Whoa would I like to be a fly on the wall for that meeting. Tonka Trumka can roll over Rahmbo. I put my money on Trumka

The Diane Rehm show on this topic. Now… 10 est
Send in your questions comments, tweet etc
http://wamu.org/programs/dr/
drshow@wamu.org
800-443-8850

Jane on the Rehm show they are talking about what took place yesterday on Health care. Now

And contact the White House and tell them you do not want Rahm’s trigger option and that you want a PO. Tell them Trumka was correct about the Baucus bill.

Most excellent. Wheeling out the heavy cannon.

Aaargh!

I emailed the AFL-CIO to urge Mr. Trumka to stand firm.

I am not a union member of any kind, nor do I have any ties to the AFL-CIO.

I sent them a little note to let them know I want them to stand by the progressive mantra: “No Public Option, No Bill”.

I will also hopefully be donating to put pressure on Republican Senators Olympia Snowe and Max Baucus (yep) later.

This is not a fight I am willing to lose on.

Did folks see Rachel whack Ben Nelson last night?

Senator set the bar too high
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/

link or email

Hey folks you can plug FDL and the conversations here if you get through

Your betting against Rahm? But But Rahm is a Genius, Rahm is Machiavelli Reincarnated, Rahm has Hypnotic Martian Mind Control Powers… Rahm has the best Press Relations Firm Puffing up his sad little resume I have ever seen.
It would dishonor Trumka or any man to surrender to Rahm.

The thing to remember about “Chicago” politics is that it all boils down to taking care of your friends. Obviously the friends of the Obama White House are not the people but the corporations and their bottomless well of money.

How is the ad going in Arkansas? Haven’t heard anything. Lincoln’s polls don’t look good for her with high negatives.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo…..hp?ref=fpa

I defy anyone to find me one single example of the White House twisting one arm for a public option. Just one

I’m defying people to show me a Rahm win on policy just one:)

A major reason for the demise of the U.S. labor movement is their continual willingness to compromise away their principles but then after purging leftists in the 40’s and 50’s I doubt they have many principles to draw on. Looking at the labor movement in the U.S. compared to the labor movement in Europe is eye opening.

. Lincoln’s polls don’t look good for her with high negatives.

That suggests the ad is doing quite well. Is she acting nervous though? I’m sure Rahm is promising her full Democratic campaign support cash if she holds the line.
We need to push her polls so low she fears no amount of cash can save her.

In the end, this travesty of reform is all Barack Obama’s. If Trumka backs down, labor is finished. Obama will have Trumka’s pecker in his pocket (to paraphrase LBJ).

All roads lead to Rahm but no one calls for his removal? Interesting.

True but Rahm is obvious which to a real Chicago Pols mind makes him an obvious fall guy. Real Crooks/Chicago pols don’t brag, leak, or take credit for the things they do they are like Jedi “Fame, Fortune a Jedi cares not for these things.” (Yoda)
Mayor Daley could be a billionaire easy with a bigger skim or a famous Politician like Rahm instead he has Power.

At this point what I would like to see everyone join together including the unions and push a petition that promises to work against any dem who votes against single payer.

I put money on Trumka playing hardball. I don’t think Trumka’s pecker ( his will power) would fit in Obama’s pocket.

Trumka sure sang Marcy Wheelers praises at NNO9 when he spoke. And yes she deserves it

I am so glad I’m a Wobbly. Given the chance AFL-CIO will crawl into bed with the bosses every time.

It would be very interesting to do a poll in Ark. and find out why her numbers are dropping. I wonder if it is due to her refusal to support good health care.

The poll that was cited in the TPM article above was done by Rasmussen. Rassmusson has become a reich wing outfit doing push polling.

Well is there an other big issue or scandal that could be affecting how voters see her? Something local maybe and not on the National news radar yet?
A poll would find out for sure:)

Everything you say of Rasmussen is true so if anything since she is a Blue Dog her real poll numbers must be worse than reported.

One big union!

