Obama and "economic inequality."

Obama's speech on "economic inequality"... text and video: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/12/obama-income-inequality-100662.html

This speech should be widely discussed.

Here is my position:

The Democrats have a mean and cruel strategy for 2014 and 2016 which goes like this...

They intend to pass all these phony Minimum Wage increases across the country where they have Democratic majorities--- claim the Republican Congress prevented a Minimum Wage increase nationally, run on that along with all the rhetoric about how they are the party of "jobs, jobs, jobs"--- elect us--- we raised the Minimum Wage where we could and now we are going to put American back to work. 

I would note that for all the talk about "living wages" that when the discussion turns to the Minimum Wage these Democrats pass so-called "increases" that enforce a continued poverty wage when that Minimum Wage is compared to the actual "cost-of-living." Is there anything other than "cost-of-living" that the Minimum Wage can be fairly compared to? No.

Obama talks about putting people to work; but, do you hear Obama or any other Democrats calling to create legislation that would make it mandatory for the president and Congress to work together to attain and maintain full employment? No. Without such full employment legislation, there is no way to enforce accountability from politicians like Obama who talk about "jobs, jobs, jobs."

Obama says he wants to hear from people who have ideas contrary to his own--- but, who does he ask? Republicans. He should be asking liberals, progressives and leftists just like President Franklin D. Roosevelt did.

Roosevelt, unable to get around and confined to a wheelchair, sent his wife, Eleanor, and Frances Perkins out across the country to ask the victims of the economic depression what kind of help they required. They met with Communists and Socialists, trade unionists and activists struggling against racist injustices and inequality.

Who does Obama go to talk to? The Center for American Progress; a bunch of foundation-funded hypocrites who receive their funding from the "philanthropists" who are the same Wall Street parasites growing fatter and richer from paying workers poverty wages--- the very group who helped create a phony image of Obama in the first place. The very group which, along with the Campaign for America's Future and the Century Foundation and the AFL-CIO leadership, helped to smash the movement for single-payer universal health care.

The Democrats had every opportunity to pass a real living Minimum Wage when they had a super-majority; but, like here in Minnesota with a Democratic super-majority, these Democrats CHOSE to do nothing.

Now, with Obama's record being one continual Wall Street assist, these Democrats opportunistically jump in a self-serving way saying they support "living wages" when in fact their passage of poverty Minimum Wage legislation across the country tells their real story--- and whose side they are on.

Obama rewarded Wal-street, whoops, I mean Wal-mart, by appointing the head of the Wal-mart foundation to be the Director of Management and Budget and billionairess Penny Pritzker as Secretary of Commerce.

Where is the Eleanor Roosevelt, Frances Perkins, Harry Hopkins, Victor Perlo, Fred Stover, Rex Tugwell or Henry Wallace in the Obama Administration? They don't exist.

And, as far as the people's movements... where are the Harry Bridges, Wyndham Mortimers, Art Biggs, Phil Raymonds, Albert Fitzgeralds, Charles Hayes and Roger Jourdains?

To win real change it takes a combination of sympathetic and empathetic people in government and people's organizations and movements with militant and determined leaders brought forward through the ranks of these movements.

We don't have the kind of people in government, the massive organizations behind huge movements with the kind of left wing leaders required to win real change... so, Obama pulls off another one of his infamous dog-and-pony shows standing in front of a bunch of his hand-picked "people's advocates" paid by Wall Street who will applaud for him on cue... but, what do we get from Obama and the Democrats? Shit.

We need a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity;" the only way we are going to get this is when we are able to elect politicians from within our movements.

How is economic equality achieved when Affirmative Action is not being enforced and the Nation's wealth is being squandered on militarism and these dirty imperialist wars?

Protesting poverty wages lands them in jail

by: Matthew Voges

December 3 2013

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- At the intersection of Snelling and University Avenues here, 26 were arrested on Black Friday afternoon, Nov. 29, for protesting poverty wages. This busy intersection is normally congested, but Friday's protestors, seated cross-legged with arms linked in a circle, had stopped traffic completely.
Hundreds cheered from the safety of the large intersection's four corners, holding signs, beating drums and chanting slogans such as "This is what democracy looks like!" and "The people united, will never be defeated!"

