Alan Maki's Blog

Next Step in health care reform: accountability

Alan L. Maki — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:17:21 EST

No doubt this position taken by Tim Carpenter is going to be that of all those supporting Barack Obama…

Tim Carpenter states, in this letter to me, one of the biggest myths, fallacies and hoaxes ever perpetrated on the American people for so long… this very serious delusion that:

“We're building a movement here, and we don't just discard leaders within the movement because they were unable to force our issue through. We force out the opposition, the Rahm Emanuels, Joe Liebermans and Max Baucuses of the world, and replace them with progressive candidates. Once we have a Democratic progressive majority, then we can discuss firing the leaders who fail to represent our values, at the ballot box.”

Question: Is Barack Obama a “leader within the movement?” Leaders have names; let’s have the names of these “leaders” in Congress.

“Once we have a Democratic progressive majority, then we can discuss firing the leaders who fail to represent our values, at the ballot box.”

This is not just about “values.” For crying out loud; we are talking about solving very urgent problems people are experiencing from not having access to health care to people dying in wars and people being forced to live in poverty and all that entails. We are talking about institutionalized racism and the failure of the Obama Administration to enforce affirmative action in hiring.

Progressive politics at its very core is about the politics and economics of livelihood… working class politics. About solving the problems working people are experiencing in the day-to-day struggles for survival. Our “values” are doing things that solve these problems not protecting those who are making problems worse or do nothing. This question of progressive “values” is a question of the most fundamental and basic questions of ethics and morality in politics which requires accountability.

Do I detect that Tim Carpenter is responding to my suggestion that we withhold our votes to coerce “accountability” from these Democrats?

In fact, it is not possible to ever build a Democratic majority that is “progressive” in the United States House or Senate--- a progressive Democrat here and there, yes; but, no progressive Democratic majority like Tim Carpenter and PDA keep telling us about. This has never, ever been accomplished any place in the United States at a state level, let alone a national level; and, it has never even been accomplished at any local level unless one is willing to twist, distort and pervert the meaning of the word “progressive;” as apparently Tim Carpenter and others are willing to do.

There is a reason why workers in other countries have always had to go outside of the corporate controlled parties in order to bring forward a “progressive” agenda to win real progressive reforms.

Make no mistake, the term “progressive” in politics, today, implies:

Peace; peace is not “successful” occupation of another country.

A public health care system.

Pro-labor; a real living minimum wage.

Pro-environment.

Anti-racist, pro-affirmative action.

Anti-capitalist.

Anti-imperialist.

Even many labor parties dominated by right-social democrats are not “progressive” while most are a mixed bag containing a great deal of liberal and some progressive to left thinking in their programs and legislation when they successfully come to power... none have ever achieved political AND economic power.

Even under the very best circumstances, as in the 1930’s with huge mass movements demanding progressive reforms (and for sure during the struggles against the Vietnam War) there never has been a “progressive” majority of Democrats in power in any state; not at the national level, either.

In fact, not even Democratic liberals, never mind Democratic progressives, have ever dominated the United States House; for sure not the U.S. Senate.

In Minnesota, where socialists--- and make no mistake, socialists are progressives--- achieved political power through the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party, progressive Democrats had to join with the Farmer-Labor Party because progressives in the Minnesota Democratic Party were a very tiny miniscule minority among what was otherwise a thoroughly corrupt, anti-people political party--- which the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party has become today with its politicians completely ignoring the mandate of the people on just about every single issue. 72% of the State Convention delegates voted for a resolution for single-payer universal health care. With the exception of one member of Congress; all the rest rejected single-payer before the last delegate cleared the Convention floor.

In fact, one could make the case that Barack Obama has the best Congress in American history to work with right now; for sure as “good” as it will ever get with Democrats and Republicans in the majority.

In fact, if there wasn’t one single Republican left sitting in the U.S. House or Senate things would be no better for the working class; because the Democratic Party is controlled politicians bribed by big-business to look out for their interests--- want to try working with big-business? Good-luck.

Many labor-based political parties such as the New Democratic Party in Canada from time to time take wrong positions on issues; but, not because these politicians have been bribed by big-business to do so--- the wrong positions are a result of disagreements, primarily in the house of labor or views held by middle-class intellectuals who don’t think working people have the ability to think, reason and act upon problems and they need someone to do their thinking for them. These problems usually work their way out to the satisfaction of all concerned.

In fact, when I asked Minnesota’s U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone if he was a “liberal” or a “progressive;” he told me that he was “a liberal with some progressive ideas.”

And there hasn’t been as good of a liberal as Paul Wellstone in either the House or Senate for many years… one would have to look back at George McGovern, Claude Pepper, Vito Marcantonio, John Bernard and Elmer Benson… the problem is, Vito Marcantonio, John Bernard and Elmer Benson were not Democrats!

And George McGovern got his start in politics in the Progressive Party of Henry Wallace. And Claude “Red” Pepper; he got his start in politics right out of Earl Browder’s “People’s Front.”

In the Obama Administration there isn’t one single progressive--- not if we hold them up to Frances Perkins who was Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Secretary of Labor. The Obama Administration has a liberal or two, maybe three at the most--- but no progressives.

We need to note that Tim Carpenter does not EVER talk about electing “progressives” who are not Democrats; yet, where are those “progressive” Democrats? They don’t exist with only a few very notable exceptions. And Tim Carpenter would never consider supporting a non-Democrat “progressive” running against a Democrat.

Let’s be clear.

“Progressives” do not take bribes. Tim Carpenter considers John Conyers a “progressive.” He used to be a “progressive;” not any more since taking corporate bribes for votes and to make policy and to do favors. No progressive would have had Cindy Sheehan arrested for what she was doing: went to talk to Conyers about impeaching Bush and Cheney and she went and tried to talk to Conyers the way any good progressive community activist would do, she “brought along a crowd.” Cindy Sheehan got arrested; but, so far, neither the bribed nor those doing the bribery have been dragged off in hand-cuffs.

And, what kind of progressives allow a politician who has been bribed by corporations to lead their struggles for health care reform with the millions of dollars a day insurance company lobbyists are passing out to these politicians like suckers to children at a bank.

Why doesn’t Tim Carpenter provide us with a list of all of those he considers “progressives” in the House and Senate he is referring to? I have repeatedly asked him for a list; he ignores this request and goes on talking about “progressive Democrats.” Carpenter says that we need to “elect more progressive Democrats like our progressive friends in Congress.” If one has “progressive” friends in Congress, one should be able to name those friends. Friends usually have names.

In fact, most of the time when you find progressives running in nominating conventions and primary elections challenging these Democrats who are opposed to health care reform they are for war, too; these progressive challengers will tell you that they don’t even consider themselves Democrats!

Tim Carpenter and the Progressive Democrats of America along with most of the labor leaders at the national and state levels who are gung-ho backers of the Democrats have some pretty screwed up priorities if you ask me because they are more concerned about Democrats winning elections than what those Democrats do once they win.

When was the last time any of these labor leaders ever talked about flexing labor’s muscle to assure “accountability?” In other words, “we want something for our votes.”

Accountability is something so fundamental and basic to democracy we often forget to talk about it. Of course, there are a whole lot of very powerful people making big profits who are very comfortable that “accountability” hasn’t become part of the political and democratic process and the mainstream media owned by huge corporations isn’t going to broach the issue of accountability.

The fact that Tim Carpenter and this entire bunch who refer to themselves in one way or another as “progressives for Obama” prove they are opposed to accountability in politics by refusing to criticize and demand anything from Obama out of fear Obama will kick them aside--- Obama only needs them so long as they “go along to get along” with Wall Street and this entire corrupt and rotten system Wall Street has spun into this web where most of humanity is its prey; anything for a buck.

Tim Carpenter has people like me in mind when he says:

“While anger motivates many people to action, it is too easy to over-react when angry—we need to cool down and assess the situation. This is just the first act in a three-act play…”

In other words, if you read what Tim Carpenter is saying, he won’t engage in demanding accountability from even those elected public officials he less than dubiously claims are “progressive” by telling them:

No Peace; no votes.

No single-payer universal health care (Canadian style); no votes.

No jobs at living wages; no votes.

In a P.S. at the end of his letter, Tim Carpenter writes:

P.S. Read John Nichols latest article, Six Smart Progressive Complaints About House Health Bill.

There is a problem in reading what has been written here by John Nichols because it implies real progressives are willing to support Obama’s health insurance reform package “if it isn’t too bad.”

None of those quoted suggest “accountability:”

“No single-payer; no votes.” This is “accountability.”

All, including Kucinich, are prepared to “go along to get along” because to do otherwise implies that the solution requires working people to free themselves from this “two-party trap.”

Since when did progressives ever say they were for health insurance reform?

As I recall, progressives have always been for health care reform; perhaps Tim Carpenter will correct me if I am wrong.

And, the only health care reform anyone has ever proposed in great detail is single-payer universal health care, which they go on to describe, when asked, as being “like they have in Canada.”

There we have it, the Canada Health Act. Legislators need only get a copy of the Canada Health Act… delete the word “Canada” and replace it with “United States;” very simple… any dumb donkey should be able to figure it out.

Tim Carpenter wants us all to take a big, deep cleansing breath; or, as he puts it, “inhale and exhale.” In other words, don’t let your anger at this Democratic Party sellout on health care lead you to look for solutions beyond and outside of the Democratic Party…

… Carpenter thus spits upon democracy by refusing to demand “accountability.”

Now is the time to serve notice on Obama and these other Dumb Donkeys:

No peace; no votes.

No Canadian style health care reform; no votes.

Single-payer universal health care, yes; but, with a vastly expanded public health care system which includes:

No-fees/no-premiums

Comprehensive

All inclusive

Universal

Publicly administered

Publicly Funded

Publicly delivered

Tim, now take a big, deep breath--- inhale and exhale; this is what the American people want in the way of health care reform--- nothing less; the wealthiest country in the world should be able to provide the workers who created the wealth with a whole lot more.

Any country that can squander trillions of dollars on military spending and wars, finance a global network of more than 800 U.S. military bases dotting the globe protecting Wall Street’s interests and fund the Israeli killing machine sure as hell can afford to provide its own people with health care--- a basic and fundamental human right.

Tim, here is something for you and all the so-called “progressives” for Obama to think about. Take another big, deep breath and read what most Americans are thinking right now:

From the Boston Globe...

“It’s beyond belief to me,’’ said Robert Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. While Obama and Congress inherited “a big mess’’ from Bush, Haynes said, “there aren’t any excuses anymore. If you can’t deliver health care, and you can’t deliver jobs, and if you can’t deliver [card check legislation] , and you can’t figure out how to take care of the working people of this great city and country, you don’t deserve to stay in office.’’

Tim; are you still with us? Are you still breathing?

Next step… A-C-C-O-U-N-T-A-B-I-L-T-Y

The time is long over-due for grassroots and rank-and-file action to teach these dirty birds a lesson.

If Obama and the Democrats don’t know the meaning of this word, give them a dictionary; not your vote.

Yours in the struggle,

Alan L. Maki

P.S.- Tim Carpenter and all you “progressives” for Obama.

So far Barack Obama has brought us nine-trillion dollars of long-term debt bailing out Wall Street banks and manufacturers, expanded the wars and now pushes very expensive mandated health insurance premiums down our throats… got any idea what his “green economy/green jobs” legislation will bring?

Oh, and the home foreclosures and evictions continue.

“Expressions of frustration?” Come on Tim, enough with the excuses… this anger results because people did not get the “change” they voted for.

P.P.S.- As far as those who keep telling me that demanding “accountability” is some kind of a far out, radical demand I suggest they check out some American history… perhaps by reading Howard Fast’s, “Citizen Tom Paine.”

P.P.P.S- Either you can elect a majority of progressive Democrats to the U.S. House and Senate or you can’t. Why hasn’t it ever been accomplished?

This is a digital leaflet distributed in the American tradition of Tom Paine’s “broadsides” posted in opposition to British tyranny.

Feel free to read it, print it, discuss it, delete it, post it or pass it on.

I would be interested in hearing what you think.

Remember Medicare for All in the healthcare reform debate

Alan L. Maki — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:03:07 EST

"End these dirty wars. Use the money to finance real health care reforms along the lines people have been demanding and anticipated they would be getting in return for their votes... instead of maintaining 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil dotting the globe, create 800 public health care centers across the United States serving as the bases of support for the required 30,000 local community health care centers. This would create millions of jobs at good pay with good benefits with the health care workers employed in these centers becoming government employees."

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

speaking in Escanaba, Michigan

From the Boston Globe...

“It’s beyond belief to me,’’ said Robert Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. While Obama and Congress inherited “a big mess’’ from Bush, Haynes said, “there aren’t any excuses anymore. If you can’t deliver health care, and you can’t deliver jobs, and if you can’t deliver [card check legislation] , and you can’t figure out how to take care of the working people of this great city and country, you don’t deserve to stay in office.’’

http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/66053-remember-medicare-for-all-in-the-healthcare-reform-debate Remember Medicare for All in the healthcare reform debate By Kay Tillow, Coordinator, All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care--HR 676, Nurses Professional Organization - 11/03/09 10:06 AM ET

We are in danger of losing the opportunity to bring Improved Medicare for All, a single payer plan, before the Congress. Last July Congressman Anthony Weiner and six of his colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee attempted to substitute the real public option—HR 676, a single payer plan—for the healthcare reform in the House. Speaker Nancy Pelosi assured them that if they withdrew the amendment in committee they would have an opportunity to bring it to the House floor for a debate and vote. Now Pelosi is threatening to keep the Weiner Single Payer Amendment from seeing the light of day.

If we were able to get this plan really on the table and before the nation in a meaningful way, we could win this hands down. Even Blue Dog Mike Ross, in an unguarded moment, asked why not just have Medicare for All. HR 676, the national single payer legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers, would cover everyone for all medically necessary care through an Expanded and Improved Medicare for All. The bill and its advocates have been blocked, excluded, and beaten back in the current national healthcare reform debate.

Yet Medicare for All continues to raise its head. When single payer advocates were excluded from the White House kick off meeting for health care reform, doctors’ opened the door to two single payer advocates with a plan to protest at the White House gate. When Senate Finance Chair Baucus ruled single payer off the table, thirteen doctors, nurses, and others rose to protest. Baucus had them arrested. Those gutsy advocates pried open another door and won a round of publicity for single payer. But still not a place at the table.

Yet support for single payer continues to grow. Its simplicity, humanity, and economic efficiency win more supporters each day. The Kentucky House of Representatives, four other state legislative bodies, scores of cities and counties, a half dozen giant religious denominations, NOW, the NAACP, and the National Conference of Mayors have called for passage of HR 676. For unions, it’s the plan of choice. At each contract deadline the double digit rise in health care costs gobbles up the lion’s share of bargaining power. For that reason, 578 unions including 39 state AFL-CIO’s and 134 central labor councils have endorsed HR 676. In September the national AFL-CIO Convention declared unanimous support for single payer as the social insurance plan necessary to achieve social justice.

When Physicians for a National Health Program founder Quentin Young, testified before a House committee last June, Representative Weiner listened and was impressed. Weiner turned HR 676 into an amendment that would transform the House bill into a single payer plan. He popularized it as Medicare for All and catapulted the discussion into the national media with his feisty good humor and popular style.

Now Pelosi wants to renege on her promise to Weiner. We have sent an action alert to over 19,000 unionists asking them to contact Pelosi, and Waxman (who relayed Pelosi’s commitment publicly) and Slaughter (who heads the rules committee) to assure that they allow the Weiner amendment to come to the floor.

The “public option” that remains in both the Senate and the House bills is pitiful and powerless--totally incapable of providing cost control. Those bills, with their forced mandates and fines, their massive transfer of public funds to the insurance industry, and their ban on bulk buying power to rein in the pharmaceutical companies, will fail woefully to cover our people and to make that care affordable.

Pelosi should stick to her promise. We’ll keep up the effort to make her do so. Either now or later Medicare for All will have to come to the table. We’ll keep building the movement to make that happen.

Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/66053-remember-medicare-for-all-in-the-healthcare-reform-debate

Latinos For Peace tell Obama to get out of Afghanistan... and I agree! Get out now!

Alan L. Maki — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:58:02 EDT

Latinos For Peace

Latinos For Peace today calls for no escalation of the war in Afghanistan and for expedited withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan as well as an end to the coup government in Honduras.

Latinos For Peace was started in 2005 by Latino Peace Activists to mobilize Latinos to call for an end to the war and occupation of Iraq, oppose the Bush preemptive war policies, and call for reducing funds for militarism for human needs at home and abroad.

It is dedicated to raising consciousness in our communities about peace issues and taking demonstrative, legislative and electoral action in our communities and in coalition with peace, civil right, labor, environmental and other peoples groups to these ends

You Can Join on Facebook

Steven Acevedo

Rene Aguilera, Sacramento CA

Shirley Aldana-Schwartc, USC

Swirling Alhambra

Steve Alfaro, Washington DC

Wilson E Allen

Paloma Andrade, Chicago IL

Raul A Anorve, Los Angeles CA

Cindy Aragon

Tony Arrambide Jr

Rudy Arredondo, Washington DC

Arte Publico Press, U. Houston

Rick Banales, Los Angeles, CA

Gloria Arellanes, Los Angeles CA

Tom Arellanes, Albuquerque NM

Luis Ayala, Los Angeles CA

Paulette Razo Avila, CSU Northridge

David Baldinger, Pittsburgh PA

Alehandra Balestra, Argentina

Hector Barajas, Los Angeles CA

Norma Barragan, Los Angeles CA

Tamara Barragan

Paul C Barry

Cathy Valdiviez Baumbusch, Washington DC

William Bejarano, Los Angeles CA

Nora Benard

Thomas Benitez, Shakespeare Festival/LA

Brent Bennett

Ricardo U. Berg

Dave Biondi, Houston TX

Alberto Bocanegra Jr., Chicago IL

Ellvy Bot’Ho

Lydia G Sanchez Bracamonte

Anne Denise Brace

Romo Bravo-Lopez, Chicago, IL

Peter Briant

Mario Brito

Cathy Browning

Alyssa Burgin, San Antonio TX

Paul Burke, Sacramento CA

Catherine Medina Bustamante, Fresno CA

Jose P. Bustamante, San Antonio TX

Sherrie Canedo, Redding CA

Jesse Hussein Cao, Lansing/East Lansing MI

Felicia Equality Carbajal, Los Angeles CA

Hector Carbaal, El Paso TX

Barbara Carrasco, Los Angeles, CA

Sergio Carrillo, Los Angeles CA

Joselin Castro-Lopez, Dr. Hery A. Wise, Jr HS

Casa De Maryland, Washington DC

Casa Esperanza, Central New Jersey

Reynaldo Vichareli Casas, MTV Networks

Gaby Castillo, Los Angeles CA

Lori Ann Castillo, San Antonio TX

Richard Castro Jr, Los Angeles,

Cristobal Cavazos, Chicago IL

Sara Cazares, Stockton/Modesto CA

Fredy Ceja, Los Angeles CA

Victoria Cepeda Mojarro, Los Angeles

Sanra Vela Chapa, Houston TX

Leroy Chatfield

Pubali R. Chaudhuri, San Francisco CA

Michael A. Chavez

Gary Chomiak, Los Angeles CA

Lisa Chong, Loyola Marymount

Adelaido Clara-Diaz, Minneapolis/ St Paul MN Nathalie Contreras, UCLA

Pat Clark, New York NY

Karen Clendenin-Vargas

Peter Clothier, Los Angeles CA

Marsha J Cohen, Detroit MI

Stafanie Collins, Fayetteville AR

Katherine Coons

Jeeni Criscenzo, San Diego

Stephanie Olivares Cross, San Antonio TX

Juan L. Cruz, Los Angeles CA

Michael Cruz

Jose B. Cuellar

Ricardo Cueva Jr

Cultura y Mas, Los Angeles CA

Antonia Darder

Justin Davila

Mary Davila, San Antonio TX

Alfreo de Batuc, Los Angeles CA

Juan Carlos De Luna, Los Angeles CA

Abelardo DLP, Los Angeles CA

Victoria Delgadillo

Rakel Delgado

Leandro Della Piana, Proidence RI Miguel Mambo Deleon, Kansas City MO

Jim DeMaegt, Los Angeles CA

Ralph De Unamuno, East Bay CA

Belinda Diaz, Minneapolis/ StPaul MN

Cindy Diaz

Eva A. Dominguez, Los Angeles CA

Sean Dugar, East Bay CA

Marco Durazo

Alaqsamassacre Eighttenninety

Cecilia Elizarraz, Las Vegas NV

Angie English

Melinda Escobar

Pete Escobar, San Antonio TX

Butch Espere

Luis Espinosa-Organista, Denver CO

Roberto Espinoza, Los Angeles CA

Dionne Espinoza

S Debra Evans, Los Angeles CA

Elisa Facio, CU Boulder

Tom Fair

Angie A Falcon, Houston TX

Sonya Fe

Raymundo Ferdin, East Bay CA

Joelle Fishman

Consuelo Flores

Foklor Pasion Mexicano

Luis Ortiz-Franco

Douglas Freedman, Chicago IL

Luch Freund, Orange County CA

Adriana Garcia

Isaura Garcia

Liz Rivera Goldstein, Seattle WA

Mary B. Garcia

Jamie Milligan Gates, Lake Charles LA

Bernardo Gomez

Nancy M. Gomez, Los Angeles CA

Maria Gomez-Murphy Harvard

Charlotte Gonzales, Allstate

Jose Gonzales, Los Angeles CA

Nita Gonzales

Hector Eduardo Gonzalez, Miami FL

Salvador Gonzalez, Los Angeles CA

Sandrini Gonzalez, Los Angeles CA

Mark Gonzalez, Los Angeles CA

Pete Gonzalez

Paul Gonzo

Alexandro Jose Gradilla, Los Angeles CA

Chantal Guerra, Inland Empire CA

Lulu Guevara, Los Angeles CA

Vilma Guillen

Daniel Gutierrez, Los Angeles CA

Elena Gutierrez, Chicago IL

Emelda Gutierrez

Gail Gutierrez, East Bay CA

Nancy Hanna

Robert G Hanna, Ventura County CA

Zelda Haro, Eugene OR

Bruce Haskin

Carlos Armando Hernandez, UCLA

Eugene Hernandez

Laura Hernandez, Los Angeles A

Marlissa Hernandez, Sacramento CA

Roberto D. Hernandez, Berkeley

Irene Hernandez-Blair, Inland Empire CA

Therese U. Hernandez-Cano

John Herrera

Nicolas Hewko, Oregon State

Kanny Hoelscher, Silicon Valley CA

Madelyn Hoffman, North Jersey NJ

Clyde Hubbard

Arlene Inouye, Los Angeles CA

Jesse Jack, Montana Tech

Janine Ting Jansen, New York NY

Mellissa Jeffries Minneapolis/ St Paul MN

Paul Krehbiel

Ainca La, Los Angeles CA

Las Locas

Latin-American Perspectives, Inland Empire CA

Latina Lista

LatinoJustice Prldef, New York NY

Judity LeBlanc, New York NY

Josh Leclair, Orlando FL

Sonia Joey Lee, Los Angeles CA

Carlos j. Leon, Los Angeles, CA

Julie Levine, Los Angeles CA

Alejandro Londono, New York, NY

Denise Lopez, Los Angeles CA

Hector Lopez, Fresno CA

Luis Lopez, Los Angeles CA

Miguel Vigil Lopez

Peter S. Lopez, Sacramento CA

Ron Lopez, Sonoma

Miguel Lorenzana, Los Angeles CA

Pepe Lozano, Chicago IL

Daniel Ryne Lucio, TAMI Corp. “Chr.

Hector M Lugardo, Philadelphia PA

Xochitl Lugo

Sandoval Luis

Harold Luizaga

Heriberto F Luna, Los Angeles CA

Cord MacGuire

Alfred Magallanes, Cal Poly Pomona

Christopher Mandarano, Inland Empire CA

Darwin E. Marenco-Romero, Los Angeles CA

Carlos Marentes

Maria Marentes, Las Vegas N

Jesse Marez, Los Angeles, CA

Daniel H. Marquez Washington DC

Evelyn Marquez, Los Angeles CA

Rosamaria Marquez, Los Angeles CA

Pilar Marrero, Los Angeles CA

Scott Marshall, Chicago IL

Alma Martinez, Claremont Colleges

Olivia Reyes Martinez, Stockton/Modesto CA

Roberta H Martinez

Rufus Martinez

Ana Mascarenas, Los Angeles CA

Riley McDermid

Balmore Adalberto Membeno, Los Angeles CA

Meme Menchaca, Houston TX

Maritza Mendizabal, Los Angeles CA

Stephanie Meza, Los Angeles CA

Olivia S Miller, Las Vegas NV

Sherrie Miranda

Ursula Mlynarek, Alerno

Theresa Montano, CSU Northridge

Alva Moreno, Los Angeles CA

Dorinda Moreno

Rosemary Muniz, CSU Northridge

Rosalio Urias Munoz, Los Angeles

Sergio Navarrete, Los Angeles CA

Andres C. Nieves, San Antonio TX

Georgie Noguera

Griselda Nunez

Roberto Xicano Olivarez, Los Angeles

Cesar Ortega, Los Angeles C

Edmond Ortiz, San Antonio TX

Esteban Ortiz, Columbus OH

Joe Ortiz, Inland Empire, CA

Jesous Orosco, Silicon Valley CA

Silvia Ortuno

Maria Pantoja, Mexico

Michael Parenti

Braqd Parker

Pedro Per, Sonoma/Napa CA

Enriue Peralta, Los Angeles CA

Francis Peralta, New York, NY

David Perez, Phoenix AZ

Fernando Garcia Perez

Steve Perez

Lisa Casey Perry (Dallas/Fort Worth TX

Glen Peterson, Los Angeles CA

Adriana Petterz, CSU Long Beach

Susan Kenyon Pitts, Orange County CA

Pocho-one Fotography, San Francisco,CA

Gilson Puerta, Toronto ON

Armando Ramirez, San Diego CA

Fernando Ramirez

Marco Ramirez

Paula Prendiz Rangel, Phoenix AZ

Ruben Rangel, New York

Bruce Raulston, Dallas/Fort Worth TX

Bruce Rawji, Toronto ON

Robert Renteria, Chicago IL

Laura Ibis Arredondo Reyes, Cuba

Louis R. Reyes, USC

Alex Reza

Alicia Diane Rhoden, Los Angeles CA

Bill Ritchey, Iran

Ana Rosa Rizo

Slvia Robledo

Fernando Balderas Rodriguez

Javier Rodriguez, Los Angeles CA

Lucy Rodriguez

Vanessa Rodriguez

Denise Rodriguez-Joslin

Masry Rodriguez-Lopez, UCLA

Kelle Rose, Los Angeles CA

Bob Rossi Salem OR

Miguel Roura, Los Angeles CA

Juan Carlos Ruiz, New York NY

Abel Salas

Karla Salazar, Los Angeles CA

Karla V. Salazar UCLA

Gilber Sanchez

Minerva Santiago, New York NY

Jennie Santos

Berenice Sarmiento, San Diego CA

Eurydice Saucedo, El Paso TX

Robert Scott, Tampa Bay FL

Marta Segura, Los Angeles CA

Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou, New York NY

TommyRay Sena

Sherry Sereboff, Longview/Tyler TX

Cienfuegos Siempre, Tallahassee FL

Tena Shannon doah,

Kevin Sifuentes, Los Angeles CA

Sin Fronteras

Lee Siu Hin, Los Angeles Ca

Daniel Skidmore-Hess, Armstrong

Lisa Smithline, Los Angeles CA

Luis Sosa

Dalila Sotelo, Los Angeles CA

Soy Bolivia Punto Net, Bolivia

Rhonda Solis, Northern Colorado CO

Chanan Suarez, Seattle WA

Sandina Tanguma

Beatriz Tapia, East Los Angeles College

Andy Taylor, Winnipeg MB

Jessica Montoya Taylor, Monterey Bay CA

Adam Tenney, New York NY

Alex Trillo, Los Angeles CA

Jarvis Tyner, New York NY

Nelson Urrutia

Arthur Valdez, San Antonio TX

Jimmy Valenzuela, Los Angeles CA

Jose Luis Valenzuela, UCLA

Nayeli Valenzuela

Linda Vallejo, Los Angeles, CA

Chiclete Vavoom, Los Angeles CA

Charlie Vazquez, New York, NY

Gerry Vazquez, New York, NY

Kristiana Velasco, Los Angeles, CA

Ro Velasco

Luis C Velasquez, New York, NY

Laura Velkei

Guadalupe Viales, Fresno CA

Sophia Vicharelly, Austin TX

Victor Hugo Viesca, CSULA

Victor Villasenor

Dean E Vogel, Sacramento CA

Devra Weber, Los Angeles CA

Steven Paul Weingarten, Los Angeles CA

Dave Williams

Owen Williamson, Texas Elpaso

Brian Ybarra, Austin TX

Maylin Ruiz Yip, Cuba

Jaime Germs Zacarias

Time to talk about socialized health care

Alan L. Maki — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:41:07 EDT

This is an excellent article (see below). I would encourage its widest possible distribution while noting several points that are not included based upon what I think is the most important point mentioned in this article other than what is demonstrated, the continued widespread support for single-payer universal health care which Obama and the Democrats have so effectively killed while manipulating public opinion to believe they would like to go with single-payer but they can't--- using a variety of lame excuses... the issue I think needs to receive greatest attention from this article is this statement:

“I’ve never had an insurance company even talk to me on the quality of services I delivered,” he said. “But I have been nudged by Medicare.” Government responsiveness to demands for quality, he added, had turned around the VA hospital in Butler from what was once “basically a detox center for alcoholics 30 years ago” to what is now a medical center with some of the highest quality care in the country. “And remember,” he concluded, “with the VA, you’ve got socialized medicine that reaches beyond single payer. It refutes the claim that government can’t do anything positive.”

The statement above also provides a very important opportunity to expand the movement for real progressive health care reform, if, picked up with single-payer some kind of "people's lobby" were to be created advocating single-payer as a first step towards socialized health care which could bring the required and needed maximum participation in this struggle by the American people to force this corporate bribed U.S. Congress to for once act in the best interest of the American people instead of the corporate interests they have been bribed to serve.

In addition, at this point, single-payer may not even receive the fake hearing that Nancy Pelosi originally agreed to give it since the only U.S. Congressman, House member Weiner, now appears to be reneging on the commitment he made to bring single-payer forward in Committee.

And this, below, is a very important statement as it completely refutes the lies begun by Sarah Palin now being peddled by the racist and fascist Tea Baggers and their Birchite and Klan backers:

Bob Schmetzer from the IBEW spoke up next. “People need health care. But they don’t need insurance companies taking more than 20 percent in administrative costs while single-payer plans like Medicare take two or three percent. “Real death panels exist already; they’re called insurance companies denying coverage.”

Unfortunately, Schmetzer proclaimed the following, below, which we all know is not true and will not happen unless there is a massive organized rank-and-file awakening across this country demanding such action because to date such talk has been just that--- talk, with no action to back it up:

Then Schmetzer delivered the warning of the hour from labor. Referring to both the outgoing and expected incoming presidents of the AFL-CIO, he added that “both John Sweeny and Richard Trumka have been very clear. We’re going to examine every vote in Congress, and those that don’t come through for us shouldn’t expect any support when reelection time comes around.”

I would encourage each and every single worker paying union dues going to support the AFL-CIO to closely monitor this "warning" while taking action--- including open letters to Richard Trumka and petitions based upon this "warning"--- insisting that the leadership of the AFL-CIO makes good on this threat.

What are the issues not addressed in this article:

There is not a single mention by any of those quoted here, that these wars and militarization along with squandering trillions of tax-payers dollars building and maintaining over 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil is the single largest contributor to "deficit spending."

Perhaps Congressman Altmire had been challenged when he stated this; but, if he was, Davidson certainly was remiss in not reporting what exchange, if any, developed:

At this point, Altmire engaged the discussion. “When it comes to health care, first of all, I’m a ‘deficit hawk,’” he led off. “Any plan that increases our deficit, I will oppose. Any plan that doesn’t, I will give a fair hearing.” The “deficit hawk” label is one Altmire pinned on himself when he recently joined the ‘Blue Dog’ caucus of right-leaning House Democrats, a move that didn’t sit well with the local labor forces who helped his campaign.

Obviously, with Obama himself acknowledging that he has plunged our Nation on course towards a $9 trillion dollar federal deficit throughout his term of office should it be two terms, there is no government spending of any kind which would not rise to Congressman Altmire's definition of "increasing our deficit." Although, as previously stated, Congressman Altmire has no objections what-so-ever when it comes to squandering our tax-dollars on any and every military expenditure. .. all of which contribute to increasing the federal deficit.

It would have been very simple to have challenged Altmire at this point by insisting that he explain his complete and total disregard for using the same thinking regarding health care and militarism and war.

Let us be perfectly clear:

Single-payer universal health care is, for all intents and purposes, legislatively dead... dead because, with the help of the Progressive Democrats of America, Barack Obama killed single-payer at the time he made sure single-payer was not included in the National Democratic Party Platform.

The issue before single-payer advocates is not PROVING single-payer is a best alternative to anything that anyone in Congress or Obama has brought forward to date...

Like the 72% of the delegates to Minnesota's Farmer-Labor State Convention who endorsed a resolution for single-payer universal health care one can go to any nook and cranny in this country and find solid and unwavering support for single-payer universal health care.

