Like the discussion over the Minimum Wage, the over-paid pundits are feeding people a line of shit about health care.

I recently made this post on my FaceBook page and it stimulated a lot of discussion:

It has been suggested that I "stop bitching" about Obamacare with the question following: What did we get from the Republicans? The suggestion being that Obamacare is better than the Republican "plan."

Here is my response:

Obamacare is based on RomneyCare which is based on a scheme devised by right-wing think tanks. So, to answer your question: What did we get from the Republicans? We got Obamacare.

These are my responses to questions and comments:

 I was accused of being against single-payer.

 My response:

 I never said that single-payer universal health care was "bad." In fact, as an elected delegate and as an elected member of the State Central Committee I led the six year fight to get the best resolution in the United States passed by a 72% majority by the State Convention of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party. (the resolution was later altered to conform to Obamacare but that is another story of how the Democratic Party is manipulated and controlled by big-business interests.)

But, in leading this struggle to get this resolution passed, I always made the point that single-payer universal health care like they have in Canada should be considered as a first step towards a national public health care system.

Had I not presented single payer in this way, we never would have recruited the huge number of delegates we needed to pass this resolution--- some 600 delegates; there were about 1,800 delegates at the state convention.

As Canadians are finding out, and as Tommy Douglas himself warned, single-payer is only a short-term fix for a problem which requires nothing less than socialized health care and from his death bed he repeated this message.

We need a health care system based on the same universal system as public education. If anyone suggested that we have education "privately delivered" in our public schools we would look at them as some kind of freaks and kooks.

Public education is is:

1. Publicly financed.

2. Publicly administered.

3. Publicly delivered.

Why wouldn't we have the exact same approach to health care?

In Canada, Tommy Douglas "settled" for single-payer as an important reform to health care but NEVER viewed single-payer as THE solution.

If the Democrats and Republicans want to agree to single-payer, fine; but, they don't. They are not as far-sighted as Canada's ruling elites were when they made Tommy Douglas the deal.

Francis Perkins, FDR's Secretary of Labor, insisted that a National Public Health Care System be part of the New Deal and she was allied with Communist labor leader Harry Bridges, Minnesota's socialist Farmer-Labor Party and liberals, progressives and leftists across the country on this point. She wanted a National Public Health Care System to be financed from a payroll tax placed on workers and employers just like Social Security (in fact, this is the way Canada finances its single-payer system.)

In fact, Linda, single-payer is not THE cheapest way to cover most people--- a National Public Health Care System is... with the added bonus that it creates more than four times the number of jobs!

If, in fact, you believe single-payer with private delivery of health care is the cheapest way out then you must believe that when it comes to public education private delivery of education is the cheapest way to provide public education and I seriously doubt you are prepared to make this argument... and we both know why you wouldn't try to do this.

And; the fact is, it is cheaper to provide people with health care than it is to provide them with education. This is FACT.

this is an important fact because I am always asked: But how much will such a National Public Health Care System cost?

My answer is: I don't know; but if we compare the amount spent on public education to the amount spent on militarism and these dirty wars, spending on public education comes in far behind that which is spent on militarism and wars so the cost of providing the American people with free health care shouldn't even be an issue--- just stop this military insanity and these dirty imperialist wars that no one but Wall Street wants just like Wall Street backs Obamacare because, like with wars, there are profits to be made.

And if Wall Street were forced to take its greedy hands out of public education we could provide public education much cheaper. One text book cost the public school systems as much as a visit to the doctor. Of course, the real comparison is how many visits to the doctor could be had for the cost of a drone. 

And the discussion continued...

It was pointed out to me, correctly, that this ACA scheme goes back to Nixon.

My answer is this:

I don't know how far back we can trace the ACA's history; but, one thing for certain: it is a thoroughly reactionary scheme. Every single reactionary scheme has to have some elements that make it appear to be good because otherwise these reactionary schemes couldn't be packaged and sold to the people.

Obama himself is an example of a reactionary being prettied up with progressive sounding rhetoric.

Can anyone imagine Obama getting elected pitching the kind of legislation he has brought forward? No. Obama is all lies. But lies fabricated in a way to make them sound appealing. Same thing with the ACA.

That we need to hire an attorney to find out just what we are entitled to with Obamacare should tell us everything we need to know.

An entire new and very lucrative industry has popped up teaching employers how to get out from under their health care obligations to employees under Obamacare.

Again; Obamacare is the "Health Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010." And doctors profit very handsomely from this legislation, too. 

