God Bless Unions for All They've Done for the American Worker and for the Middle Class! Workers DIED in Wisconsin to give us Weekends!

Happy Labor Day! Thank You Unions, for ALL of Your Accomplishments for Our Country!

God Bless Our Teachers and Unions!

STOP GOP Union Busting Pt 3: Teachers & Unions NOT to Blame for Wisconsin's Economic Woes!

Republicans and Wisconsin Gov. Walker are attempting to blame Teachers and Unions for all of their "Budget Crisis" issues. This is like the Gambling Addicted Dad blaming the kids for his losing at the crap tables, then forcing them to give up their lunch money to pay off his bookies. The Budget crisis in any state is NOT due to the Teachers, their pay, their benefits nor the Unions.
As we all know, the reason we are in this economic mess is primarily due to the shenanigans on Wall Street. We cannot allow Republicans to target our Teachers and Unions and use them as scapegoats. It's all a SCAM! They know our Teachers and Unions are NOT at fault. However, what they are really doing is attempting to Bust the Unions across the country. Union members traditionally vote Democratic. They are Union busting in hopes of gaining more strength for the 2012 election. We've already seen the attacks on Teachers and Unions beyond Wisconsin, in neighboring states like Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.
Now let's talk about how the Wall Street shenanigans are the root cause for the problems in Wisconsin.

As we know, our economic mess started in the early 2000's. Almost everyone was getting calls from lenders to refinance their homes or purchase new homes. Bankers and Mortgage companies were lending money to everyone. There were countless independent people also hawking cheap, unscrupulous, balloon mortgages, reverse mortgages, and scam loans. You didn't need good credit. Loans were easy. Everyone was raking money in. Builders were building new homes in every neighborhood. Most of these homes were overpriced, particularly in states on both coasts. Home flippers were everywhere -- buy low, sell high for a quick profit.

Banks, Mortgage Companies and Lenders were not holding on to these mortgages. Wall Street unscrupulously bundled these very risky loans and sold them as securities -- Bonds or Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs). To those of you who don't "play the market," Bonds, or asset backed securities are sold as "low risk" investments. The shady bankers/mortgage companies sold them as highly rated, virtually risk free investments. Many states purchased these CMOs from their State Pension Fund monies, believing what they were told by their Investment Advisors (also Wall Streeters), that they were safe, risk free investments. We are talking about State Pension Funds....YES, the Teachers and Other State Workers' Pension Funds. These same Pension Funds that Governor Walker is saying are bankrupting the State.
IF THERE ARE SHORTAGES IN THESE PENSION FUNDS, IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE STATE WORKERS OR THE UNIONS! IT IS THE FAULT OF THE UNSCRUPULOUS SHENANIGANS THAT OCCURRED ON WALL STREET IN THE EARLY 2000's AND WHICH ULTIMATELY CAUSED OUR ECONOMY TO NEARLY COLLAPSE IN SEPTEMBER, 2008.
What is astounding is that Governor Walker knows this, yet continues to Blame the Teachers and the Unions. And even more preposterous, even with all of his so-called Budget shortfalls, he continued with his TAX CUTS to the rich-Big Business, many of whom were the connivers in the Wall Street Mess!

The reason Republicans are targetting teachers and unions is just part of the Republican Agenda. If we allow them to Bust the Unions in Wisconsin, look for them to target Unions in every state in the Country. Once they abolish Unions, look for them to fulfill the rest of their Republican Political Agenda:

1. Eliminate Entitlements including: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid

2. Privatize the School System (No More Public Schools)

3. End to Global Warming Initiatives

4. Demolish Planned Parenthood

5. End Unemployment Compensation

6. Mass Deportation of Latino Immigrants and Racial Profiling bills like sb1070 in Every State; Changing Birthright Citizenship.

7. CONTINUE to Cut Taxes for the Rich and let the Wall Street Crooks Walk!

STOP GOP Union Busting Pt 2: The Unions' Many Accomplishments & Why Big Business Wants to Destroy Them!

Unions have helped America and follow our Founding Fathers' principles that All People are Created Equal and should be treated fairly. Prior to Unions, greedy Big Business took advantage of the working poor. They forced workers to work long hours for low wages in unsafe conditions. They fired at will.