Now, what we need is the kind of movement taking the kind of required action... some kind of very well organized massive "people's lobby" which brings forward into action all those supporting single-payer and the only way to get this kind of momentum is by expanding beyond the demand for single-payer to include a vastly expanded public health care sector, the cheapest and most efficient way to deliver health care: publicly funded, publicly administered and PUBLICLY DELIVERED... it is this public delivery we need to include to bring Americans out in full force to win progressive health care reform... and, let us be perfectly clear: public delivery of health care services has nothing in common with Barack Obama's and the Democrat's public option which will only benefit the middle class and the wealthy but will be of no use or value to the working class--- at least those workers making less than $60,000.00 a year... and I don't see many workers around making that kind of money in America today with so much of our basic industries having moved into high-profit areas over-seas.

The one and only real issue before us as liberals, progressives, the left and the entire working class is this:

How do we force Barack Obama and the United States Congress to pass HR 676 along with vastly expanding public health care? This is the only question remaining.

We know those Blue-Dogs like Altmire and most of the rest of the United States Congress including both the House (and more-so) the Senate are completely and totally opposed to single-payer. .. there is not going to be any "convincing" them that single-payer is anything other than the first step towards solving this health care mess... these health industry and wholly corporate bribed politicians are going to have to be forced to pass single-payer; my gosh, that won't even adequately fund VA, the Indian Health Service or even the National Public Health Service as mandated by the very laws they passed.

Given that Barack Obama's popularity in the polls is rapidly dropping; we have a "window of opportunity" of only about 14 months before we end up with a substantially more reactionary congress.

Actually, it wouldn't be a bad idea for the AFL-CIO and Richard Trumka to not only withdraw their funding from these crooked and corrupt politicians who are only swayed by corporate bribes... but use these funds to create a worker's party free from the corruption of the Democratic Party, and build this new party on the basis of reordering the priorities away from war and military spending and towards meeting the needs of the people--- beginning with real health care reform... and, this is the message that working people should be delivering to the politicians of this country whether-or-not labor officialdom is prepared to act... there is no reason grassroots and rank-and-file activists who have been working for single-payer universal health care and peace and social and economic justice can't put what they have learned in these struggles together and come up with a very credible political alternative to this two-party trap that is only heald together by corruption, racism and war--- all those dirty things that every decent American is opposed to.

I notice from this article by Carl Davidson that the health related issue of some two-million casino workers emloyed in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state and federal labor laws in the Indian Gaming Industry is still not being addressed even though if anyone in this country seriously wants to talk about cutting health care costs, making these casinos smoke-free would be the place to begin.

I am convinced that our Organizing Council has always had the most appropriate position when it comes to single-payer universal health care and that it should be viewed as a first step towards socialized health care... had the entire movement for single-payer taken this stand, we probably wouldn't be "in a pickle today"... perhaps the difference between winning and losing this struggle for real progressive health care reform since Barack Obama and most of those in congress have been working for the Wall Street crowd so lavishly bribing them.

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

58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763
Phone: 218-386-2432
Check out my blog:
http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Cc: Maggie Bird
President,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Western PA vs. Blue Dogs:

Progressive Democrats

Take ‘Medicare for All’

To Congressman Altmire

By Carl Davidson

Beaver County Blue

Progressive Democrats and labor unions in the 4th Congressional District west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania held a special meeting on health care reform Aug 20 with Congressman Jason Altmire at the Beaver County Community College Student Union in Center Township. The roundtable discussion with Altmire was pulled together by the 4th CD Progressive Democrats of America (PDA).

The discussion was civil but the issues were sharply posed. If Altmire votes against the Weiner Amendment for single-payer health care (HR 676) when it comes to the floor in Congress in a few weeks, it won’t be because he hasn’t heard strong and passionate arguments for “Medicare for All.”

Seated around a large conference table were nearly 20 representatives of important grassroots players in the district’s politics—the Beaver County Labor Council, United Steel Workers union, the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees, the Electrical Workers Union (IBEW Local 712), Western PA Progressive Network, Western PA Coalition for Single Payer Health Care, the PA Association of Staff Nurses, PDA, Beaver County Peace Links, and several others.

“We all know why we’re here,” stated Tina Shannon, 4th CD PDA Chairperson. “Our people are hurting. The economic crisis is taking away our jobs and health care, and the insurance companies are making matters worse. We want everyone here to speak their minds, so Congressman Altmire knows exactly what we want from him.”

Lou Hancherick from Democracy for America in Butler County started off by denouncing the current health insurance system as a “trap of the insurance companies.” “It’s really modeled on slavery, at least for many of us. You’re bound to your employer, even if it’s a lousy job and you have better prospects elsewhere. If you’re older or have what they call a ‘pre-existing’ condition, you often can’t get insured with a new employer. You can’t start a business, so it hurts job creation as well.”

Bob Schmetzer from the IBEW spoke up next. “People need health care. But they don’t need insurance companies taking more than 20 percent in administrative costs while single-payer plans like Medicare take two or three percent. “Real death panels exist already; they’re called insurance companies denying coverage.”

Then Schmetzer delivered the warning of the hour from labor. Referring to both the outgoing and expected incoming presidents of the AFL-CIO, he added that “both John Sweeny and Richard Trumka have been very clear. We’re going to examine every vote in Congress, and those that don’t come through for us shouldn’t expect any support when reelection time comes around.”

“I know you’ve stated your concern for health care costs,” said Tina Shannon to Altmire when her turn came. “So I’ve done some research about how single payer has been rated over the years.” She delivered a wealth of statistics and a timeline going back decades showing that proposed legislation on single payer scored better than private insurance every time for delivering wider coverage at less cost.

Why does single payer win on costs, Shannon asked? “Because single payer doesn’t have to deliver profits to insurance companies. From 2000 to 2006, the insurance companies’ profits doubled. Kaiser alone reported that it paid some $96 million just to its top four consultants. For what? Think of what could have been done with that!”

Shannon was followed by Dr. Joe Talarico, an anesthesiologist from Zelienople in Butler County, and chair of the Western PA Progressive Network. Talarico focused on the quality of health care, arguing that the insurance companies had little regard for it.

“I’ve never had an insurance company even talk to me on the quality of services I delivered,” he said. “But I have been nudged by Medicare.” Government responsiveness to demands for quality, he added, had turned around the VA hospital in Butler from what was once “basically a detox center for alcoholics 30 years ago” to what is now a medical center with some of the highest quality care in the country. “And remember,” he concluded, “with the VA, you’ve got socialized medicine that reaches beyond single payer. It refutes the claim that government can’t do anything positive.”

“It’s been downhill ever since Reagan,” followed Sandy Moore, a nurse from New Castle, PA and a member of the Lawrence County Progressive Democrats. “Under our existing privatized system, we’re faced with more sick people and fewer nurses. From the things I’ve seen with school children ill and with no insurance, doing away with school nurses is truly frightening.” Addressing Altmire directly, she concluded with, “What’s the problem with people having an option to the insurance companies?”

Cathy Gatian, a PDA steering committee member and lab technician residing in Center Township, reminded Altmire of a recent painful episode in local health care, the closing of the former Aliquippa Community Hospital.

“Like the No Child Left Behind Act, this legislation you’re proposing, the ‘Quality First Act,’ would reward state-of-the- art, well-endowed urban hospitals and penalize already distressed small rural and non-urban hospitals. Quality healthcare is needed in rural and non-urban areas too. In Aliquippa, we benefitted from access to a community hospital built by the steelworkers. In the current market-based medical system, this gem in our industrial community was swallowed up and spit out by UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center). Aliquippa Community Hospital is gone. It no longer exists. The building it once occupied is vacant.”

“By contrast,” Gatian added, “HR676 provides for regional allocation of operating budgets, capital expenditure budgets and reimbursements to clinicians. It also establishes the Office of Quality Control. Therefore with Medicare for All, small communities like Aliquippa, rather than being punished could enjoy the highest quality healthcare service.”

Next up was Janet Hill, from the USW staff and also a PDA member from Beaver, PA.

“We have a healthcare emergency,” Declared Hill. “Fifty million people have no health insurance, and lack of economic security has led to even more people having their care delayed or denied. Many companies are going bankrupt, and anyone employed at a bankrupt company loses their insurance.”

“Insurance companies are inefficient and wasteful,” Hill continued. “Twenty to 30 percent of health care dollars are going to administration and profit – not to health care. This is just a private tax by insurance companies on the majority of people who have health insurance. The American people wouldn’t accept that kind of overhead in charities so why should we in health care? Is there any benefit for the people being taxed? At least with gas taxes, I get to drive on the roads. No, it goes to people like Dale Wolf, the head of Coventry Health Care who made 20.86 million last year.”

Randy Shannon, PDA’s Treasurer, focused on the role of health care in the economy. “About 10 percent of all jobs, and 12 percent of all wages,” he explained, “are part of providing health care and maintaining its infrastructure. But the existing setup is irrational. If we had single payer over private insurance, the extra money going to healthcare instead of insurance would create 2.6 million new jobs and $317 billion in new business revenues. Direct healthcare spending of one dollar creates three dollars in the economy.”

Del Linville, a former Obama campaign volunteer, pointed out that most young adults do not have healthcare, but in other countries everyone is covered. “Where is our compassion? This is an uncaring system. Congress is not cutting costs by leaving the insurance companies in the system.”

Maryanne Weaver, a Democratic Committee member from New Castle pointed out that Altmire needs to take into account the needs of the people if he wants to get re-elected. She pointed out that his election was won by a coalition that included progressive and center Democrats that he cannot afford to lose. She also condemned the waste in insurance company advertising and profits and the $1.5 million per day lobbying expenses to prevent health reform.

Ed Grystar, the co-chair of the W. PA Coalition for Single Payer Healthcare, and an organizer for the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses & Associated Professionals pointed out that private corporations are taking over community hospitals and eliminating nursing staff and cutting pay and benefits to nurses. He added: "Real reform just can't happen under the domination of the insurance companies. They'll turn any public option into what we call 'junk insurance.' It's got so many holes in it and so pay co-pays that it's
worthless.”

"Their idea of reform,” Grystar continued, “is to force those without insurance to buy ‘junk’ insurance. More guaranteed customers for insurance companies, less real coverage, and more profits. It's a welfare program for them, while we get nothing worthwhile."

At this point, Altmire engaged the discussion. “When it comes to health care, first of all, I’m a ‘deficit hawk,’” he led off. “Any plan that increases our deficit, I will oppose. Any plan that doesn’t, I will give a fair hearing.” The “deficit hawk” label is one Altmire pinned on himself when he recently joined the ‘Blue Dog’ caucus of right-leaning House Democrats, a move that didn’t sit well with the local labor forces who helped his campaign.

“To your credit, you’ll get an up-or-down vote on single payer” Altmire continued, referring to the recent deal struck by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with the twenty percent of Congress backing HR 676 and the movement behind them. “You’ve won that. But that also means HR 676 will be ‘scored’ by CBO, the Congressional Budget Office, as to what it would cost. They are tough, but fairly objective. If HR 676 comes out as not increasing the deficit, then I will have to look long and hard at it. But until it’s scored, we’re in a holding pattern.”

“Many of you here think I’m in the pocket of the insurance companies because of their donations to my campaign,” Altmire continued, dealing with that topic. “But let me assure you, that’s not the first thing I think of when the words ‘insurance companies’ crosses my mind.” He went on to tell how he was denied coverage for reconstructive knee surgery from old sports-related injuries.

Altmire also insisted he wasn’t simply a nay-sayer on health care reform. “I don’t want us to end up with nothing, for all the reasons stated here tonight.” He shared a story of a confrontation at a Town Hall session where “a very angry woman got in my face, very upset. She didn’t want to pay for anything for people who had no insurance. ‘It’s their tough luck, she said, they should have made better choices in life.’ I decided to reply by telling her that she was already paying for the uninsured, in the most inefficient and most costly way, when they showed up at emergency rooms.”

“She suddenly softened,” Altmire added, “and told me she had learned that was true after examining a bill for a recent hospital procedure she had been through. ‘I checked every item, and every one was way overcharged. When I asked why, they told me they had to charge more from those who could pay, to make up for those who couldn’t pay.’ So in this way, I could find some common ground that things couldn’t stay as they are.”

Despite being interesting and insightful, Altmire’s comments were hardly disarming to those at this meeting.

Tina Shannon responded that the true cause of the high hospital and other medical bills is the for profit delivery of healthcare and the insurance company overhead. Charlie Hamilton responded that we have a really good single payer system already – Medicare.

“We understand deficits, borrowing from the future,” said Randy Shannon, replying to Altmire’s central argument. “We also know that they’re not always bad. It’s one thing to go out and run up the credit card buying cases of beer. It’s something else altogether to spend and invest the public’s money in providing medical care and building new health facilities. The latter has a multiplier effect, adding new value and new growth in the economy that brings back two or three times the amount initially laid out.” Shannon referred Altmire to a new study on the role of health care spending as a positive economic stimulus.

Marion Prasjner, a PDA steering committee member from Raccoon Township, and president of the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR), followed up. “It’s not just about money. All these 45 or 50 million people uninsured—this is all wrong. In the steelworkers, we learn that we help each other, and only by helping each other, do we all get ahead. There’s a moral question here. It’s terrible, all these ads they’re running on TV—Me, me, me, it’s all about ‘me.’ All then all these people getting rich from it. It’s not about cost; it’s about greed. And that makes it a class struggle. If that’s what they want, so be it. They’re not going to win that battle. But thank you for listening, Congressman.”

As the session was winding down, Geri DeSena, a PDA activist from Aliquippa, took the floor. “We want to remind you that the city councils of both Aliquippa and Ambridge have passed resolutions in favor of HR 676, and they urge you to vote for it.” She handed Altmire his own official copies of the text.

Although Congressman Altmire was warned by several people not to support a bill that mandates citizens to buy private insurance without a low cost public option, he did not commit to voting against such as bill. He also did not commit to supporting the Weiner amendment. When reminded that HR 676 was actually a net revenue saver, Altmire stated that previous versions of HR 676 had spending caps while the present version did not. This statement is untrue, as there has never been a limit to healthcare benefit coverage under HR 676. Altmire also stated that a health insurance co-op would have the same value as a public Medicare option, although this position has been thoroughly discredited because the coops will not have the size to compete with private insurance.

Although the meeting did not move Altmire, it did show him that there was a wide and deep alliance of progressive Democrats and union members who expect him to support serious healthcare reform by expanding Medicare. It also served to strengthen the unity of the coalition fighting for healthcare reform in the 4th Congressional District. And it enabled the groups to come together and argue their positions for single payer healthcare.

Through efforts like these, and more to come, the popular alliance for decent health care for all becomes more conscious, more united and stronger and keeps drawing more allies to its side. Meanwhile those on the other side are more constrained, less credible and wind up painting themselves into a corner. It’s time for Altmire to consider the class nature of the vast majority of his constituents. Their interests are not the same as the insurance companies and banks that would sabotage and deny public health care for all. Otherwise he might find that his ticket of admission to the Blue Dogs has a very steep and not-so-hidden delayed price to pay.

[Carl Davidson is a National Co-chair of Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism--- a small splinter group broken from the Communist Party USA as well as webmaster for ‘Progressives for Obama’

Is Real Socialism in Our Future?

Alan L. Maki — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:55:57 EDT

We have to get people thinking about the need not only to try influencing the existing politicians who are nothing but the paid servants of big-capital; but, we should start talking about taking power away from these Wall Street people and replacing them with real representatives of working people.

I think we will have socialism in this country simply because there are no other solutions to our problems... wars, racism, the health care mess, climate change, poverty; to name a few.

I like the postings coming out of the Netroots Nation conference of bloggers; however, from what I have read from the reports coming out of those who attended the Netroots Nation conference, it was dominated by liberals, progressives and those on the left who still have serious delusional problems concerning Barack Obama. In my opinion, we probably are not going to break free from this slobbering over Obama until socialism becomes a hotly debated topic in this country as an alternative to the capitalist economic mess that has been forced upon us without our input or participation in the decision-making process.

Towards this end of creating this dialog, discussion and debate on socialism vs capitalism I would encourage people to begin discussing the views of Frank Marshall Davis, the Marxist, who was Barack Obama's mentor. Let's get some discussion going about Frank Marshall Davis and his views from several of his books:

"Livin' the Blues"

"The Writings of Frank Marshall Davis"

"Black Moods, collected poems"

If Barack Obama could read these writings and have access to the Marxist thinking of Frank Marshall Davis, shouldn't we all have the same access to these Marxist ideas from which we might be able to figure out who Barack Obama really is and how he used these ideas opportunistically to advance his own political career while not sharing the ideas of Frank Marshall Davis with others out of fear too many people reading these ideas would become an impediment to his own self-serving goals and objectives?

Here is the problem:

Barack Obama brought himself into a powerful position but left the rest of us behind.

All books cited above are available through your public library or through Internet booksellers.

It is unfair to say that the United States will not have socialism until all Americans have been introduced to real socialist ideas; then the decision will be made in a democratic manner as to whether or not America will ever become socialist.

Introduce your friends, neighbors and fellow workers to Barack Obama's mentor who Obama lacked the moral or political courage to fully provide his full name, and chose--- dishonestly--- to cite simply as "Frank" in his own book.

Start a branch of the Frank Marshall Davis Roundtable for Change around your kitchen table, in your union hall, church basement or community center.

I even started a Frank Marshall Davis Roundtable for Change blog on Barack Obama's own web site here:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/alanmaki

If anyone knows any other way to solve this health care mess other than through expanding the present socialized health care systems of VA, the Indian Health Service and the National Public Health Service combined with single-payer universal health care I would like to hear their suggestions... but, most importantly, I would be very interested in an explanation from Barack Obama why he isn't advocating the obvious: Expand these excellent socialized health care systems as the first step in bringing 46 million Americans healthcare who are presently without access to needed health care... this really is a national emergency that only socialism can solve.

Perhaps the real reason Barack Obama and his Wall Street backers fear socialized health care as the real solution to this health care mess is that people will get the idea that through socialism we can solve our many other pressing problems... including once and for all putting an end to poverty.

We are not talking about believing in change... we need to begin serious discussion about organizing for real change... and this requires talking about the socialist alternative to capitalism.

I appreciate all the calls and e-mails I receive relating to my blog posts... feel free to contact me in whatever way you find most convenient.

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763
Phone: 218-386-2432

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Check out my blog:

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Challenging Morning Joe on health care

Alan L. Maki — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:29:48 EDT

People's Weekly World - COMMENTARY Challenging Morning Joe on health care COMMENTARY Challenging Morning Joe on health care

Author: Sam Webb
People's Weekly World Newspaper, 07/21/09 17:46

Sometimes don't you fantasize about jumping through the TV onto a talk show set? Well, I did exactly that this Monday morning while watching MSNBC's "Morning Joe" (Joe Scarborough, former Republican Congressman).

Let me explain: The early am talkfest was about the surging federal budget deficit and its meaning for the health care legislation in the House and Senate. The cast of characters, including a reporter from the NYT - Mat Bai, I think that was his name - and a couple others of the chattering class, were lamenting the growing bill that future generations will have to pay.

Their advice: scale back health care reforms, stick to incremental improvements, cut the deficit. Unanimity prevailed, leaving everyone feeling very self-satisfied. It was at this point that I made my leap from Corning, NY (I'm on my way to the Chautauqua conference where I'm going to present a paper: The Communist Party: A Work in Progress in a Changing World) through the TV screen, and, amazingly, landed on "Morning Joe" set, cup of coffee in hand.

Once there, I righteously reminded everyone, and of course, the television audience that 45 million Americans have no insurance and many more inadequate insurance. So let's not forget about them as we preach fiscal rectitude, I insisted. But I didn't stop there. The next thing out of my mouth to the 'Morning Joe" gang, all of whom, I'm sure, have good health care benefits and well-paying jobs, is that unemployment is over 9 per cent and most economists predict that it will soon reach double digits.

"Should we also make them invisible in the name of fiscal discipline?" I queried. Then raising my voice to these pundits of the status quo, I said, "No, what we need is a second stimulus bill?" They gasp! Such effrontery! And I went on to say, "It's an economic necessity. Any real recovery has to include infrastructural spending, green investment, and job creation in the millions. And if you're so worried about the deficit: tax the wealthiest and make big surgical cuts in the military budget. Furthermore," ... and at that point stage hands dragged me off stage by the collar, but not without a triumphant look on my face.

Back in Corning, I think to myself: what a way to start the bloody week and then recall what I had been about to say before those thugs interrupted my fantasy: a second stimulus bill and a heath care option with teeth are as much a political necessity as an economic one. The coalition that elected Barack Obama last year will go to the matt in next's year's election only if they see some tangible improvements in their lives.

Note: I am sure there are many people just waiting to read Sam Webb's speech:

The Communist Party: A Work in Progress in a Changing World

Racism in Minnesota Clouds All Politics

Alan L. Maki — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:21:39 EDT

The following letter is being circulated all over the internet and Minnesota is getting a black eye as a result.

Everyone is waiting to find out how the Democratic Party is going to answer this letter.

Alan L. Maki

--- On Wed, 7/8/09, greg paquin <hotpasstheketchup@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: greg paquin <hotpasstheketchup@yahoo.com>

Subject: Minnesota Senate District 4 (seat)

To: brian.melendez@usa.net

Cc: chair@dfl.org, dcassutt@dfl.org, srego@dfl.org

Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 7:15 PM

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Brian Melendez, Chair, Minnesota Democratic
Farmer-Labor Party

Dear Mr. Melendez,

I am writing to inform you that I will be running for the Minnesota State Senate for the District 4 seat.

I would like to run with the endorsement of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party in the Primary Election.

As you are aware, there isn’t one single Native(Anishinabe) American sitting in the Minnesota State Legislature; not in the Senate, not in the House.

This needs to change.

And the change needs to take place now.

Barack Obama promised change. I intend to fight on behalf of Indian(Anishinabe) people to see to it that we get the change that we assumed was coming. Real jobs at real living wages. Our children going to school, not tossed behind bars and forgotten. We lack adequate health care. Native(Anishinabe) American women suffer sexual abuse at rates far higher than the general population.

Our land and our resources, the wealth of our Nations, were stolen out from under us in the most brutal manner and nothing has been done to make things right.

Native (Anishinabe)Americans are the largest single minority population in the State of Minnesota and we have no representation in the State Legislature; anyone can see that this is unfair.

I intend to try to change this with or without the support of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party; I would like to do this with support from the DFL if at all possible, if not, I will use other means.

As a long-time union member of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA), I have always been a loyal supporter of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party.

Should I not hear from you in seven days, I will decide after consulting with my campaign committee and my many friends--- Native and non-Native--- whether to seek the DFL endorsement during the Primary process and Election or run as an independent candidate in the General Election.

Minnesota Native(Anishinabe) Americans, including myself, have repeatedly sought assistance from the local DFL elected public officials who we helped in every way to elect. WE now need their help on a variety of issues of importance to us from jobs to education, housing and health care and environmental concerns, we find ourselves shut out of the political and decision-making process by these same politicians who could not have been elected without the votes of Anishinabe people who are now ignoring our problems and concerns when it comes to doing things by way of finding solutions. Solutions which are often as simple as doing what is right to make sure Anishinabe people get jobs. Often we don’t even hear about jobs until the work is completed. How do others hear about jobs, even in our own communities, before we do? This is not right.

I organized the “We Shall Remain” conference in Bemidji.

Many Native Anishinabe and non-tribal people, from all walks of life showed up at this conference fully expecting to be able to explain and tell elected officials what our problems and concerns are. The only public official who showed up was the Beltrami County Sheriff who informed us that he didn’t know how many Native Americans worked on his staff but he knew the population in the Beltrami County Jail was more than 50% Native American. This was a figure not lost on those in attendance since the current unemployment on most Minnesota Reservations is 50% or more. There is something terribly wrong with this picture and the present DFL State Senator from District 4, Mary Olson, refuses to talk about resolving the injustices creating these problems.

I want to most vigorously point out to you that the MN DFL claims to have a policy that decries discrimination; yet, for all these years the MN DFL has done not one thing to assure Native (Anishinabe) Americans are elected to state and federal offices. There is something wrong with this picture here; you want our money and our votes but you don’t want us sitting as equals with all other Minnesotans in the State Legislature or the halls of Congress.

Certain measures have to be taken in order to ensure that Minnesota Indigenous,Anishinabe people get the seats they are entitled to in the Minnesota State Legislature; those measures have not even been considered, let alone taken.

We are entitled to at least two seats per tribe. I am quite sure most Minnesotans will find this very reasonable. Democracy requires this.

Anishinabe Native Americans are entitled to District 4, 4a, 4b, 2, 2a, 2b seats in the Minnesota State Legislature as a beginning to right this wrong of no representation.

I intend to do everything I can do to make sure that Senate seat 4 is held by an Native Tribal Member citizen, because this is what justice requires.

It is my hope that other Native(Anishinabe) Americans will join my efforts to secure the other five seats.

Most Anishinabe, Native Americans are working people, yet you treat us as if only the cash you get from the casino managements counts for anything. This, too, will change once I am elected to the Senate District 4 seat because the people of Minnesota will be hearing the truth about gaming revenues. If these revenues can be used to elect non-Tribal Natives to political office who then turn around and ignore our problems we can find a way to make sure these gaming revenues remain in our communities being used for meeting the needs of our own people now living in dire straights as the economy declines. I know many families who need food more than politicians need campaign contributions.

It is my hope you will also broach my concerns, distributing this letter, with the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party’s State Central Committee.

I await your response,

Gregory, W. Paquin

Hotpasstheketchup@yahoo.com

651-503-9493 cell

218-209-3157 home1511

Roosevelt Rd Se Bemidji, MN 56601

Racism kills when health care is denied as mobsters and corrupt politicians profit

Alan L. Maki — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:01:53 EDT

Racism kills when health care is denied as mobsters and corrupt politicians profit The Washington Post and other media published a story about the pathetic state of health care on Indian Reservations.

The story is entitled:

Promises, Promises Indian health care needs go unmet

I publish the complete story below or you can click on this link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/14/AR2009061400903.html?hpid=sec-health?hpid=sec-health

The Indian Health Service is in fact a model health care program based upon socialized health care; but, the Indian Health Service, like most public programs in this country is being sabotaged by those politicians who want to privatize everything from health care to education to maintaining our streets and sewers and hydro dams.

These politicians sabotage these public programs first by appointing people to administer these programs who are opposed to the very programs they are administering.

That the United States Congress allowed and enabled a crooked and corrupt racist bigot like Gale Norton out of the law firm to the mafia and lobbyists to politicians--- Brownstein/Hyatt/Farber/Schreck--- to become the Secretary of the Interior overseeing the Indian Health Service is in itself a racist crime of immense magnitude which tells us a great deal about why there are these serious short-comings in the Indian Health Service. No doubt Jack Abramoff carried enough money around in brown paper shopping bags that he distributed to politicians so that the Indian Health Services could have been funded three times over.

The Indian Health Service is one classic example; here in Minnesota the Department of Health and Human Services is an even better example with Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty appointing one of the most racist, bigoted and viciously anti-working class, anti-people, pro-corporate, pro-free enterprise Neanderthals--- Cal Ludeman--- to head up the Minnesota Department of Health and Human Services.

When politicians appoint those opposed to public programs to oversee these very programs they are opposed to, this is a recipe for disaster.

One has to ask, since the health care needs of Native Americans has been going unmet for so many years, why then, has it taken so long for the media to bring this matter to the attention of the public and politicians? The answer is very simple: The mainstream media is as viciously racist, biased and bigoted as the very politicians who make the decisions and those they appoint to administer social and public programs which are supposed to be about taking care of the needs of the people but are turned into nothing but big government boondoggles where all the friends of these politicians and administrators end up getting rich as people suffer because instead of, in the case of Indian Health Services, you have all these people scamming the system doing everything except providing the government mandated services.

Anyone can look at the budget of the Indian Health Service and see that the problem is a bunch of racist "entrepreneurs" with their dirty, corrupt fingers constantly in "the cookie jar" enabled by a bunch of uncaring administrators.

Barack Obama could pump billions upon billions--- even trillions--- of dollars into the Indian Health Service and it wouldn't improve the health care Native Americans receive because this excellent system of health care is being intentionally sabotaged by a bunch of greedy, profit gouging swindlers who are stealing the funds before these funds can provide the health services people require.

It is ironic that the same tribal governments who operate the casinos send their emissaries out to plead for more funding for the Indian Health Service when the casinos they operate--- and how they operate these casinos--- are responsible for a good share of the health care problems Native Americans are experiencing which is putting a drain on the Indian Health Service which is plagued with corruption--- on and off the reservations.

Here is an example.

This past spring I responded, on behalf of the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council as its Director of Organizing, to the Red Lake Tribal Council's presentation to federal government officials who made a presentation at a hearing on the terrible situation regarding Indian health care... I submitted my response to U.S. Senators Amy Kolbuchar (Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party), U.S. Senator Carl Levin (Michigan Democratic Party), U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (Michigan Democratic Party, U.S. Congresspersons Colin Peterson (DFL-Minnesota), James Oberstar (DFL-Minnesota). I would note that these politicians over the combined life of their political careers has solicited, received and accepted MILLIONS of dollars in campaign contributions from the lobbyists of Indian Gaming Industry.

This was my letter to them which received no response:

U.S. Senators Amy Kolbuchar (Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party)
U.S. Senator Carl Levin (Michigan Democratic Party)
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (Michigan Democratic Party
U.S. Rep. Colin Peterson (DFL-Minnesota)
U.S. Rep. James Oberstar (DFL-Minnesota)

April 6, 2009

Senators and Congresspersons,

The Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council was not informed of the March hearings on Indian health care even though each and everyone of you has been repeatedly asked to keep us apprised of hearings which relate to these kinds of issues.

It is with this in mind that I request my comments here be included in the hearing testimony.

You, elected officials, claiming to be public servants with the good of the public at heart in your actions, have gone out of your way to deny us casino workers the right to participate in any hearings relating to labor, health care and environmental issues; and, then, you have the unmitigated gall to preach that we live in the world's greatest bastion of democracy.

As you are fully aware, our Organizing Council consists of Organizing Committees in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa assisting casino workers in their attempts to organize unions in an industry--- the Indian Gaming Industry--- which all of you have had a hand in creating through your support of the most anti-labor, most racist vile "Compacts" which have forced over two-million casino workers (and given the huge employee turnover in this industry, millions more) to work under the most disgraceful and Draconian conditions in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state, federal or tribal labor laws in this industry now comprising over 350 casino operations many of which include hotels/motel, restaurants, a variety of small shops and boutiques ranging from hair-dressers to artists and even water parks and various theme parks.

And here you are sitting and listening to those like the spokespersons for the Red Lake Nation Tribal government--- a supposedly sovereign nation, but a government that has to ask the federal and state governments for approval before doing anything and begging for tax-dollars as casino revenues in the billions and trillions of dollars go completely without any accountability to anyone except for a bunch of mobsters who own the slot machines and table games leaving the Indian Nations stuck with nothing but a pile of debt and poverty--- talking about how the Indian Health Service is underfunded.

We agree that the Indian Health Service is underfunded. But, the funds are being stolen in many cases before they ever reach the stage of their intended purpose of keeping Indian people healthy and getting them well when sick.

The Indian Health Service is a model program which should be serving as a guide for the kind of socialized health care system we all need in the United States. Instead, you are allowing it to be sabotaged by greedy profit gougers at every level as your colleagues in Congress then point out "socialized health care doesn't work."

A program is intentionally underfunded and then greed takes over with "administrative supervision, oversight and approval" and here we are with one big mess of sick people who can't get the health care they are entitled to.

And, to make maters worse, the very people who provided this testimony from the Red Lake Nation did not tell you that the primary reason for the very substantial need to increase the funding for the Indian Health Services is the direct result of the Indian Gaming Industry.

Common sense tells us that if you put people to work--- force people to work--- in smoke-filled casinos day in and day out seven days a week 365 days of the year, these employees are going to suffer serious health problems because we all know the scientific and health consequences people suffer working under these conditions.

The cancers, the heart and lung diseases, the ill affect on pregnant women and the damage to their unborn children; and, in talking about health problems and risks, perhaps among no other population in America, is diabetes such a killer than on the Indian Reservations. And the medical and scientific community has long ago shown the severe adverse impact that second-hand smoke has on those with diabetes.

So, while the Red Lake Nation Tribal Council has sent their representative to plead the case for an underfunded Indian Health Service, these representatives have failed to state that it is the very policies of this very Tribal Council who control Red Lake Gaming Enterprises who by allowing smoking in their casinos are contributing to the ill-health of the people of the Red Lake Nation, many, who because of the racist hiring practices of employers in northern Minnesota cannot find employment elsewhere, are forced to work in these smoke-filled casinos making them sick--- or sicker than they already are--- which in turn requires an expanded Indian Health Service, which in turn requires greater funding.

Our Organizing Council and our Organizing Committees take the position that Congress should appropriate every single penny required to provide adequate health care to Indian people through the Indian Health Service.

We also insist that there be accountability in gaming revenues and these revenues should be confiscated by the federal government to cover the health care problems being created by an unhealthy working environment.

To add insult to injury to this racism, the Indian Health Service is not even monitoring the health of those people employed in these smoke-filled casinos.

Therefore, it is our contention, that these casino enterprises like Red Lake Gaming Enterprises should be billed for the health care received through Indian Health Services for whatever treatment casino workers require for anything.

