Here we go again--- into another war.

Here we go again into another war---

U. S. Senate Joint Resolution 41, while its authors, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman (whose worthless political butt Obama saved to do this dirty work when a real voice for peace could have been elected) claim this resolution is "not authorization for war" but it sure as heck is part of the ever-expanding and deafening drum-beat for war with Iran.

All these phony liberals, progressives and leftists telling us we must get Obama and these Democrats elected then after the election we should act when these warmongers don't stop their dirty deeds make me sick.

Now is when all who believe in peace should be declaring loud and clear---

No peace, no votes.

Why would anyone with a conscience cast a vote for any of the 90 U.S. Senators who are engaged in a campaign to drum up a war with Iran?

This vote, like all past votes in defense of the Israeli killing machine, should cause people to see how useless this so-called "Progressive Caucus" is in Congress.

Ironically, this resolution, U.S. Senate Joint Resolution 41,
( http://legiscan.com/gaits/view/429912 ) was passed along with the bill to approve government spending--- spending for more militarization and wars.

Here is how they voted--- which was a foregone conclusion because the resolution had 83 co-sponsors:

Akaka (D-HI), Yea
Alexander (R-TN), Yea
Ayotte (R-NH), Yea
Barrasso (R-WY), Yea
Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Begich (D-AK), Yea
Bennet (D-CO), Yea
Bingaman (D-NM), Yea
Blumenthal (D-CT), Yea
Blunt (R-MO), Yea
Boozman (R-AR), Not Voting
Boxer (D-CA), Not Voting
Brown (D-OH), Yea
Brown (R-MA), Yea
Burr (R-NC), Not Voting
Cantwell (D-WA), Yea
Cardin (D-MD), Yea
Carper (D-DE), Yea
Casey (D-PA), Yea
Chambliss (R-GA), Yea
Coats (R-IN), Yea
Coburn (R-OK), Yea
Cochran (R-MS), Yea
Collins (R-ME), Yea
Conrad (D-ND), Yea
Coons (D-DE), Yea
Corker (R-TN), Yea
Cornyn (R-TX), Yea
Crapo (R-ID), Yea
DeMint (R-SC), Yea
Durbin (D-IL), Yea
Enzi (R-WY), Yea
Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Franken (D-MN), Yea
Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea
Graham (R-SC), Yea
Grassley (R-IA), Yea
Hagan (D-NC), Yea
Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Hatch (R-UT), Yea
Heller (R-NV), Not Voting
Hoeven (R-ND), Yea
Hutchison (R-TX), Yea
Inhofe (R-OK), Not Voting
Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Isakson (R-GA), Yea
Johanns (R-NE), Yea
Johnson (D-SD), Yea
Johnson (R-WI), Yea
Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Kirk (R-IL), Not Voting
Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Kyl (R-AZ), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Yea
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea
Leahy (D-VT), Yea
Lee (R-UT), Yea
Levin (D-MI), Yea
Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea
Lugar (R-IN), Yea
Manchin (D-WV), Yea
McCain (R-AZ), Yea
McCaskill (D-MO), Yea
McConnell (R-KY), Yea
Menendez (D-NJ), Yea
Merkley (D-OR), Yea
Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Moran (R-KS), Yea
Murkowski (R-AK), Yea
Murray (D-WA), Not Voting
Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Paul (R-KY), Nay
Portman (R-OH), Yea
Pryor (D-AR), Yea
Reed (D-RI), Yea
Reid (D-NV), Yea
Risch (R-ID), Yea
Roberts (R-KS), Yea
Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea
Rubio (R-FL), Not Voting
Sanders (I-VT), Yea
Schumer (D-NY), Yea
Sessions (R-AL), Yea
Shaheen (D-NH), Yea
Shelby (R-AL), Yea
Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Stabenow (D-MI), Yea
Tester (D-MT), Yea
Thune (R-SD), Yea
Toomey (R-PA), Yea
Udall (D-CO), Yea
Udall (D-NM), Yea
Vitter (R-LA), Not Voting
Warner (D-VA), Yea
Webb (D-VA), Yea
Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea
Wicker (R-MS), Yea
Wyden (D-OR), Yea

 

NAYs ---1

Paul (R-KY)


Not Voting - 9

Boozman (R-AR)
Boxer (D-CA)
Burr (R-NC)
Heller (R-NV)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Kirk (R-IL)
Murray (D-WA)
Rubio (R-FL)
Vitter (R-LA)

What does this tell us?

That we have a U.S. Senate full of Wall Street bribed warmongers... and we are supposed to be silent "until after the election?"

Through "Letters to the Editor," demonstrations and picket-lines--- let these warmongers know right now that they are not going to get your vote; and why not.

Here in Minnesota we have the opportunity to vote for Michael Cavlan for United States Senate and Rocky Anderson for President.

Tell the warmongering Democrats and Republicans working for Wall Street's masters of war to go to hell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9HDljNlWYk

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

Can Obama make in until Election Day?

Can Obama hold things together until after the election as wars and economic collapse will turn Romney's gaffes into nothing?

All these worthless Obama supporters are talking about "after election day and Obama's victory being the time to think about initiating struggles.

I don't think there will be any breathing room "after Election Day."

My hunch is that these people start moving very quickly towards 2016 because they know so many people are on to their two-party game.

I'm also guessing the foundation-funded outfits, the AFL-CIO, PDA, "Progressives for Obama" are now looking at how they are going to have to start playing their game quite a bit differently.

We are going to have to consider engaging these people like Joe Stiglitz, George Lakoff, Robert Reich, Paul Krugman, Robert Borosage, MoveOn, etc. in a more timely manner like how Rocky Anderson took on Tom Hayden.

Plus, the likelihood of wars with Syria and Iran is growing by the day with the "peace movement" taking the position they are going to demonstrate on the day the wars start when people should be moving into activities trying to stop the wars now as part of this election.

What is with this drivel, "We are going to act after Election Day?"

Do wars, racism, poverty and unemployment take some kind of mystical and magical break?

I think we need to reach out with a message about how this "waiting for war to start" and "acting after Election Day" is all part of the two-party trap... it is allowing Wall Street to dictate the terms of its opposition--- like when the Democrats just want to provide some "helpful advice" that "you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar;" which, when translated, means, "don't bad-mouth us or we won't help you"... like Obama and the Democrats ever intend on doing anything for us in the first place.

First of all they don't care about us.

Second, they are too busy trying to save this rotten capitalist system that is collapsing all around them like a 150 year old barn after years of disrepair in the state of complete deterioration that might not be able to withstand the storm.

Have you ever driven by these unpainted old barns with sagging and collapsing  roofs and leaning sides that look so nice in a colorful sunset? Than the next time you drive by the barn is laying on the ground nothing but a pile of rubble.

My message to all you Obama lovers:

Never mind worrying about Romney; Obama has to try to manage the storm--- trying to hold off the wars all his sabre rattling has set in motion and economic collapse in Europe and China; until after the election.

