STRIKE, SLOW DOWN, BOYCOTT!!!

In light of todays United Airlines decision, Chaney's win yesterday and numerous other corporate atrocities against the working class while our government squanders hundreds of billions (of our money) on an illegal war and corporate give-aways WE NEED TO ACT NOW! That or accept the fact that life in this country is going to be very different and that we will be made increasing insignificant.

While we talk, they're acting. They say one thing and do the opposite. Ever time we are outraged over the magnitude of their actions that action is belittled by the next one.

While we still have the ability, strikes, slow-downs and boycotts should be staged in protest to stem the arrogance of these corporations and our government. Hurting them in their pocketbooks is the only language they'll understand. I fear that without action now the damage will be irreversible.

We need to destroy this economy utterly by refusing to cooperate with it.

The path of Ghandi is open to us.

If there's any one thing that's far too weak in this country, it's working class activism. ALL workers, no matter the color of their collar, are being screwed in the class warfare that's been decimating the working class for 25 years.

...I have enough faith in my fellow citizens to believe that if the reality of Iraq were on our nightly news we might be able to do it, that the 50+ % who now think the war "wasn't worth it" would increase exponentially if the dead and dying children were on the news nightly.

Or if people truly grasped the enormity of the transfer of weath from the people to the top 1% profiteers for whom our goverment works.

I wish someone was working on this, but as far as I know no one is.

edited to add, that the time may not be right yet but there are times when a failed first effort can be a catalyst, and when even futile non-violent action should be undertaken because it is right and because there are no other options. I don't see too many options right now.

is get Wobblie on their ass! You are either an owner or a worker. Until ALL workers are united, all workers will get screwed.

shut down the entire country. nothing moves thru air or sea ports. trucking stops. food rots on the docks, coal stays in the ground, no cars built. nothing gets delivered.

what is bush going to do? send out the national guard, the army reserves? they're all in iraq.

our government what they're hired to do...

(not to change the subject, but i'm trying to get malloy's show from tonight/thursday on your site. how long before you put shows up? just curious.)

Yes, it would be good to stop it now, but the country isn't ready. I know, I know, but no.

So far -- about two months -- I've been successful. I'm on salary so I get paid anyway, and I just decided that I'm through letting them increase profits by firing people and adding to my workload.

Of course I'm still happy I'm the one who gets to keep my job, but I do have to draw a line.

I think a slowdown is a real good idea.

Also I make a point of saying thank-you the employees still hanging on. Every time I'm on a flight, I'll say something like "I know you guys take a ton of shit from the company and the public, and I want say I appreciate your work."

While there would likely be a lot of support here in America for a focused boycott of certain duration, I would guess that there would be even more publicity and support for it overseas. Millions....enough to affect quarterly earnings report.

to this post, it seems that the idea of real action that leads to potentially real results is not sexy enough.

This, and everything thats happening in our corp government, from ethics passes in congress to the bankruptcy bill etc. is preparing the ground for burying the public including the idiots that support these sociopaths.

...and the public is already buried. Already happened...continues to happen...

The idea of a boycott has been discussed a long time in many threads and it's not that no one wants "real results" or that people don't think there will be real results, it's that everyone knows that the strategy for implementation has not surfaced. I believe there is a DU group that has discussed this further...

Don't fly United, don't shop a Wal-Mart, don't buy gas at Exxon/Mobile etc. Refuse unpaid overtime. What about the Unions? They need to stand up to this crap (actually Uniteds machinists have just given power to their union to strike and the other unions, as well as those of other carriers should do the same).

United Airline has now set a president that will more than likely be followed by other major corporations (and to my amazement they just stated that exact possibility on CNN).

We're continually hearing about "activist judges" from the right and they crucified the judge for the Schievo case ever though he was one of their own, garnering a lot of press in the process. Yet this judge in Chicago screws thousands of working people out of their pension (or a huge chunk thereof) and there's next to nothing...

The war is on! they're using artillery and we're using pea shooters.

I agree the war (on the moderate middle class) has started with a lot of momentum. Is the DNC with us or against us?

get the ball rolling. Unfortunately the DNC will follow (as opposed to finding the balls to lead). Examples of citizens affectively crating momentum abound, but it takes action and discipline.

Communicate in their language, cost them $$$$$.

and steer the resulting deal on all the bankruptcies to who THEY know will keep the most jobs. The Unions--united--will never be defeated. They can cause soooo much trouble during the Merger and Acquistion phase of this for United, Delta, American, etc., that the Wall Streeter's investment bankers, who are cashing in on the Union's pain, will lose big chunks of dinero !

