My response to the founder and head of the Minnesota Tea Party Movement who posted on my FaceBook Wall---

-Antoinette Backdahl

I might be there just to observe the crowd and to say hello to the DFL tea party folks. ;-}

6 hours ago ·

Alan L. Maki

Toni, everyone is welcome; the more the merrier... this is your opportunity to see first-hand how Brian Melendez and the well-heeled Summit Hill Club exercise racist and anti-labor control over the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party. You will see first-hand how all the problems of working people get shoved under the rug. You will have the opportunity to see first hand how come that in a state with one of the largest Native American Indian populations in the United States of America where Indians where massacred on every hill and mountainside as their land and resources were stolen out from under them at the present time do not have one single state or federal elected official in the state legislature or amongst our congressional delegation... you will see first-hand how institutionalized racism works and how Brian Melendez and his Summit Hill Club and the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party Business Caucus has managed to field a dozen candidates--- all white--- for governor... I am sure all you Tea Party folks will feel just as at home amongst the MN DFL as you do among your Republican colleagues like Dick Armey who funds the Tea Party Movement with help from the racist and fascist Koch family. The other thing you might witness as a Tea Party observer attending the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party State Convention is how liberals and the left come together in a progressive political alliance to struggle against racism and the corruption which thrives on racism in all its ugly forms as people fight for a fiscally sound and responsible government in demanding an end to Obama's and the Democrats dirty wars so that all this money being fiscally irresponsibly wasted on killing people and jobs is redirected towards creating jobs by meeting the needs of the people and solving our problems as we create a government the size of which is required is determined by what is needed to operate to best work on behalf of solving the problems of the people. You will also get to observe people in action who believe that "free markets" and "capitalism" are the death-knell of democracy robbing the people of a decent life as Wall Street profiteers rake in the profits from solving the problems of this economic crisis which they created on the backs of the people. If Tea Baggers hang around the MN DFL State Convention long enough they will see how Brian Melendez and his Summit Hill Club work to smother democracy as effectively and efficiently as any Tea Bagger who spits upon the poor and ridicules people of color with racist epithets. Stick around even longer and you might witness how liberals, progressives and the left seek to restore the politics of Minnesota's two most honest and beloved governors, Floyd Olson and Elmer Benson and their good friend U.S. Congressman John Bernard, Rudy Perpich and Roger Jourdain to our state's political life.

And Toni, my offer stands to you or any other member of your Tea Party movement: I will be willing to debate any of you in Duluth during the State Convention of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party on the issues which you claim are most important:

1. Fiscal responsibility
2. Limited government
3. Free markets

and... if you are up to it:

Which direction for Minnesota and America--- Capitalism or Socialism?

Toni, come to Duluth; I look forward to finally meeting you :)

Say, Toni, you Tea Partiers wouldn't have any suggestions about how to get the dirty money of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association out of Minnesota politics, would you?

Repeal “at-will hiring, at-will firing” to build momentum for the Employee Free Choice Act

Alan L. Maki

What we need is massive public works projects not these job-killing wars that are killing people, too. With wars raging costing billions construction will never re-start--- Biden doesn't even mention the need to enforce affirmative action. We already had a trillion dollar stimulus and communities of people of color never got jobs as their unemployment rates soared... 25% unemployment among construction workers--- 65% unemployment on Indian Reservations.

Let's just not pass EFCA; let's repeal "at-will hiring; at-will firing" the primary obstacle to union organizing in this country.

I would ask Richard Trumka and Richard Levis--- is anything going to be done by labor at the upcoming Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party State Convention in Duluth (this Fri., Sat. Sunday) to put a resolution on the floor for the repeal of "at will hiring; at will firing?" If not, why not?

Last time I tried to move such a resolution on the floor of the MNDFL State Convention the President and Vice-President of the MN AFL-CIO shamefully joined with business interests and opposed its passage... now here you come talking about the EFCA... let's get "at-will hiring; "at-will" firing" repealed here in Minnesota as an example to the other 27 states with similar Draconian legislation... this will build the struggle for the EFCA

Tell the Democrats: We want peace, jobs, justice and healthcare!

Alan L. Maki

Hopefully peace activists will turn out in force for the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party State Convention in Duluth this coming weekend--- April 23, 24, 25 (Saturday is the big day).

Bush and the Republicans started these dirty wars with full and complete support from the Democrats... now Barack Obama and the Democrats are carrying on these murderous wars all on their own--- they can't blame the Republicans for starting these wars since they were fully complicit and now the Democrats have no one to blame but themselves--- all of Minnesota's Congressional delegation has been complicit in many ways with these dirty wars that are killing people and killing jobs while depriving us of real healthcare reform.

The time has come for liberals and the left to unite in massive and powerful grassroots actions to end these dirty wars.

We need larger demonstrations in the streets; we need candidates challenging these two-faced, hypocritical Democrats in the primaries and we need peace candidates committed to social and economic justice running as independents or on a new party ticket in the general election.

If we are going to end these wars we simply can't keep voting for Democrats just because they are Democrats... we need to be voting for candidates who have the moral and political courage to stand for something.

Delegates to the MNDFL State Convention should have to pass through Minnesotans with signs saying:

No peace; no votes.
No real healthcare reform; no votes.
No jobs at living wages with enforcement of affirmative action; no votes.

Brian Melendez is trying to head off two very important resolutions at the MNDFL State Convention:

One calling for divesting from the Israeli killing machine.

The other for making support for enforcement of affirmative action in hiring part of the MNDFL's "Action Agenda."

This year, the well-heeled Summit Hill Club and the MNDFL Business Caucus dominate in delegates... out of nearly two-thousand delegates--- liberals, progressives and the left only have about 150 votes because Obama and the Democrats reneged on everything they said they would do and then did just the opposite. As a result... liberals, progressives and the left stayed away from the Precinct Caucuses in droves leaving all decision-making in the DFL in the hands of corporate attorneys like Brian Melendez and those like the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association.

