.: A program for real change...

Monday, January 31, 2011

A program for real change...

* Peace--- end the wars in Iraq andAfghanistan and shutdown the 800 military bases.

* A National Public Health Care System - ten million new jobs.

* A National Public Child Care System - three to five million new jobs.

* WPA - three million new jobs.

* CCC - two million new jobs.

* Tax the hell out of the rich and cut the military budget by ending the wars to pay for it all which will create full employment.

* Enforce Affirmative Action; end discrimination.

* Raise the minimum wage to a real living wage

* What tax-payers subsidize in the way of businesses, tax-payers should own and reap the profits from.

* Moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions.

* Wall Street is our enemy

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“Letter to the Editor” submitted for publication in Labor World

Dear Labor World Editor, Larry Sillanpa;

I am submitting this “Letter to the Editor” for publication in Labor World; I hope you will consider its publication along with the title I have given it; I am also attaching a photo you might want to include.

Alan L. Maki

How is the WAR ECONOMY working for YOU?

With Labor Day just around the corner, I would like to share a left-wing working class perspective with readers of Labor World in the interest of dialog, discussion and debate.

I attended the Stewart Acuff “book signing” at the Duluth Labor Temple. This letter is largely based on the notes I made listening to Brother Acuff’s presentation, listening to questions and his responses and reading his excellent book: Getting America Back to Work which set me to thinking that it will only be through solving the problems working people are experiencing that most new jobs will be created.

The United States is the wealthiest country in the world.

This wealth created by working people is being squandered on fighting two wars, financing the Israeli killing machine and funding over 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil protecting Wall Street's greedy interests--- instead, what we need is a public health care system of 800 primary care facilities serving as bases of support for over 30,000 neighborhood public health care centers spread out across the United States providing free health care for all Americans which would create around ten-million new, good-paying jobs with affirmative action enforced.

We wouldn't trust a private-for-profit free enterprise system to teach our children to read and write so why would we continue to rely on this failed private-for-profit health care system? Public education provides quality education for our children and a public health care system will provide us with a world-class health care system.
As for anyone concerned about the high cost of health care; VA, the Indian Health Service and the National Public Health Service have all proven we get the best health care at the best price through public health care.

Elected public officials should be able to comprehend the benefits from peace and a public health care system. Look at unemployment; our country and our state need jobs, not war.

By ending these dirty wars and implementing Mark Dayton’s call to “Tax the Rich” we can get America back to work.

In order to turn this country around, we are going to have to rebuild the historic coalition of liberals, progressives and the left; the only coalition which has ever won real progress for working people. To accomplish this we need to consider Brother Acuff’s suggestion (Getting America Back to Work- Page 83) that each and every worker needs to become “a warrior for peace and social justice.”

How is the WAR ECONOMY working for YOU? Does it make you sick?

Let’s talk about the politics and economics of livelihood for real change on this Labor Day.

Alan L. Maki

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell Phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Bullshit Bingo

Game: Bullshit Bingo

Creator: Dudley DoRight

Rules for Bullshit Bingo

1. Before Barrack Obama's next televised speech, prepare your "Bullshit Bingo" card by drawing a square.

I find that 5" x 5" is a good size -- and dividing it into columns--- five across and five down. That will give you 25 one-inch blocks.

2. Write one of the following words/phrases in each block:

. Restored our reputation
. Strategic fit
. Let me be clear

. Make no mistake
. Back from the brink
. Signs of recovery
. Out of the loop
. Benchmark
. Job creation
. Fiscal restraint
. Win-win
. Affordable health care
. Previous Administration
. Greed on Wall Street
. At the end of the day
. Empower (or empowerment)
. Touch base
. Mindset
. Corporate greed
. Ballpark
. Game plan
. Leverage
. Inherited as in "I inherited this mess"
. Relief for working families (alternate - "unprecedented" )

3. Check off the appropriate block when you hear one of those words/phrases.

4. When you get five blocks horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, stand up and shout

"BULLSHIT!"

Testimonials from past satisfied "Bullshit Bingo" players:

"I had been listening to the speech for only five minutes when I won." -
R.J. Smith, Duluth, Minnesota

"My attention span during speeches has improved dramatically. " -
David Diggs., Minneapolis, Minnesota

"What a gas! Speeches will never be the same for me after my first win."- Bill Read., Eveleth, Minnesota

"The atmosphere was tense in the last speech as 14 of us waited for the fifth box." -
Mary Griswold, Warroad, Minnesota

"The speaker was stunned as eight of us screamed "BULLSHIT!" for the third time in two hours." -
Harry Smith, St. Cloud, Minnesota

"This is the most fun we have ever had with our pants up!"
Al Franken and intern, St. Paul, Minnesota

Bullshit! Bingo Cards are available at the following locations:

Holiday Gas Stations and Convenience Stores

Ace Hardware Stores

Walgreen Drug Stores

Wal-Mart

Menard's

Pamida

Cenex

Cub's

We need to beat swords into plowshares.