WHEN WILL AMERICAN LABOR LEARN FROM EURO UNIONS ?
Tens of thousands of workers from around Europe have marched across Brussels in a protest against spending cuts by EU governments. Food price rises are growing concern.
Does currency intervention work? Spain has held a General Strike, with protesters
in Barcelona clashing with police and torching a police car....
Other protests against austerity measures have been held in Greece, Italy, the Irish Republic and Latvia. Trade unions say EU workers may become the biggest victims of a financial crisis set off by bankers and traders. Many governments across the 27-member bloc have imposed punishing cuts in wages, pensions and employment to deal with spiralling debts.
On Wednesday night, Portugal's minority government announced proposals to cut civil servants' pay and state spending while raising taxes in an attempt to lower the country's debt levels. In Greece and the Irish Republic, unemployment figures are at their highest level in 10 years, while Spain's unemployment has doubled in just three years.
In Britain the government is planning to slash spending by up to 25% in some areas, while France has seen angry protests against a planned increase in the minimum retirement age from 60 TO 62 years. Firecrackers: Police sealed off the EU headquarters and barricaded banks and shops ahead of the protest in Brussels. It was described by unions as a day of action under the slogan "No to austerity, priority to jobs and growth". Tens of thousands of demonstrators, many carrying large red and green balloons and banners, headed towards EU institution buildings in the Belgian capital (Brussels). "We didn't cause this crisis. The bill has to be paid by banks, not by workers” European Trade Union Confederation Day of action.
They made heard their voices, whistles, horns and anything else they could find, says the BBC's Nick Childs in the city, amid the sound and smoke of firecrackers.Speaking at the march, Jean Claude Mailly, head of the French union Force Ouvriere, said there was still time to rethink the austerity measures." It is never too late because the austerity measures are in the process of being set up now," he told the BBC." So we are in a period where social movements of a different nature will have a big value in the weeks and months to come. There is a strong social tension." Labour unions in Spain began the country's first general strike in eight years by marching through the capital, Madrid, in an effort to shut down the city. Also in the capital, there were mass protests outside bus and metro stations, and few buses were running. Many high-speed trains were cancelled and only about a quarter of commuter trains were running. Groups of strikers went into shops and banks trying to force them to close. The airline Iberia said it expected to operate only 35% of scheduled flights.
'Banks to blame' In the Irish Republic, a man drove a cement mixer covered with anti-bank slogans into the gates of the parliament in Dublin, in an apparent protest at the country's expensive bank bail-out. Strikers held a protest in central Madrid, prompting some shops to close. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) said the protesters were marching to voice their anger over budget-slashing plans and cuts which "could lead Europe into a recession". The union warns that the financial crisis - which it describes as the worst in Europe since the 1930s - has already made 23 million people across the EU jobless. It fears that the austerity measures being implemented by various EU governments could "result in even more unemployment". "We didn't cause this crisis. The bill has to be paid by banks, not by workers," ETUC said. Instead, the organisation urges governments to guarantee workers stable jobs, strong social protection and better pensions. Workers in many EU countries are frustrated that they are paying for the mistakes of the banks and the financial sector, the BBC's Christian Fraser in Brussels reports.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Energy Crisis on Horizon ?
ENERGY CRISIS COMING ?
by William Floyd, Pres.
1) What would happen if Oil prices shot up due to a conflict-caused shortage?
a) Endlessly long lines at gas stations (remember the 1970's)?
b) Road rage, running-out-of-gas waiting in line, i.e. chaos?
c) Angry, unemployed Voters staying home, or taking revenge at the polls?
2) Our Navy is quietly encircling a major Oil Partner of the United States.
a) The US Navy 4th Fleet (SouthComm) is spending like drunken sailors
on spanking new bases in Costa Rica, and on the Dutch islands of
Aruba and Curacao, a mere 50 miles off the Venezuela coastline.
(Pentagon budget appears religiously exempt from the worst recession in 75 years)
b) The US Navy is building 2 expensive new bases at ports in Colombia
(part of the Pentagon's new 9 bases in Venezuela's next door neighbor).
3) 46 US Naval war ships, including aircraft carriers, and cruisers with beach
landing craft conduct exercises just 50 miles from Lake Maracaibo. The
Lake is the heart of Venezuelan Oil production. (World’s 4th largest exporter)
a) Onboard these 46 ships are between 80-90,000 fresh Marines.
4) All of this very expensive show of awesome FORCE and Naval FIREPOWER,
a) According to official Pentagon sources, is simply their "War on Drugs"
b) Or, maybe it’s the next stage in the Pentagon's Perpetual War for Oil?
(Iraq, Afghanistan ,Venezuela, then schedule “bomb-bomb Iran” next Spring?)
5) Venezuela is a vital energy partner to the United States, providing 15 + percent
of our daily gasoline consumption. She operates 7 refineries and 14,000
gas stations throughout our country. In the winter of 2005, she supplied
44.5 million gallons of heating oil to poor US communities in 10 states.
