My response to Robert Reich.

Robert Reich · 72,483 like this

about an hour ago ·

·         In light of the standoff in Washington -- and the continuing dysfunction in our nation's capital -- many of you are angry and frustrated. Some of you say you've had it with politics. Others feel powerless and hopeless. A number blame both parties, seeing Democrats as no different from Republicans.

All these reactions are exactly what the regressives want. This is the heart of their strategy. They want you to see all of politics and all politicians as crooks and con-artists, fools or knaves. They want you to give up. That way, they can have it all. They can turn the clock back on America. They can shred every safety net, eviscerate every regulation, prevent any investment in the health and education of future generations. They can hammer the poor and middle class with lower wages, fewer jobs, and less security, and create a plutocracy of the privileged and powerful. Get it? They want you out of the way so they have America to themselves. The showdowns and standoffs and gridlock in Washington are part of their plot.

We must not let them. The progressive forces in this country are stronger than the regressive ones, but only if we are united and determined. Don't stop making a ruckus. Don't stop writing and calling your representatives. Don't stop mobilizing others, and organizing at the grass roots. 2014 will be a key election year. We must take our democracy back.

Alan L. Maki

Yes; keep voting for these Dumb Donkeys.

Mr. Reich; what you don't explain is what we can expect even if the Democrats once again get a super majority in 2014. Come on, Mr. Reich, explain what it is we can expect from a Democratic super majority?

Can we expect the same thing we are getting from the Democratic super majority now holding power here in Minnesota?

As I recall, you, a Democrat, are the one who pushed NAFTA. And you kept your mouth shut and your pen idle when Bill Clinton, a Democrat, "reformed" welfare to correspond to Wall Street's dictate.

What we need to do is give all you Dumb Donkeys a good hard kick in the ass (pun intended) and break free from this two-party trap by establishing a working class based progressive people's party to challenge Wall Street for political and economic power.

The Democratic super majority in Minnesota has defined "hoarding" as a mental illness and a threat to societal well-being; when is the "hoarding" by Wall Street parasites going to be ended through legislative action so we can use the wealth created by labor to solve our problems?

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/what-is-alternative-to-sequester.html

What is the alternative to "sequestration?"

What is "sequestration?"

More lies from Obama being used to scare people into accepting austerity measures and supporting the military-industrial complex which should be shut down:



http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/us/politics/obama-takes-budget-warnings-to-shipbuilder.html?ref=us&_r=0

From, "Losing Our Way"

"The U.S. has not just misplaced its priorities. When the most powerful country ever to inhabit the earth finds it so easy to plunge into the horror of warfare but almost impossible to find adequate work for its people or to properly educate its young, it has lost its way entirely."

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

Bob Herbert, Columnist
(former) New York Times

Now is the time we should propose a people's alternative to the "sequester" and Wall Street's very profitable military-industrial complex and imperialist wars which are making us all poor:

Here is where I would begin:

A progressive program for real change...

* Peace--- end the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya and shutdown the 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil.

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

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

* Works Progress Administration - three million new jobs.

* Civilian Conservation Corps - 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.

* Defend democracy by defending workers' rights including the right to collective bargaining for improving the lives and livelihoods of working people.

* Roll-back and freeze the price of food, electricity, gas and heating fuels; not wages, benefits or pensions.

* Defend and expand Social Security.

* Wall Street is our enemy

How is Barack Obama's Wall Street war economy working for you?

Climate change is like war, poverty and unemployment... without peace we aren't going to solve this problem either.

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

What we need is a government that is responsible for full employment:

http://fullemploymentnow.blogspot.com/

Don't let Obama scare you with his lies--- sequestration--- into accepting austerity measures to pay for Wall Street's dirty imperialist wars and militarization.

Peace and full-employment is the alternative to the "sequester."

Why the controversy over full employment?

Quite the discussion has taken place on the Justice Party's web site on my initial post on the issue of full employment which has garnered over 2,326 hits and generated much discussion. I am blocked from participating in my own post by folks purporting to believe in democracy; sad commentary on the state of democracy in the in a party calling itself the "Justice Party."

