The working class is betrayed again by the Democrats.

And they actually have the nerve and unmitigated hypocritical gall to boast and brag about this working class betrayal:

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2014/04/07/state-lawmakers-announce-agreement-raising-minimum-wage

With this "deal" on the Minimum Wage, Minnesotans are the victims of the biggest "bait and switch" scam in our history aside from the way the land and resources were stolen from First Nations Peoples.

Democrats promised a real living Minimum Wage to get our votes, not another poverty wage; then they pulled this switch to accompany the employers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce which these "progressive" Democrats refer to as the "DFL Business Caucus."

Too bad "bait and switch" isn't as illegal in politics as it is in the world of the poverty wage-paying retail sector of the economy which made Dayton rich.

What a farce; an outright scandalous fiasco.

Not one of these directors of these foundation-funded Democratic Party front groups would work for $9.50 an hour. Nor would the AFL-CIO's Shar Knutson or millionaire labor "leaders" like Eliot Seide--- how has this kind of pathetic cost-of-living increase worked out for Eliot Seide's AFSCME members?

Anyone got a calculator? What is 2.5% times $9.50? These Dumb Donkeys think we are all stupid.

Not once has the mainstream corporate controlled media indicated this letter was being circulated:

January 2014

An Open Letter . . .

TO: Governor Mark Dayton and the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party Legislative Caucus.

FROM: Your Constituents

Enough! We are not waiting any longer!

As DFL candidates, you campaigned on a promise to enact legislation that provides low-wage workers a real, living wage — not just a “minimum” wage.

Your campaign language explicitly called for “workers being entitled to living wages!” It promised a Living Wage Act, but no progress was made in your first super-majority session.

All it would take, you said, was for Minnesotans to give the DFL a super-majority. Well, we voters delivered it to you! You have it! But now, instead of advancing Living Wage legislation, the DFL is floating another “minimum wage” bill that will just perpetuate poverty wages for many Minnesota workers!

For years, the DFL leadership has claimed Republicans were the lone obstacle to establishing a Living Wage in our state. That obstacle has been removed. You are now in the driver’s seat!

We, the workers of Minnesota, gave you the legislative votes to enact the Living Wage legislation you promised us.

We expect you now to do so. You could call it “The Minnesota Living Wage Act of 2014.”

Most importantly, we need to begin with a realistic dollar amount. Living Wages need to be calculated based on realistic levels of cost-of-living. U.S. Census data suggests at least $15 per hour; while, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), hourly wages of $22 and $26 at 40 hrs/week are needed to cover basic necessities. When making decisions on determining basic needs for a dignified life, the testimony from low-income Minnesotans should also be taken into consideration.

A Living Wage must also be subject to regular cost-of-living adjustments. The Consumer Price Index is our best indicator, and it should be used to adjust a new Minnesota Living Wage level quarterly or at least semi-annually.

If you should fail to enact such legislation, we will assume that you were just baiting us with nice-sounding campaign rhetoric, and that you are pulling a switch on us by simply advancing more employer-friendly “minimum wage” legislation, that does nothing to alleviate the hardships of Minnesota’s working poor.

Perhaps you think any increase is better than nothing. We don’t!

Minnesota has long been considered a progressive bellwether. Do something significant now for her working men and women. It is what everybody morally deserves — the prospect of a dignified life.

Be courageous. Lead our state — and our nation — in securing the right of every worker to earn a decent living.

It can begin with the Minnesota Living Wage Act of 2014.

You can make it happen!

Sincerely,

Your fellow Minnesotans

Check out our National Conference Call on April 27 seeking to find a national approach to making the Minimum Wage a real living wage:

http://unitingpeopleworks4us.blogspot.com/2014/04/a-national-approach-for-making-minimum.html

A National Approach for Making the Minimum Wage a Living Wage

A National Approach for Making the Minimum Wage a Living Wage

Join Us for a 2-Hour Conference Call Discussion

Sunday, April 27, 2014

8-10pm ET / 7-9pm CT / 6-8pm MT / 5-7pm PT

Telephone Call-in: 857-232-0157 • Access Code: 353711

Panel

Cindy Sheehan, California Peace & Freedom Party
Gubernatorial Candidate

Lena Buggs, Minnesota Green Party, State House District 65-A Legislative Candidate

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

Theresa Sanchez, Union Steward, Local #1, Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union

Frank “Pancho” Valdez, retired trade unionist, Green Party activist

Curtis Buckanaga, Asst. to District III Rep. for Leech Lake, Ojibwe Reservation

Bill Leumer, former President IAM Local 565, Labor Fightback Network Steering Committee member

Mel Rothenberg, founding member of Chicago Political Economy Group, co-author of "A Permanent Jobs Program for the U.S.: Economic Restructuring to Meet Human Needs."

Moderator:
Devon Nola, Justice Party of New York


Each panelist will give a 5-minute presentation during the first hour. The second hour will be open to discussion with Q&A between callers and panelists.

Sponsored by:

Uniting People for Peace, Equality, Full Employment, Universal Healthcare and Environmental Protection


Contact info:

Tel: (203) 402-8745

E-mail: unitingpeople1@gmail.com

Blog: www.unitingpeopleworks4us.blogspot.com

FaceBook: www.facebook.com/USlivablewage


A bold livable wage policy must be viewed as a “keystone” fiscal mechanism that will trigger subsequent structural changes in the U.S. economic system to achieve an equitable distribution of wealth and income for all members of our society.

Minnesota Democrats have more empathy for employers than for workers.

The Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party with a super-majority sticks it to workers, again.

Interesting how these Democrats can control wages to remain at poverty levels but they can't control and redistribute wealth back to the workers who create it.

Once again working people who are experiencing a cost-of-living crisis have been screwed by the Democrats.

$9.50 is a poverty wage and indexing a poverty wage to inflation will not end poverty. Obviously the "compromise" was another poverty wage for workers which will depress all wages in return for a luxurious Senate Office Building which will be more conducive to these politicians getting their corporate bribes. This Minimum Wage "deal" is a complete disaster for the working class since by the time this $9.50 kicks in the "cost-of-living crisis" will have more than eaten up any "raise."