6) "Plan Balboa" was/is a Pentagon military exercise, simulating the need for US Troops
to save American citizens at risk from a revolutionary guerrilla Army in an oil
rich South American country. viz. Eva Golinger: Washington’s War on Venezuela
Three historical events may be relevant
a) USS Maine blows up accidently 1898. “Yellow-journal” Hearst fans hysteria, Sp-Am War.
a) Phony 1964 attack at Tonkin Gulf, justifies Vietnam War (58,000 US, 2 mil. Viet. dead)
b) 2-year Bush FauxNews campaign to lie about Iraq WMD to Congress + American people
PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC WORKERS for AMERICA
www.pdwamerica.blogspot.com
by William Floyd, Pres.
1) What would happen if Oil prices shot up due to a conflict-caused shortage?
a) Endlessly long lines at gas stations (remember the 1970's)?
b) Road rage, running-out-of-gas waiting in line, i.e. chaos?
c) Angry, unemployed Voters staying home, or taking revenge at the polls?
2) Our Navy is quietly encircling a major Oil Partner of the United States.
a) The US Navy 4th Fleet (SouthComm) is spending like drunken sailors
on spanking new bases in Costa Rica, and on the Dutch islands of
Aruba and Curacao, a mere 50 miles off the Venezuela coastline.
(Pentagon budget appears religiously exempt from the worst recession in 75 years)
b) The US Navy is building 2 expensive new bases at ports in Colombia
(part of the Pentagon's new 9 bases in Venezuela's next door neighbor).
3) 46 US Naval war ships, including aircraft carriers, and cruisers with beach
landing craft conduct exercises just 50 miles from Lake Maracaibo. The
Lake is the heart of Venezuelan Oil production. (World’s 4th largest exporter)
a) Onboard these 46 ships are between 80-90,000 fresh Marines.
4) All of this very expensive show of awesome FORCE and Naval FIREPOWER,
a) According to official Pentagon sources, is simply their "War on Drugs"
b) Or, maybe it’s the next stage in the Pentagon's Perpetual War for Oil?
(Iraq, Afghanistan ,Venezuela, then schedule “bomb-bomb Iran” next Spring?)
5) Venezuela is a vital energy partner to the United States, providing 15 + percent
of our daily gasoline consumption. She operates 7 refineries and 14,000
gas stations throughout our country. In the winter of 2005, she supplied
44.5 million gallons of heating oil to poor US communities in 10 states.
6) "Plan Balboa" was/is a Pentagon military exercise, simulating the need for US Troops
to save American citizens at risk from a revolutionary guerrilla Army in an oil
rich South American country. viz. Eva Golinger: Washington’s War on Venezuela
Three historical events may be relevant
a) USS Maine blows up accidently 1898. “Yellow-journal” Hearst fans hysteria, Sp-Am War.
a) Phony 1964 attack at Tonkin Gulf, justifies Vietnam War (58,000 US, 2 mil. Viet. dead)
b) 2-year Bush FauxNews campaign to lie about Iraq WMD to Congress + American people
PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC WORKERS for AMERICA
www.pdwamerica.blogspot.com
Saturday, September 25, 2010
WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE
in Sub-Agencies of the U.S. State Department
Similar to the Minerals, Mine agency, the US AID, NED, OTI, IRI, and other sub-agencies of the old Bush-Cheney State Department are still breaking U.S. Laws. They are wasting rare recession dollars on efforts to undermine a democratically elected government of a key energy Partner.
According to F.O.I.A. documents, many tens of millions of U.S. Taxpayer funds are funneled through these subagencies. The funds are used to propagate Faux News type TV ads, and organize demonstrations, and huge rallies against the democratic government. The U.S. tax money was used as well to participate in the coup d'etat against the President, and sponsor a Recall election, These are illegal activities under U.S. Law.
Today, these exact same State Department subagencies are pouring tens of millions of recession-tight Taxpayer dollars into illegally interfering in the September 26 th 2010 Election.
This energy partner of ours is Venezuela. She provides 1.7 million barrels of Oil to the United States every day. She owns 8 refineries and operates 14,000 gas stations across America (Citgo, Inc.). One freezing Winter, she provided 44.5 million gallons of heating oil to poor communities in Boston, New York, Maine, Rhode Island, Delaware, Vermont, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
Some of the F.O.I.A. evidence is contained in a thin but extensively researched book entitled "Washington's War on Venezuela" by American lawyer, Eva Golinger. Another book of hers, "Cracking the Chavez Code" contains more F.O.I.A. documentation. Also, another research book by Gregory Wilpert, entitled "Changing Venezuela" pages 170-174.
We advocate sending expert Investigators to Caracas, Venezuela A.S.A.P. to meet attorney Eva Golinger and see the deep extent of evidence she has collected over the past few years.
