Is the Dayton Administration another Obama Administration in the making? Liberal rhetoric; reactionary corporate agenda

Ok, I see who Dayton has selected to head up the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources--- a selection aided by Roger Moe.

Just about like all of his other appointments, so far; Dayton has appointed a guy who is a product of the "foundations."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/blogs/113004954.html


This guy is probably going to be more of a friend to the mining, forestry and power generating industry than to people concerned about the quality of our air, water, land, plants and animals; treaty rights and respect for our watersheds.



Think in terms of a John Persell but more intelligent and a whole lot shrewder.



Think in terms of the Roger Moe and Jim Oberstar.



This guy is associated with Ducks Unlimited who think that peat mining in the Big Bog is a good thing because we will end up with a massive 15 square mile "lake" for duck hunters, and he will most likely advocate hauling in the contaminated beach sand from Lake Superior to create a swimming beach for children along the "shores" of U.S. Steel's "Clearwater Reservoir."



Have you ever seen the big signs placed by the huge "clear cuts" proclaiming the area to be a site for deer and grouse habitat? Well, this is Tom Landwehr... ever heard the guy defend treaty rights? This guy is a big booster of the mining and forestry industries... let them ruin the land they steal from the public in the first place for a pittance and when they can no longer reap huge profits a private outfit like the Nature Conservancy buys it back at outrageously high prices financed by great "philanthropists" like the Pillsbury's "to protect our endangered natural resources."



Don't expect Landwehr to end racist hiring practices of the DNR staff and enforce affirmative action in hiring when it comes to DNR projects unless Dayton orders him to; and so far Dayton has refused to live up to his campaign promise of supporting Affirmative Action since he hasn't enforced it in hiring those appointments he has made to oversee State departments and agencies. Figure it out; when Dayton brings in someone like Roger Moe who has fought the implementation and enforcement of Affirmative Action during his long and useless political career to advise him to select a guy like Landwehr what else can we expect? Were any Native American Indians concerned about treaty rights even considered in the running to head up the DNR? What about environmentalists opposed to the racist placement of power lines and gas and oil pipelines?



Landwehr has made his base of support among the most racist section of the conservation crowd. I wouldn't be surprised to find that Dayton's foundation has funded a lot of Landwehr's involvement and activities. Someone should look into this.



I wouldn't expect this guy to be calling for an increase in the "taconite tax" or "stumpage fees" as he views all mining and logging activity as producing duck ponds, deer and grouse habitat; then raising taxes on Minnesotans to pay for reclamation of the detroyed lands that mining, forestry and the power generating industries have reaped huge profits from--- so much for "tax the rich."



To make a long comment short:



This appointment of Landwehr by Dayton to head up the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources should send shivers down the spines of anyone concerned about protecting our living environment and treaty rights, and cause everyone to become actively involved in pushing Dayton towards what he promised or we are going to end up with a version of Obama here in Minnesota real quick--- liberal words; corporate agenda.

Mark Dayton in begging for my support in return for enforcing Affirmative Acction pursuant to what President Lyndon B. Johnson determined Affirmative Action to be in signing Presidential Executive Order #11246 which is the real teeth of the Civil Rights Act has so far reneged on his campaign promise... I hope this blog posting answers all the questions I have been getting concerning how I think our new liberal Governor Mark Dayton is doing so far.

Mark Dayton was the ONLY candidate I voted for in the last election; it looks like I won't bother making a trip to the polls next time around if this is the best we can expect from Democrats... unless of course there are some alternatives to what Democrats and Republicans have to offer.

Liberals, progressives and the left should keep pressing for a "people before corporate profits" alternative agenda both inside and outside the Democratic Party; but, I don't foresee any real progress in the form of legislation or government action being made towards this until we learn that we need our own political party centered around a progressive agenda that challenges these corporate and foundaton financed politicians chosen by Wall Street--- prepared to back up in the ballot box what is fought for in the streets... so far we are far to weak to bring people into the streets and out to vote in a way that will produce the kind of change we need.

Let's reflect on where we are at and what is required as we gather around our kitchen tables.

Hope to discuss all of this further with people at the "Governor's Inaugural Ball" tonight at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

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

and

a founder,
Minnesotans for Peace and Social Justice

and

an activist,
Save Our Bog

Primary Obama and unite around a people's agenda for real change

I don't think we should get hung up too much on "who" the candidates are to get rid of Obama. As working people who are liberals, progressives and leftists we need to be advancing an alternative to Wall Street's agenda of war abroad and austerity at home; an agenda that places human need before war and corporate greed; we need to create jobs by putting people to work solving the problems of people and society--- pay for it all with the "peace dividend" coming from ending these dirty wars, taxing the rich and taxing Wall Street profits.




There are two really pressing needs the American people have right now:



1. Acceess to health care



2. Child care



With National Public Health Care and National Public Child Care systems we put ten-million and three-million people to work. Combine this with restarting WPA to maintain and upgrade our infrastructure and the CCC to see to it that our forests are adequate for future needs and we have a full-employment economy.



