More on Police and the Republican National Convention

A number of people from a variety of walks of life and political persuasions are decrying the the abuse of power by the police during the Republican National Convention.

There is no doubt that there has been a massive, massive denial of basic constitutional rights as protected by the Bill of Rights and this repression has taken place "under color of law." Every Minnesotan concerned about our Constitutional Rights protected by the United States Bill of Rights should become a Plaintiff in a lawsuit against the police and the politicians and their bureaucrats who did intentionally, and with malice, set out to maliciously and violently trample upon the rights we have which are protected by the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights.

I think it is good that people are questioning what went on during the Republican National Convention... attacks on democracy should always be challenged; democracy must be fought for at every opportunity lest we lose our democratic rights--- limited as they are under this very repressive system of state-monopoly capitalism in the era of imperialism.

However, I find the concerns of many of these people to be very hypocritical since they only speak out when they feel "safe" as part of the "herd." They seldom speak out when the rights of working people are under attack--- daily, as in the case of casino workers.

The three commentaries below are excellent. All three of these very prominent individuals have joined in condemning the police violence and systematic suppression of democratic rights during the RNC. Their voices in defense of democracy are most welcome.

However, neither John Kolstad, who ran as the Green Party candidate for Attorney General, Peter Rachleff, the distinguished professor of history, nor Charley Underwood, a member of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party State Central Committee and peace activist and publisher of the "Peace Calendar," have ever demonstrated one iota of concern for the plight of casino workers whose daily lives are marked by this same kind of brutal suppression of their very basic human and constitutional rights by casino managements working in league with United States Information Services (USIS which is made up of former and retired FBI and CIA agents now working as union busters in private industry supplanting the notorious Pinkerton Detective Agency) the FBI and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

None-the-less, I find their commentaries very noteworthy and important even though their "concern" for democracy is very "selective" in excluding the rights of Minnesota's thirty-thousand casino workers... many of whom have been violently beaten, including in their own homes!, by the union-busting thugs (including the thugs of Blackwater) hired by the Indian Gaming Industry; many hundreds more have been subjected to the worst kind of intimidation by the likes of those like USIS "Special Agent" George Armstrong who has called and "visited" friends, neighbors and relatives of casino workers--- including making threats to small children as young as four years old!

In fact, the police misconduct is part of a longstanding "tradition" in Minnesota in denying working people their voices and views--- from the hanging of thirty-eight Native Americans in Mankato to the bloody battles on the Iron Range to organize the United Steel Workers of America to the company thugs hired by the forestry industry to the brutal and bestial methods of the trucking bosses to suppress unionization to the police and "red squads" trampling on the rights of Ford workers as the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party to the full-fledged McCarthyite drive to destroy the best organizations of working people, including the Minnesota Communist Party to the repression of the "left" in the trade union movement was being destroyed as a voice for all those who toil; more importantly, this is part of the intentional, long-standing process of corporate bosses denying working people the right to participate in the political process here in Minnesota--- and make no mistake, taking to the streets to vent anger at the Republicans for their part in driving down the standards of living of working people while sending their sons and daughters off to war, it is the right of working people to come together in protest and demonstration every bit as much as it is the right of Republicans to gather to organize in convention to further these attacks on the lives of working people. Somehow, for some reason, this aspect of the March Against the Republican National Convention has not been adequately conveyed. Perhaps because of media bias; perhaps because of the way the demonstration organizers have failed to convey this. Probably a combination of the two. It didn't help that most of "organized labor," the Democratic Party and the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party and the Obama Campaign (as distinct from Obama supporters) refused to participate in demonstrating against the Republican National Convention which convened in the Twin Cities for the sole purpose of attacking the working class and carrying out the aims of U.S. imperialism.

Charley Underwood, John Kolstad and Peter Rachleff are well aware of the systematic deprivation of human, civil and constitutional rights of Minnesota's thirty-thousand casino workers, but again, selectively choose to remain silent. Now that this same undemocratic, violent and brutal behavior has been extended--- and it is popular to voice opposition and support for democracy, they throw their voices into the mix.

So, to Charley Underwood, Peter Rachleff and John Kolstad, I say "Thanks for speaking up... even if you do so only when it is personally and politically convenient for you.

I would note, that Peter Rachleff has participated in a campaign to silence working people in restricting access to the list serve of the Working Class Studies Association; Charley Underwood refuses to stand up and voice his concerns to the MN DFL State Central Committee (and it was the Democratic Party and the Minnesota DFL which are primarily responsible for the violent, brutal and repressive behavior by the various local, state and federal police agencies during the Republican National Convention as both Mayors of the Twin Cities are prominent Democrats and the Prosecuting Attorney for most of the cases--- who gave her "seal of approval," or more properly, her "stamp" of approval to these most horrendous and undemocratic police actions--- is a leading Democrat, Susan Gertner, who is going to be running for Minnesota Governor on the MN DFL ticket, and no doubt Charley Underwood will give his support to her if she is the MN DFL endorsed candidate; and, John Kolstadt, even while running as the Green Party candidate for Minnesota Attorney General, refused to condemn the dirty campaign being waged against me by the casino industry--- a malicious and vicious campaign of lies and slander not seen in the State of Minnesota since the slanderous campaign aimed at destroying the political career of Minnesota's most popular ever governor, socialist Elmer Benson.

Like I say, be all this as it is, the views of Charley Underwood, Peter Rachleff and John Kolstad are most welcome... even if they don't care that my phone lines are tapped, my e-mail is tampered with, and the FBI, Homeland Security and the RCMP can come busting into my home whenever they want as they remain silent.

Charley Underwood:

Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:42:09 +1200 (NZST)
From: Charley Underwood
Subject: Re: [SPIF] after assessment

Dean Sheldon,

You are concerned that the police had a very difficult time distinguishing
between peaceful protesters and those who intended some sort of harm. You
even say "It's not like they some different sort of hats." In reality,
there were a number of people with clearly distinguishable hats and so on,
like medics, legal observers and members of the Minnesota Peace Team.
Each of these groups had at least some members arrested and/or pepper
sprayed. But here's an even easier way to go: How about the police arrest
people doing something illegal and police leave people alone when they are
simply marching or exercising their simple free speech! And how about
police arrest people who are doing something illegal instead of torturing
them with tasers or pepper spray or other chemical weapons! That way the
judge can do the judging and the police can do the enforcing. Sort of a
simple division of labor, in my opinion.

As for the concern about people hiding their identities, I think you are a
bit confused. There were very few people against the Republican National
Convention who wore disguises by covering their faces with bandanas and so
on. There were, on the other hand, literally thousands of storm troopers
who displayed neither personal identification nor unit identification.
Last week, it was near impossible to figure out who was police (and from
what city or even state), who was state troopers, who was ICE or Secret
Service or Homeland Security or private contractors. They all wore black
storm trooper outfits. I couldn't even usually identify what gender these
folks were. Those where the ones, in my opinion, who escaped
responsibility and accountability by hiding their identity behind
paramilitary uniforms.


Peter Rachleff:

Date: Tue, Sep 9, 2008 at 2:52 PM
From: Peter Rachleff
Subject: Police State during RNC

To: Melvin.Carter@ci.stpaul.mn.us, Russ.Stark@ci.stpaul.mn.us

Dear [StPaul council members] Melvin [Carter] and Russ [Stark]:

I am sure I am not alone in having thought of both of you as
"progressives." And I am sure I am not alone in no longer thinking of you
as "progressives." Your email responses to the many emails I am sure you
received easily adopt the "we" of the authorities.

This positions you with the likes of Bob Fletcher and Homeland Security.
For shame!

And your emails conveniently ignore the police incursions into the
convergence space on Smith Avenue, private homes including Mike Whalen's
on Iglehart, private offices such as the one rented by I-Witness Video on
Selby, the targeting of journalists and videographers for arrest and
harassment, the intimidation of peaceful protestors, the harassment and
illegal detention of the 70 demonstrators riding the light rail to the
Mall of America on Sunday, August 31, the cutting off of the electricity
on Rage Against the Machine's performance at the state capitol on Tuesday,
September 2, contributing to the confrontation later at Mears Park, the
surrounding of Bedlam Theater in Minneapolis on Wednesday evening,
September 3, and more...

I know some of these events were in Minneapolis, but the police/thugs
appeared to be under a single command (Homeland Security? FBI? Fletcher?)
and not wearing distinguishing name or uniform insignia so, if you want to
stand with the authorities, you've got to take ownership of the
Minneapolis infringements on free speech and assembly, too. These events,
all expression of unbridled, unaccountable repressive power by the police,
set a context for every confrontation that unfolded during the overt
protests. 818 arrests. Were they all window-breaking "anarchists"? Last
week St. Paul sank to China's level, and I was - am - ashamed to live
here. As someone who has worked for 27 years for peace, justice, and
fairness in this community, I am heartsick at your response.

Sincerely, Peter Rachleff Professor of History Macalester College



John Kolstad:

Date: Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:16:43 -0500
From: John Kolstad
To: Andy Driscoll
Cc: Russ Stark ,
Truth To Tell This Week
Subject: Re: responding to RNC inquiries

My wife and I have followed most of what went on from home on the
internet, since the main stream media is just about worthless, although I
was at the Permitted Anti war Parade on Labor Day. The video taped cases
of police abuse and criminal assault are many, many, many. Many of them
up on YouTube for the world to see what Mayor Coleman and Chief Harrington
have done to St Paul. The vicious arrest of Amy Goodman by Minneapolis
Police (but in St Paul) has gotten more hits than anything on Youtube.

Ch 9 video taped the two masked guys in black that broke Macy's window,
with a pipe and metal rack that just happened to be in front of the
windows, and even though there were cops everywhere it appears that these
vandals got a way. Hmmm! Is this police incompetence or were these
police contolled provocateurs? When I was there Monday for the parade, I
could not step on the sidewalk to greet a friend without the police
telling me I'd get arrested if I did not stay with the parade.

I have read reports of a Indy media person who said he had documentation
of the burning dumpster being pushed into the squad and the squad windows
being broke. In both cases he said that the police arrested the wrong
person for this vandalism and the vandal got away.