William Floyd, Pres., Former elected Delegate to Cal Democratic Party 2007-9
Notes
1. Please see the attached 1 page "Talking for Change"
2. TV ads feature racial attacks like "Monkey" "Ape Man"
or slurs on Chavez' partial Indian heritage. Other ads on the
80% Faux News TV stations are the same as used against
President Barach Obama, i.e. Marx, Stalin, Osama BL, El Diablo.
in Sub-Agencies of the U.S. State Department
Similar to the Minerals, Mine agency, the US AID, NED, OTI, IRI, and other sub-agencies of the old Bush-Cheney State Department are still breaking U.S. Laws. They are wasting rare recession dollars on efforts to undermine a democratically elected government of a key energy Partner.
According to F.O.I.A. documents, many tens of millions of U.S. Taxpayer funds are funneled through these subagencies. The funds are used to propagate Faux News type TV ads, and organize demonstrations, and huge rallies against the democratic government. The U.S. tax money was used as well to participate in the coup d'etat against the President, and sponsor a Recall election, These are illegal activities under U.S. Law.
Today, these exact same State Department subagencies are pouring tens of millions of recession-tight Taxpayer dollars into illegally interfering in the September 26 th 2010 Election.
This energy partner of ours is Venezuela. She provides 1.7 million barrels of Oil to the United States every day. She owns 8 refineries and operates 14,000 gas stations across America (Citgo, Inc.). One freezing Winter, she provided 44.5 million gallons of heating oil to poor communities in Boston, New York, Maine, Rhode Island, Delaware, Vermont, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
Some of the F.O.I.A. evidence is contained in a thin but extensively researched book entitled "Washington's War on Venezuela" by American lawyer, Eva Golinger. Another book of hers, "Cracking the Chavez Code" contains more F.O.I.A. documentation. Also, another research book by Gregory Wilpert, entitled "Changing Venezuela" pages 170-174.
We advocate sending expert Investigators to Caracas, Venezuela A.S.A.P. to meet attorney Eva Golinger and see the deep extent of evidence she has collected over the past few years.
William Floyd, Pres., Former elected Delegate to Cal Democratic Party 2007-9
Notes
1. Please see the attached 1 page "Talking for Change"
2. TV ads feature racial attacks like "Monkey" "Ape Man"
or slurs on Chavez' partial Indian heritage. Other ads on the
80% Faux News TV stations are the same as used against
President Barach Obama, i.e. Marx, Stalin, Osama BL, El Diablo.
FBI Spies on You and I and Our Email
Justice Department Report Finds FBI
Spied on American Protestors
Earlier this week, we learned that yet another Department of Justice
(DOJ) Inspector General (IG) report has found malfeasance in the FBI.
This time, the IG found the bureau spying on American citizens engaged in
protests and other activities protected by the First Amendment. These \
investigations have led to several activists being inappropriately placed
on terrorist watchlists.
The IG's investigation was prompted by an ACLU Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) request, which uncovered evidence in 2006 that the FBI was chilling
political association by improperly investigating peaceful advocacy groups like
Greenpeace and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
The report concludes that the FBI was not spying on groups because of
their political views. Rather, it was investigating them because they
suspected the groups might commit crimes, which was okay under the FBI rules
that existed at the time. By that logic, everyone can be subject to FBI investigation
and possibly be included on a terrorist watchlist.
The report found FBI investigations were often opened based on
"factually weak" or even "speculative" justifications, and were often
kept open even after it was clear there was no criminal activity. We
can attribute this low bar to Attorney General guidelines for opening
investigations, which were gradually weakened during the Bush
administration.
In 2002, the guidelines under then-Attorney General John Ashcroft
required only the "possibility" of a federal crime. This guideline led
activities like the FBI infiltrating a peace group that was doing
nothing more nefarious than handing out anti-war leaflets in downtown
Pittsburgh.
Just last week, a domestic spying program in Pennsylvania that
targeted gas drilling opponents was shut down after it was revealed to
be improperly investigating them as a terrorist threat. That was just
another instance of more than 33 cases of domestic spying by U.S. law
enforcement agencies.
>> Learn more about spying on First Amendment activities.
http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=Lrs7vtZNDh_JvkxUtn_MsA..
Your Email Isn't Protected
As you read this copy of ACLU Online, you probably think it's private.You know that your papers and effects at home are constitutionally-protected by the Fourth Amendment. You might evenrealize that items on your computer have similar protection. So, itwould be logical to assume that an email you're reading at home onyour computer is covered by the same protections. Sadly, it's not. Because your email has been shared with a thirdparty -- your internet service provider and the other companiesthat transmitted it -- its constitutional protection is uncertainat best.
