Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Return to Hopelessness

Tens of millions of people where fooled into voting for Obama and the Democrats last November in the hope that the Democratic Party would reverse the policies of the Republican Party: militarism, attacks on democratic rights and the destruction of the living standards of working people. But the promises of "hope" and "change" have proven to be illusions. In this case, Obama has been a major disappointment.Some 13.5 million people are unemployed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, another 6.7 million people were working fewer that 35 hours a week because of "slack work or business conditions," and more than 2.1 million are classified as "discouraged" and not seeking work. That brings the total unemployed or underemployed to more than 22 million people. It is critical for working people to understand the political meaning of these figures. Obama has summed up his economic philosophy as putting an end to unsustainable levels of consumption spending. It is clear whose consumption is to be cut: Not the luxuries and perquisites of the super-rich, but food, shelter, clothing, transportation, education and other basic necessities of the broad masses of working people.In this manner Obama has betrayed us. He has taken Single Payer health Care off the table. Recently he appointed an Internet Czar. Clearly a patronage job with a frivolous endeavor.So I must ask, where is that Anti Poverty Czar? Where is the Hope for the working Class and poor? Working people must recognize the Obama administration for what it is—the spearhead of an assault by the financial aristocracy. Obama's policies are not the result of inadequate understanding or bad advice. He is a conscious and willing political servant of the multimillionaires, doing what is necessary to defend their class interests both at home and abroad. We have now another inflationary economy coming this way. With gas prices up more than 75% again. Now we have another right turn. The Obama administration said there would be Trails for the people who tortured detainees at Gitmo. Here is a clear violation of Human Rights. This is the worse occurrence in world history since Nazi Germany. Yet The Democrats will not prosecute.This is a clear display of how the Democrats are complicit with the Republicans. And it is the two party system duopoly in conspiracy.How can we continually support an administration and Government that doesn't understand us anyway? Affordable housing to these are home valued at $150,000 here in New Jersey. While the same home in other states are priced at $54,000.
Of course the Democrats say we must support the CIA and Pentagon. The CIA and Pentagon are Secret Governments that shouldn't exist in a Democracy.The Tea Parties had no credibility since they where an example of getting our government to spare the wealthy of taxes.I went to the Tea Party Protests. They seemed like a celebration of ignorance. The signs where racist, low minded, and generally insulting. No one carried signs saying that the wealthy costs New Jersey close to eight billion dollars in taxes. And the citizens. The poor and workers have to pick the tab. Many communities are paying $9,000 in taxes. And some have no Fire department or Police. Yet there is no money for State Police.The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that 5.4 million of the 45 million US home loans were either delinquent or in foreclosure in the first quarter of 2009. The 12.07 percent delinquency and foreclosure rate is expected to rapidly rise under the impact of rising unemployment and underemployment. The Subprime and adjustable-rate mortgages are no longer the principal force of the foreclosure crisis. In the first quarter of 2009, the foreclosure rate for prime fixed-rate mortgages doubled, in comparison to 2008. It is now 6.06 percent, and these loans for the first time make up the largest share of new foreclosures. Home prices dropped 18.7 percent in March, compared to2008, according to Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller Index, covering 20 largest metropolitan areas. The defense of jobs, living standards and basic democratic rights begins with a decision to break with the two party system. This political situation can play out over and over again. Remember, in the 1970's Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon's Criminal administration. Than Gas Prices went up and many never recovered. That much need hand up never seems to come but for the few, who are already privileged.

