People's Weekly World Blog

The end of American capitalism?

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Webb) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:44:00 +0000

That's the headline on a Washington Post article today.

Well no, it's not the end of capitalism. But as this and many other commentaries are noting, it's the end of an unbridled "free market" phase.

Joe Klein of Time magazine observes that

the public seems ready to turn to the government for protection. In a collapsing economy, government regulation ... sounds more comforting than stultifying.

The desire for more government activism is true across the board. All of a sudden, government-provided infrastructure programs — and that's what most of McCain's despised "earmarks" are — don't sound like such a waste of money ...

We're moving into a phase where the questions are going to be: what kind of government action, determined by who, and for whose benefit? That is going to be the shape of struggles for the coming period. Already, what we call the all-people's coalition that is emerging in the current presidential campaign, led so dynamically by the labor movement, is putting forward a framework for every progressive American to work on in the coming period, as a new administration and new Congress confront this situation.

No capitalism isn't dead, but the struggle is shifting to a majority movement challenging unfettered corporate greed in a new way.

Bravo, Sheriff Tom Dart!

cpillinois@cpusa.org (Communist Party of Illinois) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:28:00 +0000

By John Bachtell

Chicago - Bravo Sheriff Tom Dart! The Cook County sheriff stood up for justice and morality by announcing he would no longer enforce evictions on behalf of global banks and the mortgage industry. “That’s not part of our job,” he says.

It’s the sheriff’s office and courts that do the dirty work of the finance corporations when they make business decisions to clear out families from an apartment or house from some faraway corporate headquarters so they can put the property on the market again.

These are the same corporations that committed massive fraud and criminality by duping many of the same homeowners into mortgages they knew buyers couldn’t pay. They made off like bandits and ought to go to prison for it.

Recently Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced a settlement with Bank of America and Countrywide Financial that would allow tens of thousands of residents to stay in their homes. The suit had been brought on behalf of Illinois and California and 9 other states.

The settlement allows for a cap on mortgage payments at 34% of income and reducing interest rates and adjusting principal so borrowers don’t lose equity under their payment plans. Interest on some of the riskiest loans could be reduced to 22.5% a year.

Dart’s action comes as foreclosures in Chicago hit a record. The October 9 Chicago Tribune reported, “In Cook County, foreclosures are expected to reach a record high of 43,000 this year, compared with 18,916 in 2006. The sheriff's office is on pace to conduct 4,500 foreclosure-related evictions, compared with less than half that number in 2006. About one-third of those are rent-paying individuals.”

One of the problems, as Dart explained it, is one-third of evictions are being carried out against families who are renting in buildings that have been foreclosed on. The families have been paying their rent on time, but never receive notices of the impending eviction. Dart says the global banks don’t care if they are throwing families with children, disabled or senior citizens out on the street.

More elected officials should join Dart and Madigan and stand up to corporate corruption, criminality and greed, including the judges who issue the evictions in the first place. A moratorium on all home foreclosures would be a good start.

Mine workers talk race in Virginia

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Albano) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:02:00 +0000

Go mineworkers!

http://www.truthout.org/100608L

Iraq and the next president

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Webb) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:28:00 +0000

With the widening economic crisis grabbing so much of our attention, ending our occupation of Iraq may be taking a back seat in some minds, but it will be a major, pressing issue for the next president.

Here's an under-reported development that fits very well with Barack Obama's pledge to start pulling troops out in a systematic way, with a view to ending our military role there, and with Obama's emphasis on a new foreign policy that emphasizes diplomacy rather than military force:

The Boston Globe reports today that:

Members of a team that worked to produce a framework for political reconciliation in Iraq told a congressional subcommittee yesterday that the United States must involve the international community in further peace negotiations and allow Iraqis to take the central role in the process.

