Fighting the 5 fascisms in Wisconsin & Ohio
The escalating confrontations in Wisconsin and Ohio are ultimately about preventing the United States from becoming a full-on fascist state.
The stakes could not be higher---or more clear.
As defined by its inventor, Benito Mussolini, fascism is "corporate control of the state." There are ways to beat around the Bush---Paul Krugman has recently written about "oligarchy"---but it's time to end all illusions and call what we now confront by its true name.
The fights in Wisconsin, Ohio, and in numerous other states are about saving the last shreds of American democracy. They burn down to five basic realities:
1) The bulwark of modern democracy is the trade union. This has been true since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. All social programs can trace their roots to union activism, as can the protection of our civil liberties.
The first Germans Hitler put in concentration camps were neither Jews nor gypsies---they were trade unionists.
The stakes could not be higher---or more clear.
As defined by its inventor, Benito Mussolini, fascism is "corporate control of the state." There are ways to beat around the Bush---Paul Krugman has recently written about "oligarchy"---but it's time to end all illusions and call what we now confront by its true name.
The fights in Wisconsin, Ohio, and in numerous other states are about saving the last shreds of American democracy. They burn down to five basic realities:
1) The bulwark of modern democracy is the trade union. This has been true since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. All social programs can trace their roots to union activism, as can the protection of our civil liberties.
The first Germans Hitler put in concentration camps were neither Jews nor gypsies---they were trade unionists.
Obama's $36 billion nuke-powered giveaway
Barack Obama's 2012 budget marks a major escalation in the nuclear war against a green-powered future, whose advocates are already fighting back.
Amidst massive budget cuts for social and environmental programs, Obama wants $36 billion in loan guarantees for a reactor industry that cannot secure sufficient private "marketplace" financing for new construction.
In the past decade the reactor industry has spent at least $640 million lobbying for these massive advance bailouts. But since 2007, safe energy advocates have succeeded in keeping them out of the federal budget.
The $36 billion Obama wants to underwrite new reactor construction would be added to $18.5 billion set aside under George W. Bush. In 2010 Obama allocated $8.33 billion of that for two reactors under construction in Georgia. The Continuing Resolution for funding the government until the end of the 2011 fiscal year slashes all loan guarantees for energy except those for nuclear reactors and uranium enrichment.
Amidst massive budget cuts for social and environmental programs, Obama wants $36 billion in loan guarantees for a reactor industry that cannot secure sufficient private "marketplace" financing for new construction.
In the past decade the reactor industry has spent at least $640 million lobbying for these massive advance bailouts. But since 2007, safe energy advocates have succeeded in keeping them out of the federal budget.
The $36 billion Obama wants to underwrite new reactor construction would be added to $18.5 billion set aside under George W. Bush. In 2010 Obama allocated $8.33 billion of that for two reactors under construction in Georgia. The Continuing Resolution for funding the government until the end of the 2011 fiscal year slashes all loan guarantees for energy except those for nuclear reactors and uranium enrichment.
Save NPR and PBS
I guess we shouldn't be surprised.
With Republicans back in charge of the House of Representatives, funding for NPR and PBS is in grave danger. Again.
The Republicans just released their budget proposal, and it zeroes out funding for both NPR and PBS—the worst proposal in more than a decade.1
They probably think that no one will notice these cuts in the midst of so many others. But the millions of listeners and viewers who rely on public broadcasting for "Sesame Street," "All Things Considered," and independent journalism will notice.
We need to tell Republicans that cutting off funding was unacceptable last time they were in charge, and it's unacceptable now.
Add your name to the petition to save NPR and PBS:
Petition
The petition says: "Congress must protect NPR and PBS and guarantee them permanent funding, free from political meddling."
With Republicans back in charge of the House of Representatives, funding for NPR and PBS is in grave danger. Again.
The Republicans just released their budget proposal, and it zeroes out funding for both NPR and PBS—the worst proposal in more than a decade.1
They probably think that no one will notice these cuts in the midst of so many others. But the millions of listeners and viewers who rely on public broadcasting for "Sesame Street," "All Things Considered," and independent journalism will notice.
We need to tell Republicans that cutting off funding was unacceptable last time they were in charge, and it's unacceptable now.
Add your name to the petition to save NPR and PBS:
Petition
The petition says: "Congress must protect NPR and PBS and guarantee them permanent funding, free from political meddling."
Fight yields victory, points the way!
In light of the recent big news stories, it was easy to miss the struggle over the need to protect Social Security from blows coming from the Republicans and the federal Fiscal Commission. This developing fight won a victory recently in President Obama’s State of the Union address.
The following is what leaders of the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), and others saw as the key language on Social Security from the State of the Union address;
“To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations. And we must do it without putting at risk current retirees, the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities, without slashing benefits for future retirees, and without subjecting American’s guaranteed income to the whims of the stock market.”
The following is what leaders of the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), and others saw as the key language on Social Security from the State of the Union address;
“To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations. And we must do it without putting at risk current retirees, the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities, without slashing benefits for future retirees, and without subjecting American’s guaranteed income to the whims of the stock market.”
NFL---The untold story!
The final gun sounded on last week’s Super Bowl and Green Bay had won it’s 14th National Football League Championship, the most of any NFL franchise. The city of Chicago is second, with 11, when you include the Bears, Staleys & Cardinals. I’m sure that there were few folks sitting in front of their TVs thinking; “I wonder why the tiny little working class town of Green Bay, Wisconsin has an NFL franchise?” However, to those interested in the history of our nation’s working class, there is an interesting story behind that question.