The MNDFL State Convention will be nothing but an affair with all the decisions made before the convention is called to order so it is more important than ever people for peace, social and economic justice turn out... there is a very large balcony to fill and voices for peace and justice need to be heard loud and clear.

Don't allow Brian Melendez to silence voices for peace and social justice as he did at the 7th Congressional District Nominating Convention where no one else was allowed to run against that racist, warmonger Collin Peterson.

It’s time for a full, complete and honest dialog in this country…

Alan L. Maki

I think it's terrible that Stewart Acuff of the AFL-CIO would resort to anti-communism in calling the mining disaster a "Chinese mining disaster in West Virginia." The Chinese had nothing at all to do with the deaths of 25 coal miners in West Virginia. As Mr. Acuff knows full well, most of the mining disasters in China are in private and foreign owned or controlled coal mines. What is the purpose of attacking China because a bunch of Wall Street capitalists seeking maximum profits sacrifice the lives of working people for profit? Capitalism kills workers in this country just like in China.

The host of this radio program mentioned "at-will hiring;" in fact, "at-will hiring; at-will firing" is the major impediment to union organizing in this country... 28 states are "at-will." Many of these states are controlled by Democrats bankrolled by unions... why hasn't the AFL-CIO demanded accountability from those politicians they back by insisting "at-will" be repealed? Even the Employee Free Choice Act won't overcome "at-will hiring; at-will firing."

Workers have "lost ground" because we don't have a minimum wage that is a living wage tied directly to the cost of living based upon the calculations of the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The wars Bush and the Republicans started with full support from the Democrats now being carried out fully by Obama and the Democrats are killing people and killing jobs. For what these dirty imperialist wars are costing us we could create a world-class socialized healthcare system which would create up to ten-million new members providing the American people with free healthcare--- these wars are robbing us of healthcare and jobs.

In the 1930's and 1940's the struggle was for union representation and recognition in the mines, mills and factories... as Phil Raymond, a founder of the UAW often pointed out, the next struggle would be over protecting these jobs and he pointed out that this struggle would have to be over who will own these mines, mills and factories.

Right now over 3,700 mines, mills and factories are closed... they need to be re-opened under public ownership in order to save and create jobs. The time has come for working people to assert themselves into the decision-making process because Obama and the Democrats are not going to create the kinds of jobs at living wages unless they are facing a massive movement for this kind of real change.

Whirlpool is closing a huge refrigerator plant in Indiana... The AFL-CIO and the Crowne family with controlling interest in Whirlpool both support Obama and many of the same Democrats--- how can workers make any gains supporting the bosses' candidates and political parties... we need to begin talking about a socialist, working class political party like Canadian workers have in the New Democratic Party. Working people in this country will make little progress without a labor party.
We need to expand public ownership and control in this country because the only institutions still working are public institutions... capitalism and everything associated with the "free market economy" is faltering while capitalism itself is on the skids to oblivion.

Workers aren't buying into the Democratic Party anymore because the Democrats have refused to deliver as promised.

Acuff, like the rest of the leadership of the AFL-CIO refuses to insist on enforcement of affirmative action while making all kinds of excuses for Obama including making the accusation that it is only the right-wing opposing Obama when Stewart Acuff and the AFL-CIO should be mobilizing “warriors for justice” in attacking Obama’s Wall Street agenda.

As long as Stewart Acuff and the leadership of the AFL-CIO remain apologists for Obama and the Democrats there will be no forward movement for peace and social justice.

Acuff says he is “thrilled” with all the accolades for his new book… but, what he doesn’t say is that he “bans” people like myself from commenting on his book on his facebook page.

Funny… in the interview conducted of Acuff the interviewer talks about what a great and important book Acuff has written and then goes on to say he hasn’t even read the book yet… what hypocrites.

My response to The Century Foundation on health care reform…

I posted this in response to a blog posting on “The Century Foundation” web site:

http://takingnote.tcf.org/2010/03/who-is-don-berwick-and-what-will-this-mean-for-health-care-reform.html

The Century Foundation is responsible for coordinating all the work that went into undermining the grassroots and rank-and-file movements for single-payer universal health care.

In my opinion, the hour is too late to keep dinging around with advocating single-payer universal health care… what we now need to do is focus our energies in struggling for socialized health care.

Here is what I posted in response to a blog posting by Maggie Mahar who heads up all the destructive work of The Century Foundation aimed at undermining grassroots and rank-and-file struggles for peace & social and economic justice of which real health care reform is a major part:

 

Why aren't we talking about a national public health care program (socialized health care)?

This is the only solution to this health care mess created by the for-profit, market driven health care system.

We already have three of the finest socialized health care models to expand and work from: VA, Indian Health Service and the National Public Health Service. Even as under-funded as these public health services are--- they are the best examples of good health care systems in the world.

If we ended these dirty wars that George Bush and the Republicans started with support from the Democrats which Barack Obama and the Democrats now keep going and expanding all on their own, we could use the money now being used to kill people and killing jobs to create the finest public health care system in the world which, in turn, would create up to ten million new jobs.

Here is a formula we should all be considering:

Peace = Socialized health care + Jobs

I work with people employed in the loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos of the Indian Gaming Industry for whom real health care reform is a matter of life-and-death... working people employed in environments causing diseases and illness should not have to pay a single penny for health insurance.

People went to the polls to elect a president and congress to end these dirty wars, for real health care reform and for creating jobs paying real living wages... what we are getting is more wars, the "Health Insurance Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010" and trillion dollar "stimulus funding" creating poverty wage jobs without the enforcement of Executive Order #11246 (affirmative action).

I look forward to your response. In the meantime, we are telling people we are fed up with the politics of the Democrats and the Republicans:

No peace; no votes.
No public health care system; no votes.
No living wage jobs with affirmative action enforced; no votes.

This is what they call "accountability" in a "democracy."

