LIBYA - THIS IS THE LAST STRAW MR. PRESIDENT

I don't know if I've been patient or not,... but hell, ... *LIBYA?, this is the last straw. Every Republican, conservative/Third Way/NEW/corporate Democrat needs to go. I SAID GO! That includes our current president.

These people cannot be re-elected. If anything, they should be impeached; and some prosecuted for all kinds of crimes, corruption, treason/fraud against the majority of the American people, international crimes, etc., etc., etc. George Bush and Dick Cheney you come to the front of the line.

First, ... everyone needs to watch "Inside Job", and go to the movie website (please do enter the website and read about all the corporations that have been engaged in criminal behavior, and learn what you can do to stop it). If watching that film, and learning about all the corruption/fraud and greed doesn't get you hopping mad, I don't know what will.

Union friends, you don't have a clue what you are up against. Watch the Max Keiser Report below.

This is a wake up call. I'm so sick of this bullshit.






UPDATE 5/12/2011
Asia Times Online :: Bin Laden out, Gaddafi next by Pepe Escobar





The Last Word - March 24, 2011

**Read Pepe Escobar articles and posts

*Libya: Another Unnecessary War Of Choice - Doug Bandow - The Politics of Plunder - Forbes March 14, 2011


Is Obama About to Turn NATO into a Global Robocop? | | AlterNet 11/19/2010, Pepe Escobar


Obama's Women of War | | AlterNet March 20, 2010


"4 Scenarios for the Coming Collapse of the American Empire"
by Alfred W. McCoy


"Blowback, The Costs and Consequences of American Empire" by (the late) Chalmers A. Johnson (read more about Chalmers at Alternet)

March 17, 2011




Michael Betancourt


Max Keiser







United States antitrust law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(It's time we demand that anti-trust laws be enforced)




This "People and Power" Max Keiser video was May 20, 2007





Meltdown Timeline [The "Inside Job" documentary does an even better job putting the timeline together]



[TO BE EDITED FURTHER]

(We don't endorse any financial investment advice)

SECRETS

It's Saturday ... and that means you get to view our recommended videos and articles this week.

First:

The Colbert Report
Tags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

NEXT:
FLASHBACK: Gov. Walker Promised To End Late-Night Votes Because ‘Nothing Good Happens After Midnight’ | AlterNet by Pat Garafolo, February 25, 2011

Excerpt:

"Early this morning, Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly approved legislation stripping public employees of their collective bargaining rights, in the face of ongoing protests that have gripped Madison for well over a week. The bill passed at 1:17 a.m., and Republicans only held the vote open for “seconds.” The vote was called while many Democrats were outside the Assembly chamber, preventing them from casting no votes. Only 13 of the Assembly’s 38 Democratic members got their votes in on time.

Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) praised the Assembly’s action in a statement. However, the Assembly Republicans’ late-night procedural shenanigans fly directly in the face of commitments Walker made on the campaign trail, where he promised to end late-night votes because “nothing good happens after midnight”:

He promised to sign legislation if elected governor that prohibits the Legislature from voting after 10 p.m. or before 9 a.m.

“I have two teenagers and I tell them that nothing good happens after midnight. That’s even more true in politics,” he said in a statement. “The people of Wisconsin deserve to know what their elected leaders are voting on.”

A campaign spokesperson said at the time that Walker believes 10 p.m. is the appropriate hour to end floor work. “Scott’s been there and he’s seen it,” she said, referring to late-night work that allows lobbyists undue influence over legislation. Of course, this supposed commitment to transparency didn’t stop Walker, when he was a member of the Assembly himself, from “join[ing] with the Republican majority in January 1997 to eliminate a rule that required lawmakers to finish their floor sessions at 8 p.m.”"

VIEW REST OF ARTICLE AT: http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/485843/flashback%3A_gov._walker_promised_to_end_late-night_votes_because_%E2%80%98nothing_good_happens_after_midnight%E2%80%99/

AND GOING BACK TO THE PREVIOUS WEEK:

Koch Brothers Behind Wisconsin Effort To Kill Public Unions - Rick Ungar - The Policy Page - Forbes by Rick Ungar, February 18, 2011





Will Media Follow Up On Report That U.S. Chamber Is Behind Dirty Tricks Campaign? | Media Matters for America by Ned Resnikoff, February 11, 2011

WATCH WISCONSIN PROTESTS

THE CONSERVATIVE AGENDA

"At the risk of sounding disagreeable, it's hard to find an "honest difference of opinion" on ideology that explains a paragraph like this one in Gov. Walker's new bill, spotted by my eagle-eyed pal Mike Konczal: "... the department may sell any state−owned heating, cooling, and power plant or may contract with a private entity for the operation of any such plant, with or without solicitation of bids, for any amount ... no approval or certification of the public service commission is necessary for a public utility to purchase, or contract for the operation of, such a plant ..."