I find it interesting how as soon as Republicans get their super-majorities they go into a full attack mode on the working class as we see in Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina but Democrats wimp out in defending and improving the rights and livelihoods of the working class.

For years under Pawlenty and the Republicans Minnesota workers suffered set-back after set-back and now Minnesota Democrats won't even bring life back to pre-Republican times.

These millionaire labor "leaders" like AFSCME's Eliot Seide who pushed this $9.50 betrayal will see their memberships left without any public support in future contract negotiations with public or private employers since what is good for the goose is good for the gander... let everyone live on $9.50 an hour.

It is the epitome of hypocrisy that these over-paid Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party politicians would enact a Minimum Wage that is just one more poverty wage after promising a real living--- non-poverty--- wage to get the votes of workers.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/254132521.html

Democrats deserve to be punished at the polls.

"At-Will Hiring and At-Will Firing" (At-Will Employment) has got to go

Representing casino workers engaged in union organizing campaigns in the Indian Gaming Industry, I pay close attention to elections on Indian Reservations as I do with politics in general in the three states I work in--- Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Many Indian Reservations just held their Primary Elections.

Each and every Indian Reservation engaged in gaming is now thoroughly corrupt and crooked; just like the state and federal governments they work hand-in-hand with. Like with politics generally, seldom is found an honest tribal politician.

The recent tribal elections on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation brought out an issue seldom discussed or debated every single worker employed anyplace in the United States should be concerned about:

"At-will Employment."

Corrupt tribal politicians like Leech Lake Chair, Carri Jones, use "At-Will Employment" to try to coerce support and try to stymie and thwart opposition.

"At-will Employment" has been the weapon of choice used to silence opposition. Of course when this doesn't work these corrupt tribal politicians are known to use more persuasive "techniques" as were demonstrated by Archie LaRose who sodomized an opponent with a broomstick and beat with his fist for hours another opponent. When all else fails, the FBI hounds and harasses reform-minded activists to death like they did with Native American trade unionist pipefitter Gregory Paquin.

"At-will Employment" is an issue far more important than "Citizens United" or the more recent U.S. Supreme Court case providing the wealthy and Wall Street even more control over politics and elections.

This issue which surfaced of "At-will Employment" denies working people full participation in the electoral process because employers use this to retaliate against workers.

Many muddle-headed, well-heeled, upper-middle class intellectuals do not understand this issue and many of the millionaire labor "leaders" do everything possible to prevent this issue of "At-will Employment" from being brought forward.

Did you ever hear of the Democratic Party ever having a platform plank calling for rescinding "At-Will Employment?"

As far as I know, the Roseau County Democratic Farmer-Labor Party is the only Democratic Party organization to have ever passed a resolution for repealing and rescinding "At-Will Hiring and At-Will Firing" and calling for "Just Employment."

The Leech Lake Business Organization (LLBO) which the tribal council is called, supports corrupt local, state and federal Democratic politicians; in return these corrupt local, state and federal politicians turn around and support corrupt tribal politicians. One hand of corruption feeds the other.

These Democratic Party politicians are constantly bestowing credibility to corrupt tribal politicians. Congressman Rick Nolan even stepped in to provide credibility to Archie LaRose when everyone knew he was a vicious, violent crook... ditto for U.S. Senator Al Franken and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar.

Then the corrupt tribal and state and federal politicians join together to turn their backs on the problems of the people.

The only way they can prevent the voices of the people from coming forward is by restricting participation of the people with the ultimate undemocratic practice being denying people the right to jobs--- which includes firing people under terms of "At-will Employment."

What could be more undemocratic than employers having the "right," then denying a human being employment they require to make a living based on a worker's participation in the political process?

Get rid of "At-will Employment" and this will be a major step forward in the struggle for democracy and reforms going well beyond any impact overturning "Citizens United" could ever have--- it remains important to overturn "Citizens United" but the severe restrictions "At-Will Employment" place on the rights of workers is true on reservations as it is for workers everywhere.

Who is "we the people?"

Aren't the majority of the people working people?

If the majority of working people are restricted from fully participating in the political process, what kind of "democracy" exists in this country?

When employers use "At-will Employment" to punish workers by firing--- or using the threat of termination from employment--- for participating in defending their rights and their livelihoods in the electoral process you are controlling and manipulating the majority of the people... this is not democracy.

As the election campaign in Leech Lake demonstrated, there is tremendous support from among the majority of the people to terminate "At-will Employment" and replace it with "Just Employment."

I hope the people of Leech Lake take this opportunity to get rid of "At-will Employment" and blaze a trail to real democracy for all Minnesotans and workers across the United States.

As long as people need to fear losing their jobs due to "At-will Employment" it will be very difficult to achieve meaningful reforms of any kind... from Minimum Wage legislation to real health care reform and securing full employment legislation.

People without rights in their place of employment have no rights anyplace else as long as the possibility of termination due to "At-will Employment" is hanging over their head.

It is up to each and every one of us to become thoroughly familiar with the "Doctrine of At-Will Employment" which is behind "At-Will Employment" legislation.

Members of Congress cry they need a raise.

Members of Congress like Democrat Jim Moran are crying that they are under paid at around $175,000.00 a year.

If they were being paid the Minimum Wage of $7.25 an hour that they establish for millions of real working people these politicians would be still be paid too much.

Cost-of-living Crisis

I sent this to all Minnesota State Legislators and the Governor.

Cost-of-living Crisis...

Do you politicians even know this crisis exists?

Do you care?

We have a crisis in this country, including here in Minnesota, confronting working class families that you politicians refuse to acknowledge.

This is a "cost-of-living crisis."

In all the millions of words in dozens of newspapers across Minnesota in which stories have been published about this Minimum Wage issue now confronting our state and the country, not once have I read where one single Democrat or Republican has acknowledged this "cost-of-living crisis" which every single working class family now confronts on a daily basis. 

How is it possible for these politicians to be so out of touch with this reality of life for so many hundreds of thousands of people right here in our own state?

And, still, the Minimum Wage hasn't been raised one plug nickle by this Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party with its super-majority... must be none of you politicians have to worry about making ends meet from pay check-to-pay check, eh?

