Personally, I agree that the pensions should be paid for most workers. But there are going to be some extravagant pensions which should not be paid. Again, that's the role of the authorities to determine.
That isn't how it'll go, the poorest are going to be some of the hardest hit. Looking through the statistics on Detroit pensions, they're already some of the smallest of any major city in the country. Sharp cuts to people on the edge of poverty is only going to exacerbate all problems that are increased by poverty for the city.
Adding to the poor is going to increase the cost of city services while decreasing revenue, meaning that the reliance on borrowing isn't fixed. It's a short term gain that only amplifies the problem as time goes on.
South Africa mining strike damage is 'irreparable'
Last I heard, my South African comrades had convinced longtime leftie NUMSA leader Moses Mayekiso to run for office on our unfortunately titled Workers and Socialist Party (WASP).
Down with the ANC, black frontmen for Randlord exploitation!
Workers to power!
Northwestern ruling could 'rattle the universe of universities'
Organize the unorganized!
Nationalize the private universities!
For open admissions, free tuition and a living stipend for all students!
Vive le Galt!
UAW Tops’ Class Collaboration Paved the Way: Defeat for Labor at Tennessee VW Plant
For a Class-Struggle Fight to Organize the “Open Shop” South!
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Personally, I agree that the pensions should be paid for most workers. But there are going to be some extravagant pensions which should not be paid. Again, that's the role of the authorities to determine.That isn't how it'll go, the poorest are going to be some of the hardest hit. Looking through the statistics on Detroit pensions, they're already some of the smallest of any major city in the country. Sharp cuts to people on the edge of poverty is only going to exacerbate all problems that are increased by poverty for the city.
Adding to the poor is going to increase the cost of city services while decreasing revenue, meaning that the reliance on borrowing isn't fixed. It's a short term gain that only amplifies the problem as time goes on.
Like I said, bad situation all around.
Hopefully, no other major american city ever elects such horrible representatives to lead them consistently for fifty years ever again.
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Detroit's larger trends were exacerbated by horrible mismanagement, a general failure to contain crime or educate kids, and an inability to create anything resembling an attractive place to start a business.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwame_Kilpatrick
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_Detroit_riot
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s_Night
and, arguably
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleman_Young
who captained the sinking ship.
In Consecutive Victories, More than 300 Parking Workers Join Local 25
A bit old, but I don't see the latest article from the new issue of The Spokesman on line, so...
Team-sters! Team-sters! Team-sters!
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Detroit's larger trends were exacerbated by horrible mismanagement, a general failure to contain crime or educate kids, and an inability to create anything resembling an attractive place to start a business.
Not for lack of trying, though. Coleman Young, IIRC, was one of a long line of liberal Democrats voted in by a riled up, in this case, black electorate, who then turned around and served the interests of the plutocracy.
From the wiki page: "Although Young had emerged from the far left element in Detroit, he moved to the right as mayor. He called an ideological truce and won the support of Detroit's economic elite.[18] The new mayor was energetic in the construction of the Joe Louis Arena, and upgrading the city's mediocre mass transit system. Highly controversial was his assistance to General Motors to build its new 'Poletown' plant at the site of the former Dodge Main plant, which involved evicting many long-time residents. Rich argues that he pulled money out of the neighborhood to rehabilitate the downtown business district, because 'there were no other options.'"
Anyone wanna place bets on DiBlasio?
And, since we're talking 'bout Detroit, documentary on black autoworker communists repost.
Detroit's larger trends were exacerbated by horrible mismanagement, a general failure to contain crime or educate kids, and an inability to create anything resembling an attractive place to start a business.Not for lack of trying, though. Coleman Young, IIRC, was one of a long line of liberal Democrats voted in by a riled up, in this case, black electorate, who then turned around and served the interests of the plutocracy.
From the wiki page: "Although Young had emerged from the far left element in Detroit, he moved to the right as mayor. He called an ideological truce and won't the support of Detroit's economic elite.[18] The new mayor was energetic in the construction of the Joe Louis Arena, and upgrading the city's mediocre mass transit system. Highly controversial was his assistance to General Motors to build its new 'Poletown' plant at the site of the former Dodge Main plant, which involved evicting many long-timehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleman_Young residents. Rich argues that he pulled money out of the neighborhood to rehabilitate the downtown business district, because 'there were no other options.'"
Anyone wanna place bets on DiBlasio?
sorry anklebiter, but someone voted in office isn't going to throw the plutocracy against the wall the next day. I don't think it was right fair or wise to build poletown, however.
What are you sorry about?
That your fantasy of elected leadership turning into radical violent proletariat revolution overnight isn't going to come true.
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Dude, I have no fantasies that the Democrats are anything other than the Other Plutocratic Party.