Obama and the Democrats will be bringing out Rosy Scenario in a tighter sweater and shorter skirt than ever to do a song and dance about how things are improving when these lying bastards know full well their platitudes and pontifications have left us vulnerable to the dangerous storm brewing.

The U.S. working class is paying the price that created 60,000 Chinese billionaires as Wall Street absconds with Quadrillions.

I found this statistic interesting:

There are 60,000 billionaires in China. 

http://china-wire.org/?p=22137

Is creating selfish, greedy, money-grubbing billionaires what socialism is about?

At whose expense are these 60,000 billionaires accumulating this kind of wealth?

And, what isn't stated is this:

How many billions/trillions of dollars has the Chinese government allowed the parasitical Wall Street coupon clippers--- venture/vulture capitalists and financiers--- and the other finance capitals of the world like Bay Street and The Square Mile to abscond with as workers who have created this tremendous wealth are forced to live in disgraceful poverty?

The main foreign exploiters always are willing to "share" the wealth with a few of the puppets they use in order to get away with stealing a lot more so we have to ask how much, in addition to these "home-grown billionaires," the foreign financial centers have stolen from the Chinese people through the exploitation of their labor.

Considering there are 60,000 billionaires in China it is logical to assume that the actual robbery taking place far exceeds even trillions of dollars--- we are probably looking at an enormous figure running beyond the Quadrillion range. I don't even know what there is beyond Quadrillion but the thing to keep in perspective is that the Chinese government continues to peddle this bullshit about "socialism with Chinese characteristics---" market socialism--- as an excuse for forcing workers to endure poverty. 

The Chinese government collaborates with these foreign financial centers in all kinds of elaborate schemes most people can't even understand or comprehend in order to facilitate this gigantic swindle and theft of an entire nation's wealth.

And to think that one of the primary objectives of Barack Obama's very secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership [TPP] (NAFTA on major steroids) will move more production to China where this exploitation will be expanded, enlarged and intensified--- again at the expense of Chinese workers and the American working class which has already suffered the closing of over 55,000 mines, mills and factories in order to create these Chinese and foreign billionaires with Quadrillions in profits for the few.

Of course Romney supports the TPP, too.

Obama or Romney--- Democrats or Republicans; the two-party trap is once again set; workers are going to lose.
Capital from the major financial centers around the globe led by Wall Street has united to reap super-profits from the exploitation of workers while workers haven't caught on to "workers and all oppressed peoples of the world unite."

And these politicians and foundation-funded outfits can't figure out what causes poverty? More like they are hiding what causes poverty because tremendous wealth, and what is done with this wealth, what is at stake. 

Come on, really; is there any reason any child should be forced to go to bed hungry or any person should be homeless or without health care amidst this kind of wealth being created? 

And, what is with workers being paid poverty wages instead of real living wages when there is this kind of wealth?

To think that so many billions of people have to suffer because these billionaires are "entitled" to profit.

There is no better time than now for workers and oppressed people to demand real change:

People before profits!

Imperialism is the highest stage of capitalism--- barbaric and cannibalistic.

What the hell are working people going to have to endure as capitalism lives out its twilight years of severe and super-exploitation, wars, inequality, hate and poverty?

Kind of obvious why no Wall Street politicians like Obama or Romney want to address the truth about poverty as an election issue.

And Minnesota Mark Dayton has gone to China on a "trade mission" while he did nothing to halt the closing of the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant. One would think with 60,000 billionaires in China Dayton could have found a joint partner to keep the Ford Plant operating--- but, wait; the idea is to bludgeon the U.S. working class until it is willing to compete with Chinese workers in the "race to the bottom" and closing these plants is what it is all about.

The U.S. working class is paying the price that created 60,000 Chinese billionaires as Wall Street absconds with Quadrillions.

Completely and totally disgusting.

China has 60,000 billionaires

china-wire.org

More than 50 percent of assets owned by wealthy Chinese stay in the form of currency and deposits, which means they are in dire need of finance management, Yanzhao Metropolis Daily reported on Friday. The Chinese Luxury Consumer White Paper 2012 said there are 2.7 

-- 

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/

How can the leading voice for Wall Street's imperialist agenda be a "friend" to working people?

What is going on with this presidential campaign? Is Romney just another "ringer" like McCain tossed into the race?

I think there is a lot more to what is going on.

Since Wall Street owns both the Democrats and Republicans these coupon clipping parasites are using this campaign to push the country to the right.

The role of Romney and Ryan is to clear the way for Obama and the Democrats to move

to the right.

Contrary to all the claims that Wall Street has shifted its support to Romney, Wall Street remains solidly behind Obama but if Romney should happen to win Wall Street will be satisfied with the victory but what Wall Street really needs is for Obama to remain at the helm hoodwinking working people into thinking he is "on their side" as he beats them over the head.

Wall Street has invested in Obama as a means to suppress and control the anger of people fed up with having austerity measures shoved down their throats to pay for these dirty wars which are all about regional and world domination, securing cheap resources by raping the lands of others using their cheap labor along with shifting production to countries with two-bit, half-assed fascist dictators installed and maintained in power by the U.S. military who assure a ready supply of cheap labor.

That it is Barack Obama now engaged in secretly negotiating this new Trans-Pacific Pact (TPP) demonstrates very clearly for anyone willing to open their eyes and look that we are being had by Wall Street playing a game with us--- the problem is, the game isn't very fun for working people because Wall Street creates all the rules and as soon as working people figure out how the game is being played Wall Street simply creates new rules.

Until the working class figures out what imperialism is all about the game will continue.

Imperialism is the last and final stage of capitalism; this imperialist stage is barbaric and cannibalistic.

We need to be raising the question of challenging Wall Street for political and economic power.

The Trans-Pacific Pact (TPP) initiated by, and being promoted by, Obama on behalf of Wall Street should provide us the opportunity to explain the nature of imperialism.

William Z. Foster, the great working class leader who understood the nature of this rotten capitalist system was once asked as the Korean War was being pushed by Wall Street, "What is the most important task at this moment?" Foster responded, "The U.S. working class needs a good strong dose of anti-imperialist education."

Today, the U.S. working class needs an even stronger dose of anti-imperialist education explaining what is going on. About how we are having austerity measures shoved down our throats to pay for these dirty imperialist wars so these Wall Street vultures and parasites can dominate the entire world for their own selfish, greedy interests.

If anyone considers this claim to be outlandish, I would simply ask, "Why are there over 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil (and the U.S. Naval Fleet dominating every ocean) dotting the the globe?

Wall Street has Obama bringing forward the Trans-Pacific Pact (TPP) at the same time Romney is attacking working class "free-loaders." Is this a coincidence? I don't think so because Wall Street's intent in pushing the country to the right is to use both Obama and Romney to attack the working class.

We need to popularize the word "imperialism" while explaining what it is. There is the tendency of well-heeled middle class intellectuals to talk about "empire" and "globalization" with many of these muddle-headed intellectuals then making the case for some kind of "people's capitalism" which is "kinder" and "gentler." Some union leaders have taken to talking against "casino capitalism" but they, too, end up bringing forward the stupid idea that a few regulations can be put in place to "reform" the capitalist system.

