| Obama: Hoses-down U.S. economy, revives global Marxist t-shirt market, hearts Czarism, ducks ACORN report, takes blow from U.S. socialists, abandoned by VA Dems. Mismanagement: Joblessness gains, corruption rules labor-states, Chicago Islamists plot end of market-based economies, Dems fund ACORN endowment, ACORN's partisan operatives outed, racism plagues Trumka, job-killers add a notch, fraud-laced SEIU-AFSCME vote-by-mail result iced by judge, IBEW on strike International: Putin arms Chávez, oppressed workers protest Chávez, Communist labor pains in S.A., Ecuador's Correa goes deadbeat, Honduran unionists & Obama back leftwing thug. |
Mission Accomplished 2.0 ... "US President Barack Obama defended his administration’s response to the economic crisis over the last six months, declaring: “The fire is now out.” “I think that we have stepped back from the abyss. I think we’ve put out the fire,” he said in an interview with PBS, according to a transcript released by the TV station. But Obama, who is facing declining popularity ratings for the first time in his presidency, said a lot remains to be done to fix the recession-mired US economy. “The analogy I use sometimes is, we had this beautiful house. And there was a fire. We came in and we had to hose it down. The fire is now out, but what we’ve discovered is, we need some new tuckpointing, the roof’s leaking, the boiler’s out, oh, and by the way, we’re way behind on our mortgage,” Obama said." (google.com)Related video: We've rescued the economy?
Thanks to Obama, Marxism is cool again ... Suddenly Karl Marx is cool again. Not only in continental Europe, home of so-called "social capitalism," but also in the United States (although in states such as Oklahoma it's a criminal offense to have a copy of "Das Kapital" in your library). Already in 1998, prominent American capitalist and billionaire George Soros, the man who "broke the Bank of England," wrote that "the capitalist system by itself shows no tendency toward equilibrium." "The owners of capital seek to maximize their profits. Left to their own devices, they would continue to accumulate capital until the situation became unbalanced. Marx and Engels gave a very good analysis of the capitalist system 150 years ago, better in some ways, I must say, than the equilibrium theory of classical economics," he wrote. (shanghaidaily.com)
Obama solves biggest U.S. problem ... Americans can finally stop hiding behind the Canadian flag when they travel abroad, according to survey results that show a global surge in favourable views toward the United States. The annual Pew Global Attitudes project, which chronicled the grim descent of America's standing in the world throughout the George W. Bush era, yesterday released a new trove of data that shows anti-Americanism melting away under President Barack Obama. (thestar.com)
Labor-states breed bipartisan gov't corruption ... It's sad and disheartening to see that the mayors of three New Jersey cities, two state legislators and several current and past public officials were among more than 40 people arrested Thursday in a sweeping corruption investigation conducted by the FBI. What's even sadder is New Jersey residents aren't surprised. How could they be after seeing more than 130 public officials plead guilty to or be convicted of corruption since 2001? The head of the FBI's white collar and public corruption investigation division called the state's corruption problem " (thedailyjournal.com)
Chicago Islamist confab decries global capitalism ... A militant Islamist group, Hizb ut-Tahrir al Islami (The Islamic Liberation Party), held a recruiting conference in Chicago on Sunday July 19. Not surprisingly, the major liberal-left media pretty much ignored the event, as they have done with countless similar events in recent years. (thenewamerican.com)
Obama mute as Russians arm Chávez to the teeth ... Venezuela will continue to purchase weapons and intelligence equipment from Russia including tanks, President Hugo Chávez said on state television. Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizalez recently traveled to Moscow to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin with a letter expressing the intention to buy weapons, Chávez said. “I’ve approved most of the purchases and we’ll purchase as much as our possibilities allow,” Chávez was quoted by Bloomberg as saying. “We need to improve our ground, sea, and air power, and we’ll continue strengthening it.” (mosnews.com)
Obama's rule-by-Czars: We don't need no stinkin' advice and consent ... Perhaps your readers might find it interesting to see an alphabetical listing of all the current czars presently in the Obama administration. They include: Afghanistan, AIDS, bailout, border, car, climate, counterterrorism, cybersecuity, domestic violence, drug, economic, energy and environment, finance, government performance, global warming, great lakes, green jobs, Guantanamo closure/military jails, health, homeland security, infotech, Iran, national intelligence, pay, regulatory, religion, science, Sudan, stimulus oversight, TARP, technology, trade, urban affairs and weapons of mass destruction. Some I noted from TV, and the rest I found listed on the Internet. There appear to be 35 separate czars at the moment. I suppose there may be more in the offing, who knows? All these so-called czars have names. All of them must have offices with staffs and budgets. None of these individuals are accountable to anyone except President Obama, who has appointed them. They have power to do certain things and are not accountable to Congress. Most of the people we have never heard of, and they have never been vetted or approved by Congress. This is dangerous. It bypasses the Constitution with its protections of our freedoms. (hudsonstarobserver.com)
