.: June 2010

Sunday, June 27, 2010

peoplesworld.org

More and more, people are looking at socialism as that "better world" that's possible and necessary. But there's no direct path, no express train, to get there. At every new stage of struggle, the question is asked: what is to be done? Everybody has his or her opinion ...and, not surprisingly, I do to...

Friday at 12:18pm · Comment ·LikeUnlike · Share

Haymarket Presente and 2 others like this.

Alan L. Maki

Sam must have really been hitting the brews while writing this. Quite the imagination combined with the ability to be patient with the problems of working people. Maybe he will sober up in a few days.

Friday at 8:32pm · LikeUnlike ·

Jordan Redskin Farrar

well chairman Maki what would you have said? Any productive ideas instead of just tearing down?

Yesterday at 4:47pm · LikeUnlike

Alan L. Maki

First of all I want to point out that the People's World is routinely banning and censoring views. No movements can ever be built when people are discourged from presenting their views. So, to begin with, Sam Webb is not serious in saying he is for dialog and discussion.

He rants about the "ultra-left" then immerses the Party in the U.S. Social Forum which is mainly people to the left of Mao and the center is the anarchists. Quite a joke when one considers that the CPUSA doesn't even reach out to the thousands of progressives in and around the Democratic Party other then to tell everyone: I vote for Democrats, too.

In fact, Webb's views border on an infantile leftism not even Lenin could have anticipated because Webb only moves into visibility with those who are prone to talk, but not to act.

I hope we have some accounting for what gains were made at the U.S. Social Forum because I know for a fact that had the CPUSA spent the same amount of time and resources with the workers at the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant discussing how to save this plant through public ownership it would have been time and resources better spent.

Not once in any of his writings has Webb ever explained to people how to get involved in the Democratic Party; only to vote Democrat... he then goes out among a bunch of anarchists and pushes to hold together the Obama coalition which doesn't now, nor never existed.

By the way; the only real reason for organized labor to make a showing at the U.S. Social Forum was to hire a bunch of middle class anarchists to peddle leaflets door-to-door for the Democrats this fall.

The very first thing I would suggest to every single Communist in this country is that they obtain a copy of Earl Browder's excellent book about how to build the people's front which is aptly named, "The People's Front." Get a little history of the CPUSA and an education about how and why to build coalitions and Communist Party Clubs at the same time... no other book compares.

Second; I would urge every single Communist to get two or three friends together and begin a discussion around this book with the intent of organizing a Communist Party Club in their neighborhood, school or where they work.

Third; I would suggest that in doing the above things Communists should get a leaflet out in their neighborhoods, schools, where they work and where they shop explaining to people how they don't have healthcare and the things they need because money is being spent on these dirty wars and we need to build organizations demanding that people come before Wall Street's profits.

Fourth; I would encourage everyone to write a letter to their editor along the line cited above.

Fifth; I would encourage a mass campaign:

No Peace; no votes.
No real health care reform; no votes.
No jobs with affirmative action enforcement; no votes.

Doing things like this puts us, like what Sam Webb likes to say, but not do, "in the mix."

Sam Webb is selling a line of bullshit plain and simple in trying to hoodwink anyone into believing that any kind of "coalition" exists around Barack Obama because this coalition has yet to be built.

Perhaps worst of all is that Sam Webb equates the labor leadership in this country with where the rank-and-file is at. Voting results demonstrate that the majority of the people are fed up, not only with the Republicans, but with the Democrats, too.

If Sam Webb was even the least bit involved in the very Democratic Party he is encouraging people to vote for; he would know that people have fallen out of participating in greater numbers than what Obama brought in. These people feel in overwhelming number they were "had" by Obama which is what is creating the biggest problem of all for the Democrats come November.

My final suggestion is that the Communist Party needs leaders who are honest and who will not sell out the Party's ideology of Marxism-Leninism for a few bucks as a quick fix to financial problems as Webb has done.

Anyone can look at Sam Webb's writings to determine that he is absolutely clueless about the problems people in this country are experiencing.

That anyone could be so stupid as to believe that Barack Obama can be looking out for Wall Street's interests in Toronto as he meets with the G-8/G-20 and then somehow have the best interests of the American people and the working class at heart only demonstrates how stupid Sam Webb is.

That we have "leaders" of the CPUSA going around claiming that Barack Obama is the leader of the "democratic people's front" proves that Webb is not capable of performing the tasks required.

My very first suggestion: Assign Sam Webb to building a Communist Club in his community working for peace and social and economic justice, and writing about his experiences so the Communist Party can get back to doing what Communist Parties are supposed to do: organize among working people in their communities and where they work.

By-the-way... how about putting up on facebook a list of everything the CPUSA distributed at the U.S. Social Forum and at the conference of the Campaign for America's Future... then we can begin a good discussion about what is being done correctly and incorrectly and how to fix the problems in the CPUSA because there isn't going to be any building of any kind of all-people's democratic front for peace, jobs, justice--- or socialism--- until the head of the Communist Party USA gets his head screwed on straight.

Since you asked, I would suggest that all of you working over there in the glass offices get yourselves copies of Earl Browder's, "The People's Front" so all of you know what a "people's front" really is.

For years I have heard the opponents of the Communist Party USA making the accusation that the CPUSA is nothing but a bunch of Browderites without Browder--- maybe this is something we should all be proud of... even when Browder went off track it didn't take him as long as Sam Webb to get back on track... and, even Browder never denounced the Soviet Union which is still a shining example of the way forward for peace, social and economic justice.

Here is a sample "Letter to the Editor" ( real one that really got published on the most important day of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party's State Convention... I am eager to hear Sam Webb's response to my letter (that's the other thing wrong with Sam Webb, the only way he knows how to have a discussion about anyone is behind their backs):

Money should go to health care and jobs, not wars
Duluth News Tribune
See the letter in the comment below, facebook has given me enough space to answer your question completely here so just check out my blogs for further answers to your question:
http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/
It's the blog Sam Webb has "banned" people from reading... lol!

5 minutes ago · LikeUnlike ·

Alan L. Maki

My "Letter to the Editor:"
Money should go to health care and jobs, not wars
Duluth News Tribune

« Readers view

Reader's view: Money should go to health care and jobs, not wars

Published: April 24, 2010 12:00:00 AM CDT

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 health-care reform, the for-profit health-care system is in an even bigger mess.

Listening to Democrats making excuses for Obama has been sickening. People voted for peace and got more war. People voted for health-care reform and got a health insurance industry bailout and profit maximization act. The Democrats scream, “Jobs, jobs, jobs!” and 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, health-care system, providing free health care for all, which would create as many as 10 million new jobs with the enforcement of affirmative action.

Every single delegate to the 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
Warroad, Minnesota.
The writer is a delegate to the 2010 Minnesota DFL State Convention in Duluth.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Let’s talk about the politics and economics of livelihood…

Link to FaceBook page… join the discussion!

http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=124517169369&share_id=107708459269551&comments=1

Meredith Merriner Fans of Stewart Acuff: Click on this link to listen to an exclusive interview with Stewart Acuff, C0-Writer of the new book "Getting America Back to Work".

http://bobcarson13.podomatic.com/player/web/2010-04-09T14_27_30-07_00

Exclusive Interview with Stewart Acuff.

bobcarson13.podomatic.com

Exclusive Interview with Stewart Acuff.