This is a recent exchange I had with the Editorial Page Editor of the Duluth News Tribune here in Minnesota over this issue of full employment; he too would like to prevent and restrict discussion of this issue.

I find it interesting how far so many people will go and the undemocratic means and methods these people will use to try to thwart discussion on an issue instead of engage in dialog, discussion and debate which is the way people interact in a democratic society.

I would also note that it was around the issue of making the government responsible for full employment which was the point upon which the forces of Wall Street decided it was time to restrict democracy in our country and they began massive repression against the labor movement and its leaders, including socialists and Communists, who were targeted under the Taft-Hartley Act and then Hubert Humphrey's "Communist Control Act."

And it has taken some 70 years for the issue of making the President and Congress responsible for attaining and maintaining full employment to surface again after this political repression.

And, once again, we see this issue attacked without merit and the attacks "backed up" with myths and lies like full employment causes some kind of rampant inflation (an obvious scare tactic not backed by any empirical evidence) combined, again, with the attempt to prevent dialog, discussion and debate through all kinds of devious, undemocratic methods.

The right of the American people to discuss making the government responsible for full employment is as important as the issue itself.

I would note there has been no response from Editor Frederick to my response to him; I provide my Letter to the Editor first; followed by the letter from Editor Frederick to me and my response back to him:

On Sun, Feb 17, 2013 at 11:45 AM, Alan Maki <alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com> wrote:

Submitted exclusively for publication as a Letter to the Editor of the Duluth News Tribune

Once again with President Barack Obama's State of the Union Speech we got another politician hypocritically talking about "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs."

If just one job was created every time some politician opened their mouth and started talking about "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs" we wouldn't have any unemployment in this country and everyone who wanted to work would have a decent, living wage job.

So, what is the main obstacle to full employment? Accountability from the very politicians who mouth the words "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs" whenever they want to get elected, re-elected or want thunderous applause then go about their business forgetting about jobs as they go looking for their next bribe from a Wall Street lobbyist who views unemployment as the way to keep all wages down which pushes profits up.

What we need in this country is a real "Full Employment Act" which mandates--- by legislation and law--- that the President and the United States Congress must maintain full employment as part of their responsibility to the American people. 

What good is a government that gets us into war after war but can't even assure full employment for the very people it taxes?

Wars cause government debt and deficits; peace and full employment eliminate debts and deficits.

--

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

 

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

*********

On Mon, Feb 25, 2013 at 9:01 AM, Chuck Frederick <cfrederick@duluthnews.com> wrote:

Hello Mr. Maki. The subject line of the email containing your letter to the editor submission to the News Tribune indicated the letter was exclusively for publication in the News Tribune. Exclusively, as in ONLY submitted to the News Tribune. But I'm finding your letter already published by the Bemidji paper and already published on at least two blogs. That's hardly exclusive. So were you lying to us when you submitted your letter or did you not understand what "exclusive" means?

Chuck Frederick

Editorial Page Editor

Duluth News Tribune

Chuck Frederick

Editorial Page Editor

Duluth News Tribune 

424 W. First St.

Duluth MN 55802

cfrederick@duluthnews.com

218-723-5316

**********

February 25, 2013

Mr. Chuck Frederick

Editorial Page Editor,

Duluth News Tribune

Dear Editor Frederick,

When I did not hear back from your newspaper in a timely manner I decided to submit my Letter to the Editor to other newspapers. Your newspaper was the very first newspaper I submitted my letter to.

I think I have the right to publish my own letter on my own blogs, do I not, with it still remaining an exclusive submission to your newspaper?

Anyways, if the original ideas in my Letter to the Editor are not worthy of being published in your newspaper that is up to you.

The fact of the matter is, you repeatedly publish the views expressed by all kinds of politicians as they hypocritically talk about "jobs, jobs, jobs" and not once have you as the Editorial Page Editor of the Duluth News Tribune challenged these politicians by holding them accountable by asking where these jobs are. Nor have you ever suggested that since these politicians consider "jobs, jobs, jobs" to be the primary issue facing the country at election you don't follow up after the election asking them why they don't pass legislation making themselves responsible for full employment.