We are living in the richest country in the world with a Wall Street imposed government that can't even provide its own citizens with something so basic as a fundamental human right like health care as trillions of dollars are squandered on militarism and wars.

We have a President who moonlights as a health insurance salesman who has a bunch of Congressman working for him as if they are part of Amway's pyramid scheme as the health insurance industry rakes in the dough and organizations like The Century Foundation have schemed to undermine even a simple reform like a single-payer universal health care system based upon the Canadian model. 

Ms. Mahar--- you and The Century Foundation along with your "partners" like the Campaign for America's Future are playing us all for fools as if every day of the year is April Fool's Day.

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

More dialog with the Tea Party people

Social Security and Medicare are just fine... however, what is wrong is the economic system which creates unemployment and uses unemployment to drive down wages. If we had a full employment economy with workers receiving real living wages, there would be no problem at all with Social Security or Medicare.

What no one, Democrats, Republicans or those of you in the Tea Party Movement will come to terms with is that while these barbaric and savage wars are killing people and destroying so many lives is that these wars are also killing jobs and the right of the American people to a public healthcare system--- or, to put it more bluntly for you: socialized healthcare.

Socialized healthcare would create up to ten-million new jobs; WPA and CCC type programs would create up to 12 million new jobs... what funds would still be lacking after redirecting the money from these wars could be had by taxing the wealthy and filthy rich whose unearned income is derived from the exploitation of labor in the mines, mills and factories of this country.

Tax-payer already own the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant and most of the mines, mills and factories that are shuttered and closed down by virtue of the subsidies the government has made to these big-businesses... open all these closed mines, mills and factories under public ownership and put people to work creating those things human beings all over the world require to live decent lives.

The "free market" capitalism people in the Tea Party Movement worship has failed miserably with capitalism now on the skids to oblivion dragging us all down the road to perdition.

As long as these illegal, unconstitutional, dirty wars are being funded there can't be any "fiscal responsibility."

Racism and racist hiring practices are on the rise because Obama and the Democrats refuse to enforce affirmative action by way of Executive Order #11246 which is causing massive poverty in communities of people of color.

It is hypocritical of those of you in the Tea Party Movement to use fear of a "failing" Social Security system and Medicare program without addressing the issue of unemployment... and, the only way to create jobs in the large numbers required is through government programs which you condemn and disdain... don't tell me the millions of unemployed people and the working poor are supporting the Tea Party Movement when everything you advocate is directly predicated on making their lives more miserable.

The Tea Party Movement fails to address the real "fiscal irresponsibility."
The Tea Party Movement refuses to acknowledge that "free markets" got us in this horrible economic mess.

The Tea Party Movement wants to destroy the very government capable of solving our problems if the government is properly run by people who really are determined to solve these problems our country is experiencing and facing with the worst yet to come.

 

Alan L. Maki   April 17, 2010

More “dialog” with a Tea-bagger

Joseph Jove

Executive Order #11246? I thought you said it was the Law of the land? A president can't create a law through an Executive Order, Alan. You just lost more points. You can run for the hills at anytime now Alan.

8 hours ago

Alan L. Maki

Joseph---

Executive Order #11246 is the law of the land; it has been challenged time and time again in the courts of law and in the "public square." The majority of the American people support a "level playing field" for everyone... in opposing Executive Order #11246 you demonstrate your own vile racism... you don't even have the moral or political courage to address the specific points and issues that are contained in Executive Order #11246.

Here is a partial listing of the many public programs that work just fine when they are fully funded as mandated and since you use each and every one of these public institutions you are a hypocrite because, like you, every single American benefits from many socialized/public programs in this country without any complaints every single day of their lives:

· Public schools.
· United States Post Office.
· Police.
· Fire.
· Libraries.
· Parks and recreation.
· Water and sewer.
· Public transit.
· Courts.
· Roads, highways and bridges.
· Power lines.
· Sidewalks.
· Public forests and lands.
· Public fishing accesses. (These are very important to people here in Minnesota)

Joseph... as you can see, there is nothing wrong with our many fine socialist institutions... what we need is even more of them--- beginning with a nation-wide socialized healthcare system which could be financed in one of two ways or in combination; paid for with funds saved from ending these dirty, barbaric, imperialist wars that George Bush and the Republicans started with complete complicity from the Democrats which Barack Obama and the Democrats now continue all on their own... wars that are killing people and killing jobs and people without jobs can't pay into Social Security or any other taxes to support our fine public institutions that we socialists have fought to bring into existence over the years... or, this socialized healthcare system could be paid for by taxing the well-heeled and super rich. The other option--- the third option--- would be to finance a socialized healthcare system in the same manner Social Security is funded.

Nope, Joseph; you won't see me running for the hills because a handful of you half-assed fascists and two-bit racists try to pretend you are intelligent. So far you haven't responded to one single point I have made even though I have responded to the three primary issues the Tea Party Movement claims to be concerned about because it is socialists like me who are:

* fiscally responsible.

* for a government that is limited in size to what it needs to accomplish to enable society to best function in the interest of the majority.

and, yes...

* we socialists are opposed to the "free markets" of capitalism which are nothing but code-words that have enabled the greediest from amongst us to profit from the misery of the many.

I could get into the way you Tea-baggers are trying to smother democracy if you are up to it... or, have you headed for the hills looking for a cave to crawl back into?

April 17, 2010 :)

Is the Tea Party Movement racist?

Alan L. Maki

What we need is a program and agenda aimed at solving our problems... the Tea Party people have no solutions at all to any problems.

They talk about "fiscal responsibility" and say nothing about the need to end these dirty wars.

The Tea Party people talk about "limited government" but say nothing about the need to have a government of sufficient size for our public institutions to run efficiently.

The Tea Party people talk about "free markets" but refuse to discuss the fact that corporate monopolies, not mom and pop corner stores, dominate the economy today.