GOP rips ACORN a new one ... The election fraud factory known as ACORN should be stripped of its jealously guarded tax-exempt status because it illegally spends taxpayer dollars on partisan activities, commits "systemic fraud," and violates racketeering and election laws, according to a congressional report unveiled yesterday. Republican investigators on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee found that by "intentionally blurring the legal distinctions between 361 tax-exempt and non-exempt entities, ACORN diverts taxpayer and tax-exempt monies into partisan political activities." "Operationally, ACORN is a shell game played in 120 cities, 43 states and the District of Columbia through a complex structure designed to conceal illegal activities, to use taxpayer and tax-exempt dollars for partisan political purposes, and to distract investigators," the report says. Structurally, it is "a chess game in which senior management is shielded from accountability by multiple layers of volunteers and compensated employees who serve as pawns to take the fall for every bad act." The report was "specifically done so that the facts speak for themselves so that very clearly we could make the case that ACORN cannot be receiving government money and should lose its tax-free status," the congressman said. The unprecedented, damning new 88-page report --"Is ACORN Intentionally Structured As a Criminal Enterprise?" (PDF available here) -- declares that "[t]he weight of evidence against ACORN and its affiliates is astounding." (spectator.org)
Union-backed, tax-funded political fraud unit gets big raise ... A nonprofit group committing a crime conjures up images of terrorist fundraising. But $8.5 billion in taxpayer money may go to specialists in political terror: the tax-exempt scam artists of ACORN. Did Democrats come to their present dominance of both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington thanks in large part to a "syndicate of tax-exempt organizations" that "has coordinated and implemented a nationwide strategy of tax fraud, racketeering, money-laundering and manipulating the American electorate"? The reams of evidence provided by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee ranking Republican Darrell Issa of California and his GOP colleagues on the panel strongly suggest so. Their more-than-80-page report charges that the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) has over the last 15 years received in excess of $53 million in federal funds. Moreover, as the report warns, "under the Obama administration, ACORN stands to receive a whopping $8.5 billion in available stimulus funds." (investors.com)
Oppressive union bigs outed ... In case you missed it, earlier this month the Washington Examiner reported that from 2005 to 2008, Big Labor's big money boys have funneled nearly $10 million from forced-dues-fueled union treasuries to the scandal-ridden Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (popularly known as "ACORN") and its affiliates. According to the report, leading the way is the scandal-plauged Service Employees International Union (SEIU), doling out a whopping $7.4 million; followed by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the Longshore and Warehouse Union, the Communication Workers of America (CWA), and the National Education Association (NEA) unions. One must wonder if the workers who are "represented" by SEIU union bosses are even aware that their dues are funding a "mob-style 'protection' racket." (nrtw.org)
Socialists enraged by D.C. Dems ... It was a foregone conclusion that Republicans and big business would fight tooth and nail against the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, the union bill that would make organizing easier, but in the end it was Democrats who killed it. The Socialist Worker, appropriately enough, has the most comprehensive take on the story to date. Some readers might be inclined to dismiss analysis by socialist-anything, but they should put aside their suppositions and read this well-thought-out report with open minds. (truthdig.com)
Virginia Dems run away from President Obama ... A new poll shows President Barack Obama's popularity in Virginia has slipped below 50 percent. The Public Policy poll of 617 likely general election voters showed Obama with a 48 percent approval rating, which is within the poll's margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. The survey showed 46 percent disapproval and 6 percent not sure. The opinion is highly polarized, the poll shows, with 95 percent of Democrats but only 9 percent of Republicans viewing him favorably. Fifty-two percent of independents disapprove of his performance with only 38 percent approving. (timesdispatch.com)