 

I asked a question:

Have you ever sat for a day in a bankruptcy court? I have. About 80% of the cases I heard involved huge health care costs and every single one of the people had "health insurance." 

 

My response to a New York Time's article:

The ACA classifications of health insurance: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. What kind of shit do you call this? The rich get Platinum; the poor get shit called "Bronze."

My further comment:

Every reactionary scheme like ACA needs a few good things to suck people in. 

And this response from me:

Did you read the article from the New York Times that you posted, David, saying about 7 million poor would receive government subsidies?

"The bulk of these plans are so-called bronze policies, the least expensive available. They require people to pay the most in out-of-pocket costs, for doctor visits and other benefits like hospital stays."

Does this make sense? The poorest people will pay the most in out of pocket expenses.

 

 

 

 

It's about priorities and profits.

Has anyone else been reading the investment papers about the fortunes to be made from Obamacare?

Here are a few paragraphs typical of what is going around in investor circles:

"...The fact is Obamacare is one of the single biggest wealth creation opportunities to hit the markets in decades. That's because huge amounts of money - trillions - will be spent as Obamacare gets rolling.

And trillions more will be reallocated implementing, regulating, and enforcing Obamacare. Not all companies will benefit - but a select few are primed for higher returns on a scale that was simply unimaginable before this legislation was passed.

Investors who act now are set to make a fortune in the next several months - and years - as the full Obamacare plan gets underway..."

Like I keep saying, Obamacare is the "Health Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010."

We pay through the nose; Wall Street investors profit.

When do we see the kind of movement this country really needs?

A movement for a National Public Health Care System which is operated on the same principle as public education.

Publicly financed; publicly administered and public delivery... just like public education.

Free health care provided through a vast network of community and neighborhood health care centers creating twelve to fifteen million new jobs.

Solving the health care mess.

Solving much of the unemployment problem.

We can get it all for much less than these dirty wars are costing us.

It's about P-R-I-O-R-I-T-I-E-S.

pri·or·i·ty
noun \prī-ˈȯr-ə-tē, -ˈär-\

: something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first

priorities : the things that someone cares about and thinks are important

: the condition of being more important than something or someone else and therefore coming or being dealt with first

What is more important to you? Wars or health care?

The Wall Street politicians have their priorities all f*&%#@-up.

Wall Street's priority is profits.

We need to put people before profits.

Support the "Black Friday Movement;" demand the repeal of "At-Will Employment."

By now I am sure most of you have heard of the "Black Friday Movement"... unorganized workers, with union staff in the background, standing up for their rights and improved livelihoods.

I recently sent this message to Shar Knutson, the President of the Minnesota AFL-CIO:

There should be a demand coming from the Minnesota AFL-CIO together with this "Black Friday Movement" that Minnesota Democrats with their super-majority repeal this thoroughly reactionary "Employment At-Will" legislation in the upcoming legislative session.

"Employment At-Will" is the primary obstacle to union organizing in Minnesota and the rest of the country... with the exception of Montana.

The "Employment At-Will" doctrine needs to be abolished. It is undemocratic and places employers in a dictatorial relationship to employees; it should be replaced with "just cause hiring and firing" legislation.

Hundreds of Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party Precinct Caucuses have already passed the resolution I wrote as has the Roseau County DFL.

About 30% of the DFL State Convention delegates voted for the resolution I introduced as a State DFL Convention Delegate and member of the DFL State Central Committee--- ever since, DFL Chairs Mike Erlandson, Brian Melendez and Ken Martin have worked to keep this resolution from coming forward again.

It is time for working people to stand up to these corporate Democrats and insist that unless "Employment At-Will" is repealed, the DFL will get no more support or votes from working people in Minnesota.

It is not too much to expect that a party which appeals to labor for votes would repeal the most Draconian legislation on the books attacking the unorganized working class majority.

With "At-Will Employment" repealed, we will see a dramatic surge in unionization here in Minnesota.

In solidarity and struggle with the Black Friday Movement,

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

Looks like the Democrats have kicked off the campaign...

Will we allow ourselves to be bamboozled, again?

Looks like the theme for the 2016 Presidential race has begun. Check out the banner being used by the Democrats. We are in for another slick Hollywood-Madison Avenue snow-job financed by Wall Street.

Anyone still think Elizabeth Warren isn't part of the Wall Street crowd?

If Elizabeth Warren's vote, along with her other 97 U.S. Senators bribed by Wall Street, to approve Penny Pritzker to champion the Trans-Pacific Partnership didn't convince you--- then the above banner should do the trick.

Workers receiving the "kiss of death."