The Tea Party people condemn socialism yet the only institutions still functioning are our public institutions of which there are many--- have you ever tried creating a list of all of our public institutions? Try doing this. We couldn't survive a day without our many public institutions.

The Tea Party people claim they are not all a bunch of racists; but, have you ever heard anyone from the Tea Party Movement support affirmative action?

Ironically, in pushing Wall Street's agenda, Barack Obama is implementing Tea Party policies--- Barack Obama even refuses to insist on the enforcement of affirmative action.

The Tea Party people complain about Obama who is fulfilling their dreams--- it should be liberals, progressives and the left out in the streets demanding an end to these dirty wars, socialized healthcare and jobs with living wages for all with the strict enforcement of affirmative action until there is full equality or as it is stated in Executive Order #11246--- "a level playing field for all."

 

Is the Tea Party Movement racist? You bet it is. This reactionary movement is providing the ideological underpinnings which serve to shore up structural, systemic and institutionalized racism which drives down everyone’s standard of living to the lowest level of the victims of racist injustices. There can be no getting around the fact that the Tea Party Movement is racist to its very core.

This was posted on the MN DFL facebook page from which I have been banned from posting

Jill Erickson Geroy

the 90$ is very important, it costs a lot of money to do a convention and we all need to give our share. Ask your county unit to help you out if you don't have the funds.

 

 

My comment:

 

What is most interesting about Jill Erickson Geroy’s comments is that these DFL leaders who have been hand-picked by Brian Melendez decide who they will pay convention expenses for and who they won’t.

I have never received a dime from the Roseau County DFL for any expenses but these people get everything paid for.

 

I would note that Jill Geroy voted with the racists at the 7th Congressional District Nominating Convention at which no other nominations other than Collin Peterson’s were allowed.

I sent the following Letter to the Editor to the Duluth News:

Alan L. Maki

Barack Obama has turned out to be just one more Wall Street flim-flam man and con-artist posing as a president while selling health insurance on the side.

Here we are spending billions on wars with unemployment soaring as the economy collapses. With Obama's healthcare "reform" the for-profit healthcare system is in an even bigger mess.

Listening to the Democrats making excuses for Obama is sickening.
People voted for peace; got more war.

People voted for healthcare reforms; we got a "Health Insurance Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act."

The Democrats scream out: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs... we get more unemployment and poverty wage jobs.

Common sense tells us to end these dirty wars and use the money to pay for a world-class socialized healthcare system providing free healthcare for all, which would create as many as ten-million new jobs with the enforcement of affirmative action.

Every single delegate to the upcoming Minnesota DFL State Convention in Duluth should have to pass through a gauntlet of "warriors for peace and social justice" insisting on the "change" they voted for.

If we can't get peace with social justice out of the Democratic Party, we are going to have to look elsewhere--- possibly start a new political party.

Alan L. Maki
Delegate, 2010 Minnesota DFL State Convention

58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763
Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell phone: 651-587-5541
E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net
Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Will all workers in the United States soon be working under the terms and conditions as casino workers with poverty wages and no rights?

Richard Trumka: ‘We Want Paychecks, Not Unemployment Checks’

Richard's Notes|Notes about Richard|Richard's Profile

‘We Want Paychecks, Not Unemployment Checks’

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Today at 9:15am

Workday Minnesota editor Barb Kucera reports on the Minnesota AFL-CIO’s job action yesterday.

Cement mason Jessica Keeley had a message for lawmakers Wednesday at the state Capitol:

We want to collect paychecks—not unemployment checks!

Keeley was among hundreds of workers and union leaders who rallied to urge theMinnesota Legislature and Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) to take action to save and create jobs. They said the government cannot cut its way to prosperity and must use fair taxes to fund important public services. As Keeley put it:

The bottom line is we can’t grow private sector jobs without fair public sector investment.

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and Democratic Reps. Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum were among the speakers who echoed that message.

Nationally, about one in every 10 workers is unemployed. And that doesn’t include those who have stopped looking and are no longer counted.

“This jobs crisis is a disaster,” Shuler told the crowd. “We need to take action to create jobs….We need to take it now.”

Ellison said the rally signified “a movement for working-class prosperity. We have a vision of everybody who wants a job has one—and it pays good.

The vision, he said, also includes health care, education and retirement security for all.

We are together demanding prosperity for working people.

McCollum said that while the economy started to show some employment growth last month,

the jobless numbers are just plain unacceptable. We have more work to do.

While the Legislature acted last month to pass a jobs creation bill, union leaders worry that lawmakers’ response to the state budget crisis will undercut any gains made. Already, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor majority in the Legislature has approved $222 million in program cuts and Pawlenty has signed the legislation.

Mike Buesing, president of AFSCME Council 5, the largest state workers’ union, said:

If the Legislature balances the budget with cuts alone, essential services will be gutted and at least 3,400 public service jobs will be lost.

The solution, Buesing said, is “We need to grow good jobs. And we need to tax the rich.”

Several speakers said wage earners pay a far larger share of their income in taxes than do the rich. They urged a change in state tax policy to generate the money needed for public services.

“It is time for a balanced approach,” said Linda Hamilton, president of the Minnesota Nurses Association-National Nurses United, who warned the cuts are jeopardizing the health of the state.

Shar Knutson, president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, which organized the rally, said:

That’s why we’re here today—to stand up for a Minnesota where we invest in our people….Everyone pays their fair share to improve everyone’s quality of life.

After the rally, participants fanned out to meet with lawmakers and reinforce that message.

 

 

Alan L. Maki

The very best job creation program would be socialized healthcare which would create up to ten-million new jobs and the re-creation of the CCC and WPA all paid for with funds and resources ending Obama's dirty wars.

The St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant should be brought under public ownership producing what people really need.

