ATU Local 308 Accused of Discrimination? No, ATU Local 308 Keeping Grifters Hands Off the Controls

What came first?  The activist Reverend, or the political grifter?

Neither.  What came first was a historical drama that began in the 19th Century over the power and the integrity of organized labor between working tradesmen and progressive radical dilettantes.  One historical fact that has been buried by the academic allies of the progressive radical dilettantes is the betrayal of the 1904 Strikers by Jane Addams and her cadre of women activists.  The strike was deadly and created the the endless animus between African Americans and ethnic white workers and the perpetual mythology of systemic racism.  Racism has always been a one way street - beginning and always ending in affluent homes, parlors and communities of thought.

For years the Reds ( let's just say, for the sake of argument, Progressives are trained, funded and pushed into the streets or the polling place by followers of Karl Marx and not Jesus of Nazareth) have wanted to control American labor.  They are getting there.  Big Labor always means SEIU and other monster political PACS like the teachers unions and any and all manifestations of the public service unions.  The skilled and industrial trades played ball with massive memberships SEIU managed to organize into slave labor unskilled, low-skilled, or temporary necessity skilled workers into life membership.  Government is required to set standards for membership and placement.

This is all about the conflict between Authority ( a person or person skilled with some competency) and Power ( We Can and We Will).

Here in Illinois Emil Jones made failed attempts to wrest control of union apprenticeship programs away from the trades and palm that power in the mitts of government grifters.  The State would control requirements and standards.  No drug testing, no residency requirement, no back ground check, no examination of skills and aptitude, because those are said to be the tools of systemic racism.   Rather, jobs and income will be equally distributed among the political class - the Party who controls government.  Pat Quinn learned these ideals at the knees of Dr. Quentin Young, MD, so you can expect his looming support for this power grab.   When that happens, what is left of the middle class in Illinois will wander the roads like Tom Joad.

Today, both of Chicago's limping newspapers reveal the spark set to burn down Labors house - an Op Ed Piece in Chicago Tribune  by Michael L. Pfleger (citizen)

The Chicago Transit Authority's Rail Car Servicer Apprentice Program — a vital and unique initiative that helps nonviolent ex-offenders, people who've overcome drug addiction, victims of domestic violence and other hard-to-place individuals re-enter the workforce — is unfortunately set to be killed off by Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 President Robert Kelly.
It is particularly disturbing that this incredible resource faces its demise on Dec. 31 after having provided job opportunities for more than 800 people — most of them African-American — since its creation in November 2007.
From their first day as CTA employees, these apprentices have completed job readiness training provided by referring social service agencies. As apprentices, their jobs are to help clean CTA rail cars. They are ATU Local 308 dues-paying members. For that reason, the program cannot exist unless Mr. Kelly agrees.
For reasons he refuses to explain to CTA officials, the media or the public, Mr. Kelly has decided to push 65 apprentices back into unemployment. In short, Mr. Kelly is discriminating against his own members, insisting that they be laid off, treating them as second-class citizens in his own union. He takes their dues money, but he won't represent them.  Michael L. Pfleger

More social engineering ( placing criminals in jobs that might just benefit families who work without robbing or peddling flesh and dope) in the name of Social Justice, which translates to Render Unto Rahm/Quinn/Burke/Clyapool/Preckwinkle et al 24/7, because God's doing just fine,

 Then we have  a Sneedling Gusher Dontachknow in the always daffy Sun Times.
A choo choo boo boo at Christmastime?

◆ Translation: Sneed hears activist Catholic priest Michael Pfleger wants to clean up a CTA janitorial mess impacting ex-offenders trained to clean trains.
◆ Explanation: Pfleger is said to be infuriated with the unwillingness of union chief Bob Kelly to extend a second chance initiative; a CTA apprenticeship with pay program ending Dec. 31 that also trains recovering drug addicts and spousal abuse victims.
◆ Buckshot: Watch for Pfleger to lead a protest outside Kelly’s office at noon Thursday.
◆ Backshot: “[Pfleger] has had multiple conversations with Kelly, who represents CTA train employees as head of the Amalgamated Transit Union’s Local 308, about what he considers a wildly successful apprenticeship program in developing job skills,” said a source.
◆ Upshot: “Kelly’s approval could save 65 positions, but Kelly has rebuffed the CTA’s requests to extend it past Dec. 31,” the source added.

This bespeaks an orchestrated campaign that was begun weeks ago.

Now, let's consider that the CTA is run by Rahm Emanuel and Forrest Claypool, born of the same DNA as Rev. Citizen Pfleger and the Coalitions That Have Begat the Cook County Democratic Party ( formerly known as 'The Machine."

Rahm and Forrest have the run the CTA like Valeria Jarret has run the White House - the wheels don't fit the tracks, the workers want a pee-break and the Ventras don't roll out.  The CTA should be run by 'someone' who has worked on a railroad car, driven a bus, routed passengers, avoided collisions and the like, but is not Progressive.

Robert Kelly is President of Amalgamated Transit Workers Local 308 and within its charter are tthe people who clean up stations - janitors.  These janitors are not under the control of SEIU Reds in Purple.  President Kelly has magnificently represented his sisiters and brothers much to the chagrin of Claypool and Emanuel.

Rev. Citizen Pfleger's press gambit and noon demonstration is not only political payback for Kelly's Stewardship of ATW 308, but also a signal for the media and the clowns in government to go after all the trades unions, not run by Reds in Purple.

Bob Kelly and ATW Local 308 will be given the gun-shop treatment for the next few months. Other Union Leaders can expect the same very soon after.

Rahm's "Start-Up" City Plan for Chicago - Fresh Air in a Can?

Mayor Emanuel with the electoral losers on Carol Marin's Crone Circle WTTW-Chicago. I mean Chicago Tonight . . .and every night.

So, Mayor Emanuel is making Chicago Start Up City?  What is that?  A Real 'fix-er-up' for first time home buyers? Nope.  We have enough Stans, Cliffords, Ignatios, Mikes, Stellas, Beullas, Dotties, Gerts, and Kareems and it seems Rahm and the Smart-Sized Set of Urban planners want them the Hell out of the City limits between the hours of 7 P.M. and 5 A.M. and welcome scores of  Calis, Hadleys, Khloe's, Myas' Paisleys, Chens, Daxes, Jaxes. Kians, Kylans and Lennons with math and techn-dweeb credentials to make non toxic, expensive, digitally non-essential services and goods for disposable incomes.

Last year, 50 outstanding seniors from schools in Illinois and seven Midwest state were invited to Chicago for an action-packed weekend that mixed business and fun.
They visited Chicago businesses and firms with offices here, such as Groupon, Google, Grubhub, Microsoft and Accenture, to learn about job opportunities.
They attended panel discussions with industry leaders on topics ranging from innovation and tech entrepreneurship to how to start a career in Chicago.
The seniors even sampled Chicago’s rich cultural institutions and pulsating night life and got passes to Chicago Ideas Week, a seven-day event featuring marquee speakers and interactive sessions that Emanuel and Groupon co-founder Brad Keywell hope will someday take its place among the best known idea symposiums in the nation.

Kewell!  I mean Cool, I mean Brad Keywell. Group on!!!!!!!!!  At what cost and to whom? This dramatic and historical boondoggle was announced at 1871 -Remember?  Chicago Fire? Random Big Blaze the Micks started?  Dying Embers and all that? Of Course one might, if of course one is not graduate of Chicago Public Schools.

1871—(1) catalyzing moment in Chicago history, when the most brilliantengineers,
architects and inventors came together to build a new city; (2)where Chicago’s brightest digital designers, engineers and entrepreneursare shaping new technologies, disrupting old business models
andresetting the boundaries of what’s possible 

This year, ThinkChicago will double—to 100 students—with half the slots reserved for outstanding juniors and seniors from the University of Illinois.Emanuel made the announcement at 1871, a new start-up center at the Merchandise Mart that helps connect entrepreneurs to would-be investors, mentors, partners and peers.He noted that there is “an energy” in Chicago today that “did not exist” when Groupon was starting out.“Remember You Tube? Pay Pal? They started here, but they thought they had to get to the coast. If those companies were around today in this type of venture position, they would not have to go to the coast.They would have all the pieces: talent, capital and innovation,” Emanuel said.“We have over a thousand digital tech companies now in the city of Chicago. 128 start-ups launched in Chicago last year alone. Our venture capital--$1 billion—is up 50 percent. That’s in just a year. There is a new energy. The Second City is becoming the Start-Up City. That’s our goal.” 