Alternative poverty measure finds 3 million more poor in US than government's official rate

Question: Why isn't poverty linked completely to all cost-of-living factors tracked by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics?

Question: Why aren't we ever told in these stories on poverty what the percentages and numbers are for Native American Indian poverty? 

Question: Why aren't alternatives to poverty like full employment and a real living Minimum Wage being explored?

Comment: What we need are alternatives to poverty not alternative methods of figuring out how much poverty exists here in the wealthiest country in the world where multi-billionnaieres are being created as a direct result of paying people poverty wages with a huge pool of unemployed people forcing wages down. And no one seems to be looking at the fact that paying for militarism and these dirty wars are making us all poor.

Comment: I have news, pun intended, for this writer and the Associated Press... poverty in this country is worse than the government admits and poverty is worse than it is portrayed in this story.

Conclusion: Poverty can be solved but not as long as Wall Street dominates the political and economic life of this country. The solution to poverty will only be found by creating a working class based progressive people's party that would be representing a "grand alliance" of all working people in determined struggle to establish new priorities in this country which would put people before profits.


http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/230825521.html?page=all&prepage=2&c=y#continue

Alternative poverty measure finds 3 million more poor in US than government's official rate

• Article by: HOPE YEN , Associated Press
• Updated: November 6, 2013 - 5:15 PM

WASHINGTON — The number of poor people in America is 3 million higher than the official count, encompassing 1 in 6 residents due to out-of-pocket medical costs and work-related expenses, according to a revised census measure released Wednesday.
The new measure is aimed at providing a fuller picture of poverty but does not replace the official government numbers. Put in place two years ago by the Obama administration, it generally is considered more reliable by social scientists because it factors in living expenses as well as the effects of government aid, such as food stamps and tax credits.
Administration officials have declined to say whether the new measure eventually could replace the official poverty formula, which is used to allocate federal dollars to states and localities and to determine eligibility for safety-net programs such as Medicaid.
Congress would have to agree to adopt the new measure, which generally would result in a higher poverty rate from year to year and thus higher government payouts for aid programs.
Based on the revised formula, the number of poor people in 2012 was 49.7 million, or 16 percent. That exceeds the record 46.5 million, or 15 percent, that was officially reported in September.
The latest numbers come as more working-age adults picked up low-wage jobs in the slowly improving economy but still struggled to pay living expenses. Americans 65 and older had the largest increases in poverty under the revised formula, from 9.1 percent to 14.8 percent, because of medical expenses such as Medicare premiums, deductibles and other costs not accounted for in the official rate.
There also were increases for Hispanics and Asian-Americans, partly due to lower participation among immigrants and non-English speakers in government aid programs such as housing aid and food stamps.
African-Americans and children, helped by government benefits, had declines in poverty compared with the official rate.
"This is a real incongruity, when 1 in 6 people face economic insecurity here in the richest country in the world," said Joseph Stiglitz, a Columbia University economist and former chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers who has argued for more government action to alleviate income inequality.
"When so many citizens are worse off year after year, with food insecurity and health care insecurity, there's no way you can say that's a successful economy."
Last week, more than 47 million Americans who receive food stamps saw their benefits go down, while Congress began negotiations on further cuts of up to $4 billion annually to the program.
Among states, California had the highest share of poor people, hurt in part by high housing costs and large numbers of immigrants, followed by the District of Columbia, Nevada and Florida. Under the official poverty rate, more rural states were more likely to be at the top of list, led by Mississippi, Louisiana and New Mexico.
Some other findings:
—Food stamps helped lift about 5 million people above the poverty line. Without such aid, the overall poverty rate would increase from 16 percent to 17.6 percent.
— Adults of working ages 18-64 saw an increase in poverty from 13.7 percent based on the official calculation to 15.5 percent, due mostly to commuting and child care costs.
—Child poverty declined from 22.3 percent to 18 percent under the new measure. Under both measures, children still remained the age group most likely to be living in poverty.
—By race, Hispanics and Asians saw higher rates of poverty, 27.8 percent and 16.7 percent respectively, compared with rates of 25.8 percent and 11.8 percent under the official formula. In contrast, African-Americans saw a modest decrease, from 27.3 percent to 25.8 percent based on the revised numbers. Among non-Hispanic whites, poverty rose from 9.8 percent to 10.7 percent.
"The primary reason that poverty remains so high is that the benefits of a growing economy are no longer being shared by all workers as they were in the quarter-century following the end of World War II," said Sheldon Danziger, a University of Michigan economist.
"Given current economic conditions, poverty will not be substantially reduced unless government does more to help the working poor."
Economists long have criticized the official poverty rate as inadequate. Based on a half-century-old government formula, the official rate continues to assume the average family spends one-third of its income on food. Those costs have declined to a much smaller share, more like one-seventh.
In reaction to some of the criticism, the Obama administration in 2010 asked the Census Bureau to develop a new poverty measure, based partly on recommendations made by the National Academy of Sciences. The goal is to help lawmakers better gauge the effectiveness of anti-poverty programs.
For instance, the new measure finds that if it weren't for Social Security payments, the poverty rate would rise to 54.7 percent for people 65 and older and 24.5 percent for all age groups.
Refundable tax credits such as the earned income tax credit helped lift 9 million people above the poverty line. Without the credits, child poverty would rise from 18 percent to 24.7 percent.
In recent years, New York City as well California, Virginia and Wisconsin have sought to put in place a more accurate poverty measure. They were prompted in part by local officials such as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who have argued that the official measure does not take into account urban costs of living and that larger cities may get less federal money as a result.

