On “Full support to Wisconsin workers!”
From the little that I’ve been able to stomach, seen entirely as reported on Al Jazeera, of Barack Obama pontificating about workers’ rights in Wisconsin, I’m struck by the utter hypocrisy of what he’ll say about that, yet propose reduction of federal employee’s pay and benefits. I hope WSWS roundly addresses this.
And considering hypocrisy, how the Obamaites can mouth support for the freedom of expression for Egyptians and initially advocate for Mubarak, how Hillary Clinton can mouth freedom of expression and with a smile do so while a peaceful, silent protester is thugged to a police station, is all to their discredit.
Michael S
19 February 2011
***
Full support to Wisconsin workers article is right on target. It is very troubling to see the trust of the Democratic Party and the business unions.
William B
Georgia, USA
19 February 2011
On “Tens of thousands demonstrate against attacks on government workers in Wisconsin”
The unions are also concerned with the section of the bill requiring annual recertification (Vote) of the union itself.
Dennis
17 February 2011
On “Thousands in Wisconsin demonstrate against cuts”
This is one of the brutal results of the Harley-Davidson “settlement” which was reported well by WSWS. What worked for H-D is being used as a model to destroy all unions. Except this undoubtedly chicken-hawk Governor threatens force by “his” National Guard. This brings to mind the Ludlow Massacre in Colorado when troops and thugs were used against strikers at Rockefeller’s mine. Will part-time soldiers allow themselves to be used as thugs? As GWB said in 2003 about Iraqi “dead-enders,” “Bring ‘em on!” He got his wish.
Richey H
Arizona, USA
16 February 2011
On “Wisconsin governor threatens to call National Guard on state workers”
Well I guess the state workers might be joining the club. Employees of the executive branch of the US government (mostly working for the cabinet departments) do not have the right to collectively bargain over pay and benefits either, and lack the right to strike also. All 775,000 of us.
Michael W
14 February 2011
***
You have got to be kidding me. If these moves aren’t illegal they certainly are incorrigible, and should be stopped. The National Guard?? For Pete’s sake, what is our new Governor thinking??
Merle C
Wisconsin, USA
15 February 2011
On “Video: Madison, Wisconsin demonstrations gain strength”
This was an excellent video report. Thanks to all involved and keep up the good work.
Ed H
20 February 2011
On “Egyptian military commands a vast business empire”
This is a brilliant article. I’m unfamiliar with the comrade, but he should receive some sort of recognition for this excellent level of investigative journalism.
James C
17 February 2011
On “The Egyptian Revolution enters a new stage”
I’m sure you are correct about the counter-revolutionary desires of the leadership of the Egyptian army and Obama. But here it’s their power that counts. And whatever the outcome it cannot hide the truth of every regime in every class society. If enough people do different (for long enough) the world is different. The reign of every Emperor, King, President and Prime Minister requires a level of social obedience to the regime’s power nexus. When this is broken through the actions of members of the corresponding communities, the reign is over. The pyramids are still in Egypt but the Pharaohs have departed. The Colosseum is still in Rome but no Emperors are to be found there. Class societies are not stones and no monuments of stone can give them the durability of the ‘natural ‘ elements. But every class society that has ever been has given this lie its particular concrete form (New York Stock Exchange etc). Personally most appropriate for this ‘traveler from an antique land’ I’m off to read Shelly’s Ozymandias. Keep going, everything might not be going your way but some things are.
Chris
Ireland
14 February 2011
On “Build the Pakistani section of the International Committee of the Fourth International!”
Hi there. The article on Pakistan’s recent history, current social conditions and future prospects from Marxist Voice is outstandingly informative and incisive. I have learned a lot from it.
Thanks,
Eric S
Beijing, China
17 February 2011
On “Obama’s budget and the rot of American capitalism”
“In every aspect of its policies and of its social being, the ruling class itself makes the case for socialist revolution.”
Wow - great closing sentence! That says it all.
Greg S
New Hampshire, USA
16 February 2011
On “Rising food prices threaten 1 billion with chronic hunger”
Corn for fuel in place of corn for food, profit motive pushes people to poverty further. Besides, an article with international perspective, showing clearly about the growing global hunger. It has affected majority of middle class sections too. Many more uprisings not too far.
Sathish
21 February 2011
***
It is surprising that an article on food price inflation does not highlight the major impact of the FED QE flooding the economy with currency, allowing hedge funds and other speculators access to practically free money, causing massive price increases of all commodities, not just food.