How is it possible that not one single Democrat from among this super-majority has the common human or moral decency to suggest that the Minimum Wage should be established in line with the actual cost-of-living?

Don't come asking me for campaign contributions, nor for my vote.

-- 

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

 

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

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

Marx, the Minimum Wage and the "cost-of-living" crisis.

From a discussion with friends...


Yes; this is what I have been trying to tell everyone. The U.S. Census Bureau and other government agency statistics are bogus... this is why we should only be using the U.S. Dept. of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics' figures--- Consumer Price Index--- their figures have never been challenged as bogus.

If you read books by Alan Greenspan who operated a consulting business advising big business you will see these are the only reports he trusted.

I have been doing these calculations for years based on my own formula and I can tell you the Minimum Wage should be somewhere between $22 and $26 an hour for most of Minnesota with anyone using propane for heat that figure now goes up to between $27 and $31 an hour. This is for a family of four with one person working 40 hours a week.

There is a reason the United States Congress will not approve the BLS calculating wages in comparison to cost-of-living; this is to deny the working class the most important information needed and required in the class struggle in an attempt to achieve a decent standard of living.

There isn't an employer or Democratic or Republican politician (or union bureaucrat) who will sit down with you and have a civil conversation if you start comparing "wages" to actual "cost-of-living." They will talk to you about all your other schemes and probably call you every name in the book and invent a few more choice words. 

And this is why I, personally, will not support $15. It is derived from using the boss' figures. It might work for Canadians who have almost free health care but it won't measure up here.

I don't mind signing on to a statement that says $15 is a good place to start... it is like when I always talk about single-payer universal health care is okay as a step towards a National Public Health Care System--- socialized health care but no different from public education.

If we get dozens of people from across the country to write letters to the editor making the point that the Minimum Wage should become a real living wage based on actual cost-of-living we will develop a mass militant working class movement that will not only change the terms of debate over the Minimum Wage but begin to put an end to all these concession contracts.

There isn't anyone who would dare to tell you that a worker shouldn't receive a wage in line with "cost-of-living" but they will sure make up dozens of excuses, without mentioning "cost-of-living" as to why wages shouldn't be raised--- and it is more often than not the employers' bullshit pleas of poverty, they can't afford it.

Do you have any idea how many times I have heard this over and over again with an employer saying they could not afford a proposed wage and cry that we are trying to put them out of business only to end up signing a contract for that wage and continue in business making even more money? 

Tens of millions of people are thinking about and in motion around this Minimum Wage issue... we either strike while the iron is hot or we lose a very important opportunity--- the "cost-of-living" is our hammer, wages is the iron.

There is no other way to turn wages into a decent standard-of-living for working people.

There has never been a more "Marxist Moment" in this country over the last 55 years that I can remember. And we are going to blow it?  

I would suggest studying this; it's free for the reading:
https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/preface.htm

As is this study guide:

https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/guide.htm

Study Guide for
Marx’s

Economic &
Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844

First Manuscript

Section 2. Wages of Labour

People: Adam Smith.

Terms: Wages, Proletariat, Commodity, Market, Division of Labour, Political Economy, Business Cycle.

Questions for discussion:
1. What is a proletarian?
2. Where does this idea of wages as the cost of living of a worker come from?
3. What is meant by “abstract labour”?
4. How would you sum up Marx's attitude to the political economists?

Why aren't we talking about a "cost-of-living crisis" when discussing the Minimum Wage?

Even the New York Times a few days ago published this under "Room for Debate:"

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/03/30/was-marx-right

March 30, 2014

Was Marx Right?

A few years back, one Minnesota Democrat, taking a similar position as Ed Miliband, State Senator David Tomassoni, took a stand that the only way we are going to get out of this economic mess is to "work our way out; and, in saying this he brought forward legislation known as the "Minnesota People's Bailout." Unfortunately, not one single other Democrat supported his proposed legislation. Shameful and disgusting but this is what we get from these Democrats.

Quite frankly, I think people know they will be red-baited when they bring forward the idea that there is a relationship between wages and cost-of-living" just as has happened with Ed Miliband--- even Frances Perkins was viciously red-baited when she proposed a national Minimum Wage; but, so far, the red-baiting hasn't seemed to deter Miliband nor did this red-baiting deter Frances Perkins, although she faced impeachment for it:

The headlines in Great Britain blazed:

Miliband wants to live in a 'Marxist universe', Cameron claims as leaders clash over Labour 'gimmick' to freeze energy bills

  

This proves my point. Unfortunately, Miliband turns to trying to combine socialist rhetoric with Keynesian economics by playing to those in love with "markets" as most social democrats always do. But, the basic premise of his speech is as correct for the united States as it is for Britain: that for the working class there is a "cost-of-living crisis." Notice, he even tackles the Minimum Wage and the need for a living wage--- hopefully he is more sincere than our Democrats have been.

Maybe you have noticed that Miliband's speech wasn't reported here or in Canada; I wonder why it wasn't covered here?

 

Ed Miliband's speech on the cost of living crisis: full text

"The first and last test of economic policy is whether living standards for ordinary families are rising."

by Ed Miliband Published 5 November, 2013 - 11:31

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/11/ed-milibands-speech-cost-living-crisis-full-text

It is great to be here in Battersea with you today.

Last Friday, I was in my constituency, at the local Citizens Advice Bureau.

And I talked to some people who had been preyed upon by payday lenders.

There was a woman there in floods of tears.

She was in work.

But she took out a payday loan for her deposit so she could rent somewhere to live.
And then disaster followed.

A payday loan of a few hundred pounds became a debt of thousands of pounds.

She still faces bullying, harassment and threats from multiple payday lenders.

Like the young mum I met who described sitting at home with her daughter and seeing an advert on the TV for a payday lender.

She said she was down to the last nappy for her baby.

She took out the payday loan.

And one led to many more, with her ending up spending most of the money she had each week on repayments and charges.

She was so frightened by the harassment she faced that she had given her mobile phone to her mum.

Her mum showed me the phone and told me that she’d had fifteen calls that day.