Who is the WE in that OUR?  Let's begin with thinkchicago.org/. Click the old mouse-eroo and . . .

The page you were looking for doesn't exist.

                           You may have mistyped the address or the page may have moved.


Shucks, you can not find any information on that source launched August 3, 2011.  Totally . . . expunged.  You can find Congressman Jesse Jackson easier than info on ThinkChicago.org.
A digital Solyndra Mayhaps?


Groupon's site is Oooops, Down! as well.

http://www.groupon.com/chicago

By Gad those kids are smart fellers! or is it the other way around? Random Irony, Dude.


Ironically enough, and the Smart-sized Urban Center Chicago denizens of the future like Kali and Dax love irony, Chicago's owned Crone Columnist Carol Marin has another heart-tugging-Where-in-the Hell -is  Carol- Going -with-this-One, yarn about laid-off janitors and the smart sizing of Chicago.  

Fifty Chicago janitors lost their jobs this week.. . .They all lost their jobs because the City of Chicago, which long ago privatized much of its janitorial work to outside firms, rebid its janitorial contracts. And 20 percent of the new contract, unlike the old one, went to a nonunion firm called Dayspring, a minority- and woman-owned company in South Holland.
Dayspring, while promising to pay the prevailing rates for janitorial work, is under no obligation to keep the current employees. And by hiring new workers at entry-level wages and turning some full-time work into part-time work, they can save money and charge the city less.
Is there a villain in this story? It’s not that simple.
In a wretched economy with state and local governments drowning in red ink, city procurement officer Jamie Rhee said, “As stewards of taxpayer money, we put out the bid to get the best price for the city. We keep it open and competitive. . . . [There are] tough choices . . . to make sure the city is on a sustainable financial track.”
The new, nonunion company that got the bid argues it shouldn’t be cast as a villain either.
“I know you have to report this story,” said Dayspring owner Anita Harris, “but this is a dream for us. Talk about small businesses growing. . . . We are not doing a bad thing, we are doing a good thing.”
SEIU contends that with this new contract, the city is trying to kill the union.

SEIU created the Union Busting, Carol!  Rahm is an SEIU, Dude! So is Forrest Claypool who times the pee-break for Rahm's CTA.  So is Pat Quinn. So is Jan Schakowsky. So is Wee Mike Quigley. So is President Obama.  SEIU will be fine - remember they are now "organizing the unemployed." This City layoff of janitors is only the itching sensation - the real bleeding is yet to Garbage Grid & etc. Carol's cynical Boo-Hoos for the laid off Chicago 50 rings way hollow, as there has not been a Progressive boon-doggle to come down the pike that she has not lapped up with gusto.


During the early days of WWII, Mayor Ed Kelly was as tight as a tick with FDR.  Rahm and President Obama more than likely exchange tighty whities they are that close.  Ed Kelly got General Motors to build a massive series of plants on the south west side to build engines and components for the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Immediately, 17,000 people went to work.  General Electric owns a huge part of the Obama Regime, just saying.  President Obama made General Motors a part of the Obama Regime, while Mayor Rahm was Chief of Staff.  Now, get this - Boeing is headquartered in Chicago . . .honor bright!  Here is the beauty part - the CEO of Being is James McNereny.  Guess what?  Mr. McNereny is an Almnus of New Trier High School - the alma mater of Mayor Rahm. Not only that, but also this, James McNereny is reported to be a huge Obama and Rahm money dropper and a member of the Mayor's inner-circle.


Those nuggets plucked from the stream of consciousness - would one not venture a notion that were Rahm, or SEIU, or Carol, in any way, shape or form inclined to really, really, really make a difference to the people of Chicago by way  getting Boeing, GM, GE, or any huge, established captialist on-going concern, just might . . .might mind you . . .bend an interested ear or two and invest?  Hmmm?

Silly Goose Island goslings!  A corporate possiblity such as industrial opportunity for skilled, educated and work-ethical people is not in the Urban Center "Start-up" Plans of Rahm Regime.

Stan and Stella over by Ford City -pack your bags and call Mayflower,

Dax and Kia, down in Urbana - hook up the UHaul and get thee to Bucktown.  Rahm is calling the White House for some investment capital, Kids! Not only that, you can fire up some quality weed without a trip to the Bridewell.

Invest now has come to mean taxes, after all.

Naw, we have our supine Media doing hand-stands and Huzzahs over nothing in a sweet, random package.

FORD CITY* has space aplenty and Chicago is already packed with smart, practiced, skilled and willing workers. The problem is - one can point out the piles of horse-shit cast upon our ground, but it takes genuine human effort to refrain from rolling around in it.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/13489965-418/mayor-intent-on-making-chicago-a-start-up-city.html
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/10537450-418/rahms-inner-circle.html

http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/13481481-452/delicate-balance-city-budget-workers-lives.html
http://www.1871.com/2012/05/opening-day-for-1871/


By the Way FORD CITY:

Construction started in 1942. The purpose for construction was to build a defense plant. Approximately 17,000 workers were employed. This caused the southwest side of the city to become more populated as more people were moving there for work. By October, Building No. 1 was finished. Testing of aircraft engines to be used for the B29 bomber began. Throughout the winter, they continued building. By the spring of 1943, 10 buildings, made of steel, concrete and wood, had been constructed. The building covered approximately 6,000,000 square feet (560,000 m²). The largest building was Building No. 4. It covered 62 acres (250,000 m²), and it was built out of reinforced concrete. The plant consisted of 7,000 miles (11,000 km) of underground piping and 15 miles (24 km) of cables and wires for water and power.

By December 1945, the building was left vacant due to the end of the war. The government attempted to sell it without success. It was later retrofitted for automobile production for Tucker Corporation and then Ford Motor Company.

The building remained a white elephant until the Korean War, when it was reopened to build airplane engines for the war effort, under contract from Ford Motor Company. The Ford company modernized everything inside the building, employing nearly 12,000 people. The building closed again in 1959.

In 1961, the government sold it to Harry F Chaddick, along with other Chicagoans. They had a vision for the greatest commerce center in Chicago. Some buildings were torn down to make room for parking lots. The buildings that remained were remodeled to attract retail tenants.^[2]

Developers divided the building into a separate portion for the mall. The mall opened in 1965 as Ford City.^[3] The mall consists of two halves - a strip mall and enclosed mall. The strip mall portion is connected to the enclosed mall by a tunnel called "The Connection". It utilizes the basement between the severed halves of the buildings directly below the parking lot. The Connection was originally called Peacock Alley from the late 60s through some time in the 1980s. Wieboldt's occupied the western-facing space until 1987 when Carson Pirie Scott moved in. The southern-facing space was last occupied by Montgomery Ward until that chain's bankruptcy. JCPenney occupies the eastern facing space.

Until February 2008, the mall was managed by General Growth Properties Inc. for a private investment company.^[4] The Mall is now managed by Jones Lang LaSalle.

In 2009-2010, Ford City Mall began a multi-million dollar long term capital redevelopment program undertaking North Mall infrastructure work, Cicero Avenue frontage and North Mall parking lot resurfacing. During this time new tenants such as Conway’s, US Cellular, Rodeo, Amici, Star Diamond Jewelers, a new GNC, She Bar, Eldorado Fine Jewelers, Avon, China Max, US Sprint and others opened for business at Ford City Mall.

Early 2011 – Phase 2 of the long term capital redevelopment plan began with refurbishment of the Cicero Avenue Pylon signs enabling large square footage use tenants the ability to gain maximum store signage exposure along the heavily trafficked Cicero Avenue roadway.

As part of the 2011 capital redevelopment program, Ford City Mall is in the process of demolishing several small outparcel buildings and a former vacant anchor store, leading the way to future development options under discussion at this time.

[edit]Transportation

[edit]CTA Buses

• #54B South Cicero
• #67 67th/69th/71st
• #79 79th

[edit]Pace Buses

• #379 Midway-Orland Square
• #382 Central/Clearing
• #383 South Cicero
• #384 Narragansett/Ridgeland
• #385 87th/111th/127th

[edit]Orange Line Extension

Original plans for the Orange Line was called for the terminus to be at Ford City. Due to lack of funding the city decided to end the line at Midway with a layout allowing for future expansion.^[5] The CTA recently undertook an Alternatives Analysis for the Orange Line extension to Ford City and determined that the project currently stands at an estimated $200 million.^[6] On August 12, 2009, the CTA approved the extension plans.^[7] The extension will open in 2016.

