This political battle has the Koch brother’s fingerprints all over it....
By louisehartmann
Yesterday – we reported about a little known provision in Governor Walker’s anti-union bill that would allow the state to sell of publicly owned power plants to private industries if it’s “in the best interests of the state.” That provision could allow Walker to sell off power plants to one of his top political contributors – Koch Industries – and give the Koch brothers a vertical monopoly on electricity in the state – owning the production, distribution, and sale of power. We’re talking billions in higher profits. Well – now it looks like the Koch brothers may be trying to follow-up on that deal – a new Koch industries lobbying firm has just opened up in Madison – down the street from Walker’s office – employing 7 lobbyists to work with Republicans state lawmakers. And yesterday – the Koch funded Tea Party group Americans for Prosperity – announced it will begin running ads against union protestors in Wisconsin and President Obama – and the ad encourages people to, “Stand with Walker.” Just like the 2010 midterm election – this political battle has the Koch brother’s fingerprints all over it.
Comments
#2
REPUBLICANS ARE SOCIAL DARWINISTS -- they believe the government should help the rich live long and prosper! THE government should let the rich exploit the working classes until they die from hard work and exhaustion!! AND should let the poor die off from starvation and disease because they will never amount to anything and are a drain on society!!!
The seeds of Social Darwinism were actually planted before the publication of Darwin's "The Origin of Species"(though of course the name didn't originate until after). Herbert Spencer, the father of Social Darwinism as an ethical theory, was thinking in terms of elitist, "might makes right" sorts of views long before Darwin published his theory. The concept of adaptation allowed Spencer to claim that the rich and powerful were better adapted to the social and economic climate of the time, and the concept of natural selection allowed him to argue that it was natural, normal, and proper for the strong to thrive at the expense of the weak. Whether it be humans, races, or the state, Spencer's thoughts were clear: "If they are sufficiently complete to live, they do live, and it is well they should live. If they are not sufficiently complete to live, they die, and it is best they die." In its simplest form, Social Darwinism follows the theory of "the strong survive," even in human issues.It is the application of the theory of natural selection to social, political, and economic issues. According to Social Darwinism, those with economic, physical, and technological strength flourish and those without are destined for extinction. This theory was used to promote the idea that the white European race was superior to others, and therefore, destined to rule over them.
""Social Darwinism is a belief, popular in the late Victorian era in England, America, and elsewhere, which states that the strongest or fittest should survive and flourish in society, while the weak and unfit should be allowed to die. The theory was chiefly expounded by Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), whose ethical philosophies always held an elitist view and later received a boost from the application of Darwinian ideas such as adaptation and natural selection.
According to Darwin's evolutionary theory, nature is a "kill-or-be-killed" system. Those that cannot keep up are either left behind or cut off. The strong survive, and those best suited to survival will out-live the weak.
Social Darwinism was used to justify numerous exploits which we classify as of dubious moral value today. Colonialism was seen as natural and inevitable; people saw natives as being weaker and more unfit to survive, and therefore felt justified in seizing land and resources. Finally, it gave the ethical nod to brutal colonial governments who used oppressive tactics against their subjects.
At the time that Spencer began to promote Social Darwinism, the technology, economy, and government of the "White European" was advanced in comparison to that of other cultures. Looking at this apparent advantage, as well as the economic and military structures, some argued that natural selection was playing out, and that the race more suited to survival was winning. Some even extended this philosophy into a micro-economic issue, claiming that social welfare programs that helped the poor and disadvantaged were contrary to nature itself. Those who reject any and all forms of charity or governmental welfare often use arguments rooted in Social Darwinism.
Social Darwinism has been used to justify eugenics programs aimed at weeding "undesirable" genes from the population; such programs were sometimes accompanied by sterilization laws directed against "unfit" individuals. The American eugenics movement was relatively popular between about 1910-1930, during which 24 states passed sterilization laws and Congress passed a law restricting immigration from certain areas deemed to be unfit. Social Darwinist ideas, though in different forms, were also applied by the Nazi party in Germany to justify their eugenics programs. With the development of the notion of eugenics — not only could you prevail over the unfit by making war on them, but you could improve the breed by applying "enlightened" notions of selection and genetics.