Fight Back !

Tonight on your way home slow down. If and when you get passed by another DUer block 2 lanes. Shut the Traffic down. be the rolling roadblock at 20 mph. Shut them down. Tomorrow on the way in repeat.

I don't see how pissing off other drivers will hurt *.

Bottom LINE. Hit them in their pockets. It is not about pi$$ing off people it is about sending a clear message. FK with us and we will cost you money. Something the greedy da$tards can understand.

our allies in the party will feel empowered to act in our best interests.

We CAN shut down the nation. We don't need the party or MoveOn to do it. We need to talk to our neighbors.

When I told my frequent flyer boss (an ally) that she'd better be prepared to miss BookExpoAmerica today, she had NO idea what had happened with UAL.

Forget the party--YOU be the message.

I'm a dedicated yellq dawg, but I know where the party ends and my ass begins!

Europe, Workers would call for a National Strike, and dam it the whole country would shut down and listen to workers.

for more definitive action. I do not advocate violence and as a parent grieve every life lost on both sides of every conflict. The photo you post made me weep and seek to hold my children. However, as a society if we do not now, take the proverbial bull by the balls we're screwed and will be forced to deal with this type of corporate-political agenda.

.... but, profoundly disruptive consequences of heeding the message. Gandhi walked for a month before he reached the sea. Today is just MNA Day 2.

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us



Sketch by Fernando Botero

I wish someone would post the paintings and sketches. Botero's art of the abuse is vivid and shocking.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/08/international/americas/08botero.html

(sorry...not meant to change discussion; just an comment to understandinglife). :-)

<><>

Save your Sutters Mill Gold Coins - the Pacific Northwest will rise again.

and brought to you by the Judah Phillip Benjamin Institute


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DISCLAIMER - I AM NOT ADVOCATING ARMED REBELLION OR INSURRECTION AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - BUT I AM ADVOCATING INTELLECTUAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL "INSURRECTION" AGAINST THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION - A "PROGRESSIVE" HERITAGE FOUNDATION OR A "PROGRESSIVE" AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE -- IN THE TRADITION OF JUDAH PHILLIP BENJAMIN - A UNIQUELY AMERICAN, PACIFIC NORTHWEST, PROGRESSIVE, LIBERTARIANISM

Can't afford to. Can't risk being fired.

I am sure there are many people in the same situation.

be keen to the signs.

Nine people were asked to leave their lifetime church--FORTY, who were NOT in political agreement with the nine, walked with them.

These weren't the latest crop of Berkley undergrads--these were heart-and-soul, quiet, hardworking Americans. The coming threat was AT THEIR DOOR--and they had the courage to stand together for what is right. And damn if they didn't take their church back.

I've lived in rural areas most of my life, and what those 40 other people did is AMAZING.

I can't emphasize this enough--when the wolf is at the door, good people will muster whatever courage it takes to do the right thing. It doesn't require the endless strategizing and planning of the Heritage Foundation--it takes us, threatened, frightened, but determined.

We can SAVE THE COUNTRY.

Courage, Americans.

that have led us down this current path and their strength is tied to continued manipulation of a very thin "majority" of those who vote (or have their votes counted).

Fires can start from a spark. We need to set an example first by doing the things that are within our individual power. What happened to Chan Chandler is a great example! Who would ever have imagined that Dem's (or moderates) would challenge and win in N. Carolina! Probably not Chandler.

No one needs to organize a boycott of a guilty corp. We merely need to NOT patronize those corporations (like Wal-Mat, Exxon/Mobile, United Airlines etc.) and make should others understand why... Look at the leverage that the Religious Right exerted on Microsoft regarding their policies on Gays. If you're a member of a Union bring pressure on them to safeguard your job ask their position on the United Pension default and how they intend to keep that from happen to you. Be prepared to strike. No unpaid overtime. Stop using credit cards and if you have a balance work on paying if off. Don't buy new cars and if you buy a used car, don't buy it from a dealership. Support Organic grocers and not Philip Morris...

There are a lot of things that we can do TODAY! Right now. In the interim we attempt to educate rational people (ever Republicans) framing the issue as one of American interest. The fanatics will never change so leave be.

If the corps feel threatened financially they'll heal the lap dogs in Congress. The Evangelicals have proved this. The model is already out there.