Obama's Debt to Abortion Shapes Chen's Fate

The Obama administration has hired Planned Parenthood's spokesman for a communications position that will likely involve hot-button issues like abortion and contraception.
Tait Sye has accepted a job with the Department of Health and Human Services after heading the organization's press office for four years, Politico reported Friday afternoon. The job involves assisting with communications for the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. April 20, 2012 - while Hillary Clinton and Timmy Geitner were packing for the trip to Red China.

"I felt great pressure to leave." - Chen Guangcheng

I'll bet you did. Can you imagine the pressure the Obama White House had been under from Planned Parenthood, NARAL, NOW, SEIU and the national abortion lobby of our Progressive Dowager Class?

President Obama has played Chen in the same way that he had as a Springfield, Illinois State Senator.  Barack H. Obama took the path most taken by millennium Democrats - the path of least resistance to abortion.

I listened to and read the words on many commentators, pundits, spokesmen and spin-merchants since last week's heroic flight by the blind Chinese Abortion Foe to the sanctuary of the United States Embassy in Red China.   They spoke of the delicate balance and nuanced brinkmanship of our stripped-britches pros, Hillary Clinton and tax-cheat Timmy Geitner as they brokered loans from the Red Chinese and asked for more post-election "flexibility and patience" from Putin in selling Poland and the Czech Republic down the Yangtze. No one mentioned that American resolve and foreign policy is determined by Planned Parenthood.

Chen Guangcheng  ran to the United States - to the United States Embassy.  In no time at all the AP crowed that Hillary Clinton scored concessions for the dissident.  Within hours, that narrative shifted.  It continues to shift.

This Chinese dissident is not your standard issue, DNC approved, stand in front of a Commie tank rebel rouser. Chen Guangcheng fights Red China's Abortion Mandate.  He is a blind but wild eyed Pro Lifer! Mr. Chen is on the wrong side of "War on Women."

If you really want to know how Chen Guangcheng , his wildly endangered  family, friends and fellow dissidents will face the future, ask the White House for its e-mails, phone records, visitor lists and scheduled meetings with Cecile Richards, Planned Parenthood, NARL, NOW, or any one of abortion industry Dowagers.

Mr. Chen, I believe that President Obama will, or should, "feel great pressure to leave."


http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/apr/20/obama-hires-planned-parenthood-spokesman/

F.B.I. Terror Suspects -The Professor and SEIU -Get Cover From Supine Media Before Investigation Complete.

Joe Iosbaker of SEIU Local 73 at a rally outside worker-occupied Republic Windows & Doors back in December 2008


Last week the F.B.I. targeted terror suspects in Illinois and Minnesota. In Illinois one of the suspects was a Wright College teacher and the other an SEIU leader.

Joseph Iosbaker is an SEIU Leader. The sheepish Chicago Media went weak in the knees when Mr. Iosbaker and SEIU used the closing of the Republic Windows factory several years ago as a forum for disgraced Governor Blagojevich. Now, Iosbake is being investigated in a terrorist plot.

The Chicago media is following the lead of what they are told and tasked. SEIU is disappearing from the news reports on Iosbaker and his wife Wright College instructor Stephanie Weiner. They may be linked to anti-Israeli and Columbian FARC terrorism and that is what the Federal Bureau of Investigation is . . .investigating.

I admire people who put their time, talent and treasure into good causes that help people lead better lives.

I detest sneaks. A sneak parses his or her actions - a thief becomes a Robin Hood and a murdering thug becomes a Hero of the Revolution.

What is worse happens to be advocacy journalism that erases facts to make the story fit an agenda. Joseph Iosbaker is a hero of SEIU and The Marxist/Leninist -click my post title.

Immediately, the spin in the media was "Cry Foul While "Peace" Activists Let Slip the Dogs of War.

Several months ago Israeli sailors were assaulted by Gaza Blockade Runners and immediately the hand-wringers cried foul. The Gaza run was a calculated set-up by Marxists and Hamas using the hand-wringers who are all too willing to play martyr. Kevin Clark, of the Solidarity Movement and a practiced applicant of good-hearted din-wits, was thickly involved. Kevin Clark was part of the Easter Sunday assault on worshipers at Holy Name Cathedral and used Rachel Corrie several years ago.
There was and remains no Chicago media inquiry into Kevin Clark's activities, because Kevin Clark is also a Gay Activist.

Now, there is an immediate circling of wagons around these two individuals -

CHICAGO — Two anti-war activists said Saturday that a 12-hour search of their Chicago home by the FBI was an attempt to intimidate them and silence the peace movement.
Joe Iosbaker and his wife, Stephanie Weiner, said the government targeted them because they've been outspoken against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and U.S. funding of conflicts abroad. They denied any wrongdoing.
The FBI said it searched eight addresses in Minneapolis and Chicago Friday. Warrants suggest agents were looking for connections between local anti-war activists and groups in Colombia and the Middle East.
Iosbaker and Weiner declined to discuss their relationship with any groups abroad, citing their upcoming testimony before a grand jury on Oct. 5.
"These raids, searches and grand jury investigations are nothing more than an attempt to intimidate us and to intimidate the anti-war movement," Iosbaker said. "We have done nothing wrong."
FBI spokesman Paul Bresson said Saturday that the bureau's investigations "are predicated on criminal violations, not First Amendment protected activities."
When reached Friday, FBI spokesman Steve Warfield declined to provide details of the searches, but said there was no imminent threat to the community and the agency wasn't anticipating any arrests "at this time." He said the FBI was seeking evidence related to "activities concerning the material support of terrorism."

Associated Press


Chicago - A Logan Square couple investigated for alleged ties to terrorist organizations, says they are victims of government intimidation.

But they are not afraid.

The home of Joe Iosbaker and his wife, Stephanie Weiner was raided by FBI agents yesterday.

The agents spent 12 hours collecting documents and carrying boxes to a van in the alley.

The FBI said it was part of an investigation concerning material support of terrorism.

Isobaker said today, "It's pretty hard to control the anger we feel. All we ever did was work against the US involvement with Colombia and Israel and we support the people for justice."

Isobaker and his wife held a news conference, along with several local peace organizations, dozens of people who have demonstrated against war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Isobaker says the agents took his children's art and poetry and put it into evidence bags.

When asked why they thought they were targeted, Stephanie Weiner said "I came from a family that marched against the Vietnam war. I'm proud that my children, as well, are organized."

While the raid took place in Logan Square, four Chicago- area college students allegedly were questioned by the FBI, according to one student activist group.

Kait McIntyre, of Students for a Democratic Society said, "These raids are meant to intimidate us, to silence us to evoke fear in the movement."

Isobaker and Weiner were not arrested. But they face a grand jury hearing October 5th.

Fox 32 News

This from last night's Chicago Tribune - scrubbed of any mention of SEIU association -

Joseph Iosbaker said he watched as FBI agents walked out of his house with his sons' artwork and poetry. He said the agents also confiscated pictures of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

"They refused to stop their work, and we take moral guidance from their examples," Iosbaker said to about 40 activists huddled in his lawyer's Humboldt Park law office.

Iosbaker and his wife, Stephanie Weiner, who live in Logan Square, were among several activists targeted in home searches in Chicago and Minneapolis in an investigation into possible domestic links with alleged terrorist organizations.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/09/targets-of-fbi-search-speak-out.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm
Followed by this comment -

Comment by Robert M Kraus Sr on September 25, 2010 8:10 PM
Citizens, we are now living in a police state. The FBI had better not come knocking on my door.
rmk/akron

Really? I received this e-mail from another person:

This is interesting. I teach on a part-time basis at Wright and the divide between the full-time and adjunct faculty is a wide one. As such, I do not know Weiner.

What I can attest to is that:

1. Bill Ayers has been invited to address the students within the past four years as an extracurricular exercise.

2. One of the handful of student groups on campus is "Students for Peace and Justice" which promotes LBQT issues, hatred of Israel and a homeland of Palestine.

3. In recent months, various maps posted on campus have been defaced by pro-Arab students. The state of Israel was scratched off of the maps.

The Chicago Media is playing advocacy journalism. SEIU has a deep association with very dangerous anti-American and anti-Israeli groups up to their necks in blood, like the International Solidarity Movement -Kevin Clark.

Do your jobs and investigate the associations. Act like journalists and not sheep. Quit being spoon fed crap for hand-wringers.

Terror Web Includes "Peace" Activist and SEIU?