At its worst, the implications of Social Darwinism were used as scientific justification for the Holocaust. The Nazis claimed that the murder of Jews in World War II was an example of cleaning out inferior genetics. This view embraced the assumption that the strong were superior, and thus ordained to prevail. Social Darwinism applied to military action as well; the argument went that the strongest military would win, and would therefore be the most fit. Casualties on the losing side, of course, were written off as the natural result of their unfit status. Thus, if two countries were to make war on each other, the victor was biologically superior to the loser. It was therefore right and proper for that victor to subjugate or even eliminate the inferior opponent. Not only was survival of the fittest natural, but it was also morally correct. Indeed, some extreme Social Darwinists argued that it was morally incorrect to assist those weaker than oneself, since that would be promoting the survival and possible reproduction of someone who was fundamentally unfit. A second way pseudo-evolutionary concepts were applied to human interaction was in the development of cut-throat capitalism in the United States. Here the ideology was that the cream naturally rose to the top; the successful made a lot of money simply because they were superior to the unsuccessful. Those who found themselves in poverty were poor because they were intrinsically inferior. It provided a justification for the more exploitative forms of capitalism in which workers were paid sometimes pennies a day for long hours of backbreaking labor. Social Darwinism also justified big business' refusal to acknowledge labor unions and similar organizations, and implied that the rich need not donate money to the poor or less fortunate, since such people were less fit anyway. This political philosophy resisted suggestions like universal education, welfare, minimum wage; in short, anything which interfered with the business of the "superior" ascending to the top of the heap and squashing the unfit beneath their expensive shoes.""
http://www.allaboutscience.org/what-is-social-darwinism-faq.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/C004367/eh4.shtml
#3
Thom, I have a Masters in Business and a under grad in Engineering. I look forward to a career in teaching because of having had four previous positions outsourced over the last 9 years.
It is obvious that the dilemma in Wisconsin is part of a strategy for the new American business model in that the corporation’s mindset in Washington is not to deal with the countries involved in illegal trade but rather lower the American standard of living so as to keep their profit margin stable.
#4
Vince,
To your point, I heard a study was done on women to ask if they would stop having sex for a year to be thin. I cannot remember the results (it was a TYT clip by Ana) however, I thought to myself, you want to be thin? that just requires a lack of food... But thin (which is a sign of poverty in a socioeconomic way!) and abstinent (a religious moral issue and with STD's a personal moral issue). I am disgusted that a woman would say 'yes.' Less food and more sex would probably help a woman lose weight faster. So I think people are now willing to accept a lower standard of living without even knowing it.
Also, I am a mathematician and I too look forward to teaching my knowledge to people who wish to imbue it. Keep talking! We need people with brains to participate in the civil rhetoric of politics and teaching.
-Adam.
#5
I think these stats need to be repeated over and over again!!!!!
Only five states do not have collective bargaining for educators and have deemed it illegal.
Those states and their ACT/SAT rankings are as follows:
South Carolina – 50th
North Carolina – 49th
Georgia – 48th
Texas – 47th
Virginia – 44th
#6
So EO 12612 is from Regan... Big surprise right? But Section 2(d) has a few words that bother me:
The people of the States are free, subject only to restrictions in the Constitution itself or in constitutionally authorized Acts of Congress, to define the moral, political, and legal character of their lives.
The use of the word 'moral' is of utmost concern. This word has a connotaion that differs between all people. This is a law? I am very upset to know that I am free but constrained to the federal definitions of acceptable moral, political, and legal character. I understood that the government was NOT to impose such definitions.
No wonder the right wing loves Regan. It isn't just about money... it is about the 'moral' character he defined which has lead to Islamaphobia and the systematic, legislative manipulation of the lexicon associated with moral, political, and legal character.
This is egregious.
-Adam.
#7
Democrats are blood sucking leeches. My father's 3 bdr home paid $400 in property taxes, today it's $10,000. The 25 fold increase in 30 years wasn't caused by greedy corporations. It was caused by greedy Unionized Public Sector pay and pensions that far exceed those in the private sector. Pensions they collect at 53 not 67. Pensions that pay 2-3 times what SSA pays for the same wage rate. and pensions that in the case of Wisconsin teachers they only paid 6/10th of 1 percent to get.