Quite frankly, we consider the testimony offered on behalf of the Red Lake Nation Tribal Council to be deceitful and dishonest in not bringing forward the role the tribal government plays in making people sick. Needless to say, these representatives did not make any mention of the way present funding is abused and misappropriated by crooks and thieves.

We point out that dishonesty has been a hallmark of the Indian Gaming Industry from its very inception which began with all of you taking bribes to create this industry which has now resulted in two-million workers going to work in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages in an industry where the workers have no rights under state, federal or tribal labor laws--- truth is not one of the virtues of such thieves and those like yourselves who pander to these thieving mobsters for campaign contributions.

It is rather ironic that the Red Lake Tribal Council which is wholly and fully complicit in stealing from, and abusing, their own people and everyone else in quest of greater profits... would, under these circumstances, have the unmitigated gall to come before any Congressional Committee demanding funding to solve problems they have helped to create.

Might we be so bold as to suggest that you and your colleagues in the United States Congress contribute the bribes you take from the National Indian Gaming Association and the various state Indian Gaming Associations like the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association and contribute this money to the Indian Health Service?

And then maybe if you would stop wasting our money on wars and maintaining military bases all over the world you could provide an expanded version of the Indian Health Service to include everyone residing in the United States including the thousands of undocumented workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry.

In closing, let me just say that we know you will take issue with the tone of this letter; but, it is your continued lack of response to our concerns over problems you created in the first place in the way you intentionally created these "Compacts" creating the Indian Gaming Industry that any thinking person would know was going to result in these problems; problem you now want to pretend you had nothing to do with their creation--- including the health care problems being experienced by Indian people.

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

I then had the following communication with Dr. Nathaniel Cobb of the Indian Health Service:

From: Alan Maki [mailto:amaki000@centurytel.net]

Sent:Wednesday,April 22, 20099:47 PM

To: Kimi De Leon; Joan Kim

Cc:'Jim Hart';'John Kolstad';'Kip Sullivan';'Carl Levin';'Sen.Jim Carlson'; rep.bill.hilty@house.mn; rep.tom.anzelc@house.mn; rep.tom.Rukavina@house.mn; rep.tony.sertich@house.mn; ddepass@startribune.com; mmiron@bemidjipioneer.com; bswenson@bemidjipioneer.com;'Chris Spotted Eagle'; jgoldstein@americanrightsatwork.org; teresa_detrempe@klobuchar.senate.gov;

peter.erlinder@wmitchell.edu; peter.makowski@mail.house.gov; esquincle@verizon.net;'Walter Tillow'; nursenpo@gmail.com; 'Steve Early'; 'Joshua Frank'; 'Ta, Minh'; 'Rhoda Gilman';'David Shove'; 'ken nash'; 'Ken Pentel';WCS-A@yahoogroups.com; MARKOWIT@history.rutgers.edu; tdennis@gfherald.com; 'Myers, John'; loneagle@paulbunyan.net; 'Thomas Kurhajetz'; mhoney@u.washington.edu;moderator@portside.org; debssoc@sbcglobal.net; 'Tom Meersman'; peterb3121@hotmail.com; laurel1@dailyjournal-ifalls.com; jscannel@aflcio.org; rgettel@uaw.net; gdubovich@usw.org; info@jamesmayer.org; mzweig@notes.cc.sunysb.edu; rachleff@macalester.edu; advocate@stpaulunions.org; elizabeth_reed@levin.senate.gov; 'Alan Uhl';'Charles Underwood'

Subject: Re: Question on Indian Health Summit

To whom it may concern;

Could you tell me if there will be a discussion at the Indian Health

Summit---July 7-9, 2009 in Denver,Colorado---concerning the issue of casino workers in the Indian Gaming Industry and the impact to their health of second hand smoke in their workplaces?

Could you advise me if there have been any discussions about this with the American Cancer Society and/or the Heart and Lung Foundation?

I am very concerned since I find nothing on this important topic among any of the materials you are distributing for the Indian Health Summit.

With health care costs become an important topic for discussion it would seem that this issue would at least merit some kind of mention at an Indian Health Summit considering the large number of Native Americans employed in the Indian Gaming Industry.

Perhaps you would be interested in having me address one of the plenary sessions since this topic has not been considered previously.

I would point out that I have contacted my of the local offices and administrators of the Indian Health Services concerning this issue and no one will speak to me.

With the Indian Health Services being part of the Department of Interior and associated with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, it would only seem logical that no further casino "Compacts" would be approved unless they contain provisions banning and prohibiting smoking.

I would also suggest that the Indian Health Services insist that all existing "Compacts" be re-opened so a ban and prohibition on smoking can be inserted into them.

"Compacts" are nothing more than contracts and the Obama Administration has seen fit to insist that previously negotiated contracts with labor unions be re-negotiated so there is definitely a precedent that has been established for doing this and I am sure you will agree with me that there could not be a better argument made for renegotiating these "Compacts" than to protect the health of hundreds of thousands of workers employed in these casinos who, in addition to working in these smoke-filled working environments are not protected under any state or federal labor laws, which makes this problem of being employed in a work environment detrimental to human health even a more serious concern.

Perhaps the Indian Health Services could make a recommendation to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Secretary of the Department of Interior that the Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis, becomes involved so that the protection of casino worker's rights under all state and federal labor laws protecting all other workers in the United States be included at the time the Compacts are re-opened to protect the health of casino workers.

If you have any doubts second-hand smoke contributes to an unhealthy work environment and that second-hand smoke is recognized as a leading contributor to a variety of cancers and heart and lung diseases please do not hesitate to request additional information. I will be more than happy to attend your Indian Health Care Summit with the necessary resource materials.

With some two-million workers now employed in the Indian Gaming Industry we want to make sure everything possible is being done to protect the health and well-being of these workers.

If I have addressed this letter to the wrong persons, would you please provide me with the name of the proper person/s and department/s this letter should be sent to.

If you think this issue concerning the impact of second-hand smoke on the health of casino workers is not significant enough to be discussed at the Indian Health Summit would you be so kind as to advise me of your decision and how it was reached?

Thanking you in advance for your timely consideration;

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

58891 County Road13

Warroad,Minnesota56763

Phone:218-386-2432

Cell phone:651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Check out my blog:

Thoughts From Podunk

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Cc: Maggie Bird

President,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Dr. Nathaniel Cobb’s response to me:

Dear Mr. Maki:

Your email (below) was forwarded to me for response, as the Agency lead for tobacco control. Thank you for your suggestions - I completely agree that environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in Casinos is a serious health issue for both the employees and the patrons. Labor law is outside my expertise and purview, but I will try to address a few of the many questions you raise:

1. Can we have a session on casino workers and ETS exposure at the Indian Health Summit?

- reasonable suggestion, but the practical answer is that we did invite the public to submit abstracts, that deadline has passed, and we have already finalized the agenda and cannot add another session. We do have a tobacco session scheduled, but nothing was submitted that focused specifically on casinos.

2. Have we discussed this issue with ACS, AHA, or ALA?

- yes. In discussions with ACS, we have agreed that local advocacy may be the most effective way to approach this issue.

3. Can IHS work with BIA to ban smoking in Casinos?

- IHS is an agency of Health and Human Services, not Interior. We have no regulatory role with regard to Gaming compacts, so no direct influence. In our advisory role with regard to health issues, we may make recommendations to another agency. Your suggestion has merit, and I will discuss it with senior leadership within IHS. I note that you have cc'd your email to your congressional delegation. The Congress has much more power to dictate terms of Indian Compacts than we do, so you should continue to work closely with them. A formal letter to a Member of Congress or to an Agency Head, with a clearly worded request, will always get a response.

4. What else can we do?

- It is true that ETS exposure is a health issue, but the solutions are political. We have great respect for Tribal Sovereignty, and unless and until Tribal Leaders support a smoking ban in casinos, it is not likely to happen. So my suggestion is that you contact the National Indian Health Board and ask for a time slot to present the issue at their next Consumer Conference. That meeting is a great opportunity to influence the thinking of Indian Country leadership.

Thank you for your concern, and I look forward to attending your session at the NIHB conference! If you have any educational materials or scientific studies of ETS and casino workers, I would appreciate your sending me copies.

--

Nathaniel Cobb MD

Chief, Chronic Disease Branch

Division of Epidemiology

Indian Health Service

5300 Homestead Rd NE

AlbuquerqueNM87110

(505)248-4132

My response back to Dr. Cobb:

Dr. Nathaniel Cobb, MD

Division of Epidemiology

Indian Health Service

5300 Homestead Rd NE

AlbuquerqueNM87110

(505)248-4132

Dr. Nathaniel Cobb,

Thank you for the quick response.

As I am sure you must have been thinking as you wrote this response to me, I would not find it satisfactory.

I have contacted all the heads of Indian Health at each of the tribes that operate casinos over the last three years on this issue--- NOT ONE SINGLE ONE has responded to my e-mail or been willing to talk to me on the phone.

Quite frankly, I seriously doubt there are circumstances where the impact of second-hand smoke can be dealt with in one fell swoop.

Yet, we both know this is more about casino PROFITS and the way casino PROFITS influence POLITICS.

What are you suggesting, that it will take some kind of revolution in this country before an agency like yours who has a mandate to educate on this serious issue will act?

I find this coming from a medical doctor such as you very strange; that on this one single issue involving human health where so many lives can be saved and health maintained you suggest that it is up to a union to take the action rather than you.

What are you suggesting is that tribal leaderships motivated solely by profits are to be given into on a health care issue so adversely affecting human health as the issue of being forced to work in an environment composed of second-hand smoke because you do not want to rock the boat--- using as your excuse: "sovereignty."

Is human health not an issue for a “sovereign” nation to be concerned about when it comes to the health of its own people?

There seems to be a clear admission here on your part that these tribal governments involved in gaming have been so corrupted by money they don't even care about the health of their own people; let alone the health of anyone else.

As you are fully aware, most of these casinos are run by outside management firms only using sovereignty to bolster their profits in escaping protecting the rights of casino workers to be free from second-hand smoke in their employment.

You come up with this flimsy excuse that the issue of smoke-free casinos cannot be addressed because the details of the conference are already set and established. However, what is preventing those who will be doing the presentations on the serious consequences of tobacco from raising the issue concerning the need for these casinos to go smoke-free because it is a matter of fundamental human rights for workers not to be forced to work in these conditions that we all know are seriously detrimental to human health.

You, as a medical doctor, are requesting that I should send you further information regarding the consequences of working in these smoke-filled casinos?

It is almost unbelievable that you, being a medical doctor, have even written these words.

That you acknowledge you have known about this problem and not insisted the politicians correct this, is a disgrace. You are the expert witness here.

I find it very difficult to understand how the scientific and medical community has managed to turn out the most respected from these professions to testify:

- Against the tobacco companies in law suits;

- At Congressional and State Legislative hearings;

- In support of smoke-free workplaces for everyone else except casino workers.

But, for some reason there is complete, total, overwhelming and absolute silence when it comes to the issue coercing these casinos in the Indian Gaming Industry to go smoke-free to protect the health of two-million casino workers.

At this point, since you agree this is a very serious problem; I would request that you convey my concerns---AND WHAT YOU CLAIM ARE YOUR SHARED CONCERNS--- to each and everyone of those people who will be participating in the tobacco workshops, forums or making any presentations on tobacco and request that they specifically address the problem of second-hand smoke in casinos and make suggestions and recommendations how this issue will be resolved by coercing these casino managements to go smoke-free.

The Manitoba, Canada provincial government has taken the stand that they will not approve any further casino Compacts or upgrades or new licenses for any casino unless it will be smoke-free.

Something is very wrong with the scenario you bring forward here. I find it kind of strange that a public official such as yourself, who has a legislated mandate to provide the leadership in protecting human health, would tell a citizen writing to you to go and do your job for you.

I expect you to communicate your concerns regarding second-hand smoke (environmental tobacco smoke) to each member of the United States Congress, every single state legislator in each and every state; and, I expect that you will convey your concerns as a medical doctor and in your capacity as a public official with the specific mandate to raise this concern with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Secretary of the Department of Interior; and further, that you instruct all of those employed at the local and state levels working for Indian Health Services to immediately undertake discussions about this with their tribal governments.

Sovereignty has nothing to do with this issue.

Can you provide me one single instance where the human health and welfare of a nation’s people is compromised under the guise of “sovereignty” as you are blatantly doing here? No; you cannot provide any such example. How could “sovereignty” possibly be compromised by protecting the health and well-being of any people from any nation? Do you realize how utterly stupid this sounds coming from an educated man like yourself and a doctor on top of that?

Your department and agency is involved in this conference. As a result, you have a mandate to bring this issue forward.

I assume you do not request permission from tribal governments to raise any other issues related to human health; so, why would you conceded your mandate on this vital health issue to tribal governments with no demonstrated concern on this issue or for the human health of their own people?

To suggest that this issue can wait until another conference, where both you and I know that I will never receive permission to speak on this issue, is about as insensitive and uncaring a response that anyone could ever expect to receive from a public official who has the scientific and medical background to know and understand that thousands of casino workers will lose their health while others will die from second-hand smoke they are forced to breath as forced and coerced terms and conditions of their employment.

I am requesting that you carry out the mandate you have from the United States Congress and act to make sure this issue is addressed at your upcoming conference with the aim of resolving this issue once and for all.

I expect to receive written confirmation that you have taken such action.

I assume that President Barack Obama would not appreciate you dragging your feet on this issue since he is so concerned about health care costs; I don't think I have to lecture you, a medical doctor, about the costs involved in trying to cure cancers and heart & lung problems associated with second-hand smoke in the workplace.

With all the attention now focused on accusations of frivolous government spending, I would think you would be more sensitive to the need to bring this issue forward at your upcoming conference.

Respectfully,

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Cc: Maggie Bird

President,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

With all that has take place, along comes the Washington Post and the rest of the mainstream media acting as if no one has known about the health care problems of Indian people.

I would also note that not one single newspaper, radio or television station has documented what is going on in the Indian Gaming Industry when it comes to the health and welfare of casino workers.

Why didn't the mainstream media examine how the Indian Health Service was doing while Gale Norton was in charge at the Interior Department for so many of the Bush years?

But, the larger question is why has hasn't the mainstream media seen fit to explore the conditions under which two-million people are employed in the Indian Gaming Industry in this country of which Indian Country is a part... if it wasn't, the Red Lake Tribal Council wouldn't have sent its representatives to the United States Congress begging for more health care funding.

The United States government shoved Indian people onto reservations after stealing their land and the natural resources; proclaimed these Indian Reservations to be "sovereign nations," intentionally leaving these "sovereign" nations without adequate resources to create real nations... and then, through the development of these anti-labor, racist "Compacts" designed with intent to allow a group of vicious mobsters to control the political, economic, social and cultural life of these "sovereign" Indian Nations; the politicians of this country stand back and say, "We can't do anything. We don't want to intervene in the affairs of sovereign Indian nations. We don't want to be in the position of creating problems among Indian people."

How racist and arrogant. The politicians set up a system of native "self-government" in a way designed to get people fighting amongst themselves and then these politicians stand back holding their bribes and pay-offs in the form of campaign contributions claiming their hands are tied.

I hope this blog posting has given people something to think about;

Alan L. Maki

PROMISES, PROMISES: Indian health care needs unmet

Note: The slideshow is available at the link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/14/AR2009061400903.html?hpid=sec-health?hpid=sec-health

SLIDESHOW Previous Next
People sit in the waiting room of the Indian Health Service clinic in Crow Agency, Mont., Oct. 16, 2008. The Indian Health Service system serves almost 2 million American Indians in 35 states. An oftt-quoted refrain on some reservations is "don't get sick after June," when the federal dollars run out. (AP Photo/Mary Clare Jalonick) (Mary Clare Jalonick - AP)

This July 2005 photo provided by the Little Light Family shows Ta'shon Rain Little Light in Crow Agency, Mont. Five-year-old Ta'shon had stopped eating and walking, and complained constantly to her mother that her stomach hurt. On her first and subsequent visits to the Indian Health Service clinic on the Crow Agency, Mont., Ta'shon's mother was told her daughter was depressed, when in fact she had cancer, and died some months later. (AP Photo/Little Light Family) (AP)

Ta' Shon Little Light, 5, right, who died of cancer following a misdiagnosis by the local Indian Health Service, is seen with her sisters Thea Little Light, 13, left, and Tia Little Light, 10, at their home in Crow Agency, Mont. in this undated photo. Ta'shon died of cancer some months after a repeated diagnosis of depression by the Indian Health Service clinic. (AP Photo/Little Light Family) (AP)

Ada White talks about her great niece Ta'shon Rain Little Light, seen in the photo, during an interview with the Associated Press in Crow Agency, Mont., Oct. 16, 2008. Ta'shon died of cancer in a matter of months subsequent to a misdiagnosis of depression by the local Indian Health Service. (AP Photo/Mary Clare Jalonick) (Mary Clare Jalonick - AP)

In this photo taken Oct. 14, 2008, pedestrians walk past the Standing Rock Reservation Tribal Headquarters in Fort Yates. N .D. The reservation's Indian Health Service staff say they are trying to improve conditions. They point out recent improvements to their clinic, including a new ambulance bay. But in interviews on the reservation, residents were eager to share stories about substandard care. (AP Photo/Will Kincaid) (Will Kincaid - AP)

In this photo taken Oct. 14, 2008, a small child walks toward the front door of the Public Health Service Indian Hospital on the Standing Rock Reservation in Fort Yates. N.D. The U.S. has an obligation, based on a 1787 agreement between tribes and the government, to provide American Indians with free health care on reservations. (AP Photo/Will Kincaid) (Will Kincaid - AP)

In this photo taken Oct. 14, 2008, people sit in the Indian Health Services waiting room on Standing Rock Reservation in Fort Yates. N.D. Statistics for health and disease in Indian country are staggering: American Indians have an infant death rate that is 40 percent higher than the rate for whites, are twice as likely to die from diabetes, are 60 percent more likely to have a stroke, 30 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, and 20 percent more likely to have heart disease. (AP Photo/Will Kincaid) (Will Kincaid - AP)

In this photo taken Oct. 14, 2008, Rhonda Sandland weeps as she talks about almost losing her fingers to frostbite at Standing Rock Reservation Tribal Headquarters, in Fort Yates. N .D. Sandland says the reservation's clinic decided to remove five of her fingers because of the pain, but a visiting doctor from Bismarck, N.D., intervened, giving her drugs instead. She says she eventually lost the tops of her fingers, and the top layer of skin. (AP Photo/Will Kincaid) (Will Kincaid - AP)

In this photo taken Oct. 14, 2008, Ron His Horse is Thunder, chairman of the Standing Rock tribe, talks about the Indian Health Service at Standing Rock Reservation Tribal Headquarters, Fort Yates. N.D. His Horse is Thunder says his remote reservation on the border between North Dakota and South Dakota can't attract or maintain doctors who know what they are doing. (AP Photo/Will Kincaid) (Will Kincaid - AP)

In this photo taken Oct. 14, 2008, Dr. Vincent Barnes points out the great distance he and his staff must travel to treat people on the Standing Rock Reservation at Fort Yates, N.D. Barnes is a psychologist with the U.S. Public Health Service. (AP Photo/Will Kincaid) (Will Kincaid - AP)

In this photo taken Oct. 14, 2008, sisters Marcella Buckley, left, and Tracy Castaway pose at Standing Rock Reservation Tribal Headquarters, Fort Yates. N .D. Castaway says her sister is in $40,000 of debt because of treatment for Stage 4 stomach cancer after being misdiagnosed for years by the local health clinic, including for the possibility of a tapeworm and stress-related stomachaches. (AP Photo/Will Kincaid) (Will Kincaid - AP)

In this photo taken Oct. 14, 2008, Marcella Buckley talks about her medical condition at Standing Rock Reservation Tribal Headquarters in Fort Yates. N .D. Buckley says she visited the local clinic for four years with stomach pains and was given a variety of diagnoses, including the possibility of a tapeworm and stress-related stomachaches. She was eventually told she had Stage 4 cancer that had spread throughout her body. (AP Photo/Will Kincaid) (Will Kincaid - AP)

In this photo taken Oct. 14, 2008, Victor Brave Thunder talks about his medical condition at Standing Rock Reservation Tribal Headquarters, in Fort Yates. N .D. The reservation's clinic failed to diagnose Victor Brave Thunder with congestive heart failure, giving him Tylenol and cough syrup, when he told a doctor he was uncomfortable and had not slept for several days. He eventually went to a hospital in Bismarck, which immediately admitted him. Brave Thunder, 54, died in April while waiting for a heart transplant. (AP Photo/Will Kincaid) (Will Kincaid - AP)

By MARY CLARE JALONICK
The Associated Press
Sunday, June 14, 2009

CROW AGENCY, Mont. -- Ta'Shon Rain Little Light, a happy little girl who loved to dance and dress up in traditional American Indian clothes, had stopped eating and walking. She complained constantly to her mother that her stomach hurt.

When Stephanie Little Light took her daughter to the Indian Health Service clinic in this wind-swept and remote corner of Montana, they told her the 5-year-old was depressed.

Ta'Shon's pain rapidly worsened and she visited the clinic about 10 more times over several months before her lung collapsed and she was airlifted to a children's hospital in Denver. There she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, confirming the suspicions of family members.

A few weeks later, a charity sent the whole family to Disney World so Ta'Shon could see Cinderella's Castle, her biggest dream. She never got to see the castle, though. She died in her hotel bed soon after the family arrived in Florida.

"Maybe it would have been treatable," says her great-aunt, Ada White, as she stoically recounts the last few months of Ta'Shon's short life. Stephanie Little Light cries as she recalls how she once forced her daughter to walk when she was in pain because the doctors told her it was all in the little girl's head.

Ta'Shon's story is not unique in the Indian Health Service system, which serves almost 2 million American Indians in 35 states.

On some reservations, the oft-quoted refrain is "don't get sick after June," when the federal dollars run out. It's a sick joke, and a sad one, because it's sometimes true, especially on the poorest reservations where residents cannot afford health insurance. Officials say they have about half of what they need to operate, and patients know they must be dying or about to lose a limb to get serious care.

Wealthier tribes can supplement the federal health service budget with their own money. But poorer tribes, often those on the most remote reservations, far away from city hospitals, are stuck with grossly substandard care. The agency itself describes a "rationed health care system."

The sad fact is an old fact, too.

The U.S. has an obligation, based on a 1787 agreement between tribes and the government, to provide American Indians with free health care on reservations. But that promise has not been kept. About one-third more is spent per capita on health care for felons in federal prison, according to 2005 data from the health service.

In Washington, a few lawmakers have tried to bring attention to the broken system as Congress attempts to improve health care for millions of other Americans. But tightening budgets and the relatively small size of the American Indian population have worked against them.

"It is heartbreaking to imagine that our leaders in Washington do not care, so I must believe that they do not know," Joe Garcia, president of the National Congress of American Indians, said in his annual state of Indian nations' address in February.

When it comes to health and disease in Indian country, the statistics are staggering.

American Indians have an infant death rate that is 40 percent higher than the rate for whites. They are twice as likely to die from diabetes, 60 percent more likely to have a stroke, 30 percent more likely to have high blood pressure and 20 percent more likely to have heart disease.

American Indians have disproportionately high death rates from unintentional injuries and suicide, and a high prevalence of risk factors for obesity, substance abuse, sudden infant death syndrome, teenage pregnancy, liver disease and hepatitis.

While campaigning on Indian reservations, presidential candidate Barack Obama cited this statistic: After Haiti, men on the impoverished Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations in South Dakota have the lowest life expectancy in the Western Hemisphere.

Those on reservations qualify for Medicare and Medicaid coverage. But a report by the Government Accountability Office last year found that many American Indians have not applied for those programs because of lack of access to the sign-up process; they often live far away or lack computers. The report said that some do not sign up because they believe the government already has a duty to provide them with health care.

The office of minority health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the Indian Health Service, notes on its Web site that American Indians "frequently contend with issues that prevent them from receiving quality medical care. These issues include cultural barriers, geographic isolation, inadequate sewage disposal and low income."

Indeed, Indian health clinics often are ill-equipped to deal with such high rates of disease, and poor clinics do not have enough money to focus on preventive care. The main problem is a lack of federal money. American Indian programs are not a priority for Congress, which provided the health service with $3.6 billion this budget year.

Officials at the health service say they can't legally comment on specific cases such as Ta'Shon's. But they say they are doing the best they can with the money they have - about 54 cents on the dollar they need.

One of the main problems is that many clinics must "buy" health care from larger medical facilities outside the health service because the clinics are not equipped to handle more serious medical conditions. The money that Congress provides for those contract health care services is rarely sufficient, forcing many clinics to make "life or limb" decisions that leave lower-priority patients out in the cold.

"The picture is much bigger than what the Indian Health Service can do," says Doni Wilder, an official at the agency's headquarters in Rockville, Md., and the former director of the agency's Northwestern region. "Doctors every day in our organization are making decisions about people not getting cataracts removed, gall bladders fixed."

On the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota, Indian Health Service staff say they are trying to improve conditions. They point out recent improvements to their clinic, including a new ambulance bay. But in interviews on the reservation, residents were eager to share stories about substandard care.

Rhonda Sandland says she couldn't get help for her advanced frostbite until she threatened to kill herself because of the pain - several months after her first appointment. She says she was exposed to temperatures at more than 50 below, and her hands turned purple. She eventually couldn't dress herself, she says, and she visited the clinic over and over again, sometimes in tears.

"They still wouldn't help with the pain so I just told them that I had a plan," she said. "I was going to sleep in my car in the garage."

She says the clinic then decided to remove five of her fingers, but a visiting doctor from Bismarck, N.D., intervened, giving her drugs instead. She says she eventually lost the tops of her fingers and the top layer of skin.

The same clinic failed to diagnose Victor Brave Thunder with congestive heart failure, giving him Tylenol and cough syrup when he told a doctor he was uncomfortable and had not slept for several days. He eventually went to a hospital in Bismarck, which immediately admitted him. But he had permanent damage to his heart, which he attributed to delays in treatment. Brave Thunder, 54, died in April while waiting for a heart transplant.

"You can talk to anyone on the reservation and they all have a story," says Tracey Castaway, whose sister, Marcella Buckley, said she was in $40,000 of debt because of treatment for stomach cancer.

Buckley says she visited the clinic for four years with stomach pains and was given a variety of diagnoses, including the possibility of a tapeworm and stress-related stomachaches. She was eventually told she had Stage 4 cancer that had spread throughout her body.

Ron His Horse is Thunder, chairman of the Standing Rock tribe, says his remote reservation on the border between North Dakota and South Dakota can't attract or maintain doctors who know what they are doing. Instead, he says, "We get old doctors that no one else wants or new doctors who need to be trained."

His Horse is Thunder often travels to Washington to lobby for more money and attention, but he acknowledges that improvements are tough to come by.

"We are not one congruent voting bloc in any one state or area," he said. "So we don't have the political clout."

On another reservation 200 miles north of Standing Rock, Ardel Baker, a member of North Dakota's Three Affiliated Tribes, knows all too well the truth behind the joke about money running out.

Baker went to her local clinic with severe chest pains and was sent by ambulance to a hospital more than an hour away. It wasn't until she got there that she noticed she had a note attached to her, written on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services letterhead.

"Understand that Priority 1 care cannot be paid for at this time due to funding issues," the letter read. "A formal denial letter has been issued."

She lived, but she says she later received a bill for more than $5,000.

"That really epitomizes the conflict that we have," says Robert McSwain, deputy director of the Indian Health Service. "We have to move the patient out, it's an emergency. We need to get them care."

It was too late for Harriet Archambault, according to the chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, who has told her story more than once in the Senate.

Dorgan says Archambault died in 2007 after her medicine for hypertension ran out and she couldn't get an appointment to refill it at the nearest clinic, 18 miles away. She drove to the clinic five times and failed to get an appointment before she died.

Dorgan's swath of the country is the hardest hit in terms of Indian health care. Many reservations there are poor, isolated, devoid of economic development opportunities and subject to long, harsh winters - making it harder for the health service to recruit doctors to practice there.

While the agency overall has an 18 percent vacancy rate for doctors, that rate jumps to 38 percent for the region that includes the Dakotas. That region also has a 29 percent vacancy rate for dentists, and officials and patients report there is almost no preventive dental care. Routine procedures such as root canals are rarely seen here. If there's a problem with a tooth, it is simply pulled.

Dorgan has led efforts in Congress to bring attention to the issue. After many years of talking to frustrated patients at home in North Dakota, he says he believes the problems are systemic within the embattled agency: incompetent staffers are transferred instead of fired; there are few staff to handle complaints; and, in some cases, he says, there is a culture of intimidation within field offices charged with overseeing individual clinics.

The senator has also probed waste at the agency.

A 2008 GAO report, along with a follow-up report this year, accused the Indian Health Service of losing almost $20 million in equipment, including vehicles, X-ray and ultrasound equipment and numerous laptops. The agency says some of the items were later found.

Dorgan persuaded Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to consider an American Indian health improvement bill last year, and the bill passed in the Senate. It would have directed Congress to provide about $35 billion for health programs over the next 10 years, including better access to health care services, screening and mental health programs. A similar bill died in the House, though, after it became entangled in an abortion dispute.

The growing political clout of some remote reservations may bring some attention to health care woes. Last year's Democratic presidential primary played out in part in the Dakotas and Montana, where both Obama and Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton became the first presidential candidates to aggressively campaign on American Indian reservations there. Both politicians promised better health care.

Obama's budget for 2010 includes an increase of $454 million, or about 13 percent, over this year. Also, the stimulus bill he signed this year provided for construction and improvements to clinics.

Back in Montana, Ta'Shon's parents are doing what they can to bring awareness to the issue. They have prepared a slideshow with pictures of her brief life; she is seen dressed up in traditional regalia she wore for dance competitions with a bright smile on her face. Family members approached Dorgan at a Senate field hearing on American Indian health care after her death in 2006, hoping to get the little girl's story out.

"She was a gift, so bright and comforting," says Ada White of her niece, whom she calls her granddaughter according to Crow tradition. "I figure she was brought here for a reason."

Nearby, the clinic on the Crow reservation seems mostly empty, aside from the crowded waiting room. The hospital is down several doctors, a shortage that management attributes recruitment difficulties and the remote location.

Diane Wetsit, a clinical coordinator, said she finds it difficult to think about the congressional bailout for Wall Street.

"I have a hard time with that when I walk down the hallway and see what happens here," she says.

Tell Barack Obama and the Democrats we want peace and real health care reform now

Alan L. Maki — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 20:52:26 EDT

This “Letter to Editor” (see below) that I wrote on health care reform has taken on an interesting life of its own.

I am now getting calls from newspaper editors asking me if they can publish this letter even though I never sent it to them because people are asking them to print it! And several editors have initiate contact with me asking my permission to publish it telling me that the letter is just what they have been looking for to encourage readers to voice their opinions.

The most recent newspaper to publish this letter is the International Falls Daily Journal from International Falls, Minnesota (see below).

I am getting calls and e-mails from people that they have published this “Letter to the Editor” as a leaflet or as part of a handout at health care forums, union retirees’ groups, union meetings and peace meetings and demonstrations. One woman even wrote and said she printed it out as a “bookmark” for customers to pick up in her bookstore.

I strongly encourage you to write similar letters. Feel free to use my “Letter to the Editor” as a guide in writing a letter of your own or do as others are doing, request editors of your local newspapers to publish my letter.

If you would like, send me the e-mail address for letters to the editor of your local newspapers and I will submit this letter to them for publication.

We cannot allow Obama, his Wall Street backers and the majority of the Democrats who are like Max Baucus to define what the “public option” in health care is without bringing forward the “public health care system” option which has been the one and only health care option without any seat or voice at the health care table… after allowing the American people to hear this option perhaps with single-payer universal health care placed as a first step--- or an incremental step--- towards this “public health care system”--- the only real “public option”--- we will strengthen the movement to win real health care reform.

Several labor activists are working on turning my “Letter to the Editor” into a resolution; the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council has long been on record supporting this approach to health care reform.

Below my “Letter to the Editor” I am including the “Call” to a conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in October sponsored by Peace Councils in the United States, Canada and Mexico which I hope to be able to participate in where I will push such an approach as outlined in my “Letter to the Editor” for the peace movement to take… I hope you will consider finding a way to participate in this important conference, too.

I will be requesting that the Canadian Minister of Immigration lift the undemocratic ban restricting my entry to Canada which violates my human rights… I hope to see everyone in Toronto in October.

Yours in struggle,

Alan L. Maki

http://www.ifallsdailyjournal.com/news/letters-editor/health-care-reform-needed-106

Health care reform needed
· .

To the editor,

Our country is embroiled in controversy and debate over health care reform.

Focus on the purpose of health care has been lost. Health care has two purposes:

1. Keep people healthy.
2. Get people well when sick.

Our public officials squander our limited and scarce resources — during a period of a crumbling economy — financing wars in three countries; subsidizing the Israeli military machine; and spending trillions of dollars financing 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil dotting the globe; and then they tell us there is no money for health care.

Instead, we should be building 800 public health care centers stretching out across the United States providing a public health care system which includes:

• No-fees/no premiums.
• Comprehensive (cradle to grave).
• All-inclusive (general, dental, eyes, physical therapy, prescription drugs).
• Universal (everybody in; nobody out).
• Publicly funded.
• Publicly administered.
• Publicly delivered.