The woman who worked at the CAB said the problem had got far, far worse in the last couple of years.

She said: “payday lenders are running riot through people’s lives in this community.”

Yesterday Wonga released a film all about themselves.

And last night the boss of Wonga said he was speaking for the ‘silent majority’, who are happy with their service.

But the truth is he wants us to stay silent about a company where in one year alone their bad debts reached £120 million.

An industry in which seven out of ten customers said they regretted taking out a loan.

With half saying they couldn’t pay it back.

Payday lenders don’t speak for the silent majority.

They are responsible for a quiet crisis of thousands of families trapped in unpayable debt.

The Wonga economy is one of the worst symbols of this cost of living crisis.

And as I listened to these stories, my overwhelming thought was: how is this being allowed to happen in Britain, 2013?

Because these stories of payday lenders are just one part of the cost of living crisis facing families across our country.

Low skilled jobs.

Wages that are stagnating.

Predatory behaviour by some companies.

This isn’t just an issue for the lowest paid, it affects the squeezed middle just as much.

A country where a few at the top do well, but everybody else struggles.

This is not just an issue facing Britain.

It is the issue facing Britain.

It is about who our country is run for.

How it is run.

And whether we believe we can do better than this.

I do.

The Nature of the Problem

Now, David Cameron said recently that I wanted to “talk about the cost of living” because I didn’t want to talk about “economic policy.”

So we have a Prime Minister who thinks we can detach our national economic success from the success of Britain’s families and businesses.

He doesn't seem to realise that there is no such thing as a successful economy which doesn't carry Britain’s families with it.

And he obviously doesn't get that the old link between growth and living standards is just broken.
Growth without national prosperity is not economic success.

The first and last test of economic policy is whether living standards for ordinary families are rising.
And the scale of the problem is familiar to millions of people in our country.

The official figures say that on average working people are £1,500 a year worse off than they were at the election.
And it has happened because prices are rising faster than wages.

In 39 out of the 40 months that David Cameron has been Prime Minister.

But the average doesn’t tell you the whole story.

We don’t just need average wages to creep higher than prices.

For people to be genuinely better off, we have to do much better than that.

Ordinary families are hit harder than average by higher prices.

They rely more on expensive basic necessities, like electricity and gas.

And ordinary families do worse than the average when it comes to wage increases.

Because those increases are scooped by a few at the top.

Chief executive pay went up by 7 per cent last year.

When everyone else’s wages were falling.

We can’t just make do and mend.

We need to do much better than we are.

Can Anything Be Done?

And that means we can’t just carry on as we are.

We have to permanently restore the link between growth and living standards for all of Britain’s working people.

This Government can’t do it.

And the reason is because they are wedded to Britain competing in a race to the bottom.

Listen to their silence on our plans for a living wage.

Nothing to say.

On the falling value of the minimum wage.

Nothing to say.

On zero-hours contracts.

Nothing to say.

On the exploitation of low-skill migrant labour which undercuts wages.

Nothing to say.

They’re silent because of what they believe in.

In his speech to the Conservative Party Conference, George Osborne described my argument that they believed in a race to the bottom as something straight out of “Karl Marx” and “Das Kapital.”

No.

He’s wrong.

It is about what is happening in this capital city.

Right here.

And towns and cities across the country.

Right now.

Now, they think that this low wage economy is the best we can do.

Because they believe doing anything about it means intervening in markets in ways that we shouldn’t.

I disagree.

A dynamic market economy, with profitable private sector companies is essential for creating the wealth we need.

But markets always have rules.

The question is: what do those rules allow?

And what do they encourage?

Do they encourage companies to create high-skill, high-wage jobs, as part of a race to the top?

And provide the support they need to do so?

Or do they encourage a race to the bottom of low wages and low skills?

Do the rules mend broken markets?

Or allow some firms to take advantage of broken markets at the expense of everybody else?

All governments set rules for what they want to see.

This Government does intervene in markets but in the wrong way.

They make it easier to fire people.

Water down rights for agency workers.

Turn a blind eye to the failure to pay the minimum wage.

Pushing companies to compete on low wages, low skills and worse terms and conditions.

They introduce tax cuts for the richest.

Defend bonuses for the bankers.

Stand up for a powerful few.

Supporting their belief that wealth will trickle down from those at the top to everybody else.

Don’t believe it when they say they are stepping away, they are stepping in all the time, stepping in to stand up for the wrong people.

High hopes for those at the top.

Low expectations for everyone else.

A race to the bottom.

When what we need is a race to the top.

Dealing with the Cost of Living Crisis: Jobs

To win that race to the top, we are going to earn and grow our way out of this cost of living crisis.

Not by spending money we don’t have.

Because we have to bring the deficit down.

But by building a different kind of economy.

One that really works for working people.

That starts with the jobs our country creates.

David Cameron is still on his lap of honour.

To celebrate how brilliantly he has done.

In the slowest recovery for a hundred years.

We still face a massive challenge of creating jobs in this country.

There are still nearly two and half million people unemployed in Britain and nearly a million young people are still looking for work.

And when we look at the jobs in our economy, too many are low paid, part-time and temporary.

Half of new jobs have been in low paid sectors of the economy.

We have 1.4 million people working part-time when they want full-time work.

More than ever before.

And we’ve got more people in a temporary job because they can’t find a permanent one.

The Tories don’t think we can do anything about it.

They think it is the way we compete with China and India.

But they are wrong.

A Labour government will put all our country’s effort into winning a race to the top.

And that means taking action on both the quantity and quality of jobs that we are creating.

We can only win a race to the top if we transform our vocational education system and apprenticeships in this country, which is what we will do.

We can only win a race to the top if we radically transform the way we support business in every part of our country, with a proper regional banking system learning the lessons of Germany, which is what we will do.

We can only win a race to the top if we support the small businesses that will create the jobs of the future, by cutting business rates, which is what we will do.

We can only win a race to the top if we help parents get back to work and start earning to support their families by extending childcare for working parents to 25 hour a week, which is what we will do.

And we can only win a race to the top with a proper industrial policy, including for environmental jobs, which is what we will do.