Flavor of Revolution

When I was a teenage Marxist, I used to dream about revolution. I would hope that one day Americans would wake up and revolt against a Capitalist system. I grew up in Paterson New Jersey. It is a small industrial town; 16 miles outside New York City.My home wasn’t too far from the factories where my mother worked in the garment industry.I would watch people come out of work from her plant and other factories and I could remember the tired expression, the defeated look on every ones face.My father worked at Standard Packaging in Clifton NJ. He always express how work sucked and people did not get respect on the job.Paterson had stigma too it. We where a poor people, who where seen as publiens and constantly the source of ridicule. For instance, one could go to West Paterson, or North Haledon. Upper class Caucasian communities. The police would harass anyone from Paterson and ask what they where doing in there towns (according to my cousin, this still happens today) I could remember gangs from wealthier communities, such as Glen Rock and Ridgewood, coming to Paterson and beating up some of the locals. The wealthy got off beating up the poor. They never suspected we would retaliate. And that we did.They used to have something “Whack a Nig--- Day” where they would come to Paterson, find a black person and beat them with a broom stick. Even many of our Whites retaliated entering a gang warfare with these rich kids. This ended when we eventually won. We beat their asses pretty good. (No, I wasn’t involved).I could remember the vehicles coming down 5thAve in Number and the Paterson kids shouting from the cars. This never ended the riff between classes and communities. In the 1970 East Paterson changed it name to Elmwood Park. And in 2008 West Paterson became Woodland Park.East Paterson was one of the few working class towns in Bergen County. Even in High School one could help to notice class differentiations. I started reading Marx’s Das Kapital. Maybe I was 14 at the time. My best friend Nick was a Communist. Together we would hope for Revolution. In the 7th Grade Nick and I and a few other Classmates where severely scolded for wearing Caps with red stars on them. We where severely scolded by Mr. Greff, Our Seventh Grade teacher was livid.“Don’t you know that is the symbol of our enemy?!!!!” Sometimes during assembly, when we saluted the flag we would give the Hiel Hitler salute in Duration.We would also help the Socialist Works Party and Communists stick up their posters.One day I saw graffiti on the way to the Willow brook Mall in Wayne NJ. The Graffiti said, “The only Solution is Socialist Revolution” As an Italian American constantly persecuted because of my ethnicity and social position, this ran true.Getting a part time after school job was next to impossible. I could even remember Walter Kronkite with Cold War rhetoric speaking about who awful Das Kapital was. I was reading it. It wasn’t awful, it was about WORKERS!This is one of the reason I detest academics and intellectuals. Not intellectuals as smart people, but ersatz intellectuals who are theorists, philosophers, social experimenters and have Jobs in the Compassion Industry. I could go on, but this isn’t my Biography.This is about:
SOCIALIST REVOLUTION:
As a person influenced by European Socialism, I am deeply an advocate of Non Violent Change by Election. I believe in the Socialism of the Nordic Countries.All education is free in Denmark, right on through university. And students can take as long as they like to complete their studies."And we get paid to go to school actually. Instead of in the U.S. you pay to go to school, We get paid to go to school if we pass our exams,We're pretty much free to do whatever we want. We're secure from the day we're born. For a Dane who lives in Denmark," A Danish Socialist told me. Don't depend too much on the American dream. Yeah. I think you might get disappointed." Denmark also provides free health care, subsidized child care and elder care, a social safety net spread the length and breadth of the country. And workers rights!An Italian Socialist interviewed said, “It is about living life-Bon Vivance. The art of living.” In Capitalist USA that is impossible. But here in Europe, at least our Non Public transportation is cheaper than in the USA and we are actually Greener. ( I saw this first hand).I used Ryan Air and flew from England to Italy for $30.00. In America the same flight costs $400.00. Your wealthy people hate the poor so much, that they conceived the work ethic as a substitute for slavery.”He was amazed though, that most American are willing slaves. More on that Later.
So, we also have horrible election laws. And we are subject to ruthless politics. The Republicrats will not go away peacefully. One Politician told me in private. I would support alternative party goals, but my Party would get revenge on me.That is true, through out America Alternative party politicians and even insider get victimized by the system. Look a Rob Blagojevich and the former Democratic Governor of Alabama.So what is the solution? You already have the answer. And it seems most people in America want Socialism.Here is how it should take place. We should have all people converge on State Houses, Capital Buildings, Washington DC. And demand that the Democrats and Republican share the power and give power to the people. Temporarily replace them, change the election laws to fair and just elections and let the people vote their will.Civil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain laws, demands and commands of a government, or of an occupying power, without resorting to physical violence. It is one of the primary tactics of nonviolent resistance. In its most nonviolent form (in India, known as ahimsa or satyagraha) it could be said that it is compassion in the form of respectful disagreement. (From Wikipedia.)Her it is-We should also be sparking this. We did the Million Worker March, and Day with Out The Pentagon. Now our future is in this. Along with Elections of course.The Dangers:Look at Tiananmen Square. The CIA and Pentagon will no doubt have some of mowed down. Look at Kent state. The Military can be expected to kill in behalf of the Government. Harassment, persecution, violence, and other things will happen. The Military may even declare martial law and in effect, even form a Junta.Good luck fighting for Socialism and Democracy.