Taking such an alternative agenda into our neighborhoods, schools and places of employment we develop the kind of liberal-progressive-left movement from which leaders will come forward who will become our candidates for public office.



This is a bunch of crap having to rely on well-heeled "professional" politicians to support who don't even have the common human decency to step forward to run when they know it is the right thing to do.



Let's concern ourselves with re-building the historic liberal-progressive-left coalition around an alternative agenda and then we have a solid block of voters with votes that we can at least "bargain" with.



The agenda I have proposed is not something I just thought up out of thin air; it is the result of talking face-to-face with thousands of people and it is actually part of the unfinished agenda from the New Deal that Frances Perkins advocated--- peace, health care, child care, jobs for all.



Any candidate who can't support this kind of agenda does not deserve the votes of liberals, progressives or the left and as a group/coalition we shouldn't give in to supporting candidates based upon "promises" to support reforms like EFCA which we have all now clearly seen was used as a gimmick by these Wall Street politicians to divide the working class which is mainly very liberal, quite progressive with a growing left wing.



I don't see why we shouldn't be pushing the only candidate who has a chance to defeat Obama on this short notice in the 2012 Primary--- Hillary Clinton with the understanding that we are supporting her in the Primary with one clear purpose: defeat Obama; as we tell her we are walking in the General Election unless she agrees to our alternative agenda.



Let's get real here; no Democrat--- not anyone of them--- can win a Primary or General Election without the votes of liberals, progressives and the left... all bring very important things into the political process; number one of which is a desire for peace and re-ordering the priorities of this country away from war and military spending and towards meeting the needs of the people.

What to do about Israel... just cut off the money

Here is a letter to the editor for publication:

We need a president who has a constructive approach towards solving the problems in the Middle East. Barack Obama is not the President we need.

There have been a lot of reasons suggested to "Primary Obama;" I probably agree with most of the reasons but the situation in the Middle East if not resolved prevents us from solving many problems.

We should be funding job creation here in this country not supporting and subsidizing the Israeli killing machine.

We need to consider Obama as just one huge mistake not unlike George Bush.

Jimmy Carter and Hillary Clinton have suggested a concrete first step in solving the problems in the Middle East.

Hillary Clinton has stated regarding Israeli settlements in occupied lands:

"We want to see a stop to settlement construction, additions, natural growth -- any kind of settlement activity."

Former President Jimmy Carter has made similar suggestions.

On a "people level" we can enforce this by boycotting Israeli products; divesting all public investments by state, local governments their agencies and our universities. And by insisting that the U.S. government simply cuts off all further aid to Israel until all settlement activity is halted and the "occupied lands" returned to the Palestinian people--- we don't want to see a repeat in the Middle East like what happened here in the United States where armed force was used to steal the land from Native Americans and then "settlers" were brought in to occupy these stolen lands as Native Americans were shoved onto reservations.

Let's face it; the only reason Israel needs U.S. aid in the first place is to steal Palestinian land and push the Palestinian people onto reservations where they are forced to live in squalor and poverty.

As we are finding in Iraq and Afghanistan, occupation is an expensive process, not to mention contrary to everything most people consider decent.

Just cut off the money and let the Israelis figure out how to live in peace, friendship and cooperation with their Palestinian neighbors.

Primary Obama with Hillary Clinton

Alan L. Maki

I have received a lot of responses to my suggestion that we should use Hillary Clinton to get rid of Barack Obama. I can understand these concerns completely. Here is my response...

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    Alan L. Maki 
    

    Let me make clear. My response is not predicated on the same kind of opportunist "pragmatism" the supporters of Obama share with him--- a "pragmatism" that is the ideology of imperialism used to push forward Wall Street's agenda of war abroad and austerity at home.
    
    My suggestion is based on finding a PRACTICAL way to defeat Obama. "Practical" as in finding a tactical way as part of a strategy to defeat Obama and his Wall Street agenda; complete separate and distinct from the rank opportunism of Obama and these "PRAGMATISTS" for whom "pragmatism" is an ideology.
    
    Here is my response to those who have challenged my suggestion that we primary Obama with Hillary.
    
    Unlike the "pragmatists" supporting Obama; I will never engage in a campaign of insults and lies nor will I try in any way to suppress the views of others--- I will, however, respond with my views and opinions based upon my working class analysis which welcomes the most vigorous dialog, discussion and debate with ALL viewpoints welcome. I invite the supporters of Obama to comment to their heart's content here on my "FaceBook Wall" or in the communities and places where people work and go to school because this is what democracy is all about:
    
    Friends;
    
    I share your "lack of enthusiasm" for Hillary--- HOWEVER, I think by pushing a Hillary/Sanders ticket in front of the people we raise the ante by providing people the chance to get rid of Obama.
    
    If a primary challenge doesn't get rid of Obama it cripples him for the general election.
    
    In my opinion the left is being very irresponsible in not putting together a ticket to fill the vacuum that has now been created.
    