I saw a free screening of “Capitalism: A Love Story” in Flint, Mi Sunday. I have only experienced twice in my life crowds that were so beautifully expressive during a movie at a theater and both times it was Michael Moore’s movies, Sicko and now “Capitalism: A Love Story” which had the crowd roaring out laughing, and clapping and some crying. After people see this movie I believe many will get more active with health care reform and many other democratic ideals. I will be seeing this film every week it plays. And I suggest we make signs advertising this film and put them in our yards just as we would campaign for a candiate. Here’s a couple of posts about the movie:

Thought provoking Date: September 28, 2009
By obama from Beverly Hills, CA (read all my reviews)
Age: 35-39
“I think this was an excellent movie. It details aspects of American history that I am sure many people werent aware of. It made me sad to see how FDR had done so much for the States, he even tried to get a second bill of rights underway. Thanks to him we still have Social security, Medicare,etc. Im not sure why people are so scared of Moore or dislike him so much.

By bobestrin from Mission Viejo, California (read all my reviews)
Age: 50-54
“If you want to grasp what is happening in the world today, you must see this film. Michael Moore demonstrates the confusion people have with Capitalism versus Democracy. You will come to understand that our Capitalist system is undermining our Democracy which is the basis of our Constitution. While he brings some levity to the film, it deals with intense issues. It is truly a brilliant work, a must see film.”

By Ctc120 from Los Angeles, CA (read all my reviews)
Age: 30-34
“Excellent film! The truth is exposed and it is shocking. I have been inspired to be proactive in democracy and continue to have faith that more people will have an open mind to understand that life should not revolve around money’”

By awardmovies from Los Angeles,CA (read all my reviews)
Age: 40-44
“I knew all this stuff was going on, but never figured how far this has gone. I think this is a must see for everyone.”

http://www.movietickets.com/mo…..=6#reviews

NAFTA

AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…

Citizen Hamsher and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:

Rahm thinks that he’s got Trumpka and the unions by the short hairs with EFCA up next but only if Trumpka calls his bluff will we get EFCA…this is the defining moment for a restoration of democratic politics in this country.

I sent an e-mail to my man Ricard Trumpka at the link you gave…I don’t think he’s gunna cave in to the rotten bastard.

KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, THERE IS ONLY THE STRUGGLE!!

is it time to storm the bastille yet?

well fuck us running . . . . was just over at EW’s place talking about how to go forward with our so called allies

Jane,

when I saw your Pelosi Tells Trumka F* You! post, I pleaded with him to stay strong via

his Facebook page

and on his Twitter page

reminding him of course, that he does have leverage against their ‘taxing benefits’ cudgel – ie, campaign contributions. and not to buy in on some weak tea EFCA, he has the one thing Rahm truly wants – electoral $$$

Citizen SouthernDragon:

I think you might be misunderestimating Trumpka, Brother Dragonman…I think he knows that unions and free politics are dead if he doesn’t stare the bastard down…and if he crawls under the covers with the bastards then we hit the street…KEEP THE RED FLAGS FLYING!!

I couldn’t figure out where to email them.

Good morning;

‘Nother newbie question-what as a non-union member do I e mail that would be most effective (as oppose to most cathartic)?

And likewise-at this point, what do I e mail the WH with same criteria?

If OpenLeft is right, and the WH is one of 4 players that will reconcile the 2 Senate bills-what is left unsaid that will have any chance of working?

63% of Americans say they would be willing to pay higher taxes to fund healthcare forms–only 35% think current activity in DC will lead to anything better.

71% also think Congress isn’t very interested in what the public thinks about health care reform.

We’ll see.

Here’s hoping that Trumka tells Rahm that the next time US Senators like Grassley, Ensign, Corker, Shelby, and some of the Blue Dogs care to earn their living by tunneling deep beneath the earth, and argue with mine corporations over their health care, then and only then will he entertain Rahm’s proposals.

Too bad about the other unions.
Too bad that real leadership isn’t coming from the WH.

Citizen Loo Hoo:

Scroll down the page until you get to the email message frame.

It’s encouraging to know that 71% got it exactly right. Maybe the public is better informed than we thought.

Citizen bugsger:

Go to the link Jane gave in her post and scroll down to the e-mail frame…doesn’t matter if you’re a union folk…better even if you’re not.

Citizen Flamethrower -
couldn’t agree with you more. I’ve learned from y’all here that there is no end all be all in U.S. politics – but just like it is for the Progressive Caucus, it is a defining moment – you cave now, and you are Rahm’s Bitch forevah. I reminded Mr Trumka that Reuther had just such a moment and all but begged him to hold fast to that example

Thanks NorskeFlamethrower-I am there!

