Democracy Now (DN) ran a segment this morning about The Nation Magazine article titled Big Brothers: Thought Control at Koch. The article is about a packet sent by the Kochs last fall telling their 50,00 employees how to vote in the 2010 elections. This DN segment is well worth seeing.
The article link, which I have not read yet, is: http://www.thenation.com/article/160062/big-brothers-thought-control-koch .
Who are the Koch Brothers? Check out this article from last August in the New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/30/100830fa_fact_mayer
It appears that the Supreme Court ruling last year on Citizens United (CU), went much further than just allowing corporations (now defined as a person for free speech) to contribute unlimited amounts of money to political campaigns. From findings reported in the article, CU allows employers to tell their employees to vote their way or else.... Employees that speak up, opposed to their employer, run a risk of being fired. It was pointed out in the DN segment that 49 of the 50 states in the USA are "fire at will" states, meaning the employer can fire anyone for no reason. These conditions stifle free speech of employees.
I now have a further question. Did the Koch brothers buy the Supreme Court?
Just a little background: The Koch's host bi-annual meetings to plan out political moves. Attending the meetings are about 150 common-thinking rich friends, politicians, and other dignitaries. I hear that at least two current Supreme Court Justices have attended a meetings in the past. Have others? Why would they be there? Are they not supposed to be neutral to politics? I don't know, but it seems fishy.
It just feels wrong, like another example of failing democracy in the USA. Certain rich will rule us as a plutocracy.
What do you think? Am I overly concerned?
What? Unions don’t push a political a agenda and ask their members to vote a certain way?. And Koch Brothers are horrible because they are voicing an opinion they hold? And the Tea Party is fake. That one is funny!
ReplyDeleteIsn’t it the teacher’s union pushing not only union members but also private citizens to recall politicians in WI? No Unions wouldn’t do that… We are all Americans and we ALL have the right to speech. Money or not!
Is there a reason you delete comments? Afraid that the views may be correct and know out your points?
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the comments above. Maybe Anonymous can clarify.
ReplyDeleteUnions pass out literature to their members ALL THE TIME to encourage the vote to the way they want, so in this interview the bloggers are lying, in saying they don’t. I was a Teamster.
ReplyDeleteThe bloggers say that the tea party isn’t a movement, have they not seen a of the tea party rally?
There is a HUGE push to recall politicians in WI and it is being pushed by the public teachers union.
To act as though the Koch brothers are committing wrong when clearly unions do the same thing is media hype and a joke wrapped into one!
To Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteA union is it's members, a democracy. The management is elected to run the union as the members want, by vote of the membership. The management is there to keep the membership aware of how to vote to protect the interests of the members. Were you aware as a Teamster that you could voice your opinion to help make changes?
Koch brothers are a kingdom or dictatorship. They answer to no one but themselves. They wield tremendous control with their money and are free to state their version of truth, not what their employees vote to be truth.
The Tea Party may seems like a movement to the participants. Yet it was started and likely controlled by its funders, the Koch brothers. It appeared to be a grassroots movement until the discovery of the behind the scenes Kochs.
Wisconsin recalls are supported by all of the unions and non-union working people not just the teachers. All workers are losing their sources of livelihood. This pot has been on a low flame fire for over 30 years. Many workers are beginning to feel the heat and they don't like it. It will be interesting to see if the workers can turn the tsunami of big money pressing for the greedy rich back into a democracy.
I’m sorry, but being a part of the teamsters union was far from a democracy.
ReplyDeleteFist I had NO CHOICE in becoming a Teamster. Because I was seeking employment at a place that would help pay for my education I was FORCED to become a Teamster just to be employed there. The Teamsters then took more than $500 of my first earnings for becoming a Teamster, and also took Union dues. Sounds like democracy.
I was told by union stewards not to use the companies college reimbursement plan and consider becoming full time and in 5 years I could earn a top rate of 60K. This happened on almost a daily basis for the 3 years I was employed. Sounds like democracy.
The contract for the union was up and came time for members to vote on strike, and our stewards told us to vote to strike. Sounds like democracy.
EVERY election cycle I received NUMEROUS letters from the union on who to vote for in elections, backed with stewards telling us who we need to vote for. Sounds like democracy.
The stewards were supposed to represent me? No they were yes men to the leadership so they could earn more money. Sounds like democracy.
You are mistaken when you call a union a democracy. They are no different than the Koch brothers. Oh wait, there is a difference. The unions use the money they TOOK from the union member to push their political ideals; at least the Koch’s use their own money.
What you said about the tea party can also be said about the unions, and again unions using money from it’s own members, in many cases against their own members.
My point in all of this is- the bloggers flat lied when they said the unions don’t put out “who to vote for” letters. I would gladly accept a single letter from the Koch brothers than the hundreds of letters and thugs pushing me to vote for what Teamsters wanted.
So again media hype and a joke wrapped into one!
To Anonomous
ReplyDeleteThe $500 you had to pay was a portion of the extra thousands of dollars that you were paid over what you would have been paid in a non-union shop.
Sounds like you experienced what unions do for your interest. You have representation so that you didn't have to learn the details of why the union does what it does for you. If you were that interested you would work your way up in the union leadership.
$60 k is a good paying job today. Try to find a job that pays that now among the working ranks.
Enough on this subject. I'm going on to others.
“You have representation so that you didn't have to learn the details of why the union does what it does for you.” Where is personal responsibility in that statement? Based on your statement a union is just socialism in sheep’s clothing? Unfortunately there is a large group of complacent Americans who buy into that statement and the UNIONS make their living on them, and it’s a better living than what the workers get.
ReplyDeleteThey NEVER did anything in my best interest. In fact, the Teamsters work for the interest of their leadership, money and power on the backs of the members they, supposedly, represent. They force their members, to vote for their politicians, deceptively keep a workforce from gaining an education to keep member numbers high, and they make a much better living than most executives for doing very little.
AGAIN my point, which you continue to avoid with your sad defense of unions, is the bloggers flat lied when they said the unions don’t put out “who to vote for” letters. They do it continually during every election cycle. Then they complain about the Koch brothers putting out ONE letter, and all of the sudden they are a huge threat to democracy?
So again media hype and a joke wrapped into one!
Oh, Man, whoever you are. I'm done. Good luck with those beliefs.
ReplyDeleteBelief? What I stated are verifiable facts. Is there an election cycle coming up in your area? Just go drive by a tucking or UPS establishment entrance. You will see Teamsters passing out their pamphlets on who they members to vote for. I’m sure because you’re a union supporter they would have no problem letting you have one. I know you won’t try to verify this because you want to BELIEVE the bloggers and their position on the Kochs, and if what I say is true won’t make them look as bad. Guess what?! They are nowhere near as bad as the Teamsters union. Go check it out.
ReplyDeleteDidn't allow my last post? Sad. I feel sorry that you. You really should look into it.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteI don't screen posts. I'm just behind, doing other things.
Any thoughts on other posts?