That's why Congress enacted the Electronic CommunicationsPrivacy Act (ECPA) -- to safeguard electronic communications. Theonly problem is that ECPA was passed in 1986. Yes, it's true. The lawthat protects email -- and all of the other information you viewonline-was passed before there was a World Wide Web or much ofan internet at all. At the time ECPA was passed, Congress couldn't decide if an email was more like a letter or a phone call. In 1986, most users would download their emails to their home computers after opening. Buttoday, most emails are not downloaded and are instead held bythird-party companies -- leaving their content with very little protection after 180 days. And law enforcement even argues that theylose most of their protections once opened. These are the rules for the technology that existed in 1986. Imagine how hard it is to translate the law to social networking sites,location-based services or any of the myriad technologies we usetoday.
This week, both the House and Senate conducted separate hearings onECPA reform. We hope they will give the law a significant overhaul including full warrant protection for all private communications and location information (such as what is derived from cell phones). >> Take action: Tell Congress it's time to modernize our privacy law.
http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=6ISp_XPwf_kiTHFCdtjJgw.. >> Learn more about the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=AZzrwf8nxXVs9orpNE_i0w..
Spied on American Protestors
Earlier this week, we learned that yet another Department of Justice
(DOJ) Inspector General (IG) report has found malfeasance in the FBI.
This time, the IG found the bureau spying on American citizens engaged in
protests and other activities protected by the First Amendment. These \
investigations have led to several activists being inappropriately placed
on terrorist watchlists.
The IG's investigation was prompted by an ACLU Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) request, which uncovered evidence in 2006 that the FBI was chilling
political association by improperly investigating peaceful advocacy groups like
Greenpeace and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
The report concludes that the FBI was not spying on groups because of
their political views. Rather, it was investigating them because they
suspected the groups might commit crimes, which was okay under the FBI rules
that existed at the time. By that logic, everyone can be subject to FBI investigation
and possibly be included on a terrorist watchlist.
The report found FBI investigations were often opened based on
"factually weak" or even "speculative" justifications, and were often
kept open even after it was clear there was no criminal activity. We
can attribute this low bar to Attorney General guidelines for opening
investigations, which were gradually weakened during the Bush
administration.
In 2002, the guidelines under then-Attorney General John Ashcroft
required only the "possibility" of a federal crime. This guideline led
activities like the FBI infiltrating a peace group that was doing
nothing more nefarious than handing out anti-war leaflets in downtown
Pittsburgh.
Just last week, a domestic spying program in Pennsylvania that
targeted gas drilling opponents was shut down after it was revealed to
be improperly investigating them as a terrorist threat. That was just
another instance of more than 33 cases of domestic spying by U.S. law
enforcement agencies.
>> Learn more about spying on First Amendment activities.
http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=Lrs7vtZNDh_JvkxUtn_MsA..
Your Email Isn't Protected
As you read this copy of ACLU Online, you probably think it's private.You know that your papers and effects at home are constitutionally-protected by the Fourth Amendment. You might evenrealize that items on your computer have similar protection. So, itwould be logical to assume that an email you're reading at home onyour computer is covered by the same protections. Sadly, it's not. Because your email has been shared with a thirdparty -- your internet service provider and the other companiesthat transmitted it -- its constitutional protection is uncertainat best.
That's why Congress enacted the Electronic CommunicationsPrivacy Act (ECPA) -- to safeguard electronic communications. Theonly problem is that ECPA was passed in 1986. Yes, it's true. The lawthat protects email -- and all of the other information you viewonline-was passed before there was a World Wide Web or much ofan internet at all. At the time ECPA was passed, Congress couldn't decide if an email was more like a letter or a phone call. In 1986, most users would download their emails to their home computers after opening. Buttoday, most emails are not downloaded and are instead held bythird-party companies -- leaving their content with very little protection after 180 days. And law enforcement even argues that theylose most of their protections once opened. These are the rules for the technology that existed in 1986. Imagine how hard it is to translate the law to social networking sites,location-based services or any of the myriad technologies we usetoday.
This week, both the House and Senate conducted separate hearings onECPA reform. We hope they will give the law a significant overhaul including full warrant protection for all private communications and location information (such as what is derived from cell phones). >> Take action: Tell Congress it's time to modernize our privacy law.
http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=6ISp_XPwf_kiTHFCdtjJgw.. >> Learn more about the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=AZzrwf8nxXVs9orpNE_i0w..
Monday, September 13, 2010
Talking for Change
TALKING for CHANGE 9-11-10
╪ Venezuela supplies 1.7 million Barrels (15%) of U.S.A. Oil daily.
Venezuela is the 4th (fourth) largest producer of Oil in the World.
╪ Venezuelans love America and ♥ Americans. Starbucks, McDonalds,
Michael Jackson, and TV shows like “Who wants to be a millionaire?”
Venezuelans also love Baseball, not Soccer (futbol). They follow the
MBA teams obsessively. Every street has a stick ball game.
Alex Gonzalez, Francisco Rodriguez (K-Rod), & Carlos Zambrano
are star Venezuelans playing in Major League Baseball.