All this is about re-engineering the British economy so that we make a difference to the kinds of jobs we create.

You can’t do it if you believe in a race to the bottom.

You can only do it if you believe in a race to the top.

Dealing with the Cost of Living Crisis: Wages

So dealing with the cost of living crisis starts with jobs.

But it is also about wages.

Wages for millions of people have been in decline for far too long.

I am talking about people battling to do the right thing and struggling and struggling.

Hard, honest work, in supermarkets, on building sites, in call centres.

Working harder, for longer, for less.

We have a low pay emergency in this country.

Five million people now paid less than the living wage.

Working for their poverty.

Up at least 1.4 million in just the last four years.

To one in five of all employed workers.

More of Britain’s poor children today are being brought up in working families than in jobless families.

And low wages aren’t just bad for working people.

They cost money in benefits too.

As the country has to subsidise more and more low paid jobs with higher and higher tax credits and benefits.

The government now pays more out on tax credits and benefits to those in work than it does for who are unemployed.

So to those who say we can’t afford to do anything about wages in our country today:

I say we can’t afford not to.

And many businesses now recognise that a low pay economy is bad for them too.

I was in Bristol last Thursday night talking to cleaners who are paid the living wage.

They told how proud to work for a firm like that.

Better pay means lower turnover of staff.

Higher productivity.

So we have to end the scandal of poverty pay in this country.

We would strengthen the minimum wage, which has lost 5 per cent of its value under this government.

We are looking at the case for higher minimum wages in particular sectors of the economy, like financial services, where they can afford to pay more.

And we will go further than that too.

That is why the next Labour government from its first day in office, will offer “make work pay” contracts to employers all over Britain.

It is a simple deal.

For the first year of a Labour government, we will say to every firm:

You start to make work pay, through a living wage.

And we will give you a 12 month tax rebate of 32p for every extra pound they spend.

Make work pay contracts will raise wages, keep the benefit bill down and tackle the cost of living crisis.

It is a good deal for workers, business and the taxpayer too.

And by tackling low pay we won’t just strengthen our economy, we will strengthen our society as well.

It is not good for our country for people to be working 60 or 70 hours a week, doing 2 or 3 jobs, not having time to see their kids.

We will change it.

Under a One Nation Labour government: work will pay.

Dealing with the Cost of Living Crisis: Broken Markets

And tackling the cost of living crisis is also about ensuring markets work for working people.

And that means fixing markets when they are broken.

This power station was built in the 1920s after a Conservative government intervened to fix a broken energy market.

That government, of Stanley Baldwin, knew that if government didn’t fix broken markets, nobody else was going to.

Stanley Baldwin knew it.

John Major seems to understand it.

But David Cameron doesn’t.

His response to Labour’s energy price freeze shows how out of the mainstream he is.

He took issue with the whole idea of government intervention in a broken market.

Ever since, on energy he seems to have had a different policy every day of the week.

But what we know is that we can never expect him to stand up to the energy companies, because they are a large and powerful interest.

It is not who David Cameron is.

It is not what he does.

He stands up to the weak, never to the strong.

For the next eighteen months, people will hear scare stories from the unholy alliance of the energy companies and David Cameron.

The Big Seven.

It will just reinforce in people’s minds who he stands up for.

The six large energy companies.

Not the 60 million people of Britain.

Today, new figures confirm that most of the recent price rises weren’t caused by government levies or by a rise in wholesale prices.

But are the direct result of a broken market.

For the average increase in the price for electricity and gas since 2011, over half went straight to the costs and profits of the companies themselves.

This shows exactly why we need a price freeze now.

Because only a price freeze will protect customers while we re-set the market.

A price freeze until 2017 will happen if Labour wins the election.

A freeze that will benefit 27 million families and 2.4 million businesses.

It is workable and it will happen.

And tomorrow, Parliament will vote on that price freeze.

So Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs could vote for it now.

And if they line up against it, the British people will know the truth:

This Government is on the side of the big energy companies not hard-pressed families.

And our price freeze until 2017 will pave the way for us to radically improve the energy market for the long term.

We will publish an Energy Green Paper for:

A regulator that can cut unjustified price rises.

A ring fence between the generation and supply businesses of the energy companies, so there is proper transparency.

Forcing energy companies to trade the energy they produce in the open market.

And a new simple tariff structure that people can understand.

So we will change the way the energy market works.

In a way that will provide long-term confidence for investors and a better deal for consumers.

And we will mend other markets that aren’t working in the public interest.

Opening up competition in banking.

A cap on the cost of credit in payday lending.

Proper regulation of our train companies.

Ending unjustified charges and fees in the private rented sector.

And new social tariffs in the water industry.

The Conservative Party defends broken markets and the few people that profit from them.

I am proud that the Labour Party stands up for markets that work for working people.

Conclusion

The next general election will offer a big choice.

A choice about whether we tackle the cost of living crisis or shrug our shoulders.

A choice about whether we run a race to the top or a race to the bottom.

A choice about whether we reform broken markets or defend them.

A choice about how we succeed as a country.

Above all, the choice will be about who our country is run for.

There is a Tory vision for Britain that has low expectations for what most people should be able to expect.

Payday lenders can prey on the vulnerable.

Millions of families see stagnating living standards.

Energy companies can just carry on as they are, ripping off consumers.

My vision is different.

We can run Britain in a different way.

Different from the past.

Building a different future for our country.

Where ordinary people feel the country is run for them.

In their interests.

And for their future.

Earning our way to a better standard of living.

Sharing rewards fairly.

And making markets work for people, not the other way round.

Britain can do better than this.

And that’s what One Nation Labour will do.

AFL-CIO joins in coalition with business organizations to oppose enshrining a real living Minimum Wage in the Minnesota Constitution by way of a constitutional amendmemt subject to approval by voters.

The Minnesota AFL-CIO and its partners like the foundation-funded Democratic Party front group, Take Action Minnesota joined in coalition with big-business organizations to oppose inserting the Minimum Wage into the Minnesota State Constitution on the basis that it is the job of legislators, not the people, to vote to make the Minimum Wage a Constitutional Amendment--- why did they take this position while they at the same time all advocate a poverty Minimum Wage for workers?

