Daily Topics - Monday April 18th, 2011

Get the new IPhone App for Thom Hartmann
Truthout proudly presents weekly installments of Thom's bestselling book "Unequal Protection"
Hour One: Happy Tax Day B of A! J.A. Myerson, U.S. Uncut / Plus, Latest labor news - Doug Cunningham, Workers Independent News
Hour Two: Benton Harbor, MI - you're fired! City government pink slipped by right wing Governor - Eartha Jane Melzer, Michigan Messenger & Commissioner Juanita Henry, Benton Harbor, MI / Plus, Birth record or circumcision certificate...what is AZ's GOP thinking?! Dr. Mike Newcomb, The Mike Newcomb Show
Hour Three: Why do conservatives want to poison us? Thomas Bowden, Ayn Rand Center
Comments

Just heard the interviews about Benton Harbor, MI and thought I'd post this link about Jean Klock Park, which is a nature preserve gifted to Benton Harber in 1917. The Whirlpool corp and their buddies would love to convert this park into a golf course and private gated community. Read more of the story on the website.

Sounds like Whirlpool used its size to secure tax breaks that drained the coffers of Benton Harbor. This is going on across the country as corporations pit cities and towns against one another to secure the lowest or nonexistant tax burden.

If the "best minds" went on strike ala John Galt, I suspect that it would look like this in some ways.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recovered_factory#South_America
In the wake of the 2001 economic crisis, about 200 Argentine companies were "recovered" by their workers and turned into co-operatives. Prominent examples include the Brukman factory, the Hotel Bauen and FaSinPat (formerly known as Zanon). As of 2005, about 15,000 Argentine workers run recovered factories.The phenomenon of fabricas recuperadas ("recovered factories") is not new in Argentina. Rather, such social movements were completely dismantled during the so-called "Dirty War" in the 1970s. Thus, during Héctor Cámpora's first months of government (May-July 1973), a rather moderate and left-wing Peronist, approximately 600 social conflicts, strikes and factory occupations had taken place. Many recovered factories are run co-operatively and all workers receive the same wage. Important management decisions are taken democratically by an assembly of all workers, rather than by professional managers.

Thank you Thom for everything you do for Humanity you are a man of wisdom not just Knowlege. your life time quest of bringing peace, happiness and prosperity to humanity.
Sad that I have been unemployed since November, 2009 and still paid more federal taxes than some corporations.