╪ Venezuela provided heating oil during the cold winter of 2005.
Poor neighborhoods in Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, Delaware,
Connecticut, Philadelphia, Boston, and NYC received 44.5 million
Gallons of heating oil at 40-50% discounts. Also, the Bolivarians
provided 312,000 gallons of free oil to Homeless Shelters in the states.
╪ Caracas TV is 80% Fright Wing spin: Marx/Stalin/Castro/Osama BL
The 2 largest Newspapers “swift boat” Bolivarians daily.
╪ Faux News - Pentagon Spin: “Venezuela is now a Castro dictatorship”
1998 Bolivarians won a certified clean election - 56% for Change.
1999-2000 Bolivarian Constitution approved 59.8%. Win 2/3 Gen Assembly.
2002 State Dept/Pentagon sponsor Coup, but millions of People save Chavez.
2002-2003 Oil Corp Lockout; massive unemployment leads to deep recession.
2003-4 Recall Referendum: Carter Center certified Chavez won 58%-42%.
2006 Bolivarian “21st Century Socialists” win a landslide 63% to 36%.
╪ Bolivarian Missions for the poor, Free food, healthcare, clothing, education
Millions receive “title” to their homes in Barrios. 7.5 Million Acres of idle land purchased and transferred to 200,000 families (1 million people).
╪ Participatory Democracy – Community Councils of 200 families decide
Planning, water, food, housing. 3,700 in 2005 and 16,000 Councils in 2007.
╪ Civil Rights of Women, Afro-Venezuelans, and Indigenous peoples (15%) are protected by the 1999 Constitution, and in Bolivarian policy & practice.
╪ Venezuela supplies 1.7 million Barrels (15%) of U.S.A. Oil daily.
Venezuela is the 4th (fourth) largest producer of Oil in the World.
╪ Venezuelans love America and ♥ Americans. Starbucks, McDonalds,
Michael Jackson, and TV shows like “Who wants to be a millionaire?”
Venezuelans also love Baseball, not Soccer (futbol). They follow the
MBA teams obsessively. Every street has a stick ball game.
Alex Gonzalez, Francisco Rodriguez (K-Rod), & Carlos Zambrano
are star Venezuelans playing in Major League Baseball.
╪ Venezuela provided heating oil during the cold winter of 2005.
Poor neighborhoods in Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, Delaware,
Connecticut, Philadelphia, Boston, and NYC received 44.5 million
Gallons of heating oil at 40-50% discounts. Also, the Bolivarians
provided 312,000 gallons of free oil to Homeless Shelters in the states.
╪ Caracas TV is 80% Fright Wing spin: Marx/Stalin/Castro/Osama BL
The 2 largest Newspapers “swift boat” Bolivarians daily.
╪ Faux News - Pentagon Spin: “Venezuela is now a Castro dictatorship”
1998 Bolivarians won a certified clean election - 56% for Change.
1999-2000 Bolivarian Constitution approved 59.8%. Win 2/3 Gen Assembly.
2002 State Dept/Pentagon sponsor Coup, but millions of People save Chavez.
2002-2003 Oil Corp Lockout; massive unemployment leads to deep recession.
2003-4 Recall Referendum: Carter Center certified Chavez won 58%-42%.
2006 Bolivarian “21st Century Socialists” win a landslide 63% to 36%.
╪ Bolivarian Missions for the poor, Free food, healthcare, clothing, education
Millions receive “title” to their homes in Barrios. 7.5 Million Acres of idle land purchased and transferred to 200,000 families (1 million people).
╪ Participatory Democracy – Community Councils of 200 families decide
Planning, water, food, housing. 3,700 in 2005 and 16,000 Councils in 2007.
╪ Civil Rights of Women, Afro-Venezuelans, and Indigenous peoples (15%) are protected by the 1999 Constitution, and in Bolivarian policy & practice.
Please call all Progressive Democrats in Congress this week.
PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC WORKERS for AMERICA www.pdwamerica.blogspot.com
Friday, September 10, 2010
ONE NATION MARCH on Washington
March on Washington D.C.
On Saturday, October 2, 2010, hundreds of thousands of Americans from across the country will gather at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to demonstrate our re-commitment to change.
The One Nation March will feature human and civil rights leaders, labor leaders, environmental and peace activists, faith leaders, celebrities and sports figures – all marching together to help Put America Back to Work and to Pull America Back Together. And to help reorder our national priorities so that investments in people come first.
It's time to stand up and march for the change we voted for. Use the march resources below to plan and promote your trip.
March Resources
RSVP for the March
March Details - Everything you need to know about the march.
Spread the Word - Tell your friends about the march.
March on Washington D.C.
On Saturday, October 2, 2010, hundreds of thousands of Americans from across the country will gather at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to demonstrate our re-commitment to change.