#8
jnkesrouan, it wasn't a Democrate that said "Greed is good." it was a Repulican - but not just any Repulican, the right-wing idolitry Regan. So don't even pretend Democrates have caused the hyper-inflation of your property tax. In the last 30 years, the impact of Regan's policies are beginning to expose the political extorition of American Citizens - e.g. by collapsing the revenue stream of the Federal Government and allowing private entities (including Homeland Security, the FBI and more) to remain functional as a result of their past privatizations. Thus simply kicking Obama or whomever out of office (once the defunding is complete).
Imagine that your cash flow came from a few people. Then due to a time of economic prosperity, you say to your cash flow people;
"keep a bit more of you money for a temporary amount of time." That is you giving a break to your cash-flow. Now the few years has passed and you go to your cash flow source and ask;
"ok, the temporary break is about to expire, I need money - badly." And the group of people who used to give you money say
"No. If you don't extend our break, we will just leave and do business somewhere else."
That just happened in America in Congress in December of 2010. So don't even pretend that Democrates are the blood suckers. Repulicans have used mis-information and diversionary tactics to pass unconstitutional legislation leading to, not just one great depression, but a current 'recession' that will, decades from now, become the known as the second great depression. Stop listening to Rush L. When you group the type of BS you wrote with the word Democrate, it just shows that you are simply trying to distinguish between mindless followers of Republican ideals and free-thinking American's who don't want to see a 21% increase year to year in an electric bill while concurrently facing a decrease in income due to inflation adjustsment, no raise, and a false tax-break extension (which actually RAISES my taxes).
#9
As a long time heavy listener of THS & now THP, I would like to hear Thom address two dichotomies that I see in his logic. First, for context, I would like for Thom to go back and listen to the last 5 minutes of his hour long radio interview with Chris Hedges. Because at the end they finally get to “What To Do” about it and then the show ends.
My contention is where Thom references his theory of a take over of the Democratic Party like the Republicans did in the 70’s. Hedges retorts “Let’s not forget, Thom, they had big bucks to do it. They were bankrolled by the Business Round Table… and we don’t have those kinds of backers.” In one sentence Hedges shoots down this theory. So, why is Thom still holding on to it?
Lastly, why isn’t Thom acknowledging that Civil Disobedience is the only form of redress that we have left at our disposal? As Hedges aptly points out: Historically Liberal Institutions have betrayed the working class and their anger towards Liberals is just. There are no other mechanisms to bring about change, but for Public Protest.
#10
"To our most bitter opponents we say: "We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We shall meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you. We cannot in all good conscience obey your unjust laws, because non-cooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good. Throw us in jail, and we shall still love you. Send your hooded perpetrators of violence into our communities at the midnight hour and beat us and leave us half dead, and we shall still love you. But be ye assured that we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer. One day we shall win freedom, but not only for ourselves. We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory." ---MLK, Jr.
#11
jnkesrouan:
THE LOCATION of the house makes a difference - if in 30 years it has grown from a rural to a suburban area.
IN 30 years the value of the house must have gone up (your inheritance) because most property taxes are calculated on the value of the house. IF there have been improvements in the roads - schools - sewage - fire protection etc this adds to the value of the house and services that need to be paid for.
IN 30 years big business - supported by the republican party - have exported hundreds of thousands - probably millions - of good paying middle class taxpaying jobs. WHEN the jobs go outta the country - federal - state - and local governments do not receive their taxes. FORCING governments to increase taxes - and fees of all types.
#12
Is it possible for an investigation to be made by the Federal Government for a conspiracy between Republican legislators and Governor Walker for conspiring to cheat the taxpayers of Wisconsin. They have that paragraph in the bill that if signed gives him full authority to sell off Wisconsin infra structure without competitive bidding. The Koch brothers stand to gain control of those two power plants at a price that the governor will determine - does that give them a monopoly over the power sold in Wisconsin. Given those recordings, and his office admits that he is speaking, things look a little dicey!
#13
KOCH Industries will not succeed in their attempts to purchase America. As their terrible actions reach the light of day, Americans, Democrats and Republicans will not accept this kind of plutocracy. We do not want to have billionaires calling the shots. We want our own elected representatives to represent us not billionaires.