Obviously these groups all want the Minimum Wage as a political football to opportunistically kick around at election time for their own political selfish interests.

They should have supported this proposal for the Minimum Wage to become part of the Minnesota Constitution as a constitutional amendment but with the stipulation that it begin with a real living wage tied to all cost-of-living factors, that it be routinely upgraded to stay in line with all cost-of-living factors, then indexed for inflation with periodic increases to better the standard-of-living for working people--- in this way, the Minimum Wage would forever be a real living wage in line with all cost-of-living factors while providing for a better standard-of-living for the entire working class.

Think about this:

Why would these groups claiming to represent workers and the poorest workers not support this?

It makes no sense not to get behind a Minimum Wage that would remain a living wage forever part of the State' Constitution.

What right does the Minnesota AFL-CIO and the rest of these DFL front groups have to push for a Minimum Wage that is a poverty wage? They are advocating for $9.50; their new found business coalition partners support even less--- they would like no increase at all.

Think about this:

What sense does it make to advocate one more poverty Minimum Wage and then advocate that this poverty wage should be indexed to inflation--- it makes no sense since a poverty wage indexed to inflation remains the exact same poverty wage in relation to cost-of-living.

A constitutional amendment for the Minimum Wage is the best way to go--- provided the Minimum Wage starts out at a real living wage.

None of those among these groups advocating for a $9.50 Minimum Wage would be willing to live on this kind of poverty wage themselves--- if they say they would then that's exactly what they should be paid.

The fact of the matter is that the Minimum Wage has to be routinely tweaked for both "cost-of-living" and for "inflation." Not every rise in prices is due to inflation and not all rises in the "cost-of-living" are inflation.

Militarism and wars are the main propellents of inflation and monopoly price-fixing is the main reason for most prices rising drastically.

We should have learned by now by seeing these piddly increases in Social Security benefits that the government is running a scam as to how much these benefits increase. We don't want the same scam run on us with the Minimum Wage.

What passes for "debate" according to the standards established by the New York Times: Was Marx Right?

This is what passes for "debate" here in "the world's greatest bastion of democracy."

The New York Times' idea of a debate on Marxism is without a Socialist or Communist voice along with all the hype about the working class that had become a "middle class"--- another myth, a lie, constructed largely based on the lies propagandized and then propagated by the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/03/30/was-marx-right

And, who does the New York Times choose to "defend" Marxism? None other than Doug Henwood who is an ardent advocate of Wall Street's Keynesian economics hidden behind Marxist verbiage.

Henwood won't even tolerate dialog, let alone debate, on his own FaceBook page.

Marxists should be organizing roundtable discussions, forums and debates--- real debate--- all over this country in every community.

Come on all you Marxists... let's bring our ideas out into the proverbial "public square" in a way where everyone has an opportunity to have their say.

"Was Marx Right?" Definitely.

Is Marxism for you?

Read for free what Marx had to say in his little pamphlet:

"Value, Price and Profit"

http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1865/value-price-profit/

When FDR's Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins, was accused of "implementing the 'Communist Manifesto,'" her response was, "I would rather see these programs helping people than remain ideas hidden on pages of a pamphlet."

Was Marx Right?

Read the "Communist Manifesto" for yourself:

https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/ch01.htm

Real Marxist economists got it right while the New York Times was getting it all wrong.

You can read the views of Marxist economists like Edward Boorstein who wrote, "What's Ahead?... the U.S. Economy" or "Super Profits and Crises" by Victor Perlo. Both books are available real cheap on the Internet or for free from your local socialist institution, the public library through inter-library loan.

Let's become engaged in this debate: "Was Marx Right?"

The main reason capitalist ruling classes hate Marx so much, is not because of his solid critique of the capitalist economy; but, because, he understood that the working class was going to need very powerful organizations and parties to challenge these capitalists for power--- and Marx saw revolutionary working class Communist parties becoming the catalyst for doing this.

After decades of proclaiming Marxism defeated, the New York Times now suggests, amid a crumbling capitalist economy, that there is "Room for Debate"... as long as Marxists are not included in this debate.

Doug Henwood is not a Marxist and he is so dishonest he doesn't say so.

Henwood admits that he is a Keynesian; none other then Franklin D. Roosevelt pointed out that John Maynard Keynes was a "kook."

When I challenged Henwood's assertion that Keynesian economics was progressive and was a reactionary economic view held by Wall Street economists, he blocked me from being able to comment on his posts.

Keynesian economists start from the premise that during times of recession and depression the way to get the economy going is by putting some unemployed people to work, but not all unemployed people--- just enough so they get a little money to spend to get the economy going; raise the Minimum Wage just a little bit--- but not too much; again, just to get a few people spending in order to bolster the economy.

Keynesian economists view unemployment and poverty wages as an economic lever used by government to keep all wages down so the Wall Street crowd can reap super-profits.

Marxists start from the premise that everyone needs a job at real living wages because workers without jobs are going to be poor and workers paid poverty wages are going to be poor. Putting people to work at socially useful jobs paying real living wages creates a prosperous life for everyone--- especially, in the first place, the workers whose labor creates all wealth.

Marxists assert there are actually two sources of wealth, and only two: Labor and Mother Nature.

Wall Street capitalists, imperialists, exploit labor and rape Mother Nature in the process... a scheme which promotes war and poverty; no wonder a Wall Street rag like the New York Times will not allow room for a Marxist in their debate on "Was Marx Right?"

The only time the New York Times sees fit to publish the names of Marxists is in their obituary.

A guide to climate change

U.N. Working Group on Climate Change:

http://www.ipcc-wg2.gov/AR5/

Surprise, surprise; poor will suffer the most from Climate Change:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/world/climate-study-puts-diplomatic-pressure-on-obama.html?_r=0

The discussion and debate over climate change will be heating up; this is my contribution to this discussion:

http://canadiandimension.com/articles/5890/

Jim Michaud and "rap sheets."

I hear that Jim Michaud, working in cahoots with crooked and corrupt Leech Lake tribal leader Carri "all I can steal" Jones, likes to distribute "rap sheets" of other people.