Representatives of South Africa's African National Congress, veterans of both sides of the bloody Northern Ireland conflict and others with experience in difficult national reconciliation told a committee chaired by Rep. William Delahunt (D-Mass.) how they are working with Iraqi political leaders spanning the spectrum from Islamists and former Baathists to Communists, to move forward national reconciliation in Iraq. As with South Africa and Northern Ireland, such a process will be essential to bringing peace to Iraq. It will also be key to enabling Iraq to stand up to interference from the U.S., transnational corporations, etc.

A series of meetings involving all the Iraqi groups and the reconciliation experts over the past several months resulted in what's known as the Helsinki Agreement, signed by 37 Iraqi parties in Baghdad in July.

A useful commentary by Max Bergman of the liberal National Security Network calls attention to the significance of this process for Obama's vow that "we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in." Bergman draws the following conclusions:

1. Political reconciliation is not something that will happen over night.
2. The one thing Iraqis are united on is opposition to U.S. occupation.
3. In Iraq, political reconciliation will have to be largely self-reinforcing, as it is in Northern Ireland.

He says:

Iraqis are united in wanting us out. Maliki is driving such a hard bargain with us, because it is politically popular to oppose the U.S. presence. This matters because it potentially makes the U.S. not only a focus for potential violence from a nationalist backlash, but because reconciliation for Iraqis must be seen as a means by which to regain their sovereignty.

and

There is no military solution to building trust. Less violence helps, but even if people feel more secure or safe in their neighborhoods that does not mean that they will have any more trust in the intentions of their Sunni or Shia neighbors or politicians. Addressing this takes a long long long time and lots and lots of talks between political leaders and the process set up with Helsinki is an important first step. This process has to ramp up as troops begin to withdraw. Additionally, part of a withdrawal strategy has to attempt to get the countries in the region to play a constructive role in supporting political reconciliation.

The upshot, in his view?

A timetable for withdrawal is not just about moving troops out. It is also a negotiating timetable for Iraqis, as well as for Iraq's neighbors. While our military efforts decline, our diplomatic efforts will have to ramp up.

Read the two articles here and here. This is an important process to follow.

Florida is rockin' and we'll keep a knockin'

noreply@blogger.com (Lawrence Albright) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:05:00 +0000

by Lawrence Albright

Florida's importance in the electoral equation was further confirmed this week as both vice presidential hopefuls made the Sunshine State a key stop on their itineraries.

In an appearance at Coachman Park in Clearwater, Governor Sarah Palin repeated her attacks on Senator Barack Obama's association with former SDS activist and Weather Underground leader Bill Ayers, stating that "[Obama] is someone who sees America as 'perfect enough' to work with a former domestic terrorist who targeted his own country."

The Obama-Ayers connection is an old non-issue. Senator Obama and Ayers live in the same Chicago neighborhood and served for a time on the board of directors for a non-profit organization. Obama has condemned Ayers' activities with the Weather Underground, which took place when Obama was all of eight years old, as reprehensible.

But by raising it in Florida, where an overwhelming majority of people are most concerned about the future of health care, Social Security, and hanging on to their homes in the face of substantial foreclosures and high insurance premiums, is an indication of how out of touch and desperate the GOP standard bearers are with the electorate.

Senator Joe Biden has scheduled several appearances in the area today.

Florida has long been considered a solid Republican state, but that assumption is no longer true as the registration of new voters over the past several months has resulted in Democratic majorities in several key counties. Inspired by the prospect of change, Obama for America committees have flourished in many communities formerly considered "safe ground" for the GOP. These committees include significant numbers of independents and disaffected Republicans. Labor walks have been very well attended throughout the state.

Nothing is being taken for granted, neighborhoods canvassed, and new voters registered for the election. The deadline for registering new voters was this past Monday, October 6th.

"I am cautiously optimistic," said one senior citizen. "McCain was for privatizing Social Security and had my money been put in one of the major investment firms I might have nothing now. Most of the people here in my senior-only community understand that. That's why we're voting for Obama."