The United States is the wealthiest country in the world.

We can afford to provide a first-rate, world-class, free public health care system for our own people — if we get our priorities straight.

We need health care reform based upon: Everybody in; all the profiteers out.

Health care is supposed to be about people, a human right; not about profits.

Representing workers employed in smoke-filled casinos suffering from cancers and heart and lung problems, I know a little something about why we need health care reform now.

Alan L. Maki
Warroad, MN

For Unity in Action of the Peoples of Mexico, Canada and the USA, for Peace, Sovereignty, Anti-Imperialist Solidarity and the Rights of the Working People.

Invitation to Participants from Mexico, Canada and the USA to Attend the Second Tri-Lateral Conference of the World Peace Council, October 2-4, 2009 Toronto Ontario, Canada

In 2004, the Peace Movements of Mexico, Canada and the United States met in Puebla-Mexico, for the first Trilateral North American regional meeting. It was agreed then to invite to a peace promoting meeting all interested parties, every four years. This agreement was ratified last April during the World Peace Assembly called by the World Peace Council in Caracas, Venezuela.

Acting without the approval of the people, big business governments in Mexico, Canada and the USA promote the interests of a small group of transnational corporate and banking monopolies. Driven solely by profiteering these interests trample the sovereignty of the peoples, exploit their labour, besmirch their achievements in culture, language and art and ignore and violate the rights of indigenous people.

Driven by greed, corporate monopolies appropriate and wantonly exploit the energy, water and other natural resources of the continent with devastating affects on the environment. These interests treat the territory of North America from the far Arctic to the Yucatan Peninsula, from the Pacific to the Atlantic as a private domain of imperial power to subjugate the peoples of North America, the Caribbean, Central and South America to project their interests globally.

Committed to the global ambitions of US imperialism and without regard for the consequences of the peoples affected, these corporate interests and the governments they control, collaborate to militarize and fully integrate the economies of the USA, Mexico and Canada, destroy the home markets and subvert and exclude the democratic oversight of the people.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Security and Prosperity Partnership, (SPP) are continental and integrationist agreements foisted on the people by big business proclaiming their right to develop the economies of Mexico, Canada and the USA exclusively in the interests of wealthy investor elites.

The peace, labour and democratic movements resist and challenge corporate edicts over their lives and condemn governments that fail to uphold their vital economic and social interests. In Mexico, Canada and the USA workers and farmers oppose free trade pacts that destroy domestic industries and agriculture, weaken standards of protection for workers and farmers, promote discriminatory immigration laws, adopt labour mobility agreements, de-regulate food, safety and inspection standards, divert public funding from health, education and pension funds to private hands, and divest state
property at fire sale prices to private investors.

The struggle of the Mexican people to defend the gas industry, to modify the free trade agreement and to safeguard the country’s integrity are clear examples of the corporatist threats facing people.

Of particular danger to the peace and security of the people of Canada, Mexico and the USA are over arching military and security pacts ostensibly protecting the continent that in fact harbor aggressive first strike weapons systems and rapid deployment forces incorporating operational use of nuclear weapons that in the era of Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) includes their deployment to space.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the US Northern Command (NORTHCOM), the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the activation of the US 4th Fleet and extra-territorial attempts of US imperialism to impose Homeland Security doctrines on the people of Mexico and Canada, are flagrant violations of sovereignty that threaten peace and security and promote a new international arms race.

The Tri-Lateral Conference in Toronto Ontario Canada, October 2-4, 2009 will address these problems, analyze the threats posed to peace, sovereignty, democratic and economic rights and present alternative solutions and programs to strengthen the anti-imperialist movements of the people.

We invite your participation. An agenda will be forthcoming. The Canadian Peace Congress website, www.canadianpeacecongress.ca will publish information and documents of the Tri-Lateral Conference and exchange information, inviting contributions to the pre-Conference discussion and where registrations, travel and accommodation information can be accessed.

Let Us Meet in Toronto Canada, October 2-4, 2009.

In Peace and Solidarity,

Canadian Peace Congress, MOMPADE, US Peace Council

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

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Check out my blog:

Thoughts From Podunk

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Call 800-517-5696 today to protest more war funding!

Alan L. Maki — Tue, 12 May 2009 11:14:33 EDT

This important vote could come up this week; possibly next week… Act today.

Insist on a response in writing.

Call 800-517-5696 today to protest more war funding!

Do you want the United States government to spend tens of billions of dollars more to fund the war in Iraq and expand the war in Afghanistan?

Next week, your representative will be asked to vote on a war supplemental bill that would do just that.

Call toll-free on May 12
800-517-5696

Say no to more spending on two wars. Urge your representative to use our tax dollars to

bring the troops home
take care of them upon their return
rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan
take care of health, education, and energy here at home

Oppose more war funding.

The U.S. government already spends $1.9 million every minute on the military — and that doesn't include funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This is the position of our Organizing Council:

All of this money could be going towards the creation of a public health care system. Any country that can spend this kind of money on wars and militarism that includes funding over 800 U.S. foreign military bases dotting the globe; subsidizing the Israeli killing machine; and fighting wars in three countries at the same time certainly can afford to provide its own people a first-rate, world-class public health care system that is comprehensive, all-inclusive and universal which is publicly funded, publicly administered and publicly delivered. Everyone in. All the profiteers out. Health care for people not for profit.

As a working class mother I did not raise my children to go fight wars and kill other people so oil companies can profit.

I voted for Barack Obama very reluctantly and this war funding is not the change I voted for.

Please call today.

Call 800-517-5696 today to protest more war funding!

Maggie Bird

President,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Two-million casino workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry go to jobs in smoke-filled casinos getting poverty wages without any rights under state, federal or tribal labor laws.

The same government funding these wars created this injustice in the Indian Gaming Industry and refuses to right this wrong.

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Organizing Council

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Check out my blog:

Thoughts From Podunk

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Health care reform... the public health care option

Alan L. Maki — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:54:26 EDT

Health care reform: The Public Health Care Option--- Everyone in... All the profiteers out This is a good editorial/newscast to get our discussion going: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/30629823#30629823 because it shows what we are up against. I would encourage everyone to watch and listen closely to this several times.

I would note that not only single-payer universal health care has been excluded from any discussions by Obama and the United States Senate; but, public health care has also been excluded.

As many of you know, I pushed hard for single-payer and led the fight to get it to the floor of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party (MNDFL) State Conventions where it finally passed and became part of the MNDFL Action Agenda.

The Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council has always viewed single-payer universal health care the same way Canada’s Tommy Douglas viewed single-payer--- as a step towards real public health care; or, as Tommy Douglas put it: socialized health care.

We should not play around here.

There will be no serious consideration of single-payer by Democrats; certainly not by Republicans.

Politically, single-payer is dead. Obama and the Democrats have killed single-payer. It was a nice thought; but, political reality is something much different. It is one thing to have polls showing overwhelming support for single-payer--- but, just like polls don’t die in wars; polls don’t mount successful campaigns for reforms--- people do. People are not going to be brought out in support of a concept that is “good” when they know something else is better and the real McCoy… public health care is better than single-payer and this is what will drive a movement capable of winning real health care reform.

Everyone knows that any country that can fight trillion dollar wars simultaneously in three countries; support, to the tune of tens-of-billions of dollars annually, the Israeli killing machine; and finance over 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil dotting the globe--- this is a country that can afford to finance 800 public health care centers spread out across the United States providing its own citizens with free world-class health care second to none.

It is time to stop fooling ourselves; we need to bring the issue of public health care forward at this time.

Canada is a relatively poor country compared to the United States. The Canadians needed to start with single-payer; we don’t because the United States is the wealthiest country in the world. We need to go all out to fight for a public health care system.

Here in Roseau County, Minnesota; when we brought forward ALL options for health care reform… this is what passed unanimously at the Roseau County DFL Convention:

no-fee/no-premium, comprehensive, all-inclusive universal public health care from cradle-to-grave; publicly administered, publicly financed and publicly delivered

The first time single-payer universal health care passed unanimously; but, as the Party hacks dug in, in opposition to single-payer, then the people decided they had nothing to lose so they supported what they really wanted all along--- public health care; and in doing so, got a compromise: support for single-payer.

This is an important lesson and teaches us something about how to struggle for reforms. Don’t begin asking for a compromise because you will get nothing from those whose only goal is maximizing profits--- and campaign contributions.

There is nothing at all vague about what people really want when given every opportunity. Single-payer was always the begrudging second choice when public health care was included. This is supposed to be a democracy. The American people are entitled to the kind of health care system they really want.

There is a political lesson here.

Here in Minnesota, the DFL Party hacks only gave up their opposition to single-payer using all kinds of manipulations and control to allowing single-payer to be considered by state convention delegates after they became aware the popular movement was growing for public health care. The Party hacks hoped to derail the movement for public health care by allowing a vote on single-payer knowing that single-payer would meet its demise in the halls of Congress. In fact, most of Minnesota’s elected DFL politicians have refused to support single-payer mandate from the grassroots.

Now is the time to begin a discussion with the potential to drive a movement for what is really needed: a public health care system--- Everybody in… ALL profiteers out.

It will be the struggle for: no-fee/no-premium, comprehensive, all-inclusive universal public health care from cradle-to-grave; publicly administered, publicly financed and publicly delivered that drives the movement for successful health care reform in this country. Until public health care is placed on the table we will get nothing from Obama and the Democrats. Now is the time to move beyond single-payer universal health care in saying: Everyone in… all the profiteers out; public health care is the real solution.

A movement simply can’t be built fighting for part of the pie when people want, and are entitled to, the entire pie. With single-payer universal health care we only get a small slice of the population in action; not enough involvement for a winning movement.

There is a reason why doctors have come to the forefront in leading the single-payer movement… they want to protect their high incomes.

On the other hand, working people are defending their standard of living, as well as their health, by advocating public health care with: Everybody in… All profiteers--- including doctors with high incomes--- out.

Place the doctors on the public pay-roll just like teachers, professors, postal workers, municipal employees and librarians. Doctors employed by the Indian Health Service are perfectly happy being on the public pay-roll. Plus, we already have a very large Public Health Service employing many doctors… so, doctors on the public pay-roll is nothing new, not even in the United States… the great bastion of free enterprise.

There are no obstacles to public health care that can not be easily overcome--- once we exert the pressure required on the House and Senate; if they can’t be convinced to do what is right according to what the American people want, then the time has come to sweep the entire bunch right out of office with a new broom and a clean sweep.

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

58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763
Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell phone: 651-587-5541
E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Obstreperous citizens' movement demanding fundamental reform

Alan L. Maki — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:55:18 EDT

Dictionary definition of:

obstreperous

Main Entry: ob·strep·er·ous

Pronunciation: \əb-ˈstre-p(ə-)rəs, äb-\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Latin obstreperus, from obstrepere to clamor against, from ob- against + strepere to make a noise

Date: circa 1600

1 : marked by unruly or aggressive noisiness : clamorous

2 : stubbornly resistant to control : unruly

synonyms see vociferous

— ob·strep·er·ous·ly adverb

— ob·strep·er·ous·ness noun

From a passage in:

Obama's Grade at 100? What About Our Grade?

By: Robert Borosage

http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2009041829/obamas-grade-100-what-about-our-grade

But what Obama has been missing has been an independent, obstreperous citizens' movement demanding fundamental reform. Roosevelt had the labor movement... socialists and communists challenging him from the left. Johnson had the civil rights movement forcing his hand.

This kind of opposition isn't easy. No president likes to face disruption, particularly from what he would consider his base. There are similar stories told about both Roosevelt and Johnson meeting with leaders of the movements and saying something to the effect of, "I agree with you, now go out there and make me do it." But in reality, Roosevelt wanted to squelch and tame labor. And Johnson repeatedly ordered Hubert Humphrey to bring the civil rights demonstrations to an end, saying that they weren't helping the cause. King got a lot of pressure —to say nothing of wiretaps and FBI investigations—to get back in step.

Yet it is precisely these movements—independent, disruptive, passionate, demanding bolder reform, taking on entrenched powerful interests—that enabled Roosevelt and Johnson to achieve far more than they ever thought possible. The New Deal we remember—Social Security, the Wagner Act, Fair Labor Standards, the SEC and Glass Stegall, progressive taxation—came not in the first 100 days, but as Roosevelt, under pressure from his left, geared up for re-election. The Voting Rights Act surely would not have been passed without Selma and many other sacrifices transforming public opinion to enable Johnson to act.

The absence of these movements on the left opens dangerous space for ersatz populist movements on the right. We saw that with the tea-bag parties that the Fox News Channel huckstered. We've seen conservatives conflate the trillions going to bolster the banks with vital spending in the recovery plan to get the economy going. They are weaving a corrosive message that ties big spending in Washington with Wall Street wastrels. The country would be far better served with an angry populist movement that indicts Wall Street but demands greater support for working families and Main Street. But anyone building that movement will have to understand that they might earn respect, but they won't be loved in the White House.

An obstreperous citizens' movement demanding fundamental reform starts with education. We educate our friends neighbors and fellow workers by talking about our problems and ideas. A movement for social change requires ideas and ideology.

Suggestion: Start a Frank Marshall Davis Roundtable for Change in your neighborhood, workplace or school.

Let's talk about the politics and economics of livelihood.

Two great books by Frank Marshall Davis to get discussion going:

"Singin' the Blues, Memoir of a Black Journalist and Poet"

"Writings of Frank Marshall Davis: A Voice of the Black Press" ed. by John Edgar Tidwell; University Press of Mississippi, 2007. ISBN-10: 1578069211

Education must be part of organizing for change.

Unity is required to make us strong enough to win change.

Change requires:

Education

Organization

Unity

Action

An example of an obstreperous citizens' movement demanding fundamental reform could be built like this:

Tell Barack Obama to close down the 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil dotting the globe, stop wasting our precious resources on wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan and stop subsidizing the Israeli killing machine; and, instead, open up 800 public health care centers spread out across the United States providing free health care for everyone which will create over four-million decent, good-paying jobs... providing people with jobs creating what they need to live decent lives is the way to stimulate the economy.

Ask Barack Obama:

Where's the change?

Organize for the change we need.

Alan L. Maki

Founder,

Frank Marshall Davis Roundtable for Change

Republican politicians spend but don't pay taxes

Alan L. Maki — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:34:58 EDT

Roseau official pleads guilty to false tax return

http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/articles/?id=23155

Bemidji Pioneer
Published Monday, April 27, 2009 ROSEAU, Minn. (AP) — A Roseau County commissioner has pleaded guilty to one felony count of filing false tax returns to the state.

Alan Johnston of Warroad admitted in Roseau County Court today that he underreported income to the state for the tax years 2002 through 2006. In all, the 61-year-old did not report about $117,000 in income during that period.

District Court Judge Jeff Remick ordered Johnston to pay the state $14,541 in taxes owed, as well as 250 hours of community service and unsupervised probation.

Johnston also received a two-and-a-half year stay of adjutication, meaning if he meets the terms of his sentence he will not have a criminal record after that time.

Resolution for Single Payer Health Care (HR676)

Alan L. Maki — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:32:09 EDT

TALC Cover Letter for Resolution for Single Payer Health Care (HR676)

Troy Area Labor Council

The letter below was sent to the 491 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations of the AFL-CIO

Cover Letter in Adobe

Suggested Resolution

April 2009 SinglePayerNY Newsletter

May 1, 2009

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Beside the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, there is no issue more important to the labor movement than health care reform. We all know the havoc this issue causes at the bargaining table and the suffering millions of our fellow citizens are forced to endure because they lack insurance or are forced to file for bankruptcy because of medical bills.

While the discussion of health care reform goes on in the White House and in the Congress, unfortunately, what we are hearing from the media are mostly the voices of the insurance industry and pharmaceutical lobbies; and misguided politicians who think that the healthcare crisis can be solved by either taxing healthcare benefits or mandating that we purchase health insurance.

The labor movement is critical to rallying progressive forces in our country in order to win health care as a human right not tied to one’s economic status. Over 125 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations, 39 State AFL-CIOs, 20 International Unions and over 500 local unions have all endorsed HR 676, the “United States National Health Care Act”. This single payer healthcare legislation was re-introduced by Congressman Conyers and already has 74 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.

The Troy Area Labor Council adopted the enclosed resolution at our April meeting for submission to the AFL-CIO September Convention in Pittsburgh. Also, enclosed is a SinglePayerNewYork newsletter that includes Congressman John Conyers’ Frequently Asked Questions about HR 676.

We ask that your Labor Council join with us in submitting this or a similar resolution to this year’s AFL-CIO Convention. Please place the issue of single payer healthcare on the agenda of an upcoming meeting for consideration by your delegate body. The enclosed resolution has the requisite information for submission of a resolution by your Central Labor Council to the AFL-CIO.

In Solidarity,

Mike Keenan, President

Troy Area Labor Council

Resolution for Single Payer Health Care (HR676)

Whereas the cost and coverage of health insurance has become a major stumbling block in union contract negotiations, causing strikes, lock-outs, protracted deliberations and lower monetary offers by management.

Whereas the United States spends approximately twice as much of our gross domestic product as other developed nations on health care, yet remains the only industrialized country without universal coverage.

Whereas the U. S. health system continues to treat health care as a commodity distributed according to the ability to pay, rather than as a human right to be dispersed according to medical need.

Whereas the complex bureaucracy arising from our fragmented, for-profit, multi-payer system of healthcare financing consumes approximately 30 percent of the United States` healthcare spending.

Whereas the myriad of insurance companies and their different forms and coverage criteria force healthcare providers to hire staff solely to deal with the paperwork, further driving up costs.

Whereas more than 47 million people in the U. S. are currently without health insurance, another 40 million have inadequate coverage with high co-pays and deductibles, and many others are at risk of losing coverage.

Whereas even those insured often experience unacceptable medical debt including personal bankruptcies and sometimes life-threatening delays in obtaining health care due to coverage denials.

Whereas proposals for “consumer directed health care” would worsen this situation by penalizing the sick, discouraging prevention, and burdening many working families with huge medical bills.

Whereas managed care and other market based reforms have failed to contain health care costs, which now threaten the international competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers.

Whereas we should oppose the inclusion of private insurance companies in our health care system as their interests are counter to and often destructive of ours.

Whereas a single-payer health care program would provide an effective mechanism for controlling skyrocketing health costs while covering all Americans.

Whereas HR676 meets or exceeds the AFL-CIO Health Care for America Campaign Principles.

Whereas HR676 would end deductibles and co-payments, and provide free choice of healthcare providers to patients as well as comprehensive prescription drug coverage to all.

Whereas HR676 would save billions annually by eliminating the administrative burdens, overhead and profits of the private health insurance industry and apply those savings to expanded and improved coverage for all.

Whereas HR676 would cover every person in the U. S. for all necessary medical care including prescription drugs, hospital, surgical, outpatient services, primary and preventive care, emergency services, dental, mental health, home health care, physical therapy, rehabilitation (including for substance abuse), vision care, chiropractic and long term care.

Whereas, a January 2009 study by the California Nurses Association, AFL-CIO, showed that passage of HR676 would provide a major stimulus to the economy, create over 2.6 million new permanent good-paying jobs, boost the economy with $317 billion in increased business and public revenues, add $100 billion in employee compensation and infuse public budgets with $44 billion in new tax revenues; and concluded that the broadest economic benefits directly accrue from the actual delivery and provision of health care, not the purchase of insurance.

Whereas, HR676 has been endorsed by over 500 union organizations in 49 states including 125 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 39 State AFL-CIOs (KY, PA, CT, OH, DE, ND, WA, SC, WY, VT, FL, WI, WV, SD, NC, MO, MN, ME, AR, MD-DC, TX, IA, AZ, TN, OR, GA, OK, KS, CO, IN, AL, CA, AK, MI, MT, NE, NY, NV & MA).

Therefore be it resolved that the AFL-CIO endorses HR676, the “United States National Health Care Act”; and

Be it further resolved, that the AFL-CIO join with and support other concerned organizations in educating and mobilizing broad public and political support for single payer health care; and

Be it further resolved, that the AFL-CIO persevere for passage of single payer health care to meet the needs of our members, our families, and all America, and not endorse or support any fallback program of mandated insurance or public option plans which include the wasteful, for-profit insurance industry; and

Be it further resolved, that the AFL-CIO actively lobby the White House and Congress for passage of single payer health care; and

Be it further resolved, that the AFL-CIO help organize and financially support a “Healthcare is a Human Right” Solidarity March and Rally in Washington, DC.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

On ________________________, 2009, the delegates of __________________________________________

___________________________ approved the above resolution for submission to the AFL-CIO Convention

and is respectfully submitted to:

Secretary-Treasurer Richard L. Trumka

AFL-CIO

815 16th Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20006

Name and Title: _______________________________________________________________

Signature: _______________________________________________________________

Date: _____________________, 2009

Priorities vs. Polls

Alan L. Maki — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:15:06 EDT

Thursday, April 23, 2009 AP Poll: Americans high on Obama, direction of US Based on conversations with people I talk to I would say this poll is very accurate.

However, one important thing has to be noted: President Barack Obama has yet to receive organized criticism from the left--- those who are being hurt by his policies.

All organized criticism of Obama has come from the right; and make no mistake, Obama is a very conservative and right-wing President--- there is nothing in the least liberal, progressive or left about him no matter how many times Rush Limbaugh or Shawn Hannity call him a "socialist." Obama is clearly Wall Street's man brought in to do a very dirty job which will most likely lead to him being a one-term (or less) President.

Once the people who are having the problems, as cited below, begin to organize Obama will take severe criticism from the left; and the resulting mass movements of the people are likely to have the effect of a new broom sweeping Obama from public office and exposing the Democrats for what they really are: part of the way big-business dominates, manipulates and controls the American people in order to keep Wall Streets profits flowing into the coffers of parasitic vultures who have the high-sounding names of banker, investor and industrialist; what they do in life is live off of the labor of the working class because it is labor, with no small amount of help from Mother Nature, that creates all wealth. We work; they profit. Working people die in their wars; they profit.

There are certain things that no poll can ever consider and this one has not:

- The pain and anguish of those experiencing the death of loved ones dying in wars.

- The pain associated with being unemployed.

- The pain of being foreclosed and evicted from one's home.

- The pain of being homeless.

- The pain of hunger.

- The suffering from not having access to health care.

- The feeling which comes from being illiterate.

- Living in communities where the air, water and land is constantly being contaminated and polluted.

- The deep despair which sets in when looking about one's own community and seeing all of this.

What this poll does not tell us is how many people are living like this--- and that number is in the tens of millions... billions world-wide.

For these people to have any improvement in their lives they will, out of necessity, have to turn left for solutions to their problems.

If these people decide to throw in their lot with the teabaggers there problems will only intensify and worsen--- for some, perhaps many--- without any direction from the left--- it will probably be: live and learn.

It is to Obama's advantage to buy off as much of the middle class liberals, progressives and the left as he can in order to thwart grassroots and rank-and-file initiatives while keeping people confused by calling for hope based upon creating false illusions that the "bottom is in sight."

More and more people are beginning to understand that capitalism is on the skids to oblivion and we are all being dragged in the dark down the rough, bumpy and treacherous road to perdition and there are few exits except those to the left.

Working people need to consider--- than bring forward--- a serious progressive left-wing alternative which includes the socialist solution.

We are not talking about Barack Obama's political future and his survival; we are talking about working people and their families surviving--- something Barack Obama is not concerned with.

We need a people's agenda pushed by a people's lobby that is the voice and expression of a massive, united and militant all-people's front for real change.

No poll has ever felt the pains of hunger or the pains of war; nor has any poll ever put food on the family table, stopped unjust imperialist wars or put people back to work--- working class movements based upon unity and militant, united struggle have.

Any nation that can finance and fund more than 800 foreign military bases dotting the globe as the United States does, certainly has the wealth to do much better than it is by its own people.

What we need instead of 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil is 800 public health care centers scattered across the United States strategically placed to bring free health care to everyone.

You know, just to show how really screwed up Barack Obama's priorities really are (as if fighting three imperialist wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan isn't enough to demonstrate his criminal uncaring incompetence); Barack Obama wants to bring broadband communications into every home instead of making sure every family has access to health care first. If this doesn't reflect Obama's screwed up priorities I don't know what does.

Something to think about around the dinner table while discussing this poll...

Alan L. Maki

http://apnews.myway.com//article/20090423/D97O490O0.html

Apr 23, 6:35 AM (ET)

By RON FOURNIER and TREVOR TOMPSON

WASHINGTON (AP) - For the first time in years, more Americans than not say the country is headed in the right direction, a sign that Barack Obama has used the first 100 days of his presidency to lift the public's mood and inspire hopes for a brighter future.

Intensely worried about their personal finances and medical expenses, Americans nonetheless appear realistic about the time Obama might need to turn things around, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll. It shows most Americans consider their new president to be a strong, ethical and empathetic leader who is working to change Washington.

Nobody knows how long the honeymoon will last, but Obama has clearly transformed the yes-we-can spirit of his candidacy into a tool of governance. His ability to inspire confidence - Obama's second book is titled "The Audacity of Hope" - has thus far buffered the president against the harsh political realities of two wars, a global economic meltdown and countless domestic challenges.

"He presents a very positive outlook," said Cheryl Wetherington, 35, an independent voter who runs a chocolate shop in Gardner, Kan. "He's very well-spoken and very vocal about what direction should be taken."

Other AP-GfK findings could signal trouble for Obama:

_While there is evidence that people feel more optimistic about the economy, 65 percent said it's difficult for them and their families to get ahead. More than one-third know of a family member who recently lost a job.

_More than 90 percent of Americans consider the economy an important issue, the highest ever in AP polling.

_Nearly 80 percent believe that the rising federal debt will hurt future generations, and Obama is getting mixed reviews at best for his handling of the issue.

And yet, the percentage of Americans saying the country is headed in the right direction rose to 48 percent, up from 40 percent in February. Forty-four percent say the nation is on the wrong track.

Not since January 2004, shortly after the capture of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, has an AP survey found more "right direction" than "wrong direction" respondents. The burst of optimism didn't last long in 2004.

And it doesn't happen much.

Other than that blip five years ago, pessimism has trumped optimism in media polls since shortly after the invasion of Iraq in the spring of 2003.

The "right track" number topped "wrong direction" for a few months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, according to non-AP media polls, and for several months late in the Clinton administration.

So far, Obama has defied the odds by producing a sustained trend toward optimism. It began with his election.

In October 2008, just 17 percent said the country was headed in the right direction. After his victory, that jumped to 36 percent. It dipped a bit in December but returned to 35 percent around the time of his inauguration and has headed upward since.

Obama is keenly aware that his political prospects are directly linked to such numbers. If at the end of his term the public is no more assured that Washington is competent and accountable and that the nation is at least on the right track, his re-election prospects will be doubtful.

Obama himself has conceded as much.

"I will be held accountable," he said a few weeks into his presidency. "You know, I've got four years. ... If I don't have this done in three years, then there's going to be a one-term proposition."

The AP-GfK poll suggests that 64 percent of the public approves of Obama's job performance, down just slightly from 67 percent in February. President George W. Bush's approval ratings hovered in the high 50s after his first 100 days in office.

But Obama has become a polarizing figure, with just 24 percent of Republicans approving of his performance - down from 33 percent in February. Obama campaigned on a promise to end the party-first mind-set that breeds gridlock in Washington.

Most Americans say it's too soon to tell whether he's delivered on his promise to change Washington. But twice as many say Obama is living up to his promises as those who say he's not (30 percent to 15 percent).

Worries about losing their jobs, facing major medical expenses, seeing investments dive and paying their bills remain high among Americans, the poll shows, just slightly lower than two months ago.

Still, seven in 10 Americans say it is reasonable to expect it to take longer than a year to see the results of Obama's economic policies.

Just as many people say Obama understands the concerns of ordinary Americans and cares about "people like you."

That's a sharp contrast to Bush, who won re-election in 2004 despite the fact that 54 percent of voters on that Election Day said he cared more about large corporations than ordinary Americans.

A majority of Americans believe the Obama administration is following higher ethical standards than the Bush administration.

Most also say he's changing things about the right amount and at the right speed. But nearly a third say he's trying to change too many things too quickly.

Obama is not the first president who sought to tap the deep well of American optimism - the never-say-die spirit that Americans like to see in themselves.

Even as he briefly closed the nation's banks, Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke in the first days of his presidency of the "confidence and courage" needed to fix the U.S. economy. "Together we cannot fail," he declared.

In the malaise following Jimmy Carter's presidency, Ronald Reagan reminded people that America has always seen itself as a "shining city upon a hill," as one of its earliest leaders, John Winthrop, put it.

Obama started his presidency on a dour note, describing the U.S. economy in nearly apocalyptic terms for weeks as he pushed his $787 billion stimulus plan through Congress.

He turned the page in late February, telling a joint session of Congress and a television audience of millions: "We will rebuild. We will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before."

Of those who say the country is on the right track in the AP-GfK poll, 73 percent are Democrats, 17 percent are independents and 10 percent are Republicans.

"When Obama came in," said D.T. Brown, 39, a Mount Vernon, Ill., radio show host who voted against Obama, "it was just a breath of fresh air."

Others said their newfound optimism had nothing to do with Obama, but rather with an era of personal responsibility they believe has come with the economic meltdown.

"I think people are beginning to turn in that direction and realize that there's not always going to be somebody to catch them when things fall down," said Dwight Hageman, 66, a retired welder from Newberg, Ore., who voted against Obama.

The AP-GfK Poll was conducted April 16-20 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Media. It involved telephone interviews on landline and cell phones with 1,000 adults nationwide. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

---

Associated Press News Survey Specialist Dennis Junius and AP writer Christine Simmons contributed to this report.

---

On the Net:

Poll site: http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com

New York Times spins Rasmussen Poll finding only 53% of Americans support capitalism

Alan L. Maki — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:58:24 EDT

New York Times spins Rasmussen Poll finding only 53% of Americans support capitalism No matter how the New York Times tries to spin the Rasmussen Poll finding last Thursday that only 53% of Americans favor capitalism over socialism in spite of the most well-financed campaign of Big Lies ever concocted and waged against an idea, they are still hopelessly engaged in futile efforts to bury socialism for the umpteenth time by waging a vicious anti-communist campaign; this time aimed at creating an image for Barack Obama as they want him to appear rather than what he really is.

Also at a time when capitalism is on the skids to oblivion and many people can see through the fog (the lies of the New York Times) that we are being dragged down the dangerous, pot-holed and bumpy, curvy, short road to perdition... and we aren't on a joy ride, either.

Be it a war or creating an image for a President, the New York Times is doing what it does best: disorienting and confusing the American people with outright lies, dis-information and mis-information.

What I find very interesting is in the second article declaring Barack Obama not to be a “socialist;” but, rather, a “social democrat;” as if this is some kind of undisputed fact like the unfounded, misinformed statement that the United States has never had a Socialist Party.

This is what passes for journalism from the most preeminent newspaper publisher in the world?

I find it very strange that no one, including the New York Times, seems to be able to take Barack Obama’s word for what he calls himself: a pragmatist.

It is like no one wants to believe what Barack Obama wrote in his own essay submitted for exclusive publication to “Foreign Affairs Magazine;” the July/August 2007 Issue. Barack Obama’s essay carried the title he created: Renewing American Leadership…

< http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/62636/barack-obama/renewing-american-leadership >

This is the one and only piece of Obama’s own writing where he clearly articulates in his own words his world view and vision.

What Obama has written in this article makes immediately clear without any ambiguities that Barack Obama is neither a “socialist” nor a “social democrat.”

Clearly, Obama is from the Wall Street crowd of “pragmatists” who believe that you do whatever needs to be done to advance the corporate agenda always within the imperialist framework in quest of maximum corporate profits--- shunting aside, sometimes killing, any obstacles in the way of attaining maximum corporate profits.

The New York Times allows everyone except socialists to voice their opinions on what socialism is; and what socialism is not.

Not often, but once in awhile, the New York Times publishes the views of social democrats… although the editors at the New York Times don’t seem to appreciate the social democratic views expressed by Canada’s Jack Layton any more than the socialist views of Tony Benn.

A suggestion to the New York Times: Why not invite Barack Obama to write an essay defining himself and expounding on his world view by insisting that he state specifically what his world outlook is? Then, and only then, will we all know the answer to this much sought after question which must be of some importance since so many people want to know what Obama is; after all, it is only logical that people, not only the American people; but, people from all over the world, want to know the answer to this question because their futures’ will largely be determined by what Barack Obama and his Administration do in the hours, days, months and years ahead.

Many people, including those who most enthusiastically supported Barack Obama, are asking: Where’s the change?

Apparently, bailing out the banks and Wall Street wasn’t the change most people had in mind.

It is quite possible that people were swayed to support Barack Obama--- and now are willing to “Give Obama a chance” because so many people tried to define who Barack Obama is in so many different ways.

Maybe, just maybe, if we all hear from Barack Obama himself as to how he defines himself in terms of his world view, people can then reassess whether they are comfortable “giving Obama a chance.”

Let’s find out who Barack Obama really is from Barack Obama.

Is Barack Obama the kind of man someone representing a large constituency with a gripe can sit down and talk to, believing legitimate problems can be resolved; because, if so, I would like to talk to the guy to find out if there isn’t something that can be done about re-negotiating these “Compacts” creating the Indian Gaming Industry which has left two-million American workers employed in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights or protections under state or federal labor laws to endure the most extreme “at-will hiring, at-will firing” situation in the country, and without access to health care to boot.

