Mr. Dane Smith of Growth and Justice and Minnesota State Representative David Bly;
I have listened to the interview, read ALL the links provided in this e-mail.
Quite frankly, you are basing your premises on sheer myth.
The myth being that the United States ever had this huge "middle class." There has never been a bigger big lie fabricated... not even the myth that the United States is the world's greatest bastion of democracy is a bigger big lie.
Not once do either of you confront the problem of class which is at the very root of the capitalist inequality.
Not once do either of you confront the issue of militarism and wars which are squandering the wealth of our Nation which has been created by the working class; wealth which should be earmarked for national universal social programs that would create tens of millions of decent, good-paying real living wage jobs providing people with the quality of life and standard of living every single working class family is entitled to according to the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights--- neither of you mention that:
* A National Public Health Care System would put twelve to fifteen Americans to work providing people with free health care... publicly financed, publicly administered and publicly delivered just like public education.
* A National Public Child Care System which would employ three to five million workers providing working class families and everyone else with quality and safe free child care... again, like a National Public Health Care System, all publicly financed, publicly administered and publicly delivered just like public education.
The American people give up these two much needed universal social programs--- and for what in return? Wall Street's continued militarism and wars and to pay additional billions for Israel's genocidal pogroms against the Palestinian people forced to live on a small strip of land like so many Native Americans living on Indian Reservations?
Not once do either of you so much as mention the Cost-of-Living Crisis each and every working class family in this country is now forced to endure with state and federal governments using their political and economic levers to enforce poverty so employers--- large and small--- can continue to reap super profits from this cheap labor.
Neither of you would be able to live on the $9.50 Minimum Wage you supported or the $10.10 Democrats give lip-service to advocating as an election ploy.
Are those who will make $9.50 going to be part of your "middle class?"
Neither of you support the enforcement of Affirmative Action. It would be very simple for Minnesota legislators to stipulate that every bonding proposal from which the bankers reap tremendous profits should be tied to the mandatory enforcement of Affirmative Action; thus assuring people of color, women and the handicapped gain access to decent, good-paying jobs.
You fail to mention that most working people have no representation at the table where real decisions are made because of the Draconian and undemocratic "At-Will Employment" legislation the majority workers in Minnesota and across the country are subjected to. Why haven't you two proposed ending "At-Will Employment" here in Minnesota and across the country?You want us to fantasize along with you and "socialist" Joseph Stiglitz in memory of the great "liberal" Hubert Humphrey about a great "middle class America" while you sit in silence as workers experience very specific problems ranging from poverty wages to unjust firings to government spending on militarism and wars to this Cost-of-Living Crisis... all the result of a class divided capitalist society now at its imperialist apex which has spun a powerful web trapping working class families; a web spun by Wall Street that is held together by racism, anti-Communism and corruption protecting Wall Street's quest for maximum profits no matter the harm that results to humans and Mother Nature--- labor is exploited, Mother Nature is raped. I have a link I hope you will read. This is an article written by the former socialist Governor of Minnesota, Elmer Benson, because it explains a type of politics you are trying to foist upon us without dialog, discussion or debate:http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/47/v47i04p154-161.pdfYou want us to perceive your fairy-tale of a "middle class society" as something that is achievable when it is not simply because Wall Street and its capitalist system will not permit it; and, even if it were permissible, it would still leave tens of millions of working class families languishing in poverty because, as you yourselves state, poverty amidst such tremendous wealth would still remain; and since you offer no programs that include the enforcement of Affirmative Action--- the only known specific remedy to racist employment practices--- racism would continue to plague our country along with discrimination against women and the handicapped when it comes to employment--- jobs for everyone at real living wages in line with cost-of-living which is the key to ending poverty which goes along with racism and these dirty wars all of which are the most prominent features of capitalism in its imperialist stage.
I am sure there is no shortage of millionaire labor "leaders," those from the foundation-funded crowd along with Wall Street bribed politicians who would like to provide a "liberal" and even "socialist" cover for Wall Street's agenda as long as there is no discussion of building a progressive movement with the intent of challenging Wall Street for political and economic power.
As far as suggesting, as you do Mr. Smith, that we have to find common ground with conservative Republicans in order to get any kind of change, this is one more fallacy.
Democrats have had ample opportunity with veto-proof majorities to implement real change.
Who stopped Democrats in Minnesota from implementing a real living Minimum Wage in line with the actual and real cost-of-living? Not Republicans; it was Democrats.
Liberals crafted the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights conveniently leaving out any means of enforcement just like Democrats today have shrewdly relied on George Lakoff to properly "frame progressive policy directives" while intentionally leaving out specific remedies to the problems so well articulated in order to trick people into voting for Democrats who over and over again side with Wall Street when it comes to implementing legislation.
The main "building block" is peace. As long as our Nation's wealth is being squandered on militarism and wars we have no decent present or future.
What we need is a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity;" this should be our main "building block."
We need to recognize that we create jobs through massive universal social programs solving our problems. We need the money now financing militarism and wars from which Wall Street profits to be directed towards providing for human needs.
We need 800 U.S. military bases around the world on foreign soil like we need holes in our heads--- we need health care and child care instead. Jobs putting people to work solving our problems.
Democrats in Minnesota put 44,000 people to work. The problem is these 44,000 Minnesotans were put to work in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and without any rights or a voice at work.
And now Democrats with your support Mr. Smith... and your vote State Representative David
Bly have pushed working class Minnesotans further into poverty with your $9.50 Minimum Wage that won't go into effect until after the Cost-of-Living Crisis is worse than it is today. After all, any thinking person knows that you will be able to purchase less on $9.50 an hour when this legislation goes into effect than what you can purchase today on $7.25 an hour.
In the meantime, working people remain caught in this two-party trap with both Democrats and Republicans bringing us nothing but poverty and wars. Obama's wars, like Republican wars, are creating poverty.
Tell us Mr. Smith and Representative Bly; why isn't peace one of your main foundation "building block?"
Alan L. Maki