April 10 at 12:48pm · Comment ·

Alan L. Maki

I think it's terrible that Acuff would resort to anti-communism in calling the mining disaster a "Chinese mining disaster 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.

April 19 at 8:01pm ·

Meredith Merriner

Workers have been left behind in the dust...I would LOVE to see a Labor Party really take hold.

3 hours ago ·

Alan L. Maki

We should be inviting Canadian workers to the United States to talk at union meetings and other labor events like May Day and Labor Day to explain about their New Democratic Party... U.S. workers, labor activists and union leaders should be going to Canada, in a two way exchange, to find out more about the New Democratic Party.

Here in Minnesota the socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party controlled Minnesota politics for Many years having elected two socialist governors, controlled the state house and almost the senate, elected Congresspersons and even U.S. senators.
Probably the worst political blunder by the left in this country was to agree to merge the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party with the racist, anti-union, corrupt Minnesota Democratic Party at a time when many working people were considering creating a national Farmer-Labor Party--- the time has come, with or without organized labor's leadership--- for grassroots activists and rank-and-file working people to create a socialist party in this country.

We don't have to wait for Richard Trumka or Stewart Acuff or anyone else to give us "permission;" for the betterment of working people we need to move forward on this as quickly as possible because as the G-8/G-20 events are proving, Barack Obama and the Democrats are not on our side. If we want to elect politicians to public office who are going to serve the interests of working people then we are going to have to run ourselves for public office.

I just heard one such candidate for the Minnesota State Senate, Gregory Paquin--- a Native American Indian union pipe-fitter--- interviewed on the radio about what is being done to start a new political party. Paquin quoted from page 83 of Stewart Acuff's and Richard Levin's new book, "Getting America Back To Work" in saying the new political party is being called, "Warriors for Justice."

Here is Paquin's blog:

http://nativeamericanindianlaborunion12.blogspot.com/

And here is blog of his colleague, Nicole Beaulieu, another Native American Indian working class activist who is a teacher, running for Minnesota State Representative:
http://anishinaabecandidate.blogspot.com/

I would encourage you and all other working people to read their blogs and consider taking similar initiatives...

What we really need is a national network of such local initiatives; Warriors for Peace and Social Justice.

It is like one of the finest advocates for the rights of working people, Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor, once said:

"Good ideas in books and pamphlets aren't worth anything until they are put into action."

If I were Stewart Acuff and Richard Levins, I would ship Greg Paquin and Nicole Beaulieu 2,000 complimentary copies of their book to pass out to voters for free along with a leaflet inserted in it congratulating them on their initiative and encouraging workers to vote for them as a way of getting America back to work.

Yours in struggle and solidarity,

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell Phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

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

Let’s talk about the politics and economics of livelihood for real change.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Entire Communist Party USA leadership under the “guidance” of Dan Margolis and Joel Wendland now come out swinging with sissy punches packed with lies and ambiguities they cannot defend while attacking questions they refuse to answer… lol!

What Dan Margolis fails to acknowledge is that there is a very wide gap between union members and union leaders. This gap between union membership and union leadership is proving just as difficult to bridge as between grassroots Democratic Party activists and Democratic Party leaders and the politicians. Just as there is a very wide gap in what people on a grassroots level of involvement in the Democratic Party expect from the Democratic Party and its candidates and what the money people actually do. Workers go to local union meetings with their problems and they go to DFL precinct caucus meetings with their problems. In each it is just as difficult for a working person to have any say. Whoa unto those who dare venture forth with an opinion contrary to the leaders or with an issue the leaders do not want to discuss.

Another thing Dan Margolis forgets to mention is that the majority of the people in this country want nothing to do with the Republicans or Democrats. Have you seen the polls lately? When I go to my local peace meetings I don't find any support for the Democrats. I asked three of my friends why they stopped going to their union meetings. They said they got fed up hearing about how they need to support the Democrats and get nothing from them. These people are not ultra-lefts by any stretch of the imagination.

Dan Margolis are you now retracting your statement that Barack Obama is some kind of "leader of the broad democratic people's movement?"

Dan Margolis is it possible union leaders have been wrong about Obama looking out for the interests of working people? Do you see any hint that Obama in his meetings with the G8-G20 in Toronto is saying or doing anything in the interests of working people here in our own country or other places in the world? If so what?

Dan you are making a major mistake and blunder in suggesting that the Communist Party needs to be where the leaderships of organizations are at because if these leaderships are not where they should be in relation to what working people need to solve their very real problems (like on health care) the Communist Party has the responsibility of working in the best interests of working people and the oppressed not with leaders of organizations whose policies and positions don't reflect the interests of their members. One example, other than health care, that comes readily to mind is these wars. Examine all the unions and organizations you are alluding to and what are their positions on ending the wars? The Communist Party has the role of working with working people and union members at the grassroots and rank and file level to help push unions to take positions and engage in struggles reflecting the best interests of the working class and then getting these workers into the leadership positions.

The Communist Party has the opportunity to influence some 20,000 activists at the U.S. Social Forum... post the actual leaflets and the list of materials being distributed there for us to discuss. Or, do we have to go to Detroit in order to read these things?

Dan, you have repeatedly stated that people are within the orbit of the Democratic Party and you dishonestly withhold that there are now many people engaged in politics outside of the Democratic Party but worse yet, neither you nor any of these other leaders saying the same thing can explain what you or they are doing within this "orbit" other then you cast votes for Democrats. We have seen no leaflets; we have seen no resolutions; we have heard no reports. Accountability from leadership is a pretty important thing... working people don't want leaders who are "do as I say, not as I do."

Gus Hall used to send out packets and packets of leaflets people had been writing and distributing; petitions; newspaper articles; there were real "letters to the editor" written by Communists and our friends that got published; he wrote practical "how to" articles; he called people to ask how the National Office could help their Clubs... yes, real active Communist Party USA Clubs... not just the "paper clubs" you have created for the purpose of hand-picking delegates for a controlled, manipulated and staged national convention that couldn't even fill one small hall which you want to now pass off as this phony "party unity" around a flawed strategy.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

And the Communist Party leader comes back with another brilliant response to me…

Rossana Cambron

(Alan) Dialog is good when it is between two mature adults, your insults and misrepresentation of the facts tells me you are not there yet, I wish you the best in your struggle for a better world, we will all get there some day.

about an hour ago ·

Alan L. Maki

Rossana, why don't you set the record straight? Apparently for you facts are insults. First you insult me and refuse to provide one single specific to back up what you say from what I said, and now I respond to your insults with more facts and specifics and you claim I am misrepresenting the facts but you don't specify anything. You never intended for this to be a dialog or you would have been specific in your accusations to begin with.

Why don't you enlighten us all to the strategy that guides the work of the Communist Party in the Democratic Party? There must be some document you can post.