Protesters are trying to raise support for legislation raising the minimum wage. "We just want to get a fair wage for the minimum and low-wage workers." said Christina Holly, a protester with TakeAction Minnesota. "A fair day's work deserves fair pay."

The Snelling-University protest followed a march past various St. Paul retailers. In addition to and in support of the Target and Walmart workers on the scene were a variety of organizations including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the Service Employees International Union, Healthcare Minnesota, the Teamsters and Communist Party, USA. "It's a good conglomeration of people from different service fields that said, 'enough is enough. This is the Holidays.'" said Steve Miltich with the SEIU.

One by one, the St. Paul police read the seated protesters their rights, tied their hands, and led them to an awaiting van. The crowd greeted each protester with applause, praise, and cheers. After the last protester was arrested, the crowd headed west on University behind a large banner reading, "End Poverty Wages in Minnesota."

Protester Darrel Paulsen said, "Hopefully this brings more light to corporate America. You can't treat your workers like that and expect that they're going to work for you."

The march continued on past various Midway retailers. As I dropped out of the marching crowd, a woman in a silver SUV stopped to ask me what was happening, and when I told her that they were marching to end poverty wages, she replied, "I should join them."

Photo: Matthew Voges

Stop the cuts to Food Stamps! Increase the Minimum Wage to a real living wage! Don't let the Democrats get away with cutting Food Stamps and then hypocritically claiming to be for an increase in the Minimum Wage.

Please Note: 

I think every single individual and every single organization should go on record as opposed to these Food Stamp cuts and use this statement from the Emergency Labor Network as their guide. This is an emergency. 

At a time when the Democratic Party and its front groups are trying to push another poverty Minimum Wage down our throats completely unrelated to real "cost-of-living" factors, they are cutting Food Stamps. 

Just between these Food Stamp Cuts and rising unemployment and the growing trend towards part-time employment, the miserly Minimum Wage "increase" will be eaten up.

These Food Stamp cuts are a direct attack on the "standard-of-living" of working people at a time when the "cost-of-living," especially for food, is skyrocketing. 

As far as I know, this is the only national organization that has taken on these Food Stamp cuts. I think it is very important to note over and over again, that all these Democratic Party front groups like TakeActionMinnesota have not pointed out these Food Stamp cuts as they support a miserly "increase" in the Minimum Wage to $9.50 an hour which will not even off-set this cut in Food Stamps. This is the meanest and cruelest kind of hypocrisy. 

The Democrats have a mean and cruel strategy for 2014 and 2016 which goes like this:
They intend to pass all these phony Minimum Wage increases across the country where they have Democratic majorities--- claim the Republican Congress prevented a Minimum Wage increase nationally, run on that along with all the rhetoric about how they are the party of "jobs, jobs, jobs"--- elect us--- we raised the Minimum Wage where we could and now we are going to put American back to work.  

We simply can't allow this scenario to be played out without a very significant challenge to this kind of crap. Letter to the Editor, petitions, more statements like this, resolutions for precinct caucuses and organizations, demonstrations, pickets, confronting these politicians face-to-face. Everyone has to be brought together into this struggle against Food Stamp cuts. 

Justice requires an increase in Food Stamp allotments.

December 10 marks the 65th Anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This occasion should be used to fight the cuts to Food Stamps and to fight for the Minimum Wage becoming a real living wage in line with the actual "cost-of-living." 

Alan L. Maki

HOW CAN LABOR SUPPORT A POLITICAL PARTY WHOSE LEADERS VOTE TO CUT FOOD STAMPS?

On June 10, 2013 the U.S. Senate, with its Democratic majority, approved a farm bill that included a $4.1 billion cut in food stamp funding over a 10-year period. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), under this proposal 500,000 households would lose $90 in food stamp benefits each month. Despite that, the Senate passed the measure by a 66-27 margin, making clear that it had bipartisan support.

Only one Senate Democrat voted against the farm bill.

Of course the Senate measure will not become law because it must be reconciled with the Republican-dominated House of Representative's version of a farm bill. 

On September 19, the House passed a farm bill cutting food stamp spending by $39 billion over 10 years. The vote was 217-210. The AFL-CIO sent members of Congress a letter blasting the House's action as "cruel." The letter stated in part:

"The Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act of 2013 [passed by the House] would deny millions of children, seniors, people with disabilities, low-income and unemployed Americans food assistance during a prolonged period of anemic job growth, declining or stagnant wages and growing income inequality."

