"Cost of living" verses wage stagnation

I spent the year of 1979 near Hiroshima, Japan. During my stay there gasoline cost around $1.25 in the U.S. and almost $4 per gallon in Japan. Of course, they didn't sell it "by the gallon" there, rather by the liter. But the price worked out to that which I am siting.

When I asked anyone about the difference in price, I was invariably referred to the same logic that was given when asked about prices for everything in metropolitan America being higher than that of rural America. Prices were higher because people in metropolitan areas made higher wages. And this was the explanation for the higher price in Japan of that time.

And today, as we see the cost of virtually everything skyrocketing because, as we are told, the price of oil is rising exponentially, Congress has done everything within its power to hold wages down, bust unions, and give tax breaks to those who are responsible for failing banks, lending institutions, energy companies, and other "industry" owners.

So, as we are forced to live on less, and pay more for everything that we need to survive, the fat cats are living in luxury and laughing at the rest of us.

Nationalize all industries that supply the basic necessities of life, provide employment with a living wage for all who can work (and subsidize the disabled), and tax the ever living shit out of all other industries and providers.

It offends me tremendously when I hear people on 'Corporate Welfare" refer to the poor as "a drain on society". When I know for a fact that they draw thousands and more every month from a government agency for doing little if anything for it, my sensibilities and moral compass are offended.

If "the American Dream" has given them so much, they should not mind giving back. If they do, then of course it is they who are the true "drain on society".

ANNOUNCING THIS BRAVE NATION SERIES AND AWARD

I pass this message along with the deepest reservations. "Progressive" to me denotes an implied concession to the fatally flawed and fraudulent "Two Party System". After all, what good is there in declaring a Marxist Philosophy and outlook when you continue to fuel the above mentioned system. But I reserve the belief that these organizations have the ability to work toward Socialism which may show more undereducated and unaware individuals the truth about Socialism: that only Socialism can and will provide for a better existence and future for ALL, where Capitalism will never care about any but the wealthiest few. Monarchy ceased years ago, but we are all still serfs.

So, with this caveat I pass along this information.

From: Progressive Democrats of America http://pdamerica.org

ANNOUNCING THIS BRAVE NATION SERIES AND AWARD

You may recall that PDA Executive Director Tim Carpenter was named The Nation's "Most Valuable Progressive in 2007." We also partnered with the folks at Brave New Foundation to bring you news and DVDs. We're all working together within the progressive movement, so we're happy to forward the following note from Katrina vanden Heuvel and Robert Greenwald about an exciting joint project between The Nation and The Brave New Foundation. Your support of this project supports the work of PDA.

"Just take what you love doing, and do it with enough other people to make it the future." Those are the inspired words of the Sierra Club's Executive Director Carl Pope http://www.sierraclub.org/. And it's just a snippet of his fascinating conversation with Van Jones of The Ella Baker Center http://www.ellabakercenter.org/page.php?pageid=1 and Green for All http://www.greenforall.org/, in Sunday's thrilling premiere of This Brave Nation! http://bravenation.com/?utm_source=pda

This Brave Nation reflects months of collaboration between Brave New Foundation and The Nation to bring you a 6-part dynamic dialogue among progressive activists. Each Sunday for the next five weeks, you'll see other episodes that featured: Carl Pope and Van Jones, Bonnie Raitt and Dolores Huerta, Pete Seeger and Majora Carter, Anthony Romero and Ava Lowery, and PDA advisory board member Tom Hayden and Naomi Klein. These are some of the most celebrated progressive minds in our country today, and now we want to know who your local activists are.

Nominate your local unsung hero for our This Brave Nation Award. Brave New Foundation and The Nation will fly the winning activist out to Los Angeles to be part of our series finale, which will air LIVE on July 13th featuring special guests. http://bravenation.com/heroes.php

Our hope is that 'This Brave Nation' will raise the discourse about progressive issues in our country. And you can help by donating $15, for which you'll receive 2 DVDs with all 5 episodes that you can pass along to your family, friends, local schools, and libraries. https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/552/p/10040/bravenation?utm_source=pda

Clinton says she's open to being Obama's VP

And we all know how innocuous our last (and present) VP has been.

Don't do it! They are cut from the same cloth!

Clinton says she's open to being Obama's VP

WASHINGTON (AP) - Hillary Rodham Clinton told colleagues Tuesday she would consider joining Barack Obama as his running mate, and advisers said she was withholding a formal departure from the race partly to use her remaining leverage to press for a spot on the ticket.

On a conference call with other New York lawmakers, Clinton, a New York senator, said she was willing to become Obama's vice presidential nominee if it would help Democrats win the White House, according to a participant who spoke on condition of anonymity because this person was not authorized to speak for Clinton.

Clinton's remarks came in response to a question from Democratic Rep. Nydia Velazquez, who said she believed the best way for Obama to win key voting blocs, including Hispanics, would be for him to choose Clinton as his running mate.

"I am open to it," Clinton replied, if it would help the party's prospects in November.

Disabled Veteran Catches his Crook

Man, 71, and friend in wheelchair subdue suspect

KINGSTON, Pa. (AP) - The young woman probably thought the 71-year-old veteran, whose friend was in a wheelchair, would make an easy target. She was wrong. Harry Kopenis chased and tackled the 22-year-old woman he says robbed him at an ATM in northeastern Pennsylvania. Then, with help from his friend in a wheelchair, he held her until police arrived.