Come on Rossana, let's take this one issue at a time. Let's start with peace and ending the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan... has the CPUSA National Convention, the National Committee or the National Board developed a plan of action for work in the Democratic Party from the grassroots going up through precinct caucuses, the various local and state conventions up to the national convention?

Is there anything that is part of the CPUSA tactics and strategy that goes beyond merely calling for members and others to "vote for Democrats?"

Can you produce one single leaflet with the name of the CPUSA or some organization initiated by CPUSA clubs that has been distributed door-to-door, at precinct caucuses, at local or state conventions or the national Democratic Party convention suggesting a very basic resolution people are asked to support--- or, even a suggestion that the efforts of some other organization should be supported? Publish the leaflet right here for all of us to see.

Al Marder told me that the U.S. Peace Council has been inactive because, "We can't afford to print leaflets or newsletters." Have those Communists involved in the U.S. Peace Council made any efforts to solve this problem?

Here, check out the U.S. Peace Council's website; is there any valid or legitimate reason it has not been updated for YEARS?

http://uspeacecouncil.org/

The G-8/G-20 meetings are taking place in Toronto with the "leader of the democratic people's front" (Barack Obama) scheming with the Wall Street coupon clippers and bankers and other centers of world finance and industry against working people here in this country and around the world--- where is there any analysis about any of this (along with a call to action) in Toronto this week? Has the CPUSA "leadership" done one single thing these past months in an effort to cooperate with Communist Parties from around the world to issue a response to these imperialists intending to drive down the standard of living of working people?

I question: Where is your ideological "maturity" on any of these issues?

Would you like to discuss the intentional refusal on the part of the
Obama Administration to enforce affirmative action? Executive Order #11246. The very first national administration since it was signed in 1965 which has refused to enforce EO #11246 and not one single word from the "leadership" of the CPUSA about this.

Communist Party USA leader takes me to task on FaceBook… lol!

Rossana Cambron

I agree with Dan, what Alan fails to see is that who is ready to follow him in his ideas? If the forces where there, then we would see them, the bigger question is, how do we get to the point in our history where the majority of people will understand the need to fully change this system and more importantly are willing to take part in that change. Alan was not even at the convention, so why does he comment as if he were there and attempt to miss lead people about the CPUSA?

about an hour ago ·

Alan L. Maki

Rossana... very few Americans--- or anyone else--- were at the CPUSA convention... which was the smallest ever in the Party's history and it was small by design with only those who were selectively invited allowed to attend. It would be relatively simple to post videos of the ENTIRE convention on the internet for everyone to see what was said and what went on. Why is this not being done?

What ideas am I expressing that are so far out? It would help if you would be more specific so we can have a dialog.

I would have been happy to attend the Convention and had a debate with Sam Webb over these issues.

Why don't you set up a debate between me and Webb out in California so everyone can participate.

The problem is, to a large extent, is that Webb does not have to defend his ideas.
Webb calls for Communists and working people to vote Democratic as the solution to the problems of working people yet the CPUSA doesn't even have a well thought out and organized approach to working inside the Democratic Party fighting for the best interests of the working class. This is a classless, non-struggle approach to politics that is the direct opposite of the way Communists have ever worked in any organization.

Since 72% of the delegates--- of which I was one and a member of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party State Central Committee, both positions I was elected to--- voted for the resolution on single-payer universal health care which I authored and moved from the convention floor, I find your remarks to be insulting and a complete mis-reading of where the American people are at. My remarks to the convention on several issues, including peace, single-payer, the need to rescind at-will hiring/at-will firing, divestment from Israel have drawn long standing ovations even though I was heckled from the corporate crowd as a "communist."
At the last MNDFL State Convention held in Duluth, Minnesota where Sam Webb's colleagues had no noticeable presence except for Erwin Marquit typing away on his lat-top as if he was engaged in the most important activity while things like affirmative action were being brought to the convention floor, this letter to the editor I wrote was published in Duluth's daily newspaper, the Duluth News-Tribune, on the biggest day of the convention:

Money should go to health care and jobs, not wars

Duluth News Tribune

Reader's view: Money should go to health care and jobs, not wars

Published: April 24, 2010 12:00:00 AM CDT

With Obama’s health-care reform, the for-profit health-care system is in an even bigger mess.

Alan L. Maki
Warroad, Minnesota.

The writer is a delegate to the 2010 Minnesota DFL State Convention in Duluth.

Now, I don't recall reading anything you or Sam Webb have written or said or done inside of the Democratic Party in a way that brings forward any of these working class issues. Perhaps you fear the wrath of Barack Obama, who you have designated the "brilliant leader of the democratic peoples front" who is at this very minute engaged in trying to undermine Social Security and Medicare as he wages these dirty imperialist wars... all of which is in complete opposition to what the majority of the American people are for.

You can be self-satisfied that you are "in the mix" as you hold up the donkey's tail expecting working people to live on what the sparrows leave behind... but, why don't you try being a little more specific in your criticisms of me and what I write, say and do.

A cautionary tale, by Sam Webb… my response

http://peoplesworld.org/a-cautionary-tale#PageComment_4788

Sam Webb, the “leader” of the CPUSA, is a hypocrite of the worst kind. First he sets up a false scenario (click on link above) to prove he is a Communist leader as he refuses to engage in the very struggle he claims needs to be undertaken: working inside the Democratic Party.

Webb has "elevated" the class struggle to simply voting for Democrats without fully participating in the Democratic Party.

When was the last time Sam Webb suggested specific resolutions to be discussed and debated at Democratic Party precinct caucuses, county conventions, nominating conventions, state conventions or national conventions?

In fact, when was the last time Sam Webb even suggested that Communists get involved in the Democratic Party and participate at the very grassroots level?

Is Webb himself involved in any way in the Democratic Party other than sitting in his glass offices trying to imagine what is beyond the brick walls that he peers upon from the armchair in his office?

Webb, as an excuse for his own inaction, creates these responses to imaginary situations because he doesn't know about participation in the Democratic Party from his own personal experiences nor has he ever participated in any way in the Democratic Party; if he had this kind of personal experience he would be able to discuss how we should try to advance the needs of working people through the Democratic Party.

Webb now "elevates" the participation of working people in the Democratic Party--- not to how working people should participate in the Democratic Party to advance a progressive agenda aimed at bringing forward real solutions to the problems the working class and working people are experiencing--- but to simply relegating the participation of workers to voting for Democratic candidates who, for the most part--- because of lack of Communist participation--- do not have to even respond to the problems working people are experiencing.

What is the obstacle to Sam Webb personally spending time involved in the Democratic Party? What is the obstacle to Webb writing about his experiences in the Democratic Party? If Webb is going to make the case--- a case completely justifiable and correct in my opinion--- that Communists need to be involved in the Democratic Party then he has some responsibility to be involved in the Democratic Party himself... and, he is obviously not involved in any way in the Democratic Party.

Webb's ignorance of the real nature of the Democratic Party--- beyond just saying it is a corporate dominated party--- shines right through in everything he writes.