Again, is this incompetence or police provocateurs? Yet these are the
incidents that the media play over and over to give the impresssion that
there was much criminal activity by the protesters. This looks and smells
like a set up to me and the media were embedded. Hmmmmmmmm.

The police all along the parade route had video and still cameras. If any
of the things Mr Stark asserts are true, then certainly the police have
extensive documentation of it. However, if there is evidence and
documentation that the police arrested the wrong people and let the
vandals go (or were inept to catch them), then this is a gravely serious
situation of criminal corruption by the police. Although reports are as
yet incomplete, the only vandal caught that I am aware of was caught by
the protestors. The vandal slashed bus tires and the police did not catch
him, the public did. This case needs to be carefully looked at to make
sure that the captured vandal is the one the police prosecute and see if
he may be a provocateur.

There were many hundreds of indymedia, legal observers, and street Medics.
Not one single report from any of them has verified what Mr Stark asserts.
Even if some of these assertions are true, why did the authorities not
arrest the perpetrators? We know from past events that the police and
government hire provocateurs to do violence then the police and media
blame the legal, peaceful protesters, giving them the excuse to savage
citizens exercising their First Amendment right to Free Speech and
Peaceable Asssembly for redress of grievances.

I think Mr Stark should withdraw his assertion and apologize unless and
until he can clearly document all charges and assertions. Also, he should
reveal who he has been getting his information from. With St Paul facing
unprecedented humiliation for the conduct of the police and City Official,
plus multi million dollar lawsuits, it would not be surprising for
officials to do some spinning. Unfortunately the pay out from these
lawsuits come out of the public pocket. So first the cops abuse citizens,
and then when the cops lose in court, the public has to pay for it. This
is a double Whammy. May I humbly suggest that pay outs for lawsuits
involving police abuse come from the Police Retirement Fund. This would
give incentive to members of the force to stop or prevent actionable abuse
by collegues. Clearly police management has been a failure to accomplish
this.

So Mr Stark, where's the beef or where's the apology and investigation?

Sincerely,
John R Kolstad/Mpls

As I say, I find these comments from these three individuals very appropriate to the issues surrounding the Republican National Convention... I just wish their concerns were more universal towards the plight of working people and I hope that one day, they will sit down at their desks, pen in hand, and write about the plight of casino workers here in Minnesota who work, daily, without any rights under state or federal labor laws--- and without any rights under the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights--- while at work... and, as Charley Underwood, John Kolstad and Peter Rachleff are fully aware... when workers have no rights at work, they have no rights in the communities or the state where they reside.

More than two-million casino workers are now employed in smoke-filled casinos across the United States at the more than 400 casinos comprising the Indian Gaming Industry. These two-million casino workers all receive poverty wages... all work without any rights under state, federal or tribal labor laws--- without any protections under the United States Constitution or Bill of Rights.

The Indian gaming Industry was created with the connivance of the Democratic Party.

I want to be very clear here because, for these more than two-million casino workers, the deprivation of their very basic and fundamental human rights is not limited to one occurrence during a Republican National Convention--- this brutal deprivation of their very basic and fundamental human and constitutional rights takes place at the hands of those who are funding the Democratic Party, the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party and the Universities: the owners and managements of this Indian Gaming Industry casino empire which includes Mystic Lake and Red Lake casinos and the casino empire managed by the big Democratic Party backers who own and operate the huge Grand Casino empire, the Fon Du Lac and Fortune Bay casino empires, etc.

Charley Underwood was so depressed after his candidate, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, lost out in the rigged DFL endorsing process--- but, Charlie Underwood does not understand how depressing it is for casino workers to have to live their complete lives in fear because the MN DFL, to which Charley Underwood is so dedicated to the point of failing to recognize that there is a pattern to war and political repression of which the Democratic Party is a part of the powerful apparatus designed to repress the entire working class.

Charlie Underwood, Peter Rachleff and John Kolstad have no clue to the real state of democracy in this country... they don't even understand, that for any casino worker to write letters as they have written and freely circulate concerning police repression around the RNC, for a casino worker to pen such letters would mean the immediate termination from employment.

If Charlie Underwood, Peter Rachleff or John Kolstad--- or anyone else for that matter--- doubt the truthfulness of my statement, they don't have a clue to what goes on in this country... recently I represented a casino worker fired from his job at Mystic Lake Casino simply for making a posting to his blog... concerning a discussion he had with Michael Cavlan who had been seeking the Green Party nomination for United States Senate but because of his support for working people and their struggles was denied the nomination--- the Minnesota Green Party shamefully chose to run no candidate for United States Senate rather than choose to endorse a champion of working class issues... and, Mike Cavlan was in the front lines at the RNC... treating those who were getting beaten and gassed by the police.

I share the concerns of John Kolstad, Peter Rachleff and Charley Underwood concerning what the police did during the RNC... I especially think John Kolstad raises a very important point regarding the possibility of the police using paid provocateurs in order to justify the wholesale abuse and deprivation of human, civil and constitutional rights.

I also notice that Charley Underwood, Peter Rachleff and John Kolstad also intentionally choose not to discuss the massive presence of riot police who turned out at the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant on September 3 in order to prevent a peaceful picket advocating public ownership of the Ford Plant as a solution to two-thousand workers being thrown out into the streets as the plant closes and the hydro dam powering the operation since its existence turned over to a private corporation. Again, Underwood, Rachleff and Kolstad chose to intentionally ignore something in their writings on this issue even though it is directly related to the very same issue they pretend to be so concerned about--- police misconduct during the RNC.

I have sent my concerns to liberal St. Paul Council member, Mr. Thune, and received no response.

I will be publishing the hundreds of photos I took during the Labor Day March on the RNC along with the concerns of many of those who marched--- and those who were afraid to march because they feared the police, fears which were, as we now know, well founded, and was no doubt responsible for drastically limiting (along with the heat and short-sightedness of the organizers [another issue I will be addressing in future blogs]) the numbers of marchers.

December 10, 2008 will mark the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights... we need to focus the police misconduct in the context of the U.N Declaration of Human Rights because this police misconduct is part and parcel of denying working people the right to participate fully in the decision-making processes which the U.N Declaration of Human Rights is all about.

We must never forget that it was actions like what we have witnessed which tried to destroy the Communist Party here in Minnesota and destroyed the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party while trying to destroy organized labor which has left the working class without voices in the political process. When capital could not beat radical ideas from the working class, the bosses bought off a significant segment of working class leaders like AFL-CIO President, Ray Waldron, who has remained shamefully silent regarding the police misconduct during the Republican National Convention... no doubt, when "at-will hiring, at-will firing" won't succeed in thwarting organizing drives under "card check" legislation, these same police thugs in riot gear will be out in force confronting workers on picket lines demanding better lives. I wonder if Charley Underwood, Peter Rachleff and John Kolstad will speak out then? If their lack of concern for the plight of casino workers is any indication, I doubt we will be hearing from them.

For a country, governed by a bunch of politicians from the corporate dominated Democratic and Republican parties boasting that the United States is the world's great bastion of democracy, the presence of riot squads in the Twin Cities organized more like rogue bands of the KKK or the pogromists of old Tsarist Russia leaves us all with something to contemplate and ponder as we sit around our dinner tables.

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

The St. Paul and Minneapolis Police Departments together with Sheriff Fletcher and the FBI conspired to to strangle democracy during the RNC

One thing being overlooked concerning the undemocratic, violent actions of the St. Paul and Minneapolis police departments during the Republican National Convention is that, once again, these dirty deeds could not have been carried out without the full complicity and involvement of the Democratic Party and the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party.

The Democratic Party Mayor of St. Paul, Chris Coleman, has now assigned the task of "investigating" (read covering up) of police violence and suppression of democratic rights to a Republican Party hack who is closely aligned with the mobsters in the Indian Gaming Industry and organized crime, who himself has been involved in all kinds of "red squad" activity for many years.

Anyone with an once of common sense can watch this video and clearly see the bias of the police:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cbKhaBeQFU&eurl=http://mnblue.com/ed+matthews+commits+petty+theft

What all this proves is the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer Labor Party has returned to its corrupt roots... we need an independent labor party created on the foundation of the real Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party.

Save the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant and save jobs on the Iron Range

PICKET LINE


TO SAVE THE FORD PLANT, HYDRO-DAM AND 2,000 UNION JOBS


FOR GREEN MANUFACTURING IN A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY THROUGH PUBLIC OWNERSHIP



WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 3:00-6:00 PM


St. Paul FORD TWIN CITIES ASSEMBLY PLANT



FORD PARKWAY



ST. PAUL



GREEN JOBS NOW!


This action also takes place during the RNC. The picket line is

sponsored by the Coalition for Public Ownership of the Ford Plant and

is supported by the Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities. With

Ford’s TCAP having been given a reprieve with the postponement of the

plant closing to the end of 2011, there is still time to pressure

local authorities to make the right decision. With all of the

government handouts and tax breaks the auto industry has been given

over the years, in addition to the hydro-electric dam it was

graciously given at the behest of the Army Corps of Engineers, it’s

safe to assume that we each own a piece of it by now anyway. So why

not public ownership? If Ford’s board of directors and shareholders

can’t run it properly and keep it open as a vital part of the local

economy, then the manufacturing facility and hydro-dam should be taken

over in the public interest. The assembly line can be retooled and

converted for either the production of wind harvesters or clean

electric train engines and carriages and the dam can provide clean

power for the community. So spread the word and bring your friends to

this important action.




****************************************


THE NEXT 3CTC ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM



PROPOSALS TO SAVE THE FORD PLANT



HEAR WHAT MEMBERS OF THE WORKERS MOVEMENT HAVE TO SAY



MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 7:00 PM



MAYDAY BOOKS



301 CEDAR AVENUE SOUTH



WEST BANK, MINNEAPOLIS




SPEAKERS:



Alan Maki — Organizer, Casino Hotel & Restaurant Employees Union Organizing Committee



David Riehle — Local Chairman, United Transportation Union 650



Michael Wood — Coalition for Public Ownership of the Ford Plant & Gus Hall Action Club



Christine Frank — Volunteer Coordinator, Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities

Racism and the 2008 Election

"There are people who are not going to vote for him because he's black," James Hoffa, president of the Teamsters union, said. "And we've got to hope that we can educate people to put aside their racism and to put their own interests No. 1."