    We need to serve notice on the left activists in this country that if the left is not going to be the catalyst for responsible change by bringing forward a ticket that liberals, progressives and the left can support that people are going to do exactly what they say they are against happening--- grassroots activists continuing to work in the Democratic Party simply because there is no place else for them to go.
    
    I had asked these people who put out the "Letter to the Left Establishment" to take into consideration two things:
    
    1. That they should not suggest that people not work in the Democratic Party unless they were prepared to help organize an alternative; and
    
    2. To use that letter to suggest a national conference be convened with an open invitation to liberals, progressives and the left opposed to Obama for the purpose of bringing forward a national ticket that would appeal to these three important components which must be united for us to make any headway.
    
    They chose not to consider this; instead, launching into an attack without providing specific suggestions for an alternative. Big mistake in my opinion but what is done is done and the corrections can quite easily be made... it's not like having contributed to dividing and fracturing the left in the service of Wall Street which was required to elect Barack Obama; plus, the letter with its many problems has done a great service to the people's movements for peace, social and economic justice by serving as a catalyst for a real discussion, finally.
    
    For crying out loud; people have to have a political voice; if the left is not going to be the catalyst for initiating this discussion it is unrealistic to think that people will not try to do what they can in the Democratic Party to try to defend their livelihoods and try to end these wars.
    
    It appears to me that the only Democrat preparing to challenge Obama is Hillary Clinton even though she claims otherwise; but, both Paul Krugman and Robert Reich are Hillary's frontmen--- obviously they have gone on an attack against Obama that they are not going to be able to retreat from without making themselves look like complete fools.
    
    As a result, I am grasping the only straw out there--- Hillary Clinton and trying to make a point by suggesting Bernie Sanders as her running mate... that socialism has to be on the ballot if we are going to challenge Wall Street.
    
    If people want to create an alternative to the two-party trap I will be the first to jump in--- but, I am not going to leave the political process to the sole machinations of a creep like Barack Obama and his Wall Street crowd along with his gaggle of phony liberals, progressives and leftists whose two primary leaders--- tom Hayden and Carl Davidson, the former a poster boy for the Israeli killing machine for four decades and the latter who gloated with glee and approval over the killing fields of the murderous butcher Pol Pot, another phony "leftist" posing as some kind of "revolutionary"--- if I can raise my voice in the least little way... I know of no other way to force a discussion on this issue... anyone who wants to attack me for supporting Hillary as the way to terminate Obama's career is going to have to bring forward another idea.
    
    Besides, when compared to this rotten creep Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton with Paul Krugman and Robert Reich at her side, she doesn't look bad at all.
    
    I have circulated this around a little.
    
    Looking forward to your response.
    
    Yours in the struggle and in solidarity,
    
    Alan
    
    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:
    http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Words get twisted; words like "progressive"

This is my response from a dialog I had with someone who has a very different concept from me of what the word "progressive" means in the context of politics today.

You have a different meaning of the word "progressive" than what most people do.

The income tax is progressive; you are definitely correct about that. And it should become so progressive that we tax the hell out of the rich to pay for the many universal social programs we need to lift everyone out of poverty... from public health care to public child care to programs like WPA and CCC putting people back to work with the government becoming the employer of first choice. Ending these dirty wars to pay for what society needs is what is progressive, too.

We have reached the point where the people being "elected" to the United States Congress and their hacks who write articles like the one I posted above are so far removed from the life most people experience daily which has become a crisis of everyday living for tens of millions of working class families in the wealthiest country in the world that they don't care about us and what we think. 

There were massive demonstrations by the American people from all walks of life speaking out that they didn't want Bush to go to war. The number of members of the House and Senate voting against going to war was shameful and pathetic given the massive opposition from the American people. We are going to have to replace these very arrogant representatives of Wall Street getting richer off of war who get elected with our votes but who understand they are accountable to their Wall Street campaign contributors.

The United States Senate has just one solitary socialist in it. 

Is it coincidental that this one socialist is the only one who stood up for the welfare of working people? 

Look at all the other governments in the world. Take Canada our neighbor to the north. Their governments are filled with socialists from the local to provincial and federal levels. The Canadian Province of Manitoba has been dominated by the socialist New Democratic Party for years; they have been the governing party for much of the last 50 years in Manitoba. 

We are missing something here. 

If Bernie Sanders is the one and only United States Senator we can count on to reflect and represent our views shouldn't this tell us something? Something like we need more socialists in the House and Senate; not more Democrats. 

There are 435 members of the House; 100 members in the United States Senate. There is one socialist.

What does this mean?

It means "we the people" are outnumbered 534 to ONE. Wall Street has 534 members in Congress; working people have ONE.

These members of Congress can talk all they want about war or anything else. When all is said and done Wall Street is going to win every single time. This is what "we the people" have to change.