These goddamn thieves rob the people blind and then they cry about having to pay people decent wages.

Carri Jones and Jim Michaud became millionaires just off their their tribal salaries and yet they are so greedy they still have to steal from the people.

I wonder what kind of kick-back scam Michaud and Carri Jones are running now?

What I can't figure out is why this felon, Jim Michaud, doesn't distribute and post his own rap sheet... I bet John McCarthy could make him a real deal printing his rap sheet:

Ojibwe News, The
10-02-1998
Arrest of former Leech Lake tribal officials well worth the wait

The arrest and arraignment today of former Leech Lake tribal secretary-treasurer Jim Michaud and 5 others by federal agents on 14 count indictment for allegedly stealing $1.1 million in tribal funds, sounds only to familiar to the insurance scam of Skip Finn and company of a few years ago. No wonder the Leech Lake people have had such a hard making ends meet in the early to mid 1990's Bob, Charlie and Jim Michaud, Bob Gotchie along with David Murray and his wife Donna are charged in the indictment with allegedly conspiring to steal nearly $1.1 million of tribal funds, money laundering and tax offenses.

Ojibwe News, The
01-29-1999
Fosston husband and wife plead guilty in Leech Lake fraud scheme

A couple implicated in the diversion of $1.1 million from the Leech Lake Band of Chippewa has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud programs receiving federal funds.

Federal prosecutors said David Murray, 55, and his wife, Donna, 52, of Fosston, Minn., participated in a scheme involving the misuse of Leech Lake tribal checks. Indicated along with the Murrays was former tribal leader James D. Michaud, 42, of Bena, who allegedly agreed to send Donna Murray checks labeled "donations," for her to cash and kick back money to him.

Michaud later asked David Murray to send him an invoice for payment of construction work that hadn't been done, the indictment said, alleging that "Murray would cash the tribal check and give the proceeds back

A "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity."

I think we need to be bringing forward into the public square via "letters to the editor," forums, debates, tabling and leafleting some kind of demand for a "package of reforms" expanding on the New Deal as part of our participation in the 2014 and 2016 elections.

When I write about this I call it the "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity."

While I believe raising the Minimum Wage to a real living wage based on actual "cost-of-living" is very important, this alone won't solve the problems of working class poverty.

Workers without jobs are going to be poor.

Workers paid poverty wages are going to be poor.

Part-time employment has become the "new normal" along with massive unemployment.

The "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" would legislatively mandate the president and Congress to work together to attain and maintain full employment, make the Minimum Wage a real living wage based on actual "cost-of-living" factors, include a Basic Income Guarantee in line with the Minimum Wage and include creating massive job-creating universal social programs like a National Public Health Care System (12 to 15 million new jobs) and National Public Child Care System (3 to 5 million new jobs)--- free health care and free child care together with re-establishing the WPA, CCC and C.E.T.A. programs. Pay for everything with a Peace Dividend obtained from ending militarism and wars--- what this won't cover, tax the hell out of the rich.

Living in the wealthiest country in the world, is this too much to expect?

Why is it so difficult for some people and most politicians to understand that if you pay a worker poverty wages they and their families are going to be poor?

There are other things that should be included in this package of reforms, too.

Things like:

Earlier retirement with expended Social Security benefits.

A shortened work week with forty hours pay.

Four weeks vacation for everyone.

All of this creates jobs.

All of this combined makes every job a good, decent job.

Politicians talk about "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs" when they are running for office; but once elected they run away from anything that provides these jobs and a better and improved standard-of-living for working people.

We need to understand that militarism and these dirty wars are killing our jobs the same way they kill people while squandering the wealth of our Nation created by labor... we need to "beat swords into plowshares" and this is what a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" would be all about.

Democrats have created the most massive job creating program since FDR's New Deal employing almost two-million people in over 350 communities spread out across the country...

These jobs are in the hideous Indian Gaming Industry where workers are employed in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and without any rights under state or federal labor laws...

All of this created under the terms of special "Compacts" agreed to by politicians and the mobsters who own the slot machines.

Just like with the Minimum Wage, these Democratic Party politicians have used the levers of government to provide employers with cheap labor to enforce poverty when the objectives of government should be just the opposite--- to eradicate poverty by raising wages and putting everyone to work in safe and healthy workplaces.

There is a reason the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association has spent over fourteen-million dollars lobbying--- bribing politicians--- not to raise the Minimum Wage.

Poverty wages mean super-profits for employers.

The chronic sectarianism of the left is going to have to go.

These left-wing leaders had it right...








It's time for some roundtable discussions to sit down and talk these these through to get a meeting of the minds.

Unity

W. E. B. Du Bois had the right idea about how to achieve unity in our progressive movements when he brought together the Socialist Party's Norman Thomas, Robert Baldwin, A. J. Muste, and the Communist Party's Eugene Dennis to discuss peace, labor and civil rights.

What prevents activists from our different organizations, parties and movements from coming together today concerning the problems we are experiencing?

Ryan Unsuited to Lead ‘Adult Conversation’ About Povert

Ryan Unsuited to Lead ‘Adult Conversation’ About Poverty

 

Question:

Are Democrats any better suited to lead this discussion?

Note: Bill Moyers has so far NOT allowed my comment to be posted to this article:

Ryan Unsuited to Lead ‘Adult Conversation’ About Poverty

http://billmoyers.com/2014/03/29/ryan-unsuited-to-lead-‘adult-conversation’-about-poverty/

Are the Democrats any more suited than Ryan to talk about eliminating poverty?

Even when they have super-majorities like here in Minnesota they refuse to raise the Minimum Wage to a real living wage based on empirical data when it comes to actual cost-of-living factors.

Any school child knows that when you pay someone a poverty wage they are going to be poor and their family will live in poverty.

Given the fact that these Democrats campaigned on the pretext of being for a "living wage" they are just as big of liars as Ryan.

Or does it make a difference what the lie is that is being told?