There is a certain irony in Hoffa's statement as it reflects the problems in the labor movement for many years.

Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern have been "setting aside" the struggle against racism for so long it has now come to haunt them in the 2008 Election.

For some twenty years, James Hoffa, John Sweeney and Andy Stern along with the likes of Lane Kirkland have tried to conceal their own racism as they became part of establishing the Indian Gaming Industry... these "union leaders" worked out backroom deals with Democratic Party politicians and mobsters that traded off the rights of casino workers in return for huge payoffs in pension fund monies and dues being invested in building the Indian Gaming Industry... first the Teamster pension funds, then, when this wasn't enough, the teacher union pension funds were brought into play.

The racism of the building trades unions has been most apparent as these unions, from the get-go, colluding with the Teamster's Union, set out to work out "sweetheart contracts" with the mobsters for whom the Native American bands are fronting... the likes of the Frank Fertitta Family and the Kansas City mob to which these unions' pension fund managers have been working in cahoots for years.

How can James Hoffa possibly call on his membership to "set aside racism" when, for many of these members, being engaged in a racist campaign against workers of color is responsible for them having jobs hauling materials onto the construction sites and delivering the materials required to keep the profits of the Indian Gaming Industry rolling in as more than two-million casino workers, mostly workers of color--- the majority young women of child-bearing age, are employed in these smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and without any rights which protect all other workers under state, federal or tribal labor laws?

For casino workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry, the 2008 Election is about "class" and "race."

Even the much ballyhooed "Employee Free Choice Act" (Card Check)will not apply to those employed in the Indian Gaming Industry.

For years, the AFL-CIO, and now Change to Win, leaders have supported a minimum wage that is a poverty wage--- the most disgraceful racist action of all. James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern are fully aware that a minimum wage that is anything but a real living wage makes sure that workers of color remain impoverished... no where is this more evident than on the Indian Reservations where upwards of 60% of the population is relegated to a life of poverty as a result of organized labor failing to fight for a minimum wage that is a real living wage. For over 100 years, the top leadership of organized labor has been willing to look the other way, pretending that the plague of poverty destroying the Indian Nations has not existed... sheer racism.

In fact, James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern have done as much as any corporate executive to help racism thrive as they have tried to stymie and thwart rank and file movements aimed at fighting for black, white, brown, yellow and red unity of the working class movement.

Not a peep or a whimper of protest has come from James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern concerning "at-will hiring, at-will firing," the primary impediment to union organizing. "At-will hiring, at-will firing" has held back rank-and-file initiatives of working people to organize when these high-paid union bureaucrats have sat back and watch the most poverty-paid workers (many workers of color like those in the Indian Gaming Industry--- many of whom are women, as in the Indian Gaming Industry) being used as clubs over the heads of all workers to drive the standard of living of the entire working class down.

In twenty-eight states, including Michigan and Minnesota, "at-will hiring, at-will firing" is the law. "Card Check" will never break this barrier.

Right now, even as James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern hypocritically call on workers to "set aside their racism for this Election," these phony union "leaders" are conspiring with leaders of the Democratic Party to derail the single-payer universal health care movement--- an overt act of the most atrocious racism because everyone knows that the for-profit health care system of the health insurance industry is responsible for working people of color being the largest segment of the population suffering from lack of access to health care because people of color are also the largest segment of poverty paid workers who can not afford health care.

First James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern go along with the business Democrats in holding down the minimum wage; and now, James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern are colluding with these same Democrats and the insurance industry to derail the movement for single-payer universal health care... a double racist whammy from these "labor leaders" who arrogantly call on working people to "set aside their racism for the 2008 Election to elect Barack Obama."

And, the worst part of all of this calling on working people to "set aside their racism" is that racism isn't even the issue--- the issue is one of class.

The so-called "labor leaders" are afraid of the working class. They can't even get "working class" to roll off the tip of their tongues because their tongues are so twisted in lies. Instead, James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern talk about representing the "middle class." Well, there we have it... they are so far removed from the class struggle they don't even know what class they are collecting dues from.

The real racism is emanating from these mis-leaders of organized labor who have refused to bring forward working class issues into this campaign and then turn around and call their own members racist after these union "leaders" are, themselves, responsible for not only tolerating racism, but encouraging--- certainly there has been no ongoing educational campaign against racism in the labor movement for the last 60 years--- decades of racism in the union movement and in the Democratic Party which has become, once again, as corrupt and racist as the pre-Civil War Democratic Party.

Where were James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern as Bill and Hillary Clinton were spreading racism all along the campaign trail? They were silent.

If James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern were the least little bit sincere in their calls for an end to racism they would insist that Barack Obama:

1. Support a minimum wage that is a real living wage based upon the scientifically derived figures and calculations of the United States Department of Labor and its Bureau of Labor Statistics for all cost of living factors with the minimum wage constantly being updated on a weekly basis right along with the calculations from the Bureau of Labor Statistics--- and employer would simply follow the postings like they follow the stock market in the Wall Street Journal daily;

2. Single-payer universal health care as a step towards socialized health care is what America's workers need, nothing less;

3. Federal legislation as part of the "Employee Free Choice Act" which would make state legislation mandating "at-will hiring, at-will firing" illegal.

Most importantly, if James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern are to be taken seriously as opponents of racism in the United States, they will have to come out swinging vigorously in opposition to the most Draconian conditions since the days of chattel slavery which places some two-million American workers in smoke-filled casinos receiving poverty wages while being left at the mercy of the most viciously racist and violent mobsters in this country in the Indian Gaming Industry.

In fact, the pernicious forms of class collaborationist trade unionism promoted by James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern is itself a cesspool fomenting racism. These union "leaders" hypocritically talk about how workers need their unions to "have a voice at work" when any member of any of these unions will tell you straight out to your face they don't even have a voice in their own unions. How workers can have "a voice at work" when they can't even have a voice in their own unions needs to be explained by James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern. It is a good day when most union locals in the United States can even gather a quorum to conduct a union meeting. Often, even the gimmick of a raffle for a color television can not turn out a quorum for union meetings in many locals because workers know what they will be subjected to for voicing their opinions and concerns.

James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern talk about creating a "Green Economy and rebuilding America." Go out on any construction job in this country and you will see that hiring has reverted to the racist hiring practices of the past.

James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern refuse to call for public ownership of closing plants as a means to defend the gains of affirmative action... instead, "at-will hiring, at-will firing" has allowed workers of color to once again be last hired, first fired with working class women of color and youth of color suffering the worst affects of racism in hiring practices.

In Michigan, at the corruption plagued Gun Lake Casino venture, we see how the AFL-CIO and Change to Win unions have made a vicious appeal to racism in supporting the construction of this casino which will be managed by Frank Fertitta's Station Casino empire which has been built on the racist abuse of working people. Shameful. Disgusting. Uncaring. Insensitive. Anti-labor. Anti-union. And yes, racist.

It is no wonder that James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern would have the unmitigated gall to call on people to set aside their racism just to vote for Barack Obama because these labor "leaders" have built a very nice little corrupt little racket for themselves which could not exist without racism. It is they, and the corporate managements they serve, along with the do-nothing Democratic Party politicians, who should look in the mirror if in fact they are sincere in wanting to put an end to racism in this country; because, just as capitalism--- which breeds racism--- could not continue to exist in this country if it were to be challenged by James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern.

It is ironic we now have "progressives" who have lined up in support of Barack Obama along with James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern now, too, claiming that "racist white workers" are the major impediment to an Obama victory.

Workers trying to organize in the Indian Gaming Industry are offended by these phony union leaders like James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern who have dragged out a bunch of middle class intellectuals pontificating about "racism" as an excuse to cover up the shameful silence concerning the racism of these egg-heads and muddle-headed professors and "union leaders" who can't distinguish the "working class" from the "middle class" and have left the "capitalist ruling class" completely off the hook as being the main instigators of racism.

Casino workers trying to organize the Indian Gaming Industry have a message for James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern: We are willing to work ten times harder to elect Barack Obama than what he and your unions have helped us... let your egg-heads and muddle-headed professors do the calculation... ten times zero is what?

To James Hoffa, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Andy Stern I say:

Do not misinterpret this to be that we want to see Obama lose this election because like all working class people we do not want to see another four or eight or more years of Republican rule in the country and we sure as heck don't want to see a war monger and war criminal like John McCain sitting in the White House--- we can't even stand to see him sitting in the Senate; but don't come around with your holier than now pronouncements about "racism" being the impediment to an Obama victory when the problem is one of class.

Failing to understand this basic truth will lead to a Republican victory and you can blame yourselves should this happen because you have promoted the myth that the members you represent are part of the "middle class;" rather than, part of the working class.

The "middle class" is fertile ground for racism and other reactionary ideas to take root, it always has been... no doubt, you have left the working class for this middle class life long ago... now you pout and point your finger of blame at others when you should be pointing your fingers at yourselves.

Mr. Hoffa, start showing some respect for OUR interests by refusing to engage in racist sweetheart contracts promoting, encouraging and fostering racism in the Indian Gaming Industry.

Mr. Hoffa, I challenge you to bring forward any facts and figures to substantiate your ridiculous and highly offensive and alienating claim that there are any significant numbers of working people who are refusing to vote for Barack Obama because he is black; this is an outright lie being used to conceal the real reason working people are thinking about staying home on Election Day. In fact, the reason working people might not turn out to vote for Barack Obama and choose to stay home on Election Day is because they know they won't get anything in return for their votes. This has nothing to do with race, and everything to do with class... a concept you do not understand, nor appreciate.

In fact, Mr. Hoffa, to insinuate the problem is one of racism as you intentionally ignore class is an overt act of racism on your own part because you are attempting to set up a strawman to knock down to blame in case of an Obama defeat when Obama should be well on his way to a landslide victory given, alone, the overall anti-Republican sentiment which is just about universal among the working class.

Mr. Hoffa, your concern should be with the plight of working class people who are considering staying home on Election Day instead of a few backwards thinking workers who have picked up their racism from you.