For once my Irish glibness has forsaken me…I can’t think of a civil thing to type…stewing…

I will call them now if I can find a link to the Union.

“Contact the AFL-CIO and let them know that you support Richard Trumka and his commitment to the public option.”

sunshine, Thank you and I will watch this movie at my first opportunity.

“I saw a free screening of “Capitalism: A Love Story” in Flint, Mi Sunday.”

New definition for the words;Scared,Spineless,Scared of own shadow,Gutless=

You got it:Democrat.

http://www.aflcio.org/siteguides/contactus.cfm

This is very, very bad news. Threatening to take union money out of the D party was huge. I will make the call.

Thanks for that…sent him a facebook message.

Jon Walker has a new cross-post up on the front page: “Alternative” To The Public Option”

mornin’

unlike FISA or other similar battles, this is oh so real to millions of americans. this is an issue that hits ‘em where they live every gd day. some of the most apolitical folks I know have simply grabbed my arm and beseeched (really, that dramatic)me – and basically pleaded help us Hippy-wan, you’re our only hope !!

This is not a fight I am willing to lose on

What if you lose? I’m with Southern Dragon. We will certainly see. It’s time to get serious.

Hippy-wan. Classic.

Contact the AFL-CIO and let them know that you support Richard Trumka and his commitment to the public option. Let him know that staying true to that commitment is extremely important to those of us who strongly support labor.

Jane,

I’ll get this done today. Thanks for the link!

I also sent the following letter to my Republican Congressman and both of my Republican Senators last night:

(My goal was to present the idea that not only their Democratic constituents, but even their Republican supporters will turn on them over a failure in real health care reform)

September 29, 2009

Dear Senator Alexander,

I am very unhappy to learn that the Senate Finance Committee today voted down both Senator Jay Rockefeller’s “Robust” Public Option Amendment and Chuck Schumer’s “Level Playing Field” Public Option Amendment.

I want you to know that, since August 2009, I have ignored party lines, contributing to Health Care for America NOW!, to FDL Action’s ad to tell Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln & Representative Mike Ross to stop doing the bidding of the insurance companies, and to Democracy for America and Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) for their ad to pressure Montana Senator Max Baucus to support real health care reform.

Real Americans do not see health care reform as a partisan issue. At issue is the need of the American people to have access to quality health care.

The best way to lower health care costs and to make insurance companies treat their customers fairly is to create a public health care insurance option. Even if only a small fraction of Americans choose such a public option, the benefits for us all will quickly appear!

The media pushes the notion that the failure of health care reform may be President Obama’s Waterloo. That is not true, and most Americans know it. The truth is that we are seeing Democrats debate various solutions to a problem that has been with us for decades and has only gotten worse and worse. At the same time, we are seeing Republicans offer nothing that will fix the problems in our health care system. In fact, we see many of you obstructing serious efforts to improve our health care.

This issue should not be treated as partisan, sir. If it is, Republicans will lose again in 2010, will see the numbers of Republicans in the House and Senate shrink even more, and will lose the ability to advance important policy initiatives for a decade or more as a result.

After decades of letting private sector interests create huge problems in our health care system, we need real reform.

THIS REFORM – OR FAILURE OF REFORM – WILL AFFECT US FOR DECADES TO COME.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Brc

Hippy-wan, it is indeed serious except that I am laughing so much right now. Thanks for the early fun to get my heart started.

And that was how many years ago:)

Thank you, Jane. I just posted this on http://www.aflcio.org/siteguides/contactus.cfm

“Thank you, Mr. Trumka, for your bold, strong position on health care reform legislation!

So many of us are walking with you to support your efforts to face down the greedy insurance lobbyists’ stranglehold on Congress. Last week, 100,000 of us were in the streets rallying for the public option. And may I please thank your colleague, Arlene Holt Baker, Executive Vice President, for her fiery AND welcome message at last week’s rally and march in Philadelphia. Please share her video with your associates? Here is the link, sir: http://bit.ly/ArleneHoltBaker92209

And, may I add, to inspire you in your fight for health care reform for all of us, here is a link to a slide show of many of those rallies last week.

http://bit.ly/egxEO I added the music, Fanfare for the Common Man, by American composer Aaron Copland, to convey the urgency of our call to action, which we, of the progressive movement and you, sir, the new leader for US labor, share.

