inequalities between the 1% and the 99%, and the widespread suffering of mass unemployment and home foreclosures in the midst of highly concentrated personal wealth and political power. OWS challenges the deep immorality and total unacceptability of the economic and political arrangements that generate and secure this inequality.

Again, all true; but, there is no discussion of the even greater inequalities being imposed on people of color, women and the handicapped nor is there any suggestion that Affirmative Action (Executive Order #11246) needs to be enforced to "level the playing field" for all working people. It is fine and good that Zweig points out the immoral inequalities between the rich and the poor even though he fails to make clear from where these inequalities stem in the first place with a capitalist system that is in its twilight stage of barbaric, cannibalistic imperialism where Wall Street coupon clippers exploit labor and rape Mother Nature here at home and all over the world which gives rise to wars for occupation that Wall Street tries to impose the cost for on working people where racism and inequalities are intentionally intensified to keep the working class divided.

This challenge is reminiscent of the moral foundations of the mid-20th century civil rights, women's liberation, and peace movements, as well as the great labor battles of the 1930s and 1940s that brought unions and shared prosperity broadly to the working class. Despite the complex difficulties these movements faced, they carried the day on the basis of their clear moral vision.

First of all, there has never been this "shared prosperity" that Zweig alludes to. The labor struggles of the 1930's and 1940's primary accomplishment was challenging the power of monopoly at the point of production while achieving a better standard of living for many workers--- but, at no time was the wealth created by the working class ever "shared" with workers by Wall Street; in fact, the Wall Street coupon clippers were the only ones to "prosper." For most workering class families, there has been a constant struggle just to survive. I don't know what kind of world Michael Zweig lives in but the working people and working class families I have ever known from the 1950's until present have always been engaged in a struggle to survive and for most of these working people fortunate to have had a decent job for at most two-decades, the struggle to survive was one of paycheck-to-paycheck and for most of the working class the struggle to survive has been from week-to-week if not day-to-day. Where Zweig gets this "shared prosperity" bullshit from beats me.I would note that the labor, civil rights and peace movements had very clear objectives. Occupy Wall Street still doesn't and Michael Zweig seems to be content with this as are his friends who lead organized labor.

There was a "moral vision" but that moral vision included goals and objectives together with the need to educate, organize and unite people in struggle.

In fact, the OWS protest parallels earlier movements in several ways. I was a minor figure in the founding of Students for a Democratic Society in 1962 but knew many of the leaders and participated actively in its development, plunging first into civil rights, then into opposition to the Vietnam War and support for women's liberation. As with OWS, in SDS and the overall civil rights, gay and lesbian rights, women's and labor movements, leaders were articulate and politically astute as well as morally grounded. Then, as now, the movement aspired to "participatory democracy" through broad engagement in decision-making and subsequent action. Then, as now, the movement thrived on imaginative tactics that engaged a wide audience. Then, as now, the crusade often grew spontaneously and without coordination as people around the country took up the issues and built the movement in their own ways.

Michael Zweig places far to much emphasis on these movements having been "spontaneous." I too worked in all these movements, including in SDS. And it all took a heck of a lot of organizing--- there was no reliance on spontaneity.

OWS carries forward another feature of early SDS -- close connections with labor. The Port Huron Statement, the founding document of the student movement of the 1960s, was hammered out in June 1962 at a camp outside Port Huron, Michigan, used as a retreat by the United Auto Workers. The connection with labor remained strong in the early civil rights movement but became strained at the 1964 Democratic national convention when the UAW and other unions, in deference to President Lyndon Johnson's political agenda, blocked the seating of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party delegation. SDS went from mild support of Johnson in the 1964 election -- "Part of the Way with LBJ" -- to outright hostility, and nearly total estrangement from labor, as the Vietnam War escalated.
Today, Michael Zweig and his friends who lead organized labor are sticking with Barack Obama who is far worse than Lyndon Johnson. At least with Lyndon Johnson he was smart enough and somewhgat compassionate enough but with the common sense that Franklin D. Roosevelt had to "bend towards justice" with his support for Civil Rights and an array of progressive social programs.