It is bad enough that Webb sees the main form of working class involvement as simply going to the polls on Election Day to cast one's ballot for Democrats; the real problem is that Webb doesn't even encourage working people to struggle inside the Democratic Party to advance the interests of working people.

Of course, Webb then proceeds to advocate for some kind of alternative to the Democrats; but, here again, Webb has no "hands on" experience.

The question which really needs to be asked is, "In what areas of struggle does Sam Webb have any experience" which would provide him with any credibility to write about anything other then telling us about his views on basketball and how to organize college beer bashes?

Posted by Alan L. Maki, 06/24/2010 9:46am (0 secs away)

A thought about the Canadian Security and Intelligence Services (CSIS) and its Director Richard Fadden…

Alan L. Maki It seems that not only is the word "intelligence" being in the CSIS name an oxymoron; but, the word "lie" should be substituted for "intelligence."

To Richard Fadden's credit, we should point out that he is no more a stupid liar than any of his predecessors in the position... just one more over-paid, corrupt, dishonest, bungling booby-head at the helm of another government agency in Stephen Harper's U.S. backed and influenced conservative government hypocritically claiming fiscal responsibility, limited government and a defense of "free markets."

CBC News - Politics - CSIS head plays down CBC comments

www.cbc.ca

CSIS director Richard Fadden appears to be backing away from exclusive comments he made to CBC News this week about foreign influence on Canadian politicians.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The dirty work of CSIS and the FBI

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/06/21/f-stewart-csis.html

Yesterday I commented on a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation news report about the Canadian Security and Intelligence Services (CSIS) and its role in stifling democracy based upon my own personal experience with this agency which sought my deportation from Canada because of my left-wing political views. Now, hiding behind anonymity and pseudonyms my assertions have been challenged so I posted this comment in response to these cowards, today...

I invite CSIS, the RCMP and Canada Immigration to explain why I was deported from Canada back to the United States.

At a meeting in her Toronto office, Canada's Minister of Immigration at the time, Elinor Kaplan and her two top legal advisors stated: "If we allow you to stay in Canada as a political refugee based upon the harassment you have been subjected to by the FBI, who knows what you might do; you might decide to run for political office." An exact quote; feel free to verify this with the former Minister of Immigration.

I have been "banned" from Canada for life at the request of CSIS... the worst crime I have ever committed and found guilty of is "expectorating" while walking on a picket line during a strike.

Over the ten years I lived in Canada, CSIS admits they amassed a dossier on me of some 3,000 pages... let CBC obtain this dossier in its entirety to show the Canadian people what CSIS is really doing--- trampling upon the democratic rights of the people who do no more than suggest the socialist alternative to this rotten capitalist system which breeds wars, racism, poverty and unemployment in Canada just like it does in the United States or any other country in the world as Wall Street and Bay Street coupon clippers profit from the misery of the people and the destruction of Mother Nature.

I don't see anything in Canada's Charter of Freedoms that would enable CSIS to try to undermine the democratic struggles of the people for better lives and livelihoods and yet undermining these struggles has been the main focus of CSIS activities for many years.

Perhaps Mr. Harper would like to sit down in front of CBC cameras with me and explain what is in this massive dossier created by CSIS and how much it cost the Canadian tax-payers.

Affirmative Action and the campaign for Minnesota governor…

Alan L. Maki

The only Democrat running who has come out in support of Affirmative Action is Mark Dayton. Without the strict enforcement of Affirmative Action racist poverty the result of racist unemployment will continue unabated. The Republicans are opposed to enforcing Affirmative Action (Executive Order # 11246) and the Democrats in Minnesota have refused to insist on the enforcement of Affirmative Action.

Check out this blog:

http://kickitupanotch1917.blogspot.com/

Neither Margaret Anderson-Kelliher or Matt Entenza have had the moral or political courage to come out as Mark Dayton has done and condemned the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) for their refusal to implement and enforce Affirmative Action.

The next governor of Minnesota will have to push to enforce Affirmative Action if we are going to break the back-bone of the pernicious institutionalized racism which is destroying so many families in our communities across this state.

My suggestion is that if anyone intends to support Margaret Anderson-Kelliher or Matt Entenza for governor of Minnesota they had better take up the issue of Affirmative Action with them because to date, Mark Dayton is the only one of the candidates who has forthrightly taken a position in defense of Affirmative Action after a group of us let him--- and Kelliher and Entenza--- know how important this issue is.

Raise the issue of Affirmative Action with Margaret Anderson-Kelliher and Matt Entenza and you are likely in for a rude awakening when you press them to go public in condemning MNDOT and DEED and to say what they will do once elected.
I don't bother mentioning the Republican or any other candidates from other political parties because, by their stated opposition in the case of Emmer, and silence by others, we know them... in the same way anyone for an end to racism and for civil and human rights should either pressure Entenza and Kelliher to vigorously defend Affirmative action or reject their candidacies just like we reject the Republicans and others who fail this very basic political litmus test.

I also think Donald Allen has a responsibility to speak very clearly his position on Affirmative Action; come on Donald--- for or against Executive Order #11246 being vigorously enforced in Minnesota on all these huge public works projects using all of our tax-dollars to fund but people of color being systematically denied employment?

Monday, June 21, 2010

Tell the G-20: People First

Alan L. Maki

First of all, there is no "Obama line" or "Bush line" or "McCain line" or "Palin line;" there is only the "Wall Street line." We are seeing this in the upcoming G-20 meeting in Toronto. Wall Street is dictating the "line" of capital.

Unless there is a "Communist Party line" (the Party line); there is no opposing line to Wall Street's line.

The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), under the brilliant and able leadership of Sid Ryan, has come the closest of anyone, any organization or political party in formulating a proper line that the working class--- all liberal, progressive and left people in North America--- can unite around with a real progressive agenda that is a real alternative to Wall Street's agenda.

That line is "People First."

The strong implication in "People First" is that it is "People Before Profits" which is, and always has been, (until recently) the "Party line." The Communist Party of Canada seems to be adhering to this Party line; the CPUSA does not since it is working in league with Wall Street's (Obama's) imperialism.

At times, it appears to me, the CPC does not completely understand the important role of the NDP as some CPC members and leaders seem to think the NDP is a party they should be competing with, rather, than, helping to lead.

Quite frankly, there would probably be no NDP had CPC leader Tim Buck not had the foresight and vision to understand the importance of Canada having its own party for labor and the working class--- which the NDP is, in spite of all of its shortcomings (which are to be expected and anticipated since among the working class there are all kinds of world views and outlooks always jostling for leadership to provide the NDP with its direction).

Now would be the time for the CPUSA to give leadership in helping to create a labor based people's party reflecting and representing those forces who are, objectively in line to become "the people's front," should the CPUSA exert its leadership in building such an important, necessary and needed popular front to oppose Wall Street's capitalist and imperialist system.

At present, the CPUSA leadership views Barack Obama as "the brilliant leader of the democratic people's front." I doubt there has ever been a Communist Party leadership so confused as to think that a flim-flam man and con-artist working for Wall Street can possibly be the leader of any "democratic people's front."