How does one "reform" a system that is thoroughly reactionary--- and conservative--- in any form?

The purpose of the working class fighting for reforms is to make life a little better and more bearable for working people as we figure out how to get rid of these Wall Street parasites and their rotten capitalist system now in its highest and final stage: imperialism.

The imperialist stage of capitalism is our primary problem and make no mistake: Barack Obama is carrying out Wall Street's imperialist agenda--- wars abroad paid for with austerity measures here at home.

Obama secretly promoting the Trans-Pacific Pact (TPP) while demagogically appealing to working people as a "friend" proves he is Wall Street's candidate; imperialism's primary voice which means he is no friend of working people.

My response to Robert Borosage.

Robert Borosage blocked me from posting and commenting on the "Campaign for America's Future's" website yet he continues to send me his appeals for money and his point of view.

Today in my e-mail I found a letter from Robert Borosage.

In this letter Borosage states:

"In the midst of a fiercely polarized election, Americans must decide if they want to go back to the failed conservative policies that drove us into this mess or continue on the path of reform."

This statement proves the convoluted reasoning and complete dishonesty of the so-called "progressives" backing Obama because Obama and the Democrats do not have us "on the path to reform."

The very word "reform" carries with it by definition something is being done to IMPROVE the lives and living standards of the American people--- for progressives this means improving the lives and living standards of the working class first and foremost because the well-heeled can manage on their own.

Robert Borosage and his fellow "progressive" apologists for Obama are very dishonest in claiming Obama and the Democrats have us "on the path to reform."

I have repeatedly asked Borosage to enunciate the specifics of these "reforms" and he refuses to do so because he knows that Obama has us on a path to wars paid for through austerity measures which in the end are the "failed conservative policies that drove us into this mess."

With Obama or Romney we get the "failed conservative policies that drove us into this mess." Obviously we don't get "reforms" with Romney/Ryan but we don't get "reforms" with Obama/Biden or any other Democrats, either.

Robert Borosage has the right to support Obama but he has the responsibility--- if honest--- to support what Obama actually represents.

Obama represents the exact same Wall Street interests that Romney represents.

Any "reforms" that might be forthcoming will have to be fought for by a powerful mass movement whether Obama or Romney is the next president.

An observation...

What I find so interesting is that both Obama and Biden declared from the podium in front of millions of people that both Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are decent human beings yet Obama's liberal, progressive and left supporters are painting them as the epitome of evil.

Have you noticed that when it comes to calling Romney and Ryan names both Obama and Biden leave this kind of dirty politics to their liberal, progressive and left surrogates, sock-puppets and supporters--- who they have no use for?

Interesting how quickly and easily people get sucked into doing Obama's dirty work knowing they are only going to get kicked in the ass, again, in return.

If all this time, energy and resources being wasted supporting Obama was being applied towards building and strengthening our movements for peace, social and economic justice we would have some real clout in this country as liberals, progressives and leftists.

Serving as Obama's yapping and snarling "junkyard dogs" doing his dirty work as he keeps his hands clean will get us nothing.

Mobster Stanley Crooks dies... the politicians he bribed mourn.

Politicians and the media are mourning the death of mobster Stanley Crooks who forced 5,000 casino workers employed in the huge Mystic Lake Casino operations to work in this loud, noisy, smoke-filled casino at poverty wages without any rights under state or federal labor laws. Stanley Crooks spent hundreds of millions of dollars in "campaign contributions" bribing politicians to create this hideous situation.

Rest In Peace Stanley Crooks as casino workers will die and live in poverty as a result of the casino empire you built on their backs, and the crooked and corrupt political process you and your sidekick, the racist, crooked and corrupt, John McCarthy brought to Minnesota.

Bill Moyers--- not fair and objective when it comes to giving alternative views standing side by side with the Democrats and Republicans.

Why did Bill Moyers, like the National Priorities Project and all the other foundation-funded outfits, leave out the suggestions of the alternative parties like the Greens, the Justice Party, the Socialist Party and the Peace and Freedom Party in his chart explaining the positions of the Democrats and Republicans when it comes to budget priorities and suggestions?

Local, state and federal budgets are very important. People have a right to have a say in these budgets because, as my good friend in Michigan, Virg Bernero, constantly points out:

"Budgets are a reflection of our true priorities."

When I posted these suggestions for consideration by the Congressional Progressive Caucus on Kieth Ellison's FaceBook page he became irate and blocked me:

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

A 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?

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

Here is a link to what Bill Moyers has posted. Why has Bill Moyers joined the rest of the MainStreamMedia and the foundation-funded outfits in blocking the suggestions of the alternative parties when it comes to proposals for the federal budget when these budgets are so important and we should all be included in the budget process simply because this is what democracy requires?

http://billmoyers.com/content/assessing-americas-safety-net-in-six-budget-proposals/

I find it particularly interesting that it is the alternative political parties who are using the data and research from outfits like the New Priorities Project, center on Budget and Priorities Project and all these other "think-tanks"--- and who are even the ones circulating Bill Moyers' own programs and website postings--- only to be omitted when it comes time to have these public discussions, dialogs and debates during these crucial days leading up to Election Day.

Don't voters have the right to know what some of the alternatives to Wall Street's agenda are by having them placed side-by-side with the budget proposals and suggestions brought forward by the two Wall Street parties--- the Democrats and Republicans?

Does not democracy require all ideas regarding suggestions and proposals for shaping the federal budget be brought forward into the proverbial "public square" for discussion, dialog and debate?

Bill Moyers should be taken to task by people insisting he includes the budget suggestions and priorities of the alternative parties right alongside those of the Democrats and Republicans who are nothing but shills for Wall Street's financial interests.

The struggle to defend and expand democracy requires that we fight our way into having our views included by those like Bill Moyers and the National Priorities Project; after all, when our Nation's wealth is squandered on militarism and wars we can't provide the kind of universal social programs required to solve our serious social and economic problems like racist inequality and poverty by raising the standard of living for everyone. These dirty imperialist wars are making us all poor except for the few greedy and parasitical Wall Street merchants of death and destruction who profit from these wars who we need about as much as my dog Fred needs ticks and fleas.

Raise the minimum wage to a real living wage

I just posted this on Congressman Keith Ellison's FaceBook page after he called for a miserly increase in the minimum wage:

The minimum wage should be a real living--- non-poverty--- wage legislatively tied to the real cost of living index as monitored by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics and recalculated quarterly with the minimum wage indexed to inflation, too.

What gives any employer the right to pay a man or woman they hire the right to pay people any less than a living wage for a job required to be done?

If employers don't want to pay working people they hire real living wages let them do the work themselves or hire their spouses and children to do their jobs.

And, yes, Elizabeth, there are numerous universal social programs that can be put in place that would provide what wages don't and price controls could be used to roll-back prices on everything from gas to groceries to electricity and home heating fuels... BUT, small business almost always clamor the loudest against these kinds of reforms just as small business cries every time there is any mention of raising the minimum wage to a real living wage.