[Incidentally, 15 members of Congress are the beneficiaries of subsidies provided by farm legislation, the same legislation that includes food stamp funding. As an example, one of these, Rep. Stephen Fincher, a Republican from Tennessee, and his wife collected nearly $3.5 million in subsidies for 1999-2012. Yet Fincher is one of the loudest voices in Congress demanding steep cuts in food stamp funding!]  

So now representatives from the House and Senate are meeting in an attempt to reconcile the different versions. The question is how deep the cuts to the food stamp program will be. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who chairs that body's agriculture committee, has already expressed a willingness to cut food stamp funding even more than the Senate bill did.

President Obama is on record as opposing major cuts in food stamp funding, meaning that he favors cutting such funding providing that the cuts are not too drastic. Labor should demand that the president declare that he will veto any farm legislation that contains any cuts to food stamps!

What makes the proposed cuts so much worse is that food stamp funding took a big hit on November 1 of this year, when monthly benefits for all 47 million recipients of the program were cut by roughly 7 percent. This occurred due to the expiration of a benefit increase that resulted from the 2009 stimulus program. A number of Democrats supported  the November cuts, saying that the money should be used to forestall the states laying off teachers. This is a crass example of robbing Peter to pay Paul at a time when there is plenty of money available from other sources to maintain teachers' jobs while not only maintaining funding for food stamps but increasing that funding.

So unless labor intervenes in alliance with its community partners to build a powerful movement that demands no cuts to food stamp funding, further cuts are inevitable in addition to those implemented in November. In fact, we should be demanding not only that the program be maintained, it should be expanded to guarantee more adequate nutrition for children (who make up half of food stamp recipients), disabled people, seniors, veterans, military families and others who rely so heavily on food stamps.

What Happened to Labor's Proclaimed Congressional Allies?

Those politicians who like to identify themselves as "friends of labor" have, in fact, compromised away any claim to solidarity with working people. Instead of drawing a line in the sand and forcefully opposing all cuts to food stamps, they caved in, claiming that a farm bill was needed and cutting food stamps was the only way to get it passed. They also point to the fact that in the Senate they voted for an amendment to restore food stamp funding, but it was defeated 26-70. In addition, they take pains to condemn the much more extreme cuts voted by the House.

None of these rationalizations should carry any weight with trade unionists. Voting to deprive children and their families of essential meals cannot be justified under any circumstances -- period. The Senate could have voted to separate food stamp funding from the rest of the farm bill but it chose not to do so. The lopsided vote defeating the effort to restore the $4.1 billion food stamp funding shows where things now stand. Since that failed, then it was incumbent to vote against the farm bill as a whole, as only one Democratic senator did. If a majority had taken that position, the Senate would have been in an infinitely stronger position in negotiating with the Republican-dominated House and preventing additional millions from experiencing greater malnutrition.

As for the Republicans pressing for greater cuts, that hardly justifies voting for lesser cuts. That is part and parcel of the old discredited game the politicians play of supporting lesser evil legislation and claiming victory in averting a worse outcome, no matter the damage done to the working class majority by whatever is enacted. It has never occurred to Democratic Party leaders to call upon masses of people to descend on Washington to oppose any and all food stamp cuts in this epic struggle. Since when have these leaders ever sought to mobilize the people for any progressive cause?

Labor's Role

The failure of labor to mount an aggressive campaign against food stamp cuts, starting with condemning the Senate's June 10action, is due to its failed strategy of relying on Democratic Party leaders and the president to protect workers' interests. We in labor will continue to suffer painful setbacks so long as this strategy is pursued. What is needed instead is for labor to act independently in the interests of the working class majority. The immediate need is to pull out all the stops in the weeks ahead to ensure the largest possible mobilizations demanding "NO Cuts!" to food stamps. This is a needed step forward for labor and its allies to have a real voice in determining national policies, culminating in forming a party of our own: a workers party based on the unions and our community partners. The public as a whole, according to the latest polls, gives the Democratic Party a low favorability rating.  Over 60 percent have lost faith in both major parties and are looking for an alternative. Labor can provide that alternative.