Actually, there have been few social democrats so confused although there are some right-social democrats in Canada's New Democratic Party who seem to have relinquished leadership to Wall Street and its chosen frontman, Obama who uses all of Madison Avenue's and Hollywood's gimmickry, too.

While the Greens may offer some useful opposition and obstruction to Wall Street's agenda, it is more by accident then by intent or design--- certainly the Greens have no "Party line" offering an alternative to Wall Street's imperialist agenda.

Liberals, progressives and the left can continue wasting precious time; but history has proven, time and time again, that without strong Communist Parties, the people and the working class are left defenseless as Wall Street maneuvers through all kinds of schemes few people will understand, to implement its thoroughly reactionary imperialist agenda which is all about profits before people and Mother Nature--- no matter how "brilliant" those leading the Wall Street charge may be in hoodwinking the people and the working class--- brilliance does nothing to alleviate the suffering and misery of the people caused by wars, racism, unemployment, failing public educational systems, inadequate healthcare, lack of public child care centers and a crumbling infrastructure as the drive to amass greater profits which leads to these dirty wars becomes the primary motivation behind everything.
Here in North America--- in Canada and the United States--- we should all be finding ways to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in activism and solidarity behind the call of the Ontario Federation of Labour an alternative agenda for "People First" as the G-20, led by Wall Street with complete complicity of Bay Street, the Square Mile and the other centers of capital, are convening at their Toronto Summit on June 26-27--- next week:

People First! We Deserve Better G8 & G20 PUBLIC RALLY and MARCH

http://ofl.ca/index.php/news/index_in/people_first_we_deserve_better/

Time, Date & Location:
Saturday, June 26th @ 1:00pm
Queen's Park - Toronto
March ends at Trinity Bellwooods Park

The G8 & G20 Summits taking place in Ontario from June 25-27 offer Canadians a rare opportunity to speak out on priorities that the world’s most wealthy and powerful nations should adopt on economic recovery, environment, human rights, decent jobs, and social justice. Decisions taken by the G8 & G20 governments impact on millions of lives in Canada and around the world.

http://www.g20.utoronto.ca/

Check out this excellent poster being distributed by the OFL--- print it, post it and distribute it widely:

http://ofl.ca/uploads/misc/June26_Rally_Poster-EN.pdf

Let us look at who is supporting this peaceful working class family centered march, rally, and demonstration and who isn't working to build it... this will tell us much of what we need to know and what we need to do.
People First!

People before Wall Street's profits!

http://ofl.ca/uploads/library/economy/Together_it_Works.pdf

Say good riddance to Rahm Emmanuel and all out to Toronto June 26-27…

only should Rahm Emmanuel be kicked out the door, Obama should also be shown the door is being held open for his own exit by fed-up and disgusted voters awaiting his exit in the upcoming election unless we get the peace, jobs and social and economic justice he and his phony liberal, progressive and left supporters led people to believe was going to be the result.

No one should hold their breath waiting for anything other than superficial changes coming with this game of musical chairs in the Obama Administration intended to once again hoodwink the American people into believing Obama is something other than a voice for Wall Street's thoroughly reactionary profits before people agenda.

Canadian labour is leading the way with demonstrations at the G-20 Summit in Toronto by insisting on an alternative agenda of "People First." Without a progressive agenda based upon people before profits we will not be able to isolate and defeat Obama and his Wall Street friends.

People should not be mislead to believe this game of musical chairs with Rahm Emmanuel leaving is anything other than part of Madison Avenue's attempt to help Wall Street maintain its dominance in American and World politics in a way intended to force the working classes of every country to now pay for the problems these Wall Street parasites have created on their own in their gluttonous drive for maximum corporate profits.

For a real alternative to Wall Street's agenda we need to create a progressive agenda the American people can unite around--- in league with, and in solidarity with, the peoples of the world struggling for human rights, dignity and social and economic justice: Jobs, peace, education through an end to this senseless militarism and war tantamount to dumping the wealth of nations into the deepest depths of the ocean which will help to pay for the solutions to our problems along with these Wall Street coupon clippers being forced to cough up the wealth (tax the rich) they have stolen to pay for the solutions to the problems of their own making; working people have been excluded from all the decisions so we have no responsibility for these problems--- our responsibility is to now solve these problems in a way the lives, well-being and livelihoods of working people will be better.

Make your way to Toronto to join protests led by the Ontario Federation of Labour. The "leaders" of the G-20 [ http://www.g20.utoronto.ca/ ] will, again, be collaborating in secercy behind the backs of the people June 26-27 to make working people pay as Wall Street, Bay Street and The Square Mile coupon clippers profit from the misey and suffering they are subjecting working people to as they once again seek to reap huge profits under the guise of "problem solving."

If you can't make it to Toronto to march behind the "People First" banners of the Ontario Federation of Labour, find a way to show support and solidarity in your local community--- perhaps with a demonstration or vigil creating awareness citing Obama's participation as a spokesman for Wall Street's interests... or even a letter to the editor.

The FBI and Royal Canadian Mounted Police are hard at work trying spending over one-billion dollars in a campaign to exclude the people and to discredit the popular leader of the Ontario Federation of Labour, Sid Ryan, who has had the forsight to lead the working class behind the banners of "People First" to show the world there is an alternative to the international bankers and corporate agenda.

While Obama goes to Toronto to conspire against the beat interests of working people, his administration is warning Americans to stay out of Toronto on June 27 to 27--- that should signal working people that Toronto is the place to be marching behind the "People First" banners of the Ontario Federation of Labour.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Non-profits like The Century Foundation have the objective of undermining the resistance of the working class to capitalism and imperialism…

The non-profit organizations are meant to be "competitors" for who can hoodwink the American people and especially the working class the most effectively... to those most successful in this endeavor will go the biggest grants and the bulk of the funding. It is largely this network of non-profits and the organizations they work through who are responsible for backing Obama and the Democrats. To the casual observer or activist, what these people and organizations do often sounds to be sensible and reasonable; but, upon closer examination, the intent is to create a bottle-neck through which liberal, progressive and left organizations have a great deal of difficulty passing through in order to accomplish and attain real change that will benefit working people and solve their problems.

The liberal, progressive and left "non-profits, in general, come under the umbrella of "The Century Foundation" which has managed to control organizations from the Communist Party USA to the Campaign for America's Future and all kinds of organizations and individuals.

Some of the biggest rats linked to his "The Century Foundation" on the left are Robert Borosage, Roger Hickey, Richard Trumka, Amy Dean and Medea Benjamin and a host of her front groups and so-called "new" media.

I would suggest that there is one sure way to determine how these outfits are controlled by "The Century Foundation"... check out all of "The Century Foundation" "partners" on their web site... then always google groups and these "partners" and you will see how they are interconnected and work together to destroy real mass organizations and grassroots and rank-and-file initiatives.

For anyone who is having trouble making the searches, feel free to contact me because I have done extensive research into these organizations and how they work together.

Some of the very worst of these organizations and publications doing the most damage is The Nation Magazine, Progressives for Obama (now Progressives Rising) and American Prospect. The AFL-CIO is one of the major partners with The Century Foundation.