If one newspaper does not respond as to whether they will publish my letter I merely submit it to another for consideration.

Obviously I am aware my letter was on my blogs because I placed it there. I was also aware another newspaper, not the one you mentioned, published my letter--- after I had submitted my letter to the Duluth News Tribune.

What are you suggesting; I have a responsibility to notify you the letter is no longer an "exclusive" or else I become a "liar?" This seems rather petty of you.

In my opinion, you have gone way over the line as an Editor in calling one of your loyal readers a "liar" over this.

Make no mistake you are calling me a "liar" because I do know the meaning of "exclusive."

When was the last time you called Barack Obama or any politician a "liar" for saying they are for "jobs, jobs, jobs" when you know full well they aren't talking about creating jobs for every unemployed person who wants to work--- what is it now, Something like FIFTEEN MILLION unemployed people in this country and counting?

When was the last time you called any of these politicians "liars" because they continue to talk day after day about debts and deficits yet they continue funding these dirty wars for which they always manage to find the money even though this adds to debts and deficits?

In my opinion; I have not written about some kind of trivial issue. Nor have I written about something that is anything other than a very major issue that the entire Nation is focused on--- jobs and unemployment. I have not only written about an important issue; but, I have suggested a solution to unemployment by making the President and the members of the House and Senate legislatively responsible for attaining and maintaining full employment.

If these politicians are going to campaign for our votes on the basis that "jobs, jobs, jobs" are their highest priority items on their agenda then they should be held accountable once elected. Accountability can only be assured if full employment is made part of their job description and legislative duty.

Feel free to call me any names you want. You obviously have the "power" to decide whether my Letter to the Editor is published or not in the Duluth News Tribune. 

In the interest of "freedom of the press" and the right of people to have access to all ideas and suggestions for solutions to pressing problems discussed in the proverbial "public square," I am requesting you publish my Letter to the Editor in the Duluth News Tribune because it merits publication no matter how many times or where it has been published. You are certainly free to add your Editorial comments about what you think of me, or my ideas, before or after the Letter. This is what would best serve the public interest.

Perhaps one of the politicians receiving this would like to respond to my Letter? Perhaps some of your readers would like the opportunity to respond to my Letter. Perhaps since "jobs, jobs, jobs" is such a newsworthy issue you could assign some reporters to go out and talk to people in the Duluth area to see what they think about my Letter in relation to what the politicians have done to live up to their campaign promises of making "jobs" their number one priority when it comes to seeking votes but forgetting once elected.

I have noticed on the Editorial Page of the Duluth News Tribune you frequently endorse politicians who lie. And you endorse them more often than not on the basis of their lies--- "jobs, jobs, jobs" being the perfect example; drone warfare being another.

Use your power as an Editor to do as you see fit with my Letter to the Editor; not printing my Letter won't hurt or bother me; it will be your readers who will be deprived of an alternative viewpoint; it will be your readers who will pay the price in not having access to one more idea.

Let's see if there are any politicians who talk about "jobs, jobs, jobs" who might want to weigh in on this controversy of whether or not my Letter to the Editor should be published... the Duluth News Tribune has endorsed enough of them--- all liars when they talk about "jobs, jobs, jobs" being at the top of their legislative agendas.

All I ask is you not sue me nor turn me over to the authorities for punishment as the last Letter to the Editor I wrote that was published in the Duluth News Tribune ended up in the FBI's "Red Squad" file they maintain on me--- but there is another dirty little government secret like just like the drone wars killing our jobs just like they kill people we shouldn't read about or talk about.

By the way, Mr. Frederick; have you ever considered there is a reason so many people turn to blogging in this country?

I guess I can assume if I decide to run for the United States Senate there won't be any use my stopping by the Duluth News Tribune's Editorial Offices seeking your endorsement if I should choose to run on a platform of "jobs, jobs, jobs." 