Mr. Hoffa, you are the president of the powerful Teamster's Union yet you have never driven a truck, worked on a dock, in a laundry, or in a factory--- you have been a lawyer from the middle class and know absolutely nothing about the conditions under which working people in this country are forced to labor. You came by your office through a most disgusting campaign of racism and bigotry. You have put the mobsters back in control of the Teamster's Union. You are no one to talk about racism. Actually, Mr. Hoffa, there are probably more workers not going to vote for Obama because you are supporting him then there are racists.

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

Brownstein/Hyatt/Farber/Schreck

"The Nation" magazine finally acknowledged the existence of Brownstein/Hyatt/Farber/Schreck but has left much of the story untold.

Here is what "The Nation" printed:

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters/348331/the_most_powerful_man_in_denver_you_ve_never_heard_of

Steve Farber is arguably the most important man in Denver you've probably never heard of. Farber is the chief fundraiser for the Democratic Convention here and a partner with one of the fastest-growing lobbying firms in Washington and most-connected out West: Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber, Schreck. A number of his clients happen to be sponsors of the convention, including UnitedHealth Group, Comcast and AT&T, the latter the ubiquitous "official wireless sponsor" of the Democratic convention.

The Obama campaign spurns money from federally registered lobbyists and political action committees, but these same entities are welcomed with open arms at the convention in Denver. In a reflection of the enduring power of big money and lobbying, Farber's firm will sponsor a ton of invite-only events this week for major Democratic donors, lawmakers, and movers and shakers. The Rocky Mountain News jested that Farber will attend 378 parties during convention week.

In fact, Farber's firm hosted the opening kickoff party for the Democratic National Committee Sunday night at the swanky Denver Art Museum. VIPs included Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Senator Chuck Schumer, among many others. Farber introduced Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, who's also enjoying a moment in the sun. The place was thick with lobbyists and corporate honchos, a number of whom, I was later told, are supporting McCain.

For now, Obama has accepted the money-driven status quo at the conventions while expressing his desire to one day change it. He told the Rocky Mountain News: "our primary lasted so long...that most of the plans for the convention were already in place by the time I was the nominee...there were bills to pay and commitments made. Should I be fortunate enough to be the nominee for years from now...I would like to see that some of the principles that we put in place, for example, not excepting lobbyist money, PAC money...I'd like to see those instituted as part of the convention process as well."

Here is more of the untold story:

Some people are making the claim that Barack Obama’s campaign reflects the basis for building the anti-monopoly coalition. As has been, correctly, pointed out, Obama’s supporters are from a variety of cross-sections of the population. However, those listed below are the major backers of the Democratic Party National Convention.

Ironically, these same corporations are among the backers of the Republican Party National Convention.

Note here, the inclusion of Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber, Schreck; this group of lawyers/lobbyists represents most of these corporations.
This outfit, which is dominated by George Soros, the Democracy Alliance:

http://www.democracyalliance.org/ is now undermining the campaign around single-payer universal health care from a “progressive” position, while Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber, Schreck represents these corporate interests in the attempt to derail single-payer universal health care, too.

I would also call to your attention of Aflac on this list.
This is a very powerful financial grouping which Barack Obama will be committed to, first and foremost.

What is also very interesting is that Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber, Schreck has organized support for both the Democratic and Republican conventions in the same manner they have helped politicians organize government and plan health care “reforms.”

• Forest City
• SEIU
• Vail Resorts
• United Health Group
• Level 3
• Travelers Insurance
• AstraZeneca
• Prudential
• Dale Carnegie Training
• Hensel Phelps Construction
• America’s Road Home
• ConocoPhillips
• Best Buy
• Visa
• Chesapeake Energy
• Merck
• Lennox
• 3M
• Allstate
• Ball
• United
• Comcast
• Amgen
• Pepsi
• CoBank
• Target
• National Association of Home Builders
• Lilly
• TeleTech
• BNSF Railway
• Medtronic
• US Bank
• Xerox
• UBS
• Novartis
• Hogan & Hartson
• Peabody
• ProLogis
• Staples
• The Denver Post
• Rocky Mountain News
• Camco
• Aflac
• Archer Daniels Midland
• Lockheed Martin
• Ford
• Anheuser-Busch
• Astellas
• FedEx
• Agvar Chemicals
• J.B. Pritzker
• Motorola
• Western Union
• Coca-Cola
• PCL Construction Enterprises
• American Wind Energy Association
• Lehman Brothers
• State Farm Insurance
• SEIA
• United Launch Alliance
• Kroger
• Waste Management
• PNM Resources
• Morgan Stanley
• Starz
• Pitney Bowes
• Liberty Media
• Anadarko
• Safeway
• EDS
• Bohemian Companies
• Kraft
• 1st Bank
• ATK
• PCI
• Telecom
• MWH
• Jared Polis
• IHS
• Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber, Schreck
• Anthem
• Southern Company
• AECOM
• SpaceX
• Cherry Creek Shopping Center
• Tri-State
• Howard H. Torgrove
• Key Bank
• Patrick H. Hamill
• Value Options
• Nanco Global
• Ellen and Steve Susman
• Continuum
• EcoLab
• Richmond American Homes Foundation
• RBC Capital Markets
• Yarmony Energy
• Callahan Capital Partners
• Robert and Jane Toll
• Newmont Mining Company $260,000
• Qwest $6 million
• Vail Resorts $500,000
• Union Pacific $1 million
• Xcel Energy $1 million
• Molson Coors $250,000
• TeleTech $250,000
• Chase $100,000
• Wells Fargo $62,500
• CH2M Hill $50,000

Obama’s bundlers:

Raising from $50,000 to $100,000:
Wendy Abrams (Highland Park, IL)
Charles Adams (Geneva, Switzerland)
Lishan Aklog (Phoenix, AZ)
Karim Alibhai (Key Biscayne, FL)
Pinney Allen (Atlanta, GA)
Michael Alter (Winnetka, IL)
Nola Anderson (Manchester, MA)
Rodney Armstead (Phoenix, AZ)
John Arnold (Houston, TX)
Ricky Arriola (Miami, FL)
Gayle Perkins Atkins (New York, NY)
Jean-Philippe Austin (Miami, FL)
Hannah Banks (Boston, MA)
Jim Bartimus (Kansas City, MO)
Sheldon Baskin (Chicago, IL)
Mike Bauer (Chicago, IL)
Jatinder Bedi (Chicago, IL)
Severin Beliveau (Hallowell, ME)
Alison & Barry Berke (New York, NY)
Allan & Jennie Berliant (Cincinnati, OH)
Richard Binder (Bethesda, MD)
Lea Black (Miami, FL)
Steven Bloch (Omaha, NE)
Les Bond (Chicago, IL)
Frank Borges (Farmington, CT)
Steve Bough (Kansas City, NE)
Elise Boyan (San Antonio, TX)
Russell Budd (Dallas, TX)
David Burd (Washington, DC)
David Burman (Seattle, WA)
Matthew Carlson (New York, NY)
Eric Casher (Berkeley, CA)
Marty Castro (Chicago, IL)
Michael Cavanagh (New York, NY)
Gracie & Bob Cavnar (Houston, TX)
Marisa Chun (San Francisco, CA)
Diana Shaw Clark (London, UK)
Bob Clifford (Chicago, IL)
Bonnie Cohen (Washington, DC)
Tom Cole (Kenilworth, IL)
Michael Coles (Atlanta, GA)
Wilbur Colom (Columbus, MS)
Kevin Conway (Chicago, IL)
Joe Cotchett (Hillsborough, CA)
Mark Cozzi (Chicago, IL)
Barbara Crown Manilow (Chicago, IL)
John Crumpler (Durham, NC)
John Cumming (Park City, UT)
Mike Dardzinski (Beijing, China)
Judy Davenport (Pittsburg, PA)
Lisa Davis (South Orange, NJ)
Stephen Davis (San Francisco, CA)
Jamie Denenberg (Los Angeles, CA)
James Dinan (New York, NY)
Greg Dingens (Chicago, IL)
John Doggett (Chatham, MA)
Justin Douglas (Chicago, IL)
Eugene Duffy (Atlanta, GA)
Rob Dugger (Alexandria, VA)
Carolyn Dwyer (Montpelier, VT)
Kelley Ellsworth (Washington, DC)
Mark Erwin (Chicago, IL)
Jodie Evans (Los Angeles, CA)
Nancy Farese (Kentfield, CA)
Mark Feierstien (Annandale, VA)
Joe Fernandez (Providence, RI)
Nadja Fidelia (New York, NY)
Peter Fisher (Los Angeles, CA)
Brian Frank (New York, NY)
Rob Friedman (Los Angeles, CA)
Ann Fudge (Chestnut Hill, MA)
Carol Fulp (Newton, MA)
Laurie Fulton (Alexandria, VA)
Jay Furman (New York, NY)
Pete Garcia (Palo Alto, CA)
Roland Garcia (Houston, TX)
Barbara Garrett (Coral Gables, FL)
Judy & Mickey Gaynor (Chicago, IL)
Tom Gearen (Chicago, IL)
Peter Gilhuly (Los Angeles, CA)
Jon Glickman (Los Angeles, CA)
Mark Goodman (Cambridge, MA)
Linda Gottlieb (New York, NY)
Howard Gottlieb (Evanston, IL)
Nancy Grant (Winnetka, IL)
Ken Griffin (Chicago, IL)
Doug Haloftis (Dallas, TX)
Cathy Hampton (Atlanta, GA)
Karen Heidelberg (Detroit, MI)
Ann & Peter Herbst (New York, NY)
Doug Hickey (San Francisco, CA)
Philip Hilder (Houston, TX)
Janet Hill (Washington, DC)
David Hinson (New York, NY)
Gary Hirshberg (Concord, NH)
Max Holtzman (Miami Beach, FL)
Jeff Horwitz (New York, NY)
Reed Hundt (Chevy Chase, MD)
Brandy Isaac (Chicago, IL)
Maxine Issacs (Washington, DC)
David Jacobson (Glencoe, IL)
Preble Jacques (Cambridge, MA)
Donna & Larry James (Columbus, OH)
Wanda James (Denver, CO)
Mark Johnson (Washington, DC)
Raye and Jerry Johnson (Bryn Mawr, PA)
Patricia Jones Blessman (Chicago, IL)
Wayne Jordan (Piedmont, CA)
George Kaiser (Tulsa, OK)
Eddie Kaplan (Bethesda, MD)
Marianne Karmel (Newton, MA)
Hrishi Karthikeyan (New York, NY)
Marilyn Katz (Chicago, IL)
David Kenney (Denver, CO)
Alan King (Chicago, IL)
Charlie Kireker (Weybridge, VT)
Ron Kirk (Dallas, TX)
Ted Kurland (Newton, MA)
Bill Lake (Washington, DC)
Rocco Landesman (New York, NY)
James Lassiter (Los Angeles, CA)
Chad Leat (New York, NY)
Debra Lee (Washington, DC)
Tom Lesser (Northampton, MA)
Jack Levin (Winnetka, IL)
Bill Levin (Moss Beach, CA)
Larry Levy (Chicago, IL)
Walter T. Lomax (Chalfront, PA)
Ken Lore (Washington, DC)
Patricia Lorsch (Cambridge, MA)
James Mangold (Los Angeles, CA)
Lewis Manilow (Chicago, IL)
Neal Manne (Houston, TX)
Aris Mardirossian (Potomac, MD)
Jerry Martin (Nashville, TN)
Alyssa Martina (Detroit, MI)
Edward Bilich and Teresa Martinez (Arlington, VA)
Linda Mason (Belmont, MA)
William Matsikoudis (Jersey City, NJ)
Scott Matthews (Wellesley, MA)
Ken Maxey (Los Angeles, CA)
Cappy McGarr (Dallas, TX)
Tom McInerney (San Anselmo, CA)
Frank McPhillips (Birmingham, AL)
Rhonda Medina (Trenton, NJ)
Alex Mehran (San Francsico, CA)
Patrick Miles, Jr. (Grand Rapids, MI)
Charles Miller (Atlanta, GA)
Herb Miller (Washington, DC)
Jon Miller (New York, NY)
Laurie Miller (Washington, DC)
Alan Mills (Indianapolis, IN)
Eric Mindich (New York, NY)
Judd Miner (Chicago, IL)
Richard Mithoff (Houston, TX)
Robert Nelsen (Bainbridge Island, WA)
Marty Nesbitt (Chicago, IL)
Wendy & John Neu (Newark, NJ)
Lora O'Connor (Los Angeles, CA)
Scott Oki (Bellevue, WA)
Bill Orrick (San Francisco, CA)
Lynn Overmann (Miami, FL)
Jeff Padwa (Providence, RI)
Max Palevsky (Los Angeles, CA)
Johnnie Patton (Jackson, MS)
Federico Pena (Denver, CO)
Giles Perkins (Birmingham, AL)
Chris Pohlad (Minneapolis, MN)
Barry Porter (Los Angeles, CA)
Quintin Primo (Lake Forest, IL)
Sunil Puri (Rockford, IL)
Josh Rales (Potomac, MD)
Mike Ramos (Avon, CO)
Michael Rawlings (Dallas, TX)
Antonio Reid (New York, NY)
Alan Reid (San Francisco, CA)
Arthur Reimers (Greenwich, CT)
Lauren Reiss-Frank (New York, NY)
Lisa Renstrom (Charlotte, NC)
Joyce Rey (Los Angeles, CA)
Doris Rhea (Detroit, MI)
Susan Rice (Washington, DC)
David Rivkin (New York, NY)
PJ & Suhail Rizvi (Greenwich, CT)
Rich Rogel (Avon, CO)
Joe Roth (Los Angeles, CA)
Paul Roth (New York, NY)
Tom Rothman (Los Angeles, CA)
Karen Russell (Seattle, WA)
Michael Sachs (Winnetka, IL)
Amelia Salzman (Bethesda, MD)
Miriam Sapiro (Washington, DC)
Sima Sarrafan (Bellevue, WA)
John Schmidt (Chicago, IL)
John Scully (Sausalito, CA)
Robert Sherman (Needham, MA)
Keith Short (Edwardsville, IL)
Tariq Siddiqui (Chicago, IL)
Craig Sieben (Chicago, IL)
Martin Siegel (Houston, TX)
Boon Sim (New York, NY)
Balvinder Singh (Chicago, IL)
Amy Singh (Chicago, IL)
Christopher Smart (Boston, MA)
Gerald Smith (Houston, TX)
Leo Smith (Chicago, IL)
Mark Smith (Washington, DC)
LaRence Snowden (Houston, TX)
David Solow (Chicago, IL)
Josh Steiner (New York, NY)
Joe Steinfield (Boston, MA)
Jon Streeter (Berkeley, CA)
Paul Taubman (New York, NY)
Bill Taylor (Washington, DC)
Dorothy Terrell (Boston, MA)
Rob Tessler (New York, NY)
Sandi Thompson (Woodside, CA)
Kathryn Thomson (Arlington, VA)
Tim Toben (Chapel Hill, NC)
Kyriakos Tsakapolous (Sacramento, CA)
Alicia Urban (Milwaukee, WI)
Kevin Vincent (Arlington, VA)
Eric Vincent (New York, NY)
David Voelker (New Orleans, LA)
Barbara Vogelstein (New York, NY)
Ayelet Waldman (Berkeley, CA)
Jordan Walker-Pearlman (Los Angeles, CA)
Francie Walton-Karlen (Chestnut Hill, MA)
Todd Weaver (St. Louis, MO)
Paula Weinstein (Los Angeles, CA)
Steve Weisbrod (Washington, DC)
Robert Weissbourd (Chicago, IL)
Jim Wiatt (Beverly Hills, CA)
Anita Wien (New York, NY)
Abigail & Todd Williams (Dallas, TX)
Margot Wilson (Washington, DC)
Harvey Wineberg (Chicago, IL)
Hope & Grant Winthrop (New York, NY)
Dan Wofford (Malvern, PA)
Kevin Joe Wolf (Arlington, VA)
Elaine Wynn (Las Vegas, NV)
Matt Yale (Chicago, IL)
Steve Zager (Houston, TX)
Michael Zeldin (Washington, DC)


Raising between $100,000 and $200,000:

Jerry Acker (Southfield, MI)
David Adelman (Atlanta, GA)
Kenneth Alleyne (Hartford, CT)
Jeremy Alters (Miami, FL)
Eddy Arriola (Miami Beach, FL)
Preeta Bansal (New York, NY)
Rob Barber (Cambridge, MA)
Doni Belau (Bedford, NY)
Lawrence Bender (Los Angeles, CA)
Dan Berger (Philadelphia, PA)
Mitchell Berger (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Judy Byrd & Ron Blaylock (New York, NY)
Leonore Blitz (New York, NY)
Peter Bynoe (Chicago, IL)
Joe Calabrese (Los Angeles, CA)
Michael Caplin (McLean, VA)
Tom Carnahan (Chicago, IL)
Hasan Chandoo (Armonk, NY)
Cleveland Christophe (Stamford, CT)
John Connors (Brookline, MA)
James Crowe (Englewood, CO)
Virginia Davies (New York, NY)
Gordon Davis (New York, NY)
FK Day (Chicago, IL)
Vincent Dimmock (Atlanta, GA)
Becky Draper (San Francisco, CA)
Blair Effron (New York, NY)
Cheryl Effron (New York, NY)
Norm Eisen (Washington, DC)
John Emerson (Los Angeles, CA)
David and Marianna Fisher (Los Angeles, CA)
Rick Fizdale and Suzanne Faber (Chicago, IL)
Clark French (Vero Beach, FL)
Lou Frillman (Minneapolis, MN)
David Gail (Dallas, TX)
Alexi Giannoulias (Chicago, IL)
Jill Goldman (Los Angeles, CA)
Fred Goldring (Los Angeles, CA)
Barry Goodman (Southfield, MI)
Barbara Gould (Cincinnati, OH)
David Grain (Sarasota, FL)
De & Paul Gray (Chicago, IL)
Joe Gutman (Highland Park, IL)
Wahid Hamid (New York, NY)
Jennifer Haro (St. Louis, MO)
William Harvey (Hampton, VA)
Greg Helmer (Los Angeles, CA)
Victor Herlinsky (Hackensack, NJ)
Crystal Nix Hines (Los Angeles, CA)
Donald Hinkle (Tallahassee, FL)
Mellody Hobson (Chicago, IL)
Sharon Hoffman (Kansas City, MO)
Helen Howell (Seattle, WA)
Dan Hynes (Chicago, IL)
Ted Janulis (New York, NY)
Valerie Jarrett (Chicago, IL)
Kevin Jennings (New York, NY)
Derek Johnson (New York, NY)
Paul Tudor Jones (Greenwich, CT)
David Kasparian (Paramus, NJ)
Michael Kasparian (Paramus, NJ)
Jay Kreigel (New York, NY)
Ann & Edward Lamont (Greenwich, CT)
Eddie Lazarus (Los Angeles, CA)
Arthur Leopold (New York, NY)
Kenneth Lerer (New York, NY)
Cliff Levine (PIttsburgh, PA)
Brad Lippitz (Chicago, IL)
Caren Lobo (Sarasota, FL)
Daniel Loeb (New York, NY)
Andres Lopez (San Juan, PR)
Kerman Maddox (Los Angeles, CA)
Sue & Steve Mandel (Greenwich, CT)
William Mann (Weston, CT)
Nancy McCullough (Los Angeles, CA)
Irena and Mike Medavoy (Los Angeles, CA)
Kelly Meyer (Malibu, CA)
Howard Milstein (New York, NY)
Ron Moelis (Larchmont, NY)
Jonathan Molot (Washington, DC)
Robert Monks (Cape Elizabeth, ME)
Sarah Morgenthau (Montclair, NJ)
Marie Helene Morrow (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Dan Nova (Cambridge, MA)
Adebayo Ogunlesi (New York, NY)
Chuck Ortner (New York, NY)
Sebastiano Paiewonsky (St. Thomas, USVI)
Eric Paquette (Los Angeles, CA)
Deven Parekh (New York, NY)
Michael Parham (Seattle, WA)
Bill Perkins (Houston, TX)
Robert Perkowitz (Charlotte, NC)
Susan Pisor (Chicago, IL)
Jonathan Pizer (Chicago, IL)
John Rhea (New York, NY)
Zeb Rice (Los Angeles, CA)
Andrew Rice (Oklahoma City, OK)
Nelson Rising (Los Angeles, CA)
Wendy Riva (Los Angeles, CA)
Robert Roche (Chicago, IL)
Desiree Rogers (Chicago, IL)
Ben Rosen (New York, NY)
Lee Rosenberg (Chicago, IL)
James Rubin (New York, NY)
BettyLu Saltzman (Chicago, IL)
Ben Schwartz (Wendell, MA)
Eric Schwartz (New York, NY)
Willie Shepherd (Denver, CO)
Mary Lang Sollinger (Madison, WI)
Ken Solomon (Los Angeles, CA)
Peter Solomon (New York, NY)
Alan Solow (Chicago, IL)
Helen Spalding (San Francisco, CA)
Bobby Stein (Jacksonville, FL)
Andre Leon Talley (New York, NY)
Willard Taylor (New York, NY)
Fabio and Molley Terlevich (Philadelphia, PA)
Vinai Thummalapally (Colorado Springs, CO)
Stan Toy (Los Angeles, CA)
Tom Unterman (Los Angeles, CA)
Jon and Ellen Vein (Los Angeles, CA)
Mikal Watts (San Antonio, TX)
Ann Marie Wilkins (Cambridge, MA)
Percy Wilson (Washington, DC)
Anna Wintour (New York, NY)
Judy Wise (Chicago, IL)
Sheldon Zenner (Evanston, IL)


