For a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity."

We need jobs, not wars.

Monday, March 23, 2009

The United States has 800 military bases on foreign soil...

What we need--- instead--- is 800 public health care centers spread out across the United States where people can universally access, for free, all their health care needs from pre-natal care, to general health care to eye, dental and mental care right through to burial.

Instead of moving in this progressive direction, President Barack Obama and the United States Congress are moving in a most reactionary direction towards establishing military bases in outer space as they seek to insure the profits of both the merchants of death and destruction and the profit-driven health care industries... talk about skewed priorities and your wacky ideas devoid of common sense.

In addition to these 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil, Barack Obama and the United States Congress continue funding--- with our tax-dollars--- the Israeli killing machine to the tune of tens of billions of dollars.

A network of 800 public health care centers spread out across the United States would create over four-million good-paying, decent jobs--- talk about your "economic stimulus" package!

We would be planting the seeds of socialism while helping to eradicate poverty as we keep people healthy and get them well when sick.

Think about this kind of solution in relation to what Barack Obama, the U.S. Congress and the Wall Street bankers and coupon clippers are offering the American people, and the peoples of the world... just what is the reason for bailing out the banks and AIG and maintaining more than 800 expensive U.S. military bases of foreign soil?

The Mt. Carmel Clinic in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada offers us a glimpse at what militarization and wars continue to rob us of.

The problems created by Wall Street will not be solved as long as the military-financial-industrial complex is allowed to squander human and natural resources on militarism and wars... we might just as well be dumping these resources out into the ocean... at least no one would die in wars.

These merchants of death and destruction must be stopped if humanity is to survive in a livable world.

The time has come to talk about the working class Marxist politics and economics of livelihood... capitalism has failed humanity miserably and left us a real mess.

Something for working people to think about and discuss around the dinner table... the capitalist sooth-Sayers certainly are not going to broach such solutions to the problems of working people as they hide behind the skirt of Rosy Scenario as this global capitalist economic depression intensifies.

Alan Maki

Thursday, January 22, 2009

An e-mail from Brian Melendez the head of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party

Mr. Melendez who is the head of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party sent me this e-mail:

Mr. Maki,

Enough already.

Give Gaza a rest. Just let us enjoy our victory in electing Barack Obama.

You take up a cause and you try to push that cause down our throats. What don't you understand? We don't care about your diatribes about Gaza.

You started out demanding justice for casino workers claiming a little smoke is harmful to their health. Let them get another job if they don't like the opportunity we have given them. With you it is always demanding. Your list of demands is never ending.

You started with your casino workers. From there you went to demanding single-payer health care and this has turned into your demand for socialized health care because we didn't give you and your casino workers single-payer as soon as you demanded it.

You harp endlessly about Iraq.

Now you have taken up the cause of Palestinians and you are bashing our best friend and ally, Israel.

No, you aren't satisfied with taking up one of your issues at a time. Now you put them all together like they are related in some way and shove then all down our throats.

We are getting fed up with you. We have a big tent. Apparently our tent is not big enough for you and all your causes. Please pack up your tent and move elsewhere. Might I suggest you take your tent to Gaza.

Just leave us alone and give President Obama a chance.

Brian Melendez,Chair, MNDFL



My response:

Mr. Melendez,

Too many "causes: for you eh?

Well, how many different promises does the Democratic Party make to voters to get elected, which you conveniently ignore once elected.

For your information, all the "causes" I am involved in are related. These problems, you call them "causes," all stem from this rotten capitalist system.

Might I suggest that you move on... perhaps find yourself a job working in one of your beloved smoke-filled casinos.

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Non-Aligned Movement condemns Israeli atrocities in Gaza

Statement by the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement on the Non-Compliance by Israel with Security Council Resolution 1860 (2009) and the Escalation of the Israeli Military Aggression against the Gaza Strip New York, 12 January 2009



The Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) met at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 12 January 2009 and considered the grave situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in the Gaza Strip, as a result of the massive military aggression that continues to be carried out by Israel, the occupying Power, against the Palestinian civilian population.



NAM reiterates its strong condemnation of the massive military aggression being carried out by Israel against the Palestinian civilian population in the besieged Gaza Strip.



NAM condemns in the strongest terms Israel’s blatant disregard of Security Council resolution 1860 (2009), which was adopted by the Council on 8 January 2009 and which calls, inter alia, for an immediate ceasefire, and its flagrant defiance of the repeated calls from the international community for a complete cessation of military activities.



NAM calls for the immediate implementation of Security Council resolution 1860, including in particular its call for an immediate ceasefire leading to the withdrawal of the Israeli occupying forces from Gaza as well as for measures to address the pressing humanitarian and economic needs of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, including by the sustained and permanent opening of Gaza’s border crossings fully in accordance with the terms and provisions of resolution 1860, to ensure the free access of humanitarian aid and other essential supplies and goods and to facilitate the passage of persons to and from the Gaza Strip.