Is something missing from discussions surrounding what amounts to "fair wages" and establishing a real living Minimum Wage?

I saw this excellent question asked on FaceBook:

How is a "fair wage" determined? What factors should determine a "fair wage?" I'm just curious because I see people rushing to support the Democrats talking about a $9.50 minimum wage. Now I hear people talking about $15.00 an hour wages. Elizabeth Warren said that had the minimum wage kept up with inflation the minimum wage should be $22.00 an hour yet she is calling for a $10.00 minimum wage. Where do all these different figures come from? Isn't there some kind of way to establish a fair wage that is a real living wage? If so, what is it we compare wages to? I have always felt we are missing something in this discussion about wages. But what could we be missing?

The answer as to what is missing is really quite simple; I have stated the answer many times here on my blog.

There is only one thing wages can, and should be, compared to:

Cost-of-living.

The United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks all "cost-of-living" factors.

If a worker can't purchase the basic necessities of life for which prices are being tracked by this government agency, that worker is not being paid a real living wage; certainly nothing approximating a "fair wage." 

If a worker can purchase the basic necessities of life, those "cost-of-living" factors tracked by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, that worker has a decent "standard-of-living."

Why would anyone except an employer refuse to talk about "cost-of-living" and "standard-of-living?" Probably because they don't understand or they are working for the employers.

 Workers need to bring "cost-of-living" and "standard-of-living" into this discussion about wages. 

If the Minimum Wage is going to be a real living wage it has to be legislatively tied to all "cost-of-living" factors, indexed to inflation with an annual increase to improve "standard-of-living."

A vigorous, united, militant struggle needs to be waged to win an improved "standard-of-living" for everyone.

Part of the struggle seeking real living wages must be a struggle for full employment. In a full employment economy it becomes easier for working people to win pay increases.

What we need is a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" which would require, by an act of legislation, that Congress and the president be required to work together to attain and maintain full employment.

Workers without jobs are going to be poor; just as workers paid anything less than real living wages based on all "cost-of-living" factors are going to be poor.

 Politicians who talk about Minimum Wages of anything less than real living wages are not talking about "fair" or "decent" wages... These politicians, themselves, lack basic human decency.

It is unjust, unethical and immoral to advocate anything less than real living wages for working people.

We are living in the wealthiest country in the world where multi-billionaires have been created because they have been allowed by the government--- a government bribed by Wall Street--- to pay less than real living wages. 

Anyone who thinks this is fair needs to look up the word "fair" in a dictionary.

fair

adjective \ˈfer\ : agreeing with what is thought to be right or acceptable
: treating people in a way that does not favor some over others


When talking about wages, workers always need to consider two things:

"Cost-of-Living."

"Standard-of-Living."

Your wages are only relevant in relation to your "cost-of-living."

Your "standard-of-living" is determined by the relationship of your wages to your "cost-of-living."

It's all about the politics and economics of livelihood.

 

Why are people surprised Obamacare isn't providing them with health care?

Obamacare was never intended to provide people with health care.

I have read the more than 2,000 pages of the "Affordable Care Act." Anyone who has taken the time to read and understand what the "Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) is knows that the intent of the Act is to bolster the profits of the health insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the hospitals and nursing homes while enabling doctors to get richer quicker.

And single-payer universal health care has had its day, too; the American people want no part of Obamacare or single-payer.

The American people want the real McCoy--- a National Public Health Care System.

If all options are explained to people and they have a chance to consider all options, most people will choose a socialized National Public Health Care System every time which would be run just like public education.