American Workers have realized significant improvements in the work place due to the accomplishments of Unions. Union Accomplishments Include:
- End Long Work Hours (+80 per week - set standard at 40 hrs per week)
- End Unsafe Working Conditions: set safety standards; eliminate toxic dumping
- End Child Labor Abuses
- Established Minimum wage; Overtime Pay; Vacation Time; Pensions; Healthcare
- Equal Pay for Equal Work for ALL Employees Minimizing Preferential Treatment towards "Favorites"

WE SHOULD ALL BE GRATEFUL TO UNIONS FOR MAKING SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS AND LIVABLE WAGES A NORM IN AMERICA!
LET'S NOT LET BIG BUSINESS SUPPORTED REPUBLICANS TAKE ALL OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AWAY FROM US!

My Father was a proud Union Member. He worked in the auto industry in Michigan most of his adult life. He worked very hard and he was never a rich man, but he did believe in the union. All workers were paid equal wages for equal work, regardless of race, color, creed or gender. The union helped establish safe working conditions, so in the auto shops, this potentially hazardous work-environment, there were very few fatalities or dismemberments.

Now, the Republican Party (based on the urgings of their Big Business contributors) has decided to demolish the Unions. Republicans are funded by Big Business, particularly the Koch Brothers. They want to continue to: . DRIVE DOWN WAGES
. DRIVE DOWN BENEFITS
. END PENSIONS
. REDUCE, LIMIT and in some Cases, END REGULATIONS, including SAFETY & ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS!
. INCREASE THEIR OWN MULTI BILLION DOLLAR SALARIES & BONUSES

To do this, they want to Obliterate the Unions -- totally Demolish them, thereby ending the working man's last hope of arbitration, collective bargaining. In other words, they want to take away all of the GOOD the Unions accomplished and DESTROY THE MIDDLE CLASS. They want to revert us back to the 1920s. Pre-Regulation.

WE SHOULD ALL BE GRATEFUL TO UNIONS FOR MAKING SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS AND LIVABLE WAGES A NORM IN AMERICA!
LET'S NOT LET BIG BUSINESS SUPPORTED REPUBLICANS TAKE ALL OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AWAY FROM US!

Dobbs, Republicans and ANTIS Vote Against American Unions and Workers And Don´t Make Sense!!

I am so very angry at Republicans right now!

Perhaps I should not even write this blog! I try to wait a certain period of time when I am angry before I write a blog, but I have to write this, and I am writing it now!

Republicans are so short sighted. They are pandering to the "Lou Dobbs", ANTIs in their ranks and refuting the UAW and other long standing union members. The Republicans are demonstrating how archaic they are!

I hate Lou Dobbs. Tonight he had a group of idiots on his show ALL bashing Union Members!!

Before I go on, I want everyone to know I AM VERY Pro-UNION!!

My Beloved Father was a Union Man!! He believed in the Union!

Together the Unions and Workers were able to request and receive a working man´s (person) wage, union benefits, and retirement benefits. They were NOT asking for the multi millions the Wall Street Bankers ask for. All they asked for was a livable wage, benefits, and a retirement package once they had 30 years. I love unions. I don´t think that is too much to ask for.

Unions were why Michigan survived! My Father was Union. My Brothers were union. My Father in law was union! Most Everyone in Michigan is PRO Union and most Everyone owns USA produced cars!

Today, the Republicans, listening to their Republican and ANTI constituents, voted against the bailout for American owned Companies. They voted against Unions. They voted for Foreign Owned Car Companies with Non Union factories located in their states.

I ask, how can these REPUBLICANS refute the Union?!? (WHY, Because Foreign Auto Makers Reside in their State?!? And Pay Big $$ to their PACS!) How can they turn down this bill?!? Why were the Republicans so willing to pass the bailout for the RICH BANKERS ON WALL STREET?!? Those who have those Fancy Recognition Parties in Million Dollar Hotels?!? And Multi Million Dollar Bonus Packages for their CEOs and other Officers?!? All Driving Foreign Cars!!

I believe in the Working Man! Unions are good!

Pay the Million Dollar Business Owners?! But Delete the Unions?! Republicans DO NOT MAKE SENSE!!!

Reference Documents:

Automakers fail to cash in on big GOP donations

A Tale of Two Auto Plants

U.A.W. at Center of Dispute Over Bailout

Gov. Granholm to Bush: Thanks for your help