This allows the governor to bypass regulators and legislators and sell the state's power plants, built with millions in taxpayer money to anybody he likes. This paragraph goes on to say that " any such purchase is considered to be in the public interest and to comply with the criteria for certification of a project." The governor can give these plants away if he wants, and nobody can stop him.

Cui bono? Who could possibly benefit from giving the governor the ability to sell the state's "heating, cooling, and power plants" (there are 32 of them), or "contract with a private entity" to operate them, without a bid process or any regulatory oversight?

Let's see now: Wisconsin has nearly one million natural gas customers, so it would presumably be a company that "provides consulting, engineering, design, procurement, fabrication and construction services for the natural gas and gas processing industries worldwide" and has "been the general contractor on some of the largest natural gas plants built in the U.S." And since there are a number of coal-fired plants on the state's list, our corporation would need to be a "leading supplier of coal and related products typically used in industrial applications or to generate electricity."

Those quotes were taken from the website of Koch Industries, the company whose owners are bankrolling a little-known group that's behind initiatives like Walker's budget proposal.

Of course, the winning candidate doesn't have to be Koch Industries. Kris Broughton at BigThinkThinkEnergy says it "eliminates the waste of energy and money in facilities through a blend of Supply-Side and Demand-Side energy management measures," and they've placed a hiring ad that reads "Energy client is looking for experienced Plant Managers for multiple power plants located in Wisconsin." found anothe candidate.

The real issue isn't whether Koch Industries gets the deal to operate Wisconsin's power plants. Somebody will - and the assets built by Wisconsin taxpayers (including the public employees now under assault) will undoubtedly be given to the private sector at very favorable rates. It will be one more step in the Great American Giveaway -- the seizure of public resources by the private sector."

The above is an excerpt from "The War Against the Republic: The Battle of Madison" by Richard Eskow.

I believe what Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker wants to do is, or should be illegal. Certainly it is unethical.

If you're reading this post, please, please, please wake up! Wake your neighbors up! You cannot allow these politicians who are bought and paid for by the 1-10% of the population (who control the majority of the wealth and income in this nation) to destroy the American Dream for the rest of us.

In Ohio, Governor Kasich is trying to push Ohio Senate bill 5; however, all the Republican governors' agendas are the same - bust the unions.

Call or fax or write or email your representatives and tell them you are against their anti-union bills.

Please be aware that when you're talking about teacher's unions .. you are talking about women who are the majority of teachers. The Republican agenda is very much anti-woman and *anti-women's rights. (update: the House did indeed vote to defund Planned Parenthood, and attack Title X. The battle against a woman's rights now rages in the U.S. Senate, and in conservative legislatures across the Unite States)

Click to contact:

Your Ohio state representative

Your representative in Congress

Read:

*Blog for Choice | Ohio Bill Would Eliminate a Woman's Right to Choose Before She Even Knows She's Pregnant

SCROOGE AND MARLEY INC. - THE TRUE CONSERVATIVE AGENDA by Thom Hartmann

AVERAGE AMERICANS ARE TIRED OF PAYING FOR THE MISTAKES AND GREED OF THE WEALTHY

Koch Brothers Behind Wisconsin Effort To Kill Public Unions - Rick Ungar - The Policy Page - Forbes (February 18, 2011

WALKER PUNKED BY KOCH IMPERSONATOR

Anti-Abortion Georgia Lawmaker Proposes Law That Would Criminalize Miscarriages by Jason Linkins, February 23, 2011

WALKER PUNKED BY KOCH IMPERSONATOR

Scott Walker, thinking he was talking to one of the billionaire Koch brothers, talks freely and and gets extremely cozy [with Koch impersonator] about his agenda.

Part 2

Considering that the unions already made concessions on everything except collective bargaining, we know this is about union busting.