Just as the dictators in the Middle East are falling away, so will Governors who want to behave as if they are little dictators in their state. We need to keep people informed about the real agenda of the Scott Walker's of the world.
Philip Henderson, ethical magician
#14
Scott Walker must be stopped. Please sign and circulate the petition calling on Gov. Scott Walker to step down:http://www.change.org/petitions/urge-wisconsin-governor-scott-walker-to-resign
#15
I hope this is a wake up call to all Americans, especially the ones who have been scared into believing all the propoganda the right has beem spewing fo rthe last 30 years.
#16
The Kochs should be expelled from a free country such as ours, and we should confiscate their billions in the bargain so that they can experience what they've been doing to those less fortunate than themselves. I'll bet they're "Christians", too. They do behave in such a Jesus-like matter. WWJD? How about WWSD? Scumbags.
#17
Tom,
Please correct your typos on your blog. It appears very unprofessional!!!!!!! If you continue to address things important, at least allow the reader to believe that you are articulate.
Thanks, Ed
#18
Obviously, all of the Republican legislators are in on this scam! They should go down with Walker!
#19
Hypocrate? Governor Walker is violating his own hero's ideas! EO 12612-sec2(h):
(h) Policies of the national government should recognize the responsibility of -- and should encourage opportunities for -- individuals, families, neighborhoods, local governments, and private associations to achieve their personal, social, and economic objectives through cooperative effort.
He is ignoring the phrase "individuals, families, neighborhoods, local governments" and adhering to the "private associations" in terms of achieving "personal, social, and economic objectives" by implying that the cooperative effort of the "individuals, families, neighborhoods, local governments" standing in the way of his anti-union legislation are being in any way 'un-patriotic.' Scott Walker's tactic of reviewing criminal law to find a way to FORCE the quorum to begin session is a blatant violation of the very E.O. I am writing about. He is DIScouraging the local governments from achieving their personal, social, and economic objectives through NON-cooperative efforts.
Scott Walker should be suspended and arrested until a criminal investigation is complete. His admission of cooperation with, who he assumed was, David Koch implies a synchorization of their ideas existed prior to this call. So this should also land David in FEDERAL prison without bail (because money is no object to him) pending investigation.
-Adam.
#20
Marcy, I have signed the on-line petition. But I am going to make a proper paper petition to take around with me when I am out and about as well. There are many, many people who do not regularyly use the internet and who would not sign an on-line petition that asks for information such as name and address, whereas they would not hesitate to sign such a paper petition. Thanks for spreading the word. We are going to recall him (Walker, that is) in 11 months or so, of course.
And, Thom and Louise, NO, the Kochs won't win this fight, because it is our fight for life. For them, it's just money and power.
#21
With the most recent news--which includes Walker revealing his strategy to bust the unions and get other Republican governors on board, to someone he thought was Charles Koch (thus revealing his allegiance to Koch)--in opposition to polls showing the American people favor the union's ability to collectively bargain, and in light of the backing off of by some of the very Republican governors he intended to get on board, all Walker seems to be achieving is bringing the union-busting activity of the corporate right to the fore, as well as unmasking and shining the light on such parasitic vermin as the Koch Brothers.
Here we see that one of the unintended consequences of fixing an election, by whatever means, including driving down turnout or spending megabucks to spread lies--or outright ballot-stuffing, digital manipulation, etc--is that the "mandate" a such a candidate might have convinced himself he has, is not really there. That's because the public really did not back him to begin with. Republican Governors are finding this out the hard way, much like GW found out when he tried to use his non-existent political capital after the statistically improbable results of the '04 election.
Republicans always seem to overreach when they get any power. Power without responsibility is a dangerous combination. And time and time again we see Republicans not really accepting accountability/responsibility for their actions. It's no wonder that we see them overreaching when they dupe the people into putting them in office.
#22
Murdoch, Koch what's the difference... My question is why? Why tear at the fabric of our country. A country based on progressive thought (sorry faux News) but our founding fathers for the most part were progressive.
Yeah, yeah the Kochs of the world love the money... but when they have accomplished ripping the citizens a new One with their fuck-u-America truly criminal-evil acts what will they have? They'll will own a bankrupt country... with a very pissed off population.