Never mind the fact that most Americans don't know that Manitoba has a government just as socialist as little Cuba; most Americans don't even know that Minnesota has had two socialist governors, Floyd Olson and Elmer Benson; and in more recent years a governor whose politics were so socialist oriented that they called him "Red" Rudy Perpich--- his own Democratic Party dumped him for advocating a huge increase in the "taconite tax" for the iron ore industry and a huge increase in "stumpage fees" for the forestry industry to begin to do away with the regressive property tax to pay for public education by placing taxes where they belong: on the rich and the corporations.  

Minnesota also sent a Communist, John Bernard, to Congress when electing a socialist governor.

This idea that somehow socialism is a foreign concept to American politics is an outright big lie. In fact, Minnesota's first socialist governor, Floyd Olson had intended to take the socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party national and he was going to run against Franklin Roosevelt because Roosevelt wasn't implementing reforms quickly enough to alleviate the suffering of the people. 

Minnesota had a socialist majority in its House and almost in the Senate with hundreds of socialists elected to public office on lower levels. We also had a socialist in the United States Senate elected on the same Minnesota Farmer-Labor ticket.

We have to "level the playing field" if we want to see peace, social and economic issues addressed in Congress. The only way to "level the playing field" with Wall Street our opposition is to send more socialists to Congress to join Bernie Sanders so the old guy doesn't have to stand up for over eight hours straight defending our rights--- talking to a completely empty Senate Chamber which proves there isn't one other member of the United States Senate whose interests go beyond what is good for Wall Street.

Not only is Mother Earth at her tipping point with global warming with capitalism already splattered and on the skids to oblivion taking us all down a dangerous, dark, bumpy, twisty, treacherous road to oblivion with no stops in purgatory--- we are headed straight to hell; but, our democracy, fragile as it has been since the initiation of the dark days of what we call "McCarthyism" which began in 1938 with the Dies Committee; our democracy of "we the people" is at the tipping point, too; and I would suggest that the only way to save democracy is by electing a whole slew of socialists of one kind or another to Congress... we simply can't rely on one old man, Bernie Sanders, to stand up against all the tremendous power that Wall Street's wealth can purchase.

As for who we Primary Obama with; anyone from Hillary Clinton to Bernie Sanders is just fine with me. And it doesn't make any difference to me if we elect socialists to the House and Senate on the Democratic Party ticket, as independents like Bernie Sanders or as part of a new party like the old Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party or something along the lines of Canada's New Democratic Party. 

Hamilton Day of Action: The People VS. U.S. Steel

Hamilton Day of Action: The People VS. U.S. Steel


http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137151766341671&ref=notif&notif_t=event_invite

Time	Saturday, January 29, 2011 · 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location	Hamilton City Hall 71 Main Street West Hamilton, ON
Created By	Ontario Federation of Labour

USW Local 1005 and its 900 members and 9,000 pensioners are waging a battle on behalf of ALL of us. Foreign-owned companies think we're just bod parts to be thrown away at the end of our working lives.

U.S. Steel locked out its workers on Nov. 7. It is trying to drive pensioners into the dirt by de-indexing their pensions! AND they want defined benefits plans closed to new hires and replaced with defined contribution plans that are nothing more than glorified savings accounts.

The OFL, CLC, USW Local 105 and Hamilton and District Labour Council are calling for a massive province-wide mobilization to stop U.S. Steel and other foreign-owned companies from wrecking our communities and stealing our futures.

Join the Hamilton day of action on Jan. 29 and help spread the word!








Sisters and Brothers,

I have been to Hamilton many times and I understand the situation you are presently in.

I can't get across the border because the same rotten corporate controlled governments of Liberals and Conservatives now attacking you, deported me; if I could cross the border I would be there in Hamilton with you because the steelworkers of Hamilton, the OFL, CLC, USW-Canada, many members of the Ontario NDP and Hamilton and District Labour Council stood with me and my family as we faced deportation from Canada because of my outspoken views and activities against racism and in support of worker's rights.

I think you are leading the way in showing people how working people can fight-back and win.

Please let me know what we, south of the border, can do in solidarity in support of your struggles to protect your jobs and your livelihoods.

All workers in North America and around the world are now engaged in struggles against Bay Street, Wall Street and The Square Mile which pits corporate greed against human needs.

Yours in solidarity and struggle,

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

I recently made two very controversial posts on FaceBook generating quite a bit of discussion...

I recently made two very controversial posts on FaceBook generating quite a bit of discussion...

Here are those posts and how I sum up my responses to people:

You know what? I think we should be encouraging a winning ticket capable of knocking Obama out in the Primary. We have to get rid of this guy--- all we are getting is more and more Wall Street domination over our lives and more war. Let's run Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in the Primary... a good ticket; Hillary studied under a real community organizer, socialist Saul Alinsky.


Then I ran this:

Alan L. Maki

This raises an important question: Why don't we ditch the Democratic Party and elect socialists to the House and Senate? Shouldn't we be discussing this question since Bernie Sanders is the only one on the correct path? Liberals, progressives and the left seem very comfortable with socialist Bernie Sanders.