Alan L. Maki


Note: I have prepared a blog specifically dedicated to the issue of full employment:

http://fullemploymentnow.blogspot.com/

For our survial, we need to break free from the two-party trap.

We have quite few successful examples of socialist politics we can build on here in the United States as we break free from this two-party trap. Tony Benn is one such example. We have to get socialism on the table for discussion here in the United States because capitalism is going down hard and it's going to collapse in a big heap right on top of us if we don't take up the struggle for the socialist alternative.

Here is one fine example of a people's politician who has never shied away from advocating socialism... as William Winpisinger, the former president of the International Association of Machinists, used to call such socialists, "seat of the pants socialist."

In my opinion, Tony Benn is right up there with our former socialist Minnesota Governors Floyd Olson and Elmer Benson and the former Premier of Manitoba, Howard Pawley who wrote a great book, "Keep True," Tommy Douglas of Canada's socialist NDP and Winnipeg Communist City Council members Jacob Penner and Joe Zuken.

Leftists in this country are going to have to stop thinking there is nothing we can learn from people's politicians around the world if we are going to break free from this two-party trap.

https://www.facebook.com/tonybennfilm

Great Gray Owl from my living room window.

Mike;

I don't think Amash was specific at all. Again, I think this vote demonstrates why we need, now more than ever, a new progressive, working class based people's party in this country. We need to bring liberals, progressives and leftists together united for:

1. Peace.

2. Full employment.

3. A National Public Health Care System.

4. A National Public Child Care and Pre-school System.

5. To combat climate change with the main culprit with the largest carbon footprint being Wall Street's military-financial-industrial complex. 

It is shameful, pathetic and disgusting that the Congressional Progressive Caucus was unanimous in its support for this dirty imperialist Resolution. 

I am contemplating running for the United States Senate from Minnesota on the Communist Party ticket in order to try to break this anti-Communist hysteria that still permeates U.S. foreign policy and its slavish allegiance to Wall Street's agenda. 

I sent Congressman Justin Amash this letter:

Congressman Justin Amash,

I support your "No" vote on the non-binding resolution; however you say other action is required.

What specific action do you think is required?

I don't think any kind of punitive action is justified. The Chinese get along just fine with North Korea and we should look to see what it is the Chinese and the North Koreans do to get along so well and implement the same relationship with North Korea.

There are no "punitive" nor "military" measures which will result in peaceful relations with North Korea. Why should the North Koreans accept being bullied by the biggest bully and most powerful country in the world (the United States)?

I would suggest you gather together a fairly large group of people from all walks of life and go to North Korea to find out exactly what it is going to take to end this insane military build-up in the Pacific Region.

Right now a brand new naval base is being constructed on Jeju Island in South Korea. This construction should be halted; the inhabitants on Jeju Island don't want it so why should our tax-dollars be paying for this naval base which can only heighten tensions between North Korea, South Korea and the United States and even China? See: http://savejejunow.org/

Anyone can see that the Jeju Island naval base is intended to be used as a base of expanded NATO operations intended as part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The fact of the matter is, North Koreans want the right to develop their country with socialism. If the facts be known, most Koreans--- North and South--- would like the freedom to develop their country, a united Korea, peacefully with a socialist political and economic system.

The United States government oversaw the murdering of tens of thousands of Koreans in the aftermath of World War II for no other reason than these people were Communists and anti-imperialists and then the United States government propped up the most undemocratic, reactionary and repressive South Korean governments to continue policies of what was best for Wall Street's greedy, parasitic interests making South Korea a haven for cheap labor for the multi-national and cheap natural resources including: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead. Not to mention huge hydro-power potential.

I would point out that those Communists and anti-imperialists who were murdered under the instructions of U.S. President Harry Truman and supervised by the United States military were the very people who helped us route the Japanese imperialists from their country.

Again, I support your "NO" vote on House Resolution 65 but note that in the name of "bi-partisanship" the House has shamefully voted in the same way to support the Israeli killing machine as it continues its murderous pogroms against the Palestinian people.