Glover gets Cuffed and Andy Stern Cheers -It's How SEIU Rolls, Brothers and Sisters!


SEIU is a PAC. It operates by loading its coffers from the dues of no skill and under skilled people who will remain life-long members of the Tax Dependancy Agenda.
SEIU gets its power through its web of associations with radical leftists cause agenda groups - be they Full Amnesty immigration,anti-Israel Palestinian Activists, LGBTQ Same Sex Marriage, America's Abortion Happy Dowagers, anti-Military Everything, anti-Religion, Pro Terrorist, or Anarchist.

The F.B.I. is investigating a terrorist web and strands of that web include self-proclaimed "Peace" activists and even an SEIU leader.

In Jefferson Park, neighbors saw FBI agents carrying boxes from the apartment of community activist Hatem Abudayyeh, executive director of the Arab American Action Network. In addition, Chicago activist Thomas Burke said he was served a grand jury subpoena that requested records of any payments to Abudayyeh or his group.

"The warrants are seeking evidence in support of an ongoing Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation into activities concerning the material support of terrorism," said Steve Warfield, spokesman for the FBI in Minneapolis, where six additional homes were searched Friday.

Warfield said no arrests had been made and that there was no "imminent danger" to the public.

Ross Rice, an FBI spokesman in Chicago, gave the two Chicago blocks where agents had searched homes Friday, but he declined to name the targets.

Melinda Power, an attorney for Weiner and Iosbaker and a longtime friend, said agents took about 30 boxes of papers dating to the 1970s, including a postcard from an old girlfriend of Iosbaker's.

"They said they would determine what was evidence later," Power said.

Weiner, who said she and her husband for years have been active in labor causes and the anti-war movement, complained the search was an attempt to intimidate her and other activists.

"We aren't doing anything differently than we have in 20 years," said Weiner, a teacher at Wilbur Wright College. Iosbaker is a staff member at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a union steward for Service Employees International Union Local 73.

(emphasis my own)

Progress Illinois of SEIU protests this Federal investigation by stating that the F.B.I. is targeting Anti-War Activists.

FBI Raids In Chicago Targeting Anti-War Activists?

Details are still sketchy, but the Associated Press says that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has raided two homes in Chicago and six in Minneapolis on terrorism-related charges. But activists in Minneapolis say the FBI is targeting anti-war protestors. One woman in Minneapolis whose home was raided served as a leader in protesting the Republican National Convention two years ago, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

Less than Truthy, kids. The F.B.I. is targeting Terrorists. Is SEIU pro-Terror?
http://www.progressillinois.com/news/content/2010/09/24/fbi-raids-chicago-targeting-anti-war-activists

Labor for Palestine -

http://www.laborforpalestine.net/wp/founding-statement/

The One Nation, Working Together get out the vote movement is led by United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ), which started as an anti-war group, but has expanded its scope into promoting social justice, globalization, the plight of the Palestinian people against the “Apartheid policies of the government of Israel,” justice for the Iraqi people against the U.S. politicians who committed war crimes, and advocating the opinion that there is nothing more evil than American multi-national corporations.
“UFPJ will seek to strengthen our alliances and working relationships with other forces in the antiwar movement, as well as the movements for global economic, environmental and social justice. Our international work will be based on respect for the sovereignty of other nations and a commitment to human rights and international law. We will support and seek cooperation with our sister organizations around the world, and we will act in solidarity with progressive groups and individuals within the United States and the nations occupied by U.S. forces.”
The UFPJ’s Steering Committee is composed of people from Marxist, progressive, or communist groups including Code Pink, Institute of Policy Studies, Western States Legal Foundation, Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, Communist Party USA, Alliance for Community Trainers, American Friends Service Committee, Brooklyn For Peace, National Immigration Solidarity Network, Desis Rising Up and Moving, and US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation just to name a few. At least two of the groups, Solidarity and US Campaign to End The Israeli Occupation, also have a history of anti-Semitic activity.
The misreporting of the October 2 rally is not a matter of bias; it was caused by pure laziness. The assigned reporters read the press released and saw the possibility of a “food fight” between unions and tea parties and/or Glenn Beck. The October 2 rally has been is created and is being executed by organizations much more nefarious than simply counter-protesting a Glenn Beck or a Tea Party rally. Simple reporting would have enabled these news organizations to report the real story.
But that would be too much to ask.

http://bigjournalism.com/jdunetz/2010/09/05/lazy-media-reruns-press-release-calls-it-news-blows-real-story-of-socialist-le

Sun Times Has Real Reporters, Natasha Korecki and Chris Fusco, Shedding the Light on Blago SEIU Senate Silverfish

The Icons and the See-nothing, Know -Nothing Sun Times Editorial Board gave Candidate Obama a Free Pass and Ride to the White House. Sun Times reporters would have dug deeper, but maybe the leash was on under Old Cyrus.

The Chicago Sun Times of neighborhood guy James Tyree is blessed with real talent - the reporters. Newspaper people Natasha Korecki, Mark Konkol, Chris Fusco, Maureen O'Donnell and the superb investigative pit bull Tim Novak.

The editorial board stinks and the iconic and fatuous loudmouth columnists offer little or nothing. The little that they do is enough to insult working people ( cops, firefighters, public employees and their neighborhoods) and drive a larger wedge between the races - to say nothing of the constant Catholic bashing.

That said, Jim Tyree's reporters are very good.

Today, Natasha Korecki and Chris Fusco beam some light on the SEIU Silverfish. Full disclosure: I met Tom Balanoff years ago over in Indiana when his father James represented the Steelworkers ( unlike most upper-echelon SEIU people, Tom Balanoff ( I think represented Cement workers at the time) is a working man and not a U. of Pennsylvania Social Worker manque) and found him to be a real gentleman and a rock-ribbed union man. SEIU needed a real working man in order to make sense to other real Union People here in Illinois -a real Union State. I believe that SEIU, which began here in Chicago with the sacking of the Old Janitors Local #25 in the 1970's, is anything but a real labor union, but that's me. Tom Balanoff, I believe has been triangulated by Stern and the Obama Staff and that Andy Stern will surface as the real deal maker. Again, what I know of Tom Balanoff is that he is a genuine, sincere and honest man getting jackpotted by power mad Stern and Anna Burger.

Here is Natasha Korecki and Chris Fusco's fine work:

It is the first indication that Obama personally called an official with SEIU, which had donated $1.8 million to Blagojevich.

Two sources with knowledge of the investigation say Obama called Balanoff on Nov. 3, 2008, to give Balanoff the green light to continue talking to Blagojevich about Jarrett's possible appointment. The man who would be elected president the next day first left Balanoff, whose union also supported Obama, an innocuous message asking him to return the call.

When Balanoff and Obama later spoke, Obama -- in addition to discussing the election and campaigning -- relayed to Balanoff that he would not publicly come out in favor of any one candidate for his replacement, sources said.

Obama also told Balanoff he preferred Jarrett to come to the White House with him, according to the sources. However, he said he thought Jarrett would be electable and a strong senator, the sources said.

Blagojevich's lawyers also cited a Feb. 3, 2009, FBI interview with the union official, quoting the official as saying, "Obama was aware that [Balanoff] would be reaching out to Blagojevich."

Balanoff interpreted the conversation as a green light to keep discussing Jarrett's candidacy with Blagojevich, the sources said.

The Blagojevich court filing doesn't accuse the president of any wrongdoing.

I hope that Tom Balanoff dodges any and all misery in this shabby tale, but I hope that Mandarin Andy Stern finally gets revealed as the Silverfish he is and has been.

Catalyst Leftist/Progress SEIU/We Got Jitu/How About You? - Tha Soviet Jugganot on Rev. Sen. Meeks by Coalitions Against School Reform!

Progress Illinois Illinois SEIU's Nepotism Workshop for Children of Radicals jumped on Rev./Sen. Meeks.

Senator James Meeks wants Chicago Public Schools to Reform - that means breaking up the power of soviets - LSCs - developed by 1960's radicals Billy Ayers, Linda Lenz, Marilyn Katz, and Mike Klonsky.

SEIU is lead by radical Marxists Andy Stern and Anna Burger. Here in Illinois, SEIU established Progress Illinois for radical Jaimie Kalven's son Josh. It is a clearing house/comic book for radical leftists and spoon feeds Rich Miller's Capital Fax Blog.

Catalyst was published and edited by Linda Lenz, but she took some heat during Obama Campaign for President due to his long association with Billy Ayers, whose career in education was padded by his Daddy Thomas Ayers who ran ComEd.

