Ok.. maybe I can support this guy now? :)
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Ok.. maybe I can support this guy now? :)
I'm going to bang the gong again.
I'm reposting my post from this thread, earlier: http://www.transasianaxis.com/vb/sho...&postcount=171
It's 1am. Commodities have spiked. QE2 has just about run it's course. The market is ready to fall off a cliff. WWWEEEEEEEE
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I just want to note something.
In the "Gold will be confiscated soon" thread. http://www.transasianaxis.com/vb/sho...9&postcount=11
I posted some charts explaining what was going on and the fact that we're about 5 seconds up stream from Niagara falls. The indicators of hyper inflation are going to be violent spikes in core commodities like Gold and Silver.
I posted this at FR:
Quote:
Saturday, August 28, 2010 9:00:30 AM · 9 of 40
Malsua to GonzoII
So we just need to watch for a commodity spike and then you’ll know. You can beat everyone to the store and stock up.
I also added in the gold will be confiscated threat:"Essentially what will happen is that when big money cannot flee into Gold, it will move into other commodities. This will trigger real hyperinflation. It will be doomsday.
Make sure you have ammo on hand and several weeks worth of food.
Understand what is happening in this current run-up of gold.
1. Quantitative Easing 2(QE2) is probably going to happen. This is why the market is booming. It means more money for the vampire squids on Wall Street and they smell blood. All QE2 is is the Fed goes ahead and marks on their books that they have a debit...then they go out on the market and purchase stuff. It is no different than Zimbabwe style money printing except it's just a guy at a keyboard. Imagine if you could log into your bank account and add some zeros to your account Balance. The Fed can do this, indeed already has done this twice recently and they will do it again.
2. People know that the dollar is going to lose value and are buying commodities that will only appreciate in value as the dollar plummets.
3. While gold will always typically be worthwhile, it's not where the big value is to be gained. Gold and to some extent silver are played out. The big money needs some where safe to park reserves that can't be inflated away. They are moving into grains and oil. There are other commodities that will get hit after these stop being so attractive.
The Fed will see these commodity spikes and will read it entirely wrong. They will push for QE2(i.e. Printing money) but it won't work. Think of it like this. You're at a party, it's early in the evening, everyone is feeling good with a few drinks in 'em and the DJ plays "Celebrate". Free drinks on the house Everyone gets up, dances, woohoo, big fun, big fun. That was QE1.
An hour and a half later , no one is on the dance floor so the DJ plays Celebrate again and give free drinks. Wee, some people get up, but most are pretty buzzed and might in fact fall over if the dance now. This was QE1.5
Now it's QE2 time. It's 2am. Most of the people have either left or are trying to talk the 2am girl into going home with them. The DJ wants to rev it up "FREE DRINKS ON THE HOUSE!!" and plays Celebrate again. This time, one drunkard stumbles up, raises a glass and slurs out "I love you man" but everyone else left, is trying to get laid or is in the corner barfing from all the free booze.
Well, the DJ is the Fed, the party goers are the big banks, the booze is QE2 and you're the owner of the joint that has to pay for all the booze, clean up all the barf, drive the drunks home while fending off the 2am guy who's trying to get in your pants. He's very insistent and very gay. Oh yeah, I forgot, you used the last bit of money you had to host this party in the first place.
I'll note, today gold and silver hit new highs.
There's still room to play on both of these commodities. Gold should clip 1500 and silver will probably hit $50.
It would be nice if something appeared on the horizon to fix all this but I don't know what that would be.
QE2 is mostly run its course. The only reason we didn't have as much inflation here is that much of QE2 was exported out to other countries, mainly China who absorbed it in several ways one being increasing the capital requirements of banks. This forces the QE money right back out of the system. There were other ways as well...QE2 is starting to end.
The fed will see the spike in commodities and drop in the market as a liquidity problem rather than a fundamental problem. When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. When all you have is a money spigot, everything looks like a giant hole to fill with dollars.
QE3 is on deck, locked and loaded. At some point, even the Chinese will say "No more Hericropter Ben Bernank. We got enough Dorrars now."
If we drop off as the defacto reserve currency due to inflation or any signal from the Saudis, expect the value of the dollar to drop by at least 80%.
The knowledge that we're in deep shit is starting to sink in.
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Why the Dollar's Reign Is Near an End
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...181013248.html
By BARRY EICHENGREEN
The single most astonishing fact about foreign exchange is not the high volume of transactions, as incredible as that growth has been. Nor is it the volatility of currency rates, as wild as the markets are these days.
Instead, it's the extent to which the market remains dollar-centric.
Journal Report
Read the full Foreign Exchange report .
Consider this: When a South Korean wine wholesaler wants to import Chilean cabernet, the Korean importer buys U.S. dollars, not pesos, with which to pay the Chilean exporter. Indeed, the dollar is virtually the exclusive vehicle for foreign-exchange transactions between Chile and Korea, despite the fact that less than 20% of the merchandise trade of both countries is with the U.S.