After McCain said "that one," it was over

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Albano) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:49:00 +0000

I admit John McCain started out pretty good in the debate. Wow, I thought, a town hall format really is his strong point. But after 30 minutes, I realized this whole campaign -- the debate, the presidency, everything -- is a marathon, not a sprint. McCain does not have the stamina. Barack Obama does and he clearly won this Town Hall debate. And in the process sewed up the election by any stretch of political imagination.

McCain created the momentum early on with his $350 billion taxpayer bailout of distressed homeowners. Pretty bold, I thought. (I also thought the far right is having a fit right now.) Obama was wobbly in his early response and especially specifics.

Can't remember if it was the question about "sacrifice" or before that but around that time Obama began to turn things around. And McCain -- sorry -- was just a cranky, grumpy old man. The icing on the cake was when he called Obama "that one!" (racial dynamics and all...) Like he was an object, not a human being. Ohhh. That reverberated around a million homes! How many people at their work, by their bosses or supervisors have been called "that one?" Millions. It's belittling and embarrassing. And that is what McCain promises for the American people.

On green jobs and health care Obama hit solidly the questions pitched to him. But suprisingly, he knocked it out on foreign policy -- supposedly his "weak" point. Starting with the illegal war in Iraq and McCain's support for it, Obama railed on the cost in treasure, lives and relationships around the world.

I channeled my 79 year old mom who died five years ago. She -- like my dad -- are classic Reagan Democrats. And, I concluded after the channeling, that she would vote for Obama. It's like being presented a door to the hopeful future or the horrid past. My mom was alway a pragmatist. Hopeful future? Horrid past? Hmmm the devil is known, I'll take the future she'd say.

It's obvious that working class, democratic forces must still press their agenda after Nov. 4. But won't it be different when there is an ally in the White House! This debate sealed it. Obama won -- and will win -- significantly.

GOP accuses ACORN of relentless voter registration

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Albano) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:31:00 +0000

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/07/acorn_nevada_offices_raided.html

ACORN office in Nevada was raided. It seems through their voter registration drives, according to one Republican spokesperson, that the organization shows "a willingness to go out and do this relentlessly." Heavens to Mergatroid! An organization that relentlessly registers people to vote! ACORN "relentlessly" works so that others actually can exercise their right to vote. OMG -- Only McCain's GOP could believe that is diabolical.

WARNING: this is funny

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Albano) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:42:00 +0000

This one comes from PWW editorial board member Roberta Wood, a big fan of Andy B. Aren't we all!?!

Palin blasts Obama's ties to Weather Channel

‘Palling around with meteorologists,' guv claims

By Andy Borowitz

Alaska governor Sarah Palin went on the attack today, claiming that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama had longstanding ties to The Weather Channel.

"What does it say about our opponent that he thinks this nation's weather is so imperfect that he needs to be allied with The Weather Channel?" she asked a crowd in Tampa, Florida. "There's a fine line between hating America's weather and hating America herself."

Gov. Palin said that she learned about Sen. Obama's ties to The Weather Channel last week "when I was trying hard to read The New York Times."

"They said that Sen. Obama was hanging out with weathermen," she said. "Do we really want to elect someone who has been palling around with meteorologists?"
Gov. Palin's latest attacks came on the heels of a new poll showing that the only demographic group that still support her are morons, sometimes referred to by political insiders as "no-information voters."

"It may sound like she spouting idiocy, but there's a method to her madness," said Tracy Klugian, a Republican strategist. "She's speaking to her base."

Elsewhere, Sen. John McCain's practice session for the second presidential debate was cut short when his pants burst into flame.

STORY LEADS --- HEY anyone interested??

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Albano) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:55:00 +0000

OK -- Why hasn't the major media picked up on this tidbit,

"Palin associates with political party whose founder said, 'I have no use for America or her damned institutions.'"

http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/7531/

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/13641/

And here is an update on Troopergate: Todd to testify!!!