In the end the Koch's and Murdoch's of the world will die... and if their Doporations (spelling correct) continue with their legacy's of deceit and criminality they'll die too. It won't be pleasant and it won't happen in the near future, but unless these incredibly rich people don't let it truly trickle down... there will be blood.
Their legacy could be the destruction of our country.
#23
@ Making Progress
Only problem with using MLK quote: "We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory." ---MLK, Jr."
is that these Mammons have no heart or consciences. What really did MLK accomplish? We are all N----s, or Indians, now! I think Malcolm X had a better idea. What do you think would have happened during the 20s and 30s if we all bought into the idea that "we'll appeal to the heart and consciences of Wall Street and the banksters and rail-road barrons, etc."? We never would have had Unions strong enough to win anything for the workers...no 8 hour work days, no decent wages, etc....and FDR, if he even would have won, would not have been "moved" to create the social programs that pulled us out of the reality that was more akin to slavery. It took more of what is now happening in Wisconsin and elsewhere...very active rebellion against the sinister forces of corruption, greed, and power. Our political system is broken and corrupt and as long as money controls our politics, then those with the money will continue to buy power. The only way to fight that is to get really pissed off and take to the streets en masse. Those liberals who try to convince us that all we need to do is to do anything less is really working for the ones who want to control us. Just like Obama was the "friendly face" and "JFK-like persona" that the privileged ruling elite used, after the 8 years of Bush/Cheney created such discontent and ire, to squeeze out yet another 4 years control in their war against us. Yes, they fooled us into believing that we finally had someone who would fight back...but he turned out to be either a big pussy too afraid to fight back ...or he was their man to begin with. Either way, Obama has to go! I voted for him because I thought, like most of the country did too, that he was going to fight back. But, for whatever reason, he did not.
#24
This is moot now! And the answer is YES!! walker was punked today and his whole vile, obscene, criminal, un-ethical machinations and plans repalyed for the whole world to hear!
WISCONSIN IMPEACH low-life gov walker now! Forget recalling him!
Chilling isn't it!
#25
The corporatization of America is becoming more entrenched and the shock doctrine is in full force in Wisconsin and throughout the nation. Selling off public assets is one of the techniques. The regressives are the ones who have learned from history. They learned how to more effectively amass great wealth and subjugate the masses. The attack on unions, public education, along with privatization, control of the media, etc. are all parts of the war of the oligarchs on the working and middle classes.
So, my assessment is that Walker and the Koch Brothers will probably get what they want, including the sale of the power plants. This will create a monopoly for the brothers. Where's TR when we need him. We have a representative corporatocracy moving towards a direct corporatocracy. We need democracy, not corporatocracy.
#26
Yesterday, I was reading a NY Times article about the "Wisconsin Power Play." In the reader's comments, someone mentioned that WI had a budget surplus until Walker gave away millions to business. What if the plan was to manufacture a deficit in order to put the rethuglican plan in motion to bust the unions and sell its power structure to Koch?
Did anyone see the NBC Nightly News last night? Brian Williams reported on a phone conversation between Walker and a fake David Koch in where Walker gave away the "real" plan, which is to bust the unions--in his own words. Thank God for investigative work.
#27
Yeah, they think they are all over it like white on rice, but NO corporate-owned network will mention anything about the legislation to permit Koch Industries to "no-bid" and purchase the coal-fired power plant. No investigations will be conducted by these people. No corruption will be exposed by Big Business Media. To quote Bill-O, "Am I wrong about that"?
#28
:amen: I prefer Malcolm X to MLK anyday.
#29
----- Self-Inflicted-Disaster Capitalism -----
#30
Why is this not Fascism?
From Wikipedia (go donate!)
Fascism (pronounced /ˈfæʃɪzəm/) is an authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to organize a nation according to corporatist perspectives, values, and systems, including the political system and the economy.
#31
How is this going to play out? It doesn't look good to me. Here's why:
1) Gov. Walker knows he has the Kochs (and every other rightwing billionaire) behind him. He knows that he will get as much money as he needs to prevail for re-election, if he chooses to run and he may be planning on pulling a Palin and moving up to higher office rather than run again anyway. For the moment he certainly is front-runner for Republican VP. And his own show on Fox News.