Bernie Sanders Puts Barack Obama to Shame | Rolling Stone Politics

www.rollingstone.com

A comment typical of most comments I received "on-line," by phone and people I have been coming across in the grocery store and hardware store is this:

As an independent voter, my choices in '08 were null. I bought into some of Obama's rhetoric, but now I know it was just that. When I heard him say "I'd rather be a one termer rather.....I knew we were in trouble. Unfortunately I don't think Hillary is going to run...what now?

My response:

I made the posts to create discussion on just the questions that have been raised because "what now?" is exactly the corner we are trapped in without an answer; at least an answer we all agree on as liberals, progressives and the left.

A lot of people have messaged and called me asking why I keep harping on "liberals, progressives and the left" because they are among one group or the other and want nothing to do with working with the other two and the irony is that a lot of these people all have different ideas about what it means to be "liberal," "progressive," or "left" and my opinion is usually different than everyone's... I should maybe just say, "LOL!!!" and leave it at that. But, as we start talking we realize that no matter what we call ourselves from these three political groupings we have some very important points in common that really do bring us together: even if we can't agree on "who" we want to carry forward our position against Obama.

Almost every single person who has contacted me says they like the idea I bring forward that we should be looking at creating large numbers of jobs through government programs putting people to work solving the problems of people and society paid for by ending the wars and militarism and taxing the rich. Everyone agrees establishing national public health care and child care systems are so important that it is just common sense we start here and by re-activating WPA and CCC. Everyone also agrees that Affirmative Action (Executive Order #11246) should be vigorously enforced.

In fact, even those among the "Progressives for Obama" who call me a "crank" and all kinds of other "nice" things because I oppose Obama, and the leftists who call me a "sell-out" because I supported Hillary and the liberals who say I give "liberalism" a bad name because I'm a Marxist, all agree with the solutions for jobs paid for through peace--- none of which is "my ideas" but the ideas from people like Frances Perkins who insisted just such a health care program be part of the New Deal and "the peace movement" which has been demanding a "peace dividend" or call it what you will "turning swords into plowshares." And, of course, WPA and CCC were the ideas articulated by a certain Communist Party U.S.A. leader who for some reason people are afraid to mention his name--- ideas taken up by Harry Hopkins another of FDR's appointments... kind of a Robert Reich type fellow but with a little more urgency towards solving the problems of working people.

In my opinion, our task now is to vigorously push this kind of agenda in front of the American public for dialog, discussion and debate. Out of a national dialog on what we as "liberals, progressives and the left" want will emerge a candidate we can all support.

If we can't initiate a dialog on OUR very basic agenda that is the one and only way to begin turning this country around and taking power away from Wall Street and placing the power where it belongs in line with very basic and fundamental Constitutional requirements in the hands of "we the people" we are in for more wars abroad as Wall Street wages a war against "we the people" through its enforced "austerity."

Some people talk about a "new New Deal" while saying our hopes and aspirations are tied to the "success" of Barack Obama--- and they, too, are calling themselves "liberals, progressives and leftists." Well they have defined their ideas by their continued support for Barack Obama who is waging wars that are killing jobs along with people while plunging us into massive debt that is making us as a people and a Nation poor with this debt being Wall Street bankers' profits.

We must separate and distinguish ourselves from the reactionary ideas of Obama's Wall Street agenda as a way to create a political space--- at present a huge vacuum--- that can be filled for a ticket to emerge reflecting "liberal, progressive left" thinking which mirrors the demands of those participating in weekly peace vigils and those demonstrating at the White House and getting arrested the other day who were a very ideologically mixed bag of people who I am sure would classify themselves as either "liberal," "progressive," or "left." Out of these 130 people or so arrested that must be someone we could run for president and the rest could run for Senate and House seats along with their supporters--- US.

Look at the tremendous support Bernie Sanders, a socialist has received from the American people in standing up to Wall Street. I'm not so sure Bernie Sanders is really an "independent" any more since he has kind of melded into the Democratic Party which isn't necessarily a good thing or a bad thing but it demonstrates a political reality--- we need to be pushing our agenda inside and outside the Democratic Party in a way we all feel comfortable we are working towards the same goals and objectives of very specific solutions to our problems. In my opinion, this will bring us all outside the Democratic Party at some point--- hopefully sooner rather than later.

Why shouldn't we agree to challenge Obama in the Democratic Party with the objective of getting rid of the guy while at the same time preparing to run candidates outside of the Democratic Party in case someone not to our liking who won't support our people's agenda (there, I didn't use the terms "liberal, "progressive," or "left") wins the Democratic Party nomination but defeats Obama? If we go into this thinking "program first" candidates second we should come out of this mess pretty strong as a real people's movement and isn't this what we all want no matter if we call ourselves "liberal," "progressive" or "left?"

