Today's World: Which Side Are You On? -- Ani Difranco on Mountain Stage

Eugene Debs "Solidarity is not a matter of sentiment but a fact, cold and impassive as the granite foundations of a skyscraper. If the basic elements, identity of interest, clarity of vision, honesty of intent, and oneness of purpose, or any of these is lacking, all sentimental pleas for solidarity, and all other efforts to achieve it will be barren of results." "Ten thousand times the labor movement has stumbled and bruised itself. We have been enjoined by the courts, assaulted by thugs, charged by the militia, traduced by the press, frowned upon in public opinion, and deceived by politicians. But not withstanding all this and all these, labor is today the most vital and potential power this planet has ever known, and its historic mission is as certain of ultimate realization as is the setting of the sun." "I seek to rise with workers, not rise from them

Wisconsin Public Unions

As we witness the members of the public unions of Wisconsin and their supporters in the streets,one must remember their fight for democracy in the workplace helps all Americans(90% non-union workers) who work for smiling,insensitive dictatorships that would cast workers out into the cold for voicing their opinions and standing up to injustice.The corporate,conservative mindset hates real democracy because it gives ownership to the powerless and respect to the oppressed. Our fathers and mothers had ownership when one third of the American workforce was unionized.Work councils(in fifty percent of Germany's companies)provide equality and democracy between management and labor while making all the decisions for a productive,profitable company.Germany is one of the leading exporters of the world.This new form of capitalism must be replicated on our shores.

William Goonan

Labor is prior to,and independent of,capital.Capital is only the fruit of labor,and could never have existed if labor not first existed.Labor is the superior of capital,and deserves much the higher consideration.

Abraham Lincoln

Work councils,co-determination boards are our biggest export(Germany)..if it spreads throughout the EU,it may start to burn itself into our brains not just as a rival but smarter form of capitalism,one that is not only more democratic but more competitive.

Thomas Geoghegan

From "The Wrecking Crew" by Thomas Frank

The longing for permanent victory over liberlism is not unique to the Anglo-Saxon world.In country after country,business elites have come up with ingenious ways to limit the public's political choices.One of the most effective of these has been massive public debt.Milton Friedman,dean of free-market economists, stated that deficits were a way to smash a liberal state that voters could not be persuaded to part with otherwise.The famous "supply-side" theory that states less tax will unleash economic growth has been used by Republicans to increase the deficit.Reagan and Bush#1 increased the national debt from 914 billion to 4 trillion by 1992.Geroge W Bush,with tax cuts, unpaid wars and bank bailouts,increased the deficit by another 6 billion.Reducing the public's faith in government is the final goal of the Republicans.

Corporate Watch Blog

One of the most glaring examples of this continues to be the ability of corporations to cheat the public out of tens of billions of dollars a year by using offshore tax havens. Indeed, it's estimated that companies and wealthy individuals funneling money through offshore tax havens are evading around $100 billion a year in taxes -- leaving the rest of us to pick up the tab. And with cash-strapped states all across the country cutting vital services to the bone, it's not like we don't need the money

Democratic Socialist USA Statement

WE OPPOSE TOTALITARIANISM IN ITS SECULAR AND RELIGIOUS FORMS. Communism is a horrible, destructive parody of socialism. "Communism" is the most dangerous enemy of democracy and free Labor in the world. We rejoice in its collapse of the Soviet Union with formerly enslaved nations now joining the society of democracy. SD,USA proudly opposes Communist totalitarianism and opposes religious extremism arising in many religious traditions, especially in the Islamic world.
WE AFFIRM THAT IN THE 21ST CENTURY THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC/DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MOVEMENT SHALL ALSO BE A ENVIRONMENTALIST MOVEMENT DEDICATED TO PRESERVING THE FRAGILE ECOLOGY OF THIS PLANET. We commit ourselves to working with labor and environmental coalitions like the Blue Green Alliance, begun by the unionists and environmentalists to preserve our planet and create new jobs in renewable energy and mass transit.

Today's World

Monday, March 14, 2011

Which Side Are You On? -- Ani Difranco on Mountain Stage

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