In fact, it is cheaper to provide people free primary health care through neighborhood and community health care centers than what public education costs.

And the real kicker is that we could create a national public health care system for far less than these dirty wars are costing us while getting 12 million to 15 million new jobs, which would go a long way towards putting America back to work.

Scarp Obamacare and bring forward a National Public Health Care system--- publicly financed, publicly administered and publicly delivered just like public education.

The Indian Health Service is socialized health care--- and it works great when properly funded.

The VA is a socialized health care service--- and, it, too, works great when properly funded--- although it would work a lot better and be far less expensive if these wars were brought to an end.

Obamacare should become known to everyone as the "Health Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010." Like the insurance companies--- Obamacare needs to go.

We need a new working class based progressive people's party to replace all these members of Congress; then we will get the kind of health care much of the world already enjoys.

Racism raises its ugly head in Little Falls, Minnesota and the Democratic Governor with his super-majority does nothing.

Whenever tough economic times arise, the employers instigate racist campaigns of hate to divide the people. It was such a campaign of hate orchestrated by the Republicans, and egged on by the Democrats, that defeated the socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party Governor, Elmer Benson.

According to these bigots--- who had as their spokesman, the racist, anti-Semitic and fascist-minded  Harold Stassen--- Benson's "crimes" were that he placed Jews in high government positions, insisted that Native Americans have equal access to New Deal programs and projects and he worked with socialists and Communists.

Like today, the Democrats---through their silence--- encouraged this campaign of hate spewed by the Republicans.

Why didn't Governor Mark Dayton step in and order the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and the Public Safety Commissioner to step in and put a stop to this hate-mongering in the Little Falls Public Schools? The Superintendent and all members of the school board should be arrested for enabling this spreading and spewing of hate.




How can equality ever be achieved when the population is being pumped up with hate? These people then go out and vote for a bunch of bigots for public office who will tolerate this hate and the hate grows from hate speech to racist violence.

One can't help but wonder why the Governor's top legal assistant, Micah Hines, did not advise Governor Mark Dayton to step in and take action against this use of public schools to spread hate?

How can we expect racist hate to be eliminated through education when our public schools are providing a platform and forum for this racism to be espoused?

We can only wonder what children attending the public schools in Little Falls must be learning? The Minnesota Department of Human Rights should be working with teachers and administrators to make sure the children attending Little Falls Public Schools are receiving lessons teaching them about the consequences of racist hate. 

Governor Dayton should be the featured speaker at this event...

From: Larry Fisk <fisksen@brainerd.net>; 
To: <brainerdpeace@lists.riseup.net>; 
Subject: [brainerdpeace] Please Attend LF Tolerance Event 12/4 
Sent: Thu, Nov 14, 2013 11:48:20 PM 