Here is a partial listing of The Century Foundation "partners:"

[Notice: These were some of the most active organizations working to side-track single-payer universal healthcare in support of Obama's phony healthcare initiatives and it is these organizations who are working to destroy unity in the peace movement, and they will be working to sell the American people Obama's cuts to Social Security and Medicare and his scheme of "green economy, green jobs."]

[Notice, also, how The Century Foundation links these so-called liberal, progressive and left organizations and their leaders to some of the most reactionary imperialist interests--- for instance, The Council on Foreign Relations. And noteworthy is the fact that Barack Obama has chose Foreign Affairs Magazine--- published by the Council on Foreign Relations--- to release his views and world outlook through as all these other "liberal, progressive and left" organizations put their special little "spins" and "frame" the issues to make Obama appear to be a "friend of the people" and a "leader of the democratic peoples' movement." To be sure, some of these people are innocently sucked in and don't understand the dynamics at work--- while others, like Sam Webb of the CPUSA, Amy Dean, Robert Borosage and Roger Hickey, Carl Davidson, Tom Hayden, Bill Fletcher, Jr. along with the Publisher of The Nation Magazine are very willingly complicit in all this dirty work.]

It is not enough to imply that there is this network of non-profits associated with the military-financial-industrial complex--- the organizations and persons responsible for these dirty deeds on behalf of Wall Street's imperialist interest have to be named.

Partners and Collaborators

The Century Foundation works to translate ideas into action through partnerships with like-minded individuals and organizations. We join with other organizations to produce forums and conferences, and to create task forces and special projects.

Alan L. Maki
58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763
Phone: 218-386-2432
Check out my blog:
http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Thursday, June 17, 2010

A comment on the G-20 protests

Story commented on:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontog20summit/article/824596--labour-plans-peaceful-kid-friendly-g20-protest

Alan L. Maki

It is wrong to portray these activities and actions of these anarchists as "militant." Call them what they are: divisive. What could be more "militant" than tens of thousands of working class families peacefully marching behind banners proclaiming "People First" as they expose the profit before people and nature motives of these big-business interests who created so many problems and now expect working people to silently acquiesce to them making greater profits from their so-called solutions which will only create more misery and suffering for working class families. If the truth be known, most of these anarchists come from families that don't have to scrounge to try to make ends meet from pay-check to pay-check. The more thousands peacefully marching behind banners of "People First," the more "militant" this demonstration will be because it will help to expose the nature of what these big bankers and big- business interests are trying to do. These anarchists don't build working class movements on a day-to-day basis for real change; they try to take advantage of the organizing of others. Instead of giving in to these anarchists people should enter into open and vigorous dialog with them over their completely futile, useless and destructive tactics. Which is more productive: More thousands of people marching to demonstrate that working people do not accept what these Bay Street and Wall Street bankers are doing to the people with their wars that breed poverty, unemployment and rob the people of healthcare, education and housing; or having a fence torn down? Anarchism has never led to an improvement in the lives of working people and it never will. Change requires education, organization, unity and action--- in this situation what is called for is the largest numbers of people marching peacefully through the streets exposing the ruinous direction the multi-national corporations, the bankers and the politicians they own are trying to push the world in... there is only one alternative to this reactionary course, and that is to put "People First." This is all about working people organizing to become the real decision-makers, and anarchists tearing down a stupid fence instead of organizing to bring even larger numbers of people out into the streets doesn't get working people one step closer to this objective. That any working class family should have to fear bringing their children to a demonstration because a few anarchists want to attack a fence to make some kind of point is pathetic.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

A letter sent to St. Paul Star-Tribune

There are some issues not being addressed in this controversy. Both in the article above which is a lot better than most of the articles appearing in the mainstream media; but, still, there are important issues missing even from the above excellent article.

I sent the following letter to the St. Paul Star-Tribune, the writer of the article above and a number of Minnesota State Legislators:

Treaty fishing--- the missing issues

Mr. Dennis Anderson,

Please bear with me here because I am going to explain to you what this issue of Treaty Rights and the present controversy over fishing has to do with John McCarthy and the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association.

The Treaty Rights/fishing issue is obviously a very legitimate issue--- why the state would waste a single dime fighting this I don’t understand--- the state is going to lose and the state should lose after having stolen this land and the resources and then pushed people into poverty on reservations. However, I question the manner in which this has been raised and for what purposes. I believe there are people who want to use impoverished Native American Indians to provide them with cheap fish so they can make a hefty profit.

I wanted to let you know that I asked the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (James Dunn, the head of enforcement in the Cass Lake-Bemidji, Minnesota area) to investigate to see if John McCarthy, the Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association is properly licensed to sell walleye in Minnesota.

McCarthy has sold walleye to the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party for fund-raising events as the minutes of the Beltrami County DFL meetings will show.

This came to light after a dispute arose as to whether John McCarthy donated the walleye to the Beltrami County DFL or sold them the walleye for a fundraiser. You can check the Beltrami County DFL minutes and their financial records and you will find John McCarthy sold the Beltrami County DFL the walleye for the fund-raiser.

There may not be anything illegal going on here but there sure as heck is something very unethical going on here.

A little background on John McCarthy.

John McCarthy came to the area years ago as a VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) volunteer to help poor people; he now heads up the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association as its Executive Director.

As I am sure you are aware, the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association hands out millions of dollars in campaign contributions to politicians--- mostly Democrats.

What you may not be aware of is that John McCarthy has purchased Tony Doom Enterprises--- this is the outfit which for years has been producing and selling politicians all kinds of advertising gimmicks from pencils and pens to yard signs, etc.

Now, don’t you think it is at least just a tad bit unethical for someone in John McCarthy’s position to be handing out campaign contributions to politicians expecting them to vote and support the Indian Gaming Industry with one hand, and then taking those campaign contributions right back with his other hand as payment for yard signs, etc.?

Well, now you have this same John McCarthy who more or less dictates MN DFL policies when it comes to gaming issues, now selling walleye to DFL fundraisers after he has made contributions to these DFL units like Beltrami County. Again… giving out money with one hand, taking it back in the other hand.

Now, consider this… Archie LaRose and Frank Bibeau are friends of John McCarthy. Are either of these individuals really concerned with Native rights issues? After all… they have no problem with power lines and pipelines being run across Leech Lake Tribal Lands… and, they have no problem with a Canadian corporation coming into mine peat in the Big Bog without even consulting with them. Neither Frank Bibeau or Archie LaRose raised their voices or lifted a finger to demand the enforcement of affirmative action concerning the Bemidji Regional Event Center even though there is massive unemployment on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. Now, along comes Archie LaRose and Frank Bibeau talking about how they are for “Treaty Rights” and they just happen to ignore all these other issues that involve Treaty Rights and they just out of nowhere, without even any push from the people, decide they are going to stand up for Treaty Rights when it comes to the right to fish… and, standing by to sell tons of walleye to over 350 casinos in the Indian Gaming Industry and for Democratic Party fund-raisers is their good friend John McCarthy who has already been selling walleye to DFL fundraisers… a man with such little ethics he hands money out with one hand to politicians and the Democratic Party and through Tony Doom Enterprises and selling walleye he is taking the money right back with his other hand… and, all the while that these millions of dollars attained from the profits of what is supposed to be Indian Casinos, John McCarthy is getting rich off the poverty of the Indian people who just happen to work in these smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state or federal labor laws--- while Indian fishers will not be working in smoke-filled casinos they will be working for poverty wages and they will be working without any rights forced to sell their small harvests for a mere pittance. “Sovereignty” is used as the excuse to exploit casino workers; “Treaty Rights” will now be used to exploit fishers.