I made this post raising the need to elect many more people who see, like socialist Bernie Sanders does, that Wall Street is our enemy. I made another post suggesting we support Hillary Clinton to "Primary" Obama because as long as Paul Krugman and Robert Reich are articulating the agenda she will run on--- and make no mistake they are Hillary's "front-men"... we can't go terribly wrong if we think first Primary Obama while being prepared to run a ticket outside of the Democratic Party--- at the worst we run these candidates for Senate or House seats along with others in all 50 states.

I do think there is a big difference between Hillary and Bill--- and, I also think Hillary is shaping a new agenda now being very well articulated by Paul Krugman and Robert Reich.

Here in Minnesota, it was liberals, progressives and the left--- especially the left--- that made the difference in liberal Mark Dayton being elected our new governor. Mark Dayton would not be our new governor today had he not reached out to the left as his campaign was sinking into oblivion just like this rotten capitalist system is. I am pretty sure Hillary is now prepared to make the same kind of deal... in Minnesota we made Mark Dayton publicly state the deal he made with us and we aren't going to let him off the hook no matter how much pressure in placed on him by the "Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party's "Business Caucus" so "affectionately" known as the  "Summit Hill Club;" the area where the rich live and plan their schemes against working people.

There is no political force in this country more powerful than liberals, progressives and the left when united around SPECIFIC solutions to problems because these are the ideas of the majority of the powerful working class.


I hope people will give some thought and discuss all of this with one another as we gather with friends and family over this Holiday period because if we want to bring our ideas into the 2012 electoral arena we don't have much time.


Yours in the struggle,

Alan L. Maki

Feel free to contact me with your ideas:

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Phone: 218-386-2432

Address: 58891 County Road 13; Warroad, Minnesota 56763-9012

Please feel free to share anything you find on my blogs; no permission is ever required.

Solstice Lunar Eclipse

Get out your lounge chair, binoculars and camera and tripod (wrap up in a lot of blankets) read your camera instruction booklet for proper settings, and get ready for the show...

Solstice Lunar Eclipse

Dec. 17, 2010:  Everyone knows that "the moon on the breast of new-fallen snow gives the luster of mid-day to objects below."

A similar lunar eclipse in Nov. 2003. Credit: Jim Fakatselis. [more]

That is, except during a lunar eclipse.

The luster will be a bit "off" on Dec. 21st, the first day of northern winter, when the full Moon passes almost dead-center through Earth's shadow. For 72 minutes of eerie totality, an amber light will play across the snows of North America, throwing landscapes into an unusual state of ruddy shadow.

The eclipse begins on Tuesday morning, Dec. 21st, at 1:33 am EST (Monday, Dec. 20th, at 10:33 pm PST). At that time, Earth's shadow will appear as a dark-red bite at the edge of the lunar disk. It takes about an hour for the "bite" to expand and swallow the entire Moon. Totality commences at 02:41 am EST (11:41 pm PST) and lasts for 72 minutes.

If you're planning to dash out for only one quick look -­ it is December, after all -­ choose this moment: 03:17 am EST (17 minutes past midnight PST). That's when the Moon will be in deepest shadow, displaying the most fantastic shades of coppery red.

From first to last bite, the eclipse favors observers in North America. The entire event can be seen from all points on the continent. Click to view a world map of visibility circumstances. Credit: F. Espenak, NASA/GSFC.

Why red?

A quick trip to the Moon provides the answer: Imagine yourself standing on a dusty lunar plain looking up at the sky. Overhead hangs Earth, nightside down, completely hiding the sun behind it. The eclipse is underway.

You might expect Earth seen in this way to be utterly dark, but it's not. The rim of the planet is on fire! As you scan your eye around Earth's circumference, you're seeing every sunrise and every sunset in the world, all of them, all at once. This incredible light beams into the heart of Earth's shadow, filling it with a coppery glow and transforming the Moon into a great red orb.

Back on Earth, the shadowed Moon paints newly fallen snow with unfamiliar colors--not much luster, but lots of beauty.

Enjoy the show.

Obama supporter Carl Davidson who supports Pol Pot says he doesn't think I am "playing with a full deck."

Obama supporter Carl Davidson who supports Pol Pot says he doesn't think I am "playing with a full deck."

• 15 hours ago · 
• 

  Sally Robbins 

  Why not provide examples for each of your accusations? Can you explain the controversy over having Obama speak at that particular peace demonstration? I can't find one single other peace demonstration he spoke at leading me to believe he was posing, and being posed. Posed by who? Posed for what? Were you in any way involved in getting Obama to speak at that peace demonstration? If not who was? I am trying to find his speech at that particular peace demonstration on the web and can't locate it. Do you have a link or a copy?
  
  Does anyone else besides you consider Alan Maki an "ultraleft Browderite?" If so who? What water does he carry for the Tea Party?
  
  A lot of people in Minnesota are getting a good chuckle out of you calling Alan Maki an ultraleftist because all the Trotskyist and ultraleft organizations attack him all the time. His views are often published in union newspapers and newsletters. He backed Gore, Kerry and Clinton but admits he voted for Cynthia McKinney. After being accused of being a communist he was elected to the Democratic Party state central committee. Mark Dayton begged for his support for governor and it was all on television. Alan Maki spoke at several forums advising people to support Hillary Clinton. I now wish I had taken his advice to vote for Hillary instead of your advice to vote for Obama.
  