A few months ago an Islamaphobic speaker overflowed the Little Falls High School auditorium speading her message of fear and intolerance. Unfortunatlely this Tea Party Patriot sponsored speaker, Brigitte Gabriel, found a receptive audience among Central Minnesotans. In recent years Muslims, and even people who fit some Americans' stereotypes of Muslims or Arabs, have experienced violence and discrimination. This fear has also been used to promote the wars we in BACP have opposed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and the use of U.S.drone terror warfare throughout the Middle East.   Gabriel spoke in another Minnesota community and since her appearance two other Islamophobes have spoken in Minnesota, one in Chisholm and one for three consecutive nights in Bagley.   Please join in attending this important event of tolerance and community dialogue to help us show that not all Minnesotans buy into the fear and prejudice that are used to divide and manipulate us:   "A Community Discussion on Tolerance and the Fear of Islam.”  Wednesday, December 4, 6-8 p.m. St. Francis Hall, St. Francis Convent, 116 8th Avenue SE, Little Falls, MN Speakers : * Father Virgil Petermeier, St. Cloud Muslim-Christian Dialogue * Saly Abd Alla, CAIR-MN Civil Rights Director * Jaylani Hussein, CAIR-MN Outreach & Advocacy Director * Ian Norwood, Little Falls High School Student * Moderated by Jeff Odendahl, St. Francis Convent  Event sponsors: Little Falls Partners for Peace, Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace, Building Blocks of Islam, and the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN). CONTACT: CAIR-MN Civil Rights Attorney Ellen Longfellow, 612-327-6700, E-Mail: elongfellow@cair.com Press release: CAIR-MN and Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace to Cosponsor 'Tolerance and the Fear of Islam' Interfaith Dialogue in Little Falls Event prompted by appearance of anti-Muslim hate group leader earlier this year (MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 11/12/13) – On Wednesday, December 4, interfaith leaders and community members will gather in Little Falls, Minn., for a community dialogue on “Tolerance and the Fear of Islam.” Event sponsors include: Little Falls Partners for Peace, Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace, Building Blocks of Islam, and the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN). WHEN: Wednesday, December 4, 6-8 p.m. WHERE: St. Francis Hall, St. Francis Convent, 116 8th Avenue SE, Little Falls, MN 56345 CONTACT: CAIR-MN Civil Rights Attorney Ellen Longfellow, 612-327-6700, E-Mail: elongfellow@cair.com “Many individuals in the community have never met a Muslim in person and that allows fear to grow,” said CAIR-MN Civil Rights Attorney Ellen Longfellow. “This event seeks to promote a positive discussion around tolerance, respect and community. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best- ‘We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.’” Speakers include: * Saly Abd Alla, CAIR-MN Civil Rights Director * Jaylani Hussein CAIR-MN Outreach & Advocacy Director * Ian Norwood Little Falls High School Student * Father Virgil Petermeier, St. Cloud Muslim-Christian Dialogue * Moderated by Jeff Odendahl, St. Francis Convent The event was organized after community leaders and activists considered the negative impact a speech by an anti-Muslim speaker had in the community earlier this year. On July 29, 2013, the Central Minnesota Tea Party featured anti-Muslim speaker Brigitte Gabriel from the hate group ACT! For America in Little Falls. Gabriel claims an American Muslim "cannot be a loyal citizen" and that Islam is the "real enemy." She once told the Australian Jewish News: "Every practicing Muslim is a radical Muslim." She also claimed that "Islamo-fascism is a politically-correct word. . .it's the vehicle for Islam. . .Islam is the problem." The New York Times stated: “[Gabriel] presents a portrait of Islam so thoroughly bent on destruction and domination that it is unrecognizable to those who study or practice the religion.” SEE: CAIR Islamophobia Backgrounder: ACT! for America and 'Brigitte Gabriel' https://cair.com/islamophobia/islamophobe-profiles/14-islamophobia/11824-cair-islamophobia-backgrounder-act-for-america-and-brigitte-gabriel.html The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding. - END – CONTACT: CAIR-MN Civil Rights Attorney Ellen Longfellow, 612-327-6700, E-Mail: elongfellow@cair.com; CAIR-MN Executive Director Lori Saroya, 612-327-6700, E-Mail: lsaroya@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com       Leaflet: on Tolerance and the Fear of Islam Wednesday December 4, 2013 6PM – 8PM St. Francis Hall St. Francis Convent Father Virgil Petermeier, osc St. Cloud Muslim/Christian Dialogue Saly Abd Alla CAIR-MN Civil Rights Director Jaylani Hussein CAIR-MN Outreach & Advocacy Director Ian Norwood Li!le Falls High School Student moderated by Jeff Odendahl Franciscan Center 116 8th Avenue SE Li#le Falls, MN 56345 A COMMUNITY DISCUSSION WHEN: WHERE: SPEAKERS: Li#le Falls Partners for Peace Building Blocks of Islam Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace Council on American-Islamic Relations, Minnesota SPONSORS: Cost of A#endance: FREE Coffee & Cookies provided

MoveOn.org wants you to contribute money to help save Obamacare.

Just pathetic...

First they helped Obama destroy the single-payer universal health care movement, and now we are supposed to help Obama save the "Health Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010?" (ACA-Obamacare)

Where do these people get this kind of arrogance?

And they have the unmitigated gall to call me a "MoveOn member" when I have never even been a member of this group that is just as phony as Obama himself...

Dear MoveOn member,

There's no sugar-coating it: Obamacare is in serious political trouble. And progressives need to step up and start fighting to save it right now.

Obviously, the law itself is still really good. But it's clear to everyone that rollout has been badly botched—and now Republicans smell blood in the water. They think this is their chance to undo the whole thing. Worse yet, some Democrats in Congress are starting to waver too.

To fight back, we need to push hard on Republicans trying to undermine the law—as well as Democrats thinking about caving. We also need to hold media outlets accountable for spreading false reports about the parts of the law that are working just fine.

But we don't have much time. The House is voting tomorrow on a bill that would gut the whole law, and according to news reports some Democrats might vote for it as well. We're aiming to raise $175,000 to make sure we have enough resources to turn the tide. Can you chip in $3?

Yes, I can contribute $3 to help save Obamacare.

There's no excuse for the problems with the website. We all know that. But the website will be fixed.