I would be interested in what Congressman Ellison who co-chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus thinks of my views.

This playing around with nickles and dimes at election time is a bunch of crap.

Let the politicians live on the minimum wage they establish and it will be increased to a real living wage real quick.

Racist and discriminatory employment practices also serve to drive all wages, including the minimum wage, down as huge pools of unemployed people act like a policeman's billy club over the heads of all working people beating our standard of living down.

Raise the minimum wage and enforce Affirmative Action and we pretty much eradicate poverty because as any school child understands, paying people a poverty wage assures workers remain mired in poverty.

We hear a lot of talk about "jobs, jobs, jobs" but it seems no one wants to talk about real living wage jobs.

You can put everyone to work at the miserly poverty minimum wage and not a single problem has been solved.

Over one-hundred million people--- almost all people with jobs--- are now enrolled in some kind of anti-poverty program. What does this mean?

It means tax-payers are subsidizing these poverty wage jobs which greedy employers profit from.

Democrats have refused to consider that over 15-million people could be put to work at real living wage jobs if we ended these dirty wars and used the resulting "peace dividends" to fund a National Public Health Care Program and a National Public Child Care Program making both public services available for free to the American people.

These wars are making us all poor and the resulting reactionary politics they spawn result in reactionary legislation intended to reduce our standard of living instead of improving our lives and livelihoods.

Here in Minnesota, thanks to the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party over 44,000 jobs have been created over the last 25 odd years in the hideous Indian Gaming Industry where 44,000 Minnesotans are now employed in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and without any rights under state or federal labor laws while everyone profits--- especially the politicians; everyone that is except Native Americans stuck with the poverty-causing debt.

A new, huge Menard's store just began doing business on the iron Range with complaints of racist hiring practices and sexual abuse before the grand opening even took place with almost 200 mostly part-time employees and all employees paid between $7.49 and $8.50 an hour--- more poverty wage jobs compliments of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party carrying out the Republican's agenda.

We told you so

This is a very good article: http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/08/03/say-goodbye-to-social-security/

However one important point is missing and there are several glaring weaknesses.

Social Security would be secure and could be vastly expanded with real living benefits paid IF we had a full-employment economy.

Never mind economics--- common sense tells us that we can't have millions of unemployed, under-employed and poverty-wage paid workers not paying into the Social Security Trust Fund or paying so little because of partial employment and poverty wages and still expect the Social Security Trust Fund to remain solvent forever with anything other than very limited programs and meager, miserly payouts.

I would also note that while this writer acknowledges the good work done by economist John Kenneth Galbraith, he fails to observe what Galbraith believed to be primary: ending militarism and wars so society could reap the benefits of "peace dividends" in order to create huge government programs like National Public Health Care and National Public Child Care which would create tens of millions of new jobs providing services that are really needed--- unlike militarism and war which we need like we need holes in our heads.

I think this article is good but needs to be strengthened.

John Kenneth Galbraith was an honest liberal and among the present crop of intellectuals honesty--- liberal or otherwise--- is difficult to come by as most seemed to be influenced in their "thinking" more by the size of their pay-checks than the common good as is readily apparent from all these phony liberals, progressives and leftist intellectuals supporting a warmonger like Obama determined to make the working class pay for Wall Street's imperialist wars through austerity measures such as cutting and slashing needed social programs--- everything from public education to Social Security and even Medicaid and Medicare when the state goal of the Affordable Care Act was supposed to be to strengthen Medicaid and Medicare... more lies.

I would also point out that John Kenneth Galbraith's son, James Kenneth Galbraith, is more on the progressive side than his father was.

Here is an excellent article written by James Kenneth Galbraith (written in 2009):

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2009/0903.galbraith.html

And more recently--- 2012--- aptly titled, "We told you so:"

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/we_told_you_so_20120518//

I would also note that John Kenneth Galbraith never hesitated to bring Marxists into discussions with him on economic matters which provided greater insight to problems and served to strengthen democracy while educating the public.

John Kenneth Galbraith even wrote a book together with a noted Soviet Marxist-Leninist economist.

John Kenneth Galbraith constantly pointed out that it was wrong to think modern societies can have both "guns and butter." This from a man who had experience managing a war-time economy at the beginning of World War II.

Obama has rejected even the most liberal/progressive economic advice in favor of the reactionary advice he receives from those most loyal to Wall Street's greedy, parasitical, money-grubbing interests which always lead to conflict and wars.

Alan L. Maki

Learning lessons from the struggles of the past

A GREAT HISTORICAL LESSON
"These miners knew the dynamics of capitalism and the role of government. They knew who their friends and enemies were. They knew that only by organizing and physically defying centers of power would they ever get justice. They did not trust authority. They did not wait for authority figures to dole out justice. They were not seduced by the empty rhetoric of politicians. They knew that if they wanted a better world they would have to be their own leaders. They would have to fight for it. And this is a lesson in the nature of corporate and governmental power that we have forgotten. We must make the powerful afraid of us if we are to get any semblance of an open and free society. They are not and never will be on our side." - Chris Hedges

Chris Hedges: The Battle of Blair Mountain - Truthdig

www.truthdig.com

There are still bullets in the ground where working people in the 1920s staged the largest armed insurrection in the United States since the Civil War. - 2012/07/16

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    Rob Horner ‎"They knew that if they wanted a better world they would have to be their own leaders." - Chris Hedges
    *
    This story was also made into a movie back in the late 80's, "Matewan" - I found it extremely compelling.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matewan
    *

    

    Matewan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    en.wikipedia.org

    Matewan (1987) is an American drama film written and directed by John Sayles, il...See More

    3 hours ago · Edited · · 1
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    Alan L. Maki

    This is important history. I do think that Chris Hedges seems to labor under the illusion that there are good and bad forms of capitalism when capitalism never was any good for working people and never will be good for working people. That aside, there are some two-million casino workers employed in the loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos of the Indian Gaming Industry at poverty wages and without any rights under state or federal labor laws all intentional because of the way Democrats created the "Compacts" giving life to this hideous industry where Native American Indians have been forced to front for organized crime which owns the slot machines leaving Native American Nations saddled with huge poverty causing debt as these mobsters skim the cream off the top handing out millions of dollars in bribes to assure that Obama and these Democrats will continue to turn their racist heads in indifference to the injustices they created.
    
    I bring all of this up because these two-million workers employed in this Indian Gaming Industry, like these coal miners, are presently forced to sign statements as a condition of their employment that they will not join unions or engage in union organizing in complete violation of all state and federal labor laws and against the terms articulated in the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights--- and today, we find many unemployed coal miners and coal miners forced from the mines because they are suffering from the vile black lung disease now being forced to work in these casinos.
    
    Think of suffering from Black Lung disease only to be forced to work in these smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and without any rights just like yesteryear in the coal mines.
    
    We have a similar situation among the iron ore miners up here in northern Minnesota where unemployed miners are forced to take jobs in these casinos under the same conditions.
    