  I'm not sure that being called a Browderite is as demeaning as you make it out to be. You have made a name for yourself advocating for a new New Left when the old New Left failed without accomplishing anything near what Browder led Communists did. Have you forgotten the New Deal?

  5 hours ago · 
• 

  Carl Davidson 

  There was no controversy over Obama speaking Oct 2, 2002. He was largely unknown then, and we were looking for a backup speaker in case Jesse Jackson didn't show. I knew him, as I had worked on his first campaign when the New Party endorsed him. I knew he opposed going into Iraq, and that's what he did that day. Next year after the war began, we had him speak again at another rally, and he still opposed the war. His stand changed after he was elected to the US Senate and then visited Iraq. My position then was to drop him and back Kucinich, then Richardson, until they dropped out. Then Obama came out to the left of Hilary on Iraq, and clearly to the left of McCain, even though he was still not for 'out now'. We said to vote for him over McCain-Palin as a lesser evil, which was the proper thing to do.
  
  I have zero interest in wasting time with Maki, although I do discuss and debate extensively with others. Maki is what we call a troll and a crank, and not to be taken seriously. No rational person will debate him. He may sucker someone now and then, but I doubt he gets anyone to debate him a second time. Frankly, I don't think he's playing with a full deck.

Why does Ken Martin refuse to answer these questions if he wants to be the next MNDFL Chair:

      Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:42:07 -0500
      From: "Alan L. Maki"
      Reply-To: "Alan L. Maki"
      Subject: Questions about your positions
      To: ken@kenmartin.org

Mr. Ken Martin, candidate for MNDFL State Chair;

1. Do you support divestment from Israel?

2. What is your position regarding the 41,000 Minnesotans being forced to work in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state or federal labor laws?

3. Do you support Mark Dayton's call for a state owned and operated casino to compete with the Indian Gaming Industry?

4. What do you intend to do to make sure Affirmative Action (as distinct from non-discrimination) is enforced in Minnesota?

5. Do you support socialized health care?

6. Are you for the repeal of "at-will hiring; at-will firing" legislation?

7. What specific steps would you take as the State Chair of the MNDFL to make sure Native American Indians are elected to the state legislature and become part of Minnesota's congressional delegation?

8. Could you provide me a copy of the redistricting plan you support for Minnesota?

Thanks,


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:
http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Guest blog: Millions Of Flood Victims In Pakistan Now Face Harsh Winter

Brian McAfee

2838 Mason Blvd.

Muskegon Heights, Michigan 49444

USA

(231)737-8726

brimac6@hotmail.com


Millions Of Flood Victims In Pakistan Now Face Harsh Winter

 by Brian McAfee

As the monsoon floods receded the impact on the people of Pakistan, reports indicate, have been exacerbated by the onslaught of winter. The floods affected 20 million of Pakistan's population of just over 180 million people. As the temperature dips hundreds of thousands of displaced children are susceptible to pneumonia and other cold related diseases. According to Director of the National Institute of Child Health
(Pakistan) Professor Jamal Raza states that in winter the flood victims becoming ill from the cold, particularly children, could almost double. Many are living in non-winterized tents and there are shortages of dry firewood. Many of the flood ravaged areas from this years monsoon remain flooded and millions are still displaced. Many being farmers whose fields are still flooded and have no source of livelihood.  Of the children Professor Raza says it will be an uphill battle to save many of th children as they are malnourished, and have had a great deal of weight loss due to poor diet. Their immunity is very low and are susceptible to respiratory disease such as pneumonia as their immunity level is very low.  There is an urgent need for blankets, quilts and better shelter to fight the cold as well as the obvious nutritional and medical needs.

Reports out of Pakistan indicate another danger caused by the floods, the release of stored toxic chemicals into the flood waters. An article in www.newscientist.com reports that the floods releases  released an estimated 3000 tonnes of toxic chemicals into the environment. The chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) include several insect repellants such as DDT do not biodegrade in nature and are said to be linked to hormonal, developmental and reproductive disorders according to an article in New Scientist. Pakistan's floods have awakened some nations and scientists to this ongoing threat as changes in weather patters become more evident.

Reputable  Relief organizations currently active in the relief effort in Pakistan include OXFAM www.oxfamamerica.org, AmeriCares www.americares.org, Save the Children www.savethechildren.org and
www.unrefugees.org,.

Please specify the donation is for Pakistan flood relief.

I welcome any comments or suggestions. I can be reached at brimac6@hotmail.com-Brian McAfee

For the record...

Richard Trumka, the President of the AFL-CIO puts out statement after statement making up excuses for the pathetic Democrats he has pumped the money from working people to support.

Trumka arrogantly refuses to enter into any kind of dialog, discussion or debate--- his little public relations people try to call anyone who disagrees with him a "Republican."