I like the idea of Barack Obama that contracts are always re-negotiable based upon the circumstances... "Compacts" are contracts.

Certainly if auto contracts can be re-opened for re-negotiation there isn't any legitimate reason not to reopen the "Compacts" creating the Indian Gaming Industry to provide casino workers with the same rights and protections all other working people rely on in the United States.

As we can all see, the mobsters running the Indian Gaming Industry aren't that much different from the C.E.O.'s at A.I.G. or General Motors or Ford... and Bernie Madoff ran with them all to make deposits in the Cayman Islands.

I suppose if no one else wants to talk to Obama about what constitutes a living minimum wage based upon real cost of living factors and peace, I could talk to President Obama about these things, too.

In less than fifteen minutes I could probably convince President Obama why we need a “people’s bailout” which includes a moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions as well as the need to extend unemployment benefits from time of joblessness to reemployment.

I could probably make a pretty darn good argument to President Obama as to why we need 800 public health care centers scattered across the United States instead of financing over 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil now dotting the globe.

I wouldn’t mind talking to the guy about the benefits of socialism over capitalism, either; after all, Frank Marshall Davis--- a leading African-American Communist journalist and activist--- was his mentor for years.

Maybe President Obama would be willing to let journalists from the New York Times take in such a democratic endeavor; I know I would be all for it.

I can envision the headlines squeezed onto the obituary page of the New York Times: “Obama denies being a closet communist but meets with pissed off socialist worker.”

The New York Times likes to boast that it is the leading voice in the world for democracy.

Now that the editors at the New York Times have established that socialism is the most significant political trend in the United States and it is acknowledged that Marxists provide the main ideological critique of capitalism; isn’t it time for the New York Times to set aside space for a column for socialists to voice their views and concerns on a daily basis in response to current events, issues, problems and their solutions?

I wonder if I should wait for a phone call from the editors at the New York Times?

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

**************

New York Times

April 10, 2009, 10:30 pm

Weekend Opinionator: A Different Sort of Red America

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/weekend-opinionator-a-different-sort-of-red-america/

By Tobin Harshaw

Perhaps the most telling line in the Oxford English Dictionary’s (O.E.D.) definition of “socialism” is this one:

“The range of application of the term is broad.”

That’s something to bear in mind as we consider a much-discussed poll, released by Rasmussen on Thursday, that found that “Only 53% of American adults believe capitalism is better than socialism.” For the record, here is the primary O.E.D. definition:

A theory or system of social organization based on state or collective ownership and regulation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange for the common benefit of all members of society; advocacy or practice of such a system, esp. as a political movement. Now also: any of various systems of liberal social democracy which retain a commitment to social justice and social reform, or feature some degree of state intervention in the running of the economy.

As for Rasmussen’s definition, well, there isn’t one: “The question posed by Rasmussen Reports did not define either capitalism or socialism.”

‘Socialism’ rises in the polls — but do Americans even know what it means?

But the pollsters did point out an anomaly: “It is interesting to compare the new results to an earlier survey in which 70% of Americans prefer a free-market economy. The fact that a ‘free-market economy’ attracts substantially more support than ‘capitalism’ may suggest some skepticism about whether capitalism in the United States today relies on free markets.”

So, has the nation really drifted that far to the left, or are we simply struggling with our semantics? Plenty of folks in the blogosphere were happy to answer that question.

Steve Benen, the Political Animal, is pleased, but also sees a shifting in the lexicon.

In terms of interpreting these results, the numbers certainly aren’t what I expected, and it’s hard to know why respondents answered as they did. Perhaps “capitalism” lost some of its appeal when our economy collapsed. Maybe a lot of people heard the media connect Obama and “socialism,” and since they like the president, they figure socialism can’t be that bad. In a similar vein, if right-wing blowhards like Limbaugh keep screaming that socialism is manifestly evil, there may be some who assume the economic model must have merit.

But I was especially intrigued by the 27% who weren’t sure which was better. Talk about a sign of the times — more than one in four aren’t quite sure whether capitalism or socialism is the superior system.

Mark Thompson at the League of Ordinary Gentlemen feels his fellow conservatives have nobody to blame but themselves. “When you falsely complain that every single thing your opponents try to do is socialism and absurdly hold your bloviating, unpopular selves up as bastions of capitalism, you probably shouldn’t be surprised when people start thinking socialism doesn’t look so bad, and capitalism doesn’t look so good,” he writes. “Let the record also reflect that I, personally, remain firmly with the 53 percent; I just don’t blame the other 47 percent for thinking otherwise.”

Matt Yglesias of Think Progress feels that times have changed enough that “socialism” is “good branding”:

The whole idea is that we should put society first rather than capital, or money.

That sounds good! But in the United States we never had a Socialist Party so “socialism” was primarily associated with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics which was not at all good. But to people under 30, there’s less of that old resonance. And saying that Obama, who’s popular, is a “socialist” may simply tend to make people have warmer feelings toward the word “socialism.”

The New Republic’s John Judis seems to think the poll’s younger respondents have a better fix on things than the O.E.D.:

According to the poll, 53 percent of Americans think capitalism is preferable to socialism, while 20 percent say socialism is preferable. And among those trustworthy adults under thirty, 37 percent prefer capitalism, 33 percent socialism, and 30 percent are weighing the alternatives. What, you might ask, does this all mean? I don’t think it’s a vote for Soviet-style socialism. While Cold War conservatives did their best to identify socialism, and European social democracy, with Soviet or Cuban communism, the identification doesn’t seem to have survived the Cold War itself.

Instead, what those 30 percent of under-thirties probably mean by “socialism” is a much greater degree of government–and public–control of private corporations and of the market. That would put the United States closer, say, to Sweden, France, or Germany, but would not put it anywhere near the old Soviet Union, which tried to abolish the market itself. Most of all, I imagine, it’s an expression of extreme disillusionment with the magic of the market as preached by Republicans and some Democrats as well.

It’s also, I think, not an incorrect understanding of socialism. As a political philosophy, socialism predated Marx as any reader of “The Communist Manifesto” or of “Socialism: Utopian and Scientific” is aware. In America, too, there were Christian socialists like Walter Rauschenbusch, who was an important influence on Martin Luther King, and prairie socialists in Kansas or Oklahoma who never envisioned giving up their farms for socialism. The point that runs through all these many varieties was not collectivism, but instead the subjection of large banks and businesses to social priorities: “people before profits,” as Bill Clinton said in 1992. And that’s what those 20 percent of Americans in the Rasmussen Poll seem to be opting for.

McQ at QandO, however, sees this youthful exuberance as little more than naïveté:

As you’ll note, the older someone is, the more likely they are to understand what socialism is and how it is inferior to captialism. The under 30 crowd, with no wisdom and little practical experience outside of academia - not to mention having not yet [completely] traded their utopian fantasies for the best practical system which has been shown to work - have a large group who either believe socialism is better or just aren’t with it enough to have an opinion.

Once past 30, and having put a few years under their belt in the real world, suddenly the utopian scales begin to fall from their eyes and they have a bit of an epiphany. As for those over 40 being so strongly for capitalism, most of them remember the old USSR and how well socialism worked there.

While Dr. Steven Taylor at PoliBlog thinks we should ignore the whole thing: “Given that it is manifestly clear from recent political rhetoric that people in general have no idea what an appropriate definition of either of these terms is, it is impossible to ably interpret these results. Further, if we assume that part of the question did include the issue of which is ‘better’ we would have to know what that meant to the respondents as well. ‘Better’ at doing what?”

Others on the right, however, are alarmed. TigerHawk blames the tax code:

The percentage who approve of capitalism in this poll (53%) is very close to the percentage of the population that pays (or belongs to a family that pays) any federal income tax (as of 2006, 59%). Indeed, since the top 50% paid more than 97% of all federal income collected in 2006, it is safe to say that the proportion who support capitalism, as opposed to socialism, is almost identical in size to the percentage of Americans who earn enough actual income to pay material income taxes. While the correlation between the two groups is not perfect — no doubt there are Hollywood types, professors, and United States Representatives who both pay income taxes and profess to be socialists — it is almost certainly high. Again, it should not surprise us that the beneficiaries of socialism would support it, and the people who pay for it would prefer a system that allows them to keep more of what they produce.

And, as Kathy at Comments From Left Field points out, steveegg at Sister Toldjah blames the schools: “The worse news is that those under 30 are almost evenly divided, with 37% saying capitalism is better, 33% saying socialism is better, and 30% unsure of what they think. It is not a coincidence that the radicals of the late 1960s were entering the decision-level positions of the education establishment 30 years ago.”

Susan Duclos of Wake Up America, however, urges her compatriots to see the glass as 53 percent full:

Rasmussen headlines with “Just 53% Say Capitalism Better Than Socialism.”
In that results piece it shows that 53 percent of American’s prefer capitalism over socialism, with only 20 percent thinking socialism is preferable and 27 percent that are not sure what they believe.

Amazing they would headline with the word “just” in there when it clearly shows the majority, 53 percent, favors capitalism with a 33 percent different between the two opposite ends of the spectrum.

I don’t even count the “unsure” totals because even if you divide it straight down the middle you still have 33 percent more favoring capitalism …
Many think 53 percent is not a large enough number, but considering socialism only gets a solid 20 percent support, I say the numbers are very good indeed and people shouldn’t focus on those who are “unsure” because when capitalism is called “free market economy” that 53 percent rises considerably to 70 percent.

Dr. Helen Smith, a.k.a. Mrs. Instapundit, manages to agree with both Duclos and steveegg: “Frankly, I am amazed that so many people think that capitalism is better. That’s a good sign. Also, I wonder if most Americans, especially the younger ones could even give an adequate definition of socialism and capitalism. Perhaps they just hear the buzzword, Socialism, and say that is better, like some kind of trained parrot. No surprise there, with what they learn in many schools.”

But Jesse Taylor at Pandagon thinks that while education is a red herring, one of the right’s favorite events of the last half-century actually kicked off the trend:

What element of modern primary and secondary pedagogy over the past, say, 20 years has led our youth to believe that socialism is awesome? Actually, nothing. The real secret is that the Berlin Wall fell, which paved the way for conservatives to call everything Democrats have proposed in the interim socialism (this isn’t to say that they weren’t doing that before, but it became much easier for them to say it without the Giant Socialist Enemy Beast forcing us to duck and cover under our desks every day). I came up in a world where “socialism” was defined in popular parlance as “liberalism”. Bill Clinton, effectively a liberal Republican, was a socialist. Barack Obama, a moderate Democrat, is a socialist. There’s an actual socialist in the Senate, and yet all the Democrats in the Senate (except Ben Nelson and Evan Bayh)? Socialists.

The main people responsible for the embrace of “socialism” are the pro-capitalist conservatives who’ve so diluted its meaning that it’s okay to embrace socialism, because the majority party in the country and our tremendously popular president are socialists.

So, amid all this partisan bickering and sophistic solipsism, enter the éminence grise of Marxist historians. Writing at The Guardian (and commenting on a real crisis rather than a methodically questionable poll), Eric Hobsbawm raises a question: “Socialism has failed. Now capitalism is bankrupt. So what comes next?”
The basic idea that dominated economics and politics in the last century has patently disappeared down the plughole of history. This was the way of thinking about modern industrial economies, or for that matter any economies, in terms of two mutually exclusive opposites: capitalism or socialism.

We have lived through two practical attempts to realise these in their pure form: the centrally state-planned economies of the Soviet type and the totally unrestricted and uncontrolled free-market capitalist economy. The first broke down in the 1980s, and the European communist political systems with it. The second is breaking down before our eyes in the greatest crisis of global capitalism since the 1930s …

Impotence therefore faces both those who believe in what amounts to a pure, stateless, market capitalism, a sort of international bourgeois anarchism, and those who believe in a planned socialism uncontaminated by private profit-seeking. Both are bankrupt. The future, like the present and the past, belongs to mixed economies in which public and private are braided together in one way or another. But how? That is the problem for everybody today, but especially for people on the left.

Nobody seriously thinks of returning to the socialist systems of the Soviet type - not only because of their political faults, but also because of the increasing sluggishness and inefficiency of their economies - though this should not lead us to underestimate their impressive social and educational achievements. On the other hand, until the global free market imploded last year, even the social-democratic or other moderate left parties in the rich countries of northern capitalism and Australasia had committed themselves more and more to the success of free-market capitalism. Indeed, between the fall of the USSR and now I can think of no such party or leader denouncing capitalism as unacceptable. None were more committed to it than New Labour. In their economic policies both Tony Blair and (until October 2008) Gordon Brown could be described without real exaggeration as Thatcher in trousers. The same is true of the Democratic party in the US.

Well, that’s not very cheery. And why is it a problem primarily for the left?

You may say that’s all over now. We’re free to return to the mixed economy. The old toolbox of Labour is available again - everything up to nationalisation - so let’s just go and use the tools once again, which Labour should never have put away. But that suggests we know what to do with them. We don’t. For one thing, we don’t know how to overcome the present crisis. None of the world’s governments, central banks or international financial institutions know: they are all like a blind man trying to get out of a maze by tapping the walls with different kinds of sticks in the hope of finding the way out. For another, we underestimate how addicted governments and decision-makers still are to the free-market snorts that have made them feel so good for decades …

A progressive policy needs more than just a bigger break with the economic and moral assumptions of the past 30 years. It needs a return to the conviction that economic growth and the affluence it brings is a means and not an end.

Lovely thought, that, but it does bring up the question of what “end” we’re looking for, and we’re hardly likely to find social consensus there — call it a contradiction of Marxism. In any case, Barbara O’Brien of the Mahablog anticipates a few other criticisms Hobsbawm is likely to engender and attempts to nip them in the bud.

The True Believers of both sides will argue no, no, no, pure Marxism/Free Market Capitalism has never been tried. But “pure” anything has never been tried. That’s the reality of our human condition. Any endeavor that requires human input is never pure. It will suffer some degree of corruption. Put together people, money, and power, and corruption is a certainty. That’s why any workable, sustainable model factors in corruption and makes some provision to keep it to a minimum.

That’s what the Marxists and the Ayn Rand culties cannot understand… There has to be a way to reign in the power, to diffuse it, to oversee it and make it accountable to other power. That’s one reason the public and private sector need each other — to keep each other semi-honest.

Nicholas John Mead has similar predictions on how Hobsbawm will be received: “Many of the comments that follow his piece however take issue with his assertion that socialism has failed. The communist brand of ’socialism’ practiced in Russia wasn’t socialism at all - more a vicious state centralised authoritarianism that had little to do with true socialist ideals. The same could be said however for the type of neo-liberal capitalism we have today which has strayed so far from the principles and ideals of pure capitalism as outlined by founders such as Adam Smith that it’s almost unfair to say that capitalism has failed also.”

Another British blogger, Karl Naylor, thinks Britain might be primed for the revolution.

In many ways, Britain under New Labour has been a feeble old body politic artificially hooked up to a life support machine through the injection of capital, migrants, indeed of life from elsewhere whilst its internal organs have started to pack up.

The cosmetic changes after 1997 did nothing to reform what had been going wrong with Britain: relying on London as the dynamo sucking international capital and injecting it back out across the rest of a lame deindustrialised candyfloss economy and listless acres of legoland …

The way in which Britain has deluded itself that even if it is not an economic and political powerhouse of the global economy it can be a Global Player, with Lilliputan figures like [Foreign Secretary David] Miliband ‘positively’ demanding NATO expansion into Eastern Europe in the face of Big Bully Russia.

Where New Labour commissars, Liberal mandarins and the British Council have desperately sought to emphasise that Britain’s “cultural power” makes it fit to strut about on the World Stage and pontificate about how great it is and why the world should buy into its stupid universe of pop royalty dreck and BBC costume dramas.

The harder the crash, the better it might be for Britain. It might finally wake up to the reality of its shrunken economy, decaying political system, and overextended strategical posture and try to live within its means, as well as to just stop pontificating about the superiority of its supposedly higher ‘values’.

And O’Brien, for her part, thinks that liberals in the United States might be in a stronger position than their British counterparts.

Hobsbawm talks about recent British history, New Labour and Thatcherism. But similar things go on here (is it the almost-common language?). Our Right has effectively taken itself out of the conversation (even though it won’t shut up) because it can’t let go of its old ideologies and aphorisms that don’t work any more. I’m not sure if what passes for a “Left” here is fully cognizant of the new reality, either.

But unlike the Right, the current Left has no one economic model that we all put on an altar and worship. At least some among us are looking hard at the current reality and thinking through solutions that might work in the real world, as opposed to solutions that make good sound bites and look good on a bumper sticker.

So there you have it: the worse the crash the better off we are, good riddance to the altar of free-market capitalism, and we’re now following blind men in mazes. The stock market may be rallying, but it doesn’t seem helping us shape the economy, or the socio-economic ideologies of tomorrow.

**************************

New York Times

Opinionator

March 10, 2009, 12:45 pm

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/obama-is-a-social-democrat-not-a-socialist/

Obama is a Social Democrat, Not a Socialist

By Eric Etheridge

Yesterday at Balkinization, Andrew Koppelman published a lengthy post on the issue of whether Barack Obama is a socialist, the charge that many are now hurling at him. Via a long historical review of left political responses to capitalism, Koppelman argues that “Obama properly belongs in a specific anti-socialist movement on the left, Social Democracy, which accepts a capitalist economy but demands a strong state to moderate its failures and excesses.”

Social Democracy aims to deploy the state for two central purposes. One is to correct capitalism’s operational failures, where capitalism wastes wealth instead of producing it. The current market collapse is an example: many well-functioning businesses that were competently producing goods and services have been destroyed, in a spreading cycle of depression. Obama’s stimulus measures and bank bailouts aim to stop this downward spiral.

The other big aim of Social Democracy – and this is what the accusation of “socialism” is really about - is to ameliorate the market’s distributive consequences by spreading around the wealth that capitalism produces. That was Obama’s big theme in his campaign, before the economic crisis hit, and it is embodied in his tax and health care reforms. The second aim of Social Democracy is more controversial than the first. Bush and McCain were both willing to do whatever was necessary to keep the recession from becoming a depression, but neither had any interest in redistributing wealth.

Having fixed Obama’s position vis-a-vis the market and government, Koppelman then tries to do the same for Obama’s opponents:

So the real question isn’t socialism, because Obama isn’t a socialist. The question is Social Democracy. And to see what this question involves, we have to contemplate the alternative – a government that gives the market its head, and does not intervene to ameliorate its systemic or distributive consequences. That minimal government is what is implied by the denunciation of any government intervention as “socialism.”

Who is drawn to this vision of minimal government? In contemporary American politics, its proponents fall into two broad camps. . . .

One view holds that whatever an unregulated market produces is appropriate. There is no external standard to judge what the market produces. It is itself the standard for distributive justice. Those who take this position understand that an unregulated market will produce booms and busts, and will leave some people impoverished. But they can live with that. It’s a heartless view, and the most one can say by way of excuse is that its proponents are so enchanted with the market’s undoubted virtues that they find it hard to focus on anything else. Call them Market Fetishists. . . .

Not all opponents of Social Democracy are Market Fetishists, though. Some of them care about the same things that Social Democrats care about. They want all Americans to have a decent standard of living. They don’t like children going without health care, or urban schools falling apart, or people starving. But they think that these conditions can be ameliorated without massive government programs. . . . Call them Sentimental Fools.

The Republican Party today, at least with respect to economic policy, is a coalition of Market Fetishists and Sentimental Fools. Bush was an incoherent combination of both. . . . A notable mongrel is Bush’s prescription drug insurance plan, which was straight Social Democracy, but which as administered, in Market Fetishist fashion, told its beneficiaries to navigate through complex insurance markets with no help from the state. . . .

There is a legitimate place for a conservative party that is suspicious of social programs. Social Democracy has characteristic pathologies of its own: programs become entrenched beyond their usefulness, develop rent-seeking constituents, and so can become a wasteful and counterproductive burden on the economy. So its measures need shrewd and skeptical critics. The hypothesis that this or that area of the economy ought to be returned to market control is always worth considering. Who mourns the abolition of the Civil Aeronautics Board, which artificially raised airfares for years? Who can responsibly support farm subsidies? But these criticisms amount to tinkering with the Social Democrat program rather than abolishing it.

The Market Fetishists dare not allow their views to be fully understood, because the consequences would be so cruel that most of the country would not stand for them. That is why they need the Sentimental Fools to cloak them with a patina of reasonableness. To the extent that the Sentimental Fools shrink from dismantling the regulatory state, the Republican party is as “socialist” as Obama. They are simply haggling about how much regulation is appropriate. To whatever extent Obama is a socialist, we are all socialists now.

************

Alan L. Maki
58891 County Road 13
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Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell phone: 651-587-5541
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An open letter to President Barack Obama from Sidney J. Gluck

Alan L. Maki — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:04:14 EDT

Dear Colleagues,

Attached is an open letter to President Barack Obama.

I don't know whether you agree with my point of view or not; but I am functioning out of the feeling that the negative aspects of capitalism are becoming obvious to people all around the world regardless of class positions, that understanding its avaricious nature brings them closer to Marx's analysis of the system which all of you can read his seminal word on "Capital." Chapter 26 which deals with the law of capitalist accumulation will give you the prototype of which the USA's capitalism is the arch example of its worst (together with the British who started out but are following along with the USA).

Globalization is a mess and everyone knows that the USA has created more poverty with its capital investments than existed before the global expansion. We know that formal colonial countries are seeing through this domination and are moving in directions which reject the control of foreign capital in their own developments. WE ARE LIVING IN A CENTURY OF EPOCHAL CHANGE. Our hope is that the change which is now developing in the form of a bipolar economic structure will continue to redevelop economies technologically and sustainably. We hope too that the ultimate resolution of differences between the double-structured world economic system will not be resolved by warfare. That is the most important struggle we must be involved with. A peaceful acceptance of epochal change and the survival of all in a better world.

Sincerely,

Sidney J. Gluck

Dear President Obama,

The world economic crisis sparked by the financial sector of our country has put the capitalist system on a defensive more openly than any other time in history. I am one of many who strongly supported your candidacy based on your vocalization of much of what we felt had to be changed in our country to make it more livable for those of us who produce the wealth and intellectual atmosphere.

You are facing the sharpest attack from the ranks of the Republican Party. We all admire your diplomatic ability to deal with those who disagree with you; but, the time has come when you must take an ideological position in order to clarify the issues involved in building a new type of economic structure in the country. This means that the dominance of the financial institutions in the political decisions affecting the majority must be defended openly against misrepresentations and manipulations which we all now know come from the unsupported defense of government that gives primacy to capital accumulation whether it be finance capital or industrial capital.

You do not have to embrace socialism. That is not the ideological position that put you in power. You were put in the White House with a promise to govern in the name of the working majority. True, you would like to have support from all sections of political and economic forces, but YOU WILL NOT GET IT.

If you continue to move along supporting the program of the financial circles in our country, your presidency is DOOMED. Listen to the needs of the majority and cater to it.

You can announce openly that you are not for socialism but you are for correcting the ills of the capitalist system and to relinquish domination of other countries allowing them to move independently as their people desire.

The Republican Party is pressing for the continuation of the kind of economic distortions that has dragged the world down. Openly facing this fact will help you reshape our country’s goals.

We are in an epoch of change. We must remove barriers and encourage each nation to resolve their day to day problems created by greed and distorted wealth accumulation. It does not make you a socialist to talk for Main Street but they need a spokesman in high places that will act for them.

You are in an enviable yet complicated position. Exposing the negative effect of unregulated finance capital which dominates humanity today would memorialize you for the next thousand years. The Bush Administration preempted the first move to deal with the economic crisis by bailing out the perpetrators who squandered every cent in bonuses and bashes. You are now faced with additional steps to bail out the industrial capitalists who have the responsibility of reshaping these enterprises into a new technological and green economy whose purpose is to raise the living standards of all.

The fulfillment of your promises requires that you take an ideological position. You will go down in history as having broken the racial barrier but it will end at that if you continue to be consumed by the economic crisis. OUR SYSTEM NEEDS CHANGE. Do what you can within that system. This means openly opposing the Republican Party’s program already on the road to capturing the presidency and congress in 2010 before they bring us further down. Don’t let them bully you with the “socialist” label.

The ball is in your court to change the situation. In your most diplomatic way you must take an ideological position to correct the problems of the system as you promised and restore true democracy which favors the needs of the majority.

Sincerely,

Sidney J. Gluck

Building a new era of justice and peace

Alan L. Maki — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:37:10 EDT

The United States has 800 military bases on foreign soil... What we need--- instead--- is 800 public health care centers spread out across the United States where people can universally access, for free, all their health care needs from pre-natal care, to general health care to eye, dental and mental care right through to burial.

Instead of moving in this progressive direction, President Barack Obama and the United States Congress are moving in a most reactionary direction towards establishing military bases in outer space as they seek to insure the profits of both the merchants of death and destruction and the profit-driven health care industries... talk about skewed priorities and your wacky ideas which will execerbate the problems surrounding the failing capitalist economy, and ideas devoid of common sense.

In addition to these 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil, Barack Obama and the United States Congress continue funding--- with our tax-dollars--- the Israeli killing machine to the tune of tens of billions of dollars. Where is the "change?"

This is the change Americans want, and the change we need:

A network of 800 public health care centers spread out across the United States would create over four-million good-paying, decent jobs--- talk about your "economic stimulus" package!

We would be redistributing the wealth as we are planting the seeds of socialism while helping to eradicate poverty by keeping people healthy and getting them well when sick.

Think about this kind of solution in relation to what Barack Obama, the U.S. Congress and the Wall Street bankers and coupon clippers are offering the American people, and the peoples of the world... just what is the reason for bailing out the banks and AIG and maintaining more than 800 expensive U.S. military bases of foreign soil?

The Mt. Carmel Clinic in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada offers us a glimpse at what militarization and wars continue to rob us of.

The problems created by Wall Street will not be solved as long as the military-financial-industrial complex is allowed to squander human and natural resources on militarism and wars... we might just as well be dumping these resources out into the ocean... at least no one would die in wars.

These merchants of death and destruction must be stopped if humanity is to survive in a livable world.

The time has come to talk about working class Marxist politics and the economics of livelihood... capitalism has failed humanity miserably and left us a real mess to clean up.

Capitalism is on the skids to oblivion and unless we take a "left turn" we will continue down this road to perdition.

Something for working people to think about and discuss around the dinner table... the capitalist sooth-Sayers certainly are not going to broach such solutions to the problems of working people as they hide behind the skirt of Rosy Scenario as this global capitalist economic depression intensifies while wars rage on.

The times and conditions call for "building a new era of justice and peace;" this is one step in that direction; this is the change the American people voted for.

Alan L. Maki

Founder,

Frank Marshall Davis Roundtable for Change

Fed Chief's Boyhood Home Is Sold After Foreclosure

Alan L. Maki — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:13:48 EDT

Mr. Michael Phillips, Journalist for the Wall Street Journal;

I have some questions about this article (included below in full) you wrote in the Wall Street Journal:

(Note: To see photos and slideshow click on link)

Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123454070638883495.html

Fed Chief's Boyhood Home Is Sold After Foreclosure

First, how much, in total, did Mr. Thompson have into this home with principal, interests, fees and costs?

Second, did you attempt to find out if the mortgage holder attempted to offer Mr. Thompson and/or Ms. Rogers the home on the terms that it was sold to the banker, Mr. Jackson, for?

It seems to me you have a perfect example of the problems confronting people in terms of foreclosures here and you didn’t follow through with all the facts and draw the proper conclusions.

Would Mr. Thompson and Ms. Rogers have been able to hold on to their home if they would have been extended the same terms under which Mr. Jackson purchased this home?

I find it rather bizarre, for lack of a more appropriate word, that this mortgage holder would be willing to kick someone out of a home they have quite an investment in and then turn around and sell the same home for $40,000.00 less than what Mr. Thompson/Ms. Jackson paid for it.

How much did Mr. Thompson initially put down on this house?

What are the terms of Mr. Jackson’s mortgage?

How much did Mr. Jackson put up as a down payment on this house?

How much is the interest rate Mr. Jackson is paying?

What are Mr. Jackson’s monthly payments? (I assume his payments are substantially less than Mr. Thompson’s/Ms. Roger’s payments were?)

I am very confused here why you would provide some specifics concerning the history of this house and not follow through to the conclusion. By providing the American people with greater insight as to exactly what is going on people could better understand what kind of solutions are required.

Also, would Barack Obama’s “foreclosure” legislation have saved Mr. Thompson and Ms. Rogers their home, given their circumstances?

Again, we have a perfect example here in how you begin this story but it is like you leave us without a proper conclusion given the economic mess we are in--- of which the housing market is one of the primary problems… not the primary cause of this economic crisis; but, certainly, one of the most important aspects of this economic crisis.

I am curious about another aspect of this problem that might be related in a way to the “bailouts.”

Could you tell me if the mortgage company holding the deed to this house at the time it was foreclosed on was insured by AIG--- or one of its subsidiaries--- or a similar institution to protect itself from losses associated with foreclosures?

Thanking you in advance for your attention to my concerns and questions,

Alan L. Maki

By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS

DILLON, S.C. -- Travis Jackson walks through his modest ranch house, admiring the kitchen's built-in spice rack and the red-oak floors. He draws back the curtains, and sunlight illuminates the pride on his face.

The young banker just bought Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's childhood home at a foreclosure sale.

"This is where it all happened," marvels Mr. Jackson, a 27-year-old loan officer at First Citizens Bancorp, which is down the street from the old Bernanke place. "Kind of a surreal feeling, isn't it?"

Mr. Bernanke's family sold the property more than a decade ago. It ended up on the block late last year after its former owners fell behind on their mortgage payments.

The small town that gave the Fed its chairman is suffering more than most from the financial and economic crisis he's struggling to fix. Already hit by the long decline of the local tobacco and textile industries, Dillon County is facing a fresh assault of plant closings and layoffs that have pushed its unemployment rate to 14.2% -- almost double the national average. A foreclosure wave that began in mobile-home parks is spreading to more-established neighborhoods.

Mohawk Industries has shuttered a plant that made yarn for carpeting and employed 137 people. Wix Manufacturing, a unit of Affinia Group Inc., has cut hours and a few jobs at its automotive-filter factory. Smurfit-Stone Container Corp., which makes corrugated-cardboard packaging in nearby Latta, filed for bankruptcy protection last month.

Discuss

· How has the recession impacted your area?

In an interview, Mr. Bernanke declined to speak publicly about the fate of his hometown or boyhood home, which is set amid tall, scraggly pines on East Jefferson St. "We believe that getting the credit markets going, getting banks lending again, increasing the demand for all products -- including those made in Dillon -- are part of economic recovery," he said. "That's what the Fed's trying to do."

Mr. Bernanke's grandfather Jonas, a pharmacist, opened Jay Bee Drug Co. on Main St. in 1941. His father, Philip, and uncle, Mortimer, eventually bought the drug store and became admired figures in the community, famous for their personal touch with customers.

Ben Bernanke, now 55 years old, was known around town as brainy and diligent. He played saxophone in the Dillon High School marching band and graduated at the top of his class in 1971. Before heading off to Harvard University, he worked construction on a new hospital going up in town. He spent summers waiting tables at the Sombrero Room at South of the Border, a Mexican-themed collection of souvenir stores, rides and restaurants just outside of town.

Ben Bernanke's old house in Dillon, S.C., recently sold for $83,000.

Richard Schafer, head of the family that owns the roadside attraction, says revenue at the theme park today is off more than 10% from pre-recession rates, the roughest patch since the 1973 oil crisis. "People are losing their home and jobs, and they're not traveling as much," says Mr. Schafer, 59, who attended synagogue with the Bernankes before converting to Presbyterianism. He wishes he'd kept a photo of young Mr. Bernanke in the yellow, green and red poncho-like serape that waiters wore in the old days. "I'd probably get some economic-bailout money if I did," says Mr. Schafer.

During the presidential campaign, then-candidate Barack Obama twice visited Dillon to highlight the desperate state of its schools. Once he went to Mr. Bernanke's junior high, a century-old building whose auditorium has been condemned as unsafe. Another time Mr. Obama went to Dillon High School, Mr. Bernanke's alma mater, where some 40% of those who start ninth grade drop out before graduating.

Every morning, Lynda Cottingham, Dillon's 60-year-old high-school principal, and her husband, David, pray together for Mr. Bernanke and President Obama. "Lord grant them wisdom to make good decisions," Mrs. Cottingham recalls praying recently.

Mr. Cottingham, 62, runs a business brokerage out of a building that was the final home of Jay Bee pharmacy before the Bernanke brothers sold it. "Ben Bernanke used to walk right in that door," Mr. Cottingham says with satisfaction.

These days Mr. Cottingham gets a regular flow of middle-aged executives who have been laid off and want to purchase a business because they can't find a job. Financing is tight, even when buyers and sellers are willing. "I just can't imagine the kind of pressure he's under," Mr. Cottingham says of Mr. Bernanke. "It's not just the U.S.; he's got the burden of the entire world on his shoulders."

Mr. Bernanke's 80-year-old uncle, Mort, the only Bernanke still living in Dillon, continues to run his small company selling oxygen tanks, hospital beds and other medical equipment. He figures his personal investments have lost 35% of their value. "At my age for that to happen is a terrible thing," he says.

That's not a criticism of his nephew, however. "He can stand on his head, but he can't do any wrong in this town," Mort Bernanke says.