Raising over $200,000:

Naomi Aberly (Dallas, TX)
Mark Alderman (Bryn Mawr, PA)
Paul Bardacke (Santa Fe, NM)
Denise Bauer (Belvedere, CA)
Josh Berger (London, UK)
Andi & Tom Bernstein (New York, NY)
Jeff Bleich (Piedmont, CA)
Neil Bluhm (Chicago, IL)
Tim Broas (Chevy Chase, MD)
Frank Brosens (Bedford, NY)
Owen Byrd (Palo Alto, CA)
Brad Carson (Oklahoma City, OK)
Tony Chase (Houston, TX)
Frank Clark (Flossmoor, IL)
Charles Clarkson (Jacksonville, FL)
Lou Cohen (Washington, DC)
Dick Cohen (Minneapolis, MN)
Les Coney (Chicago, IL)
Greg Craig (Washington, DC)
Ted Dintersmith (Boston, MA)
Kirk Dornbush (Atlanta, GA)
Ari Emanuel (Los Angeles, CA)
Daveen & Alan Fox (Studio City, CA)
Michael Froman (New York, NY)
Mark Gallogly (New York, NY)
Katherine Gehl (Chicago, IL)
Mark Gilbert (Boca Raton, FL)
Steven Gluckstern (New York, NY)
John Gorman (Austin, TX)
Daniel Halpern (Atlanta, GA)
Pam Hamamoto (Tiburon, CA)
Hill Harper (Los Angeles, CA)
Jane Hartley (New York, NY)
David Heller (New York, NY)
Vicki & Bruce Heyman (Chicago, IL)
Rick Horowitz (Wynnewood, PA)
Ted Hosp (Birmingham, AL)
Jim Hudson (Washington, DC)
Mark Iola (Dallas, TX)
Jeh Johnson (Montclair, NJ)
Jim Johnson (Washington, DC)
Orlan Johnson (Bowie, MD)
David Jones (Greenwich, CT)
Sylvia & Sam Kaplan (Minneapolis, MN)
Allan Katz (Tallahassee, FL)
Eric Kearney (Cincinnati, OH)
Lena Kennedy (Pasadena, CA)
Steve Koch (Chicago, IL)
Dan Kohl (River Hills, WI)
Nancy Koppelman (Santa Barbara, CA)
Anthony Lake (Washington, DC)
Nicole Lamb-Hale (Detroit, MI)
Jonathan Lavine (Lexington, MA)
Mattie & Michael Lawson (Los Angeles, CA)
Steve Lerner (Chapel Hill, NC)
John Levi (Chicago, IL)
Chris Lewis (Berwyn, PA)
Chuck Lewis (Evanston, IL)
Margo Lion (New York, NY)
Frank Loy (Washington, DC)
Michael and Jamie Lynton (Los Angeles, CA)
Bob Mandell (Orlando, FL)
Brian Mathis (New York, NY)
Steve McKeever (Chicago, IL)
Jon Merksamer (Sacramento, CA)
Alicia & Tim Mullen (Chicago, IL)
Spencer Overton (Chevey Chase, MD)
Jason Paez (New York, NY)
Steve Pajcic (Jacksonville, FL)
Yolonda Parker (Los Angeles, CA)
Don Peebles (Coral Gables, FL)
Jonathan Perdue (Mill Valley, CA)
John Phillips (Washington, DC)
Penny Pritzker (Chicago, IL)
Wade Randlett (San Francisco, CA)
Ron and Deborah Ratner (Cleveland, OH)
Doug Rediker (Washington, DC)
Tom Reed (Centreville, VA)
Jim Reynolds (Chicago, IL)
Cindy Moelis & Bob Rivkin (Chicago, IL)
Skip Rosenbloom (Sacramento, CA)
Kirk Rudy (Austin, TX)
Frank Sanchez (Tampa, FL)
Andrew Schapiro (Chicago, IL)
Michael Schell (New York, NY)
Tod Sedgwick (Washington, DC)
Jeff Shell (Philadelphia, PA)
Jane Stetson (Norwich, CT)
Cynthia Stroum (Seattle, WA)
Lou Susman (Chicago, IL)
Bob Sussman (Washington, DC)
Tina Tchen (Chicago, IL)
Grace Tsao-Wu (Chicago, IL)
Jim Tyree (Chicago, IL)
Kirk Wagar (Miami, FL)
Anne Wedner (Winnetka, IL)
Daniel Weiss (Los Angeles, CA)
Beatrice Welters (McLean, VA)
Alexa Wesner (Austin, TX)
Tom Wheeler (Washington, DC)
Barry White (Newton Centre, MA)
Kneeland Youngblood (Dallas, TX)


Raising over $500,000:

Nicole Avant (Los Angeles, CA)
Sandy & Stewart Bainum (Chevy Chase, MD)
Matthew Barzun (Louisville, KY)
Megan & Don Beyer (Alexandria, VA)
Peter Buttenweiser (Philadelphia, PA)
Rebecca Riley & David Carden (Bronxville, NY)
Bob Clark (St. Louis, MO)
Paula & Jim Crown (Chicago, IL)
Richard Danzig (Washington, DC)
Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe (Portola Valley, CA)
Bill Eacho (Bethesda, MD)
Christine Forester (San Diego, CA)
David Friedman (Boulder, CO)
David Geffen (Malibu, CA)
Julius Genachowski (Washington, DC)
Don Gips (Boulder, CO)
Doug Goldman (San Francisco, CA)
Wendy Wanderman & Mark Gorenberg (San Francisco, CA)
Howard Gutman (Washington, DC)
Scott Harris (Washington, DC)
Jeffrey Katzenberg (Los Angeles, CA)
Bill Kennard (Washington, DC)
Orin Kramer (New York, NY)
Karol Mason (Atlanta, GA)
Bruce Oreck (Boulder, CO)
Tom Perrelli (Arlington, VA)
Charlie Rivkin (Los Angeles, CA)
John Rogers (Chicago, IL)
John Roos (Hillsborough, CA)
Alan Solomont (Boston, MA)
Steve Spinner (Menlo Park, CA)
Jim Torrey (New York, NY)
Tony West (Oakland, CA)
Steve Westly (Atherton, CA)
Frank White (Silver Spring, MD)
Robert Wolf (New York, NY)

Names of these “bundlers” don’t mean too much; however, check out this website and see what corporations these bundlers are with:

http://www.whitehouseforsale.org/candidate.cfm?CandidateID=C0009&SortOrder=Last%5FName%2C%20First%5FName%2C%20Middle%5FName%2C%20Suffix%2C%20campaignsource%20DESC&StartRow=1

An Open Letter to "Fresh Energy"

Subject:

Re: Moratorium on coal plants

Note: "Fresh Energy" is a "front organization" for big-business, the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party and the Minnesota AFL-CIO and Change to Win. "Fresh Energy" works in collaboration with all the other big-business financed think-tanks which seek to control and manipulate organizations like those in the Minnesota Environmental Partnership and the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability.

I find it rather ironic “Fresh Energy” now calls for a complete moratorium on coal-fired electric generating plants in the fight against global warming; but your organization did not lift one little finger to bring the Hydro Dam powering the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant under public ownership to save two-thousand jobs and insure that this plant would begin being used as a cheap source of energy by people in the Twin Cities... why your organization never proposed that instead of the Ford Motor Company being allowed to sell-off excess power generated by the hydro dam to Excel, that this power instead be provided to light the public schools and other public institutions for free, just like Ford received free power for its operations, I do not understand… maybe you can explain. This could have meant a very substantial reduction in property taxes with all the money saved by public schools.

In fact, your organization, and your “coalition partners,” have been no place to be seen in the struggle to save the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant even though it is a model of “green manufacturing.” If every manufacturing facility of this size was as “green” as the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant we would not even be discussing global warming… yet, “Fresh Energy” and your coalition partners remain silent through it all.

I think your organization, Fresh Energy, is bogus.

In fact, it appears to me you raise demands you know are impossible to meet--- a moratorium on new coal fired plants--- as long as the quest for maximum profits is the goal and objective of production.

I also find it very strange, that along with calling for a moratorium on coal fired plants, you do not suggest any solution to rising energy costs for most people. This I find especially interesting since you are well aware that what you are proposing would force our electric bills up even as we are forced to conserve.

There is a solution which the foundations supporting your organization would never go along with:

Public ownership of the entire energy producing and distribution complex; a more feasible and workable solution if you are serious about having a moratorium on building coal fired plants.

I also find it very strange that your organization never mentions the fact that tax-payers are underwriting the costs of a very primitive electric distribution system… from the point of energy production until it arrives to where it will be used, as much as thirty percent of the energy is being lost--- there is your moratorium and more. But, what we have is corporations feeding at the public trough as they are wasting our resources--- I guess since these corporations are getting a free lunch they don’t mind making a pig of themselves and throwing most of the food away that they take at the self-serve buffet.