And you thought Old Timey Ward politics had Nepotism? Hold the phone Gertrude no one packs the job like a Commie!

Well, Catalyst, WBEZ and Progress Illinois are heaping the hate on Senator James Meeks and trotted ot Jitu Brown!

The Medill Radicals heaped praise on this fine gentleman-community activist-educational operative last year.

He was told he was a “giant among men.”

Jitu Brown takes that title very seriously.

“My understanding of it is that it’s the type of man I struggle to be,” he explained of his Swahili first name.

The 42-year-old education outreach coordinator for the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization in Chicago received that name over 10 years ago. He was being recognized at an assembly of social activists at Malcolm X College during Kwanzaa. He may have been Aaron before, but he has been Jitu ever since.

“Having a name and trying to be a community change agent, I’m always reflecting on how I carried out my business today,” he said. “I’m much better than I would have been.”

Jitu Brown, ‘giant’ in the community, emissary of change.

Influential Chicago rapper, Jitu tha Jugganot.

“It was hip-hop that was the bridge to bring me here,” he said from a table at the organization on East 43rd Street. “It was this place that helped me develop the perspective to see what music can do.”

What it does, he said, is “connect people that have historically been disconnected.” It gives a sense of place and purpose. It creates awareness.

“Most of all,” he said, “I want to see a wave of young people that really believe in controlling what they produce.”

Brown, an affable, goateed man of substantial stature, learned that at an early age. He and a high school buddy formed the rap group in their South Side neighborhood of Rosemoor that would later become known as Ten Tray. It was the 80s and a teenage Brown had been waffling about what direction he wanted to take his life. There was the Nation of Islam, he said. There was following Fred Hampton, Jr. There was the church.

And then there was rapping.

“We were getting politicized by this music that society expects to be just entertainment,” he said of his early influences, such as KRS-One and Public Enemy. “For me, I just wanted to do something.”

That something started out as rhyme battles in his high school cafeteria, then to competitions drawing larger crowds. In 1991 Ten Tray signed a deal with Smash Polygram Records, which Brown contends was one of the first major label deals coming out of Chicago.

For a short while, Ten Tray lived the dream. They had a video that was on a decent rotation on Yo! MTV Raps and BET, they sold nearly 90,000 units, and they established a solid fan base here in Chicago and on the West Coast.

Yet they barely made any money.

“Our attorney said it was a good deal for a first time artist,” he remembered. “Looking at it in retrospect, we were just a couple of young cats getting taken advantage of.”

Brown had become jaded by the industry but not the message. After Ten Tray’s first album came and went, he took some time off from music and decided to volunteer. A couple of chance encounters led him to the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization. He was with the outreach group for five years before signing on as an employee. Twelve years later, as the education organizer, he visits schools, meetings and events, teaching families to use their voices to have a say in how their children are educated.

His work has galvanized groups to prevent school closings, take control of underperforming curriculums and, as he puts it, beat the system.

“People who are trained to lose are saying, ‘we can do this,’” he said.

Music evolved into a vehicle for Brown to further his work. In the song “Stand Up” from his 2007 self-released album “Necessary Ingredients,” Brown blasts systemic problems in his community through his clever baritone bombast:

“Here’s a remedy /

Don’t run from the ‘hood /

Develop the institutions ‘til they doing some good.”

The difference is that Brown is not only saying, he’s doing.

“He’s really an inspiration to people in the neighborhood,” said Jay Travis, the executive director of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization. “His message has always been one of empowerment and positivity.”

This is what Brown hopes the kids he encounters at work and through his youth music education program, Independents Day, understand – be different, be creative and own your craft.

“Since I met him, he was a positive brother,” said D.A. Smart, an emcee, friend and co-host of the Independents Day workshops. “He loves his people. He always wants to see them be better and do better.”

“He’s such a force in Chicago,” he added.

Brown, a force, a giant, a leader in the community, says he still struggles to live up to his name.

“I’m doing the right thing,” he said before settling into his office cubicle and gearing up for a day of work. “Plant the seeds, and they’ll sprout

Hokey Smokes! "Plant Seeds . . .Hmmmmmm . . . and they'll Sprout?" Now, that is some radical poetry! Honor Bright? They'll sprout. How about get rid of radical leftist nonsense and Schools will Reform with Vouchers and Real Choice? Jitu? Come on Big Guy! You know!

Well, Kids, Jitu don't like Rev. Meeks or his plan to kill LSCs. Next Jitu and WBEZ and Progress Illinois and Catalyst and WTTW will whip out the Uncle James Card! Click my post title Jaimie Kalven's boy Josh is really tuning up the Red Chorus!
They have JITU/Medill/WBEZ/WTTW/SEIU//Chicago Tribune Editorial Board/Sun Times Editorial Board and Every dim-bulb in Birkenstocks and Socks

And all we have are the facts that Chicago Public Schools stink on ice and suck millions of dollars out of the middle classes and kids do not learn and kids are dying by the score every couple of weeks!

Skilled Trades in Progressive Cross-hairs: Plumber Mike Hanley Sets Things Straight

Progressives want to see the end of the Skilled Trades, because they believe that all labor should be subsumed by Andy Stern's SEIU.

The Skilled Trades built the vanishing American Standard of Living and the American Middle Class.

Skilled Trades Unions are always targeted by media investigative cadres. There is never an inquiry of the power and corruption within Services Employees Services Union. That has been the case since the Leftist SEIU devoured the old janitors unions back in the 1970's.

Today a Skilled Tradesman, Plumber Michael Hanley, hits back at the broad brush media smears. Well done , Mike!

Plumbers work hard, earn their pay

December 26, 2009
While I agree with critics who say the city plumbing inspector accused of violating codes should be fired, why bring his salary into it?
I am a union plumber and proud of my trade, though I've been laid off for 21 months.

What do critics think is a fair wage?

If I were working now my salary would be similar, though as a private-sector plumber I would not get paid holidays, sick days, vacation, etc.

I am tired of people commenting negatively on our pay and charges for work performed.

I and every other union plumber out there went through five years of apprenticeship, and we work very hard to earn that money, whether that's rodding out sewer systems, plumbing single-family homes or 95-story high-rises. We do the work that you don't want to or don't know how to. It's a skilled trade, and you pay for that skill.

Without qualified plumbers and the plumbing inspectors, everyone's health could be put at risk through improper water connections or sewage disposal.

Instead of complaining how much a plumber makes, next time thank him for providing safe drinking water for you and your family and for getting that razor out of your sewer that you flushed down the toilet so your home isn't backed up with raw sewage.

Michael Hanley, Canaryville

Planned Parenthood's President Presses Its President

Huge Ten Gallon Doff to American Papist -click my post title

"Don't let Catholic bishops and other anti-choice groups push Congress into passing anti-choice amendments to health care reform. Take action now to protect women's health."

http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/hcr09ccbr_afw

Brassy Texas Gal Cecile Richards, whose man friend Kirk Adams is an SEIU Honcho, but Cecile can't cotton to takin' the Dude's Name, and Cecile is goin' "All-IN" with the chips she gave to President Obama. Let's see what you got in there Barry!

Yep, Texas Cecile Richards is goin' hard inside with elbows a flyin' on President One-on-One. The President must be playing round-ball with cupcakes who deflate the balls during rests so tough guys or a bunch of girls don't steal the Spauldings on them. Cecile Richards and Planned Parenthood carpeted the Obama Team with dollars during the Campaign and is now pushing the President to go Big Johnson on the American Catholic Bishops. Planned Parenthood is Big Oil to the Left. Gushers! Them girls and their man toys like to play hard.

We shall see. Will President Obama deflate the balls?

"Did [the bankers] build anything? Create anything? . . ." No, Anna; Janitors Mop, Health Care Workers Empty Bed Pans and You Are Wearing their Dues !

Yesterday the shameless led the wageless by the hundreds against BANKS and got universal press coverage touting protesters in the thousands.

That's nice. SEIU corrals thousands of no skill and low skill workers into their pens with their dues and keep them there for life.

Time was a janitor's job was a pathway to the trades and the middle class. No more. SEIU does prepare people for the future - that is none of their business. Andy Stern and Anna Burger will tell them who and what to believe.

SEIU is ACORN with a better PR firm.

Yesteday, Anna Burger*howled out great hollow hypocrisy at the BANKS - you know - like Tom Joad's faceless; nameless; bloodless enemy in Grapes of Wrath - Metonymy in rhetoric that plays well with synecdoche.