Imagine if Michelle was supposed to testify in some investigation of Barack!!! What a field day the major media and the far-right would have. But here it's just a footnote.

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE4958DM20081007

More on the Biden-Palin debate - a question for McCain

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Webb) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:55:00 +0000

From Art Perlo:

The really big news in the vice presidential debate last night has been missed by virtually all of the commentators. It came early in the evening, after the moderator, Gwen Ifill, questioned the candidates about the bankruptcy law and its effect on homeowners.

Senator Biden: [Barack Obama and I agree that] we should be allowing bankruptcy courts to be able to re-adjust not just the interest rate you're paying on your mortgage to be able to stay in your home, but be able to adjust the principal that you owe... That would keep people in their homes, actually help banks by keeping it from going under. But... I believe John McCain and the governor don't support that.

Gwen Ifill:: Governor Palin, is that so?

Governor Palin: That is not so.

It sounds as if Governor Palin clearly stated that she and John McCain would support allowing bankruptcy courts to adjust mortgages in favor of struggling homeowners. If that is true, it would give substance to Palin's claim, during the debate, that McCain is “committed to of putting government back on the side of the people and get rid of the greed and corruption on Wall Street and in Washington.”

There is a simple test to see if Palin's claim has any substance. Will McCain show leadership and bipartisanship by proposing that Senators Obama and Biden join him in pushing to pass this bankruptcy legislation immediately? The proposal was killed in the Senate last April after encountering “stiff opposition from many Republicans as well as the banking and mortgage loan industries,” according to the New York Times. (April 4, 2008) But with McCain's backing, there should be no problem getting this legislation through Congress now.

The issue is certainly urgent enough. Every month's delay means another 100,000 families, or more, lose their homes.

Biden v. Palin

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Webb) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 03:14:00 +0000

Hard to see how any undecided working class/ middle class voter would not be impressed by Biden, his demeanor, his knowledge on issues and politics, his focus on working family issues and ending the Iraq war, his sincerity. He scored a few zingers, exposing McCain-Palin record - "McCain's no maverick" - but did it in a nice way. By contrast, Palin repeated "talking point" slogans over and over even when they were not on the question, avoided answering questions she thought were difficult, and showed little knowledge on issues. Everything was platitudes, generalities and plastic smiles. Her enthusiasm for "drill, baby, drill" is not likely to be hugely popular.

Biden exceeded my expectations in his performance, which I thought was flawless. It may be a big boost to the Obama momentum.

Great song from PWW reader!

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Albano) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:24:00 +0000

We just got this e-mail from an online reader and loved it! Thank you Beth, for keeping hope and humanity alive through your work and music.

Hello beloved PWW staff: From Beth Maples-Bays

I cannot tell you how much we look forward to reading PWW/Nuestro Mundo each week. I am a community activist and organize around issues of concern to women and lesbians. My mailbox is flooded with reading material of a wide variety within that context. I want you to know that the only thing my partner will read is PWW.

As an Appalachian woman, I have a rather unique perspective on the world. Sometimes I express my viewpoint in song, accompanied by my mountain dulcimer. Recently I wrote new lyrics to the anthem for the 1931 coal strike in Harlan County, Kentucky - “Which Side Are You On?” Although I am a born and bred East Tennessean, my partner’s family hails from Knox County, Kentucky. Knox County shares a border with Harlan County. My now-deceased father-in-law equivalent, Albert Bennett, was active in the UMW local there. He mined for more than 40 years.