The One Nation March will feature human and civil rights leaders, labor leaders, environmental and peace activists, faith leaders, celebrities and sports figures – all marching together to help Put America Back to Work and to Pull America Back Together. And to help reorder our national priorities so that investments in people come first.
It's time to stand up and march for the change we voted for. Use the march resources below to plan and promote your trip.
March Resources
RSVP for the March
March Details - Everything you need to know about the march.
Spread the Word - Tell your friends about the march.
Downloads - Downloads
William Floyd
On Saturday, October 2, 2010, hundreds of thousands of Americans from across the country will gather at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to demonstrate our re-commitment to change.
The One Nation March will feature human and civil rights leaders, labor leaders, environmental and peace activists, faith leaders, celebrities and sports figures – all marching together to help Put America Back to Work and to Pull America Back Together. And to help reorder our national priorities so that investments in people come first.
It's time to stand up and march for the change we voted for. Use the march resources below to plan and promote your trip.
March Resources
RSVP for the March
March Details - Everything you need to know about the march.
Spread the Word - Tell your friends about the march.
March on Washington D.C.
On Saturday, October 2, 2010, hundreds of thousands of Americans from across the country will gather at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to demonstrate our re-commitment to change.
The One Nation March will feature human and civil rights leaders, labor leaders, environmental and peace activists, faith leaders, celebrities and sports figures – all marching together to help Put America Back to Work and to Pull America Back Together. And to help reorder our national priorities so that investments in people come first.
It's time to stand up and march for the change we voted for. Use the march resources below to plan and promote your trip.
March Resources
RSVP for the March
March Details - Everything you need to know about the march.
Spread the Word - Tell your friends about the march.
Downloads - Downloads
William Floyd
Letter to Progressive Caucus Members
PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC WORKERS for AMERICA
Dear Progressive Caucus Member,
Progressive Democrats across the country invite YOU and a select
Group of Caucus Members to visit Caracas, Venezuela this weekend.
There you can see the evidence, so painstakingly collected by
American lawyer Eva Golinger (“Washington’s War on Venezuela”)
90,000 U.S. assault MARINES are awaiting orders to invade VENEZUELA.
These heavily armed Marines are aboard 46 advanced U.S. Navy attack vessels.
They sail ominously 50 miles off the Venezuelan Coast (LA-Catalina). The 4th Fleet is armed with thousands of fighter aircraft, Seahawk copters and the latest landing craft. The U.S. Navy (bitter over exclusion from the Iraq-Afghan occupations) prowls between a new Navy base in Costa Rica, new U.S. Navy bases in Colombia, and new bases on the Dutch islands Curacao and Aruba.
In the capital city of Caracas, hundreds of U.S. State Dept. and CIA spies and saboteurs are doling out hundreds of millions of U.S. Taxpayer funds to steal the Venezuelan ELECTION, September 26th, 2010.
State Department has been militarized to work more 'smoothly' with the war machine. State/CIA spies and saboteurs work from an alphabet soup of semi-secret agencies: USAID, NED, OTI, DAI, IRI, NDI, CIPE, ACILS.
Forebears of these CIA/State spooks assisted the coup d'etat against Salvador Allende in Chile (1973). These same spooks helped the murderous Contras, and battled to overturn the Nicaraguan democracy, the Haitian democracy, and the Honduran democracy. Taxpayers paid for this unconstitutional criminality.
POTENTIAL SOLUTION:
Congress Members junket to Caracas before September 26 Election. They could interview the local State Dept spooks about the waste of recession-starved taxpayer funds. Are these scarce dollars being lavished on Coup plotters and professional mercenaries contrary to U.S. LAW?
William Floyd 9/11/10
Dear Progressive Caucus Member,
Progressive Democrats across the country invite YOU and a select
Group of Caucus Members to visit Caracas, Venezuela this weekend.
There you can see the evidence, so painstakingly collected by
American lawyer Eva Golinger (“Washington’s War on Venezuela”)
90,000 U.S. assault MARINES are awaiting orders to invade VENEZUELA.
These heavily armed Marines are aboard 46 advanced U.S. Navy attack vessels.
They sail ominously 50 miles off the Venezuelan Coast (LA-Catalina). The 4th Fleet is armed with thousands of fighter aircraft, Seahawk copters and the latest landing craft. The U.S. Navy (bitter over exclusion from the Iraq-Afghan occupations) prowls between a new Navy base in Costa Rica, new U.S. Navy bases in Colombia, and new bases on the Dutch islands Curacao and Aruba.
In the capital city of Caracas, hundreds of U.S. State Dept. and CIA spies and saboteurs are doling out hundreds of millions of U.S. Taxpayer funds to steal the Venezuelan ELECTION, September 26th, 2010.
State Department has been militarized to work more 'smoothly' with the war machine. State/CIA spies and saboteurs work from an alphabet soup of semi-secret agencies: USAID, NED, OTI, DAI, IRI, NDI, CIPE, ACILS.