See these posts for more information about what's going on in Wisconsin.The Real Story Behind the Battle in Wisconsin by Carl Mumm and Kristine Mattis, Feb. 20, 2011

Koch Brothers Behind Wisconsin Effort To Kill Public Unions - Rick Ungar - The Policy Page - Forbes by Rick Ungar, 2/18/2011


Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker: Funded by the Koch Bros. | Mother Jones by Andy Kroll, 2/18/2011


Scott Walker Gets Punked By Journalist Pretending To Be David Koch by Jason Linkins, 2/23/2011


Scrooge & Marley, Inc. -- The True Conservative Agenda by Thom Hartmann

WISCONSIN, THINK TWICE BEFORE MAKING CONCESSIONS

PLEASE SIGN THE AFL-CIO PETITION IN SUPPORT OF WORKER'S RIGHTS

Thousands are rallying in Wisconsin and across the nation to oppose conservative governors who are attacking the collective bargaining rights of our civil servants. And the people in the streets are not just public sector union members.

Why? Why are so many who are not part of a union so committed to protecting the role of organized workers in our government and our economy?

1. Weak Economies Need More Demand: Our economy is struggling and our state budgets are distressed because increased unemployment and falling home prices have reduced economic demand. Weakening the ability of any workers to negotiate fair pay and secure retirements will only weaken demand further, hurting the overall economy.

2. Strong Standards Strengthen The Middle Class. When public sector workers can negotiate for fair pay, healthy workplaces and secure retirements, that puts pressure on private sector CEOs to do the same, or else they risk losing talent to the public sector. Making public sector work less inviting does nothing to make private sector jobs pay better. We need to raise the bar, not lower it.

3. Decent Government Pay Means Decent Government: Most everyone wants our federal, state and local governments to function effectively. That means being able to attract skilled, productive workers with fair pay, healthy workplaces and secure retirements, all of which will be lost if public workers can no longer bargain for their compensation packages.

4. Public Employees Are Not The Problem: Study after study shows the public employees do not receive extravagant compensation, and that the problems with state public pension systems are largely overblown. State budgets are reeling from an economic recession caused by reckless Wall Street speculators, top end tax cuts and corporate tax avoidance. The projected shortfalls in public retirement benefits derive mostly from skyrocketing health care costs thanks to private insurers, and poorly performing pension investments thanks to deregulated Wall Street firms.

Furthermore, civil servants in Wisconsin and elsewhere have repeatedly said they are willing to make concessions regarding pay and benefits. Unlike conservative corporate executives, they have proven their willingness to share the sacrifices. What we can't negotiate is their right to negotiate.

5. Scapegoating Lets The Culprits Get Away: Right-wing billionaires like the Koch brothers are pumping millions into a nationwide effort to break the public employee unions. Why would they bother? Because if they can get most people to blame public employees for the nation's economic ills, they won't hold irresponsible corporations accountable and force the ultra-rich to make any sacrifices, such as higher taxes and tougher regulations.

Now that you know why the assault on public employee unions affects us all, what can we do about it?

Sign The Petition: The AFL-CIO has a petition supporting fair pay and worker rights, to be delivered to all 50 state legislatures.

Attend A Rally: SEIU and Justice With Janitors both have compiled lists of rallies taking place all across the country this week.

READ: Wisconsin Workers' Rights Battle Goes National at Pivotal Time for Labor - Bloomberg

IT WAS UNION WORKERS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES ON 9/11

MAJOR HEADLINE NEWS!! The Republican Party, Glenn Beck and other FOX TV hosts, are corporate shills for major corporations who want to bust unions.
-
Unions are hated by many conservatives (that includes the Republican Party, Libertarians, and a number of corporate Democrats) because unions represent workers, as opposed to [who many conservatives represent]- big business and big/Wall Street money interests. In addition, unions are hated by conservatives because they usually support the Democratic Party (however, there are union members who vote for Republicans). So, unions represent workers, who in turn, usually support Democrats. Destroy unions, who represent workers ... you help destroy the Democratic Party. -


These conservatives forget it was the firefighters and police (who were members of unions) who gave their lives on 9/11.