Banks are the villain du jour.: Insurance Companies, Wall-Street Fat Cats; Wal-Mart, Big Oil & etc.


"Did [the bankers] build anything? Create anything? Do anything?" Burger asked the crowd, which repeatedly responded "No!" - Progress Illinois ( SEIU Funded Comic Blog)


Actually banks create wealth - unnaturally. Why the very vaults from whence Anna and Andy scoop dues to jet off to Red China/The Big Ed Schultz Show/Tapas With Chavez/Shakedowns with Jesse Jackson Universal come from Banks.

I would venture to say that very few of the workers in SEIU make enough of a wage to have more than a checking account - if they are lucky enough to have that.

The Cadillac Commies leading SEIU belong under the same microscope slide as ACORN.


*Anna Burger, born in Levittown, Pennsylvania, and daughter of a disabled truck driver and a nurse, began her activist career in 1972 as a Welfare worker. It was there she became involved in her local union. Burger organized a walkout in efforts to create a safer working environment for the office. Burger became more active in her union, and quickly moved through the ranks of the local union. Burger became SEIU local 668's first full-time woman president before moving onto the SEIU International office in Washington, DC, to work as National Director of Field Operations, under former SEIU president John Sweeney. Burger successfully ran Sweeney's campaign for president of the AFL-CIO. She was elected Executive Vice President of SEIU, and Secretary-Treasurer in 2001.

In her tenure at SEIU, Burger has worked with President Andy Stern to create the largest and fastest growing union in North America.[citation needed] While union membership across the country has been continually dropping[citation needed], SEIU is the only union that has continuously grown.[vague] As well, Burger and SEIU are working to create ties with unions in other parts of the world, especially Europe and Asia.

Burger and Stern called for a change in the AFL-CIO's strategies in June 2004. By the summer of 2005, 6 unions (including SEIU) withdrew their membership to the AFL-CIO, and created a new labor coalition, the Change to Win Federation. On September 27, 2005, Burger was elected Chair of the breakaway coalition. As the Chair of Change to Win, Burger became the first woman to lead an American labor coalition.

Burger is married to Earl F. Gohl and they have one daughter. Anna Burger currently lives in Washington, DC with her family.

Amateur Hour White House Advisors Wear the Jacket in the Failed Chicago Bid for Olympics 2016

"It's a secret ballot. You can't necessarily be certain that the people who tell you they'll vote for you ultimately will," Jarrett said. "So I'm sure they did the very best they could do to get the intelligence they had."

The president made his decision last weekend. He conferred with aides monitoring healthcare legislation, who concluded that the bill would not be up for a floor vote in the 24-hour period the president was overseas. So Obama privately told his staff that he would go to Copenhagen, Jarrett said.

Click my post title for more from the Chicago Tribune.

However, Friday's Sun Times gave voice to the real nitwits.

Immediately after the Olympic Pooch got screwed the Chicagoland Boiled Beets Progressives Mensa Chapter ( Rev. Jesse 'Page Eight' Jackson, Rep.Susan Mendoza and Turkish Delight Rep. Jan Schakowsky) blamed the failure on President George W, Bush.

Get this - "There must be" resentment against America, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said, near the stage where he had hoped to give a victory speech in Daley Center Plaza. "The way we [refused to sign] the Kyoto Treaty, we misled the world into Iraq. The world had a very bad taste in its mouth about us. But there was such a turnaround after last November. The world now feels better about America and about Americans. That's why I thought the president's going was the deal-maker."

State Rep. Susana Mendoza (D-Chicago) said she saw firsthand the resentment against America five years ago when she was in Rio de Janeiro. "I feel in my gut that this vote today was political and mean-spirited," she said.

"I travel a lot. ... I thought we had really turned a corner with the election of President Obama. People are so much more welcoming of Americans now. But this isn't the people of those countries. This is the leaders still living with outdated impressions of Americans.".S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said she was approached by a consul general at the plaza as they waited for word Friday. "He said ... he was hearing that there wasn't enough time for Barack Obama to dispel the old image. ... But I don't know if that's it." That Old Bush Image!

Nope.

These are the very same Boiled Beets Progressives who demand that SEIU be allowed to destroy the American Labor Movement with the elimination of the 'secret ballot' in the Employee Free Choice Act. AS Val Jarrett, who gave America the Van Jones Green Czar summer time 'distraction' says, "It's a secret ballot. You can't necessarily be certain that the people who tell you they'll vote for you ultimately will, . . . "So I'm sure they did the very best they could do to get the intelligence they had."

And that is the very best Progressive intelligence.

Val, do I hear a bus coming your way? Must be all that Copenhagen.





http://www.suntimes.com/sports/olympics/1804170,CST-NWS-olyresent03.stng

American Labor – Stay out of the Green Fog

This morning most members of my immediate and extended family will march in celebration of Labor. They will form up on Columbus Drive* as the fog and mists of morning break away along the Lakefront, but they may still be enshrouded in both a Purple and a Green fog.

The Purple Fog is the powerful cover of SEIU - tax salaried, collectivist political action masquerading as real Labor. I have continued to snipe away at SEIU as faux labor, because the SEIU membership the rank and file are used by SEIU for dues, while the membership remain in low-paying, no skill/low skill jobs, without a path to the middle class. SEIU uses the dues of members to buy and amass political power.

The Green Fog comes from the Environmental Agendanistas and Allies of SEIU who have be-fogged American political conversation with the white noise of Green Jobs, Green Capitalism, and Green Politics.

Labor gave America its standard of living and created the American Middle Class.

These are tough times. Americans face near 10% unemployment, and erosion of the industrial jobs that once marked America. Many of those jobs rusted and chipped away due to Environmental Concerns. The American Steel Industry is now all but gone. Coal was and remains a political whack-a-mole - 'We're with You! We Ain't!'

America is Green Slap Happy. Green Jobs? Green Turn-around economy? Renewable Sources of Energy? Green fog.

The Green Fog's Czar, Van Jones, was out-ed as an agenda driven goof and will return to the activist sidelines - for a while.

Today, as Labor - Real Labor - marches and celebrates the courage and conviction of people to demand dignity and a solid livelihood from the people who benefit from their labors, try to avoid the Green Fog, as well as the Purple Fog.

Green jobs barely exist. American scholar and demographer Joel Kotkin writes this about the Green Fog:

All told, green jobs constitute barely 700,000 positions across the country – less than 0.5% of total employment. That's about how many jobs the economy lost in January this year. Indeed a recent study by Sam Sherraden at the center-left New America Foundation finds that, for the most part, green jobs constitute a negligible factor in employment – and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Policymakers, he warns, should avoid "overpromising about the jobs and investment we can expect from government spending to support the green economy."

This is true even in California, where green-job hype has become something of a fetish among self-styled "progressives." One recent study found that the state was creating some 10,000 green jobs annually before recession. To put this into context, the total state economy has lost over 700,000 jobs over the past year (more than 200,000 in Los Angeles County alone). Any net growth in green jobs has barely made a dent in any economic category; only education and health services have shown job gains over this period.

More worrisome, in terms of national competitiveness, the green sector seems to be going in the wrong direction. The U.S.'s overall "green" trade balance has moved from a $14.4 billion surplus in 1997 to a nearly $9 billion deficit last year. As the country has pushed green energy, ostensibly to free itself from foreign energy, it has become ever more dependent on countries such as China, Japan and Germany for critical technology. Some of this is directly attributable to the often massive subsidies these countries offer to green-tech companies. But as New America's Sherraden puts it, this "does not augur well for the future of the green trade balance."

Nor are we making it any easier for American workers to gain from green-related manufacturing. Some of America's "greenest" regions are inhospitable for placing environmentally oriented manufacturing facilities. For example, high taxes and regulatory climate have succeeded in intimidating solar cell makers from coming to green-friendly California; a manufacturer from China told the Milken Institute's Ross DeVol that the state's "green" laws precluded making green products there.

The jobs –manufacturing and others – depart and there is no work – No Labor. The fog of Green propaganda and sloganeering by editorial boards and politicians will endanger American Labor, as much as the collectivist clap-tarp of Andy Stern’s SEIU. Purple or Green, fog is fog.
God Bless the American Labor Movement! Work for the dignity of working women and men, but for Labor's sake - for God's Sake! - stay out of the Fogs, Green and Purple!

* No Parade - plenty of barbecues, though. At the time I wrote this, I had forgotten that the City of Chicago no longer Parades Labor. There is an Immigration Reform rally.