Your "NO" vote on House Resolution 65 was good but your ambiguity as to what now needs to be done to enable the American people and the North Korean people to live in peace and friendship guided by the principles embodied in the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights needs to be specifically stated.

-- 

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

 

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Working people want peace and full employment.

Rebuilding the Communist Party Club by Club by Club.

These pieces of information will help you better understand the problems we are having in the Communist Party USA. In May I will be traveling across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan meeting with people who have indicated an interest in joining the CPUSA but who have doubts about helping us rebuild the Party because the National Office has been hijacked by this small clique of about 60 revisionists headed by Sam Webb who wrote the talk below delivered by Erwin Marquit and Webb's own presentation to a Party cadre training school showing how he is trying to shape Party cadre in his own revisionist image of being subservient to the Democrats.

Here in Minnesota our Communist Party Clubs are considering running a few candidates for statewide office in 2014 and 2016 with three objectives in mind:

1. Rebuilding the CPUSA community, shop and campus clubs.

2. Bringing a real progressive program before Minnesotans.

3. Engaging people in a dialog about what kind of working class based progressive people's political party for peace, social and economic justice will be required to challenge Wall Street for political and economic power.

The progressive movement has been very weak and lacking a stiff back-bone to stand up to Wall Street and its two parties. We think our Party Clubs will help to strengthen the back-bone of the progressive movements seeking real change.

As many of you have noticed the mainstream media continues to make a big deal about Obama's State of the Union Speech claiming it was focused on "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs."

As I travel and discuss issues with people I will focus on the need to make government responsible for full employment through a legislative mandate similar to the "Full Employment Act of 1945" which was supported by Henry Wallace, the Communist/left led trade unions and passed the U.S. Senate by a huge margin only to be opposed by President Harry Truman his Wall Street pals and defeated by a similarly huge margin in the House.

Without the government becoming legislatively responsible for full employment we will never reach full employment and high unemployment leaving millions of working class families in dire straits and poverty will become the "new normal" because as the President of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Board has stated, he foresees an unemployment rate of around 8% being the new normal in the years to come.

Please notice in the talk below by Sam Webb he makes the outrageous and false claim we can't have job creating programs while at the same time putting an end to government debt and deficits.

In fact, we can do both and full employment is the key provided we have huge government programs putting people to work solving the problems of the people--- National Public Health Care System, National Public Child Care System, WPA, CCC and CETA type programs; provided these programs and projects are funded with a "peace dividend" and special taxes levied on the wealthy, corporate profits and Wall Street transaction. Others make the outrageous claim that full employment creates inflation.

The message coming from our Communist Party Clubs leading into the 2014 and 2016 elections is going to be sharp and clear: a government that can't provide any human being who wants to work with a decent job at a real living wages isn't worth a damn.

Check out the blog on full employment I have created:

http://fullemploymentnow.blogspot.com/ 


This was a presentation made by the leadership of the CPUSA to the recent International Meeting of Communist Parties:

http://solidnet.org/usa-communist-party-usa/3139-14-imcwp-contribution-of-cpusa-en

And this is Sam Webb; the leader of the group who has hijacked the National Office of the CPUSA:

http://cpusa.org/making-change-by-looking-at-the-world-as-it-is-marxist-methodology-10/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cpusaMain+%28CPUSA+Front+Page%29&utm_content=FaceBook

For Sam Webb, Obama has just some "weaknesses" and "shortcomings." For most progressive-minded people Obama is a warmonger shoving austerity measures down our throats to pay for Wall Street's dirty imperialist wars.

The goal and objective of our Communist Party Clubs is the same as always: to empower workers to become the leaders for the progressive change we seek.

We are preparing a leaflet:

"Robbing the Poor to Fatten the Rich; a worker's guide to wages, prices, inflation, profits, unemployment, taxes, government budgets & debts and deficits, full employment, peace and war; the country we have, the country we want."