JZ
21 February 2011
***
Thanks for this article, Naomi. What a complete waste of humanity as a result of capitalism.
Thushara
21 February 2011
On “WikiLeaks: Verdict on Assange extradition due February 24”
“Presenting no evidence as to the content of the allegations, Montgomery said that the Swedish definition of rape was ‘pan-European’ and ‘If Sweden says it’s rape, it’s rape’.”
After the activities of police infiltration of direct action groups across Europe were revealed last month (See, “Police agent Mark Kennedy was active throughout Europe”), forty women picketed New Scotland Yard protesting against the sexual abuse of women by undercover police officers.
At least four police officers have been identified as having had sex with activists as part of their intelligence gathering work, but the figure is likely to be much higher. One woman interviewed by the Guardian said that she knew of multiple cases and that there was a repeated pattern of officers forming long-term relationships with those that they were spying on.
A woman present at the Scotland Yard protest said, “It’s time for the abuse of women by undercover police officers to stop. If a person is pretending to be somebody else, if they are spying on you, then you absolutely cannot give your informed consent. Women are not able to make an informed decision about who they are having a relationship with if they are being duped by police officers. “
Tomeile
Ireland
12 February 2011
On “Obama to slash home heating assistance for low-income families and seniors”
I have been horrified since reading this on the news. Our president is going to cut heating assistance in a time when people are having difficulties just keeping their heat on in the winter. Then the author says it would be understandable if the unemployment rate was 5 percent. No, that would still leave 5 percent of our population struggling with diesel fuel and space heaters, using the stove for heat, trying to bundle up against the cold. I live in Iowa. I can just imagine how cold these people would get. Didn’t they learn anything in Detroit? When those houses burned? They can give a tax cut to the richest in this country, they can continue to finance billions of dollars for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, they gave those tax cuts to corporations and people that are sitting on 1.7 trillion dollars in profits which they never reinvested for jobs. Why do they think giving them a tax cut is going to stimulate jobs? With these two wars, the rich getting richer, we are never going to be taking care of our poor and middle class. We’re going to become another Greece.
Patricia G
14 February 2011
On “Video: Wanda Scott tells her story”
My children watched this with me and were moved by Wanda Scott’s story, outraged. There are thousands of people living in intolerable conditions right here in Michigan, treated like criminals because of forcible poverty, denied the right to live a modern life,
condemned to suffer and then punished for it. I would like to know what Ms. Scott thinks about the events in Egypt and Tunisia.
This is a woman speaking the experiences of a class that’s never been listened to and needs to be heard, speaking for itself, heard by itself. The American working class will wield its dignity as a tremendous weapon one day soon.
EG
12 February 2011
***
You are to be commended for this extraordinary exposure of a cold-blooded system that has taken to treating law-abiding citizens who are in need of financial assistance to keep the heat on, far worse than the gangsters who are robbing us everyday with over-priced utilities and other basic necessities while they continue to pad their expense accounts and retirements with our money. How can we call ourselves civilized when the state has the power to tear apart a perfectly intelligent woman and her elderly father because they can’t come up with the money to pay a huge heating bill while every day I read another story about an obscene salary plus benefits being raked in by a suit. The contrast between rich and poor in this country just gets starker.
GC
13 February 2011
On “Obama’s proposed budget to slash funding for historic preservation, National Park Service”
Dear Janel—I don’t disagree with the facts of this essay; it’s all quite true. But I have a different perspective on the matter, perhaps because I’ve worked for these outfits. The National Park Service still enjoys a flagship status—considered the “elite”—among the services of the Department of Interior (DOI). It is, however, a thoroughly corrupt organization, from top to bottom. Congressional funding for them is hardly a guarantee that they will fulfill their “mission” to preserve historic sites. Most of the major parks and historic sites are largely props for restaurant, hotel franchises and tour companies. Allotting money for “brick and mortar”, even for “small business owners” is a recipe for wage theft and shoddy workmanship. National Park Service careerists—and their DOI counterparts—vigorously suppress any complaints about these abuses. Egyptian students and workers did not go to the streets to fund the agencies “preserving” the Great Pyramids of the Nile. They did so to throw out the Mubarak regime and start a social revolution. Nothing less than a social revolution will “save” the NPS historic sites in the United States. The moral to the story (a la Thurber): Don’t have a conniption; walk like an Egyptian.
Randy R
Arizona, USA
15 February 2011