Both of my parents were union members: my father, carpenter; my mother, a teacher. I have mended bones, healthy teeth and a commitment to solidarity and change due, in part, to their union’s support.

Respectfully,”
-bleuZ00m

over due

If Trumka fears that not passing even a garbage bill will hurt the Dems next year, here’s what he needs to be told:

Dear Mr. Trumka:

It was Rahm Emanuel’s betraying the base with NAFTA and other “third way” neo-Republican garbage that gave us the 1994 Congressional disaster. Democrats who’d voted for change were instead screwed with Bush-lite policies. (http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/8372)

If you really want to help the Democrats win in 2010 and 2012, you don’t do it by letting Emanuel shove a garbage bill with mandates and no public option down the voters’ throats. That, instead, will cause the very 1994-style disaster you fear.

Citizen cbl2:

Yes indeed, and if the Reuther brothers hadn’t lost to that thug Meaney, the entire political history of the US since 1946 would be different.

NO PUBLIC OPTION, NO DEMOCRATIC VOTES! I’ll sit on my ass and watch all of the Dems get their asses kicked! Hopefully, all of you will do the same.

I’ve heard the same line over and over that AFL-CIO workers have given up wage hikes in exchange for comprehensive health care coverage for years in contract negotiations. Because it’s repeated so often I figure it’s far from the truth.
We all know how high hourly wages are for union members (look what happened to GM).
I think the unions feel a bit embarrassed that they are the ones with the expensive health care plans. The main reason is they have no deductible nor co pays. That should be changed.

my tweet – you lie down with dogs, you get up with PATCO fleas -

tinman1967 You have no clue what you are talking about if you think union workers and retires have no deductible or co pays.

I think the unions feel a bit embarrassed that they are the ones with the expensive health care plans. The main reason is they have no deductible nor co pays. That should be changed.

Got links for any of this?

Ask him for links. Let’s see where he’s getting this.

Using the name Rahm, confuses the issue and makes all efforts to arrive at a robust PO counter productive.

Trumka is meeting with the President’s representative, on the other hand, would put the onus where it belongs.

Is it true?

GEORGE ‘HERBERT HOOVER’ BUSH SENT 30 BILLION DOLLARS TO AFRICA FOR HEALTH CARE. WE HAVE HAD FIFTY YEARS OF REFUGEES WHO GET FREE HEALTH CARE. WHY CAN’T THE TAXPAYING AMERICAN FAMILY GET REASONABLE HEALTH CARE. THEY ARE PAYING FOR THE FOREIGN BORN TO GET HEALTH CARE IN THE U.S. ALL THE TIME.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2…..1453.shtml

I sent a letter to Trumka. Thanks for the tip, Jane.

This reminds me of the scene in the first Star Trek TOS pilot, “The Cage,” where Captain Christopher Pike is taken prisoner by the Talosians who are master illusionists. An emotional Spock as well as a stone cold Number One (played by the recently deceased Majel Barret, Gene Roddenberry’s wife) use the phaser cannon, powered by energy beamed down to the planet surface by the Enterprise, to bombard the entry way to the Talosian menagerie.

The entrance appears to be untouched by the massive phaser blast, but in the resolution of the episode, it is revealed that the Talosians have created that illusion and, in reality, the entry way had been blasted to smithereens.

We have blasted through the impediments, and we are subject to the illusion that the democratic will of 2/3 of Americans does not count. Punctuated equilibrium is the thesis that untenable contradictions are only sustainable for so long, that they snap back into a state of equilibrium. So long as the duopoly defies political gravity and ignores the will of the American people, they are opening themselves up to a hard crash back to the planet surface.

Thanks Phoenix! I appreciate the assistance in writing the letter to Trumka AND to the AFL-CIO. I’m going to try to write something that will speak to both.

If anyone else has a letter that they’ve sent/will be sending to Trumka and/or the AFL-CIO that they wouldn’t mind sharing on this thread, it really will be greatly appreciated.