Too bad the Minnesota AFL-CIO didn't turn out as many people to support legislation aimed at saving the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant and the "Minnesota People's Bailout" which were introduced by progressive DFL'ers and killed by the bankster Jim Metzen and his bunch of "Summit Hill Club" Democrats bought and paid for by the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association which has created over 40,000 poverty wage jobs working in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos where Minnesota workers have no rights under state or federal labor laws.
And, what's up with the Minnesota AFL-CIO remaining silent when it comes to public officials not enforcing affirmative action when public works jobs are created:
http://kickitupanotch1917.blogspot.com/

 

 

Richard LaRocca

http://www.airpi.org/pubs/indinsov.html

about an hour ago · Report

 

 

Alan L. Maki

Richard, thanks to the link about "sovereignty;" as far as I know there isn't one single organization concerned about human rights-worker rights who thinks that any sovereign nation is entitled to abuse working people and be free from international labor laws... I would call to your attention the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights which offers NO exclusions:

http://unudhr.blogspot.com/

Last I heard there isn't a tribal government that hasn't relied on this document to make its claims for justice--- I don't think this is a document intended for sovereign nations to "cherry pick" which rights they want to choose to implement and enforce; do you?

"Sovereignty" isn't a license to abuse working people even if the mobsters operating the Indian Gaming Industry think so---but, we all know these mobsters don't respect any laws except maximum return on their investments... what was that Meyer Lansky said? Something like "Someday we are going to be bigger than U.S. Steel." Well, with more than 350 casinos in the Indian Gaming Industry spread out across this country--- Meyer Lansky's "dreams" have come true as one little old man sitting in Boca Rotan, Florida--- the inheritor of the "family business" Meyer Lansky heired to him, now owns every single slot machine and table game in these casinos; and make no mistake this is a non-Indian white guy who has left the "sovereign" Indian Nations with, for the most part, nothing but a huge pile of debt... but, like with gambling itself, there always have to be a FEW big winners to lure in the suckers... and such it is with most of the 350 casinos in the Indian Gaming Industry--- one only has to enter any of these casinos to wonder why any Native American Indian lives in poverty seeing the one armed bandits sucking in the money--- over 40% which leaves these sovereign Indian Nations and who knows how much the Kansas City Mob has "skimmed" with no accountability at all.

By the way, Richard; your definition of "sovereignty" makes no mention of how "sovereign" any nation can be when it is loaded with debt... check out who is "investing" in these casinos... it is union pension funds... possibly the reason organizing has proceeded at a "turtles pace." Talk about your "sweetheart" deals... just ask the building trades unions what kind of "deals" they have worked out with these sovereign Indian Nations--- the Tribal leaders and the union leaders engaged in these "sweetheart" agreements should be in prison; instead they are living like parasites off the wealth created by casino workers living in poverty.

Yours in struggle for the rights of ALL working people.

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

More on “Getting America Back to Work”

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Getting America Back to Work The book is out today. You can buy it today from the Union Printer at www.Do-Good.biz

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Yesterday at 2:54pm · Comment ·LikeUnlike · Share

2 people like this.

 

Alan L. Maki

The way to get America back to work is ending these people killing and job killing dirty wars Obama keeps going instead of funding a socialized healthcare system which would create up to ten-million new jobs and new CCC and WPA programs which could create up to twelve-million new jobs.

We need to nationalize and bring under public ownership the more than 3,700 closed and shuttered mines, mills and factories and bring them into production producing what Americans and people around the world need to live better quality lives.

A good strong dose of socialist education is what the working class needs right now.

After reading this book, check out "Working Class USA, the power and the movement" written by Gus Hall and available from internet booksellers everywhere for a couple dollars.

Another good companion book is "Always Bring A Crowd; the story of Frank Lumpkins, steelworker."

America is never getting back to work as long as Barack Obama and the Wall Street crowd are running the show unless we have a massive grassroots/rank-and-file movement fighting to create jobs with funds saved by ending these dirty wars.

Getting America Back to Work by Stewart Acuff and Richard Levins

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Richard A. Levins NewBook! Getting America Back to Work by Acuff and Levins is short, easy to read, and has great political cartoons.

 

Richard A. Levins

Thanks so much, Meredith. Once you get the book, please help us spread the word. Stewart and I both think the time is right for this message, but we will need a lot of help to get it noticed by enough people to make a difference. Dick

about an hour ago

Alan L. Maki

Well, Stewart Acuff has already limited discussion of the book by banning people with left-wing views like me from his facebook page... good luck winning jobs without the left--- your Democratic Party partners are going to keep letting jobs be shipped off to low-wage areas of the world.

Most working people are pretty damn sick and tired of holding up the tails of these Dumb Donkeys only to get what the sparrows leave behind.

I represent the 41,000 plus casino workers in Minnesota left to rot in the smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state or federal labor laws and we want no part of jobs without justice... already the state on Minnesota with the help of Democrats has placed jobs in the "green economy" in the hands of the same corrupt tribal officials with the Mariah Power venture in McGregor, Minnesota who will be working under the same conditions with the same poverty wages as casino workers all courtesy of tax-payers.

Minnesota AFL-CIO and jobs… always coming up holding the dirty end of the stick begging from Democrats

Alan L. Maki

The very best job creation program would be socialized healthcare which would create up to ten-million new jobs and the re-creation of the CCC and WPA all paid for with funds and resources saved by ending Obama's dirty wars.

The St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant should be brought under public ownership producing what people really need.

Too bad the Minnesota AFL-CIO didn't turn out as many people to support legislation aimed at saving the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant and the "Minnesota People's Bailout" which were introduced by progressive DFL'ers and killed by the banker Jim Metzen and his bunch of "Summit Hill Club" Democrats bought and paid for by the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association which has created over 40,000 poverty wage jobs working in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos where Minnesota workers have no rights under state or federal labor laws.

And, what's up with the Minnesota AFL-CIO remaining silent when it comes to public official's not enforcing affirmative action when public works jobs are created:

http://kickitupanotch1917.blogspot.com/

Letter to the Editor; M-L Today

Why no heading on M-L Today about the need to rebuild and build the CPUSA by building Clubs?