A kid going to school on an empty belly probably doesn't care if Ryan is lying about poverty or Minnesota's "liberal" Democratic Governor Mark Dayton or the racist Minnesota State Senator Tom Bakk whose campaign is funded by the mobster-controlled Minnesota Indian Gaming Association which is the main business group lobbying to keep the Minimum Wage a poverty wage.

The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association has now spent over fourteen-million dollars lobbying to keep the Minimum Wage from becoming a real living wage. Where does that kind of money go?

Hint:

John McCarthy, a very wealthy racist white man heads up the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association with the offices maintained in his own home, a multi-million dollar estate at 8925 Cove Dr. NE Bemidji, MN 56601.

John McCarthy also owns Tony Doom Supply Company http://www.tonydoom.com/ which sells campaign paraphernalia like yard signs, bumper stickers, buttons and even office furniture to the very politicians he is doling out campaign contributions to.

So, with one hand John McCarthy as the Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association is doling out tens of millions of dollars to Minnesota while with his other hand he is taking this money back in by selling these very politicians their campaign materials and office furniture.

And, as anyone can see, the head of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, Ken Martin, is working in cahoots with both John McCarthy and the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association and McCarthy's personal business, Tony Doom Supply Company.

I would suggest Bill Moyers and Company investigate why working people can't get a real living wage out of the Democrats when the Minnesota DFL Platform specifically states:

      "LABOR And EMPLOYMENT

      We promote the American labor movement and the rights of all workers.

      We Support:

      A minimum wage that keeps pace with inflation and provides full time
      workers with an income above the poverty level."

Now, watch this video, or listen to the audio recording, of the members of this Minnesota Legislative Committee discussing the Minimum Wage:

http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/committees/committee_media_list.php?ls&cmte_id=3060


If this isn't a scandal for Bill Moyers and Company to investigate, I don't know what is.

Lori Swanson, Minnesota's Attorney General says that all of this is within the law; but, is it? Swanson is a Democrat taking campaign funds from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association.

Why would the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association spend over fourteen-million dollars lobbying Minnesota state legislators on one issue like maintaining the Minimum Wage as a poverty wage when Native American people have more to gain than anyone from the Minimum Wage being raised?


There must be a hell of a lot of profits to be made from paying casino workers employed in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos without any rights poverty wages, eh?

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

58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763

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

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

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

Where do we go from here?

What to do? What to do?

Where to shop?

Who to vote for?

It's easy to avoid the corporate sponsored politicians; this includes ALL Democrats and Republicans in Minnesota.

It isn't so easy to avoid corporate stores; most people can't afford to "buy local."

People being paid poverty wages simply have to buy the cheapest and even the cheapest they more often then not can't afford.

If you are making less than $30.00 an hour, you simply shop the cheapest prices.

I don't think well-heeled upper middle class people understand this no matter how much empathy they have for the poor.

I walk through some of these food "co-ops" and most people can't even afford to shop in these places... they have become the exclusive privilege of the yuppy crowd.

Up here in Warroad, Minnesota there is only one grocery store without any competition; prices are sky high in this multi-family owned super-market... owned by a bunch of Republicans.

Poverty wages with sky-rocketing prices doesn't leave people with real alternatives to choose from.

Not one single Democrat in Minnesota has had the moral or political courage to take a stand for the Minimum Wage to be a real living wage.

Not one single Democrat in Minnesota has had the moral or political courage to suggest that prices must be rolled back and controlled on the basic necessities of life.

Why would I give these Dumb Donkeys my one precious vote?

What we should probably do is circulate lists of write-in candidates for every office. Candidates running on the "we are fed up" slate. This wouldn't be expensive and we just might be able to begin getting rid of some of these worthless politicians.

We could organize by Congressional District which would give us the opportunity to field full slates.

Maybe we should start to hold some round-table discussions to find out who wants to run as write-in candidates to challenge these corporate bribed politicians.

We could sell pencils to raise the funds. Take the pencils to the polls and never vote for a corporate bribed politician again. 

Generation Next

Mr. R. T. Rybak, Executive Director, Generation Next;

Thanks for the invitation to participate in this "Generation Next" discussion in seeking solutions to the problems in education.

Put an end to poverty and fully integrate the public schools, and instead of paying for wars fully fund all public schools including reducing the property taxes while taxing the rich and this will solve 95% of the problems our public schools are experiencing.

Of course it doesn't help to have a teacher union like Minnesota Education supporting and funding the campaigns of politicians who are the enemies of public education like Republican State Representative Tony Cornish.

When it comes to jobs, Affirmative Action needs to be enforced if the youth being trained for jobs are going to get the jobs they are being educated and trained for.

Mr. Rybak, I think you are trying to make the problems more complex and confusing than what they really are.

Oh, and feed the kids free breakfast and free lunch in school... I don't know if you understand this or not, but it is very difficult to learn on an empty stomach.

Get rid of all the pop machines and give the kids free milk and juice.

A very simple and inexpensive project kids of all ages could be learning from is preparing the soil, planting and harvesting from community gardens. Kids learn to read, write, do math, learn history, art and science from projects like this... but, then again, corporations don't make big profits from projects like this. Older students can learn the same things from remodeling, rehabilitating and building homes.

Keep public libraries open more days and longer hours.

Have more recreational programs for the youth; ask the youth what programs they want. Some kids might want to play sports, others sing and dance or play Scrabble or do arts and crafts. Lots of kids seem to be interested in photography.

Want to make sure more youth graduate from high school--- let them know there is free higher education... vocational training, college and university available to them.

Make sure there are jobs at good living wages available for youth once they get their high school diploma.

Do you think I should keep a list of these things to check off what you get done? 

Of course it would be good if we had politicians and government where the needs of children and youth come first; this would require a free National Public Child Care Program and a National Public Health Care System--- both could be established on the public education model: public funding and financing, public administration and public delivery.

No child or youth should have to suffer of go without an adequate education because adults have messed up priorities where wars are funded before these human needs.

Keep those darn lying military recruiters out of the public schools.

One other thing; start sending kids at a young age to special classes designed for them in the colleges and universities on Saturdays. Let the kids get a little feel for higher education.

Good luck in your efforts to improve our public schools.

Looking forward to your response,

Sincerely,

-- 

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

 

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

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