In fact, the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities assembly plant, under public ownership, could be turned to producing inexpensive vertical and horizontal wind generating equipment to power our entire state and we could be free of coal-burning power plants in a few years. These inexpensive wind generators could replace every farm fence post in Minnesota and placed along our roads and highways and even on bridges without any harm to the environment or the scenery. Solar units and water equipment could also be produced all in the same plant… yet, your “coalition partners” are proposing the demolition of this plant… do you not have any concept of the “carbon footprint” involved in the construction (and unwarranted destruction) of a huge plant like this?

I would suggest that you have a little discussion with the Ford Site Planning Committee and Task Force… and your coalition partners at the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability and the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party.

It might not hurt to put a halt to the war machine, either, which is creating quite the “carbon footprint.”

I really think your philanthropist funders have you pointed on the wrong track… but then again I notice many of the donors are Excel CEO’s and run like a Who’s Who of the Minnesota State Chamber of Commerce and the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers--- no doubt looking for a nice fat tax-write-off as they try to derail the movement for real energy reform.

Even the media, including public radio seems to be beholden to the corporate interests in the energy industry… just take radio station KAXE up here in northern Minnesota… the Blandin foundation and Excel give them a few bucks and it is like the pollution from their plant north of Grand Rapids doesn’t even exist… it just vanishes mysteriously into the clouds… and when the plant manager is asked what is coming out of the smokestacks he will tell you, “Nothing to worry about, just some harmless water vapor.”

Perhaps this entire matter can be discussed by the “Progressives for Obama,” too.

I find it equally interesting that those who had been talking about holding a “Conference on Dis-Investment” at the University of Minnesota canceled their conference quickly after becoming concerned the issue of saving the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant and the hydro dam along with two-thousand jobs would become the central issue of the conference.

Really, I find it thoroughly and completely hypocritical that “Fresh Energy” would call for a moratorium on building coal-burning electric generating plants without even considering any of the alternative proposals brought forward here.

I await a response from “Fresh Energy.”

Alan L. Maki
58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763
Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell phone: 651-587-5541
E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Check out my blog:

Thoughts From Podunk

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Single-payer universal health care

An open Letter to James Mayer, Host on Air America and John Kolstad of the Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition (MUHCC)

Note: This "Open Letter" was also sent to United States Senate candidate Priscilla Lord Faris

-----Original Message-----

From: Alan Maki [mailto:amaki000@centurytel.net]

Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2008 9:41 AM

To: James Mayer at info@jamesmayer.org and John Kolstad

Cc: David Shove, Editor, Progressive Calendar

Subject: Single-payer Universal Health Care

Mr. Mayer and John Kolstad;

I see where you are going to be discussing health care at the Minnesota State Fair.

As usual, it looks like the discussion, by intent, will omit some real options in the way of health care reform.

You have an obligation to tell people how much this “Plan” of MN State Senator John Marty will cost people; and, who is going to be paying how much.

You have an obligation to tell Minnesotans the cost of this “Plan.”

Dr. James Hart has told me that this Marty “Plan” is projected to save people 10% to 15% off what they pay now. This is not good enough.

Every time people are given the opportunity to have input to what they want, and expect, in the form of health care reform they point to Canada and say: “We want the exact same plan Canadians have.”

There is ample proof that people mean what they say because Minnesotans continue to cross the border into Canada to purchase their prescription medication which is very selfish because this is placing a burden on the Canadian Health Care system--- the Canadian tax-payers are subsidizing what our own government will not provide to our own people.

Prescriptions in Canada are not cheaper than in the United States because some corporation decides to be nicer to Canadians than to us south of the border. Cheaper drug prices are the result of the entire Canadian health care system under the Canada Health Act.

Honesty and integrity in this debate over health care requires a Canadian perspective at this point simply because Americans crossing the border are placing this burden on the Canadian health care system and this is not fair to Canadians who are now paying higher prices for their medications as a result of all of this.

In fairness, I would suggest that you get the view from Canada, perhaps from Gary Doer or someone from his Administration to explain all of this and to explain just how the Canadian Health Act serves the Canadian people--- including explaining any problems with the system because we have a right to ALL information and viewpoints.

At this point it is very clear what Minnesotans want and expect from health care reform: We want no-fee, comprehensive, all-inclusive (from pre-natal to death with everything from eye and dentistry to physical therapy), cradle to grave, single-payer universal health care which is publicly funded and publicly administered paid for primarily the same way Social Security is funded with a special progressive tax assessment on businesses--- big-business would pay a greater percentage than small business.

However, in fairness, once Minnesotans hear the full story and have all the facts, they may want, and have a right to expect from their government, an even better plan than single-payer universal health care, which, by the way, the Marty “Plan” is not; Minnesotans, upon hearing all the facts and when presented with ALL of their options as is only right and fair, may decide they want a full-scale socialized health care system which was advocated by the two most popular governors in Minnesota history--- socialists Floyd Olson and Elmer Benson.

And, Tommy Douglas, who, without any doubt--- along with Doctor Norman Bethune, they were, and are, considered the fathers of the Canadian Health Act with Tommy Douglas having successfully brought single-payer universal health care to North America for the first time in the Province of Saskatchewan; Tommy Douglas made it very clear that he considered single-payer universal health care a “step towards” socialized health care. He based this on having seen the way doctors and all those involved in the health care industry were in health care to make a buck, rather than for serving the health care needs of the people.

In fact, what Tommy Douglas and his socialists put in place in Saskatchewan was the very same program being advanced by Frances Perkins, Franklin Roosevelt’s Secretary of Labor. When red-baited that her proposal was straight out of the “Communist Manifesto;” Perkins boldly and very honestly responded: “I would rather see this legislation helping the American people than remaining words on the pages of a pamphlet.”

Now, Mr. Mayer and Mr. Kolstad, I am suggesting to the two of you and all the other politicians and spokespersons you have had on Air America, Mr. Mayer, you refuse to tolerate a full dialogue, discussion and debate in which ALL views are brought forward--- including the Canada Health Act which the Canadians got the idea from Frances Perkins and Franklin Roosevelt AND socialized health care which had been advocated by both Floyd Olson and Elmer Benson throughout their long political careers and until each took their last gasp of air for life.

There is something inherently unfair with a mass communication media refuses to allow a full discussion, dialogue and debate on this health care issue as there is with the present health care mess itself. To me this sends a very powerful message that anything based on “market economics” and “free enterprise” is fatally flawed and rigged against the people to take their money but provide nothing of substance in return.

It just may happen that after hearing all of the facts, Minnesotans may not want anything short of socialized health care.

As the original author of the “Single-payer Universal Health Care Resolution” which was passed by 72% of the delegates to the State Convention of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, which the DFL leadership and just about every single elected, and those seeking election, DFL politician has gone on to ignore, I am, quite frankly, highly offended--- as I think most Minnesotans are--- that politicians, including John Marty, and organizations like the Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition, are thumbing their noses at the democratic will of the people on this most important issue affecting ALL of us.

Up here in Roseau County, after an extensive door to door campaign, where we talked to thousands of people between 2000 and 2006, we found that the majority of the people we talked to--- 74%, very close to the number of DFL State Convention delegates in 2006 of which I was an elected delegate from Roseau County and the elected member of the State Central Committee to the Minnesota DFL from Roseau County--- I introduced a resolution, first at my Lake Township Precinct Caucus, then at the Roseau County Convention which stated in no uncertain terms our resolution on health care. That resolution stated: “Be it resolved the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party is for no-fee, comprehensive, all-inclusive single-payer universal health care; publicly financed and publicly administered.” This was the exact wording people chose from of the many options we provided them--- ranging from the fraudulent and phony Republican schemes of Health Savings Accounts to what John Marty is proposing to socialized health care.

In fact, the primary reason most of the thousands of people we spoke with in our door to door talks said they were for socialized health care but chose the wording of the resolution which passed was because they didn’t think politicians would go for socialized health care… people had just about no confidence in politicians really wanting to solve this mess… so they chose a “compromise” in the way of reform.

I support socialized health care as does our Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council. However, the people spoke and I took their resolution to the Lake Township Precinct Caucus and the Roseau County Convention where it passed without any opposition--- unanimously--- with all in attendance voting; both the Precinct Caucus and the County Convention were attended by record shattering numbers of people… all time highs.

It seems Floyd Olson and Elmer Benson are as popular today in Minnesota as when they served, having left us a legacy of progressivism even “love me, love me I’m a liberal” Hubert Humphrey and “I can’t shake this state’s progressive legacy” Tim Pawlenty have not been able to derail when it comes to health care reform.

In fact, the politicians do not dare take their real “programs” for health care reform door to door directly to the people as we have done because if they told the people the truth of their proposals after giving Minnesotans ALL the options as we have done here in Roseau County which borders Manitoba so we know what kind of health care Manitobans have--- good, quality health care; free health care--- and this is what we want; for now we will compromise and accept real single-payer universal health care, as a step towards socialized health care where all profits are removed from the health care system as the only consideration is keeping people healthy and treating them when sick as needed and as medically appropriate; a system where doctors earn a fair salary for a fair days work and not the income of a Wall Street coupon-clipper, regardless of what the American Medical Association thinks about this.

The capitalist sooth-sayers, from large and small business people, have had their say on this issue; the time has come to allow Minnesotans to have all available options made available to them so they can have their say, too… anything less makes a mockery and a farce out of democracy.

If John Marty, John Kolstad, the Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition, the Democrats or Republicans, Barack Obama or John McCain think that we are not entitled to have ALL of our options on the table, including real single-payer universal health care and socialized health care, they should have the moral and political integrity and courage to explain why this dialogue, discussion and debate on health care should be limited in this way.