2) Walker doesn't care if he has to carry out his promise to cut state employees if the Democrats don't come back. In fact he would probably like to do it, and might do it anyway, just with a different pretext. (Which makes the Democrats position even more of a dilemma, since they cannot trust him to not push for additional cuts and firings. Only now without collective bargaining. Does that mean everyone becomes an at will employee?)
3) Walker knows that there are plenty of Teaguys who would replace him if he backs down, and he knows that from coast to coast there are Conservative checkbooks at the ready to fund a Tea challenge to him if he backs down.
So I don't think Walker will be the way out.
4)The Republican Senators are sticking by him. They also know that if they do not, they will face a Tea challenger next election with ten times their campaign budget. And presumably death threats towards their family. (al a Joe Sestak) It might take a Lee Atwater/brain tumor /crisis of conscience to move any of these Republicans.
THe one possible way out is if the public in Wisconsin becomes so undeniably and overwealmingly outraged, in the Senator's home districts, that they all come to feel that sticking with Walker has become a liability, and that they need to establish their independence from him. Even then they might have just enough Republican Senators back off to block the bill without them all becoming the Teaguys targets. Because each needs the support of the group to insure his district gets a fair share of the state's money, each has an additional incentive to demand at least a secret concensus in their caucus before he stands up to Walker/Koch. Which just makes it harder to count on the Republican Senators acting like statesmen rather than a rubber stamp.
On the bright side, the Catholic Bishops of Wisconsin have come out in support of the right to collective bargaining. Wisconsin has a lot of Catholics. That may give the Senators a bit more cover, and even support for a change of course. Also, the Gallup poll on the subject puts national support on the side of the workers. Only 54% of self identified Republicans supported Walker's move. But I don't know how that poll reflects Wisconsin.
What we do know is that this was supoosed to be over a week ago, with the people of Wisconsin not getting a chance to see all that Walker was trying to get away with before he had done it. The Democrats have, if nothing else, given the people, and the press, a chance to get a look at what was really happening. Some of the main stream media is starting to realize that this was never really about the budget, but breaking the Union, and clearing the way for the USCofCrooks. (But I don't know what they are talking about on TV in WI. If they stick to the Republican talking points...) I suspect that while in the Teagays camps positions are only hardening against the unions, the rest of the state may be following the story and resent being conned by Walker. The problem is, the people who tend to continue to pay attention to these things are generally the people who would have supported the unions from the start, which mean possibly little popular shift in opinion as time passes.
#32
My taxes have gone up too,just like the cost of everything else. And despite efforts for decades, including a Constitutional requirement for the state to shift school funding from property to income taxes. But he Republicans dont want to pay income taxes, dont want to pay their fair share. Dont want to lose a chance to give their kids "all the advantages" , meaning the only well funded schools.
Of course my schools are some of the best in the state anyway. People around here think teachers should be paid well, and deserve a lot more than most private employees. People actually are suing to get into our district, where they pay more taxes.
Of course, It wasn't the Teachers who convinced you to vote Republican so you could not join a union. It wasn't the firefighters who told you you would have more fun with a 401K played for Wall Street's pleasure. And it wasn't the snow plow drivers who said we should use taxes to subsidize shipping our jobs overseas. And it wasn't the teachers who said we should not charge tariffs on Chinese goods, even if they tax our goods so as to be uncompetitive over there.
That was pretty much Ronald Reagan and his successors. Certainly not the Unions.
#33
We need to stop buying these koch bros. products immediately:
Brawny paper towels, Angel Soft toilet paper, Mardi Gras napkins and towels and Quilted Northern toilet paper. Ironically, some of these are made in koch bros. non-union plant in Green Bay - Yes, this will hurt some of my dear friends in Green Bay, but I'd rather save the state from benito walker than get rid of 1,000 jobs in Green Bay.
Stainmaster carpet, and Lycra fiber - Koch produces Invista, which is used in those products. These will have a very small impact on their decisions. If anyone has any other list of products from any other of benito walker's "contributors", please share them. We need to start making it hurt.
#34
Tim-mccoy: Thom had that great quote from the New York Times in 1944 about the American Fascist. It is disheartening how some people believe the Fascist ideology is left, progressive, or communist... almost as if the poisoning of the very channels of communication outlined in the previously mentioned quote exists today.