I could go on and we may need more serious action in the future, but this is OUR country too, our children's legacy and I'd rather rot in a hole and say that I tried to do what's right rather than see my kids (or your kids for that matter) glow up in this cesspool, or be sent to die because of a few greedy, elitist MFers.

According to her, ninety-six percent of the workers voted for the strike authorization.

If that doesn't send a message to the greedmongers, I don't know what will. But know that it can happen.

:toast::woohoo::bounce:

Dennis Miller's show has been cancelled!!!

Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3639207

And I therefore cannot sabotage my own economy and hurt more innocents in the process than guilty. With as smart, creative and dedicated of a community that we have here, I'm certain there are other ways to help in this fight against * and his cohorts.

I know to some this may come off as self righteous, but nonetheless it is simply just how I feel.

I have work to do and a nation to restore.

What do you thing the proposal is? I did not see anyone advocating hurting any innocents.

What about the Union guy or Middle/Low class worker who will be fired if they are late one more time to work (slowing down traffic proposal). What about all the small businesses and mom and pop shops that are already suffering due to bushco, that now have to suffer more because of the boycotting (you don't think boycotting walmart only affects them do you?). What about the market going down even more, so that peoples 401k's and investments lose value? What about the jobs that could additionally be lost do to the stoppage, slowdowns, and boycotts? Not hurting innocents at all huh?

Open your eyes, you really think the corporate and government criminals that are responsible for the current wrongs will be the ones affected by the proposal? Not a chance. The efforts in the end will hurt the wrong people. It will hurt the innocents.

But I will clarify, only if the effort was actually large enough to do what it said in the opening posts, as far as truly hitting the wallets hard enough. Ultimately though, it is doubtful it could be that significant of an effort anyway, which makes my point ironically unnecessary to begin with, though I still felt the need to reflect my opinion.

That's all I have to say on the issue. Disagree if you must, but the idea is misguided.

I understand that (in a perfect world) differences can be resolve amicably and no one gets hurt...

This is not a perfect world and people are loosing their jobs, health care as well as husband, wifes, mother, fathers and children daily!

Try wrapping you mind around everything that's happened in '05 let alone since 2000. Do you really thing there is a sense of fair play to which we can appeal? Do you think that Bush, Chaney, Rumsfeld, Frist, Delay or any of the rest of them are going to wake up some morning in the near future and say "OH my god! I've been such an asshole... let me atone for the pain and suffering I caused." We're plebes, commoners, scum and they'd send 10's of thousands to their death and still sleep soundly.

If WE need to sacrifice or experience some discomfort or inconvenience to achieve this goal, so be it.

The idea of a general strike is not misguided.

There really is only one way to respond to a government sanctioned raid of employees pension. And that is an overwhelming worker response that states unequivocally "no, you cannot do this". Slow downs, boycotts are just weaker ways of a strike. They more or less give an air of legitimacy to what United and this judge are attempting to do.

Now as for this judge, Judge Wedoff is a Reagan appointment. A graduate of University of Chicago in 1972, can you say Leo Strauss. I would suggest reviewing this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3641358&mesg_id=3641358&page=

Now if you review that thread and some links there, you will see a linkage to the Chicago Boys of Pinochet's Chile. And if you can come away from reading about Pinochet's Chile, and what was done there, then come back here and say there is any compromise whatsoever that any union can make with these people, then there is nothing more I can say.

If this deal these 'Straussians' is allowed to stand, each pension within the USA will be systematically gutted, one by one.

Anything less than a full force, up front, in you face strike will not mean diddly squat.

As for 'innocents' getting injured. It is not the workers causing this activity, it is the globalists, it is the corporatist, it is these criminals we have in this administration.

Tell me, seeing how the entire airline industry has been severely damaged by the energy industry through price manipulation for petroleum products, why hasn't the Department of Justice as well as United, Delta, Northwestern all of them filed anti-trust lawsuits against the energy industry. Here is why, because the target of these people is the workers pensions.

Now you say we shouldn't strike because we will be injured. I say if this is allowed to stand we will be far more injured than a strike.

One more thing, we tell ourselves how powerless we are. That is just plain crap. Everything done in this country is done by the workers, not these 'elite' clowns. If you doubt this, let them pick-up their own damn garbage. The point is this, we are as powerless as we let them say we are.

You can bet, if we do a general strike, Bu$h and is cronies are gone. You can take that to the bank, because the real power is not in congress, nor is it in the 'elites' hands, the real power is in the workers. Without labor, they are nothing. They know this and are scared shitless and pray that we stay ignorant of our power. The news media helps keep us without knowledge, as do the high schools. But here is the deal, and Ghandi knew this, without the voluntary cooperation of the people, all governments fail.