Here are the lyrics revamped for our current situation:

WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? - 2008
An Appalachian womon’s (sic) lament
by Beth Maples-Bays

The oil man’s in the White House;
Wall Street just bit the dust.
Foreclosure on your Mama’s house
Is anything but just
(CHORUS)
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Workin’ folks are desperate To set food on the table.
It takes three checks to pay the bills, And we just lost our cable.
CHORUS
Wimmin folks a-strugglin’ to try And do it all.
Knowin’ there just ain’t now way They’ll ever break their fall.
CHORUS
Iraq War is draining
Our coffers and our souls.
Troops come home so damaged They go right on the dole.
CHORUS
Public schools are goin’ down.
Children just can’t learn.
GOP’s almighty buck Is harder now to earn.
CHORUS
Black bears are a-starvin’, Get shot when they come down.
Tourists leave pollution All over White Oak Town.
CHORUS
Queers ain’t seen as human, Hispanics same as dogs.
All the while, the man reaps profits Like a big ‘ol hog.
CHORUS
The winds of change are blowin’ All across this land.
The People reckon now’s the time We’ve got to take a stand.
CHORUS
REPEAT

If you choose to use these lyrics as a poetry submission, please note that they are my original composition. The copy that I have used to learn the tune and the original lyrics indicate they were copyrighted in 1974 by Storm King Music, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission in Source: The Liberated Woman’s Songbook, p. 70 (930. Also: (43). The words were written by Florence Reece. The music is traditional. I play it on my hourglass mountain dulcimer in the key of D.

Thank you for helping us keep hope alive,
Beth Maples-Bays

Jesse Jackson and Unions Protest on Wall Street

noreply@blogger.com (Libero Della Piana) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:26:00 +0000

Before news that the bailout package failed today in Washington, hundreds of trade union members and civil rights advocates gathered on Wall Street to protest any bailout that favored Wall Street over Main Street.

Called by the Transport Workers Union Local 100, 1199 United Healthcare Workers East and Rev. Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the rally was held within site of the New York Stock Exchange on the very day that markets had their worst one-day fall in 20 years.

Here are photos from the rally. A full article in the People's Weekly World to follow.

700 billion as economy sinks and WaMu goes down. What's next?

pepelozano43@gmail.com (Pepe Lozano) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:47:00 +0000

As Congress struggles to fix the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression with a 700 billion bailout plan for Wall Street, people like myself on Main Street wonder what's the deal with my bank WaMu? I'm a WaMu customer and I didn't know what to think about the banks recent collapse, especially when our economy is in a such a mess.

Last week Washington Mutual collapsed under the weight of its huge bad debts on the mortgage market and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. seized WaMu and sold the bank to JP Morgan Chase & Co. for 1.9 billion. Great! What the heck does that exactly mean, I thought?

So now what? I wondered. Should I cancel my account and withdraw the little amount of my money in the bank? Is it too late now? Should I be worried? Should I open a new account elsewhere? What about my direct deposits? Sheesh, imagine all the paper work I thought. Would I need a new debit card? Maybe I should put all my money under my mattress like the old times. Remember that? I'm sure people still do it, people who don't trust banks. Maybe they have the right idea.

Shortly after Chase bought WaMu a memo was sent to all customers saying our checking accounts, savings accounts and certificates of deposits - "are now backed by the strength and security of JP Morgan Chase," the largest depository bank in America.

Everything remains the same including same account numbers, same WaMu name on the holders account, same checks, debit cards, credit cards, deposit slips, same online banking and passwords, and same branches and ATMs.

The memo added that "soon" I'll be able to use Chase's ATMs free of charge. (I should have read the entire memo before I withdrew money this past weekend from a Chase ATM and I was still charged a three dollar fee. Three dollars! Go figure! I wonder if I'll get that back in the future?)

The memo added that soon I'll begin to see the Chase name on my statements, online and on reissued credit cards. The bank locations will eventually be renamed Chase and I'll be reissued a new debit card with the Chase name, but until then I should bank as usual. Sometime next year I'll be able to use the actual Chase banks.

WaMu, which was founded in 1889 is the largest bank to fail by far in U.S. history.

I guess for now I don't have to worry but given all the problems with rising unemployment rates, massive foreclosures, rising student loan debts and a Republican administration that puts Wall Street and major profit-before-people driven corporations, including banks first, I wonder whats next?