"Maybe she thought I was easy prey. She didn't think I was going to get her. Well, senior citizens aren't easy prey," Kopenis said.

Police charged Erin Vanmatre, of Kingston, with robbery, harassment and other offenses. Vanmatre, who was on probation for conspiracy to commit theft, was locked up on $10,000 bail. It wasn't clear if she had an attorney.

Kopenis said he's not sure how he was able to catch Vanmatre, considering he suffered a stroke five years ago and is on various prescription medications. He pointed to the sky and said, "It was a source up there who gave me the energy."

He was pointing to the flashing sign high on a pole with the name of his bank on it. His bank did not insure his transactions outside the bank.

He had gone to an ATM near his Kingston home Monday morning and withdrew $100 when Vanmatre allegedly knocked him down, took his money and fled.

Kopenis' friend, Kevin Lamb, was nearby in his electric wheelchair. Both men took off after her. Kopenis got her to the ground and Lamb grabbed her leg.

"She wasn't going anyplace then," said Lamb, 56, who uses the wheelchair due to breathing problems.

Kopenis said he thought about not pressing charges, but she continued to resist and gave him a kick to the leg.

The men weren't seriously injured.

If I had done what he did here, I would have been arrested for assaulting the robber. And if I had used an electric wheel chair in the above described manner, I would be charged with vehicular assault.

I'm glad that some people some places are allowed to protect themselves from theft. But in Missouri, you can't even protect yourself from physical harm! I proudly refer to it as a "Don't hit me" state.

"Show Me" (MO State Motto) "Semper Fidelis" (Marine Corps (latin): "Always Faithful")?

I don't think so. More like "Show me your hands! Above your head."

Brian Moore Wins Injunctive Relief Against Ohio Petition Restriction

Small victories.

Hot off the presses of Ballot Access News
http://www.ballot-access.org/2008/06/02/brian-moore-wins-injunctive-relief-against-ohio-petition-restriction/


Brian Moore Wins Injunctive Relief Against Ohio Petition Restriction
http://www.ballot-access.org/2008/06/02/brian-moore-wins-injunctive-relief-against-ohio-petition-restriction/

June 2nd, 2008

On March 2, Brian Moore (Socialist Party presidential candidate) won injunctive relief from U.S. District Court in Columbus, against an Ohio law that requires independent candidate petition circulators to be registered voters in Ohio. Moore v Brunner, southern dist., 2:08cv-224.

Although the law has not yet been declared unconstitutional, while that part of the case is pending, any adult may circulate an independent candidate petition in Ohio. Ohio tried to persuade the judge that even if he issued an injunction against the registration requirement, he should still let the state bar out-of-state residents from circulating an independent candidate petition. But the judge rejected the state's plea. Although a theoretical in-state residency requirement might be constitutional, the judge said, Ohio has no such law on the books. It only has the law requiring registration for circulators. Thanks to law professor Mark R. Brown, who is doing this case pro bono.


--

www.iamonlyone.net

"I am only one, But still I am one. I cannot do everything, But still I can do something; And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do" - - - Edward Everett Hale

Electoral Tea Leaves: Street agitation to be launched by CPN-M against bourgeois parties

Does anyone think that there is even a remote possibility that any U.S. "party would

launch a street movement" if the Chimp and his 'Troop'(s) refuse to step down (or aside, or whatever) at the end of this year?

Maoist chairman Prachanda today warned that his party would launch a street movement if the Nepali Congress (NC) failed to hand over the reins of power to his party within the next three days.


Addressing a mass gathering in Gorkha district, Prachanda said Prime Minister Koirala should tender his resignation to the Constituent Assembly (CA) and pave the way for the

Maoists to lead the government. If that does not happen in the next 2-3 days, he said, the Maoist representatives in the current government would resign en masse and join a

street agitation to be launched by the party.


Prachanda, who arrived in Gorkha accompanied by his deputy Dr Baburam Bhattarai, also took the NC and CPN (UML) to task for what he called violation of past agreements, by setting conditions for allowing the Maoists to lead the government.


"Now the kings have been thrown out, but there are small kings who are not willing to step down even after losing the election," reports quoted the Maoist strongman as saying.


On the occasion, Prachanda also hoisted the national flag at the historic Gorkha palace that opened to the public from today.

nepalenews.com

I don't personally believe that the slumbering, mind numbed 'consumers' would raise much more than a 'grunt' of disapproval, if even that! We have lived in fear under increasing oppression for so very long that we don't even have a skeleton of organizational structure among the masses. We have quietly and easily given away our rights and freedoms for a 'security' that is only in danger from those who were suppose to protect us.

I have a friend in Nebraska with whom I was speaking on Sept. 11, 2001 when I expressed my fears for the future. I said, "Our world has just taken a turn for the worse than modern man has ever seen, and we are going to be our own worst enemy." I couldn't see just how this would happen, but it has worked out pretty much as I called it. And frankly, I don't see that changing much no matter who leads the nation next year. But then, I see those in power now doing whatever they have to do to stay in power anyway.

Freedom is gone! It is time to organize to take it back from corporate concerns and war mongers.

Speaking of war mongers, I have long held that the main reason that 'law enforcement' is so anti-second amendment is the very reason for its existence. They don't want local private militia's to have the ability to resist them. And anyone who has already fired a weapon on another human leaves little to question that they would defend themselves against anyone, especially armed aggressors sponsored by a rogue government.

And that, my friends, is exactly what we now have: a rogue government. Look it up. We fill the bill on virtually any description thereof.