    Ironically, the Rockefeller family has robbed the working people and raped the land leaving behind nothing but poverty, pits and pollution in both Coal Country and on the Iron Ranges of northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and northern Michigan.
    
    And, surprise, surprise; it has been the Rockefellers who have worked in cahoots with organized crime in profiting from the Indian Gaming Industry through the exploitation of casino workers.

    2 hours ago · · 2
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    Rob Horner ‎Alan L. Maki . . . excellent comment. I know what you mean. Hedges has openly said that he is against Corporate capitalism, but for regional capitalism coupled with collective "communitarian" policies. This is a more transitional position. Isn't that the position of a "social democrat" and isn't socialism a state never really fully achieved, but a state to which a people will continually aspire???

    2 hours ago · Edited ·
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    Alan L. Maki I'm not sure what Chris Hedges considers himself to be... has he ever said? Not that it matters since he raises very interesting questions.
    
    I don't really believe in these concepts of "transition" and "transformation" that fit in with things like we have to accept "baby steps," "take-it-slow" and "incrementalism" when it comes to reforms simply because I don't view reforms as just steps to socialism (which they are) but more than that--- reforms help working people cope with the problems created for them as capitalism collapses and we prepare for socialist revolution.
    
    Like you, I have been watching and listening and reading what people like Chris Hedges and Gar Alperovitz have been saying but I am convinced "the old left" had things right in that it takes huge mass movements in the streets together with a political party articulating the demands of the people in their communities, where they work and in the streets insisting and demanding on reforms as we work to get rid of capitalism sooner rather than later.
    
    From what he says, I don't think Chris Hedges agrees with the socialist solution while Gar Alperovitz seems to think that through building these cooperative type alternatives someplace way down the road capitalism will evolve into socialism.
    
    I think we need to advocate the kind of reforms aimed at solving the problems of the people through things like a National Public Health Care System, a National Public Child Care System and through programs like WPA, CCC and C.E.T.A.
    
    I do hope Cheri Honkala is going to do a better job articulating these kinds of reforms which give people more confidence that they can win socialist oriented reforms through mass struggles rather than projecting the idea of the Mondragon experience which leads people to believe they can kind of cope with and muddle through capitalism as it collapses while living on the edge of poverty.
    
    Chris Hedges definitely has a militant spirit but I don't think he gets how militancy has to be connected to mass struggles for real change by building huge movements because he often mocks liberals who are usually socialists in thinking or at least friendly to socialism who haven't taken the plunge into activism.
    
    Quite frankly, I think we have too many non-Marxist socialists and non-Marxist reformers and non-Marxist revolutionaries leading our movements simply because at a grassroots and rank-and-file level people haven't begun turning to Marx, Engels, Lenin and the Communists like William Z. Foster, Earl Browder, James W. Ford, Paul Robeson, W.E.B. DuBois, Frank Marshall Davis and Gus Hall to help get their bearings on where we want to be headed.
    
    We can see where all the "New Left" who ridiculed the "old Left" ended up--- backing Wall Street's imperialist warmonger Barack Obama. I doubt this mistake will be made again.
    
    McCarthyism was intended to crush Marxism here in the United States. The American people have proven they, like people in any other country after periods of severe repression, come out thinking even more firmly that socialism is a workable alternative to capitalism. All the polls are showing the American people are looking favorably to towards socialism so it won't be long before these same people start to read a little Marxist literature they will pick up here and there and once this happens people are going to settle for "baby steps" and "incremental reforms." People will not be turning to just cooperatives and worker-ownership and credit unions--- they will begin demanding public ownership of the mines, mills and factories so wealth serves the people not the Wall Street parasites.
    
    I have asked Gar Alperovitz to detail the wages paid in these Mondragon type co-ops; he won't say. What he doesn't want to discuss is often these co-ops are just providing cheap labor in industries and sectors of industries that capitalists can't maximize their profits from.
    
    A while back I called that laundry cooperative in Cleveland Alperovitz referred to and asked what the wages were for workers and the salaries for management--- they refused to disclose this information and the united Steel Workers refused to disclose the wages in one of the big windmill plants that is supposedly worker owned to some extent. They refused to disclose wages but later I was able to get a few workers to give me copies of their pay checks--- they were making just under $14.00 an hour where previously in the steel mills they were making over $30.00 an hour in similar jobs.
    
    So I think working people have a lot to discuss in this country and all ideas belong on the table from the social democratic viewpoint to that of Communists and everything in between and on each side.
    
    I think both Alperovitz and Chris Hedges have a disdain for what they call "state socialism" when we all know they are talking about existing socialism and the socialism that existed in the former "Communist" countries. What this socialism really is is workers having taken political and economic power away from the capitalists. In my opinion a lot more good than bad came out of these systems for working people in spite of the problems and difficulties. In fact, Chris Hedges rejoiced with the counter-revolutions in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union not understanding or not wanting to understand what needed to be done in order to keep the capitalists from returning to power--- now that the capitalists have returned to power there is massive economic and social hardship.
    
    We have hundreds if not thousands of factories, perfectly good factories, being bulldozed over in the steel and auto industries--- what should be the solution? Public ownership.
    
    I was with Phil Raymond, the founder of the United Auto Workers Union at the General Motor's Plant in Lansing, Michigan around 1972 and a worker asked him, "Phil, in your opinion what are we going to have to do to save our jobs?"
    
    Phil Raymond responded, "As you know I am a Communist. We fought to organize these plants back in the 1930's and 1940's. If you are going to keep your jobs you better be prepared to fight and struggle a hell of a lot harder than we did because you are going to be fighting over who will own these plants--- you or the bosses. You are going to have to decide if you want capitalism or socialism. Capitalism is the boss' system; socialism is the worker's system. I'm an old man. I won't live much longer. You are going to have to decide if you want to give up your jobs so Wall Street can profit more producing cars for less overseas." Phil Raymond died not long after that and a couple decades later this plant was bulldozed over putting thousands of auto workers out of work. And as Phil Raymond repeated over and over again: Workers without jobs are going to be poor.

    25 minutes ago · · 1

An open letter to Erwin Rud

Mr. Erwin Rud;

You and Mark Froemke are upset I told Democrats AND Republicans to "go to hell." You say this makes me "crazy" and I "need help.

The "treatment" you and Mark Froemke need is to sit down in front of those vehicles taking the scabs into the American Crystal Sugar plants and getting your heads busted wide open by police working at the direction of Democrat Mark Dayton with the full support of the Democrats and Republicans--- it is called bi-partisan unity; Democrats and Republicans working together to attack working people. getting your head cracked open by a policeman's billy-club might cure you of your illness called "class collaboration," a malady which causes workers to be led around by their bosses which leads you to support a bunch of worthless Democrats.

You are nothing but a worthless liar calling me a Republican because I support candidates bringing forward real solutions to the problems working people are experiencing... I stated: 

Tell the Democrats AND Republicans to go to hell.