It's time for a change! 

Also see my letter to the editor: 
Another "Letter to the Editor" gets published; this time about cuts to food stamps

Notice on page 1 is an article about the Food Shelf needing donations because food stamps have been cut: 

http://www.trftimes.com/news/index.php?option=com_flippingbook&view=book&id=250%3Anovember-30-2013&catid=1%3Adefault-category&Itemid=18

On page 4 is my Letter to the Editor about the cut to Food Stamps.

If the links don't work, just google "northern watch" and click on November 30 edition.

The buttons on the bottom enable you to flip through the pages.

-- 

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/

I signed U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison's MoveOn.org petition to increase the Minimum Wage with addinng this message...

#93627	Alan Maki	Dec 3, 2013	Warroad, MN
There is only one way to assure the Minimum Wage becomes a real living--- non-poverty--- wage; this can be accomplished by legislatively tying the Minimum Wage to all the cost of living factors as monitored by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics indexed for inflation and increased periodically to provide an increased standard-of-living. Along with this we need a guaranteed annual income for all Americans that would correspond to a living Minimum Wage. All of this should become part of a package extending the New Deal reforms which must include making the President and Congress legislatively responsible for attaining and maintaining Full Employment. What we need is a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" which would include all of this and real job creation programs. Kathleen Blake of TakeActionMinnesota has stated: "The wages of low- and middle-income working Minnesotans continue to stagnate, while the cost of housing, utilities, food, childcare, transportation and health care continue to increase. It costs a family of three (one adult and two children) approximately $46,000 a year to meet basic needs" If this reflects the actual and true cost-of-living then this is what the Minimum Wage should be based on. Besides, what is with you politicians talking about everything under the sun except for two things: "cost-of-living" and "standard of living?" You politicians should be willing to make whatever you establish the Minimum Wage at as your own pay... and most people in this country are so fed up with the whole darn bunch of you that they probably think this would be far too generous. Alan L. Maki Director of Organizing, Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Kathleen Blake of Take Action Minnesota responds... I ask another question.

On Tue, Dec 3, 2013 at 10:22 AM, Kathleen Blake <kathleen@takeactionminnesota.org> wrote:

Alan,

 

We recognize that $9.50 is not enough for an individual, let alone a parent supporting a couple kids, to live on.  But it's a start for 2014 and we support the current House bill which would increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.50.  We agree with the Governor that we would "settle" for $9.50 in 2014 as a way to move the wage floor up for working families but much more needs to be done -- including ensuring predictable hours every week that a worker can count on, paid sick days and indexing this wage annually for inflation.

Kathleen O'Halloran Blake
Economy Organizer
TakeAction Minnesota
kathleen@takeactionminnesota.org
218-398-2271

 

My response:

Kathleen Blake and Take Action Minnesota,

You haven't answered my questions but I appreciate the response.

It seems I have heard the exact same response in relation to Obamacare from you Democrats.

Can you project, after this initial step, when we can anticipate that the Minimum Wage will become a real living--- non-poverty--- wage?

Kathleen; Is $9.50 a poverty wage or not?

Here is the bottom line and of all the questions I have posed to you; this is the only one I would really appreciate a response to:

Why blame Wal-mart, Target, McDonald's, Burger King or any other employer for paying poverty wages when you are working hand-in-hand with politicians to assure employers can legally pay their employees poverty wages?

Please answer this question.

You say you agree with the Governor; but, have you approached the Governor with you figures about what a real living--- non-poverty--- Minimum Wage would be? If so; what was his excuse for not going after a real living Minimum Wage?

You see, Kathleen; it is not up to you to make deals and compromises with the Governor. Each and everyone of the unions backing your organization has been engaged in bargaining away the rights and livelihoods of the workers they represent.

I don't recall any workers receiving these poverty wages having given you or these unions the right to bargain away their livelihoods with Governor Dayton.

Kathleen; Is $9.50 a poverty wage or not?

Here is the bottom line and of all the questions I have posed to you; this is the only one I would really appreciate a response to:

Why blame Wal-mart, Target, McDonald's, Burger King or any other employer for paying poverty wages when you are working hand-in-hand with politicians to assure employers can legally pay their employees poverty wages?

Please answer this question.