Sovereignty and Treaty Rights--- including the right to fish for subsistence or commercially--- are both very legitimate rights; but, who financially benefits from this “Indian sovereignty” and “Indian Treaty Rights?” A rich white man, John McCarthy, gorges himself at the expense of so many people living in poverty… it seems to me there is a story to be told here. Where are the journalists willing to tell the full and complete story about why there is so much poverty on Indian Reservations while so much wealth is being generated off the labor of Indian people.

I’m wondering; why hasn’t the state of Minnesota gone into partnership with Tribal governments and established a fish marketing board like they have in Manitoba to assure the fishers receive real living incomes for their labor? Probably for the same reason the State of Minnesota and Tribal Governments haven’t gone into the very lucrative business of manufacturing slot machines so Native American Indians would actually own the slot machines instead of John McCarthy’s rich WHITE friends.

At different times the Red Lake fishery supplied food to feed our military through a Red Lake Cooperative fishery and processing plant… who profits from the Red Lake fish processing plant today? There is no reason why the five huge lakes up here in northern Minnesota couldn’t become a commercial fishery providing quality fresh water fish products--- the only question is: Will such a commercial fishery enrich a few wealthy white men like John McCarthy, or would such a Native American Indian fishery help end the poverty?

I wonder why Archie LaRose and Frank Bibeau have not suggested a freshwater fish marketing corporation similar to what exists in Manitoba? Maybe you should ask John McCarthy.

Oh, I noticed with one hand John McCarthy and the Indian Gaming Industry hand out quite a bit of money to the newspapers for advertising; and with no mention of the relationship between poverty wages and poverty McCarthy seems to be getting a little something back in return in the other hand, too. And, maybe, just maybe, this is why we aren’t seeing any of what I am bringing up in print.

I hope you are going to be checking to see if John McCarthy has the proper licenses to sell walleye to the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party for fundraising events… and don’t forget Tony Doom Enterprises; I’m wondering why he hasn’t changed the name to John McCarthy Enterprises… but, like they say on the Internet: LOL!

You know, while you are checking into things maybe you should check into those figures you published about the $115 million dollar casino empire Leech Lake operates… will the fishery have the same kind of book-keeping standards? Wouldn’t it be nice to see where this $115 million dollars is actually going since we know it isn’t going for real living wages? I’m wondering, also, what do Frank Bibeau and Archie LaRose think might be a real living wage for commercial fishers?

Have you ever checked to see what the Red Lake fish processing plant is paying fishers? Have you checked on the wages of workers in this plant? What about the working conditions and workers’ rights?

Come on, really, now; sovereignty and Treaty Rights are not about poverty wages and the continuation of poverty--- what kind of sovereignty and Treaty Rights create more poverty?

Over 95% of Native American Indians in Minnesota are working class and with over 65% unemployment in Minnesota, on and off the reservations, these issues need to be discussed as part of any struggle for sovereignty or Treaty Rights.

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

58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763

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

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

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

Some thoughts on the Campaign for America’s Future

Quote: "An election cannot give a country a firm sense of direction if it has two or more national parties which merely have different names but are as alike in their principles and aims as two peas in the same pod" -- Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The Campaign for America's Future conveniently, just before the November Election, now calls for getting the Obama coalition back together again... not to organize people to struggle for solutions to their problems but to hoodwink people into getting out the votes--- again--- for Democrats who have done nothing except to implement Wall Street's imperialist agenda which in addition to war and militarism as part of its policies in dictating to the rest of the world how they must conform to accepting Wall Street's drive for corporate profits derived from exploiting the people while stealing their natural resources, also includes driving down the standard of living of American workers in an attempt to make the working class pay for the problems Wall Street created in the first place in its greedy drive for maximum corporate profits.

The Campaign for America's Future is merely fronting for Wall Street's interests no matter what the issue... it was CAF's Roger Hickey who quite literally wrote the book on how to destroy the single-payer universal healthcare movement.

As long as the Democrats are pushing Wall Street’s agenda working people will continue to suffer. Even Franklin Roosevelt understood you cannot have two political parties in the same pea pod if the country is going to change direction.

Democrats and Republicans today are just like two peas in the same pod as they push Wall Street’s agenda.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

In fact, what is being ignored is that Obama and the Democrats currently assembled a group of 18 people, created by executive order, known as the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform or "the deficit commission," and they are meeting secretly to balance the nation's budget by cutting programs that protect people from financial devastation in a time of the highest unemployment and economic insecurity in decades, these cuts are simply "off the table."

We need to fight massive cuts and privatization of the programs that have lifted millions out of poverty and brought a higher quality of life to working people.

Obama works for Wall Street not the American people.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

What the economic conversation needs to be about

Contributing towards "the economic conversation" is a great little book, "Getting America Back To Work" by Stewart Acuff and Richard Levins. Scott Marshall has started a "Stewart Acuff Fan Page" on facebook. Let's all read, study and participate and give it our Communist Plus. There are a lot of great Marxist pamphlets to supplement this book. See you all on the "Stewart Acuff Fan Page" on facebook.

It is difficult to understand how Sam Webb the head of the CPUSA would write such an article (http://peoplesworld.org/what-the-economic-conversation-needs-to-be-about#PageComment_4467) and not mention the military/war budget. Nor does he explain how the way out of this mess is through pushing massive job creating programs aimed at solving the problems of the people like socialized health care and day care programs. Socialized healthcare would create as many as ten-million jobs and a national public day care program would create another 4 to 6 million jobs. Massive CCC and WPA programs would create around 15 million jobs.

Nor is it mentioned by Webb that wealth needs to be created that will be owned by society to do what needs to be done and this is going to require the 3,700 closed mines, mills and factories be reopened under public ownership producing for what people and society require to live better lives while solving issues like global warming and the results of oil spills not to mention helping people in other countries rebuild in the wake of destruction wrought by U.S. imperialist wars.

What is really "concealed" by Webb just like the Wall Street economists he so admires is the fact that working people create all wealth and as long as this wealth is being stolen by Wall Street coupon clippers our problems will continue.

We should be focusing on the need to make the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights a living reality for all working people.

The Democrats are whittling away at their own "jobs bill;" in the end it will be useless for anything other than Wall Street making a profit off the problems of the people that these Wall Street parasites created in the first place.

Where is the Communist Program for uniting the working class around real solutions?

Shouldn't the Communist Party USA be distributing such a program widely among its coalition partners at conventions and conferences? And what about initiating organizations in local communities around an emergency program for real change?
Radical Ideas? Real Politics? But, where are the solutions from Sam Webb?