NAM reiterates that this brutal Israeli military aggression against the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip constitutes a grave breach of international law, including humanitarian and human rights law, and is causing vast suffering among the Palestinian civilian population, fueling the cycle of violence and threatening international peace and security as well as the fragile peace process between the two sides.



NAM reiterates its deep regret at the vast loss of innocent lives and injury being caused to Palestinian civilians by this brutal Israeli military campaign as well as at the extensive destruction being caused to homes, properties and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. In this regard, NAM expresses its deepest condolences to the grieving Palestinian people as they mourn the loss of more than 900 Palestinians killed, including more than 280 children, and the more than 4,000 Palestinians injured, including more than 1,200 children, by the occupying forces in the Gaza Strip.



NAM once again expresses its grave concern at the widespread suffering and trauma being inflicted on the Palestinian civilian population and at the deepening human tragedy and humanitarian disaster unfolding in the Gaza Strip as a result of the continuing military actions by Israel, the occupying Power, against the civilian population as well as its ongoing blockade of Gaza, obstructing the movement of persons and goods, including of humanitarian personnel and vital humanitarian supplies, including of desperately-needed food, medicines, and fuel, into, out of and throughout the Gaza Strip in collective punishment of the civilian population.



In light of the continuation of this illegal and unacceptable situation, NAM thus urgently calls once again for an immediate cessation of all military activities and violence. NAM calls for all efforts to be exerted to compel Israel, the occupying Power, to cease this aggression and to scrupulously abide by all of its obligations under international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. In this regard, the Movement demands that Israel unconditionally comply with its obligations as the occupying Power under the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949.



Moreover, in light of the dire situation being faced by the Palestinian civilian population under Israeli occupation and aggression in the Gaza Strip, NAM reiterates its calls for the immediate provision of protection for the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip in accordance with the relevant provisions of international humanitarian law.



NAM expresses its serious concerns regarding the extensive difficulties being faced by medical and rescue workers in the Gaza Strip in evacuating and treating civilians wounded and in need of emergency medical treatment due to Israel’s continued targeting and obstruction of ambulances and rescue workers and due to severe shortages in medical supplies and the disrepair and unavailability of the necessary equipment to respond to this critical situation, which is exacerbating the suffering of the civilian population. In this regard, NAM expresses its strong condemnation regarding Israel’s targeting and killing of U.N. humanitarian personnel, including UNRWA personnel, working tirelessly to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, and calls upon the occupying Power to respect international law and the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.



NAM stresses the need for intensified and coordinated efforts by the international community to bring an end to this crisis and to exert all necessary efforts to support and promote the peace process as well as to ensure respect for international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law, the key to a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Arab-Israeli conflict as a whole, as the sole means to guarantee a lasting peace in the region.



NAM expresses its support for all diplomatic and political efforts and initiatives being exerted at the international and regional levels to address this crisis, including by the United Nations system, stressing once again that there is no military solution to this crisis or to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a whole.



NAM supports and calls for the full implementation of Human Rights Council resolution on the grave violations of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly due to the Israeli military attacks against the occupied Gaza Strip, adopted on Monday, 12 January 2009, and the speedy dispatch of the independent international fact-finding mission called for therein to investigate violations of human rights and of international law by Israel.



The Movement will actively consider all possible actions in order to guarantee the investigation and prosecution of all those responsible for crimes against the civilian population in Gaza. In this regard, NAM stresses that Criminal Justice must take its course.



NAM also underscores that the General Assembly, the most democratic and representative body of the United Nations, has the duty to duly respond to the concerns of the international community regarding the crisis situation in the Gaza Strip as a result of the Israeli military campaign and add its voice and weight to that of the Security Council in calling for an immediate ceasefire and for respect by the occupying Power of its obligations under international law, including humanitarian and human rights law.



In that context, NAM supports the convening of the resumed 10th emergency special session of the General Assembly at the earliest possible date and requests the President of the General Assembly to begin forthwith the process of consultations to that effect.



NAM stresses the urgency of continued efforts by the international community and relevant UN organs and specialized agencies to effectively address the many political, humanitarian, socio-economic and security ramifications of this crisis.



At this critical time, the Movement specifically calls upon the international community to make a special effort to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, including by extending emergency assistance to meet the urgent requirements of the population of Gaza. The Movement also calls upon the international community to pledge the necessary assistance to rebuild the infrastructure of Gaza at the earliest feasible juncture, and the economy of Gaza as well as the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Movement underlines that the international community must invest in the recovery and development of economic infrastructure and capacity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which would contribute to an environment conducive for the resumption of the peace process.



The Movement reaffirms its commitment to a peaceful solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to the right of the Palestinian people to exercise self-determination and sovereignty in their independent State of Palestine, on the basis of the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.