Everyone I talk to about this issue agrees with me, not you or the Governor, that the Minimum Wage should be legislatively tied to all the cost-of-living factors monitored by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, indexed to inflation with periodic increases to improve the standard of living of working people.

Now, like with Obamacare and single-payer, in steps your organization--- backed and funded by unions and a bunch of foundations--- and you are speaking on behalf of people who never asked you to speak for them.

AFSCME circulated petitions at the Minnesota State Fair along with members of your organization, Take Action Minnesota, calling for workers to be paid $9.50 an hour.

Kathleen; Is $9.50 a poverty wage or not?

Here is the bottom line and of all the questions I have posed to you; this is the only one I would really appreciate a response to:

Why blame Wal-mart, Target, McDonald's, Burger King or any other employer for paying poverty wages when you are working hand-in-hand with politicians to assure employers can legally pay their employees poverty wages?

Please answer this question.

Well; you know what? I might circulate a petition calling for everyone on the public payroll--- from politicians to state employees--- to be paid the same $9.50 an hour. I bet I can get a lot more signatures on this kind of petition.

And then you have the unmitigated gall to tell me you are willing to settle for $9.50 an hour in 2014 knowing this would not go into effect until 2015.

Kathleen; Is $9.50 a poverty wage or not?

Here is the bottom line and of all the questions I have posed to you; this is the only one I would really appreciate a response to:

Why blame Wal-mart, Target, McDonald's, Burger King or any other employer for paying poverty wages when you are working hand-in-hand with politicians to assure employers can legally pay their employees poverty wages?

Please answer this question. 

While working people have had to endure poverty as a result of the government forcing poverty wages on them for over two years as the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party with its super-majority did nothing in the way of raising the Minimum Wage, this enabled business interests to pocket billions of dollars in additional profits.

Minnesotans have a right to know exactly what the obstacle to a real living--- non-poverty--- Minimum Wage is.

What is this obstacle?

You are marching and demonstrating all over the state calling for a "living wage." Why do you lead people to think you are for a living wage when you are supporting a poverty wage?

The "increase" you are proposing won't even cover the increased cost of Obamacare let alone meet the increased prices of food, gas, and home heating fuels which people can't afford now.

Kathleen; Is $9.50 a poverty wage or not?

Here is the bottom line and of all the questions I have posed to you; this is the only one I would really appreciate a response to:

Why blame Wal-mart, Target, McDonald's, Burger King or any other employer for paying poverty wages when you are working hand-in-hand with politicians to assure employers can legally pay their employees poverty wages?

Please answer this question.

Your organization and the unions and foundations backing you refuse to talk in terms of "cost-of-living" and "standard-of-living" in relation to the Minimum Wage--- this is deceitful and dishonest. 

It is bad enough you are betraying working people on the issue of the Minimum Wage... what is just as bad is that you refuse to address the need for a guaranteed living income for everyone and you refuse to support making government responsible for attaining and maintaining full employment.

You Democrats have pushed over 40,000 Minnesotans into loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and forced them to work without any rights under state or federal labor laws and you have turned your backs in indifference on these workers for three decades and you expect me to believe that you are ever going to stand up and demand a real living Minimum Wage for other Minnesota workers?

The fact is, you haven't even so much as suggested that the Minimum Wage should be legislatively tied to all "cost-of-living" factors.

Where does this $9.50 an hour figure come from? What is the basis of this $9.50 figure? Does it have anything to do with eradicating poverty?

Kathleen; Is $9.50 a poverty wage or not?

Here is the bottom line and of all the questions I have posed to you; this is the only one I would really appreciate a response to:

Why blame Wal-mart, Target, McDonald's, Burger King or any other employer for paying poverty wages when you are working hand-in-hand with politicians to assure employers can legally pay their employees poverty wages?

Please answer this question.

I do find it very interesting and significant that your organization, Take Action Minnesota, has never held a demonstration for living wages at any of the casino operations of the Indian Gaming Industry here in Minnesota. Do campaign contributions made to the Democrats have a bearing on this?