Forebears of these CIA/State spooks assisted the coup d'etat against Salvador Allende in Chile (1973). These same spooks helped the murderous Contras, and battled to overturn the Nicaraguan democracy, the Haitian democracy, and the Honduran democracy. Taxpayers paid for this unconstitutional criminality.
POTENTIAL SOLUTION:
Congress Members junket to Caracas before September 26 Election. They could interview the local State Dept spooks about the waste of recession-starved taxpayer funds. Are these scarce dollars being lavished on Coup plotters and professional mercenaries contrary to U.S. LAW?
William Floyd 9/11/10
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
General Strike in France
Strikes in France, London foreshadow more protests.
Embankment in London, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010. Millions of Londoners are struggling to get to work by road, rail boat and bicycle as a strike by London Underground workers shuts down much of the city's subway system.
French strikers disrupted trains and planes, hospitals and mail delivery Tuesday amid massive street protests over plans to raise the retirement age. Across the English Channel, London subway workers unhappy with staff cuts walked off the job.
The protests look like the prelude to a season of strikes in Europe, from Spain to the Czech Republic, as heavily indebted governments cut costs and chip away at some cherished but costly benefits that underpin the European good life -- a scaling-back process that has gained urgency with Greece's euro110 billion ($140 billion) bailout.In France, where people poured into the streets in 220 cities, setting off flares and beating drums, a banner in the southern port city of Marseille called for Europe-wide solidarity: "Let's Refuse Austerity Plans!"
The Interior Ministry said more than 1.1 million people demonstrated throughout France, while the CFDT union put the number at 2.5 million.Some commuters were annoyed by the disruptions -- even in strike-inured France."I'm just getting tired of this because this is not the first time," said Henda Fersi, a passenger at the Part-Dieu train station in Lyon in southeast France. "I understand the strikers' point of view but, still, they put us in a difficult situation and we're penalized."French protesters are angry about the government's plan to do away with the near-sacred promise of retirement at 60, forcing people to work until 62 because they are living longer. The goal is to bring the money-draining pension system back into the black by 2018.As debate on the subject opened in parliament, Labor Minister Eric Woerth said the plan was one "of courage and reason" and that it is the "duty of the state" to save the pension system. He later told TF1 television that the president would announce minor changes to the reform Wednesday, though its fundamentals would remain the same.Prime Minister Francois Fillon reminded the French that it could be worse: In nearly all European countries, the current debate is over raising the retirement age to 67 or 68, he said. Germany has decided to bump the retirement age from 65 to 67, for example, and the U.S. Social Security system is gradually raising the retirement age to 67.
That sense of perspective was missing from many of the French protests, where some slogans bordered on the hysterical. One sign in Paris showed a raised middle finger with the message: "Greetings from people who will die on the job."Amid the Paris mayhem, European Union finance ministers meeting in Brussels agreed to create new financial institutions in hopes of preventing a repeat of the government debt crisis that nearly left Greece bankrupt and brought the European banking system to its knees. Market jitters remain -- though the most apocalyptic scenarios discussed a few months ago, such as the collapse of the euro currency, have been put on the back burner.In London, Underground workers unhappy about job cuts closed much of the city's subway system -- the first in a series of 24-hour strikes planned for the fall. The thousands of London maintenance workers, drivers and station staff who walked out say the cuts will hurt service and safety.With the underground train service shut, buses had to take on extra loads, while vehicular traffic was heavy and city sidewalks were teeming with walkers and bikers."The bus system has been a mess today, but I got here," said Anita Prazmowska of South London.
In France, some post offices shut down, schools were hamstrung and public hospitals were hit with a nearly 18 percent staff cut for the day. The strike also blocked the Atlantic coast port at Saint-Nazaire, including vessels that feed into the nearby Total refinery.Civil aviation authorities asked airlines to cancel a quarter of their flights at Paris' airports. Only two out of every five of France's famed high-speed trains operated during the strike, which ran Monday evening through Tuesday night.Some Paris commuters had to resort to the city's rental bicycle system, Velib, and not all were happy about it. One commuter, Antonia Gilles, tried it for the first time: "It was a success but it was dangerous."Similar protests are set for elsewhere in Europe in coming weeks.A general strike was planned in Spain for Sept. 29 over labor market reforms, and in the Czech Republic, a massive protest against proposed austerity measures, including 10 percent salary cuts for state employees, was set for Sept. 21.In Greece, all public transport workers in the Athens area are to stop work Wednesday for five hours to protest planned reforms to the indebted railway company. Rail and suburban rail workers are to repeat the work stoppage Thursday.The French strikes come at a time when conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy's approval ratings hover in the mid-30 percent range.On top of that, an unfolding tax and party financing scandal centered on the fortune of the L'Oreal cosmetics heiress has left many wondering if the government cares more about the interests of the rich and powerful than ordinary workers."If we need money ... we know where to find it," said Guy Gamet, a 55-year-old representative of the Workers Force union as he marched in Lyon, in the southeast. "When it was necessary to bail out the banks not so long ago, we knew where to find the money."Associated Press writers Jill Lawless and Gillian Smith in London, Jean-Marie Godard in Paris and Pan Pylas in Brussels contributed to this report.