On Sept. 1, 2006, seven months after Mr. Bernanke became chairman of the Fed -- previously he was a member of the Fed Board of Governors -- Dillon celebrated their favorite son on Ben Bernanke Day. Two dozen residents ate breakfast with Mr. Bernanke at the Kintyre House, a pub-restaurant located in the building that housed the original Jay Bee store. (The restaurant still displays a photo of the Fed chairman going through the buffet line, choosing from among the hash, sausage, eggs and canned fruit.)

Later in the day, some 700 people, almost 10% of Dillon's population, gathered in front of the county courthouse. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford presented Mr. Bernanke with the Order of the Palmetto, the state's highest honor, and Mr. Bernanke reminisced about the lessons of a Dillon childhood.

"I remember the fellow construction worker who wanted to become foreman someday and a waitress who was saving to go to college," Mr. Bernanke told the crowd. "I was impressed by these experiences. And I think they were an important reason I went into economics, which a great economist once called the study of people in the ordinary business of life."

Among those breakfasting with the guest of honor was Charlie Vance, senior vice president of First Bank on Main St. His Troy, N.C.-based bank, a three-state institution with roughly $3 billion in assets, received $65 million from the government's Troubled Asset Relief Program. In Dillon, however, more capital hasn't led to more lending, says Mr. Vance, 61, who says he used to be the senior Bernankes' banker.

"The scary thing is nothing seems to be working," he says.

Hoping for the best, Dillon County has secured rights to 2,400 acres to locate new manufacturers who might appear in the future. "Dillon is still a great place to live," says Mayor Todd Davis, 44, an insurance agent and financial adviser who says he counted Mr. Bernanke's parents among his clients. "It's a great place to raise a family."

In 1945, Mr. Bernanke's grandparents, Jonas and Pauline -- the latter a University of Vienna-trained physician -- bought the land on East Jefferson Street for $750. Four years later, they built a single-story brick house on the property. The couple then sold the place to Mr. Bernanke's father, Philip, in 1960 for $22,000. Ben and his two siblings were raised there.

In 1976, Philip deeded the property for $1 to his wife, Edna, "for and in consideration of the love and affection" he felt for her, according to county records.

Two decades later, the Bernankes sold the house to a couple from Texas for $72,500 and moved to North Carolina. In September, 2006, the Texans put the house on the market. It caught the eye of Spec. Dwayne Thompson, a soldier in the South Carolina Army National Guard, and Sharon Rogers, his former wife with whom he had reconciled, but not remarried.

Spec. Thompson, who grew up in Dillon, remembers as a kid buying peppermints for himself and hair-care products for his mother at the Bernankes' store. Unaware that the house had a Bernanke connection, however, the couple saw it simply as a chance to "upgrade and get something better, the American dream," says Spec. Thompson, 47. The 2,383-square foot home has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, with a large car port. "It was big, spacious, downtown," says Ms. Rogers, 42, now an assistant manager at a Wal-Mart store.

Landmark Mortgage, a Dillon finance company, gave the couple a 10.1%, 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, well above the rate for a prime loan. Their payments on the $123,000 mortgage came to $1,088 a month, including principal and interest. Landmark transferred the couple's loan to Option One Mortgage Corp., then a unit of H&R Block Inc., which packaged it with other mortgages into an $818 million security.

Back then, Landmark's owner, Kelly Hayes, had six employees and plenty of work to keep them busy. These days Mr. Hayes, 40, works alone and struggles to find creditworthy borrowers. "I have to go through 10 or 12 applications before I can find one qualified to buy a $70,000 house," says Mr. Hayes, who keeps an autographed copy of the Ben Bernanke Day program behind his desk along with his own family photos.

A few months after the sale closed in early 2007, Ms. Rogers lost her job managing a shoe store. The factory where Spec. Thompson worked when not on National Guard duty cut back his hours. The couple fell behind on their payments, and, under financial strain, broke up again last June. Twenty-one months after they bought the house, the bank that served as trustee for the mortgage-backed security began foreclosure proceedings.

"I kept trying to pay," says Spec. Thompson. "I've never been under that kind of stress, living paycheck to paycheck, and it still wasn't enough." As he was losing his house, he volunteered to go on active duty with the Army because it paid more than his factory job. Last month, Mr. Thompson filed for personal bankruptcy.

He sympathizes with Ben Bernanke. "I know things gotta be pretty rough for him right now," he says.

In December, Mr. Jackson, the young banker, and his girlfriend, Beth Webster, a 25-year-old high school teacher, bought the Bernanke house from the bank for $83,000. Mr. Jackson grew up a block away; he can see his parents' home from his new master-bedroom window. Both he and Ms. Webster are devout Christians. They don't plan to live together in the house until they marry, an as yet unscheduled event.

Mr. Jackson, who started his career at the teller's window, jumped at the chance to own a piece of economic history. Aside from some minor redecorating, he wants to keep the house much as it was when Ben Bernanke lived there. Someday he'd like to put up a plaque noting its significance.

"It's just a great sense of pride to know that one of the greatest leaders we have in our time period walked the same floors I walk," says Mr. Jackson. "It's just sheer excitement."

Write to Michael M. Phillips at michael.phillips@wsj.com

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A1

Alan L. Maki

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A New Era Begins... will this "era" belong to Wall Street or the working people?

Alan L. Maki — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:15:50 EST

Honoring Ohio’s unsung heroes of 2008 elections

From: People's Weekly World Newspaper, 02/12/09 17:32; The People's Weekly World isa publication of the Communist Party USA

Speaking to scores of activists in labor, community, farm, retiree and other progressive movements at events in three Ohio cities, Sam Webb, national chairman of the Communist Party USA, called for all out grassroots efforts to realize the potential for progressive change brought about by the November elections.

The events in Cleveland, Columbus and Ashtabula were sponsored by the People’s Weekly World newspaper. In Cleveland and Columbus the paper presented Distinguished Service Awards to Unsung Heroes of the November Elections including Joe Rugola, president of the Ohio AFL-CIO, Harriet Applegate, executive secretary of the North Shore (Cleveland area) AFL-CIO, Mary Keith, president of Ohio ACORN, and Barbara Clark, president of Columbus ACORN.

The honorees were chosen, Ohio PWW Correspondent Rick Nagin said, because of the critical but generally unrecognized role of organized labor and grassroots voter registration efforts in winning Ohio for Barack Obama. The labor movement, through its massive outreach to members, retirees, their families and affiliated groups, he said, accounted for 40 percent of Obama’s votes in Ohio, while ACORN was responsible for registering 250,000 of the new voters in the election, which Obama won by a margin of 220,000.

In his speeches, Webb said Obama “is more than a friend to working people. He is a people’s advocate” and said the election brought “joy and relief” to Americans and people throughout the world who are celebrating “the end of 30 years of right-wing extremism.”

He said Obama’s achievements in just the first weeks of office were astounding including orders to close Guantanamo and end policies of torture, the signing of the Lilly Ledbetter bill to allow workers to recover damages for job discrimination, the rescinding of anti-labor rules enacted by the Bush administration, the setting of new car emission standards, the expansion of children’s health coverage and the economic stimulus package.

“We must rally around the good decisions,” Webb said, noting that much more was needed for economic recovery and that the crisis actually calls for fundamental restructuring of the capitalist economy. This means serious consideration must be given to such things as nationalization of the energy complex and the financial corporations and national health care.

Immediate action, he said, is needed to get the initial stimulus package passed in Congress. Approval of the nomination of Rep. Hilda Solis as labor secretary is “the opening gun in the fight for the Employee Free Choice Act,” which would allow workers to organize unions without fear of employer retaliation.

Immediate action is also needed, he said, to stem the epidemic of home foreclosures. Webb hailed the call by Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur that people facing foreclosure should squat in their homes and “get a good lawyer,” since the “slicing and dicing” of mortgages “in outrageous Ponzi schemes” makes it impossible in many cases to determine who the actual mortgage holder is.

Webb also urged immediate action to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Continuation of these wars,” he said, “would derail everything Obama is trying to achieve, just as the Vietnam War derailed the War on Poverty and the Great Society social programs of President
Lyndon Johnson.”

The full text of Sam Webb’s speech below posted to encourage dialogue, discussion and debate

Sam Webb, Chair of the Communist Party USA was a participant in the powerful labor led people's coalition which elected Barack Obama. Webb states his controversial views concerning the struggle ahead.

A New Era Begins

First published 02/06/2009

By Sam Webb, National Chair, CPUSA

(From a speech delivered at a Peoples Weekly World forum in Cleveland, Ohio, January 31, 2009 [see article above])

I was standing on the Washington Mall on Inauguration Day, alongside nearly two million other people, and proudly watched the first African American take the oath of office in our nation’s history. That alone made the day deeply memorable, joyful, and historic. But I couldn’t help but think – and I’m sure that millions of others had the same thought – that the transfer of power from Bush to President Obama not only tore down a barrier that once was thought near impenetrable, but also signified the fading away of one era and the beginning of another.

It was hard not to think on that cold day in our nation’s capital that the worst of the past 30 years of right-wing extremist rule is behind us and that an era of progressive change is within reach, no longer an idle dream.

Just look at the new lay of the land: a friend of labor and its allies sits in the White House. Larger Democratic majorities control Congress. A feeling of renewal and hope is in the air. Public opinion polls show a high favorability rating for our new President. And the labor and people’s movement that was so instrumental to the election’s outcome, after a short holiday pause, is off and running.

Meanwhile, the Republican Party, notwithstanding its efforts to distance itself from arguably the worst president in our history, is on the defensive. Its grassroots constituency is dispirited. And, its governing philosophy of “free markets”, minimal government, fear, and division, and especially racist division, is discredited.

Now no one expects that the going will be easy in the coming months and years. There is, after all, eight years of extreme right-wing misrule to clean up. The multinational corporations and banks haven’t gone into hibernation. Right-wing Republicans, while badly weakened, still retain enough influence in Congress and elsewhere to block or slow down progressive measures. And the challenges facing the Obama administration are immense, and none more than the economic crisis.

If there were such a thing as an economic tsunami, I would say we are experiencing it. Not since the Great Depression has the economy been in such bad shape, which leads many economists to predict that the downturn will be L-shaped, that is, deep and prolonged.

Furthermore, the economic contraction is worldwide. No country or region will escape its pain and long reach. Nor can any national economy, ours included, hope to make a full recovery without global coordination and cooperation. In an integrated global economy, we either swim together or sink together.

Financialization – two-edged sword

While the present economic turbulence was triggered by the collapse of the housing markets over the past two years, its underlying cause goes back to the mid-1970s.

At that time U.S. economy was rocked to its core by the interweaving of seemingly stubborn and contradictory economic problems: high inflation and unemployment, declining confidence in the dollar as a means of international payment, new competitive rivals in Europe and Asia, and a falling profit rate, all of which occurred in the context of overproduction in world commodity markets. “Stagflation” was the term coined to describe this contradictory phenomenon.

Faced with this unraveling of the economy and a crisis of profitability, then-chairman of the Federal Reserve Paul Volcker stepped into the breech and pushed up interest rates to near 20 percent. This spike in interest rates threw the country into a deep recession, sending unemployment rates to the highest level since the Great Depression, forcing the closing of scores of manufacturing plants and a great number of family farms, laying waste to cities and whole regions, and bringing incredible hardship to the working class, and especially African-American, Latino and other racial minorities and women workers.

The rate hike also opened the door for a many-sided attack on labor and its allies, the likes of which hadn’t been seen since the pre-Depression era. Wage and benefit concessions were demanded. New labor saving techniques and computerization invaded the workplace. Rules governing seniority, job classifications, line speed, and safety were either eliminated or routinely violated. And, the relocation of production to non-union and offshore sites became standard fare.

If we thought this was only done to dramatically increase the corporate share of the value that workers create in the production process relative to what they receive, we would be wrong. It was also motivated by the overarching desire of corporate capital to cripple the social power of the labor movement and disrupt its alliance with its most durable and powerful ally—the African American people.

Now we can’t leave it at this, because, in addition to the working class and its allies taking a pounding, there is another side to this intricate story—Volcker’s interest rate spike also wrung inflation out of the economy, restored confidence in the U.S. dollar in international money markets, and, especially important to us, redirected domestic and foreign investment capital (and there was plenty of it), abruptly and massively from the “real” economy—auto, steel, machine tool, construction, and so on—into financial channels and speculative ventures where returns were markedly higher.

Once in financial channels, money/speculative capital stayed there, but it did not sit on its hands. Its financial agents (banks, investment houses, hedge funds, private equity firms, mutual funds, and so on) intent on expanding their profits in an increasingly toothless regulatory environment raced at breakneck speed into a massive buying and selling and borrowing and spending speculative spree for the next three decades. And all this led to an explosion of the financial sector in terms of employment, transactions, and profits. Nearly 40 percent of corporate profits came from this sector in the early years of this decade – not to mention the salaries, bonuses, stock options, and dividends of Wall Street insiders.

Capital that produces little, destroys much

If this transformation of the U.S. economy into a speculative casino run by the “masters of the universe,” hunkered down on Wall Street, has its roots in the unraveling of the U.S. economy three decades ago, what greased the skids during this period was the production and easy availability, seemingly without end, of staggering amounts of debt—corporate, consumer and government.

Debt is as old as capitalism. But what is different in recent decades is that the production of debt and the accompanying speculative excesses and bubbles were not simply passing moments at the end of the business cycle, but essential to evolution, interrelations, and functioning of the overall economy.

Without the massive piling up of debt and speculative bubbles first in Internet technology, then in the stock market, and most recently, in housing, engineered by the Wall Street/Washington complex, the performance of the U.S. and world economy would have been far, far worse.

But, as we are painfully learning, turning our economy into a financial casino built on the pileup of massive amounts of debt and bubbles that eventually burst is a two-edged sword. While it stimulates the economy, restores profitability and enriches the corporate class on a scale never seen, it also introduces enormous instability, economic insecurity, income inequality, and imbalances and distortions into the arteries and structure of the U.S. and world economy.

In other words, the growth of the financial sector and bubble-driven economics were an unstable, bloodsucking, leech-like, and temporary fix for a sluggish, underperforming economy and the vehicle for the financial titans of U.S. capitalism to reassert their power.

But as events have shown, it could not forever mask and compensate for stagnation tendencies, declining income of working people, and the shrinkage of the material goods sector of the economy. In fact, its remedy of rerouting capital into finance and turning the financial sector and speculation into the main dynamo of the U.S. and global economy only served to postpone the crisis to a later day and, in doing so, assured that it would be on a much broader scale as we now see.

A Wal-Mart economy of low wages, even when combined with financial speculation and massive debt creation is unsustainable and eventually erupts into crisis. At some point, the chickens do come home to roost.

None of this, however, could have happened without the political ascendancy of the right-wing extremism 30 years ago. If Volcker struck the first blow in 1979, it was the Reagan administration, entering the White House shortly thereafter, and then successive administrations that were the decisive ideological and political/practical agent of this reorientation of the economy, upheaval in class relations, and current economic mess.

Reaganites – main agents of neoliberalism

At the ideological level, the Reaganites said that government is best that governs least, that markets are self-correcting and efficient; that vast income inequality is a good thing, that deregulation and privatization are the best cures for what ails the economy and the “welfare state,” and that tax cuts for the wealthy trickle down to working people and lift all boats.

But the Reaganites didn’t stop here. At the political-economic level, they dismantled the model of economic governance at the state and corporate level, a model that had its origins in the New Deal and then was expanded on by successive administrations in the next three decades. The previous model rested on a measure of class compromise, social benefits for the unemployed, the elderly, the young and the sick, a legal environment favorable to union organizing, the removal of discriminatory barriers to equality, the expansion of democratic rights, and expansive fiscal and monetary polices at the federal level that favored broadly shared prosperity.

In its place, the Reaganites built another model of governance popularly called neoliberalism. If Roosevelt’s New Deal favored working people, then Reagan’s Raw Deal stripped working people of income and rights, turned racism and other forms of discrimination into an instrument of practical politics and ideological mystification, and provided a feast of riches to the wealthiest corporations and families.

It was no accident that the first actions of the Reagan administration were to bust PATCO (the air-traffic controllers union), endorse the interest rate hikes of Volcker, and cut taxes for the wealthiest families and corporations. This two-bit actor turned the agencies of government that were established to protect labor, civil, and other rights into attack dogs against these very same rights.

Neoliberalism, combined with an increased readiness to project military power globally, was designed to strengthen in a qualitative way the position of U.S. capitalism at home and abroad. But, as is said, the best laid plans of mice and men often come to naught, at least in the long run.

If I could sum up before moving on, the present economic crisis cannot be simply laid on the doorstep of the sub-prime leading crisis. Instead it was the result of the interweaving of a short-term cyclical crisis of the economy, especially in housing, with a longer term crisis of overproduction (too many commodities and too little purchasing power) and over accumulation (too much surplus value and too few ways to absorb it profitably), and the political ascendancy of the extreme right, dating back three decades.

It may go without saying, but the crisis in its short- and long-term form were driven by the system's built-in objective of amassing maximum corporate profits and power through wage exploitation (the process by which a sizeable portion of the values that workers create in the labor process are appropriated by the capitalist class) and the dispossession (usually coerced) of people’s collective possessions (for example, social security) and rights, domestically and internationally.

A new New Deal

Given this situation, the Obama administration faces daunting challenges. Nevertheless, the new President, in my view, is off to a quick start. In less than two weeks he has:

Issued an order to close Guantanamo prison and end torture - a practice that stains our image, violates our constitution, and endangers our troops in the field.

Signed the Lilly Ledbetter bill that would give much greater scope to workers’ discrimination claims as well as a bill that would extend health care to millions of children.

Released funds to clinics that serve women’s heath care needs in developing countries.

Expressed support for higher fuel efficiency standards for motor vehicles—something the United Autoworkers Union (UAW) also supports.

Opened up a greatly needed dialogue with the Muslim and Arab world.

Dispatched George Mitchell to the Middle East in hopes of mediating the Palestinian-Israeli conflict—a conflict that cannot be solved by military means, but only by negotiation between the Israeli government and the representatives of the Palestinian people with aim of establishing an independent and viable Palestinian state and the right of both states live peacefully and within secure borders.

The President met with military generals to map out a withdrawal plan for Iraq.

Of course, the Obama administration’s immediate challenge will be to revive the economy. And the overarching question is: from where will the economic recovery come from in the near term? The only answer is: through the massive injections of money from the federal government into the economy, into the hands of people who will spend it. Lagging demand for goods and services is the problem.

In this regard, the President's stimulus bill passed this week in the House should be welcomed and supported. Despite what Republicans say, it is a good bill that will ease the pain of this crisis, create jobs, and begin to re-inflate the economy. Some economists, like Paul Krugman, say that it isn’t enough, that a trillion dollars plus and additional infrastructure spending would be better. I would agree with Krugman, but I also see the current bill as a first installment of the administration’s recovery plan. In fact, Krugman may have the economics right, but the politics wrong.

President Obama in my opinion would make a mistake if he proceeded like a bull in a china shop. He’s the president of the country, not an op-ed writer for the New York Times, and thus has a different set of considerations and pressures. On the other hand, if the President agrees to too many concession demands from the Republican side it will water down the bill’s stimulus potential and come back to bite him later on.

I would further add that even if Obama had introduced and passed a bigger stimulus package, there is no guarantee that a full-blooded and sustained recovery of the economy will follow. According to conventional wisdom and mainstream economists, high growth rates, near full employment, and healthy profit rates are the normal condition of a capitalist economy. Departures from this norm, it is said, are only passing moments during which capitalism removes barriers to future growth and creates the conditions for a new expansion that surpasses old peaks in production, employment and profits.

There is considerable evidence to question this view. Indeed, one has to wonder what the long-run prospects of U.S. and world capitalism are. Was the “golden age” of U.S. capitalism from 1945-1973, during which economic growth rates, investment levels and living standards steadily increased, the norm or the exception to the norm? Will the last thirty years of sluggish and lopsided growth continue, but at a significantly lower level?

If the answer is that U.S. capitalism is entering a period of long-term stagnation then the economic recovery plan must include not only a sizeable and sustained economic stimulus, but also far-reaching political and economic reforms in order to restructure the economy along new lines. One without the other is not enough. Both economic stimulus and political-economic restructuring are necessary if U.S. economy is to have any chance of resuming a developmental growth path that is robust, sustainable (in a double sense: economically and environmentally) and favors the interests of the working class and its allies.

If this is the case, the Obama administration and the broad coalition that supports him will almost inevitably have to consider—and they already are—the following measures:

Public ownership of the financial system and the elimination of the shadow banking system and exotic derivatives.

Public control of the Federal Reserve Bank.

Counter-crisis spending of a bigger size and scope to invigorate and sustain a full recovery and meet human needs—something that the New Deal never accomplished.

Strengthening of union rights in order to rebalance the power between labor and capital in the economic and political arenas.

Trade agreements that have at their core the protection and advancement of international working-class interests.

Equality in conditions of life for racial minorities and women.

Democratic public takeover of the energy complex as well as a readiness to consider the takeover of other basic industries whose future is problematic in private hands.

Turning education, childcare, and healthcare into “no profit” zones.

Rerouting investment capital from unproductive investment (military, finance and so forth) to productive investment in a green economy and public infrastructure.

Changing direction of our nation’s foreign policy toward cooperation, disarmament, and diplomacy. We can’t have threats, guns and military occupations on the one hand and butter, democracy, goodwill, and peace on the other.

Full-scale assault on global warming.

Serious and sustained commitment to assisting the developing countries, which are locked in poverty and misery.

New model of economic governance needed

Or to approach the same issue in another way: Will the political-economic reforms be modest, or will they be radical in nature, and when taken together, constitute a new model of political-economic governance at the state and corporate level—a new New Deal? By that I mean a reconfiguring of the role and functions of government and corporations so that they favor working people, the racially and nationally oppressed, women, youth, seniors, small business people and other social groupings.

Such a model would draw from the New Deal experience, but in the end it has to be shaped by today’s conditions and requirements for political and economic advance for the broadest sections of the American people as well as people across the globe.

The new model of governance wouldn’t be socialist, but it would challenge corporate power, profits and prerogatives.

Depression conditions prompted President Franklin Roosevelt and his advisers—albeit with a mighty assist from a powerful all-people’s coalition led by the industrial unions and the multiracial working class—to reconfigure the role and functions of the state to the advantage of the ordinary people. This reconfiguration wasn’t easy or done in a day.

Indeed, it was a hard-fought struggle that combined unity of the Roosevelt-led coalition at every turn, mass mobilization, and a good dose of experimentation. The broad people’s movement would do well to study the New Deal experience, not in a mechanical way, but with an eye to gaining insights for today’s struggles and challenges.

New casting of political actors

In the meantime, we have some immediate struggles on our hands. The good news is that the broad movement that elected President Obama and larger majorities in the Congress is up and running.

This movement, or if you like, this loose coalition in which labor plays a larger and larger leadership role, can exercise an enormous influence on the political process. Never before has a coalition with such breadth walked on the political stage of our country. It is far larger than the coalition that entered the election process a year ago; it is larger still than the coalition that came out of the Democratic Party convention in August.

The task of labor and its allies is to provide energy and leadership to this wide-ranging coalition. Yes, we can bring issues and positions into the political process that go beyond the initiatives of the Obama administration. But we should do this within the framework of the main task of supporting Obama’s program of action.

We can disagree with the Obama administration without being disagreeable. Our tone should be respectful. We now have not simply a friend, but a people's advocate in the White House.

When the Administration and Congress take positive initiatives, they should be wholeheartedly supported and welcomed. Nor should anyone think that everything will be accomplished in one hundred days. After all, the main elements of the New Deal were codified into law in 1935, 1936 and 1937, years after FDR’s first days in office.

Of course, change won’t be easy. Powerful sections of big capital (energy, military, health care, pharmaceutical, financial and others), will resist going over to a new and robust growth path, resting on green industry, jobs and technology, on military conversion to peacetime production, on rising living standards and rights for working people, and on racial and gender equality?

That said, the opportunities for working-class and people's gains are extraordinary. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Staring us in the face are some immediate challenges

First, we have to support the passage of the President's stimulus bill in the Senate.

Second, we have to block any Republican efforts to derail the nomination of Hilda Solis, the nominee for the Secretary of Labor. This is the first round in the battle to pass the Employee Free Choice Act, which will dramatically expand the right to join a union in this country. Some may think this is a struggle of only the labor movement. But nothing could be further from the truth. A bigger labor movement in this country would strengthen the struggle on every front. No one expressed this point better than Martin Luther King toward the end of his life.

Third, we have to join others in resisting evictions and foreclosures—not to mention cutbacks and layoffs at the state and city level.

Fourth, the wars of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan have to be brought to a close. As former President Lyndon Johnson realized too late, wars of occupation (in his case, Vietnam) can quickly ruin a presidency that has great promise.

In any case, we have our work cut out for us. But I think we can confidently say that change is coming. And we will build a more perfect union.

Yes, we can.

Sam Webb encourages working people to join the Communist Party USA and build Clubs in their neighborhoods, schools and where they work.

For more information on building a broad peoples coalition, check out "The People's Front" by Earl Browder, available from booksellers on the Internet. Earl Browder is widely regarded as the architect of the "New Deal" and "The People's Lobby."

Also of interest are books by Frank Marshall Davis, William Z. Foster, Paul Robeson, Gus Hall.

Information about "The Minnesota People's Bailout," which Communists support, can be found in my previous blog posting.

We need a "People's Bailout"

Alan L. Maki — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:09:08 EST

Iron Range loses 590 jobs at Minntac

The headlines aren't getting any better... unemployment and poverty continue to grow as the depression sets in.

There is no end in sight.

Capitalism is rotten to the core and on the skids to oblivion; we are headed down the road to perdition... straight to hell with no stops in purgatory.

All the while politicians twiddle their thumbs.

Minnesota State Senator David Tomassoni has brought forward "The People's Bailout." So far he has gotten about as far with his colleagues as he did with legislation to save the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant and two-thousand jobs.

Senator Tomassoni is going to need some help getting "The People's Bailout" passed.

Maybe we should consider organizing some kind of "People's Lobby" based upon the tactics used in building the "People's Front" during the 1930's Depression.

The "People's Lobby" was part of the broad based campaign which won the New Deal reforms.

Make the Minnesota People's Bailout the pattern for national legislation.

Educate!

Organize!

Struggle!

Fight-back!

Any thoughts?

Alan L. Maki

Iron Range loses 590 jobs at Minntac

by Jessica Mador, Minnesota Public Radio

February 19, 2009

U.S. Steel is laying off almost 600 workers at a plant in Mountain Iron on Minnesota's Iron Range. Despite record sales and profits last year, company officials say the economic downturn has hit the company hard, leaving them no choice but to cut jobs at the Minntac Mine.

Mountain Iron, Minn. — The layoffs at Minntac amount to almost half the workforce. 500 union and 90 management workers are being idled as US Steel shuts down two production lines at the mine.

A spokeswoman for U.S. Steel declined to speak on tape, but she said the layoffs are temporary. Workers will be brought back if the market improves, but orders for steel are down and she says it's impossible to know when that could happen.

The mayor of nearby Mountain Iron says it won't be soon enough. Gary Skalko said news of the layoffs have hit the town hard.

"We are a tough breed up here. The people will survive but it is devastating and we will stick together," Skalko said. "The biggest concern that I have is that the economy can or will turn around to get these people back to work for a long term basis."

Skalko said the layoffs will have a massive ripple effect because most of the other industry in the area is mining related.

In the final three months of last year, when the financial crisis hit, U.S. Steel's profit fell by two-thirds compared to the previous three months.

As the economy continued to weaken, U.S. Steel idled several plants and reduced operations at others around the country. The company laid off 3,500 workers late last year after idling production at plants in Michigan, Illinois and Keewatin Minnesota.

Officials with the United Steelworkers couldn't be reached for comment, but one told the Associated Press that this round of layoffs blindsided the union.

Skalko worries the laid off workers won't be able to find other jobs because the entire economy is suffering.

"We have got to get them back to work in a relatively short period of time," he said. "I don't even want to think of the alternative. I don't even want to think about that right now. It would be totally devastating."

The layoffs at Minntac are expected to take effect over the next couple of weeks.

U. S. unions, the Democratic Party and Barack Obama, the Employee Free Choice Act, the class struggle and U.S. imperialism

Alan L. Maki — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:49:51 EST

The Employee Free Choice Act will be completely useless for workers in twenty-eight states having “at-will hiring, at-will firing” legislation on their books.

“At-will hiring, at-will firing” is the main and primary impediment to union organizing in this country and we don’t hear one peep from the union leaderships on this problem.

What will the AFL-CIO and Change To Win propose Democrats do to rescind “at-will hiring, at-will firing” legislation in these twenty-eight states which include Minnesota and Michigan?

I have posed this question time, and time again, to state and federal legislators, Mr. Sweeney and Mr. Stern--- and the “progressive media,” including In These Times through comments and e-mails to the editors to no avail, which makes me wonder if there are many people who see politics as more of a game than a struggle to create a better life for working people.

Furthermore, given the nearly unanimous silence on the part of U.S. unions--- including the AFL-CIO and CTW--- while labor all over the world condemned Israel’s destructive pogrom and killing spree against the Palestinians in Gaza, one has to wonder if the Democratic Party is not playing working people for suckers and fools in using the Employee Free Choice Act as a club over the heads of organized labor: keep your mouths shut about everything else and “be good little boys and girls” and we might consider giving you a bone: EFCA.

That unions in this country have bought into imperialism in this way is contemptible and despicable and most likely has more to do with the failure of AFL-CIO & CTW unions being unable to organize beyond their present 11% of the workers in this country than any anti-labor legislation or lack there of. Although, the failure to protect the jobs of the workers they already collect dues from probably has a great deal to do with the disgraceful state of organized labor in this country, too.

“Getting ready to rumble?” More like running away from the class struggle with Barack Obama and the Democrats.

We need the Employee Free Choice Act; but, is the cost too high?

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

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Canadian Labour Congress Calls For Support of United Nations Peace Process in Middle East

Alan L. Maki — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:54:24 EST

http://canadianlabour.ca/en/canadian-labour-congress-calls-for-support-united-nations-peace-process-middle-east

Canadian Labour Congress Calls For Support of United Nations Peace Process in Middle East

2009-01-06 21:11

As the United Nations Security Council prepares to meet over the military assault by Israel in Gaza, the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) calls on Prime Minister Harper to condemn the serious violations of humanitarian and international law and support a negotiated end to the violence in the Middle East.

"We support the United Nation's efforts to end hostilities by both sides", said CLC President Ken Georgetti in a letter addressed to the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, asking him to help strengthen UN efforts to bring about an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Palestine and open the way for a peace process in the region.

The CLC condemns both the actions of Hamas in launching rockets into Israel, ending a fragile six-month cease-fire, and Israel's military offensive into Gaza in response. With the death and injury toll rising daily, Georgetti says the Canadian government can play a leadership role in urging Israel to reopen the border crossings so that essential aid can reach the 1.5 million people suffering under a yearlong blockade of Gaza. The conflict has left Gaza's economy in shambles with an unemployment rate approaching 80%.

The CLC has joined with trade unions in Jordan and Palestine to launch an international appeal for food and medical relief for people affected by the conflict. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has also written to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon calling for the UN to bring about an immediate cease-fire.

The UN Security Council will be meeting tonight to consider a resolution which could support an end to Israel's military assault, stop Hamas' rocket attacks against Israel, open Gaza's border crossings and involve international monitors in some capacity.

Georgetti said the CLC wants the Canadian government to support these measures and to urge UN Security Council to adopt them.

Health Care Reform... a real proposal for change

Alan L. Maki — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:29:34 EST

Minnesota’s politicians have reneged on their repeated pre-election promises for health care reform for the last 60 years.

Quite frankly, we are fed up with this foot-dragging amid all kinds of phony schemes they have concocted in the name of reform which seek to put the burden of health care costs on the backs of the working class instead of where the primary burden belongs--- on those who profit from the labor of working people.

We thought we would help guide Minnesota politicians along in their efforts to achieve health care reform.

Health care is a human right.

Introducing a real solution to the present health care mess created by a profit driven system which places profits before the health care needs of people.

People before profits.

A proposal for real health care reform legislation from the working people of Minnesota.

Introducing the:

Roger Jourdain – Rudy Perpich – Floyd B. Olson – Elmer A. Benson Memorial Public Health Care System Act

From here on in this Act of the Minnesota Legislature shall be known as the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System.

The intent of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall be to provide Minnesotans with a world-class public health care system.

The sole purpose of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall be to keep people healthy and get them well when sick.

The Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall provide no-fee/no-premium universal health care for every single person present in Minnesota.

The Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall provide prenatal to burial health care which shall include, but not be limited to: eyes, dental, mental and general health care including any prescribed medications and shall include any physician directed physical therapy; home health care and nursing home care shall be included along with any hospitalization and the care associated with any hospital stay.

The Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall include public financing of the complete Health Care System.

The Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall be publicly administered with the only goals and objectives explicitly limited to providing Minnesotans with health care in accordance with the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

All those employed in the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall be public employees protected under the terms of one collectively bargained labor-management agreement between the Administrators of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System and the Union freely chosen by majority vote of the members in accordance with the all labor laws and protections.

All and any discrimination in employment and in receiving health care under the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall be prohibited--- including, but not limited to, discrimination based on: race, sex, age, class, religious and political beliefs.

All health care professionals, from administrators and staff to doctors and nurses employed in the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall receive free education and training with any required subsidies through university and for any required periodic training associated with their employment and delivery of health care.