What you are doing is making people think just what you claim to be against is that they can join any old left/Marxist party/organization and it will do.

I find it interesting that while taking issue with problems in the CPUSA most of your writers don’t seem to declare they are for building a strong CPUSA.

As a result when you publish the writings of non-members and those who are members of other left organizations like Glenn Ford or members of FRSO or social democrats like Bill Fletcher, Jr. what you are doing is suggesting to readers they go look into joining these other organizations… of course, you are never responsible for what others do because you don’t publish your names or, like I said, declare your support for the CPUSA. As a result, for all anyone knows you have a website intended to recruit people away from the CPUSA. After all; who knows your motivation and intent unless you declare it since you are too cowardly to post your names… in continuing this way you don’t fight Webb… you enable him to call you “ultra-left.”

Plus, not once have you ever written one single article encouraging people to initiate the building of Communist Clubs that are active in their communities/places of employment/schools around the “party line” (which you have also never stated which is a no-brainer that is easily expressed as:

peace = socialized healthcare + jobs with enforcement of affirmative action

It is very easy and simple for anyone to initiate building a Party Club around this party line and become involved in their communities/places of employment/schools--- this kind of campaign is so obviously required how are you missing this?

Feel free to post this as a “letter to the editor” on your M-L Today website with my name contact info; I’m posting this to my blog. Accountability stretches not to the Party leadership of Webb/Tyner/Marshall and those misleading… it stretches to all the critics, too.

You should have something across your masthead: Building a strong CPUSA; towards a united working class movement and people’s front--- with what the party line should be.

You also let your writers get away with quite a bit without any challenge to some of the outrageous claims they make… again, no accountability because your site is operated anonymously with many of the writers using pseudonyms and such writers know they are never accountable for anything.

Alan L. Maki

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell Phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Please check out my blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

“Looting Main Street”

Great article in Rolling Stone:

 

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/32906678/looting_main_street/1

 

“Vitriol” or resentment of a thoroughly corrupt political system

Alan L. Maki

The "vitriol" comes from Barack Obama and the Democrats refusing to carry out the will of voters for peace, real healthcare reform and jobs at real living wages, and then Obama and these Democrats turn around and stifle dialog and debate.

The Republicans are opposed to affirmative action; the Democrats refuse to enforce affirmative action.

The Democrats are using the racism and bigotry of the Tea Party Movement stifle all debate in this country.

Why wasn't there a real debate about the best healthcare reform in this country?
I find it interesting that the only reason President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed Executive Order #11246 (making affirmative action the law of the land) was because every city in the country was burning.

Why is it that the politicians in this country never respond to the needs of the people until people take to the streets and demand change?
Check out this site:

http://kickitupanotch1917.blogspot.com/

Where is the enforcement of affirmative action? Where are the voices of people for justice? Keith Ellison is a complete hypocrite--- he knows about this problem in Bemidji and has not lifted his finger or his voice in opposition to this horrendous racism.

By failing to resolve the problems of the people, "vitriol" is sure to come.

More on the Health Insurance Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010

 

For the Essay this is a response to click on this link:

http://peoplesworld.org/not-just-any-movement#PageComment_3490

 

Sam, are you talking about the "Health Insurance Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010?"

Looks like you hit your thumb with the hammer instead of hitting the nail on the head. Ouch! Do you need to see a doctor?

Did you know that a socialized healthcare system paid for with funds cut from these dirty (imperialist) wars would create almost ten-million new jobs?

 
Here, do the simple math; the complicated stuff seems to be too difficult for you to figure out:

Peace = socialized healthcare + jobs

Is there anything here that might resemble something that used to be called "the Party line" back in the 20th Century?

 
Ever heard of "the people's front" for peace, jobs and justice?

 
You talk about the "multi-racial working class;" did it ever occur to you to include mention of the need to enforce affirmative action so people of color, women and the handicapped don't think they will be last in line for a job in country where unemployment is horrendously high even when the politicians are satisfied that it is low?

 
Here we are, everyone in the liberal, progressive & left community is talking about this healthcare legislation in relation to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s great legacy of struggling for peace, healthcare, jobs with affirmative action and you are not only not mentioning the legacy of struggle Dr. King left us with, you are demeaning all those struggling on in his footsteps as you accept Wall Street's version of what constitutes a "reform."

You don't mention the millions of people who are living in poverty who don't have the healthcare they are entitled to because Obama and the Democrats have underfunded VA, the Indian Health Service and the National Public Health Service--- not to mention the fact that Obama and the Democrats are cutting home heating assistance by 25% and will be chopping programs from Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and family nutrition programs along with pre-natal care. Nor, has Obama done anything to halt the continuing foreclosures and evictions. So, figure it out Sam, re-do your math... where do the poor come out in your slick calculations taken from the Democratic Party's "play book?"

 

Posted by kickitupanotch, 04/04/2010 5:02pm

Dialog with a Tea Partier

Bruce L. Miller

Wow what fun debate. I just want to ask a couple of questions. How much is the federal and states deficits combined, what does fully funded mean, what do the working people do for a living, who defines what public means, and how does someone know that people don't know without talking to them, and last but not least where has socialism worked in the past? I'm not trying to be confrontational, just trying to understand who gets to be the defining agent for subjective terms.

2 hours ago

Alan L. Maki

Great questions Bruce!

I appreciate you asking me and keeping me on my toes and accountable for what I write... this is just as it should be in a democracy.

The "deficits" are so enormous--- probably much more than any of us knows given this rotten and corrupt government which has become accustomed to perverting democracy by conducting business behind our backs--- the tremendous interest (the interest we pay if their profit) paid to the bankers is going to push our entire country into bankruptcy just like these high interest rates are forcing people into foreclosure on their homes. The solution? Nationalize the entire banking industry and bring it under public ownership by creating a stable national bank just like the State Bank of North Dakota.