Embankment in London, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010. Millions of Londoners are struggling to get to work by road, rail boat and bicycle as a strike by London Underground workers shuts down much of the city's subway system.
French strikers disrupted trains and planes, hospitals and mail delivery Tuesday amid massive street protests over plans to raise the retirement age. Across the English Channel, London subway workers unhappy with staff cuts walked off the job.
The protests look like the prelude to a season of strikes in Europe, from Spain to the Czech Republic, as heavily indebted governments cut costs and chip away at some cherished but costly benefits that underpin the European good life -- a scaling-back process that has gained urgency with Greece's euro110 billion ($140 billion) bailout.In France, where people poured into the streets in 220 cities, setting off flares and beating drums, a banner in the southern port city of Marseille called for Europe-wide solidarity: "Let's Refuse Austerity Plans!"
The Interior Ministry said more than 1.1 million people demonstrated throughout France, while the CFDT union put the number at 2.5 million.Some commuters were annoyed by the disruptions -- even in strike-inured France."I'm just getting tired of this because this is not the first time," said Henda Fersi, a passenger at the Part-Dieu train station in Lyon in southeast France. "I understand the strikers' point of view but, still, they put us in a difficult situation and we're penalized."French protesters are angry about the government's plan to do away with the near-sacred promise of retirement at 60, forcing people to work until 62 because they are living longer. The goal is to bring the money-draining pension system back into the black by 2018.As debate on the subject opened in parliament, Labor Minister Eric Woerth said the plan was one "of courage and reason" and that it is the "duty of the state" to save the pension system. He later told TF1 television that the president would announce minor changes to the reform Wednesday, though its fundamentals would remain the same.Prime Minister Francois Fillon reminded the French that it could be worse: In nearly all European countries, the current debate is over raising the retirement age to 67 or 68, he said. Germany has decided to bump the retirement age from 65 to 67, for example, and the U.S. Social Security system is gradually raising the retirement age to 67.
That sense of perspective was missing from many of the French protests, where some slogans bordered on the hysterical. One sign in Paris showed a raised middle finger with the message: "Greetings from people who will die on the job."Amid the Paris mayhem, European Union finance ministers meeting in Brussels agreed to create new financial institutions in hopes of preventing a repeat of the government debt crisis that nearly left Greece bankrupt and brought the European banking system to its knees. Market jitters remain -- though the most apocalyptic scenarios discussed a few months ago, such as the collapse of the euro currency, have been put on the back burner.In London, Underground workers unhappy about job cuts closed much of the city's subway system -- the first in a series of 24-hour strikes planned for the fall. The thousands of London maintenance workers, drivers and station staff who walked out say the cuts will hurt service and safety.With the underground train service shut, buses had to take on extra loads, while vehicular traffic was heavy and city sidewalks were teeming with walkers and bikers."The bus system has been a mess today, but I got here," said Anita Prazmowska of South London.
In France, some post offices shut down, schools were hamstrung and public hospitals were hit with a nearly 18 percent staff cut for the day. The strike also blocked the Atlantic coast port at Saint-Nazaire, including vessels that feed into the nearby Total refinery.Civil aviation authorities asked airlines to cancel a quarter of their flights at Paris' airports. Only two out of every five of France's famed high-speed trains operated during the strike, which ran Monday evening through Tuesday night.Some Paris commuters had to resort to the city's rental bicycle system, Velib, and not all were happy about it. One commuter, Antonia Gilles, tried it for the first time: "It was a success but it was dangerous."Similar protests are set for elsewhere in Europe in coming weeks.A general strike was planned in Spain for Sept. 29 over labor market reforms, and in the Czech Republic, a massive protest against proposed austerity measures, including 10 percent salary cuts for state employees, was set for Sept. 21.In Greece, all public transport workers in the Athens area are to stop work Wednesday for five hours to protest planned reforms to the indebted railway company. Rail and suburban rail workers are to repeat the work stoppage Thursday.The French strikes come at a time when conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy's approval ratings hover in the mid-30 percent range.On top of that, an unfolding tax and party financing scandal centered on the fortune of the L'Oreal cosmetics heiress has left many wondering if the government cares more about the interests of the rich and powerful than ordinary workers."If we need money ... we know where to find it," said Guy Gamet, a 55-year-old representative of the Workers Force union as he marched in Lyon, in the southeast. "When it was necessary to bail out the banks not so long ago, we knew where to find the money."Associated Press writers Jill Lawless and Gillian Smith in London, Jean-Marie Godard in Paris and Pan Pylas in Brussels contributed to this report.
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