On the eve

[Political Waves]

Alright, here I am -- I didn't forget you. In fact, you've REALLY been on my mind, especially as I've rushed from project to project, my hair on fire, these last couple of weeks. I know I haven't brought any interesting bits into your in-box in awhile now. I assumed you were busy with Christmas, and now New Years and didn't need interruption from me ... that, and I couldn't find anything useful to send you.

Seriously! I've checked every day to find something besides sheer nonsense and I can't locate anything worth a darn. So -- in my own defense -- there IS no political news of moment to report. Oh, everything's restless ... from Alaskan volcano's to a largely psychopathic GOP in Iowa, but none of this is news we can't live without.

Still, I want you to know I carry you -- my Political Waves family -- with me at all times, send you positive energy, and today I wish for you the brightest of New Years.

2012. We've really waited for this one, haven't we! Let's hope we have our mojo's working, our intentions in place and our homework done to give the best of ourselves to this new year and to take confirmation of our own blessings within it.

Here's the link to today's post over at Planet Waves -- and below you'll find some encouragement from Krugman and Moore. There's really no news of importance ... which is Good News, so they say.

Blessed be, each one of you -- have a safe, sane and heartfelt celebration as 2011 closes a door behind it. When it opens again, may this long awaited new year fill us with Light!

Jude


Partisan Shenanigans, Political Nonsense
Paul Krugman, NYT via TruthOut
Thursday 15 December 2011
http://www.truth-out.org/partisan-shenanigans-political-nonsense/1325001165

Carelessly Mistaking Theater For Policy
Paul Krugman, NYT via TruthOut
Thursday 22 December 2011
http://www.truth-out.org/carelessly-mistaking-theater-policy/1325001582

75 Years Ago Today, the First Occupy
a note from Michael Moore
Friday, December 30th, 2011
http://www.michaelmoore.com

Friends,

On this day, December 30th, in 1936 -- 75 years ago today -- hundreds of workers at the General Motors factories in Flint, Michigan, took over the facilities and occupied them for 44 days. My uncle was one of them.

The workers couldn't take the abuse from the corporation any longer. Their working conditions, the slave wages, no vacation, no health care, no overtime -- it was do as you're told or get tossed onto the curb.

So on the day before New Year's Eve, emboldened by the recent re-election of Franklin Roosevelt, they sat down on the job and refused to leave.

They began their Occupation in the dead of winter. GM cut off the heat and water to the buildings. The police tried to raid the factories several times, to no avail. Even the National Guard was called in.

But the workers held their ground, and after 44 days, the corporation gave in and recognized the UAW as the representative of the workers. It was a monumental historical moment as no other major company had ever been brought to its knees by their employees. Workers were given a raise to a dollar an hour -- and successful strikes and occupations spread like wildfire across the country. Finally, the working class would be able to do things like own their own homes, send their children to college, have time off and see a doctor without having to worry about paying. In Flint, Michigan, on this day in 1936, the middle class was born.

But 75 years later, the owners and elites have regained all power and control. I can think of no better way for us to honor the original Occupiers than by all of us participating in the Occupy Wall Street movement in whatever form that takes in each of our towns. We need direct action all winter long if we are to prevail. You can start your own Occupy group in your neighborhood or school or with just your friends. Speak out against economic injustice at every chance you get. Stop the bank from evicting the family down the block. Move your checking and credit card to a community bank or credit union. Place a sign in your yard -- and get your neighbors to do it also -- that says, "WE ARE THE 99%." (You can download signs here and here.)

Do something, anything, but don't remain silent. Not now. This is the moment. It won't come again.

75 years ago today, in Flint, Michigan, the people said they'd had enough and occupied the factories until they won. What is stopping us now? The rich have one plan: bleed everyone dry. Can anyone, in good conscience, be a bystander to this?

My uncle wasn't, and because of what he and others did, I got to grow up without having to worry about a roof over my heads or medical bills or a decent life. And all that was provided by my dad who built spark plugs on a GM assembly line.

Let's each of us double our efforts to raise a ruckus, Occupy Everywhere, and get creative as we throw a major nonviolent wrench into this system of Greed. Let's make the politicians running for office in 2012 quake in their boots if they refuse to tax the rich, regulate Wall Street and do whatever we the people tell them to do.

Happy 75th!

Yours,
Michael Moore ++

 

“I’m asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington … I’m asking you to believe in yours.”

~ Barack Obama

 

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