Well here is something I have presented to Trumka and his little lackeys who challenged me to bring solutions to the table:

From:


Alan L. Maki 


To: 


Richard Trumka;

Union pension funds have helped to create 2,000,000 jobs in this country. Two-million jobs in the Indian Gaming Industry where casino workers are forced to work in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and without any rights under state or federal labor laws all compliments of the Democratic Party which crafted the terms of the "Compacts" creating this industry managed and run by a bunch of mobsters who own all the slot machines and table games leaving already impoverished Native Americans even more poor on reservations only to be used as a pool of cheap labor employed under the most abominable and unhealthy working conditions.

The AFL-CIO leadership has supported every single Democratic Party politician--- and even many Republicans--- who have turned around just like Barack Obama and Congressman Collin Peterson--- and stabbed working people right through the heart and then when workers fall they take their knife and stab them in the back. Without a job, the only thing any working person has is a life of poverty; with a poverty wage job, the only thing a working person has is a life of poverty.

The working class is being bludgeoned to death in every way by Wall Street coupon clippers and it is going to take a lot more than a one day demonstration on Wall Street to turn this country around.

We now have over 3,700 mines, mills and factories sitting idle as these Wall Street coupon clippers find it more profitable to seek out cheap labor markets and cheap natural resources.

The United Electrical workers union (UE) has raised "eminent domain" as a solution.

Why shouldn't the AFL-CIO join UE and demand the use of eminent domain to re-open all of these mines, mills and factories--- the majority of which were heavily subsidized by tax-payers to begin with. What tax-payers finance and subsidize, tax-payers should own.

Right now these 3,700 mines, mills and factories are not operating at all and providing people with employment--- come on, really, can public ownership of these mines, mills and factories under worker management do any worse?

And for those who continue to try to bully and badger anyone with a left-wing viewpoint into silence by insinuating they must be a Republican, I say shame, shame shame... why do you find it necessary to try to prevent dialog, discussion and debate on these issues?

This thread started out as a result of Richard Trumka posting this article about how the insurance companies are ripping us off--- well, consider this: The AFL-CIO supported a Wall Street health insurance salesman to look after the concerns of working people, and what did we get?

We got the "Health Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010," a Wall Street bailout that has plunged our Nation into debt and anyone knows that a Nation's debt is a Wall Street banker's profit; we have two wars raging in three countries and Richard Trumka refuses to ask working people the most important question of all: How is Barack Obama's war economy working for you? I think if Trumka would have the courage to ask this simple and fundamental question he would find that union members will tell him they have no use for these dirty wars that are killing our jobs just like they are killing people. In fact, these wars are making us all poor--- except for the Wall Street merchants of death and destruction who get rich from wars just like these greedy, money-grubbing Wall Street parasites are getting even richer off the national debt.

Azar, you ask me to place solutions on the table; I have filled your plate. For dessert, how about a National Public Health Care System that would provide good new jobs for 10,000,000 Americans providing free health care for everyone through 30,000 community health care centers? The price tag? Slightly less than what these dirty wars are costing us with enough left over to put another 5,000,000 unemployed people back to work staffing a national network of Public Child Care Centers.

Working people should shut this country down until these wars are stopped and that money being wasted is re-directed towards meeting the needs of the people.

A resolution/petition for peace...

Dear Peace-Wanting People,

Residents of Edgartown and Tisbury are introducing a peace-resolution at their spring town meetings. This is an invitation for you to do the same in West Tisbury, Oak Bluffs, Chilmark, and Aquinnah.

Just substitute your town's name for "Tisbury", print the resolution, and ask your selectmen to sponsor it. (Their signatures are likely all that are needed.)

Any questions? Call your selectmen, town moderator, 


(Start of petition)

Town of Tisbury, Massachusetts

Proposed Resolution:

This is a resolution by citizens of the Town of Tisbury to end the expenditure of our tax dollars presently being spent for excessive and unaffordable warfare.

Whereas,

1.the financial resources available for use by governments at the local, county, state, and federal levels in the United States are and must be limited, and

2.each man, women, and child in Massachusetts is currently paying, or becoming indebted for approximately $3,200 per year towards the U.S. defense budget (totaling $9,600/yr for a family of three), and

3.a substantial portion of this money funds warfare that creates great and unnecessary harm to the people of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and to U.S. Military personnel and their families, and

4.education services, infrastructure repairs, other essential public services, and family and private-sector financing in Tisbury have been substantially reduced as a result of excessive military spending.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Town of Tisbury Massachusetts directs their Congressional Representative and Senators to oppose all future legislation brought before them that provides additional funding of U.S. warfare and occupation in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and directs these Congressmen to take productive actions to terminate existing occupation and military operations, and to approve only those funds necessary for the safe and rapid withdrawal of all U.S. troops.

(End)

(This resolution is based upon information from:

www.bringourwardollarshome.org/language.html
 
It's estimated that MA has 6.6 million people, and they are paying $21 billion in taxes towards the annual defense budget.)
12/13/10