Economic crisis threatens the world

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Russum) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 15:56:00 +0000

About 10 years ago the People's Weekly World ran a piece titled 'Economic crisis threatens the world' by Sam Webb. To read it go to
http://www.pww.org/archives98/98-10-31-3.html
I think it provides some useful historical and political background to the current mess and the organized fighback needed.

Win to Obama

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Albano) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 03:56:00 +0000

Barack Obama looked presidential and in command of the facts. But the chattering classes will parse this for forever. Here are some insightful comments:

Pelham

Sep 27 08, 2:50am (about 2 hours ago)

Not sure at which point I'll switch to Law and Order SVU. Oooh looks like it'll be very soon. McCain just can't look at Obama - so rude. Or is he frantically checking his notes or trying to keep his false teeth from flopping out.

Comments from Wash Post:

polls are showing Obama won...even among women and the over 55 crowd. huge win.

Palin/Biden should be another win if Biden keeps feet out of mouth.
Posted by: wpost4112 | September 26, 2008 11:59

All CNN AUDIENCE POLLS HAVE OBAMA WINNING THE DEBATE ON ALL TOPICS DISCUSSED.

Posted by: MILLER123 | September 26, 2008 11:58 PM |

It seems to me that Obama won by a nose. i agree that he wiped up on the economy.

McCain had some good points towards the end, but he hurt himself by being snide, by his sneering expression, and by his failure to ever look at Obama.

Frankly, it made me notice that McCain is shorter and older. And that he seems to have a perspective at least 20 years out of date.

Posted by: thaimex | September 26, 2008 11:58 PM |

Some comments on "The Fix":
- McCain's grin was scary.
- McCain's absolute inability and avoidance of Obama - refuse to address him by name and refuse to look him in the eye - smacked of disrespect at best and possibly other...motives at worst.
- Obama was right about Kissinger's stance on no preconditions. McCain was again mischaracterizing or outright lying.
- The lasting image most voters have is of McCain kissing George's a-- in 2004 so he'd have Rove and the money at his disposal in 2008.

Posted by: paulaann25 | September 26, 2008 11:58 PM

Wow! I was surprised at Obama's performance.

I'm a delegate to the Republican convention - started re-thinking McCain when he picked inexperienced Palin - and frankly, Obama was the greater statesman tonight.

Worst of all, McCain sounded like an old man talking about the past.

Posted by: DenverVoter | September 26, 2008 11:57 PM

Wall Street Demos Protest Bailout

noreply@blogger.com (Libero Della Piana) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:43:00 +0000

Two big rallies rocked Wall Street today as Congress debated the Bush plan to bailout the financial elites. One called by the New York City Central labor Council and the other by a broad coalition of groups including United for Peace and Justice, US Action, True Majority, Acorn, to name a few.

The main message of each demonstration was to call on Congress to refuse any bailout of Wall Street without a real bailout of Main Street, transparency, accountability and controls. A full article will follow, but for now, here are some photos from the two events held hours and blocks apart.

Labor Rally at Noon on Broad Street and Exchange Place:

4pm Rally at the Wall Street "Bull":

Palin on "foreign policy"

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Webb) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:09:00 +0000

Watch and weep (or cringe):

Watch CBS Videos Online

As some viewers remark, no wonder McCain is trying to bump the vice-presidential debate as far away as possible ... say, Nov. 5 or so ...

McCain runnning for cover on financial crisis

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Webb) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:14:00 +0000

A couple of good commentaries to note:

Harold Meyerson writes in the Washington Post about "McCain's Ploy":

Slipping in the polls? Concerned that Americans may be paying more attention to the declining economy -- and even supporting economic regulation again -- than to your own stellar leadership abilities?
What's a Republican presidential nominee to do?
If you're named John McCain, the answer became apparent yesterday afternoon -- make the solution to the economic crisis all about you. Suspend your campaign. Pull out of tomorrow's debate -- a trivial exercise merely allowing Americans to judge the two candidates side by side. Change the terms of the nation's economic discussion from the course we should take, and the defects of the laissez-faire model that got us here, to the indispensability of John McCain, leader of leaders.