Today, national labor leaders have spoken in defense of OWS, and many New York City locals are providing material support. We do not know how long this friendly alliance will last as the movement seeks to grow in the turmoil of the presidential campaigns.

Why are Zweig and his friends who lead organized labor still supporting Obama since we learned that it was wrong for organized labor not to have supported George McGovern? This continued support for Obama by Zweig and his friends who lead organized labor is dividing the peoples' movements; including organized labor and the working class.

We can, however, draw lessons from the earlier mass undertakings that are relevant today. By holding to its principle of non-violence, OWS will secure its moral high ground. The current movement, still in its infancy, has not developed a key feature of earlier ones, central to their success: disruption of the institutions they challenge with words, as with strikes or sit-ins. If Occupy grows into a movement that seriously challenges the 1% for power, it will inevitably face ferocious opposition, as did all its predecessors.

Agreed; the opposition will become furious and ferocious if organized labor joins with Occupy Wall Street and occupies closing plants to save them; engages in a general strike; and withdraws from the Democratic Party in support of founding a progressive working class based people's party along the lines of the socialist oriented New Democratic Party in Canada or the old socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party.

We look back on the successes of the civil rights, anti-war, labor, and women's struggles with pride. But to prevail, many participants suffered arrests, blacklisting, and other forms of intimidation, including killings, as they continued on the path to victory. Still, as the appearance of over a thousand New York City allies at Zuccotti Park at 6 a.m. on October 14 showed, police repression can be forestalled when the 99% make clear they will not accept or tolerate it, but will instead join in and support a movement that is in their own interests.

Michael Zweig would like us to believe that history can be sanitized. The fact is, that while President Lyndon Johnson was signing Executive Order #11246 (Affirmative Action) every major city in this country was, literally, burning. We are fast approaching the "tipping point" in this country with arrogant politicians like Obama bringing forward phony "jobs" and "student loan" legislation playing us all for fools and suckers. As Martin Luther King Jr. pointed out to Robert Kennedy when Kennedy tried to draw King into condemning the rioting; King told Robert Kennedy: "Riots result when governments don't listen to the legitimate grievances of the people by coming forward with real solutions to their problems."Instead of focusing on Occupy Wall Street being non-violent, Michael Zweig and his friends who lead organized labor might want to point out to Barack Obama what Martin Luther Jr. King pointed out to Robert Kennedy. Michael Zweig and his friends who lead organized labor might want to begin seriously pondering how they are going to organize a General Strike to serve notice on Barack Obama and his Wall Street friends just what working people want:

Peace so we can put people to work creating the kind of universal social programs people want and need like a National Public Health Care System and a National Public Child Care System. Struggling for this kind of agenda that is an alternative to Wall Street's agenda is what will assure the unity Zweig claims he desires:
A people’s program for real change...

* Peace--- end the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya and shutdown the 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil protecting Wall Street’s interests.

* A National Public Health Care System - ten million new jobs; free health care for all.

* A National Public Child Care System - three to five million new jobs; free child care for all working families.
* Works Progress Administration - three million new jobs; repair, restore and build new infrastructure.
* Civilian Conservation Corps - two million new jobs protecting and restoring to health our ecosystems.

* Public Ownership of the 58,000 mines, mills and factories closed by Wall Street – twenty-five million good paying, decent union jobs.

* Tax the hell out of the rich and cut the military budget by ending the wars to pay for it all which will create full employment.

* Enforce Affirmative Action; end discrimination.
* Raise the minimum wage to a real living wage.
* What tax-payers subsidize in the way of businesses, tax-payers should own and reap the profits from.
* Moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions.

* Defend democracy by defending workers' rights including the right to collective bargaining for improving the lives and livelihoods of working people.
* Roll-back and freeze the price of food, electricity, gas and heating fuels; not wages, benefits or pensions.
* Defend and expand Social Security.

* Wall Street is our enemy.