A TOUGH GAME PLAYED BY TOUGH GUYS!
A TOUGH GAME PLAYED BY TOUGH GUYS!
Socialism triumphs at Super Bowl as class war looms
Socialism has again triumphed at the Super Bowl.
The only major sports team owned by the community in which it lives has toughed out its fourth modern-era National Football League championship.
But the billionaire bosses of the rest of the league may be about to again assault the players---and the rest of us---who make it all possible.
Predictably, though FOX broadcast the Super Bowl, CBS refused to air a player's union ad that was to air during another game on February 5.
The Packers' gritty win underscores the kind of ownership that should be in place for all major sports teams. As a part owner (3 shares) of the Packers, I hate watching greedy union-busting bosses blackmail whole cities for tax breaks and new stadiums. They whine about "losses" but won't open their books to the public or players.
The only major sports team owned by the community in which it lives has toughed out its fourth modern-era National Football League championship.
But the billionaire bosses of the rest of the league may be about to again assault the players---and the rest of us---who make it all possible.
Predictably, though FOX broadcast the Super Bowl, CBS refused to air a player's union ad that was to air during another game on February 5.
The Packers' gritty win underscores the kind of ownership that should be in place for all major sports teams. As a part owner (3 shares) of the Packers, I hate watching greedy union-busting bosses blackmail whole cities for tax breaks and new stadiums. They whine about "losses" but won't open their books to the public or players.
Where there's a Will there’s a way to invalidly defend Bush v. Gore
In his nationally syndicated column in December 2010, George Will defended the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Bush v. Gore. The infamous case halted the counting of votes in Florida 10 years earlier and handed George W. Bush the presidency.
In claiming that the Supreme Court got the decision right, the nonattorney Will made several incorrect statements. That’s probably the only way to defend what dissenting Justice Stephen Breyer has called “the most outrageous, indefensible thing” the court has ever done.
Will said problems with the vote count in Florida could have been mitigated “by adhering to a principle of personal responsibility: Voters who cast ballots incompetently are not entitled to have election officials toil to divine their intentions.” Will ignored the fact that tens of thousands of perfectly valid votes weren’t counted in Florida because of problems with voting machines, not voters.
In claiming that the Supreme Court got the decision right, the nonattorney Will made several incorrect statements. That’s probably the only way to defend what dissenting Justice Stephen Breyer has called “the most outrageous, indefensible thing” the court has ever done.
Will said problems with the vote count in Florida could have been mitigated “by adhering to a principle of personal responsibility: Voters who cast ballots incompetently are not entitled to have election officials toil to divine their intentions.” Will ignored the fact that tens of thousands of perfectly valid votes weren’t counted in Florida because of problems with voting machines, not voters.
The organic elite surrenders to Monsanto: What now?
"The policy set for GE alfalfa will most likely guide policies for other GE crops as well. True coexistence is a must." - Whole Foods Market, Jan. 21, 2011
In the wake of a 12-year battle to keep Monsanto's Genetically Engineered (GE) crops from contaminating the nation's 25,000 organic farms and ranches, America's organic consumers and producers are facing betrayal. A self-appointed cabal of the Organic Elite, spearheaded by Whole Foods Market, Organic Valley, and Stonyfield Farm, has decided it's time to surrender to Monsanto. Top executives from these companies have publicly admitted that they no longer oppose the mass commercialization of GE crops, such as Monsanto's controversial Roundup Ready alfalfa, and are prepared to sit down and cut a deal for "coexistence" with Monsanto and USDA biotech cheerleader Tom Vilsack.
In the wake of a 12-year battle to keep Monsanto's Genetically Engineered (GE) crops from contaminating the nation's 25,000 organic farms and ranches, America's organic consumers and producers are facing betrayal. A self-appointed cabal of the Organic Elite, spearheaded by Whole Foods Market, Organic Valley, and Stonyfield Farm, has decided it's time to surrender to Monsanto. Top executives from these companies have publicly admitted that they no longer oppose the mass commercialization of GE crops, such as Monsanto's controversial Roundup Ready alfalfa, and are prepared to sit down and cut a deal for "coexistence" with Monsanto and USDA biotech cheerleader Tom Vilsack.
Profiles of the Targeted: FBI Raided My Home, Wanted to Know About "My Indoctrination"
On January 25th, twelve anti-war and international solidarity activists will be expected to appear before a grand jury in Chicago. They and eleven others from Chicago and the Twin Cities area in Minnesota in the past months were subpoenaed. Several of the activists had their homes raided. Documents, cell phones, storage disks, computers, and children's artwork were seized from their home. The subpoenas indicated the FBI was looking for evidence that the activists had provided "material support for terrorism." And, recently, it was discovered that the FBI had an informant, who went by the name of "Karen Sullivan," infiltrated an anti-war group in the Twin Cities.
I have personally interviewed many of the activists being targeted and have found no evidence that either should be facing any FBI investigation. A "witch-hunt" began on September 24th and, since then, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has been working to get activists to testify before a grand jury in Chicago. So far, all the activists have refused to participate in this "fishing expedition."
I have personally interviewed many of the activists being targeted and have found no evidence that either should be facing any FBI investigation. A "witch-hunt" began on September 24th and, since then, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has been working to get activists to testify before a grand jury in Chicago. So far, all the activists have refused to participate in this "fishing expedition."