In the Wall Street Journal piece titled "It's Judgment Day for McCain," Thomas Frank suggests that McCain has "a special advantage to bring" to any investigation of Wall Street practices:

many of the relevant witnesses are friends or colleagues of his. In fact, he can probably get to the bottom of the whole mess just by cross-examining the people riding on his campaign bus.

A number of progressive groups are organizing rallies today around the country, calling it a national day of action on the theme "Congress must fix the mess created by Wall Street. But the right way. NOT by a no-strings-attached $700 billion handout." Check here to see the organizations involved and find an event in your area.

And Working America, the community affiliate of the AFL-CIO, has put up an action page where you can send a message to your member of Congress and congressional leaders and tell them "No blank checks for Wall Street."

$700 billion Wall Street bailout!?!

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Russum) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 16:30:00 +0000

Remember the trickle down theory of economics? I think this started under the Reagan administration with the idea that giving all kinds of breaks to the guys at the top would some how trickle down to benefit the rest of us. As if a trickle was what we needed! I always said I was in favor of the trickle up theory. Give us all the money and just see how the economy would benefit!

You know how it is, when you read about someone who won it big on the lottery what do they say they are going to do with it? Pay off their debts, put aside money for their kids’ college education, buy a new car and a big new TV, take a nice vacation, maybe even start up a small business. Sounds to me like all that would benefit the economy.

So I would suggest that Bush instead of giving $700 billion in bailouts at the top—by the way, that’s $700,000,000,000.00, quite a lot of zeros isn’t it? —don’t hand that out to the guys at the top whose greed or stupidity caused this mess to begin with. No, give it out to us and we will pay off some of our debt, save some of it and spend some of it—the holidays are coming. And let the benefits trickle up for a change.

By the way, the population of the U.S. these days is over 300 million (that’s 300,000,000) plus about 4 million for Puerto Rico (that’s 4,000,000). So the $700 billion bailout averages to about $2300 from (instead of for) every one of us. This week.

The Large Hadron Collider explained via hip hop

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Russum) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:30:00 +0000

By Kate McAlpine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6aU-wFSqt0

Veterans speak on why they back Obama

noreply@blogger.com (Joel) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:48:00 +0000

Landmark victory for clean air and better jobs in S. California

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Albano) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:16:00 +0000

From S. California AFL-CIO via Rosalio Munoz:

A federal judge this week cleared the way for one of the nation’s most sweeping environmental cleanups by refusing to grant an injunction against the landmark Clean Trucks Program at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The decision, which clears the way for the program to take effect in October, marks the the culmination of a two-year effort by LAANE and a broad-based alliance including the Natural Resources Defense Counsel, the Teamsters and nearly 40 other labor, environmental, public health and community-based organizations to address the severe economic, environmental and public health impacts of the broken trucking system at the nation’s largest port complex. Under the Clean Trucks Program, thousands of polluting trucks will be removed from the road while conditions for some 16,000 port truck drivers will dramatically improve. Air quality authorities have linked 3,700 premature deaths each year in California to pollution from the transportation of goods -- more than the number of people who die from homicide.

The Coalition’s efforts, along with the strong support of L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, have been critical in overcoming enormous opposition from the trucking industry and major shipping interests such as Wal-Mart that have long profited from a system that places the entire burden of buying and maintaining trucks on poor, largely immigrant drivers. As one driver said in his testimony before the L.A. Port Commission, "They are making me choose between replacing my truck and feeding my kids."

The new program will shift the responsibility for ownership and upkeep of clean-burning vehicles to the trucking companies, while also requiring that drivers become employees of these companies rather than independent contractors – a move that will significantly raise job standards and ensure basic workplace protections.