Here is what I wrote to which you have responded by slandering me as a "Republican:"

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Tell the Democrats and Republicans to go to hell

Casino workers support the demonstration at Congressman John Kline's office at 101 West Burnsville Parkway, Burnsville, Minnesota from Noon to 1pm on Tuesday, July 24, 2012 demanding an increase in the Minimum Wage.

http://www.facebook.com/events/393144834075481/

The minimum wage should be a real living--- non-poverty--- wage legislatively tied to calculations of the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics based on all cost of living factors.

Any employer who can't pay the workers required to do the job for which they have been hired a real living wage should just do the work themselves or let their spouse and children do the work.

Casino workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry working in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and without any rights because the Democrats approved the "Compacts" creating this horrendous industry where a bunch of rich, white mobsters own the slot machines leaving Native American communities saddled with huge debt-creating poverty breeding misery are thoroughly fed up with the Democrats.

We are asking all workers to consider this question before casting their votes in November:

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

Working class voters have three good alternative choices when they enter the voting booth in November--- all three of whom support substantial increases in the minimum wage:

Jill Stein--- Green Party, Rocky Anderson--- Justice Party, Stewart Alexander--- Socialist Party.

The path to real living wage jobs for every American worker is by creating jobs through solving the problems of the people--- paid for by peace dividends derived from ending these dirty imperialist wars and taxing the hell out of the filthy rich much of whose wealth has been derived from paying poverty wages.

For example: A National Public Health Care System would create more than ten-million new good-paying union jobs.

For example: A National Public Child Care System would create over three-million new good-paying union jobs.

We need to re-establish the historic liberal-progressive-left coalition which can bring about the change and kind of reforms required to protect, defend and raise the quality of life and standard of living for all working people while protecting and advancing the rights of all working people.

Affirmative Action must be enforced so people of color, women and the handicapped get access to the jobs as required by Federal Executive Order #11246. Enforcing Affirmative Action is one way to increase everyone's standard of living because it places pressure on wages to go up as these huge pools of unemployed people which drive wages down are eliminated. An end to discrimination benefits us all.

Of course a good union contract is better than any government anti-poverty program but still we must insist that the United States government wages a war on poverty instead of funding these dirty imperialist wars killing us all.

The wealthy don't need any government help because with their wealth they can fend for themselves; it is working people who need government action on their side not government working against them.

The only way we are going to push wages up and solve the problem of unemployment at the same time is through a combination of union organizing, fighting for the minimum wage to be a real living--- non-poverty--- wage, massive public works jobs programs as described above combined with bringing back depression-busting programs like WPA, CCC and C.E.T.A. and recognizing that an injustice to workers anywhere is an injustice to workers everywhere threatening our rights to a standard of living in line with what the United Nations' universal Declaration of Human Rights requires.

If workers are going to begin winning struggles there must be the realization that workers without any rights or a voice at work have no rights in the communities where they live.

"At-will hiring; At-will firing" legislation must be terminated because it is the primary obstacle to workers organizing and asserting their rights yet the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party repeatedly refuses to bring forward the need to rescind "At-will hiring; At-will firing" legislation; why is this?

Wall Street is our common enemy. Whether it be U.S. Congressman John Kline opposing an increase in the minimum wage or MNDFL Governor Mark Dayton refusing to negotiate a new contract in good faith with State workers or President Barack Obama refusing to take a stand in solidarity with the embattled workers in Wisconsin or the MNDFL which has refused to bring its full weight to bear in ending the lock-out of more than 1,300 workers employed by American Crystal Sugar in the Red River Valley--- none of these politicians deserve the votes of working people.

In struggle and solidarity,

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

Mr. Rud, you show me anything in this blog post that makes me a "Republican."

You are upset because more and more American Crystal Sugar workers are beginning to see the truth when I explain to them in my visits with them in their homes that Mark Froemke and Shar Knutsen led them into a trap when they insisted they leave the plants after American Crystal Sugar management told them they would be locked out--- instead of taking the plants over and occupying them until a contract was negotiated and signed. And they are also understanding what I mean when I explain that the two-party system is another component of this same trap set by the bosses.

In fact, Collin Peterson is a Republican and MNDFL CD 7 is a big part of the problem in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party and as you are an avid booster of Collin Peterson this makes you part of the problem instead of part of the solution.

With "friends" like you and Mark Froemke and Shar Knutson working people don't need any enemies because you do the dirty work for the bosses.

I spend several days a month meeting with American Crystal Sugar workers up and down the Red River Valley so I am very confident in saying the workers are pretty damn fed up with your bunch of phony "friends" of labor, the Democrats in CD 7.

Now go get yourself a baseball bat and stop those scabs that you let into the plants in the first place instead of occupying the plants as you should have.

Mr. Rud, I wouldn't call 63% of the workers voting not to accept management's "final offer" such great support for Mark Froemke and Shar Knutson's "leadership." As you are fully aware, to get a resolution passed through a Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party's state convention a 72% vote is required.

Again, my suggestion to American Crystal Sugar workers: either cut your losses by accepting American Crystal Sugar management's "final offer" or stop the scabs.

And, don't keep walking back into the boss' two-party trap.

By the way, Mr. Rud; you don't say in your slanderous attack on me if you and the Democrats of Congressional District 7 support my solution for the minimum wage being a real living wage.

The fact of the matter is that under this Froemke group's "leadership" of the BCTGM | The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, American Crystal Sugar workers have never had real living wages.

By the way, would you mind telling me how much American Crystal Sugar workers have contributed to the campaign coffers of the Democrats? Do you think locked out American Crystal Sugar workers are now getting their money's worth now that they have been locked out for a year? Where is the support from the Democrats in return?

I do find it interesting that when Mark Froemke nominated Republican Collin Peterson to run for the United States Congress on the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party ticket at the Congressional District 7 Nominating Convention he was registered to vote at his home in Grand Forks, North Dakota; care to explain this, Mr. Rud?

Alan L. Maki

Demonstration to raise the minimum wage--- tell the Democrats and Republicans to go to hell

Tell the Democrats and Republicans to go to hell

Casino workers support the demonstration at Congressman John Kline's office at 101 West Burnsville Parkway, Burnsville, Minnesota from Noon to 1pm on Tuesday, July 24, 2012 demanding an increase in the Minimum Wage.


http://www.facebook.com/events/393144834075481/

The minimum wage should be a real living--- non-poverty--- wage legislatively tied to calculations of the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics based on all cost of living factors.

Any employer who can't pay the workers required to do the job for which they have been hired a real living wage should just do the work themselves or let their spouse and children do the work.

Casino workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry working in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and without any rights because the Democrats approved the "Compacts" creating this horrendous industry where a bunch of rich, white mobsters own the slot machines leaving Native American communities saddled with huge debt-creating poverty breeding misery are thoroughly fed up with the Democrats.

We are asking all workers to consider this question before casting their votes in November:

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

Working class voters have three good alternative choices when they enter the voting booth in November--- all three of whom support substantial increases in the minimum wage:

Jill Stein--- Green Party, Rocky Anderson--- Justice Party, Stewart Alexander--- Socialist Party.