Alan L. Maki

 

 

 

This was my original letter:

 

From: Alan Maki [alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2013 10:27 AM

To: Paul Marquart
Subject: Let's talk about "cost-of-living" and the Minimum Wage.

http://www.unionbook.org/profiles/blogs/let-s-talk-about-cost-of-living-and-the-minimum-wage?xg_source=activity

Please feel free to circulate widely; if Kathleen Blake responds I will provide her response on my blog.  Alan L. Maki

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Alan Maki <alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Nov 30, 2013 at 12:32 AM
Subject: Re: Rally, March and Demonstration in Grand Rapids, Minnesota to increase the Minimum Wage
To: Kathleen Blake <kathleen@takeactionminnesota.org>

To:

Kathleen Blake, Take Action Minnesota; 

I am in receipt of this e-mail (see below) announcing your plans for a rally, march and demonstration supposedly intended to push to raise the Minimum Wage.

The problem is, you are advocating for a poverty Minimum Wage to come into effect in two years at which time, in terms of real money, the $9.50 an hour you are advocating will be a lower Minimum Wage than what it is today at $7.25 and hour.

You acknowledge this:

The wages of low- and middle-income working Minnesotans continue to stagnate, while the cost of housing, utilities, food, childcare, transportation and health care continue to increase. It costs a family of three (one adult and two children) approximately $46,000 a year to meet basic needs.

And; yet, you and the Democrats who you front for, proceed to advocate for a $9.50 Minimum Wage; why would you advocate for a Minimum Wage that is not a real living wage based on all "cost-of-living" factors as determined by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics?

The Minimum Wage should be legislatively tied to all cost of living factors, re-calculated quarterly for inflation and periodically increased to improve the living standards of working people.

The Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party has a super-majority--- a Democratic governor, a Democratic majority in the State House and a majority in the Minnesota State Senate.

There is no reason why workers shouldn't have a real living Minimum Wage.

To betray working people for political expediency is the epitome of everything that is wrong with the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, union "leadership" in Minnesota and foundation-funded fronts for the MNDFL.

The Roseau County DFL's County Convention passed a resolution calling for the Minimum Wage to be legislatively tied to all "cost-of-living" factors provided by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics and this is the one and only fair and just way of resolving the Minimum Wage issue.

Why would you push for a Minimum Wage that is so much lower than what you acknowledge the actual cost of living to be?

There is also the matter of long-term unemployment which is acknowledged by politicians and economists alike to be the "new normal." This will require two remedies:

First, and most urgent; unemployed people are entitled to real living incomes from the time of job loss until they become gainfully employed.

Second; we need a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" which would legislatively mandate and require the President and Congress to work together to attain and maintain full employment.

It is high time to make these politicians who campaign on promises of "jobs, jobs, jobs" to fulfill these campaign promises. 

Working people are entitled to something for their votes.

Working people without jobs are going to be poor.

Working people paid poverty wages far below what the cost of living is are going to be poor.

Stop playing games with the lives of working people and bring forward alternatives which are really required to put an end to poverty.

In addition; you are holding this rally, march and demonstration here in northern Minnesota that has the most atrocious, despicable racist poverty resulting from racist discrimination in employment of Native American people. Poverty and unemployment on the Indian Reservations is so terrible, politicians and the media are too embarrassed to even talk about this. And your organizations and the MNDFL refuse to insist on the enforcement of Affirmative Action. Why is this? 

The MN DFL has created over 40,000 jobs in the Indian Gaming Industry where workers are forced to work in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages with constantly recurring wage theft and without any protections and rights under state or federal labor laws and your organizations remain silent and do nothing about this injustice in an industry where every single slot machine and table game along with all the other profitable enterprises comprising this hideous Indian Gaming Industry are owned by a bunch of racist, rich white mobsters for whom crooked and corrupt tribal councils are the fronts as the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association bribes Democrats to perpetuate this injustice.

Not a peep of protest from your organizations nor one single politician in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Select Committee on Living Wage Jobs has repeatedly refused to acknowledge these issues.

Not one single politician, union staff person nor the director of any of the foundation-funded outfits pushing this poverty wage under the guise increasing the Minimum Wage would work for the miserly wage of $9.50 an hour.

The whole bunch of you should be ashamed to engage in a campaign that uses the poverty of others for self-serving political expediency. 

It is pathetic that the MNDFL with its super-majority refused to raise the Minimum Wage during the last legislative session.