Let's see right now what the CPUSA is going to be distributing at the U.S. Social Forum and at the Campaign for America's Future’s upcoming Conference.

Sam, put the program out there in a way that is understandable to working people so any working person can pick it up and go to work building Party Clubs in their own communities and where they work or go to school.

Let's have a program printed on paper that can be handed out and distributed where ever we go- at the grocery store or food shelf.

Where is the left's popular people's front alternative to the right-wing Tea Party movement? And don't tell us its Obama and the Democrats.

Why there is no mention of enforcing affirmative action needs to be explained.

A national bank would solve most of the "debt problem" because what little interest would be paid would come right back to government coffers.

"Fiscal responsibility," "limited government," and "free markets" can not be refuted without getting specific and it is on these three points that the "ultra-right" is basing its agenda sucking in millions of people. It is when the facts AND real solutions are shoved under their noses that the right-wing agenda stands exposed.

Right now Barack Obama is in the process of building 700 military bases in Afghanistan for its long-term occupation... do you really think the American people won't respond to a program that calls for building 700 public health care centers spread out across the United States providing free basic healthcare for everyone, instead?

And how many military bases will be needed to "secure" the Iraq oil fields for the long term occupation intended for the oil companies like British Petroleum... do you really think the American people won't respond to a call to build public day care centers across the United States, instead?

Marx was right: When a Nation wastes its resources on militarism and wars it may just as well be throwing its human and natural resources out into the ocean. This has to be the focus of any Communist program for real change--- Radical Ideas; Real Politics; People before profits... Wall Street is the enemy. Its what William Z. Foster called "educating the American people about the nature of imperialism while uniting workers in the struggle for peace."

Posted by Alan L. Maki, 06/08/2010 9:44am

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Welcome to Bemidji, Minnesota where racism is the religion

Alan L. Maki
More people should begin standing up to these corrupt and racist politicians who have created an undemocratic and racist web to hold people down in poverty as a few of their friends profit. The MNDFL held its State Convention in Bemidji, Minnesota just a couple weeks ago and not one single member of the State Central Committee had the common human decency to point out that they were meeting in a City where the largest public works project in decades is underway to the tune of over 80 million dollars as part of the 1st phase of a half-billion dollar project mostly funded with tax-dollars and not only did city, county, state and federal elected and appointed public officials tried to sneak this through without enforcing affirmative action which through Executive Order #11246 is the law of the land when it comes to these kinds of public works projects--- but, even once exposed and challenged they give their middle finger and thumb their noses at the most important piece of civil rights legislation in this country.

And now these same racists--- Democrats and Republicans alike--- try to deny people the most fundamental and sacred rights touted to the world as being a feature of this great bastion of democracy: the right to run for public office and the right of people to vote for the candidates of their choice rather than these racist and corrupt politicians who are candidates because they are anointed at tightly controlled and rigged "nominating conventions" dominated by these same racist public officials... what do you call this? The "good old boys club."

What is taking place here should cause anyone with the least little bit of concern for human rights and democracy to hang their heads in shame.

Over a thousand people in northern Minnesota signed petitions to place the candidates of the new political party Warriors for Justice on the ballot and now another racist public official steps up to thwart the democratic rights of the people to run for public office so people have real alternatives at the polls.

Melendez must go…

That Brian Melendez, who Chairs the MNDFL, is smothering democracy in the MNDFL as effectively as any Tea Bagger--- this should surprise no one.

Brian Melendez through his innumerable actions has demonstrated he is a bigot. His racism extends to the Native American Indian Community as it does to the Palestinian people. The last DFL State Central Committee meeting in Bemidji, Minnesota was picketed by Native American Indians with signs declaring "... Melendez Must Go" because of his racist treatment of Native American Indians in the MNDFL.

The Democratic Party here in Minnesota has a long and shameful history going back to the days when it supported slavery and cheered on the racist hanging of the Dakotas in Mankato.

There is nothing left of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party; the MNDFL has reverted back to its own racist, corrupt self and Brian Melendez is a perfect example of this racism and corruption. What kind of human being would try to force his own biased and bigoted views on others by conniving through all kinds of underhanded manipulations to prevent members of the MNDFL from having a say about the need to stop the Israeli killing machine or try to prevent something as basic and fundamental to human rights like a resolution in support of affirmative action (Executive Order #11246) from being voted on by delegates after it has become widely known delegates and Minnesotans want to have a say on these issues. Under the control of Zionist Brian Melendez democracy in the MNDFL is squashed in the same manner Rachel Corrie was crushed by a huge Caterpillar Dozer.

There is no democracy in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party... he who has the money rules be it AIPAC or the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association and Brian Melendez a well-heeled multi-millionaire attorney is employed by Faeger and Benson, a huge law firm which does work for both the casino industry and AIPAC and Israel which is kind of like letting someone like Meyer Lansky Chair the MNDFL.

Racism, workers’ rights and politics in Minnesota

Friday, June 4, 2010

I guess this says everything we need to know about Pawlenty

Marco Rubio

Governor Pawlenty: "Marco represents the future of the GOP and has the common sense, conservative ideas we need more of in Washington.”

A posting on the Great Lakes Town Hall

Comments

New

The way into the future

Submitted by Alan Maki on Fri, 06/04/2010 - 10:21.

There is a way into the future.

The "red" Finns of the Iron Range took up the struggle for this future many years ago as they successfully took on the mining and forestry bosses to organize unions and establish the network of "red" Finn Co-operatives and Mesaba Co-operative Park while bringing forward an alternative to the two parties of big-business with the pro-people, environmentally friendly, pro-peace, anti-racist, anti-capitalist, socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party.

The "red" Finns and their friends were instrumental in electing two socialist governors, Floyd Olson and Elmer Benson, along with the Communist Congressman from Eveleth, John Bernard.

It was a terrible mistake to merge the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party with the Democratic Party because, today, the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party is a very corrupt, anti-labor, anti-environmental political party controlled from top to bottom by the very mining and forestry bosses along with the power generating and banking industries that the socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party fought for so many years.

Socialism, not capitalism, is the way into the future.

Our country and specifically our state and most especially the Iron Range was plunged into political darkness as first the very corrupt Harold Stassen, and then Joe McCarthy plied their dirty brand of anti-communist politics which hit Minnesota especially hard. If we are going to move into a future where there is a respect for labor and Mother Nature we are going to have to once and for all break free from the darkness of anti-communist politics in Minnesota and get back on track from where Floyd Olson, Elmer Benson and John Bernard left off with democracy being suffocated by the corporations and the politicians they hire to protect their profits.

The Iron Range has been one big "money pit" for the Wall Street coupon clippers and this must end.

Also, no one wants to talk about the fact that a very large portion of the iron ore mined and the taconite being processed has gone, and continues to go, into building up this insane military-financial-industrial complex in militarizing our country and fighting these dirty wars. We need to ask: How much has been taken from these iron ore pits for this senseless killing and destruction which kills and destroys so much as the wealthy few profit? The "red" Finns of the Iron Range had the moral and political courage to ask these questions and so should we.

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Alan L. Maki

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Phone: 218-386-2432