The path to real living wage jobs for every American worker is by creating jobs through solving the problems of the people--- paid for by peace dividends derived from ending these dirty imperialist wars and taxing the hell out of the filthy rich much of whose wealth has been derived from paying poverty wages.

For example: A National Public Health Care System would create more than ten-million new good-paying union jobs.

For example: A National Public Child Care System would create over three-million new good-paying union jobs.

We need to re-establish the historic liberal-progressive-left coalition which can bring about the change and kind of reforms required to protect, defend and raise the quality of life and standard of living for all working people while protecting and advancing the rights of all working people.

Affirmative Action must be enforced so people of color, women and the handicapped get access to the jobs as required by Federal Executive Order #11246. Enforcing Affirmative Action is one way to increase everyone's standard of living because it places pressure on wages to go up as these huge pools of unemployed people which drive wages down are eliminated. An end to discrimination benefits us all.

Of course a good union contract is better than any government anti-poverty program but still we must insist that the United States government wages a war on poverty instead of funding these dirty imperialist wars killing us all.

The wealthy don't need any government help because with their wealth they can fend for themselves; it is working people who need government action on their side not government working against them.

The only way we are going to push wages up and solve the problem of unemployment at the same time is through a combination of union organizing, fighting for the minimum wage to be a real living--- non-poverty--- wage, massive public works jobs programs as described above combined with bringing back depression-busting programs like WPA, CCC and C.E.T.A. and recognizing that an injustice to workers anywhere is an injustice to workers everywhere threatening our rights to a standard of living in line with what the United Nations' universal Declaration of Human Rights requires.

If workers are going to begin winning struggles there must be the realization that workers without any rights or a voice at work have no rights in the communities where they live.

"At-will hiring; At-will firing" legislation must be terminated because it is the primary obstacle to workers organizing and asserting their rights yet the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party repeatedly refuses to bring forward the need to rescind "At-will hiring; At-will firing" legislation; why is this?

Wall Street is our common enemy. Whether it be U.S. Congressman John Kline opposing an increase in the minimum wage or MNDFL Governor Mark Dayton refusing to negotiate a new contract in good faith with State workers or President Barack Obama refusing to take a stand in solidarity with the embattled workers in Wisconsin or the MNDFL which has refused to bring its full weight to bear in ending the lock-out of more than 1,300 workers employed by American Crystal Sugar in the Red River Valley--- none of these politicians deserve the votes of working people.

In struggle and solidarity,

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

My response to a red-baiter

Scott Denver Scheid shared Oklahoma Communists's photo.

I guess Woody's response to McCarthy's goon-squad circus would have been something akin to this: "I am not now nor have I ever been ashamed that, back in 1936, I joined the Communist Party"... ;)

 · ·  · 23 hours ago ·

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    Mitch Cohen Around the world, the CP murdered 100 million people. But I guess that's nothing to be ashamed of. By 1936, the kangaroo trials, Gulags, Homodor (intentional starvation of 6-10 mio Ukrainian farmers), and mass shootings had gone on for years.
    

    21 hours ago · 
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    Laurie Porter O'Brien So that justified the witch hunt full of personal vendettas that McCarthy created? Not.
    

    16 hours ago · 
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    Scott Denver Scheid Mitch (haven't seen you in a while - which i hope is because you've been BUSY!!!)...
    
    the CP in the U.S. didn't murder much of anyone... assigning blame for the disaster that was the Soviet Union (which was not really even "real" Communism) just isn't fair or correlative - it's like saying that Charles Whitman's rather conservative upbringing (and involvement in  the Boy Scouts) - then led him to go crazy and kill a bunch of people; ergo. serial killers are Republicans... lol braoder example... the U.S. is a representative democracy / republic... we committed genocide against the Native population and maintained the institution of slavery; ergo Democratic Republics are big on genocide and slavery...
    
    Woody wrote and performed for the masses - i've never heard a Guthrie song that lauded gulags and murder... in this country, perhaps more than any other - the plight of the everyman improved only after unions and Socialistic groups came along... ;)
    

    16 hours ago ·  · 1
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    Mitch Cohen The CP in the US never had the power to engage in mass murder. But it was always absolutely a puppet of the CP of the USSR.
    They didn't have songs lauding gulags and murder in the USSR, either. They lauded "solidarity" and the "brilliant future of mankind under  socialism". The crimes weren't the songs. The crimes were the deeds, fed by the chutzpah to think a "vanguard" knows better for "the people" than the people themselves do and fed by the ego rush of viewing yourself as a world-historical hero while screening out reality.
    It wasn't just the USSR either. The experiment has been tried over at least a quarter of the population of the world -- the results are always, ALWAYS crimes, followed by apologists saying "it wasn't 'real' communism". Yes, and someday Lucy will let Charlie Brown kick the ball; he just has to trust her enough.
    

    15 hours ago · 
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    Mitch Cohen People can make mistakes. But at some point they ought to recognize their mistakes and take another path.
    

    15 hours ago ·  · 1
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    Mitch Cohen Laurie, and so McCarthy's scaring a few people, getting a handful of people fired from government jobs, inspiring a few blacklists in Hollywood and maybe inspiring the executions of two (2!) spies who the Russians meanwhile confirm gave the latter hydrogen bomb secrets -- McCarthy who lasted what, 3 years as a scaremonger -- this counterbalances 100 million murders (let's not even start counting the blighted lives) and dozens of ruined economies?
    I live in Berlin. East Berlin in its periods of greatest thaw was a nest of suspicion and accusations and lacked the rule of law with rights for defendants that makes the worst phase of McCarthyism look as dangerous as a gnat. The number of people I know personally who have been political prisoners in communist E.Germany -- having committed no actual crimes -- is probably greater than ALL the communists ever persecuted in the US put together.
    
    Scott, to flesh out "it wasn't just the USSR either" -- Mao murdered 70 million. The rest of the communist murders -- Stalin, Pol Pot, concentration camps in Yugoslavia, executions in Cuba, reeducation camps and boat people in Vietnam -- came to 30 million.
    Just as a benchmark: the Nazis, murdered about 12 million; to that you can add another 50 million war dead in WWII.
    

    15 hours ago · 
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    Scott Denver Scheid i hear you, Mitch... really, i do... but you have to recognize that power cuts both ways... if the CPA did come to power - sure, we might have turned out to be another Soviet Union... but they didn't. now, having said that, what did the CPA face in this country??? minus the absolute fire and brimstone of the Soviet Union - they faced many of the same things here in America - land of freedom and prosperity... blacklisting, witch-hunting, physical intimidation and yes, even murder... in a country with a Freedom of Speech Amendment at the head of its Constitution - throughout our history, to exercise that right and call for a union shop was and, in some instances, still is, taking your life into your own hands...
    
    i have friends in northern Minnesota who've had their homes and businesses wrecked by the FBI - their mail opened, their phones tapped, warrantless surveillance...
    
    as for admitting your mistakes - correct me if i'm wrong - but didn't the Cult of Stalin come to an end well before '89??? i seem to remember that the statues of him came down well before the wall... was it a true mea culpa?? well, to those who were victimized, probably not and who can fault them for that!?!? and, to be sure, i think the spectre of Communism has nearly completely vanished from the face of the earth - at least, as a movement en masse...
    
    i guess i recognize that Socialism has its uses and, like it or not, it's brought about a lot of good in the plight of ordinary workers. when you go full tilt in ANY direction - you're only asking for trouble IMO...
    