We are also preparing a statement for workers to sign on to:

"What Do Working People Want? We Want Peace and Full Employment"

-- 

Alan L. Maki

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

No shortage of hypocrisy and duplicity

There is no lack of hypocrisy on the part of those who recently criticized a young burlesque entertainer who has been an activist in the Occupy Wall Street and Idle No More movements and struggles.

I find it very interesting, and very hypocritical, of these critics--- many of whom are now holding Idle No More events in the casinos of the Indian Gaming Industry and even taking funding from these casino managements while overlooking the fact that so many Native Americans and workers of all races are forced to work in these loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and without any rights nor voices at work in an industry where a bunch of wealthy white mobsters own ALL the slot machines, table games, hotels,motels,bars and restaurants.

Perhaps someone who has led the attacks on this young burlesque entertainer can explain the duplicity and hypocrisy in letting the Indian Gaming Industry off the hook since, other than the United States government, state governments and corrupt tribal governments, there is no greater perversion of treaty rights, sovereignty and Indian culture than in this Indian Gaming Industry where a bunch of wealthy white mobsters continue to be allowed to run off with all the profits.  

And what about all of these casinos getting away with selling in the casino Gift Shops all these "Native Crafts and Jewelry"... manufactured in China?

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

Will Minnesota's liberal Democrats do anything for the working class?

Democrats in Minnesota have a super majority; Republicans have no say about anything.

Why isn't organized labor insisting the Democrats enact:

1. Anti-lockout legislation.

2. Anti-scab legislation.

3. Repeal and rescind "At-will Employment" legislation.

Let the dirty Republican rags like the Pioneer Press, Minneapolis Star Tribune and Duluth News Tribune howl as they complain about "over-reach" and let the Republicans cry.

What is the obstacle to Democrats passing three very simple pieces of legislation that won't cost tax-payers one single penny?

What was the reason MNDFL Chair, Ken Martin, refused to allow these three issues to be tabled for discussion at this past Saturday's Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party's State Central Committee Meeting as 1,300 American Crystal Sugar Company workers remain locked out of their jobs here in the Red River Valley?

Does anyone think voters would respond with anything but a big "Thank You" to the Democrats for taking this kind of legislative action? No.

So, what is the obstacle here?

Obviously here in Minnesota it is liberal Democrats who hold the upper hand beginning with Governor Mark Dayton; State Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk (who boasts of having come to politics straight out of the Building and Construction Trades Unions) with nothing but liberals backing him up:

http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/index.php?ls=#leader

Liberal Democrat Paul Thissen is the Speaker of the House; and liberal Democrat Erin Murphy is the House Leader for the Democrats.

No where, not ever could a more liberal bunch of Democrats ever be elected here in the United States... not to any other state legislatures nor to the United States Congress.

So, if Democrats are ever going to be able to be counted on to address the needs and problems/solutions of working people here in Minnesota--- or anyplace else in the country--- right here and now is where this will be done; correct?

Every single problem any working person or their unions and other organizations have ever brought before these very liberal Democrats the answer has always been:

We would like to help you out but these damn Republicans won't let us help you; give us a solid Democratic majority and we will take care of you.

Are these Democrats with their super majority now taking care of the needs of working people?

If not; why not?

If Democrats won't do what workers elected them to do; who will?

Should progressives be thinking of convening a conference intending to build a new working class based people's party?

Really; no three issues could be more worthy of swift legislative action. No need for discussion. No need for debate. Just straight forward and straight up legislative action:

1. Anti-lockout legislation.

2. Anti-scab legislation.

3. Repeal and rescind "At-will Employment" legislation.

Draft the legislation; push it through the appropriate committees; bring the legislation to the House and Senate floors for approval and let the liberal Governor Mark Dayton put his name to these three pieces of legislation.

How long should this take? No longer than it took the Republican super majority in Michigan to pass Right-to-Work-for-Less legislation--- three pieces of pro-worker legislation all about justice with no financial burden to tax-payers; three days, tops.