I think there are some tremendously intelligent people in the Democratic Party who've yet to gain any ground. In fact I believe that we've suffered historic losses.

As far a "sabotage" of the economy! Man. oh man the goose is cooked it's just that the dinner bell has yet to ring. America is leveraged to it's eyeballs.

If BUSH has do anything well in his life it's been running companies into the ground...

even though the Corporate Controlled Propaganda Organs say it is all of retail. Funny how Some are not hurt as bad, Second Pay off your credit cards. Get out of debt however you can. You can still get a chapter 7 before the law puts you on the debt treadmill for life.

Reduce overtime especially unpaid for salaried workers. If they can fire White collar personnel and shift their work load to the rest they will continue forever.

Reuse Take whatever you might throw out and donate it to someone who can use it.

Recycle everything as well as your work. Here I mean to barter for things. Form community networks and trade goods and services with each other. No Money no taxes.

Resist. Write LTTE about the British Memo. Why don't the Sheeepl know they were and are lied to? Because the CCP refuses to tell them. Copy the memo and leave it at Laundromats amd wherever people will stop and read it.

Do the rolling Roadblock thing. Get some Truckers to help.

Support true Liberal candidates and insist on Open Fair Elections. There is a reason the radical right refuses to have paper records and fair counts and that is because they intend to cheat. They have gotten away with it for the last three election cycles.

They MUST BE STOPPED NOW.

Pm for more some things should not be too public. :hide:

something I'd never really experienced living in s cal. It's actually pretty cool, you'd be amazed at what you can trade...

I was, I actually look at stuff now for it's resale/barter value.

get off the grid and quit paying for their sins.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/051105A.shtml

"The butcher's bill to date: 1,610 American soldiers dead, times ten grievously wounded; well over 100,000 Iraqi citizens dead, uncounted more wounded, with a recent upsurge of violence claiming more than 300 lives in the last week alone; a twelve-figure price tag that spirals ever-upwards by the day, mortgaging our children's future for the profits of the few; no weapons of mass destruction anywhere in Iraq.

In my humble opinion, we need two exit strategies: one to get our forces out of Iraq, and another to get George W. Bush out of the White House and into a cellblock in The Hague. Save a bunk for Mr. Blair, too. Criminals belong in prison.
"

I took my money out of the local multinational bank branch and put it into the credit union.

Bill

We've belonged to our credit union for decades. I got to talking with someone there and asked about the FDIC. They explained to me that credit unions, being different form regular banks and s&ls, can only insure you up to the maximum FDIC by adding together all our accounts. Regular banks can insure each account that we have up to the maximum. Maybe charters are different from state to state. But I thought to mention it since I only recently learned this fact about our credit union.

I'd love to see Dems officially become the party of labor.

have a lot of appeal to diverse groups and people, possibly even internationally. Then we need to hurt that target real bad. We also need to acknowledge that some people are going to get hurt (lose their job etc.) because of our actions. It is just the way it is folks. People are getting hurt already everyday. The people across the street just lost their house. My wife and I were 4-5 months from bankruptcy when I landed a decent job. Try getting a decent job when you are over 55. We survived 4 years of never having a time when both of us were working and sometimes neither of us were working. It will take another 10 - 12 years before we can retire at age 71.

So name your target and lay out a plan.

I'm kind of thinking out loud here, haven't really considered this a whole lot, but June 6 - D-Day - would be a perfect day to stage a national strike - if it could be organized in time.

One of my grandfathers stormed the beaches of Normandy that morning; the other was in the Channel providing cover for him. Before and after the war one grandfather was an electrician; the other a shipbuilder: union men both. They battled Fascism on those beaches 61 years ago and returned to build - literally and figuratively - a better country. They sacrificed most of the best years of their lives to defend this country and the rest of their lives trying to make it better for their kids and grandkids.

That is their legacy, the Greatest Generation. What is our legacy? What have we really done to make life better, not just for ourselves but for those who will follow us? We have talked a lot, and maybe individually or locally we've done some good, but on a national stage? It is time for us to stand up. Why not use D-Day to spotlight all the oppression, the immorality - the rebirth of the very Fascism our grandfathers defeated all those years ago?

Just thinking out loud...

the future for my children. Considering the economical, ecological and theological direction in which we are heading as a country, in the world I'm willing to make a stand...