Beyond the benefits to drivers and the communities that have suffered from polluted air, the Clean Trucks Program is a watershed accomplishment for the burgeoning blue-green alliance. Often on opposite sides of public policy debates, labor advocates and environmentalists have created a powerful partnership that could serve as a model for a good jobs/green growth movement in cities across the nation.

Why the ultra-right is mobilizing against Obama

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Webb) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:26:00 +0000

If you want to know why the ratcheted-up, anything-goes onslaught against Obama's presidential campaign, you need only look at this chart put together by the Washington Post, based on an analyis by the Tax Policy Center:

(source: Washington Post)

It graphically shows that

Obama's plan gives the biggest cuts to those who make the least, while McCain would give the largest cuts to the very wealthy.

and

For the approximately 147,000 families that make up the top 0.1 percent of the income scale, the difference between the two plans is stark. While McCain offers a $269,364 tax cut, Obama would raise their taxes, on average, by $701,885 - a difference of nearly $1 million.

The chart says it all. This election is not about "experience," "abortion," "national security," saluting the flag or lipstick. It is about a section of the tiny group of the richest people in our country, deathly afraid that finally they may be forced to pay the bill owed to the American people - to America's working families who have made their riches possible.

So this tiny group of very rich and powerful are priming up an all-out dirty campaign.

The outcome, I think, will rest on the grassroots mobilization by ordinary working class Americans fired up in the last few weeks of this campaign.

Machinists union stands up to right-wing/media b-s

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Webb) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:41:00 +0000

A major national political development took place on Monday in Florida. The 2,600 delegates to the International Association of Machinists convention enthusiastically voted to endorse Barack Obama for president of the United States. They set in motion a major on-the-ground election effort in key battleground states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.

This move by the nation’s second largest industrial union — those famous blue-collar voters the Republican right and the corporate media have been voicing oh so much concern about — came despite a week of assault by the very same Republican far-right embodied in the McCain/Palin campaign, with a cowed corporate media largely following their script.

The IAM had backed Hillary Clinton, and during the primaries IAM President Tom Buffenbarger made some over-the-top comments. Yet, this week, he and this 700,000-member blue collar union took their stand based on the nitty gritty of what is at stake for America’s working class in this election. It was a significant rejection of all the b-s the anti-worker, anti-family, anti-women, anti-democracy McCain-Palin campaign is spewing.

Yet a Google search today turned up barely a word about this in the corporate media.
Aside from our newspaper, you have to go to the Machinists web site to get any information about it.

Likewise, Hillary Clinton’s rousing speech to that convention, and her campaign tour of Florida, drew skimpy and tepid coverage in the corporate media.

The IAM notes that:

The packed convention hall rose to their feet repeatedly during Clinton's remarks and displayed unequivocal support for her request to back the candidacy of Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

"You were with me from the start, and I want you to know that I will stand with you as we try to change what's going on in this country," Clinton told the delegates. "I believe this country is worth fighting for, and that's why I am fighting to elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States.

"I don't think there's ever been higher stakes in an election than what we're facing this November. Barack and I may have started on different paths, but we are on one journey now, and it's a journey to take back our country because Americans do better when we have a Democratic president," declared Clinton.

"I know Senator Obama. I've seen his passion and determination. He understands both the economic stresses here at home and the strategic challenges around the world," said Clinton. "We've got to start with a president who actually understands the changes we have to make. And no one has more at stake in this election than the American labor movement."

Immediately following her remarks, delegates unanimously passed a resolution endorsing Barack Obama for president. "This union is not half-hearted with its endorsements," said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger, who was an early and strong supporter of Sen. Clinton in the primary race. "We will have boots on the ground in every state to make sure our members understand that Barack Obama is the best chance in a generation to reclaim the American Dream for working families."

The endorsement of Obama will trigger a massive education campaign among IAM members and extensive publicity in union publications and worksites nationwide. The IAM is a significant political presence in the key industrial states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.