No restrictions shall be placed on any private health care providers who shall be free to compete with the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System.

Anyone is free to avail themselves of private health care for which they shall be liable for all payments except when required health care may not be available through the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System.

The Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall be paid for thusly:

1. A payroll tax on all workers which shall not exceed more than four-percent of income. Any worker making less than what the United States Department of Labor and its Bureau of Labor Statistics determines to be a real living income based upon cost of living factors shall be assessed one-percent of income and during periods of unemployment and/or income below the requirement no tax shall be collected.
2. Employers will be assessed a flat fee, per employee, based upon the number of employees. One to ten employees: $600.00 per month. Eleven to thirty employees $650.00 per month. Thirty-one to eighty employees $750.00 per month. Eighty-one to two-hundred employees $800.00 per month. Over 201 employees, employers shall be required to pay $900.00 per month. These figures shall be base tax-rates subject to yearly adjustments to be determined by the Administrators of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System.
3. If additional revenue is required to finance the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System; this revenue shall be raised by specially designated increases in the taconite tax and stumpage fees from the mining and forestry industries respectively.
4. No funds collected for the purpose of funding the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall be used for any other purpose.
5. All funds presently designated for any other health care programs, whether local, state or federal shall herein after be designated for the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System.
6. All present local, state and federal health care programs operating in Minnesota shall be phased-into and merged into the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System.
7. Any and all health care education provided by public institutions shall be administered with the objective and goal of providing the required support for the success of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System with any duplication between colleges and universities to cease when it is possible to combine these educational services with the goal being to cut costs while providing the best possible training to maintain world class standards of health care for all Minnesotans.

Administrators of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall be appointed by a specially created Committee of Minnesota Legislators with the inclusion of one representative of the public, one representative from organized labor, one representative from the union representing employees of the Health Care System and one representative from business.

In order to initially secure the required staff for the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System all public university and college administrators together with all Administrators of any and all government programs in Minnesota shall have their pay and/or salaries cut by thirty percent to subsidize the training and education of the professional staff from doctors to nurses as required. This pay-cut shall remain in effect until the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System is fully staffed and therein after the responsibility of free education in the health care field shall be the responsibility of the State of Minnesota.

ALL children and their families in Minnesota shall be informed that a free education through university/college will be provide to any student meeting minimum required grade standards established by the Administrators of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System provided they agree to work in the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System for salaries not to exceed base pay of $65,000.00 a year for no less than 12 years; this salary shall include, but not be limited to, doctors and all Administrators. A special effort shall be made to recruit students from Indian Reservations and working class communities in rural and urban areas based upon the assumption that these students will be the most caring for those in the communities they come from. The pay schedule shall be modified on a yearly basis in consideration of cost-of-living factors as scientifically calculated by the United States Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The responsibility for placing the required number of employees and personnel in local communities shall be determined by the Administrators of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System based solely upon the health care requirements of the Community with providing Minnesotans with a world class health care System always in mind.

Public education centering on keeping people healthy shall be a primary responsibility of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System for two reasons:

A. Healthy people are a far less burden on the health care system;
B. To be healthy is a human right.

The Administrators of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System shall be empowered to order employers (public and private) to remedy any and all problems related to human health. The cost and expense of correcting any and all problems shall be the responsibility of the Employer. All workers, without fear of recrimination, shall be educated and encouraged to report all health related concerns in their place of employment and in the communities where they reside.

Whenever possible, people will be allowed to have their choice of doctors; however, the primary goal of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System is to provide everyone with quality health care through fully trained and caring health care professionals.

The intent of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System is to provide all Minnesotans a universal health care system where health care is once and for all placed over and above the profit system. The sole objective of the Jourdain-Perpich-Olson-Benson Public Health Care System is to provide people with health care; not the health care industry with profits.

Roger Jourdain was the long-time serving Chairman of the Red Lake Nation who pioneered bringing health care to a community of Native American people who previous to his advocacy of health care as a human right had no access to heath care.

Rudy Perpich was the Governor of Minnesota who proposed increasing the taconite tax to provide better government for people, which included adequate health care.

Floyd B. Olson and Elmer A. Benson were the socialist governors of Minnesota who were among the first to advocate for a comprehensive, all-inclusive public health care system.

The Roger Jourdain – Rudy Perpich – Floyd B. Olson – Elmer A. Benson Memorial Public Health Care System Act provides the only practical and pragmatic health care alternative to private, for-profit health care.

The time has come for Minnesotans to boldly move forward in the area of health care reform based upon progressive Minnesota traditions.

Minnesotans have soundly rejected the for profit health care system, and at every opportunity Minnesotans have articulated their desire for what is embodied in the Roger Jourdain – Rudy Perpich – Floyd B. Olson – Elmer A. Benson Memorial Public Health Care System Act.

The time has come for the democratic will of the majority of Minnesotans to prevail when it comes to health care reform.

Consideration for similar national health care reform should be brought forward as part of the country-wide discussions now underway.

We propose that a national health care act be brought forward based upon the Roger Jourdain – Rudy Perpich – Floyd B. Olson – Elmer A. Benson Memorial Public Health Care System Act.

We further propose that this national health care act become known as the Franklin D. Roosevelt – Frances Perkins National Health Care Act; so named in the memory of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins, who courageously stood up to the American Medical Association and the wealthy few in defense of a public health care program serving the health care needs of the American people to be included as part of the “New Deal.”

Any country spending trillions of dollars on wars and death and destruction can meet the health care needs of its citizens--- it really is as simple as this.

Initiated and Proposed by:

Minnesotans for Peace and Social Justice

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Red Lake Casino, Hotel and Restaurant Employees’ Union Organizing Committee

Grand Casino Workers for Justice

Mystic Lake Casino Workers Organizing Committee

100 Concerned Members of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party

Thief River Falls Political Action Committee

Iron Range Club of the Communist Party USA

Obama and Pakistan

Alan L. Maki — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:42:35 EST

Commentary No. 247, December 15, 2008

"Pakistan: Obama's Nightmare"

On the evening of Nov. 26, 2008, a small group of 10 persons attacked two luxury hotels and other sites in central Mumbai (India) and, over several days, managed both to kill and hurt a very large number of persons and to create massive material destruction in the city. It took several days before the slaughter was brought to an end. It is widely believed that the attacks were the work of a Pakistani group called Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET), a group thought to be similar in motivation to al-Qaeda, perhaps directly linked to it. The world press immediately called the Mumbai massacres the 9/11 of India, a repetition of the attacks al-Qaeda launched against the United States in 2001.

The motivations and strategy of al-Qaeda in 2001 were largely misunderstood in 2001, both by the U.S. government and by analysts. The same thing risks happening now. Al-Qaeda in 2001 was of course seeking to humiliate the United States. But this was, from a strategic point of view, only a secondary motivation. Al-Qaeda has always made clear that its primary objective is the re-creation of the Islamic caliphate. And, as a matter of political strategy, it has considered that the necessary first step is the collapse of the governments of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Al-Qaeda considers that these two governments have been the essential political supports of Western (primarily U.S.) political dominance in the greater Middle East, and therefore the biggest obstacles to the re-creation of the caliphate, whose initial geographic base would of course be in this region.

The attack of September 11 can be seen as an attempt to get the U.S. government to engage in political activities that would put pressures on the Saudi and Pakistani governments of a kind that would undermine their political viability. The primary actions of the U.S. government in the region since 2001 - the invasion first of Afghanistan and then of Iraq - certainly met the expectations of al-Qaeda. What has been the result?

The Saudi government has reacted with great political astuteness, fending off U.S. pressures that would have weakened it internally, and has been able thus far to minimize al-Qaeda political success in Saudi Arabia. The Pakistani government has been far less successful. The regime in Islamabad is far weaker in 2008 than its predecessor regime was in 2001, while the political strength of al-Qaeda-type elements has been on a steady rise. The Mumbai attacks seem to have been an effort to weaken the Pakistani state still further. Of course, LET wished to hurt India and those seen as its allies - the United States, Great Britain, and Israel - but this was a secondary objective. The primary objective was to bring down the Pakistani government.

In Pakistan, as in every country of the world, the political elites are nationalist and seek to further the geopolitical interests of their country. This objective is fundamentally different from that of al-Qaeda-like groups, for whom the only legitimate function of a state is to further the re-creation of the caliphate. The persistent refusal of the Western world to understand this distinction has been a major source of al-Qaeda's continuing strength. It is what will turn Pakistan into Obama's nightmare.

What are Pakistan's geopolitical interests? Before anything else, it worries about its principal neighbors, India and Afghanistan. These concerns have fashioned its geopolitical strategy for the last sixty years. Pakistan sought powerful allies against India. It found two historically, the United States and China. Both the United States and China supported Pakistan for one simple reason, to keep India in check. India was seen by both as too close geopolitically to the Soviet Union, with whom both the United States and China were in conflict.

In the 1990s, with the end of the Cold War and the momentary geopolitical weakness of Russia, both the United States and China sought tentatively to obtain closer relations with India. India was geopolitically a more important prize than Pakistan, and Pakistan knew this. One of the ways Pakistan reacted was to expand its role in (and control over) Afghanistan, by supporting the eventually successful Taliban takeover of the country.

What happened after 2001? The United States invaded Afghanistan, ousted the Taliban, and installed a government which had elements friendly to the United States, to Russia, even to Iran, but not at all to Pakistan. At the same time, the United States and India got still cozier, with the new arrangements on nuclear energy. So, the Pakistani government turned a blind eye to the renewal of Taliban strength in the northwest tribal regions bordering Afghanistan. The Taliban elements there, supported by al-Qaeda elements, renewed military operations in Afghanistan - and with considerable success, it should be noted.

The United States became quite upset, pressed the Pakistani army to act militarily against these Taliban/al-Qaeda elements, and itself engaged in direct (albeit covert) military action in this region. The Pakistani government found itself between a rock and a hard place. It had never had much capacity to control matters in the tribal regions. And the attempts it made as a result of U.S. government pressure weakened it still further. But its inefficacy pushed the U.S. military to act even more directly, which led to severe anti-American sentiment even among the most historically pro-American elites.

What can Obama do? Send in troops? Against whom? The Pakistani government itself? It is said that the U.S. government is particularly concerned with the nuclear stockpile that Pakistan has. Would the United States try to seize this stockpile? Any action along these lines - and Obama recklessly hinted at such actions during the electoral campaign - would make the Iraqi fiasco seem like a minor event. It would certainly doom Obama's domestic objectives.

There will be no shortage of people who will counsel him that doing nothing is unacceptable weakness. Is that Obama's only alternative? It seems clear that pursuing his agenda, as he himself has defined it, requires getting out from under the unending and geopolitically fruitless U.S. activities in the Middle East. Iraq will be easy, since the Iraqis will insist on U.S. withdrawal. Afghanistan will be harder, but a political deal is not impossible. Iran can be negotiated. The Israel/Palestine conflict is for the moment unresolvable, and Obama may be able to do little else than let the situation fester still longer.

But Pakistan requires a decision. If a Pakistani government is to survive, it will have to be one that can show it holds its own geopolitically. This will not be at all easy, given the internal situation, and an angry Indian public opinion. If there is anywhere where Obama can act intelligently, this is the place.

by Immanuel Wallerstein

[Copyright by Immanuel Wallerstein, distributed by Agence Global. For rights and permissions, including translations and posting to non-commercial sites, and contact: rights@agenceglobal.com, 1.336.686.9002 or 1.336.286.6606. Permission is granted to download, forward electronically, or e-mail to others, provided the essay remains intact and the copyright note is displayed. To contact author, write: immanuel.wallerstein@yale.edu

Dear Single Payer Supporters

Alan L. Maki — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:54:06 EST

Dear Single Payer Supporters -

There's an unusual opportunity to promote single payer to the Obama administration coming up this weekend.

This Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 13-14, the Obama Transition Team is sponsoring "Change is Coming" house parties across the country. To find one near you, go to:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/changeiscoming/

These meetings are an opportunity to meet neighbors and to educate them about single payer national health insurance, and to let the Obama Transition Team know there is broad support for the single-payer solution.

What better bailout for the big automakers and for the rest of us, than affordable, single payer health care?

If you need more information than the talking points below, go to www.pnhp.org/change

Kay Tillow
All Unions Committee for Single Payer Healthcare--HR 676
c/o Nurses Professional Organization
1169 Eastern Parkway #2218
Louisville, KY 40217
(502) 636-1551
Nursenpo@aol.com
12/11/08

TALKING POINTS:

WHY THE MANDATE PLANS WON'T WORK, AND WHY SINGLE PAYER "MEDICARE FOR ALL" IS WHAT WE NEED

1. Americans are afraid that they can't afford to get sick. Those of us with insurance are paying more and more of the premium and more out-of-pocket as well. Studies show further that we face bankruptcy if we get sick(1). Many among us have to choose between paying for medicine and paying for food and housing. And with the recent economic downturn, the ranks of those without insurance are growing.

2. A majority of physicians (59 percent) and an even higher proportion of Americans (62 percent or more) support single-payer national health insurance or "Medicare for All."(2) In spite of this, all we are hearing about today are mandate plans that would require everyone to buy the same private insurance that is already failing us. These proposals don't regulate insurance premiums, they don't keep the insurance companies from refusing to pay many of our bills, and they don't improve the insurance we now have. Some offer a "public option," but this will quickly become too expensive as the sick flee to the public sector as private insurers avoid them, abandon them, or make it too difficult for them to get their bills paid.

3. These proposals won't work, either to expand coverage or to contain costs. Plans like these have been tried in many states over the past two decades (Massachusetts, Tennessee, Washington State, Oregon, Minnesota, Vermont, Maine).(3) They have all failed to reduce the number of uninsured or to contain costs.

4. These mandate plans will add hundreds of billions of dollars to the nation's health care costs. In this economic downturn, we need assure health care for all without adding to the nation's cost and the government's deficit. The bottom line is: these proposals don't reform our fragmented, inefficient system, they just add to its complexity and costs.

5. As long as we continue to rely on private for-profit insurers, universal coverage will be unaffordable. Their administrative costs consume nearly one-third of our health care dollar.(4) We will never have enough money to provide everyone with decent care until we eliminate private insurance with its enormous waste and inadequate coverage. And we will never be able to keep costs down and get the care we need as long as the wasteful and unnecessary insurance companies stand between us and our doctors.

6. Every other industrialized country has some form of universal health care. None uses profitmaking, investor-owned insurance companies like ours to provide health care for all their people.(5)

7. We have an American system that works. It's Medicare. It's not perfect, but Americans with Medicare are far happier than those with private insurance. Doctors face fewer hassles in getting paid, and Medicare has been a leader in keeping costs down. And keep in mind that Medicare insures people with the greatest health care needs: people over 65 and the disabled. We should improve and expand Medicare to cover everyone.

8. A single-payer "Medicare for All" system is embodied in H.R. 676, sponsored by Rep. John Conyers and 92 other members of Congress. It would
have:
·         Automatic enrollment for everyone
·         Comprehensive services covering all medically necessary care and
drugs
·         Free choice of doctor and hospital, who remain independent and
negotiate their fees and budgets with a public or nonprofit agency
·         Public or nonprofit agency processes and pays the bills
·         Entire system financed through progressive taxes
·         Help job growth and the entire U.S. economy by removing the burden
of health costs from business
·         Cover everyone without spending any more than we are now.(6)

9. The growth in health care costs must be addressed if any proposal is to succeed.
·         Single payer offers real tools to contain costs: budgeting,
especially for hospitals, planning of capital investments, and an emphasis on primary care and coordination of care.
·         Mandate plans offer only hopes: competition among insurance
companies, computerization, chronic disease management. Competition among the shrinking number of insurance companies has already failed to contain costs and, in the absence of single payer and reformed primary care, computerization and chronic disease management will raise costs, not lower them.

10. Single-payer Medicare for All is the right answer:
·         It is right on choice. It provides free choice of doctor and
hospital, the choice Americans want and value. In mandate plans, we lose those choices.
·         It is right on efficiency. Single payer would slash administrative
costs and promote efficient primary care. It would also enhance evidence-based quality assurance.
·         It is right on accountability. It will be a public, nonprofit
system that will respond to what doctors and their patients need, not what corporate executives and their stockholders want.

1. "Illness and Injury as Contributors to Bankruptcy," D. Himmelstein et al., Health Affairs Web Exclusive, February 2, 2005. 2. Carroll, A., Ackerman, R., "Support for National Health Insurance Among U.S. Physicians: 5 Years Later," Annals of Internal Medicine, 148(7), April 1, 2008; ABC News/Washington Post, Oct. 9-13, 2003, Associated Press/Yahoo News Poll, Dec. 14-20, 2007. 3. S. Woolhandler, et al., "State Health Reform Flatlines," International Journal of Health Services, 2008; Marcia Angell, "Health Reform You Shouldn't Believe In," The American Prospect, April 21, 2008. 4. S. Woolhandler, et al., "Costs of Health Care Administration in the U.S. and Canada," New England Journal of Medicine, Sept. 21, 2003; J.G. Kahn et al., "The Cost of Health Insurance Administration in California: Estimates for Insurers, Physicians, and Hospitals," Health Affairs, 2005. 5. Reid, T.R., "Sick Around the World," PBS, April 15, 2008; Thompson, S., Mossialos, E., "Private Health Insurance and Access to Health Care in the European Union," Euro Observer, Spring 2004. 6. United States National Health Insurance Act (or the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act), H.R.676, www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.676
; "Health Care for All Californians Act: Cost and Economic Impacts Analysis," The Lewin Group, January 2005

By Len Rodberg, PhD, Co-chair, PNHP NYMetro Chapter

Main Street Recovery Program

Alan L. Maki — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:43:47 EST

This "Main Street Recovery Program" lacks many specifics and intentionally omits support for H.R. 676 and socialized health care; with the biggest drawback being that no resources have been made available by these organizations aimed at empowering working people in their communities and where they work... but, the general thrust here is something we all need to support.

Also lacking is any clear program relating to legislation for a real living wage which is the real, fundamental and basic way to redistribute wealth in this country in order to solve the problems of the working class as we seek a more just socialist alternative to capitalism.

In fact, the capitalist system which is now obviously on the skids to oblivion is not even challenged in this statement.

It is not that I disregard the fundamental weaknesses in this statement as I endorse the "Main Street Recovery Program," but, rather, on the basis of its many strengths in bringing forward a new direction for our country.

It would be naive to assume that even such a modest liberal program as that being floated here will take shape under the Obama Administration unless all those who supported and than voted for Obama along with the millions of liberals and progressives who supported other candidates or did not vote at all are brought into the decision-making process to correct the glaring weaknesses relating to specific solutions to specific problems with the full and complete empowerment of the people forcing action out from the government through mass pressure tactics as employed during the depression years under the leadership of the left--- most natably the Communist Party and the emerging network of trade union activists.

The Campaign for America's Future who put this together is known for its outstanding statements which remail on paper to only be filed away without any action. We can change this through education, organization, unity and action... learning from the struggles of the Thirties and the present struggles like those heroic workers in Chicago at Republic Windows and Doors who have demonstrated the importance of working people taking bold, militant action in defense of their own livelihoods and for the rights of all working people.

In fact, we are facing are living in a depression growing worse by the day; not in a recession. Over a year ago the recession was well underway and in this time has come a full-blown depression from which "economic recovery" is not possible--- not for the working class. We are now well into a severe capitalist crisis caused by "over production" in a world where people are starving and require the basics of life.

It will be interesting to see just how much the Campaign for America's Future and the endorsers of this program are willing to bend to the real needs of the working class for real solutions to their problems; and, then, how much Obama will listen.

There is far too much emphasis here on middle class and middle income when the primary emphasis should be on creating a society with a living minimum wage and incomes for the entire working class.

There is something very wrong with a distinguished group of middle class intellectuals not taking to task the need to eliminate poverty in this country... the wealthiest country in the world.

We need to keep in mind as we live in the midst of this economic depression that wealth may be disappearing from sight and from our view, but this wealth exists all the same as it is only in the process of changing hands as the wealthiest come to control and dominate even more. This is very important for us to remember because it is this wealth that we need to be concerned about; along with the ownership and control of the mines, mills and factories where this wealth has been created.

The time has come to bring the failing auto, steel and power generating industries as well as banking under public ownership through nationalization so wealth becomes the property of society rather than of the few... another problem the "Main Street Recovery Program" fails to address... common sense dictates that tax-payers should own what the finance through bailouts... including owning and controlling the wealth created.

Also overlooked in importance is the question of peace and the need to end these dirty imperialist wars for oil and regional domination so we can transfer funds from war-making which subsidizes the profits of a thoroughly corrupt military-financial-industrial complex to financing human needs--- from health care to education and a massive jobs program... we simply can't tolerate plunging our Nation into debt even further than it already is to finance an even modest program as suggested below.

But, when all is said and done, the "Main Street Recovery Program" is an excellent new beginning towards a real new New Deal... with some tweaking here and there we should be able to turn it into something a real new People's Front can mobilize support for built on the foundation left to us by the old Left which served the working class so well.

Perhaps the single most important omission in the "Main Street Recovery Program" is a real sense of urgency which is so typical of this liberal intellectual community.

Understandably, people losing their jobs, homes and having their utilities turned off in the middle of the winter have a greater sense of urgency and a greater desire to see problems resolved than middle class intellectuals... this sense of urgency is what adds the kind of militancy to struggles built around these kinds of ideas which brings such ideas to reality in the form of, not only government policy, but in pushing the government to establish programs... and this, after all, is the kind of change we all seek.

This is why it is so important that people be empowered at the grassroots and rank and file level... the only sure way we will win the real change we are seeking as the Wall Street crowd, which at this point has the primary influence over Obama and is prepared to fight tooth and nail to defend their profit system.

It would have brought credibility and stregnth to the "Main Steet Recovery Program" to have had the endorsements of the Republic Door and Window workers who seized control of the plant in Chicago in defense of their rights as endorsers of this progressive agenda.

In fact, these middle class intellectuals should have had the common sense, in the interest of forging a broad and powerful People's Front, to insist on obtaining initial endorsements from grassroots community activists and rank and file working class activists.

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

A MAIN STREET RECOVERY PROGRAM from the Campaign for America's Future; provided here for your consideration and for further dialogue, discussion and debate.

Executive Summary

Our economy now faces the most serious crisis since the Great Depression. The financial
crisis that was triggered by the bursting of the housing bubble has now spread to the real
economy, and we face a sharp downturn that is spreading across the globe. A serious
recession now seems unavoidable in the United States, as well as Europe and Japan. The
developing world is already struggling with financial turmoil and economic decline. For the
first time since the 1930s, we face a real risk of deep worldwide economic contraction.

Restoring economic growth will require a bold, multifaceted plan. This must begin with a
recovery program for Main Street – substantial fiscal expansion to revive the real economy.
With a deep and long global downturn now likely, any plan for reviving the economy
should be substantial, strategic, and sustained. It should also be coordinated with
simultaneous efforts across the world.

Reviving our nearly $15 trillion economy will require substantial fiscal expansion. With
interest rates already low, monetary policy can provide little help. The decline in
consumption brought by the collapse of housing and stock prices has already been dramatic.
Now states and localities must cut spending or raise taxes to balance budgets. Exports are
declining as the world economy slows.

Three percent of GDP – about $450 billion each year for two years, a total of $900 billion –
should define the floor, not the ceiling, of what needs to be done.

The plan must be strategic, focused on public investment in areas vital to strengthening
America’s long-term competitiveness. Public investments are far more efficient at stimulating
the economy than tax cuts for individuals or businesses. The money allocated will be spent
and will produce jobs here. And public investment provides a long-term return in the higher
productivity of transport on modern roads and rail, the higher productivity of better-trained
workers, and the new technologies spawned from higher research and development funds.

Central to the plan should be investment in green technology, reducing our dependence on
foreign oil, and addressing the rising threat of global warming. It must also target the states,
funding vital health care and public programs so the recession is not worsened by local
budget-cutting. This will also help to maintain the income of the people most likely to spend
in the economy.

Finally, the recovery plan must be sustained. Two years of deficit-funded stimulus should
help the economy recover. But it will take many years of fiscal expansion to move us from an
economy driven by booms and busts of asset bubbles to one of sustained and balanced
growth.

□ □ □

A MAIN STREET RECOVERY PROGRAM

We now face the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The collapse
of the housing bubble, followed by a credit freeze and stock market collapse, has erased
over $10 trillion in paper value in the U.S. alone. The debacle in housing exposed, in the
words of Noriel Roubini, a subprime global financial system that was recklessly overleveraged,
laden with exotic securities of unknown value, and now facing staggering
losses. Massive, and at times desperate, efforts by central banks across the world have
served only to stave off collapse.

This financial contagion has now infected the real economy. A serious recession
now seems unavoidable in the United States as well as in Europe and Japan. And the
developing world, which we were told was “de-coupled” from the U.S. and Europe, is
facing enormous strains of its own. For the first time since the 1930s, we face a real risk
of worldwide deflation and substantial economic contraction.

Restoring economic growth will require a strong and multifaceted plan. Reviving
the financial system itself will require far more than the hastily assembled and badly
designed $700 billion bailout passed in September. We must

(1) remedy the costly defects in the current plans;

(2) put in place a systematic program of real mortgage relief
for homeowners, and

(3) enact comprehensive reform of financial markets.

It is not possible, however, to simply clean up this mess and return to business as
usual. Stabilizing the housing and financial markets and staving off a deep downturn
must be part of a broader, systemic effort to address the roots of this crisis.

For too long, our economy has been based on consumption sustained through
asset bubbles and easy credit, with the vast majority of new wealth accumulated only
by those at the very top. We must chart a strategy to move towards sustainable, longterm
growth, with blessings that are widely shared. This will require increased
government investment in public education, in research and development of new
technology, and in the modern infrastructure that is vital to building a competitive
economy. It must also include raising the minimum wage and reviving the right of
employees to organize and bargain collectively, so that workers may once again capture
a fair share of the productivity and wealth they help generate.

The new strategy must include access to comprehensive and affordable health
care for all Americans. It must include a system of taxation that produces the revenue
necessary for supporting a vital public sector in a fairer and more progressive manner.
We will also need a new global initiative to reform currency and financial regulations,
to place the financial system in its proper role as servant to the real economy. And this
strategy must be accompanied by a global trade regime that reduces unsustainable
trade imbalances and ensures that trade benefits workers in all participating countries.

In the coming weeks, we will address each of these issues. We begin below with
an analysis of the steps needed to counter the deepening recession and get the real
economy going again.

The Immediate Need: Reviving Main Street

The need for substantial fiscal expansion to revive the real economy is clear and
present, as a long and deep downturn now seems inescapable. The economy has been
losing private-sector jobs for 12 months. Unemployment is already at a five-year high
and continues to rise, and many employees are working fewer hours than they wish,
facing pay and benefit cuts, or dropping out of the workforce in discouragement. After
taking into consideration workers who take part-time jobs out of necessity and those
who are otherwise marginally attached to the labor force, the effective unemployment
rate at the end of November was an extraordinary 12.5 percent.

Consumers are cutting back, as their confidence has been shaken by staggering
losses in housing and stock-market values. Manufacturing has been relentlessly
shedding jobs over the last seven years and is now in a near-free fall. Construction has
been decimated by the bursting of the housing bubble and the freezing of credit. Retail
stores are girding for a grim holiday season. Exports, which had risen with the falling
dollar, will now be slowed by the global economic downturn. States and localities that
had increased public employment over the past year now face declining revenues and
rising deficits which will force layoffs and cutbacks in needed services. Our economy is
in trouble and needs action now.

While more monetary loosening is likely, its effects will be limited, as interest
rates are already at low levels. A major fiscal stimulus is essential. Though the $700
billion Wall Street bailout may have been necessary, it was not simulative. In the end,
banks will only lend at needed levels when there is a growing economy in which to
lend. And while budget deficits have already risen, they pose no immediate danger as
the global crisis has witnessed a flight of investment back to the dollar, allowing for
relatively low-cost financing.

With a deep and long global downturn now likely, any plan for reviving the
economy should be substantial, strategic and sustained. It is also imperative that it be
coordinated with similar efforts across the world. The U.S. cannot be expected to lift the
global economy alone.

Reviving our nearly $15 trillion economy will require substantial fiscal
expansion. The consumption effects of the collapse of housing and stock prices have
already been dramatic, as reflected in the bottoming of consumer confidence. When
gross domestic product growth fell to negative levels at the end of 2000 and America
was hit by the shock of 9-11, the U.S. general government budget (federal, state and
local combined) went from reporting a surplus of approximately 1.3 percent of GDP to
running a deficit of about 4.9 percent GDP by the end of 2004 – the equivalent of over
$900 billion in fiscal stimulus. Even that stimulus – which was bolstered by extremely
low interest rates, a thriving financial system, a housing asset bubble, and a growing
global economy – produced only a slow recovery and stagnant incomes. Today’s crisis
is worse, and fiscal expansion must do much more of the heavy lifting. Although not
directly comparable, China recently announced a stimulus plan focused entirely on the
internal investment of 7 percent of their GDP each year for two years.

Three percent of GDP -- about $450 billion each year for two years, for a total
of $900 billion -- should define the floor, not the ceiling, of what needs to be done.
The plan for reviving the economy must be strategic, focused on public
investment in areas vital to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness, not
simply on giving consumers or businesses a temporary boost through tax rebates. As
we detail below, central elements of the plan should include investment in green
technology, reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and addressing the rising threat of
global warming. We should also move to repair and modernize our intellectual and
physical infrastructure and to provide temporary financial assistance to workers most
in need. This approach will generate jobs immediately and contribute to greater
productivity and international competitiveness.

Public investments are far more efficient at stimulating the economy than tax
cuts for either individuals or businesses are. First, all investment spending will in fact
be spent, whereas data suggests that only 20 percent of the recent tax rebates went into
consumption; the remainder was saved or used to reduce consumer debt.

Second, more of the jobs generated through public investment will be created
here. In contrast, a good portion of the tax rebates were spent on goods manufactured
abroad, creating jobs in China and elsewhere. Infrastructure funding targets
construction workers, who have been hit hardest by the housing market’s collapse.
Infrastructure projects are tangible and visible, helping to generate needed confidence
in recovery. Economic models, such as the one used by Mark Zandi of Moody’s
Economy.com, show that in the first year, stimulus investments in the form of
infrastructure spending, aid to state governments, and extended unemployment
benefits or food stamps generate more GDP growth per dollar than do tax cuts or
rebates.

1 And public investment is just that: an investment. Money spent earns a return in
the form of higher productivity from workers who take advantage of broader and
cleaner transportation choices and faster broadband connections, and from students
whose ability to learn is improved by modernized schools or attendance at otherwise
unaffordable colleges.

Critics argue that public investment takes too long to begin, claiming that
recessions end before infrastructure money has been spent. This argument has little
relevance now, as we face a recession that is likely to be deep and long if we do not
provide a sustained response. Moreover, in recent recessions, labor markets recovered
far more slowly than other elements of the economy. In the recession of 2001, for
example, it took more than two years for employment rates to bottom out and four
years before they rose above pre-recession levels. In addition, there is a significant
backlog of infrastructure projects that are ready to go and lack only the resources to
move forward. Governor John Corzine of New Jersey testified that his state alone has
$1.5 billion of projects ready to start in 90 days. A survey by the American Association
of State Highway and Transportation Officials found over 3,000 projects totaling $17.9
billion that are ready to launch within 90 days of receiving funding. A compilation by
the Economic Policy Institute found $20 billion worth of school projects that are ready
to begin.

Any recovery plan must also be sustained. Ending the recession, however difficult, is
not sufficient. It will take many years of fiscal expansion through public investment to
move us from an economy driven by the booms and busts of asset bubbles to one
driven by sustained and balanced growth. During the initial two-year period of
increased deficit spending, we should be formulating a multiyear plan to change our
economic priorities. After the first two years, this program should be permanent,
productive and paid for. Long-term investments in public education and training, in
health care, in modernizing our infrastructure, in urban reconstruction, and in research
and development should be sustained not by deficit spending but by changes in how
we use our resources.

Returning to a more progressive tax code – by closing corporate loopholes such as the
egregious carried-interest tax break and by collecting the $300 billion a year that the IRS
is owed but does not collect – could easily raise over $600 billion a year.

Core Elements of the Recovery Plan

At $450 billion a year for two years, a recovery plan should focus on the
following core elements:

Green Investment.

A first priority should be a green investment agenda designed to
reduce our dependence on foreign oil and address the rising threat of global warming.
Green Recovery, a report by Robert Pollin of the University of Massachusetts’ Political
Economy Research Institute, and the Center for American Progress, documents
opportunities for creating two million green jobs over two years by investing nearly
$100 billion in six green infrastructure areas: retrofitting buildings to improve energy
efficiency, expanding mass transit and freight rail networks, constructing “smart”
electric-grid systems, increasing capacity for generating power from wind and solar
energy, and developing carbon capture technologies and next-generation biofuels.

2 This amount should be considered a minimum and could be expanded if appropriate plans
can be rapidly developed. We designate $50 billion of this package for investment in
green projects that will generate jobs and growth in the near term.

3 Infrastructure Modernization and Repair. A second priority is major investment in stateof-
the-art national infrastructure, including everything from roads and bridges to
schools, airports, and sewers. These investments generate jobs while providing the
foundation for greater productivity for our factories and offices, better health for all
citizens and a better education for our children.