Even more appalling is the dirty work of Minnesota State Senator Tom Bakk who hails from the racist building trades unions who cries a sob story for the billionaires in the hospitality industry.

I would suggest that you add the following to your vocabulary:

* Cost-of-living.

* Standard-of-living.

From here we can have a discussion of what a fair and just Minimum Wage should be and how the Minimum Wage should be established so that it is a real living wage.

If employers don't like the idea of paying workers real living wages for the jobs they need to have done, let them do the work themselves.

And as far as small businesses who cry all the way to the bank? Just remove them from Minimum Wage legislation provided they hire their spouses and children to do the work.

Any public official bringing forward the idea workers should work for these poverty wages should be the first to accept such wages as their own pay--- and for most of these state legislators here in Minnesota this would be paying them far more than they are worth.

I would note that the billionaire Democratic Governor of Minnesota inherited his wealth which was derived from paying workers employed at Dayton-Hudson/Target Stores poverty wages.

I would call to your attention this Op-ed piece from the New York Times: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/opinion/26herbert.html?_r=0

I will close by noting the sharp racist and sexist edge there is to tolerating a Minimum Wage that is a poverty wage by simply pointing out the fact that it is people of color--- and women--- who are more often than not employed in the lowest wage jobs because we lack a "level playing field" in the area of employment in this country; which Affirmative Action is supposed to be helping to overcome but is no longer being enforced. Young workers also suffer--- more so if they are youth of color or women. Young women of color suffer the most from the Minimum Wage remaining a poverty wage; just walk into any of the Indian Gaming operations and this fact is readily apparent for anyone who looks to see.

In solidarity and struggle for a real living--- non-poverty--- Minimum Wage,

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Win a prize! Answer this question:

What got Santa arrested at Wal-mart?   

http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_24624142/what-got-santa-claus-arr...

First person with the correct answer to this question wins a free book: 

"Getting America Back To Work"

From: Kathleen Blake a href="mailto:kathleen@takeactionminnesota.org" target="_blank" style="color: #1155cc;">kathleen@takeactionminnesota.org>
Date: Fri, Nov 29, 2013 at 4:06 PM
Subject: GR Rally to End Poverty Wages Sat Dec 7
To: Kathleen Blake a href="mailto:kathleen@takeactionminnesota.org" target="_blank" style="color: #1155cc;">kathleen@takeactionminnesota.org>

Congressman Nolan and area legislators will join residents as we demand an end to poverty-level wages, Sat. Dec 7 at 5:30 PM.  See flyer for additional details.

 

Itasca Working Families Alliance and TakeAction Minnesota will hold a Rally to End Poverty Wages in Minnesota Sat. December 7 at 6 PMin Grand Rapids.  The Rally will be preceded by a March from the Angel of Hope Park at 5:30 pm, across the Pokegama Ave Bridge and on to the Big Red Chair (corner of Hwy 169 and Hwy 2), before moving inside to Brewed Awakenings Coffee House at 6 PM.

An area resident will give the perspective of trying to survive on minimum wage.  Other speakers will include US Representative Rick Nolan, Senator Tom Saxhaug, Representative Tom Anzelc and other area elected officials. 

As we gather across from the Christmas lights on the grounds of Old Central School, marchers will acknowledge the hard working men and women who make the holidays happen, despite being paid poverty level wages with few benefits.  A big fire will warm the marchers, in solidarity with the workers of McDonald’s corporation who are advised, on the company website’s budget for struggling workers, to allocate $0 for heat.

The wages of low- and middle-income working Minnesotans continue to stagnate, while the cost of housing, utilities, food, childcare, transportation and health care continue to increase. It costs a family of three (one adult and two children) approximately $46,000 a year to meet basic needs. Yet, a parent working full-time earning the federal minimum wage ($7.25) has a gross income of only $15,080, leaving a family of three at only 78% of the federal poverty level. Worse yet, workers covered only by Minnesota’s minimum wage law ($6.15) earn $13,000 a year – an income that leaves a family of three at 68% of the federal poverty level.

Economic Security is critical to the health of our children, families and communities.  End Poverty Wages in Minnesota.      

Kathleen O'Halloran Blake
Economy Organizer
TakeAction Minnesota
kathleen@takeactionminnesota.org
218-398-2271

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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/