Yes, add the State Bank of North Dakota to my previous list of public institutions.
"Fully funded" means, when it comes to healthcare services like VA, Indian Health Service and the National Public Health Service, this fully funded means that the government MUST provide whatever funding and resources are required to meet the goals and objectives of these programs... it means the same thing for any other public program.

"Public" means for people in general and members of a community of people. Public programs are programs universally available to everyone without regard to any income requirements, etc.

As I stated Bruce--- socialism has worked just fine in our own country for a very long time as evidenced by the public programs I have cited... we just need to extend public programs to include all the closed mines, mills and factories and claim as public enterprises the banking, insurance and auto industries which tax-payers have subsidized to the hilt.

Did you know that tax-payers have a greater investment in both the mining and forestry industries in Minnesota than all the private for-profit businesses and corporations in those industries combined, yet we--- the tax-payers--- are not getting our fair share of the profits like the Wall Street coupon clippers?

I don't understand what you mean when you say, "What do working people do?" Could you explain further what you are getting at here?

As far as your question as to how I know what others know; I assume, and please correct me if I am wrong, you mean people who carry signs denouncing Obama as a socialist or charging that the recent healthcare legislation is socialist do not know what socialism is.

Obama is not a socialist, communist or Marxist because he says he is not. In fact, Obama has written enough things proving he is nothing but a shill for Wall Street.
At some point in his life was he a socialist, communist or Marxist? I don't know.There seems to be ample evidence that he was... but, don't forget, so were many other people and people have a right to change in their thinking.

For sure Obama is no socialist, communist or Marxist now... just read the essay he wrote in "Foreign Affairs Magazine," the publication reflecting the views of the Council on Foreign Relations, representing the largest corporations.

Obama has been chosen by Wall Street to carry out big-businesses agenda of driving down the standard of living of the working class while at the same time making profits from the problems of the people and our country which big-business created in the first place.

Common sense tells us that jobs can not be shipped off wholesale to cheap labor markers overseas and we still have the purchasing power to maintain any kind of economy that benefits most people here in our own country.

Obama and Wall Street are our enemies but not because they are socialists, communists, Marxists, liberals or progressives; but, because they are capitalists whose system has grown into its most corrupt, barbaric and decadent stage: imperialism which has spawned an equally and as thoroughly corrupt government of state monopoly capitalism which has created a massive web that we are all stuck in as these parasites suck us dry... I should know that Obama is no socialist, communist or Marxist because I am a Marxist who is working for socialism through being a member of the Communist Party.

We Communist are for ending Obama's dirty wars and we are for using the money and resources save for building a socialized--- public--- healthcare system with no-fees/no-premiums, comprehensive, all-inclusive, pre-natal to grave, universal healthcare system that is publicly funded, publicly administered with public delivery of healthcare. Such a public healthcare system would create almost ten-million jobs.
No one would expect private delivery of education to be able to teach 300-million people to read and write--- this is why we have public schools; so, why would anyone think that an archaic for-profit healthcare system would be able to provide the healthcare needs of the American people.

Bruce, the capitalist system is on the skids to oblivion and Barack Obama and the Wall Street crowd driven by sheer greed are now dragging us all down the dangerous, dark, bumpy road to perdition with no stops for any breathers in purgatory.

If you Tea Party people were telling the truth about Barack Obama and why he and Wall Street are our enemies this would be one thing; but, what you are doing is spreading outright lies about Barack Obama and slandering me and other socialist, communists and Marxists in the process.

Call Barack Obama a warmonger; call Barack Obama a shill for Wall Street; tell the truth about his health insurance legislation that it really is a health insurance industry bailout by unconstitutionally forcing millions of people to purchase health insurance from private health insurance corporations whose parent companies are going broke.

Bruce, the real Tea Party Patriots did not lie about who their enemy was or what the British monarchy represented; the real Tea Party Patriots of the American Revolution had the courage to stand up for freedom by telling the truth and they would have been thoroughly appalled by the racist, anti-worker, pro-war lies concocted by Dick Armey, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter and this Army of Hate and Lies fronting for hate-mongers like the John Birch Society.

A conversation with Tea Partiers…

Alan L. Maki

Toni, what is the "nature" of your events? I see people carrying signs denouncing everything as socialism and the people carrying these signs have no concept of what socialism is--- actually I don't even think they know what capitalism is because most of the time they seem to be complaining about the problems capitalism, not socialism, has created.

In fact, it is the public institutions in our country that are holding up the best.
Check it out, anyone have any problems with these public institutions and want to close them down:

* Public schools.
· United States Post Office.
**** Social Security
**** Unemployment Compensation
· Police.
· Fire.
· Libraries.
· Parks and recreation.
* Water and sewer.
· Public transit.
· Courts.
* Roads, highways and bridges.
· Power lines.
* Sidewalks.
* Public forests and lands.
** Public fishing accesses. (These are very important to people here in Minnesota)

I challenge anyone in the Tea Party movement to call for closing down all the public fishing access sites in Minnesota. Let's see who among the Minnesota Tea Party movement will stand in front of the television cameras and advocate turning all the public access fishing sites over to capitalist profiteers who will charge admission... come on... step forward to abolish this socialism.

Every one of these public institutions are socialist institutions.

Who among the Tea Party movement is going to be the first to send their Social Security check back to Uncle Sam?

How many members of the Tea Party movement stop by their local Road Commission office and leave off a check every time a pot hole is filled on their street.

Come on, what is all this fear of socialism when all that socialism means is public institutions serving the public good and welfare.

No communist is sending your kids to war.

No communist is depriving you of healthcare... all we want is for healthcare to become a public institution just like our public schools.

Your fight is with the capitalists and imperialists of Wall Street.

I resent you Tea Party people slandering and libeling me by calling Barack Obama a "socialist," "communist," "Marxist."