Although, for the record, I'd line up with those arguing that the blame for Detroit's decline is more appropriately placed on the Auto Bosses (and the class-collaborationism of the UAW leadership) than the local city government.
(Edited)
Forward to $15 and a union!
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Detroit's larger trends were exacerbated by horrible mismanagement, a general failure to contain crime or educate kids, and an inability to create anything resembling an attractive place to start a business.Not for lack of trying, though. Coleman Young, IIRC, was one of a long line of liberal Democrats voted in by a riled up, in this case, black electorate, who then turned around and served the interests of the plutocracy.
From the wiki page: "Although Young had emerged from the far left element in Detroit, he moved to the right as mayor. He called an ideological truce and won the support of Detroit's economic elite.[18] The new mayor was energetic in the construction of the Joe Louis Arena, and upgrading the city's mediocre mass transit system. Highly controversial was his assistance to General Motors to build its new 'Poletown' plant at the site of the former Dodge Main plant, which involved evicting many long-time residents. Rich argues that he pulled money out of the neighborhood to rehabilitate the downtown business district, because 'there were no other options.'"
Anyone wanna place bets on DiBlasio?
What "plutocrats" benefitted from Detroit's collapse, other than suburban realtors and home builders? Sorry, but no.
Highly controversial was his assistance to General Motors to build its new 'Poletown' plant at the site of the former Dodge Main plant, which involved evicting many long-time residents.
What's good for General Motors is good for the country.
But I don't believe I said the plutocrats benefitted from Detroit's decline. I said Coleman Young served their interests. Slightly different statement.
North Adams Regional Hospital closing Friday morning
Including a little interview with a kid I helped recruit to revolutionary socialism. [Beams with pride]
Don't usually put much stock in petitions, but my comrade in the Massachusttes Nurses' Associations forwarded it, so...
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I didn't know what a phlebotomist was until recently.
Turns out UMass Memorial Medical Center is firing all of theirs.
Bad alma mater (sorta), bad!
I didn't know what a phlebotomist was until recently.
Turns out UMass Memorial Medical Center is firing all of theirs.
Bad alma mater (sorta), bad!
Got an e-mail from my phlebotomist comrade and it looks like just the threat of a 24-hour informational picket made those f!*$s at UMass back down.
No layoffs!
Huzzah!!!!
Of course, my phlebotomist comrade is still quite suspicious, but I'll say Huzzah! until otherwise.
Huzzah!
Don't have the time to trawl the internet for labor stories this morning due to medical emergenices in the Anklebiter family, but I did get an e-mail from my phlebotomist comrade that UMass Memorial has already violated the agreement and is training their LPNs (?--RNs??, beats me) to do their work and the informational picket for this Monday is back on.
U-nion! U-nion! U-nion!
This jumps around a lot. Was this all at the same demonstration. That said, why was this man arrested?
Beats me. I just pick them off my Facebook feed and post them. (Yes, Comrade Freehold, I broke down.)
Or sometimes, I trawl the internet:
22 arrested at UC Santa Cruz strike; Protest continues Thursday
Although I don't think it actually talks about the dude in the video.
Don't have the time to trawl the internet for labor stories this morning due to medical emergenices in the Anklebiter family, but I did get an e-mail from my phlebotomist comrade that UMass Memorial has already violated the agreement and is training their LPNs (?--RNs??, beats me) to do their work and the informational picket for this Monday is back on.
U-nion! U-nion! U-nion!
Somehow the union forced the hospital to agree to stop the training. So picket line is off again. Until, I imagine, they catch the hospital training scab phlebotomists again, which should be about, oh, anytime now...
Rallies in cities across US decrying deportation
The one in Nashua, NH wasn't very well-attended, maybe 40 people, maybe 50, but there was still plenty of tears.
Down with Obama!
Stop the deportations!
Workers of the World, Unite!
Beats me. I just pick them off my Facebook feed and post them. (Yes, Comrade Freehold, I broke down.)
You disappoint me....
I've got 90 friends.
Also, people keep putting pictures of me up.
Goblins do it in the streets at the demonstration!
(Never mind, I guess only my friends can see it. Too bad, it's hawt...)
And one that passed me by until it was all over:
Port Metro Vancouver truckers' strike could cause disruptions across Canada
Canada: Port of Vancouver truckers’ strike wins significant gains
My hetero life partner ran across a bunch of manager meeting notes and one of the bulletpoints was "End the mindset of being 'bulletproof.'"
Well, the union tops should never have ordered them back to work in the first place.
Anyway, they don't say how much they forked over, but I wonder if it was more or less than taking 250 cases to a federal arbitrator (which isn't cheap.)
Short suspensions? We call that a long weekend!