Trumka to NAACP: Union officials are racist bosses, too ... But we also know that there are some people who have a stake in keeping the Employee Free Choice Act from passing. They're companies who don't see workers as their best asset, but as their biggest expense. I'm talking companies whose definition of labor-management cooperation is when workers keep their mouths shut and do as they're told. I'm talking about CEOs – not all of them, but far too many – who have convinced themselves that there's no way they can get ahead without leaving their employees behind. Those have made it crystal clear that they will do whatever it takes to keep the Employee Free Choice Act from ever making it to President Obama's desk. They have been waging one of the most expensive, divisive and dishonest lobbying campaigns in U.S. history. Now, am I saying the other side is deliberately trying to mislead people? (pww.org)
Minimum wage hiked: U.S. job-killers take more scalps ... Anyone who has taken an introductory economics course is familiar with the idea that a minimum wage leads to a reduction in the demand for labor and an increase in the supply of labor in the relevant market — usually, the market for low-skill workers. The minimum wage removes the ability of some workers to compete by accepting lower wages and shuts them out of the labor force. As a result, it reduces job opportunities for these workers. A minimum wage breaks the hinges on the door of opportunity. (mises.org)
Show Me: Fraud-laced SEIU-AFSCME vote-by-mail scam to be probed ... A Missouri judge has temporarily blocked the certification of a union election for in-home care providers after a company filed a lawsuit alleging election flaws and violations of the state's open-government laws. Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem issued the restraining order Tuesday. But neither the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations nor the new Missouri Home Care Union mentioned it Wednesday when announcing vote totals showing the unionization effort passed. (forbes.com)
Oppressed IBEW unionists draw a line in the sand ... Union workers continued to strike on Thursday as negotiation are delayed at the Bemis plant in Terre Haute. Strikers started a picket line Tuesday night after their current contract expired. Union members objected to the company's new contract proposals to make insurance changes at any time and to use more temporary employees, who earn wages much lower than the average worker. (wthitv.com)International Collectivism
Trouble in Paradise: Workers protest LatAm kleptocrat ... Protesting steelworkers took over the main court building in Puerto Ordaz, Bolívar state, Friday morning in demand of payment of what they claimed was more than $500 million in debt due them. The occupation was said to have taken place without violence, although the response of the authorities was unclear. The protest was the latest step in a simmering labor dispute at Sidor, the steelmaking company that was re-nationalized by President Hugo Chávez in a negotiated deal with Ternium, the Latin American steelmaking unit of Argentina's Techint Group. (laht.com)
Worker-management dysfunction plagues new Communist rulers ... South Africans should brace themselves for a tsunami of strikes amid service delivery protests that will bring life to a standstill. Come next week your rubbish will not be collected, you might not have electricity and your usual train will not roll up at the station. Your shopping trip to Makro, Dion and Game shops might be blocked since workers intend downing tools. And don’t expect help at traffic departments and emergency services. Coupled with protests over inadequate service delivery in townships, the country’s economic wheels will most likely grind to a halt. This is the strike season again and unions are demanding more money, better working conditions and the abolition of labour brokers. (sowetan.co.za)
Friend of Hugo: Ecuador don't need not stinkin' rule of law ... Ecuador will defy a World Bank arbitration body if it rules in favor of the Paris-based oil company Perenco SA in a dispute over $357 million in taxes, President Rafael Correa said Thursday. "We are willing to take this to its ultimate consequences with Perenco. We are not going to let these multinational companies continue to treat us like colonies," Correa told Quito-based Sonoram radio. Perenco is challenging a 2007 increase in Ecuador's windfall profits tax, calling it a unilateral and illegal modification of the company's contracts, which end in 2010 and 2012. (forbes.com)
Cult of Narcissism: Obama-backed LatAm leftist thug shames nation ... Zelaya on Thursday completed the first stage of a dramatic bid to end his military-imposed exile, traveling to the border town of Esteli, northern Nicaragua, and vowing to cross the nearby frontier on Friday or Saturday. Defying government threats to arrest him and multiple warnings that the move would likely prompt bloodshed, Zelaya boarded a 50-vehicle caravan in the Nicaraguan capital Managua, accompanied by a phalanx of media and supporters. (google.com)
Unionists rally against Honduran Constitution ... Grassroots organizations in Honduras on Thursday blocked several highways within the framework of a general strike to demand the reinstatement of deposed President Mel Zelaya. Union members, teachers and activists from the National Resistance Front are participating in the pressure tactics, said spokesmen for the movement. (laht.com)