And we can't let a bad website undercut the most important expansion of the social safety net since the 1960s.

Already, millions of young adults, people with pre-existing conditions, and low-income Americans have health coverage today because of Obamacare. And millions more will get coverage soon if the law is allowed to keep working.

We'll start by calling out Republicans as well as Democrats who support efforts to delay, defund, or roll back key parts of the law. We'll also counter the Republicans' misinformation campaign by petitioning media outlets to correct their false reports. We're also running ads on Facebook and in college newspapers to reach young people—who are so important to get registered for health insurance.

But the clock is ticking. If we don't shift the momentum soon, it could be too late to save this law we fought so hard for.

Can you contribute $3 to help debunk the right-wing lies about Obamacare?

Thanks for all you do.

–Mark, Alejandro, David, Linda, and the rest of the team


Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

This email was sent to Alan Maki on November 14, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.  

One of those things that is hard to believe.

This is one of those things that is almost impossible to believe. When I first heard about this a few days ago I thought it was something from "The Onion" or a hoax. So I called the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and they refused to comment except for providing me with this link to their website:
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2013/13-039.iii.pdf

This is one of those things that you just have to read over and over again and you are still left wondering if it is really real.

But, it is for real. Anyone who doesn't believe me can call the NRC themselves.

Apparently the Obamacare folks aren't the only ones having problems with their website links because I couldn't get the links at the end of this press release to work.

When I called the NRC back asking why the links weren't working they said they were very busy people and when they had the time they would get around to it.

I then asked if they could direct me to any links on their website about Fukushima. I was told that they were not a research facility for the general public and in effect told me to bone up on my Internet skills.

Obama supporters Carl Davidson and Jay Jurie have come out attacking me like a couple right-wing bigots... this is my response to them.

The argument isn't over an "inside/outside" strategy. The problem arises because these people pushing this strategy aren't even doing what they say others should be doing. They promote this so-called "strategy" in order to undermine the struggles of the working class. Carl Davidson says he doesn't go to Democratic Party meetings, caucuses, conventions--- does Jay? Apparently neither of them have ever been to a re-districting meeting. Members of PDA and CCDS were no place to be found as we conducted a state-wide struggle--- for six years--- to win passage of the best resolution in the Democratic Party in support of single-payer universal health care; they never spoke up at precinct caucus meetings, they never supported our precinct caucus resolutions 9hundreds of them)... but, after our resolution passed... out come the members of PDA and CCDS to do what? Make a motion recommending that the State Central Committee of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party be given authority to modify the resolution with the insertion of the word "affordable." In order to make sure the resolution was not brought forward into the Democratic Party National Convention as a counter to the for-profit Obamacare. And PDA along with John Conyers, claiming to represent the single-payer movement "negotiated" a health care resolution with the Obama group for passage at the National Convention.

I have been an elected member of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party's State Central Committee, an elected delegate to NUMEROUS state conventions and I believe in working with honest grassroots activists who make their political homes inside the Democratic Party while advocating for the re-establishment of a new political party along the lines of the old socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party--- the most successful ever--- third party movement here in the United States which neither Davidson, Jurie nor PDA and CCDS will acknowledge and encourage people to learn from; a party which, quite literally, elected thousands of workers, farmers, small business people and professionals to all kinds of public offices including: two socialist governors, a majority in the state house and almost captured a majority in the state senate, sent people like John Bernard to Congress and elected United States Senators not to mention majorities to dozens of city councils, county commissions, hundreds to school boards and park commissions. For close to thirty years, the socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party was the dominant player in Minnesota politics.

What kind of people push an "inside-outside" strategy without themselves being involved "inside?"

I would like to see the resolutions Carl Davidson and Jay Jurie have drafted for use INSIDE the Democratic Party for county and state conventions and precinct caucuses condemning Obama's wars, for keeping mines, mills and factories open under public ownership/nationalization, for single-payer/public health care, child care, on the minimum wage being a real living wage, for a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" (the Full Employment Act of 1945 modified for the present conditions).

Anyone who is going to advocate for an "inside-outside" strategy had better be involved "inside" themselves.

In addition, this "inside-outside" strategy is misleading because it does not call for building a new working class based progressive people's party similar to Canada's socialist New Democratic Party.

Carl Davidson has the nerve to play the most disgusting speech by Richard Trumka in support of Obama which is nothing but the most pathetic form of racist patronization and he doesn't play for us the leaders of the AFL-CIO's speeches in Canada praising labor's controlling role in the New Democratic Party.