Besides, the more they hear similar – AND EVEN THE SAME – things over and over again from many different people, the more they’ll take notice I think…

1st Amendment:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Working within the system as it stands now is doomed to fail. They have more money than all of us combined. Even as libs have donated huge sums of money to compete with the corporate money, the supreme court is poised to remove all restrictions on corporate financing of politicians. We cannot win the fight using their methods. If we had fought the British on their terms we would still be a colony. We are losing in Afghanistan to a much smaller militia because they do not fight using conventional tactics.

What is needed is the taking back of Washington. My idea is to organize a mass march on Washington, timed for the day congress believes it will be taking its Thanksgiving break. Do not let them leave D.C. until they cave and a bill is on Obama’s desk for single payer health care. A peaceful demonstration that incidentally shuts down the airports and mass transit. It will take a couple of million concerned citizens.

I don’t have the resources to organize or promote this myself, but there are people in our sphere who do.

The efforts of those who helped Obama get elected with the majorities that he has is proof that the system is broken. We have gotten nothing in return. Continuing to wage war (make no doubt about it, this is a war, corporations vs we, the people) on their terms, by now singling out particular pols will lead us back to exactly where we are today, frustrated and whining. It makes the motives of those leading these efforts suspect, imo.

The only advantage that we have over corporations is in numbers. We have tried the polls and after being successful in getting enough democrats to pass any legislation we want, we are still losing to the moneyed interests. I believe it foolish to spend another dime trying to convince them and we must now use our numbers in a more effective manner. There has been no significant change brought about in history without civil disobedience as its precursor.

2nd Amendment

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

If the first amendment does not work, the second one will. I do not think I can become a party to this farce. I am one of the uninsured, and I doubt that I will comply with any health reform that does not include at minimum a strong public option. Ergo, I am going to become a criminal, but I don’t think I will go to jail willingly, or easily. When this passes without a public option, I will transfer all assets out of my name, and wait for them to come and enforce it.

So I have a tactical question here.

I’m still all for fighting the good fight on health care reform. I’m calling and emailing people left and right, donating money, trying to get friends and coworkers and family mobilized.

But we do have to also look at grim reality; it appears that almost all the political stars are aligned against us on this fight. Rahm and Obama have done a masterful job of selling the Big Lie that ”any reform is better than nothing,” and that mandates with no PO and a ”goody bag” of regulation is somehow meaningful reform. Right now, in my estimation, our odds of getting a public option look slim. To my (novice) eyes, it appears that the best case we can really hope for right now is to vote down the ”mandates plus no PO” Baucus bill that Obama & Rahm are sure to come out swinging HARD for any day now.

So, if we lose this battle; if we get a bill rammed down our throats that is essentially a giant giveaway to HIPA and PhRMA, what then? What are our strategic next steps? A smug WaPo pundit today pointed out that eg Max baucus isn’t up for re-election for quite a while, so a primary challenge to him means nothing unless we learn to have long, long memories.

A related question, if we at least manage to shoot down a ”mandates plus no PO” bill, we will *without question* be cast as the villains in this melodrama. Obama and Rahm will claim that ”crazy liberals and progressives” shot down our chance at Serious, Meaningful Health Care Reform. The blame will be pinned on us entirely (and the Republicans will be laughing from the sidelines while they wait to regain congressional majority in 2010). So, how do we counter THIS possibility?

We’ve been claiming that ”this is our Waterloo” for a while now, but that begs the inevitable question. What do we (progressives and liberals) do if we lose this battle? I know nobody wants to think about it, but we can’t just run around being ironic and kvetching on obscure blogs. That will change nothing.

Hopefully someone (hint, hint, Jane) is doing some ”worst-case strategizing” right now.

Excellent post. I too am uninsured (57yr) but will fight to the death to get hc for all Americans. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain by doing so.

Can we do more to strike fear in the hearts of those representatives who are NOT representing the will of the people? Can we not only withdraw our support, but recall them from office…NOW?

Jane and all other D.C. folks will you be making it down to the Mad as Hell Doctors arrival and talk today?

Hoping RAchel, Keith or Matthews has them on tonight or tomorrow. Ed had them on once

https://madashelldoctorstour.com/Mad_As_Hell_Town_Hall.html

September 30

Mad as Hell in Washington D.C.!
McPherson Square
Corner of 15th St NW and K Street
3:00pm
Lafayette Square Park
4:00pm
Contact: Margaret Flowers
Email: conversationcoalition@gmail.com

Demonstrations of any size only matter when they are not done by hippies. Remember the crowds all over the planet demonstrating against the Iraq war?

damn. sent an email to trumka.

single payer. no compromise. until then, insurance industry regulation.