    15 hours ago · 
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    Mitch Cohen The Stalin cult came to an OFFICIAL end in the USSR, yes, because the heads of the Party were tired of purging each other.
    The cult was not over in China, nor entirely on the left in the US or Europe. And still isn't. I know people who proudly call themselves Stalinists, today.
    But the Stalin cult is not the core problem of communism. The Stalin cult is just one form of the unbridled power of a political group that thinks it is entitled to use any "means", as long as it has lofty sounding phrases about the "ends". THAT broader phenomenon, of which the Stalin cult is just one manifestation, is the core problem of communism.
    

    15 hours ago ·  · 1
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    Scott Denver Scheid sorry - yes, i do realize it wasn't just the Soviets... and there is no reason, no excuse, no logical explanation for it - it is merely just proof positive that the working poor can be just as murderous as the ruling elite... and no, it doesn't make it better to die of typhus or starvation as a "brother and Komrade" rather die of the same things as a serf...
    
    still though... in THIS country - freedom and democracy did not come at the hands of the free markets (though they helped) nor the landed gentry (though they helped) nor even the working classes - like any successful enterprise it is generally built from the ground up.
    
    just as there are probably still those in the Soviet Union and elsewhere who would LOVE to return to the "good ol' days" - so to are there just as many who would LOVE to take us back to the time of serfs and slaves and both of those parties are quite vigorous in their beliefs!!!
    
    ..."still proudly calling themselves 'Stalinists'"??? holy shit!!! now THAT is pretty sick!!!
    

    14 hours ago · 
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    Scott Denver Scheid i was going to ad... it is just as dangerous to minimize McCarthyism as it is to do the same to Stalinism or Maoism... when you sign up on the side of the thug - you live and die with the thug!!!
    
    you know - behind Lenin and Stalin and Mao... exist centuries of abuse via serfdom, slavery, no democracy, no unions... just god's personal representatives on earth and "everybody else"...
    

    14 hours ago · 
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    Alan L. Maki In fact, the Communist Party USA did come to power in alliance with its friends right here in Minnesota through the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party and at no time did the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party ever use its vast powers to so much as discourage or stifle dialog, discussion or debate let alone wield its power in any way which anyone could interpret as being an attack on democracy--- quite to the contrary; democracy was nurtured and expanded so everyone could participate in the decision-making process.
    
    Having been a member of the CPUSA for over 45 years and presently a co-chair of the Lake-of-the-Woods Communist Club which includes members from Minnesota, Manitoba and Ontario; let me tell you... I have yet to meet a "Stalinist."
    
    I have been active in Communist Party Clubs in Michigan, Manitoba, Virginia and Minnesota. During that time I have never met anyone who took orders from Moscow--- or any other cow. The people I have met--- for the most part--- have been hard working people who believe in peace, social and economic justice and who believe that socialism will help us bring an end to all the injustices created by capitalism.
    
    It is very unfortunate that today we are experiencing severe problems in the Communist Party USA as the organization has been hijacked by those who support Barack Obama but we are trying our utmost to correct this problem which I am confident we will do as we expand our network of Clubs grounded in scientific socialism.
    
    I have no idea where you are getting your figures from, Mitch; but the information you are spreading very liberally here like manure simply isn't true.
    
    Your information about the famine in the Ukraine is very lacking because the great capitalist "philanthropists" could have prevented the starvation simply by sending all the cows, pigs, chickens, apples, oranges and bread that was being buried here in this country because our own people going hungry could not afford to purchase it during the "Great Depression" was not shipped to the Ukraine.
    
    I would also point out that the Soviets were able to accomplish more than any other country in a shorter span of time even though most of the country had been destroyed in War. And, quite frankly; had it not been for the Red Army and the heroic sacrifices of the Soviet people we would probably be living under the iron fist of fascism today here in the USA.
    
    Mitch, you obviously know nothing about Marxism and even less about the Soviet Union and other socialist countries.
    
    Literally, trillions of dollars have been spent trying to eradicate Marxism through lies, repression and wars yet working people continue to  turn to Marxism as the main critique of capitalism and continue the struggle to replace capitalism with socialism.
    
    There is no doubt that mistakes have been made on the road to socialism but working people will learn from the past mistakes just like people usually learn from the mistakes they make throughout their lives. 
    
    I would encourage you and others to read "Working Class USA, the power and the movement" written by Minnesotan Gus Hall who led the work of the Communist Party USA for many years. In fact, you can sit in a chair in the Minneapolis Public Library bearing his name because he is recognized as one of the great thinkers, writers and activists of our times. And, today, real Communists continue on in his legacy the struggles against capitalism now in its most pernicious, murderous, barbaric and cannibalistic stage of imperialism as we contemplate the complex task of getting on the road to peace, social and economic justice as we lay the foundations for socialism.
    
    What do we Communists want? The exact same thing most people in this country want: An end to these dirty wars that are wasting the wealth of our nation when we need to be spending on creating jobs through solving the problems of the people. We want a National Public Health Care System. We want to see the creation of a National Public Child Care System. We want to see an end to racism and discrimination in all its malicious and dirty forms. We want to be free from Wall Street's dictatorial rule. We want to see our country flourish with the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights together with the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights as our guide to creating a socially and economically just society where we live in peace and cooperation with the rest of the world instead of a state of what has come to be never-ending imperialist wars from which I notice you have not tabulated the deaths nor the destruction. 
    
    We Communists are proud to have had among our ranks the great humanists who dared to struggle for peace, social and economic justice; those from Woody Guthrie to Paul Robeson and W.E.B. DuBois to William Z. Foster, Elizabeth Gurly Flynn, Phil Raymond, John Bernard and "fellow travelers" like former Minnesota Governor Elmer Benson and Red Lake Nation Chair Roger Jourdain and the tens of thousands of working people, farmers, small business people and professionals and on occasion more than a few far-sighted capitalists and industrialists wanting to create a better, more just world. 
    
    We can boast that our Party, although small, is truly a "party of the people" which inspires working people that in spite of all the problems  created for us by Wall Street there is hope as we move ahead, together--- in struggle.
    
    By the way, Mitch; would you mind telling us how many people have died in places like Indonesia, the Philippines, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan as a direct result of Wall Street's wars against the people? How many victims have there been as a direct result of U.S. imperialist "interventions" since the first imperialist war, the Spanish American War, up through the present wars? If numbers are so important to you let's have this total. Let's also have the total cost in dollars so we can compare what price we have paid for all these dirty imperialist wars in terms of what we could have had, instead.