-

Public employees are men and women who provide much needed services (and they pay federal, state and local taxes, and help stimulate the economy). They also shop in the communities where they work. More important ... there is no profit motive ... The emphasis is placed on service. Click HERE to learn the five myths about privatization.**

Many public employees live in the communities/cities where they serve, and this creates a special bond between the residents and public employees. If you live where you work, you tend to care more about that city/community.

[Robert Reich: The Shameful Attack on Public Employees ]

-
In regards to unions in the private sector: Don't be fooled by rhetoric that says corporations are outsourcing (to other countries) because of unions.

Labor unions in the United States now make up only 7.6% of the private workforce, yet corporations continue to outsource.
-
Many major U.S. corporations and multinational corporations are simply motivated by, and totally focused on profits. How do you increase corporate profits?

The first thing corporate management looks at is reducing labor costs. Do they go overboard? We think yes, ... instead of looking at what's good for the city/state/country/world where the sell their products or services, they choose to exploit labor (they look for cheap labor)... A living wage or raising the standard of living doesn't enter into the discussion (even though doing so would ultimately benefit them).

Corporations compete among themselves for the best talent in specialized fields; however, if they could automate every job/function of the corporation today, they would do it. This kind of thinking is devastating to all societies.
-
Where are our urban planners? We need urban planners and honest politicians to create plans and policies that help lift the standard of living for everyone; and we need them to promote and create an attractive, peaceful, healthy, and productive environment.
-
The only organizations that consistently fight for worker's rights, benefits and a living wage are unions. Are unions perfect? ... No ... No organization is. ... But you have a choice ... You can bash unions who have consistently represented (and fought for) the worker (you), or side with those who are corporate shills.

--


[We stand with unions all over this world (and there are many). We also ask that they form one cohesive worldwide organization that represents each and every one of those individual unions/us]. One focus of that worldwide body should be ... a global base wage for each industry (so large corporations would no longer be able to exploit cheap labor).-
-
Update 2/17/2011:
DNC Expands Role In Labor Protests To Ohio, Indiana

Read:
Walker denies favoring police, fire unions - JSOnline February 13, 2011

Scrooge and Marley, Inc. -- The True Conservative Agenda by Thom Hartmann, June 16, 2004

AlterNet: Right-Wingers Using Public Employees as 21st-Century Welfare Queens by Joshua Holland (just learned that the police and firefighters will not be giving up their collective bargaining rights)


**Privatization Doesn't Pay! (UE's Information for Workers)



The Rachel Maddow Show:

See Rachel's special show on public workers:
Why the GOP is OK with federal job loses



The Ed Show (February 16, 2011 videos):



















Other Ed Show videos about Wisconsin public employees - February 15 and 16, 2011:
Why Wisconsin union fight matters (Feb 15, 2011) - includes our Gov. Kasich's
remarks, and John Nichols remarks
Media absent in Coverage of Liberal Movements
Wisconsin budget crisis is a myth
Boehner on lost jobs: "So be it"(February 15, 2011)


--



Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York - FDNY | Homepage


Stop the Lies About Public Workers


EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT (EFCA)





Degrees and Dollars - NYTimes.com by Paul Krugman, March 6, 2011


10 Developments in the Huge Story of Wisconsin's Uprising | | AlterNet by Joshua Holland, February 21, 2011


rebelpleb: The Real Story Behind the Battle in Wisconsin by Carl Mumm and Kristine Mattis, Feb. 20, 2011 [Love this post]******


Exposing the Republicans' 3-Part Strategy to Tear the Middle Class Apart -- Let's Stop Them in Wisconsin | | AlterNet by Robert Reich, February 20, 2011

Robert Kuttner: Wisconsin's Tunisia Moment by Robert Kuttner, February 20, 2011


GOP pushes big oil over Big Bird (February 16, 2011)


Robert Reich: The Shameful Attack on Public Employees by Robert Reich, January 5, 2011


THIS IS THE REAL JOHN BOEHNER, November 20, 2010

What is the future of the American Dream? April 23, 2010


Labor Pains - Bill Moyers Journal, September 18, 2009

THE LABOR MOVEMENT IS ALIVE AND WELL AND GROWING -WATCH OUT MR. STEELE! (our post Feb 1, 2009)

Bill Moyers Journal August 29, 2008


Expose: Worker's Safety, June 27, 2008


Undoing the Great Risk Shift, or, Saving Capitalism from Itself, Again September 17, 2004