In an America that is literally falling apart, the need for this investment is
apparent. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, over two-thirds of
America’s roads are in poor or mediocre condition, resulting in billions wasted on
automobile repairs and traffic delays.

4 More than one in four bridges are rated structurally deficient or obsolete and half of waterway locks are functionally obsolete.

5 The Department of Education found that 43 percent of schools are in a state of disrepair
so severe that it “interferes with the delivery of instruction.”

6 The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that getting the nation’s infrastructure in good working condition would require $1.6 trillion spent over five years, or more than $300 billion per
year.

7 The Economic Policy Institute has compiled a range of infrastructure projects –
including building high-quality drinking water and wastewater systems, and
modernizing and repairing schools and roads – that total about $40 billion and are
“ready to go.” There is an estimated $32 billion backlog of repairs and rebuilding
needed to bring public housing into good condition. A $75 billion investment program
in the first year could easily be expanded to $150 billion, still less than the amount
deemed justifiable by the Congressional Budget Office in the second.

8 Aid to States. The economic downturn has left state and municipal finances in dire
straits. Tax revenues are plummeting as demand for services is rising. The Center for
Budget and Policy Priorities reports that at least 41 states face shortfalls in their budgets
this year or will face shortfalls next year. Twenty-nine states closed shortfalls totaling
$48 billion in their fiscal year 2009 operating budgets largely by drawing on “rainy day
funds.” In fiscal year 2010, CBPP estimates that a total deficit of $100 billion will have
impact on virtually every state. In previous recessions, the financial pressures on states
continued building at least two years after the onset of the recession.

9 In past recessions, states have responded to budget gaps by reducing children’s
health care services, cutting spending on child care and education, restricting Medicaid
eligibility, cutting back or deferring construction projects, increasing taxes and publicuniversity
tuition, and by slashing aid to localities, a move which often results in layoffs
of police officers and firefighters. All of these actions add to the severity of the
downturn, bringing lay offs of even more workers and further burdens to citizens.

We suggest spending $50 billion on state aid in the first year and increasing
spending to $75 billion in the second. The most effective measures would split funds
between flexible block grants for general revenue sharing (in order to prevent cuts in
funding for education and other vital state programs), and a temporary increase in
federal matching funds for Medicaid (in order to address the increase in demand for
Medicaid and avoid cuts in health care that would lead to a sharp rise in the number of
uninsured).

As the Zandi modeling shows, aid to states has a relatively high stimulus impact
per dollar spent, since the money is put to use immediately, and forestalls cutbacks and
tax increases that would reinforce the downturn.

10 The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured also studied the role Medicaid plays in state and local economies and found that Medicaid spending generates economic activity, including jobs, income and state tax revenues, while reductions in state and federal Medicaid will lead to
declines in economic activity at the state level.

11 Investment in Public Education. Across the country, states are limiting or cutting back
aid to universities. America’s great public universities, which allowed millions to join
the middle class, no longer get most of their funding from state appropriations. This has
led to sharp increases in the costs borne by students and their families. Federal aid
programs have not kept up with these rising costs.

In 1979, the highest level of Pell Grants, which provide aid to the students most
in need, covered up to three quarters of the average cost of attending a four-year public
college. To return to that level of support, and to make college affordable for thousands
more students by expanding eligibility for Pell Grants, would cost $35 billion
annually.

12 This aid could be dispensed quickly through existing mechanisms and
would help to reduce downward pressure on labor markets by bringing potential
students into school. The importance of a college education will only grow in the years
ahead.

Many middle-class and low-income families rely on federally-subsidized student
loans to help pay for college education, and more are expected to seek federal loans as
their investments and income suffer during the economic downturn. Despite passage
and extension of the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act, federal student
aid programs—which include Stafford, Perkins, and PLUS loans—currently face a
budget shortfall of approximately $5 billion.

13 We recommend fully funding federal student aid programs, while expanding direct lending to secure the student loan market. Not only will this investment provide needed support to students and schools, it will generate a positive return as the loans are repaid.

14 Research and Development. Public investment in research and development – both
military and non-military – now represents less than one-half the share of GDP that it
did at its height in the 1960s.

15 Increased productivity and national income growth is inherently linked to R&D investment that stimulates innovation and facilitates transmission of new technologies. For this country to compete and thrive in a global economy, staying on the cutting edge of research and development is vital.

This expansion should be continued even after the economy recovers, and will be paid for by
rising revenues. There is no better investment in our future.

The Association of American Universities is currently gathering figures from the
national research centers to estimate the level of funding these agencies could easily
absorb in one to two years. We conservatively estimate an increase of $5 billion in the
first year and $10 billion in the second.

Health Care. In addition to meeting a very real need, this crisis provides an
opportunity to increase access to and lower the cost of health care. Providing federal
support to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and increasing access
to Medicaid would help reduce state-budget shortfalls and strengthen the health-care
safety net at a time when more families will be forced to rely on it. There is also
potential to use stimulus investments to promote systemic changes that will spur
economic growth in the short-term and improve quality and cost-effectiveness of care in
the long-term. For instance, providing incentives for hospitals and physicians to adopt
electronic medical record systems could yield more than $80 billion in annual savings.

16 We recommend investing a total of approximately $15 billion in targeted health care
projects in the first year and $55 billion in the second, as a down-payment on
comprehensive health care reform.

Aid to Those in Need. Economic downturns hit the weakest and poorest families
hardest. The poorest families have the fewest resources on which to draw in the event
of a job loss or drop in income. Assistance given to them will be spent immediately on
food and medicine, and on rent and car loans.

17 Providing aid to those most in need is not only the morally right thing to do, it makes the most economic sense. Estimates by Moody’s Economy.com indicate that each dollar in tax cuts that include low-income households increases real GDP by $1.29, whereas tax reductions for capital gains and dividends yield less than 40 cents of real GDP growth on the dollar.

18 Providing jobless workers with assistance affording COBRA health insurance
premiums would help families avoid drawing down their savings to remain healthy.
Based on Congressional Budget Office modeling, offering a 75 percent subsidy to all
eligible workers is estimated to cost $11.75 billion over two years.

19 Modernizing the unemployment insurance system to meet the needs of the
contemporary workforce would cost approximately $7.5 billion.

20 Funds for this investment will be provided by an extension of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act
(FUTA) surtax. A temporary 20 percent increase in the food stamp benefit would cost
approximately $15 billion and would enable millions of low-income families to cope
with rapid increases in food costs.

21 The Center for American Progress’ Task Force on
Poverty estimates that the number of Americans living in poverty could be reduced by
more than a quarter through an annual investment of $38 billion to increase the Earned
Income and Child Tax Credits, raise the minimum wage, and expand access to child
care.

22 Pre-K Now recommends the federal government invest about $1 billion a year in
incentive grants to states to extend their pre-kindergarten programs. The Center on
Budget and Policy Priorities believes states could spend an additional $1 billion in the
first year and $1.5 billion in the 2nd year, in child care and an equivalent amount in
Head Start for a total of $5 billion over 2 years for these two programs. In all, $80 billion
would be devoted to the purpose of reducing poverty.

Tax Cuts. A total of $450 billion of spending in the first year is the minimum
necessary to provide a real stimulus. Public investment provides the most stimulus
effect, but a decade of starvation has left many public entities without the capacity to
absorb all of the needed spending in the first year. Moreover, although the tax cut
earlier this year did not adequately translate into consumer buying, the rapidly
deteriorating job market since then suggests that millions of low- and middle-income
Americans are struggling to meet their daily obligations, and therefore are more likely
to spend the proceeds of any tax relief they get.

The Economists’ Policy Group on Women’s Issues calls for the expansion of
public support for paid home-care workers; tax credits for family members providing
for their own disabled, elderly, and infirm; and a significant increase in the child credit,
making it fully refundable, to provide tax relief to those who need it most. We therefore
propose $145 billion of tax relief in a refundable rebate targeted to low- and middleincome
taxpayers in the first year, replaced by increased public investment in the
second.

Conclusion

Properly designed, the recovery program can not only help the economy get
back on its feet, but also provide a down payment for a more productive and just
society. The deficits involved in the first two years – along with those incurred by the
financial bailout – will be significant, but they will be far less costly than allowing this
recession to descend into a depression—a direction in which we could very well be
headed.

Total Proposed Stimulus Spending for Two Years
(in billions of dollars)
Year
One
Year
Two
Green Investment23 $50 $50
Infrastructure24 $75 $150
Aid to States25 $50 $75
Education26 $40 $40
Research and Development27 $5 $10
Health Care28 $15 $55
Unemployment Insurance
and COBRA Subsidy29 $15 $15
Food Stamps30 $15 $15
Poverty Reduction31 $40 $40
Middle-Class Tax Cut32 $145 -
Total Over Two Years $900 billion

Endorsers

The undersigned have endorsed the Main Street Recovery Program.

Robert Borosage, Co‐Director, Institute for Americaʹs Future

Leo Gerard, International President, United Steelworkers (USW)

Dean Baker, Economist, Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR)

Anna Burger, Chair, Change to Win

Jane DʹArista, Financial Markets Center

Jeff Faux, Economist & Founder, Economic Policy Institute (EPI)

James Galbraith, Economist

Heidi Hartmann, President, Institute for Women’s Policy Research

Robert Johnson, Economist

Robert Kuttner, Co‐Editor, The American Prospect, Senior Fellow, Demos

Julie A. Matthaei, Professor of Economics, Wellesley College

Gerald W. McEntee, International President, American Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

Lawrence Mishel, President, Economic Policy Institute (EPI)

Susan Ozawa, Economic Studies Fellow, Institute for Americaʹs Future

Robert Pollin, Department of Economics and Political Economy Research Institute
(PERI), University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Carl Pope, Executive Director, Sierra Club

Andrew Stern, President, Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

John J. Sweeney, President, AFL‐CIO

Dennis Van Roekel, President, National Education Association (NEA)

Mike Wessell, Senior Advisor, Alliance for American Manufacturing

Clayola Brown, National President, A. Philip Randolph Institute

Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

Maria Somma, National President, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APLA)

Frank Hurt, International President, Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and
Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM)

Christopher Chafe, Executive Director, Change to Win

William Lucy, President, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists

Marsha Zakowski, National President, Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW)

Larry Cohen, President, Communications Workers of America (CWA)

Matthew D. Loeb, International President, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage
Employees (IATSE)

Gregory Junemann, President, International Federation of Professional & Technical
Engineers (IFPTE)

Milton Rosado, National President, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
(LCLAA)

Gabriella D. Lemus, Executive Director, Labor Council for Latin American
Advancement (LCLAA)

Terence M. O’Sullivan, General President, Laborers’ International Union of North
America (LIUNA)

Michael Sacco, President, Seafarers International Union (SIU)

Michael Sullivan, General President, Sheet Metal Workers International
Association (SMW)

James C. Little, International President, Transport Worker Union of America (TWU)

Robert A. Scardelletti, International President, Transportation Communications
International Union (TCU)

Bruce Raynor, General President, UNITE HERE

Ron Gettelfinger, President, United Auto Workers (UAW)

Steve Kest, Executive Director, ACORN

Rebecca Haag, Executive Director, AIDS Action

Nan Aron, President, Alliance for Justice

Mary Beth Maxwell, Executive Director, American Rights at Work

Amy Isaacs, National Director, Americans for Democratic Action

Jim Campen, Executive Director, Americans for Fairness in Lending

Linda Brown, Executive Director, Arizona Advocacy Network

Bill Moyer, Executive Director, Backbone Campaign

Kevin B. Zeese, Executive Director, Campaign for Fresh Air & Clean Politics

Karen Dolan, Director, Cities for Progress

Lynda Delaforgue, Executive Director, Citizen Action of Illinois

Karen Scharff, Executive Director, Citizen Action of New York

Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs

Don Mathis, President & CEO, Community Action Partnership

Tom Swan, Executive Director, CT Citizen Action Group

Miles Rapoport, President, Demos

Heidi Shierholz, Economist, Economic Policy Institute

Bill Newton, Executive Director, Florida Consumer Action Network

Larry Pellegrini, Executive Director, Georgia Rural Urban Summit

John Cavanaugh, Director, Institute for Policy Studies

Betty Ahrens, Executive Director, Iowa Citizen Action Network

Sarita Gupta, Executive Director, Jobs with Justice

Ben Manski, Executive Director, Liberty Tree Foundation for the Democratic
Revolution

Linda Teeter, Executive Director, Michigan Citizen Action

Jackie Kendall, Executive Director, Midwest Academy

Christine L. Owens, Executive Director, National Employment Law Project

Rea Carey, Executive Director, National Gay & Lesbian Task Force Foundation

Ali Noorani, Executive Director, National Immigration Forum

Kim A. Gandy, President, National Organization for Women (NOW)

George Goehl, Executive Director, National Peopleʹs Action

Jo Cromerford, Executive Director, National Priorities Project

Don Morrison, Executive Director, NDPeople.org

Phyllis Salowe‐Kaye, Executive Director, New Jersey Citizen Action

Sarah L. Johnson, Organizer, NH Citizens Alliance

Sarah Chaisson Warner, Civic Engagement Director, NH Citizens Alliance

Karen Malcolm, Executive Director, Ocean State Action

Gary D. Bass, PhD, Executive Director, OMB Watch

Andrew Gillum, Director, People For Foundation’s Young Elected Officials Network

Rev. Rolen Womack, Chair, People For Foundation’s African American Ministers
Leadership Council

Kathryn Kolbert, President, People for the American Way Foundation (PFAW)

Brad Martin, Political Director, Progressive Future

Sean Dobson, Executive Director, Progressive Maryland

Brian Rothenberg, Executive Director, ProgressOhio

Nate Lowentheil, Executive Director, Roosevelt Institution

Tom Peters, Executive Director, Tennessee Action Network

Steve Gutow, President & CEO, The Jewish Council for Public Affairs

Charlie Clements, President & CEO, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)

Lee Farris, Federal Tax Policy Coordinator, United for a Fair Economy

Carmen Berkley, President, United States Student Association

Jeff Blum, Executive Director, USAction

Will Pittz, Executive Director, Washington Community Action Network

Page Gardner, President, Women’s Voices. Women Vote Action Fund

Paula Brantner, Executive Director, Workplace Fairness

Gary Zuckett, Executive Director, WV Citizen Action Group

Tanweer Akram, Ph.D.

Randy Albelda, Professor of Economics and Senior Fellow, The Center for Social Policy

at University of Massachusetts ‐ Boston

Marcus Alexis, Professor Emeritus, Northwestern University

Sylvia A. Allegretto, Ph.D., Economist, Institute for Research on Labor & Employment,
University of California, Berkeley

Gar Alperovitz, University of Maryland

Marcellus Andrews, Barnard College, Columbia University

Patricia A. Atkinson, Professor of Economics, Portland State University

M. V. Lee Badgett, Director, Center for Public Policy & Administration, University of
Massachusetts

Ron Baiman, DePaul University

Nina Banks, Bucknell University

Dr. Michael H. Belzer, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Wayne State
University

Gunseli Berik, University of Utah

Carole Biewener, Professor of Economics and of Womenʹs and Gender Studies,
Simmons College

Cihan Bilginsoy, University of Utah

Colin S. Cavell, Ph.D., University of Bahrain, Sakhir Campus

Oliver Cooke, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Economics, Richard Stockton College of
New Jersey

David R. Cormier, Ph.D., Institute for Labor Studies and Research Extension Service,
West Virginia University

Brendan Cushing‐Daniels, Assistant Professor of Economics, Gettysburg College

James M. Cypher, Professor of Economics, California State University, Fresno

Anita Dancs, Assistant Professor of Economics, Western New England College

William Darity, Jr., Duke University

Gregory DeFreitas, Professor of Economics, Hofstra University

Ranjit S. Dighe, Associate Professor of Economics, SUNY College at Oswego

Robert Drago, Professor of Labor Studies and Women’s Studies, Penn State University

Niev Duffy, Ph.D., President, Eastern Economic Research

Gerald Epstein, Professor of Economics and Co‐Director, Political Economy Research

Institute (PERI), University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Susan F. Feiner, Professor of Economics, University of Southern Maine

Deborah M. Figart, Ph.D., Dean, School of Graduate and Continuing Studies and
Professor of Economics, The Richard Stockton College of NJ

Gerald Friedman, Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts at Amherst

William Ganley, Ph.D., Professor of Economics & Finance, Buffalo State College
(SUNY)

Angel Garcia Banchs, Professor, New School University/Universidad Central de
Venezuela

Carole A. Green, University of South Florida

Karl D. Gregory, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Economics, Oakland University

Robert Guttmann, Professor and Chair of Economics, Hofstra University

Martin Hart‐Landsberg, Professor of Economics, Lewis and Clark College

Susan Helper, Professor of Economics, Case Western Reserve University

Conrad M. Herold, Associate Professor of Economics, Hofstra University

Adam S. Hersh, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Economics, University of
Massachusetts, Amherst

Barbara E. Hopkins, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Wright State University

Michael D. Intriligator, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Political Science, and Public
Policy, University of California, Los Angeles

Sanford M. Jacoby, Professor of Economics, UCLA

Mark A. Johnson, Associate Professor of Economics, Chicago State University

A.J. Julius, Assistant Professor, UCLA

Andrew I. Kohen, Professor of Economics, James Madison University

Benjamin Kohl, Associate Professor and Undergraduate Chair, Temple University

Douglas Koritz, Ph.D., Department of Economics & Finance and Assistant Dean for
Intellectual Foundations, Buffalo State College

Rachel Kreier, Assistant Professor of Economics, Hofstra University

Peter Karl Kresl, Professor of Economics – Emeritus, Bucknell University

Supriya Lahiri, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Economics, University of
Massachusetts, Lowell

Margaret Levenstein, University of Michigan

Chuck Levenstein, Professor Emeritus of Work Environment, University of
Massachusetts Lowell

Victor D. Lippit, Professor of Economics, University of California, Riverside

Robert G. Lynch, Professor of Economics, Washington College

Catherine Lynde, Professor, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Arthur MacEwan, Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Massachusetts,
Boston

Mark H. Maier, Glendale Community College

John Mannah, Ph.D., Candidate, New School for Social Research

Patrick L. Mason, Department of Economics and Political Economy Research Institute
(PERI), Florida State University

Thomas Masterson, Research Scholar, Levy Economics Institute of Bard College

Thomas F. Mayer, Professor of Sociology, University of Colorado at Boulder

Elaine McCrate, Professor of Economics & Womenʹs Studies, University of Vermont

Patrick A. McGuire, Professor of Economics, Hobart & William Smith Colleges

Hannah McKinney, Professor of Economics and Business, Kalamazoo College

Martin Melkonian, Department of Economics, Hofstra University

William Milberg, Associate Professor Dept. of Economics, New School for Social
Research

Tracy Mott, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Denver

Jamee K. Moudud, Ph.D., Economics Faculty and Chair, Social Science Group, Sarah
Lawrence College

Eric Nilsson, Professor, Economics Department, California State University, San
Bernardino

Laurie Nisonoff, Professor of Economics School of Social Science, Hampshire College

Aaron Pacitti, American University

Dimitri B. Papadimitriou, The Levy Economics Institute of Bard College

M. Stephen Pendleton, Associate Professor of Economics, Buffalo State College (SUNY)

Michael Perelman, California State University

Joseph Persky, Department of Economics, University of Illinois at Chicago

Karl Petrick, Assistant Professor of Economics, Western New England College

Mark A. Price, Ph.D., Labor Economist, Keystone Research Center

Paddy Quick, St. Francis College, Brooklyn

Miguel D. Ramirez, Professor of Economics, Trinity College

Cordelia Reimers, Professor Emeritus of Economics, Hunter College & The Graduate
Center, CUNY

Joseph Ricciardi, Professor of Economics, Babson College

Malcom Robinson, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Thomas More College

Charlie Rock, Professor of Economics, Rollins College

James M. Rock, Professor Emeritus, University of Utah

Sergio Romero, Ph.D., Boise State University

Michael Rosen, Milwaukee Area Technical College

Hector Saez, Ph.D., Economist, Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources,
Northwest Research and Extension Center

Helen Scharber, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Dr. Ted P. Schmidt, Chair & Associate Professor, Department of Economics & Finance,
Buffalo State College

Juliet B. Schor, Boston College

Sanford F. Schram, Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, Bryn Mawr
College

Joel Scott

Stephanie Seguino, Associate Dean, Professor of Economics, College of Arts and
Sciences, University of Vermont

Barry Shelley, Economist, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Vince Snowberger, Economist (retired)

Mary Huff Stevenson, Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts, Boston

James B. Stewart, Professor of Labor Studies and Employment Relations and
Management and Organization, Penn State University

Jeffrey Stewart, Doctor, University of Cincinnati

David Terkla, Professor, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Frank Thompson, Lecturer in Economics, University of Michigan

Chris Tilly, Director, Institute for Research Labor and Employment and Professor of
Urban Planning (IRLE)

John E. Tower, Professor Emeritus, School of Business Administration, Oakland
University

Leanne Ussher, Assistant Professor of Economics, Queens College, CUNY

Marjolein van der Veen, Economics Instructor, Bellevue Community College

Matias Vernengo, Professor of Economics, University of Utah

Paula B. Voos, Rutgers University

Norman J. Waitzman, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Economics, University of Utah

David F. Weiman, Alena Wels Hirschorn ʹ58 Professor of Economics, Barnard College,
Columbia University

Thomas Weisskopf, Professor of Economics, University of Michigan

Christian Weller, Professor of Public Policy, University of Massachusetts Boston

Linda Wilcox Young, Southern Oregon University

Max Fraad Wolff, Graduate Program in International Affairs, New School University

Martin H. Wolfson, University of Notre Dame

June M. Zaccone, Professor of Economics, Hofstra University

Ajit Zacharias, The Levy Economics Institute of Bard College

John J. Zink, Franklin and Marshall College

Ben Zipperer, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Minnesotans to hold health care forums... discuss the real change we need

Alan L. Maki — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:04:49 EST

What: Statewide health care forums

When: December 20, 2008

Time: to be announced in each locality where events will be hosted

Description of events:

We will discuss the Single-payer Universal Health Care resolution passed by the Roseau County Democratic-Farmer Labor Party Convention in 2006 which called for: "No fee/no premium, comprehensive, all-inclusive (pre-natal to grave) single-payer universal health care; publicly funded and publicly administered."

Major areas of discusssion:

Why the private, corporate profit motive needs to be removed from health care at every level. The "free enterprise" system has failed and the deplorable state of health care with lack of access to health care for millions of people is one of the primary proofs that we need to put the health care of people before profits. We want to discuss health care as a human right as articulated in the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We see single-payer universal health care as the needed step to achieve socialized health care which is the real solution making health care into its only intended purpose: To keep people healthy and to try to get them well when sick.

We hope President-elect Barack Obama will send someone to take in one of our forums.

We will explore what it will take to strengthen the proposed federal health care legislation--- H.R. 676, and what we must do to turn support for H.R. 676 into a powerful grassroots/rank-and-file movement to achieve real health care reform.

Sponsored by:

Frank Marshall Davis Roundtable for Change

Minnesotans for Peace and Social Justice

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Let's talk about the politics and economics of livelihood.

********************

A great opportunity for citizen participation---

This is posted on theObama "Change.gov" web site:

http://change.gov/page/s/hcdiscussion

Health care is a top priority for President-elect Obama, and he wants your help in reforming the system to provide quality, affordable health care for all Americans. That's why this holiday season, we're asking you to give us the gift of your ideas and input.

Sign up to host a Health Care Community Discussion anytime from December 15th to 31st.

We'll provide all our hosts with special moderator kits that will give you everything you need to get the discussion going. And Senator Tom Daschle, the leader of the Transition's Health Policy Team, will even choose one discussion to attend in person.

After you sign up to host an event you get this message:

Hey,

President-elect Obama has made it clear that health care reform is one of his top priorities. That's why the Obama-Biden Transition is asking people to give their own thoughts and ideas for how to fix the system at Health Care Community Discussions all across the country.

I just signed up to host a Community Discussion, and I thought you might want to come. Here are the details:

Date and time:
Location:

Hope you can make it!

*********************

Only single payer reforms the sustem. Early on, Obama suggested he
agreed but "the people" weren't yet ready to dump for profit health
insurnace companies.

Obama Team Seeks Your Input on Health Care Reform.

Borrowing a community organizing technique, the incoming administration is
asking Americans to host meetings to come up with ideas. They'll send
discussion packets to anyone who signs up.

Saturday 06 December 2008
http://www.truthout.org/120808HA
»
by: Noam N. Levey, The Los Angeles Times

       Washington - Former Sen. Tom Daschle, in his first major speech since
being asked to head President-elect Barack Obama's healthcare reform effort,
on Friday announced a nationwide campaign this month to solicit public input
on improving the nation's healthcare system.

    The plan - asking Americans to host meetings to talk about reform -
appears designed to avoid the appearance that the new administration is
developing a sweeping agenda behind closed doors.

    That perception is widely believed to have helped doom the Clinton
administration's healthcare reform efforts in the early '90s, when
then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton led a months-long task force that
wrote the administration's legislation.

    "We want an open process," Daschle told a healthcare forum convened in
Denver by Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.).

    In Washington, Democratic officials have been meeting privately for
weeks to develop legislation, which senior lawmakers hope to unveil in early
January, to reshape the country's healthcare system, a longtime goal of the
party.

    Obama, Daschle and others - including Massachusetts Sen. Edward M.
Kennedy - envision an effort by the federal government to ensure that all
Americans get health coverage, to bring down healthcare costs and to improve
the quality of care.

    Daschle, a former majority leader whom Obama has asked to be Health and
Human Services secretary, said Friday that the transition team would send
discussion packets to any American willing to host a house party in the last
two weeks of December.

    He said he would attend a meeting himself, and invited Americans to sign
up for the events at the transition website, www.change.gov.

    Some 10,000 people, many of them already involved in grass-roots efforts
to push healthcare reform, have submitted comments on the website, according
to Daschle.

    The Obama team's maneuver builds on organizing techniques pioneered by
liberal grass-roots groups like MoveOn.org and deployed by Obama during the
presidential campaign.

    It also reinforces the message that Obama has delivered since his
election, that he intends to take aggressive steps to tackle the issue
despite the worsening economic situation.

    "President-elect Obama has made health reform one of his top
priorities," Daschle said. "And I'm here to tell you that his commitment to
changing the healthcare system remains strong and focused."

Obama defends Republic Windows and Doors workers

Alan L. Maki — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:30:22 EST

Chicago Sun-Times December 7, 2008
BY ABDON PALLASCH Sun-Times Political Reporter http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1318766,barack-obama-republic-window-doors-120708.article

The change casino workers seek from President-elect Barack H. Obama

Alan L. Maki — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 20:31:39 EST

To: Amy Berglund, Regional Representative, United States Senator Carl Levin;

Please find below a letter I sent to President-elect Barack H. Obama and “Cc’ed” to others. I trust that this will satisfy your requirement per our conversation in your Escanaba, Michigan office concerning your looking into the plight of casino workers. Should you have further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me by e-mail or by letter-- U.S. Post. I think it best, given you deny knowing anything about the situation casino workers find themselves in through no fault of their own but as a direct result of actions taken by United States Senator Carl Levin and other federal and state legislators along with state and federal agencies, that we keep everything in writing so there is now a clear and permanent record since you are the one to have requested that I provide you with something in writing before you would bring yourself up to speed on this issue. I trust that you will have the necessary discussion with Senator Levin concerning what can, and will, be done to remedy this grave injustice. Please respond that you received this e-mail. Feel free to show this letter to anyone; I place no restrictions on its use. I remind you that there are thousands of workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry within your region. I urge you to familiarize yourself with the “Compacts” enabling these casinos to exist with workers being denied their most basic and fundamental human rights--- by intent.

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Cc: President Maggie Bird, Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Saturday, December 6, 2008

President-elect Barack Obama asked to resolve injustices of casino workers

President-elect Barack H. Obama;

I write to you on behalf of the workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry at the suggestion of a number of concerned labor and human rights activists.

Some two-million Americans work in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state, federal or tribal labor laws in the Indian Gaming Industry as a result of the "Compacts" creating this industry.

What do you intend to do to correct this injustice?

Sovereignty is NOT an issue. There are around 200 sovereign nations in the world today and none of these sovereign nations are without any rights for working people.

In fact, these "Compacts" allow for state and FBI enforcement of state and federal statutes involving criminal activity.

In fact, these "Compacts" allow for state regulatory agencies to assure that slot machines are in compliance.

But, when it comes to protecting the rights (human rights) of workers there are no provisions in these "Compacts" to protect the rights of workers.

There are now over 450 such gaming establishments (casinos/resorts/restaurants/hotels/motels/amusement and theme parks) comprising the Indian Gaming Industry.

Congress and the Department of Interior along with various other state and federal governments and agencies are involved.

If "sovereignty" was the reason for the federal and state governments remaining aloof from protecting the rights of these workers there would be no need for the state or federal governments and various state and federal agencies to be involved in the Indian Gaming Industry because Indian Nations would not be coerced to come to state and federal governments for approval vis-à-vis these "Compacts" in the first place.

I would call to your attention that the Provincial government of Manitoba, Canada remedied this very easily by telling tribal governments that unless they made their casinos smoke-free the government would not consider any further approval for new casinos or casino expansions.

The United States government could very easily do the same thing and insist that before any further "Compacts" are entered into they would have to include smoke-free provisions and provisions that all state and federal labor laws would be adhered to and state and federal departments of labor would be responsible for enforcement.

That some two-million workers (not including those who quit or get fired which comprises many more workers because of the huge turn-over) are employed under such draconian conditions in the United States of America is shameful.

We expect that the Employee Free Choice Act will be written to include these workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry before you sign it.

We further expect that you will address the issue of the need to rescind "at-will hiring, at-will firing" legislation in some twenty-eight states which as it stands would render "card check" useless.

Right now there is the "Gun Lake Casino Compact" pending in the Michigan Senate, having been approved by Governor Jennifer Granholm and the Michigan House with the full knowledge by Governor Granholm and each member of the Michigan Legislature that this was one more "Compact" which would deny basic and fundamental human rights to another two-thousand casino workers. Since you have such a chummy relationship with Governor Granholm and David Bonior who is supposed to be a champion of labor rights you should have no problem convincing Governor Granholm that she should request this "Compact" be withdrawn for approval pending the suggestion that the rights of casino workers must be included... this would set a precedent that would be difficult for future "Compacts" to ignore.

Also, you should be aware that second-hand smoke in the workplace has been designated as one of the primary health concerns by the American Cancer Society and the Heart and Lung Foundation. Further, many casino workers are women of child-bearing age, pregnant women and nursing mothers for whom the health hazards and dangers of second-hand smoke are known to be very vulnerable.

Two issues are involved with the problem of second-hand smoke for casino workers.

First is the obvious direct health factor.

Second, is the fact that you have talked a great deal about cutting health care costs. Common sense dictates that millions, if not billions, of dollars can be saved in health care costs by eliminating smoking in the Indian Gaming Industry.

Scientific figures are not available for second-hand smoke related health care issues and costs in the Indian Gaming Industry because these casino managements have refused to participate in the collection of data by state and federal agencies and the American Cancer Society and Heart and Lung Foundation which raises another grave concern related not only to worker health in the place of employment, but the human rights of workers to be made aware of the health dangers in the workplace.

In short, workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry have no rights at work; they have no voice at work. Workers employed under these conditions have no rights and no voice in the communities where they live lest the employer finds out about activities considered to be inappropriate.

At the largest casino operation in Minnesota, and one of the largest in the Indian Gaming Industry in the United States of America employing over 5,000 workers... Mystic Lake Casino/Resort/Hotel/Restaurants... workers are forced to sign a statement acknowledging that they will be terminated from employment if they engage in any form of union organizing activity which includes signing a union card.

As the world is about to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 2008--- each and everyone of the rights articulated in this important Declaration are being denied over two-million workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry.

Many of these workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry are people of color which raises the question of racism.

Many of these two-million workers are very young workers for whom this will be their first job under these atrocious working conditions, thus creating other obvious problems.

In addition, these casino managements are employing thousands of undocumented workers making for an even more complex situation. Imagine, if you will, working in a place of employment where even those around you have no rights!

I call to your attention that Amy Berglund, the Regional Assistant to United States Senator Carl Levin claims to know nothing about this disgraceful and shameful situation workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry even though, right under her nose, workers are being fired left and right by the Island Casino management.

I would also call to your attention that most of these casinos are managed by non-Native American firms such as the Fertitta's "Station Casinos." I trust you know the history of Frank Fertitta and his involvement in gaming. I doubt that you would want one of your own children growing up having to work for such an employer while being denied of all rights.

Perhaps we should get together to discuss these concerns. Two-million Americans being intentionally and systematically denied their human rights is no small matter; especially with the sensitivity across the globe there is to human rights issues. We hope that with your election these injustices will come to an end... this is the change casinos workers seek from your election.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by e-mail or by letter--- U.S. Post.

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

Cc:

President Maggie Bird, Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm

David Bonior

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney

Representative Keith Ellison, Minnesota

Minnesota State Representative Tom Rukavina

Minnesota State Senator David Tomassoni

Amy Berglund, Regional Representative for U.S. Senator Carl Levin

Elizabeth Reed, Staff Assistant, U.S. Senator Carl Levin

Guy Ryder, General Secretary, International Trade Union
Confederation

President Benjamin Todd Jealous, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Check out my blog:

Thoughts From Podunk

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/