I resent you Tea Party people using the progressive ideas that inspired the American Revolution and twisting these ideas into support for reactionary and conservative viewpoints like the vial hate emanating from publications like "Human Events" newspaper serving the aims of Dick Armey and the Republican Party.

But, again, who among you Tea Party Patriots so opposed to socialism is going to come and sit down beside me at debate after debate and will speak in favor of closing down Minnesota's most cherished socialist projects--- the public fishing access sites. Where do you want to start our series of debates? What about in Brainerd? Come on; let's go to Brainerd and have a debate on whether or not our socialist public fishing access sites should be turned over to free-marketers. Come on; don't be shy. If you can hold up a sign denouncing socialism you should be willing to defend the privatization of our public fishing access sites.

 
Does anyone want to discuss with me:

1. Fiscal responsibility
2. Limited government
3. Free markets

Come on, patriotism is about courage; the courage to defend your ideas sitting side-by-side with a live opponent not an effigy stuffed with straw or rags.

Here I am; a living breathing Marxist... come on, don't be cowards; have the courage to travel across Minnesota debating me.

 
You know it; I know it; you have no solutions to any problems or else someone from among your ranks would travel from community to community debating me in the proverbial "public square."

Come on, any of you "patriots" have the courage of your convictions to defend your ideas?

I don't spit on people. I don't make fun of sick people who can't afford to pay their medical bills. I don't treat poor people as less than human because they are homeless.

I drink tea. I like to party. And, I'm a patriot who cherishes peace and social justice.
I even read "Citizen Tom Paine" by Howard Fast--- have any of you? If not, might I suggest you make a trip to my second favorite socialist institution after our public fishing access sites--- the public library. Really, knowing I could be in trouble speaking for the dead; I seriously doubt Tom Paine would approve of the activities being carried out by the Tea Party Movement.

This is my response to a YouTube video on FaceBook by Stewart Acuff of the AFL-CIO’s organizing department…

(Note: I noticed Scott Marshall had viewed the same video and liked it but had nothing to say)

Stewart Acuff: US Trade Unions and the Global Economic Crisis

 

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=100000192369601&ref=ts

Youtube on Facebook

On Sunday, March 21, 2010, Stewart Acuff participated in the Left Forum in New York City. He was a featured panelist at the event, speaking about the current economic crisis and the role Unions are playing ...

category:News

March 24 at 5:30pm via YouTube · Comment ·LikeUnlike · View Feedback (8)Hide Feedback (8)

 

My response…

Stewart, it seems to me you are missing a few things.

The EFCA is no doubt needed; however, the main obstacle to union organizing is "at-will hiring; at-will firing.

You don't even mention the money and resources being squandered on these dirty imperialist wars. Nothing short of socialized healthcare is going to solve the healthcare mess this rotten capitalist system has spawned... in fact, a national health service or public healthcare system would create around ten-million good, union jobs providing the American people with no-fee/no-premium, comprehensive, all-inclusive, pre-natal to the grave universal public healthcare that is publicly funded, publicly administered and publicly delivered--- all for considerably less than what Obama's wars are costing us... you continue to ignore the price the American working people are paying for these terrible wars.

"Jobs, jobs, jobs" you say to get us out of this economic mess... I agree, we can only "work" our way out of this mess; but, again, you are missing important factors--- first of which as long as the working class allows mines, mills and factories to be closed by Wall Street coupon clippers, investors and financiers who seek out the cheapest sources of raw materials and the cheapest labor markets unemployment is going to continue to soar. The time has come to stop being timid and start talking about public ownership of these closing mines, mills and factories--- many of which are exemplary examples of green manufacturing and green jobs producing the highest and finest quality products in the world--- the closing refrigerator plant is but one example--- another is the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant, a plant so heavily subsidized by tax-payers over the years who have also provided Ford with free hydro power that the people actually own this operation even if they don't understand they do and Ford won't admit it.

We have some 3,700 closed, shuttered and often abandoned mines, mills and factories in this country and based on what most people in this world still require to live half-way decent lives these mines, mills and factories should be brought into production under government ownership possibly in league with the workers and unions with pension funds invested in putting America back to work instead of invested in financing overseas production--- talk about slitting your own throat.

Also, why no mention about the need to enforce affirmative action--- with unemployment levels as high as they are, do you really expect people of color, women and the handicapped to join struggles for jobs knowing they will be the last hired?

I think you have a responsibility to answer these questions; these are questions on the minds of many working people.

Here is a little formula for you to consider:

Peace = socialized healthcare + ten-million jobs

Let’s get your "warriors for justice" out into the working class neighborhoods, into the schools and into every single mine, mill and factory in this country to turn this country around... and, it wouldn't hurt to have a working class party to vote for so workers don't have to keep giving their votes to the very bosses they have to fight and struggle against every single day.

I look forward to your response.

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

So, when and how do we start ?

I get asked this question all the time; I was asked it on facebook:

 

So, when and how do we start ?

4 hours ago

Alan L. Maki

In your own neighborhood or where you work... here is what I promote:
Socialized healthcare would provide almost ten-million new jobs in this country providing people with free healthcare funded with the money saved by stopping these dirty wars.

I print off signs that say:

Peace = socialized healthcare + jobs

I have another sign that says:

No peace; no votes.
No socialized healthcare; no votes.
No jobs with enforced affirmative action; no votes.

Every place I go some asks me if they can have my little signs... I give them to them and they usually offer me a contribution so I can print off more.

I put my contact info and blog address in the bottom corner of the signs.
I also distribute a letter to the editor I wrote as a leaflet promoting the little "formula" above.

Its a very simple little project that you can do in conjunction with just about anything...

I also carry a petition for people to sign asking for all their contact info and e-mail address.

from this little project alone I have collected over 6,000 e-mail addresses that I use for regular mailings about health care.

Try it; it's simple and easy... you can do everything right at home on your computer and printer.

You will find it amazing how many people you actually have communication with over a month's time.

One little rain-drop doesn't amount to much; but, let it pour and watch it flood!