I too do not know if it could be pulled together in the short amount of time, however it would be a great day for it.

June 6th is a Monday and considering the short time, maybe it could be a sick-out (calling in sick to work) or full-on walk out with rallies in key location to attempt to attract some form of media. The former would probably have less negative ramifications on workers (with their employers) although I don't care about that.

I'm in...

a few other organizations to help get the ball rolling. But no doubt about it, we need to call a general strike. The people have to take our country back, and seeing thate Diebold et al control our votes, elections just aren't gonna cut it anymore.

I'll need to think about it, maybe make some calls. There'd need to be National effort to reach out to those willing to execute...

groups.

First perhaps we need to decide if there will be a theme or target fore the strike. I would suggest we think Rovian in this pursuit and pick a theme a lot of people can support. Just for sake of discussion; how about "Support our troops day" (ie Bring then home now)" If you say this many will support a showing. You will get media coverage also. Irt is kind of a win win scheme. Who is not going to support our troops? Oh! gee look a significant number of these people say bring the troops home now!!! Got the idea?

You don't really think ol KKKrove plans anything on short notice do you?

Next might thing needs to be decided is what do you want and not want people to do and where?

Do you want parades, sit ins, no work on that day, no spending on that day, picket federal buildings, stop walking, driving for 30 seconds? What do you want to be done?

No breaking the law!

There needs to be a lot of thought and planning for this. I would think you meed 90-120 days to plan and organize so you would be looking maybe September. Then you need to think before college starts or just after? We need the students.

with more (better planned and organized) protest in the near future. I think that D-Day is significant as a launch date.

The right can push a button and generate millions of letters, calls and emails in a day to whomever they choose to target. I find it hard to believe that in 30 days we can't get the word out to a significant number of our people and find so means of measuring it.

together. One suggestion if this would be the "initial event" let's not call it a "National Strike". The National Strike needs to be the big one! Maybe we need to start a new thread to get some more ideas as to who to hook up with. We also need a theme. Things are so fucked up we could just about pick anything: jobs, healthcare, erosion of rights, the war or all of the above.

statement pointing to recent decisions, laws etc. that affect common Americans (United Airlines, Bankruptcy rules) there are plenty to pick from...

As far as getting the word out, the obvious choice is to spread out from here, hit all the forums, blogs etc., try to enlist a randy rhodes or other radio celebrity.

Show up at O'Hare first and join United strikers. Leave the anti-war posters at home. Join the United cause. AS the strike spreads to other locations in Chicago and around the rest of the country, join there. Don't mix the message, anti-war and United cause, it will dilute the Unions message and lose public goodwill.

If someone wants to plan, then set-up diversionary protests. If United is picketing the courthouse, join them there, but also set-up anti-war diversionary protests away from the Union pickets and marches say in Grant park, task the police with multiple locations. Keep it peaceful and record the events as evidence if the police get too friskey.

Let the Union worry about the planning.

UPS should be going out too. Now if the "RTA" and "L" workers join, well Chicago will be a ghost town downtown and it won't take long before nobody can get to work and the commodities exchange cannot trade. That should do it I think.

:kick:

protest, get our heads together and plan something big for fall. We need also then to consider the weather. While I agree that together we are strong and could scare the shit out of them. What we need are names, addresses of organizations who might be interested in being involved, websites etc. Does anybody have any info?

Above all we need to decide on a theme for the June 6th event if we are going to do that, but personally I would much rather plan one big event for the fall. If we are going to do a 6th of June event I vote for

"Support our troops bring them home now" This is a hard topic to argue against. Who doesn't support the troops and who wouldn't want them to come home?

Let's hear some opinions in a theme and let's decide if we are going to go for the June 6th date or plan a bigger, broader themed event in fall.

I think we can do them both. As I've said the only resource necessary to promote and execute this protest is "us" and the internet...

take a look at this thread and my post pursuant to the sick-out:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1781716

I agree that we need to work toward a bigger event in the fall, but my feeling is that we need action now (and repeatedly) on some level. Waiting several months could allow for too much additional damage to this Nation and our future.

In the end it will all help to bolster those in government who've been attempting to fight for us.

Maybe we need to lend support to this endeavor for the fall?

Is to stop paying interest to credit card companies. I think that most bright people know that the bankruptcy bill was written by the credit card companies. Pay off your credit cards and don't give them one cent of interest. The more people that pay off their credit card debt (the best they can) the less gravy the credit card companies get. This would really send a message to the big credit card companies. Don't give them what they want.