SEIU Scripting Dan Lipinski on Health Legislation - It Sure Looks Like It!

Edwardian England -
Oscar Wilde - " I wish I'd said that!"
James Whistler - "You Will, Oscar. You will!*"

The Other Day -
Dan Lipinski - A Car Simile!
SEIU - Yes, a Car Simile. It's like when . . .
Dan Lipinski - I thought nothing was like when.
SEIU - Just read it and believe it.
Dan Lipinski - That, I can do!

Dan Lipinski is getting cover from SEIU - why not, money and crowds of XXXL Purple sign wavers.

Dan Lipinksi voted for Cap and Trade.

Now,Dan Lipinski is going all Progressive in his tag-along work for SEIU over Health Care Legislation that will lead to Government Medicine. Bad Medicine.

In STNG ( Pioneer Press)The Doings: LaGrange Dan Lipinski seems to have lifted his statement directly from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) District 1199 on the Bureau of Workers Compensation payments to the medical industry from July 21, 2005 study that decries American Health Industry. Click my post title for that study. This study was reported in Environment Health and Safety Leaders EHS Today way back in 2004 - about the time that Congressman Lipinski states that he began his study of America's Health.

Many of the claims against the Bill's enemies - the Health Villains picked out by SEIU for Congressman Dan Lipinski - echo in the 3rd District's Congressman's statement printed on August 9, 2009.

However, Dan Lipinski even seems to have even lifted a witticism from the article.

In the STNG statement Dan Lipinski catalogs the evils of the Hospitals, Insurance Companies, and the Pharmecuetical villains but also adds this, "One reason treatment is so expensive is the near-total lack of price information available to health care consumers. These days, entering a hospital for treatment is like buying a car without looking at the sticker."
Yep. Smart Simile going on there, Dan. However, in 2005, an SEIU Spokes Folk said this

"It's like going to buy a car and instead of negotiating based on what the actual cost of manufacturing the car is and figuring in a slight mark-up, taking the sticker price on the window and negotiating something higher and then thinking you've done a good job," Courtney said.

While Ohio BWC's payment structure, which the agency implemented in 1998, seems reasonable at first blush, Courtney and SEIU allege that BWC is not paying a percentage of the actual cost of providing medical treatment to injured workers. Instead, SEIU asserts the agency is paying a percentage of a huge mark-up on the cost of those services as much as 300 percent, depending on the hospital. SEIU calls the mark-up a "sticker price," while hospitals call it a "charge."

Here is Congressman Dan Lipinski's full statement.

August 6, 2009

By Dan Lipinski
Ed. note: This is one of our regular essays from legislators. We've asked them to use the space to speak to their constituents. Rep. Dan Lipinski's 3rd Congressional District includes Indian Head Park, La Grange, LaGrange Park, Western Springs, Burr Ridge, Westchester.

Unrelenting increases in health care costs are creating an intolerable burden for individuals, families, businesses and the government, while tens of millions of Americans lack any insurance. People with pre-existing conditions are denied affordable coverage. The first time that hospital patients learn the price of their surgery is when the bill arrives in the mail, full of steep price mark-ups.

Insurers bury the details of their plans in the fine print, leaving people uninformed until it is too late. The pharmaceutical industry is hugely profitable, but taxpayers are subsidizing the advertising expenses of drug companies.

It is clear to me, and the many Third District residents who have contacted me, that change is long overdue. Every part of the health care system is in need of reform. That's why I am focused on fighting to pass comprehensive reform legislation.

As I scrutinize the reform proposals Congress is considering, I am focused on holding all the players in the health care industry accountable, making health care more affordable and improving the quality of care (including promoting preventive care and early treatment). Controlling skyrocketing costs must be a key priority. Surging costs not only hurt families, but threaten our government's financial stability and the vitality of our nation's economy. Just as I did when considering the ill-conceived bailout and the flawed stimulus, I continue to focus on fiscal discipline.

I have been working on repairing broken parts of the health care system since I was elected in 2004. As a diabetic, I am keenly aware of the importance of good care and insurance coverage. The first piece of legislation I introduced in Congress was the Hospital Price Transparency and Disclosure Act.

One reason treatment is so expensive is the near-total lack of price information available to health care consumers. These days, entering a hospital for treatment is like buying a car without looking at the sticker.

My legislation would end that, by mandating that hospitals disclose the prices they charge for the most common procedures and medications. This would allow people to shop for the best price, helping to drive down costs. I am currently working to ensure that a price transparency provision is included in the legislation Congress is considering.

Another issue I believe we must address is the tax break that health insurance and pharmaceutical companies receive for their advertising expenditures. Eliminating these subsidies would produce at least $6.3 billion annually that could be devoted to urgently needed health care reforms.

The pharmaceutical ads that fill our airwaves continue to generate concern about the accuracy of the information they contain, and their potential to artificially increase demand for drugs, sometimes even before dangerous side effects become known.

One recent study estimated that drug companies spend more on promotion than they do on research and development -- a clear example of misplaced priorities.

As pro-consumer, pro-taxpayer measures, both my price transparency and pharmaceutical bills are endorsed by Consumers Union, the independent, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine. No doubt they won't solve every problem in the system, nor do they represent all of my health care reform efforts. But they are examples of the kind of straightforward, common-sense improvements to our health care system that I am fighting for in Washington.

As I write this, I continue to work to improve the health care reform legislation that we are considering in the House of Representatives. It is critical that this bill constitutes comprehensive reform, and avoids pouring more money into a broken system. I will carefully examine the bill to make sure it meets my core principles for reform, cost-savings, and coverage, and improves health care for the residents of the Third District.

A tall fella like Congressman Alamo Dan Lipinski should not need lifts.

A Primary Run? Anyone?

*
*In a rare appearance as a 'straight man', Oscar Wilde complimented James Whistler on a quip with the words, 'I wish I'd said that.' Whistler devastatingly replied, 'You will, Oscar, you will.'



http://www.pioneerlocal.com/lagrange/news/forum/1704122,pioneer-press-lipinski-073009-s1.article

Lipinski Tells Third District "Take Government Run Health and Like It!' Line in the Sand drawn for Danny by SEIU on July 1, 2009 - Yeah, That'll work?

I can not wait for reed-like Danny Lipinski, whose 3rd Congressional District is dominated by senior citizens and Catholics, to hold his Government Health Care townhall meeting.

Duck, Son! That's boiling water them Bushas are fixing to toss at you - Marquette Park Napalm! The odd shouts of wkurwiasz mnie ; co kurwa, do kurwy nędzy ! ; or in Lithuanian -Gaidzio pautai, galva and dve is, shudvezis! Mmm(1) Mmm(2) Mmmmnnn(3rd and final with a shake of the head.

Oh, well the XXXXXXLLL Purple T-Shirts guided by the XXS. Purple T-Shirted white guy with three Masters Degrees from University of Pennsylvania will be a huge help!

I hope Danny has one. You Tube would melt.

Here's Congressboy Lipinski's SEIU Marching Orders from July 1, 2008 on the SEIU funded graphic novel Progress Illinois:

Rep. Lipinski wasted no time drawing a line in the sand*, telling the 3rd Congressional District crowd that, in order to limit the cost of health care for individuals, small businesses, and the federal government, a public plan is a must.

But his support comes with a few caveats. Lipinski admits that employers may stop offering private insurance to workers if a government plan exists. "It all depends on how the public option is implemented," he said. And Lipinski prefers the "level-playing field option" championed by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), in which the government-run plan would be granted no special advantages over private insurers, such as the ability to use Medicare's low rates or to access taxpayer subsidies.

*Wow an Alamo trope! How'd that work out for Travis, Danny Boy? Alamo Dan Lipinski!

Why Skilled and Industrial Trades Languish at 12-19% UnEmployment - Read Joel Kotkin's Real Teachable Moment

My family is comprised of very skilled trades workers ( men and women) who voted for Barack Obama. I am the only Hickey to back McCain. I did so because I did not and do not believe that Barack Obama was up to the job as President and that he had some very dicey people pouring poisonous ideas into his very willing ears.

I am a school teacher. I read and my relations work with their hands, heads and hearts. They are stationary engineers, electricians, carpenters, plumbers and pipefitters. Even the Hickey's( Brennans, Walshs, Winters, & etc.)with law degrees hold union cards.

When I work with tools bad things happen - to me and others. Hence, there is an ideological Mason/Dixon line drawn between me and my kin folk born of an inability and avoidance of genuine work on my part.