Let's talk about the politics and economics of livelihood for a real change.
The time has come for working people to break free from Wall Street’s “two-party trap.” We need a working class-based progressive people’s party.

Peace + tax the rich = millions of new jobs at real living wages putting people to work solving our social problems which will solve our economic problems… Redistribute the wealth. Put people before Wall Street profits.

How is Barack Obama's Wall Street war economy working for you?

- In invite Michael Zweig's response.

Michael Zweig is a professor of economics and director of the Center for Study of Working Class Life at Stony Brook University. The second edition of his book The Working Class Majority: America's Best Kept Secret will be published in December.

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

thoughts from podunk

Do I have the right to cast my one precious vote for the kind of country I want without being called names?

The Native Mob--- arrests too late, and no solutions to the problems giving rise to this violence

Racist Democrats and Republicans are now using the perverted concept of sovereignty created by the National Indian Gaming Association to attack the Indian Nations

Do you believe Obama?

Carter: Gingrich's 'subtle words' have racist appeal

The time has come to free ourselves from this two-party trap

The time is here to free ourselves from this two-party trap

Kevin Leecy— wife beater and gambling kingpin; front-man for the mob

For more background information see:

The only thing the Indian Nations own associated with these casinos is a huge pile of debt which is breeding massive poverty.

There is a huge price to pay for gambling with the mob:

Alan L. MakiDirector of Organizing,Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Minnesota tribes are about more than gambling

Romney, Bain Capital, and the 2012 Election

A message to Wisconsin liberals and progressives who are convening meetings across their state

Racism in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party is orchestrated by the Governor

Come on Governor Dayton, we need more than "proclamations" to end racism; we need the enforcement of Affirmative Action.

When will liberals, progressives and leftists become seriously and fully engaged in the electoral process?

The differences between the 2008 and 2012 Elections

Should we be afraid of Romney?

Are you fed up with this "blame the Republicans" crap when the Democrats are no better?

Endorsers

Organizations

Community Leader Endorsements

My response to Barbara Ehrenreich and others; supporting Obama versus voting for real liberals or progressives

Note; many people were involved in this discussion on FaceBook on Barbara's Wall[Image]

Barbara Ehrenreich The only reason money rules politics is that some people are dumb enough to base their votes on campaign ads. If you're relying on paid advertisements for information about the issues or the candidates' stands, you should be disqualified from voting.

Workers Struggle For Justice In Minnesota Indian Gaming Industry

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

Some thoughts about politics and poverty

Before you put your hard-earned money into the "one-armed bandits" of the Indian Gaming Industry this holiday season, here are some facts you should know...

It has "occurred" to many of us that something is drastically out of kilter in this country... What are we going to do about it?

What is this country coming to?

Let's strive to make 2012 the year we come together in anti-imperialist solidarity

International anti-imperialist solidarity--- Forever!

... in our communities, where we work and go to school; in the streets and at the ballot box.

Some facts about Marvin Windows and Doors Barack which Obama conveniently left out of his speech while praising this union-buster

Obama’s Tribute to a Company That Preserved Jobs

"The Hill" newspaper deletes my comment; so much for democracy... read my comment for yourself

Rocky Anderson returns — this time shooting for nation’s top office

Proposal for a Minnesota Governor’s Advisory Committee for the Enforcement of Affirmative Action

A victory for peace, the people and the environment; proving the people can win through determined struggle.

NEW 7 WONDERS OF NATURE ISLAND JEJU SAVED - FOR NOW

A couple "characters" have complained that they are victims of "racial discrimination" on the part of one of our Organizing Committees

Why OWS needs specific concrete demands and leadership

Why OWS needs specific concrete demands and leadership

Tell Richard Trumka, Leo Gerard, Amy Dean, Joe Hansen and Jimmy Hoffa to get up off their asses and strike while the iron is hot

by Alan L. Maki on Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 9:01am

It's time to blow the flame out

Have you had enough? New Party on the horizon

A response to Michael Zweig

A discussion with social democrat Michael Zweig, friend to those who lead organized labor

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Note; many people were involved in this discussion on FaceBook on Barbara's Wall

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