Both sides recognize the importance of having an energized base.

I think the best approach is:

1) to strike fear in the hearts of the Democrats that the anti-Bush energy and “Yes, we can!” energy that worked so well in 2006 and 2008 will fade away very, very quickly if they don’t come through with a dramatic victory with REAL health care reform, and

2) to work hard to deflate the energy of the Republican base by supporting the repetitive airing of ads in red and “purple” states. I’ve seen ads from Health Care for America NOW! for a couple of weeks now in Tennessee.

Last week, Howard Dean spoke to a very full auditorium here in Knoxville and, when a person tried to shout and heckle him, the audience of all Tennesseans shouted her down and then applauded his response that Democrats are offering a real choice, while the Republicans only want to limit your choices among a few, abusive, private insurers.

WE ARE HAVING AN IMPACT!

uh oh:
http://www.rollcall.com/issues…..ml?type=pf

“The White House has been secretly drafting its own health care legislation that it may unveil at some point during the debate if officials believe it would help secure passage of a bill, according to sources familiar with the effort.

Sources differed on how far the process has gotten, with some saying a bill is basically finished and others saying they are aware only of a partially completed effort. White House officials, though they know their preferences, also appear to be constructing different options that could be thrown together depending on how the legislation is shaping up in Congress.
The White House has been secretly drafting its own health care legislation that it may unveil at some point during the debate if officials believe it would help secure passage of a bill, according to sources familiar with the effort.
They are getting ready for a backup,” said one veteran observer of health care debates who was knowledgeable about the effort. “It will be parachuted in if necessary.”

The White House measure appears designed to entice moderate Democrats and perhaps even Republicans into supporting a health care overhaul if legislative efforts in Congress fail or if they move too far to the left. Sources said one possibility would be to invoke the measure if the Senate cannot rally 60 votes to break a filibuster. Another option may be to present details of what the White House wants during a conference between the House and the Senate.”

IMVHO,this is what the ACORN brouhaha was REALLY about-working from the outer edges inward to destroy the unions.

Yesterday it was about linking SEIU to ACORN…I’m seeing a pattern here..and all the alphabet soup is about dismantling the peoples rights to form unions.

Defeating this Baucus piece of garbage will push Obama and Rahm into the open arms of the right wing. So be it. The “people” are with real meaningful reform. Obama moving to the right will isolate him further and make him susceptible to a legitimate primary challenge in 2012.

Anthony Tarricone is currently doing a live chat with Marcy at FDL: “Fool Me Once: The Insurance Industry Looks to Tort Reform to Pad Profits”

The White House measure appears designed to entice moderate Democrats and perhaps even Republicans into supporting a health care overhaul

That’s rich. Anyone want to put money on Republicans voting Yes on healthcare reform of any description?

I thought not.

“Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they’re yours.” r.bach

What’s a hippy ?

btw, the most generous estimate of people protesting iraq war in d.c. at any one time was 500,000 people. Even the million man march wasn’t a million. Now let a million or more actually show up…

yeah and there were hordes of middle class Americans pushing strollers and elders in wheelchairs. There were plumbers, teachers, Doctors, lawyers, WWII, Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm Vets along with truckers, students, tree huggers and the rest. Went to everyone of the big marches in D.C. and New York before that immoral invasion. In Feb of 2003 in New York I had the honor of pushing a WWII Vet in his 90’s for awhile. Friends of mine (Bev and John Titus) who lost their daughter Alysia Titus who was one of the stewardess on the United flight used as a weapon on 9/11…led the march with other 9/11 familiy members against the invasion of Iraq along with Veterans.

Did folks at home hear or see the MSM interview any of these people? Hell they barely gave a few minutes to these marches each night. The MSM helped march our nation into a war based on a “pack of lies” and that is the truth

The MSM’s coverage of these marches was pathetic and oh so obviously manipulated. They would show the same f–ing clip of the 20 people with black hoods over their heads on the evening news.

Honest coverage did not happen. It was not hippies at those marches (well some) it was every kind of person you could imagine. 30 million people marched against the invasion of Iraq and the MSM missed it.