#35
Virtual Protest: There are a number of protests taking place around the country on Saturday February 26, 2011. The purpose of these protests is to draw attention to the fact that Bank of America received $45 billion in government bailout funds, while funneling its tax dollars into 115 offshore tax havens. And to highlight the fact that the poor and middle class are now paying for this largesse thru drastic government cuts.
If you are unable to attend one of these protests in person, there is a Virtual Protest where you can join with others online. For information and to sign up:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=188911557807460&index=1
Don't Get Angry Get Active!!
Thank You,
Safiya Balekian Colorado
#36
"The problem is, the people who tend to continue to pay attention to these things are generally the people who would have supported the unions from the start, which mean possibly little popular shift in opinion as time passes."
Walker got 52% of the vote. Anywhere from 56-65% say he should drop collective bargaining. So by the figures alone there are some who voted for him that want him to drop the collective bargaining. If the figures remain at 56-65%, and there is NO change in opinion, than this is a VERY UNPOPULAR action by walker!
#37
"Republicans always seem to overreach when they get any power. "
I predict that by Election Day Nov 2012 there will be another 1-2 million jobs lost in this country. The repugs are actually betting on this and working VERY hard to make it happen. Their rational - the American people will be so pissed at Obama and the liberals that they will vote repug and win in a landslide. That is their actual game plan. And the hell with all the suffering that it will cause to happen in this country!
Here is another prediction - if that WILL be the case in Nov 2012, the repugs will get their clocks cleaned!
#38
The original radio report I heard said that the Bishops were coming out for Collective Bargaining. THat may have been an overstatement.
Bishop Lystecki of Milwaukee came out very clearly on behalf of the right of workers to organize and have their collective bargaining rights respected. The US Conference of Bishops apparently backed him up
Now the bishop of Madison, Bishop Molorino, has come out to give Walker cover by claiming the CHurch (and the other bishops) were not taking sides. He wants to say that there are legitimate Catholic reasons for taking either Walker or the Teacher's side. But in doing so he talks about the Union making concessions for the public good, but doesn't specifically mention collective bargaining. In other words, he is talking about it the way Walker started talking about it, as if it were all about the budget. He seems to conflate the demands a union may make with being able to have a union at all. I dont know what effect this will have, but it certainly another case of some bishops trying to help Republicans despite an apparent conflict with Church teachings. Not surprisingly in that context, he is complaining of class warefare rhetoric.
#39
The church probably received a little green stuff for its till.
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From Screwed:
"Hartmann speaks with the straight talking clarity and brilliance of a modern day Tom Paine as he exposes the intentional and systematic destruction of America’s middle class by an alliance of political con artists and outlines a program to restore it. This is Hartmann at his best. Essential reading for those interested in restoring the institution that made America the envy of the world."
I am really interested to know if there is a connection with Koch industries and the Bush family. G.H.W. Bush signed Executive Order #12803 which is an order to privatize the entire federal government. It says:
Sec. 2. Fundamental Principles. Executive departments and agencies shall be guided by the following objectives and principles: (a) Adequate and well-maintained infrastructure is critical to economic growth. Consistent with the principles of federalism enumerated in Executive Order No. 12612, and in order to allow the private sector to Provide for infrastructure modernization and expansion, State and local governments should have greater freedom to privatize infrastructure assets.
This is a bit freaky to me. I know that Homeland Security is private and does not have to answer to any elected officials. Also, I know that there was a case filed along the lines of the 'freedom of information act V. intellectual property rights.' Dibold (who owns/programs, and records election votes) is some 40% of the digital voting machines. The brother of the man who owns that company owns a company that is responsible for another 40% of digital voting machines. After Bush Jr's re-election, citizens wanted to know about the digital security programmed into the machines - but the 'intellectual property rights" of a corporation out weighted the 'freedom of information act.' This is suspicious because an MIT professor in cryptography got a copy of the source code extracted from Dibold and said he would not feel comfortable giving a student (assuming it was a homework problem) a F. he would ask the student to withdraw! So even our voting system is private... ergo, the security of our voting systems is not even security.
http://www.waterindustry.org/12803.htm