Obama was never a friend of labor. Obama was never an advocate of civil and human rights. Obama has never been anything other than an opportunist, self-serving politician looking out for his own interests by working on behalf of corporate America to undermine the movements of the people for peace, social and economic progress because that is the role of the foundation-funded outfits that Obama has worked for and served so well.

Who are the great "philanthropists" who fund these foundations? They are the very Wall Street parasites who profit from creating all these problems now causing working people so much misery. These great "philanthropists" are the Fortune 400-plus multi-billionaires--- these parasites are not going to fund anything that will lead to the demise of their control over society.

Have Carl Davidson or Jay Jurie ever proposed real progressives and leftists to be in Obama's cabinet? No. If so, let's see where they have done so.

We are being fed a line of bullshit by these two--- it is as plain and simple as that.

Wall Street can not be challenged for political and economic power without building a political party and movement to accomplish this most basic and essential task.

Carl Davidson and Jay Jurie along with their organizations propose nothing but support for worthless Democrats looking out for Wall Street's interests.

What is causing the havoc and division in the left, today?

It is those pushing for support for Democratic Party warmongers who wage and finance these wars, subsidize the billionaires at the expense of those they cut from Food Stamps and heating assistance while hiring an outfit like Xerox to collect delinquent student loans while working from huge call centers in the Bahamas where workers are paid FIFTEEN CENTS an hour.

Come on, Davidson and Jurie, let's here your solutions to the problems working people are experiencing.

Hyatt Hotel heiress Penny Pritzker became U.S. Commerce Secretary in June, with near-unanimous confirmation by the Senate, 97-1. She revealed in filings that she made $160 million in 2012, part of the reason her fortune has risen $400 million since last year. Most of that was from a onetime payout, FORBES learned, from family members for overseeing the decadelong unwinding of the shared Pritzker family fortune, which included industrial conglomerate Marmon, credit-reporting firm Transunion and other investments.

This is the real face of the Obama Administration...



What we don't hear from Davidson and Jurie is that the candidate they backed appointed this poor-bashing, union-busting Wall Street parasite while Democrats join Republicans in cutting Food Stamps as Penny Pritzker reaps $1.6 million in farm subsidies--- Her Chicago Mill & Lumber Co. received $1,604,288 in cotton, soybean, corn, sorghum, wheat, rice, oat and other farm subsidies from 1996 to 2006--- remember United States Senator Eastland--- he was a piker when it came to receiving farm subsidies compared to Obama's appointment who is worth well over two-billion dollars, and counting.

And working people can't even get a real living Minimum Wage out of these Democrats--- in fact, no state unit of the Democratic Party nor National Convention has ever passed a resolution calling for the Minimum Wage to be a real living wage--- but, over 300 DFL precinct caucuses here in Minnesota did pass the Minimum Wage resolution I wrote calling for the Minimum Wage to be tied to all cost of living factors--- but, like our peace resolution calling for an end to aid to Israel, it failed to pass through the state convention.

I don't know what people riding around with shotguns in Pennsylvania has to do with anything when it comes to politics since lots of people in Minnesota are hunters and ride around with shotguns, too, but this doesn't influence how they think or act.

Any vitriol Davidson and Jurie have experienced they brought on to themselves with their lies in support of a bunch of worthless Wall Street warmongers like Obama.
I have even mentioned these barbaric drone wars or how every single one of the politicians they have endorsed and supported back the Israeli killing machine to the hilt.

Working people without jobs are going to be poor.

Editor Ellen Paquin;

Permission to edit as seen fit is granted. The letter is 212 words.

I would appreciate you considering publishing this Letter to the Editor in The St. Ignace News.

Alan L. Maki

While traveling through Michigan's Upper Peninsula in October, I met with many people.

One of the main concerns I heard from people was about the deplorable poverty; yet, when was the last time you heard a politician talk about ending poverty?

But, more to the point; why don't we have a massive movement in this country determined to put an end to poverty?

Working people without jobs are going to be poor.

Working people paid poverty wages are going to be poor.

Seems to me a real living Minimum Wage tied to real cost of living factors is a basic and minimal requirement towards ending poverty with government assuming full responsibility for attaining and maintaining full employment which is so basic to ending poverty that it would seem that any politician talking about "jobs, jobs, jobs" when campaigning for election would be the very first, upon being elected, to introduce legislation requiring that the President and members of Congress mandate the responsibility for full employment to themselves lest they be viewed as hypocrites.

Instead of voting to fund militarism and wars which kill jobs the same way they kill people, we need to elect people to public office who will enact a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity."

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