Several of the marches in D.C.in the fall of 2002 (again very diverse around 200,ooo) did not receive coverage even NPR missed it

Should have been marching in Iran then we would have received 24 hour a day coverage. Hell the teabaggers have received far more coverage than the anti invasion marches. How can anyone say that the MSM is not controlled by special interest groups

Have you heard one MSMer question the Iran propaganda spit out by Jinsa and Aipac supporters for the last five years?

Well Chris Matthews came closer than any other MSMer the other night he began his show by asking “Will Israel attack Iran”

RAchel, Keith not asking these questions…the “liberal” media…right

If the unions think Obama and his troll are going to back EFCA then they have not been paying any attention. Obama will sell out labor as quickly if not faster than he has the progressive wing of the Democratic party.

OFA just sent me a fund raising request. When I sent a three sentence reply, it was refused by a newly installed spam filter. Now they are blatant: its a one way street send us your money and shut up! I need to find my copy of Animal Farm by George Orwell…

A hippy in this context is anyone demonstrating for a progressive cause.

I believe London had crowds exceeding 1 million prior to the Iraq war? Fuzzy recollection, but it was huge.

Organize a march, and I will go. That is because I enjoy the commeraderie and because it makes me feel good, not because it is effective. If a million people march in Washington and no one is there to report it, does the crowd make a noise? Just saying.

No, progressives need to update their tactics to suit the times.

There was plenty of coverage of the anti war marches, and both the Democrats and Republicans ignored them, just like they’re ignoring us now.

We’re not having democracy tonight, we’re having spaghetti.

Just received email solicitations for money from Chris Dodd and Donna Edwards. Not one dime until they stand up for the people.

Blogs have been very effective for progressives. Whipping the CPC has been hugely important. Threatening to cut off the money seems to get a big meeting with Rahm, so there are tactics that are working.

Actually, the GOP/Media complex gives far more coverage on average to the right-wing marchers than they do us, even though they are fewer than us:

In their September 13 editions, several major newspapers gave coverage of a September 12 “March on Washington” by conservative activists more prominent placement than they had an October 26, 2002, protest in Washington, D.C., against the Iraq war — which reportedly featured a similar or greater turnout. The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times featured articles about the September 12 protest on their front pages, after the Post had provided only a photo of the Iraq war protest on its front page while printing its article on C1 and the Times had provided its only coverage of the Iraq war protest on page A17; The New York Times and Houston Chronicle both put photos of the September 12 protests on their front pages after providing no front-page coverage of the 2002 Iraq war protest.

People were not unaware that the antiwar protests were going on. Opposition to the war world wide was, is, and has been constant if not increased over that time in light of less coverage.

The only place where the democratically expressed views of Americans does not count is in the elected Congress, not to mention the White House.

And yet, its effects are still with us.

I expect defeat of the public option to be millionaire invest banker Rahm Emanuel’s next policy victory.

Emanuel is a successful investment banker the same way that Gavin Newsom is a successful restaurateur.

These guys got silver spoons in their mouths and believe they’ve hit a triple.

According to a co-worker at the firm where Emanuel worked post-Clinton White House, he really didn’t do much banking work.

I’m just hoping the Balgojevich tapes catches Rahm in some kind of shenanigans that are impossible to ignore, or catch fire with the media. I realize Emanuel himself isn’t the problem, but maybe this would make his boss seek out natural allies.

Dear Mr. Trumka, Stand tall, you are doing terrific work! Don’t fold like cheap suit for Rahm Emmanuel! As someone who has never been fortunate enough to have a union job I have always supported labor. If you stand with all of us who need a robust public option now… it will be much easier to keep up the fight with you on issues such as EFCA etc.

God speed!

Five Flat Rocks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQL743ME20g

Obama will do what Clinton did in 1996, run to the center in his first term. Problem being, that the right wing is much more vicious now than in 1996, and that to quote Jim Hightower, the only thing in the middle of the road is a yellow stripe and dead armadillos.

Obama is allowing the right wing to destroy the major, if dysfunctional, grassroots operations, ACORN and the SEIU, that the Democrat coalition has. It is similar to the way that “the Clinton effect” destroyed progressive politics wherever it was tried.