Are these Democrats getting a push, boost or a even a little "goosing" from outfits like Progressive Democrats of American, Campaign for America's Future, the Century Foundation, the AFL-CIO or any of these other outfits always whining about the Republicans and telling us that if we had solid Democratic super majorities the "sky would be the limit?"

All of a sudden here is a Democratic super majority here in Minnesota and no one is insisting these liberal Democrats do anything; what gives?

Dump the Democrats.

Why labor needs to dump the Democrats and build its own progressive working class based people's political party:

The Minneapolis Star Tribune on January 29, 2013 claims the American Crystal Sugar Company lockout of 1,300 workers here in the Red River Valley is a “work stoppage.”

Does anyone see any workers who stopped working?

This is NOT a work stoppage as claimed by the union bashing Star Tribune newspaper.

Workers did not stop working; nor did workers go on strike.

The company locked workers out of the plants and their jobs; and the work in these plants goes on with the American Crystal Sugar Company using scab labor.

The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Miller's (BCTGM) International Union’s leaders even insisted workers had to train these scabs who workers knew would be used to replace them over many months should workers turn down American Crystal Sugar Companies “final offer.”

Why hasn't the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party with its controlling majorities in the Minnesota State House and Senate and a Democratic Governor brought forward both anti-lockout and anti-scab legislation?

What good is having this super majority if it isn’t going to be used in the interests of workers?

Why isn't the call for this kind of legislation being brought forward by any DFL legislators, members of the DFL state central committee or DFL county committees?

Why haven't the union representing the workers and the Minnesota AFL-CIO insisted their DFL partners bring forward anti-lockout and anti-scab legislation?

Why haven't rank and file union members insisted on getting this legislation out of the MNDFL in return for their votes?

This is one more very typical case where labor leaders refuse to act responsibly in defense of the workers rights and interests  they are supposed to represent and to make sure this never happens again to any workers in Minnesota.

The first cowardly mistake these labor leaders made was telling workers they had to leave these plants as ordered by American Crystal Sugar Management instead of occupying these plants from the very beginning.

These labor leaders should have had the decency to place plant occupations before American Crystal Sugar workers to let them make a democratic decision as to what they wanted to do in order to defend their rights and their livelihoods.

The Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco and Grain Miller's (BCTGM) International Union is a union that has been engaged in working class betrayal for years both in the United States and Canada and it has operated to the detriment of not only its own members, but the entire working class as a whole when it comes to refusing to insist on a real living wage for the minimum wage. In plant after plant and workplace after workplace the national leadership of the BCTGM International Union has pursued the very worst kinds of class collaborationist policies, and often very racist policies, of stabbing militant rank-and-file activists in the back over even very obviously legitimate workplace grievances in which the International repeatedly takes the side of management and insists local labor leaders tow this non-struggle line.   

As for this so-called "boycott" Richard Trumka and the "leaders" of the AFL-CIO have initiated; workers employed in union plants all across the country are still handling and using American Crystal Sugar in the production of everything and anything requiring sugar. From the shipping to processing to retail sales. What kind of a boycott do you call this where the public is being asked to boycott a product union members are still handling?

And why is a petition campaign underway "asking" a Democratic Governor and Democratic State Legislators here in Minnesota to stop purchasing and using American Crystal Sugar? Shouldn't these Democrats who know to come to workers for their money and their votes not to mention insisting the unions do their "heavy lifting" know enough on their own not to be purchasing and using a scab product? Apparently not.

If this lockout by the American Crystal Sugar Company's management and the failure of the Democrats to properly respond isn't a good enough reason to start a progressive working class based people's party on top of the firm foundation of what remains of the socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party, I don't know what it is going to take.

Reactionary shit-ass Minneapolis Star Tribune reporters like Jane Friedmann take it upon themselves to attack me time and time again but this dirty anti-working class rag can’t even get it straight that there has been no work stoppage as it declares:

“...It (American Crystal Sugar Company-ALM))has grown into one of the longest work stoppages in Minnesota history. Unemployment benefits for workers have expired…”

Lie after lie when it comes to this anti-labor rag.