As the primary author of the MN DFL resolution on “single-payer universal health care” I can tell you that the proposed legislation being pushed forward by Senator John Marty is not our idea of single-payer universal health care by any stretch of anyone’s imagination. What this legislation being proposed by John Marty is, is a sop to his professional and small business constituency and there is no way working people can afford this boon-doggle… for sure not when people are losing their homes to foreclosures and being evicted because they can’t pay rent, saddled with credit card debts the result of trying to feed their families and heat their homes, not to mention the robbery taking place at the pumps where people have to have a second job just to get to the first… and if their first job is working in a casino they need a second job at Wal-mart in order to survive and a third job at Target just to pay for the gas to get to their other two jobs--- what will two-thousand Ford workers, hundreds in the airline industry, hundreds more on the Iron Range do with no jobs at all with unemployment nearing record levels as the capitalist economy appears to be on the skids to oblivion… under these circumstances, I don’t think Minnesotans want any part of John Marty’s proposed legislation which will cost the average worker still lucky enough to have a job between $700.00 and $800.00 per month.

Democracy demands some honesty here; something, like health care, we don’t seem to be able to have access to.

Now, before we go any further, let’s get Manitoba’s Premier, Gary Doer, down here to explain to Minnesotans how the Canada Health Act really works. Is someone afraid of the truth?

I find it interesting that single-payer universal health care has the obvious majority support; but, all the politicians are scheming and scamming trying to get around it.

Even an entirely new “coalition” has come into existence from among the supporters of Barack Obama trying to derail the single-payer universal health care movement… they seek to sabotage support for the federal single-payer universal health care legislation H.R. 676 which the Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition has only provided lip-service to and even most of the MN DFL’s Congressional Caucus has refused to sign onto; in spite of the fact the 2006 resolution was specifically aimed at supporting H.R. 676… we need Minnesota to enact real single-payer universal health care legislation which will smoothly transition us to H.R. 676--- the proposed Marty legislation will not do this.

Let me be blunt, not meaning to offend anyone; but, we need health care reform to serve the working class… such legislation will take care of everyone else just fine--- even if business will shed a few tears as they always do when they can’t place the entire financial burden on the backs of working people. Quite frankly, it is time for business to do a little suffering… the profits they have reaped for so many years provides them with a nice soft pillow to cry into.

Mr Mayer, give me a call if you want the truth to be told like it really is.

By the way, why doesn’t Air America get both Priscilla Lord Faris and that clown Al Franken on to discuss this issue together… Minnesotans want to know where these two DFL U.S. Senate candidates stand on H.R. 676.

Speaking of clowns, Minnesota doesn’t need to send another clown like Al Franken to the United States Senate… we already have simultaneously operating three-ring circuses in St. Paul and in Washington D.C…. in fact, these are probably the longest continual running three-ring circuses in the world being passed off as the world’s greatest democracy… and single-payer universal health care and socialized health care can’t even get fair hearings… not even on “liberal” Air America.

Any country wealthy enough to finance the war in Iraq, subsidize the the Israeli carnage of the Palestinian people, stick its nose into bolstering a corrupt and incompetent government in Georgia to massacre the people of South Osetia, and still have money left over to send more troops into Afghanistan and support some one-hundred and fifty military bases around the world given the exorbitant price of fuels, certainly this government can afford socialized health care... or, at least single-payer universal health care for its own people.

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

58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763
Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell phone: 651-587-5541
E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Check out my blog:

Thoughts From Podunk

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Declaration of the Georgian Peace Committee

Please distribute this widely:

PEACE COMMITTEE OF GEORGIA
0182. Apt. 2, quarter 8, house 10,
massif 3, Tbilisi, Georgia
Tel: ++ 995 93 761363
Fax/Tel: ++ 995 32 731516
E-mail: pc_of_georgia@yahoo.com

Declaration of the Georgian Peace Committee

Once more Georgia was launched into a situation of chaos
and bloodshed. A new fratricidal war exploded with renewed
strength on Georgian soil.

To our great disappointment, the alerts of the Georgian Peace
Committee and of progressive personalities of Georgia on the
pernicious character of the militarization of the country and on
the danger of a pro-fascist and nationalist policy had no effect.

The authorities of Georgia once again organized a bloody war,
feeling the support of some western countries and of regional
and international organizations. It will take decades to cleanse
the shame poured by the current holders of the power over
the Georgian people.

The Georgian army--armed and trained by U.S. instructors
and using also U.S. armaments--subjected the city of Tskhinvali
to a barbaric destruction. The bombings killed Ossetian civilians,
our brothers and sisters, children, women and elderly people.
Over 2,000 inhabitants of Tskhinvali and of its surroundings died.

Hundreds of civilians of Georgian nationality also died, both in
the conflict zone as well as on the entire territory of Georgia.

The Georgian Peace Committee expresses its deep condolences
to the relatives and friends of those who have perished.

The entire responsibility for this fratricidal war, for thousands
of children, women and elderly dead people, for the inhabitants
of South Ossetia and of Georgia falls exclusively on the current
President, on the Parliament and on the Government of Georgia.
The irresponsibility and the adventurism of the Saakashvili
regime have no limits. The President of Georgia and his team,
undoubtedly, are criminals and must be held responsible.

The Georgian Peace Committee, together with all the progressive
parties and social movements of Georgia, will struggle to assure
that the organizers of this monstrous genocide have a severe and
legitimate punishment.

The Georgian Peace Committee declares and asks broad public
opinion not to identify the current Georgian leadership with the
people of Georgia, with the Georgian nation, and appeals to
all to support the Georgian people in the struggle against the
criminal regime of Saakashvili.

We appeal to all the political forces of Georgia, the social
movements and the people of Georgia to unite in order to
free the country from the Russian-phobic and pro-fascist
anti popular regime of Saakashvili!

The Georgian Peace Committee Tbilisi, Aug. 11, 2008

Blowback From Bear-Baiting

I present this in the interest of dialogue, discussion and debate knowing that Pat Buchanan may be using this as "bait" of his own for ulterior motives; so I urge the reader"Caution--- Bear Bait ahead":


Blowback From Bear-Baiting

by Patrick J. Buchanan

Posted 08/15/2008




Mikheil Saakashvili's decision to use the opening of the Olympic Games to cover Georgia's invasion of its breakaway province of South Ossetia must rank in stupidity with Gamal Abdel-Nasser's decision to close the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships.

Nasser's blunder cost him the Sinai in the Six-Day War. Saakashvili's blunder probably means permanent loss of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

After shelling and attacking what he claims is his own country, killing scores of his own Ossetian citizens and sending tens of thousands fleeing into Russia, Saakashvili's army was whipped back into Georgia in 48 hours.

Vladimir Putin took the opportunity to kick the Georgian army out of Abkhazia, as well, to bomb Tbilisi and to seize Gori, birthplace of Stalin.

Reveling in his status as an intimate of George Bush, Dick Cheney and John McCain, and America's lone democratic ally in the Caucasus, Saakashvili thought he could get away with a lightning coup and present the world with a fait accompli.

Mikheil did not reckon on the rage or resolve of the Bear.

American charges of Russian aggression ring hollow. Georgia started this fight -- Russia finished it. People who start wars don't get to decide how and when they end.

Russia's response was "disproportionate" and "brutal," wailed Bush.

True. But did we not authorize Israel to bomb Lebanon for 35 days in response to a border skirmish where several Israel soldiers were killed and two captured? Was that not many times more "disproportionate"?

Russia has invaded a sovereign country, railed Bush. But did not the United States bomb Serbia for 78 days and invade to force it to surrender a province, Kosovo, to which Serbia had a far greater historic claim than Georgia had to Abkhazia or South Ossetia, both of which prefer Moscow to Tbilisi?

Is not Western hypocrisy astonishing?

When the Soviet Union broke into 15 nations, we celebrated. When Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia, Montenegro and Kosovo broke from Serbia, we rejoiced. Why, then, the indignation when two provinces, whose peoples are ethnically separate from Georgians and who fought for their independence, should succeed in breaking away?

Are secessions and the dissolution of nations laudable only when they advance the agenda of the neocons, many of who viscerally detest Russia?

That Putin took the occasion of Saakashvili's provocative and stupid stunt to administer an extra dose of punishment is undeniable. But is not Russian anger understandable? For years the West has rubbed Russia's nose in her Cold War defeat and treated her like Weimar Germany.

When Moscow pulled the Red Army out of Europe, closed its bases in Cuba, dissolved the evil empire, let the Soviet Union break up into 15 states, and sought friendship and alliance with the United States, what did we do?

American carpetbaggers colluded with Muscovite Scalawags to loot the Russian nation. Breaking a pledge to Mikhail Gorbachev, we moved our military alliance into Eastern Europe, then onto Russia's doorstep. Six Warsaw Pact nations and three former republics of the Soviet Union are now NATO members.

Bush, Cheney and McCain have pushed to bring Ukraine and Georgia into NATO. This would require the United States to go to war with Russia over Stalin's birthplace and who has sovereignty over the Crimean Peninsula and Sebastopol, traditional home of Russia's Black Sea fleet.

When did these become U.S. vital interests, justifying war with Russia?

The United States unilaterally abrogated the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty because our technology was superior, then planned to site anti-missile defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic to defend against Iranian missiles, though Iran has no ICBMs and no atomic bombs. A Russian counter-offer to have us together put an anti-missile system in Azerbaijan was rejected out of hand.

We built a Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline from Azerbaijan through Georgia to Turkey to cut Russia out. Then we helped dump over regimes friendly to Moscow with democratic "revolutions" in Ukraine and Georgia, and tried to repeat it in Belarus.

Americans have many fine qualities. A capacity to see ourselves as others see us is not high among them.

Imagine a world that never knew Ronald Reagan, where Europe had opted out of the Cold War after Moscow installed those SS-20 missiles east of the Elbe. And Europe had abandoned NATO, told us to go home and become subservient to Moscow.

How would we have reacted if Moscow had brought Western Europe into the Warsaw Pact, established bases in Mexico and Panama, put missile defense radars and rockets in Cuba, and joined with China to build pipelines to transfer Mexican and Venezuelan oil to Pacific ports for shipment to Asia? And cut us out? If there were Russian and Chinese advisers training Latin American armies, the way we are in the former Soviet republics, how would we react? Would we look with bemusement on such Russian behavior?

For a decade, some of us have warned about the folly of getting into Russia's space and getting into Russia's face. The chickens of democratic imperialism have now come home to roost -- in Tbilisi.