Hickeys are union people. I am as well - real unions. Politically, the skilled trades unions have historically made pacts with the devil in order to advance the prospects for workers to live with dignity and in safety.

In last forty years, politics betrayed the workers more than any Pinkerton agent or capitalist goon. Political Action Cadres (PACs) masquerading as Labor have co-opted Labor with sheer numbers.

Skilled Trades and Industrial Trades became enthralled by and to tax-payer salaried unions most notably Services Employee International Union (SEIU) which dictates policy to the National Democratic Committee ( Howard Dean) and the White House ( President Obama).

Our economic turmoil is not some glitch, but a planned operation - witness the recent remarks on Health Care by the daffy dimwitted Rep. Jan Schakowsky -

SCHAKOWSKY: “I know many of you here today are single payer advocates and so am I … and those of us who are pushing for a public health insurance don’t disagree with this goal. This is not a principled fight. This is a fight about strategy for getting there and I believe we will.” ( Emphasis my own -You got that right, Jan.)

Single payer ( The Government) Health Reform is the stated end game.

Likewise, One Big Union is the end game for SEIU. Skilled Trades will lose all autonomy and influence, as the jobs continue to disappear. Joel Kotkin a Social Demographer who trained under Michael Harrington and learned the dangers of creeping socialism has long been a critic of the economics of modern Progressives.

His article in Politico is a must read for all Labor People. Click my post title for the full article. Here is a bit of it.

This is Kotkin's genuine teachable moment. Real Labor might learn something.

As a recent New America Foundation report makes clear, precious little has gone to the productive side of the economy that determines the country’s competitiveness and creates many high-paying blue-collar jobs. Infrastructure, a critical component of any productivity-enhancing strategy, has accounted for barely 10 percent of the package.


The results have not been pretty for the productive sectors of the economy. Construction workers now have higher than 19 percent unemployment; jobs in this sector have fallen during the past year in 333 out of 352 metropolitan areas, with more than 200 plunging by double digits. Meanwhile, the hard-pressed manufacturing sector suffers more than 12 percent unemployment.


Why this disinclination to fund the tangible parts of the economy? One reason may be that those working in construction and manufacturing — both blue-collar workers and white-collar professionals — do not wield the same influence in this law review administration as college professors, Service Employees International Union-organized workers or unionized teachers.


One also senses that some militant environmentalists in the administration may be less than enthusiastic about anything associated with the entire carbon-creating part of the economy. Certainly, new factories, natural gas facilities, roads, ports and waterways don’t fit the professed passion of the president’s own science adviser, John Holdren, for the gradual “de-development” of the U.S. and other advanced economies.

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Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25636.html#ixzz0MqRrJpSt

Public Unions, The Irish, Mayor Daley and Dennis Gannon - When PC Collides with An Empty Wallet

The Andy Stern Doctrine is International Chaos and out of Chaos Comes More Chaos and out of Chaos More Power has helped cause chaos and crisis for families and governments all over the globe. Here in Chicago, Sons of Erin Mayor Richard M. Daley and Dennis Gannon are confronted with the reality of Public Unions and the Skilled Trades Locals are taking Andy Stern's heat. Hundreds of workers will be laid off as negotiations have been twisted by AFSCME and the Teamsters - Andy Stern's pets.

Big Labor is the euphemism that Andy Stern's SEIU dictates America's Media to employ in every article.

Big Labor means SEIU. It means Public Unions - whose membership are paid out of taxes.

Bad Labor is always the Skilled Trades Unions - these men and women invested thousands of their own dollars and countless hours of time to develop the rights that they earned and their unions bargained in good faith to own. They are the backbone of the American Middle Class. Andy Stern and the Boiled Beets Progressives intend to tax the American Middle Clas out of existence.

Andy Stern merely bullies gutless political hacks and news persons to scratch out tax-dollars for his multitudes.

Taxes are paid by members of real unions -Skilled Trades Unions and Industrial Unions.

Andy Stern can not organize Skilled Trades. SEIU depends upon monstrous numbers of unskilled workers and works overtime to bring illegal aliens under the umbrella of Big Labor.

Politicians know numbers - heads, votes and dollars.

California is a budgetary train wreck and Illinois is about to slide off the tracks as well.

The Media ( TV,Radio, Intranet, Print) are largely in Andy Stern's vest pocket along with the leadership of the Democratic Party ( DNC) and far too many Skilled Trades unions.

Play ball with Andy Stern and you lose your bat, your glove, your shoes and your shirt.

Ireland is undergoing a Great Awakening - the land of Big Jim Larkin and James Connolly has long plucked the Harp of Labor and the Workingman. Ireland is waking up to the Andy Stern Doctrine thanks to journalists like Kevin Myers of the Irish Independent.

Public Unions in Ireland are, as they in America, largely comprised of massive numbers of unskilled workers, low skill workers, and immigrant workers. The navvies and the hod-carriers; the sweepers and bar-keepers are Romanians, Poles, Ugandans, Kenyans, Moroccans, Serbs and Croatians: The Irish Congress Trades Unions. Private sector jobs are gone and public sector jobs are bleeding the Celtic Tiger dry.

Here is Kevin Meyers' witty and sharp analysis of Public Unions on the Irish Economy:

It is nine months since economic Armageddon hit this Republic. In that time, about a quarter of a million people in the private sector have lost their jobs. In the public sector, the story has been a little different. Yes, some temporary jobs have gone there, but they were temporary all along.

Just one job went in the public sector. Financial Regulator Patrick Neary was allowed to take early retirement, with a €630,000 pay-off and a pension of €140,000 a year.

Otherwise, the serious jobs are still there: permanent, pensionable and, what do you know, still with rising incomes. Yes, public-sector pay actually increased by around 4pc in the last year. Everyone with jobs in the private sector lost money.

Let me put this slowly, for the politburo of Ictu and Siptu and Fukyu and all those other insane public-service bodies, who have been inhaling too deeply in the public trough. There is no money. Do you get that? There is no shagging money. The notion that you can continue to enjoy your present incomes, with lovely fat pensions to follow, compares with Pyongyang's plans to capture and colonise Arizona.

We are borrowing €30m a day to pay public service wages and pensions. Even a North Korean economist would realise that this is unsustainable. Comrades Begg and O'Connor clearly have not.

I have not yet made up my mind whether this is because they are too stupid or too demented. It really doesn't matter. The result is much the same.

As Alan Ruddock revealed last Sunday, pay in the public sector is 47pc higher than in the private sector -- for those in the shattered, battered latter category who still have jobs, that is. Alan has a strong stomach: he has trawled through Comrade Begg's speeches searching for shiny gobbets of wisdom, which is rather like wading through the late Kim Il-sung's public utterances looking for a Shakespearian sonnet.

Anyway, our intrepid explorer came up with this pearl from Comrade Begg: "Our problem is not the size of our public service, but the collapse of our tax base."

In the entire and voluminous history of trade union brainlessness, has there ever been a remark as devoid of cerebral content as that?

Every single penny in tax-take goes on public service incomes, but that is still not enough; and so we still have to borrow over €200m a week, just to match the public-sector pay bill alone. And worse still is the proposed cure: the terms set for Colm McCarthy's committee to propose economies.

This is well-named as An Bord Snip, for it is limited to making cuts in public services, but none in the number of public servants.

The latter will remain as numerous as ever: they'll just have less work to do.

And, of course, since we all know that these economies will not be nearly enough, the International Monetary Fund will sooner or later move in, bearing glittering scythes. It will sack droves of public servants, cut all pensions, slash judges' pay, and halt all tribunals, and best of all, it will savage TDs' incomes and expenses.

It will do this. This is as certain as the Saharan sun burns. And the reason this will happen is that Fianna Fail -- and that piece of reptile's foreskin otherwise known as the Greens -- would prefer to have some nameless foreigners take the blame for the necessary fiscal surgery than impose it themselves.

In the meantime, terrible and probably irreversible damage will have been done to our economy.

But, of course, neither that, nor even the loss of sovereignty to the IMF, matters much to our political masters.

Provided outsiders are seen to be doing the dirty work, which of course Fianna Fail will protest vehemently at, the gamble is that the party will once again be returned to office in the next election.

That there is neither pride nor dignity -- and least of all, patriotism -- in such a ploy is utterly irrelevant.

For as the heirs of Kim Il-sung or deValera alike will tell you, political power is the purpose. It is all that counts, no matter how ignobly or basely it is achieved.