ACORN and SEIU are not helping matters, more focused on the color of one’s T-shirt, augmenting public sector head count and attacking other unions than in participating equitably in coalitions.

Since the nonprofit sector has proven itself incapable of reacting in real time to successful attacks like Van Jones, since our media is not (yet?) capable of mobilizing people to stop such attacks, we will continue to have the terms of the poltiical debate decided by the Imperials who are fundamentally opposed to a participatory, democratic project.

They did not spend the past three decades parting out the US economy for nothing, and they’re not about to give up without a fight. The upper levels of the Democrat Party are fundamentally corrupt.

People whine about Ralph Nader stealing the election from Al Gore. Maybe so, but there are no shortcuts to delivering on the promise of democracy, and if the Democrats are going to continue to win elections and govern as Republicans, then we’re going to have to–gasp–sacrifice to get things done.

Very true. The basic difference as I see it is how people view government. In Europe, especially places like France, the government is afraid of the people and here people are afraid of the government. European democracies seem to be more responsive to the will of the general populace; here it’s the will of corporations.

Call the WH and the DNC and tell them that you have decided to use the very same trigger they are looking to put on the public option. They can not have any more of your time and money for the Democratic races until that trigger is executed and the public option is being deployed. You really want to contribute so as soon as the trigger is executed you get the volunteerisim and money. Nothing until then.

By the way, it is not Rahm. He is an expert fixer, but he is amoral. He is exacting exactly the policy that Obama is looking for. Obama has said that he favors the Public Option. There is no place where he has put pressure for it to be included. It is on Obama’s insistence that the finance committee be the base plan for approval. This was never his issue. He had to have a progressive stand on this to cut this off as a Hilary issue. As has been stated on the night time pundit shows, he is looking for any bill to call it historic.

I thought that too. When was the last time big union leadership didn’t support the Democrats.

“Not unaware” is not the same as clearly informed. The media telling us that the usual suspects were out in the street whining about war isn’t exactly a fair assessment of what was actually happening.

My point is that Republicanism is like a mutating virus. We need to continue changing our tactics as the the virus resists our efforts to cure it.

The media made it clear that tens of millions were demonstrating around the world. Does that compare to what the Republican media infrastructure is capable of? Of course not. But then again, the media are a corporate media, and so long as there is division amongst the corporate elites over Obama, which there clearly is, mass media will cover the fight. There was no corporate percentage in going apeshit over the 2003 protests, to the contrary, they were all salivating at the prospect of sending all of that money to their contributor base, so there was sparser coverage.

There is an arising relative autonomy amongst the corporate media from the most craven impulses of corporate dominance, namely MSNBC. But we’ve yet to see MSNBC even tiptoe outside of the boundaries established by the Democrat Party mainstream, which is far to the right of Obama’s electoral coalition. I’d wager MSNBC will never do so, but am open to them proving me different.

A march on Washington (1-2 million people, maybe more) would be ideal, but like I keep saying, unless somebody steps up and says I’ll make sure everybody can “Afford” to go, you’ll have tiny numbers, more than the Tea Bagger nonsense for sure, but smaller and for the Mass Media to not ignore it, it needs to be HUGE.

ALF-CIO needs our support, Union or NOT

What deal? What’s the source for this headline? And, since he didn’t cut a deal, when is it going to come down? Where’s the mea culpa, Jane?

Now that OFA has installed a “spam filter” to block feedback to their fund raising emails, I have “unsubscribed” since they want a one way street for money only. Who set that up?

From The Hill 2 hours ago: []

Afterward, AFL-CIO spokesman Eddie Vale said that Trumka “reiterated our commitment to creating good paying jobs, passing health care reform with a public option, the importance of passing major labor law reform and re-regulating financial markets.”

“Today’s White House meeting follows one-on-ones between Trumka and global leaders, including UN Sec Gen Ban Ki-moon, at last week’s G-20 meetings, where Trumka made clear to world leaders to place jobs at the top of their agenda,” Vale said in an email. [end]

Seems a fairly strong agenda talking to the Emaskulator. To date Trumka seems an honest broker, very articulate, and hopefully didn’t take any shit from the AssHole.

I don’t need links. My grandfather, my dad, many family members, friends, neighbors and spouse retired UAW workers. S/he isn’t or s/he would already know it wasn’t true.