Chile and Korea are hardly an anomaly: Fully 85% of foreign-exchange transactions world-wide are trades of other currencies for dollars. What's more, what is true of foreign-exchange transactions is true of other international business. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries sets the price of oil in dollars. The dollar is the currency of denomination of half of all international debt securities. More than 60% of the foreign reserves of central banks and governments are in dollars.
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Exerpt
Working Together: 'Revolutionary Socialist' Leads Moveon.org Union Rally in Dallas
The Blaze
March 1, 2011Over the weekend, a self-proclaimed “Marxist” and “Revolutionary Socialist” showed up at a pro-union rally (reportedly one of the ones sponsored by Moveon.org and Van Jones) in Dallas. Not only was he there, but he was also leading the chanting. Such gems as “No war but class war!“ and ”They say cut back we say fight back!” flowed from the the lips of the protesters:
Revolutionary Socialist/Marxist leads MoveOn.org pro-union rally
Later in the day, the group RedWhiteBlueNews approached the chant leader to ask him what socialism has to do with unions. Not only does he admit the unions are the “first step” in achieving a Marxist system, but that is also when he admits he’s a “revolutionary socialist”:
Look Who Showed Up In Dallas To Rally! "Unions are the first step to Marxism"
Well.... I have plenty of ammo. Problem is, there's no zombies yet.
Video – Union Thugs Gone Wild
Quote:
February 28, 2011
I’m Randy Swanson, acting Rhode Island Oath Keepers Chapter President. I’m also a former member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union and Rhode Island Council 94, AFSCME, AFL-CIO. These videos are not meant to foster ill will towards any group of people or unions as a whole. We are not anti-union. But we are anti-thug. We will continue to stand up for the truth, free speech, the Constitution and the rule of law. Violence, threats, and attempts at intimidation have no place in a civil society.
On February 22, 2011 at 3:45 p.m. I arrived at the Rhode Island Statehouse to document a rally that was taking place at our state capitol. Things were going pretty well until I saw one of the “alleged” union members (”perpetrator number one,” in red) moving swiftly through the crowd pushing people out of his way to purposely block one gentleman from filming with his video camera. (See my first video below, which shows him talking to his boss first and getting a pat on the back) This went on for a few minutes, I kept one eye on this intentional altercation while continuing to film the speaker at the podium. During this time there was more commotion behind me and a number of other “alleged” union members were repositioning themselves at the back of another individual with a video camera. They were continuously bumping and shoving the individual until at one point the “alleged” union member with the brown coat (perpetrator number two) stuck his fingers in the face of the innocent cameraman. Some words were exchanged. The camera was nowhere near the perpetrators face as the video clearly shows. The “alleged” union member with the brown jacket (”perpetrator two”) said: “I’ll F-ck your mother” “I’ll F-ck your mother” “How is that?” “How is that?” “I’ll F-ck you up the ass you fagot” “You better get away from here” “You better get away from here” He violently lashed out, leaning forward and at full arm’s-length struck the camera and said:”Get that camera out of my face,” “Get that camera out of my F-cking face,” “F-ck you too” “F-ck you too” and “You’re barking up the wrong tree.”
Then the crowd whipped themselves up into a frenzy chanting “hey hey ho ho union busters got to go” over and over again.
I tried to calm the situation down, the Capitol police arrived and escorted one of the perpetrators from the scene along with the innocent victims.
Then the speaker at the podium singled me out and said: (which I immediately interpreted to be a very thinly veiled threat): Hey brother, hey brother, I’m sure there are more than enough union cards out here that we could present to these people to see if they want to join, all right? while others in the crowd were chanting out “Tea bagger”, “Tea bagger”
I continued filming the event. When the event was over I headed down the stairs towards the Capitol police security station, behind me I could hear more threats of “Tea bagger” “Tea bagger” and “we are going to follow you out of here” “I’ll break his f-in legs” “I’ll break his F-in back.” (unfortunately, we can’t hear those threats on the audio at this time, but we are trying to enhance the audio). I told the Capitol police officer at the security station that there are many cameras that captured the assault on the innocent cameraman and asked him for contact information so I could deliver the evidence of the crime that I had on my camera. the officer told me that Chief Little would be the person to get in touch with and wrote down his phone number for me. This is when the individual, the “alleged” union member we will refer to as “perpetrator three,” that was threatening me behind my back, made his first face-to-face confrontation. In front of the Capitol police, he said: “I am here to keep you from lying,” “you didn’t get assaulted” (which shows that he was indeed following me). I tried to calm him down and said “I never said that I was assaulted” and told him that nobody should fear any truth that may have been captured on any of the video cameras. At this point I became concerned for my safety and also protecting the evidence of the crime that was captured on my video recorder. So I headed out the door to try to return to my vehicle.
Knowing that I have already been threatened a number of times, I continued to let the camera run while pointing it behind me. I walked at a very brisk pace down the sidewalk to return to my vehicle. I glanced behind me a number of times to see if any of the people who had threatened me were following me, and sure enough “perpetrator three” was at my heels. I made an abrupt 180° turn back toward the Statehouse to confirm that I was being stalked (by seeing if he turned to follow me) and when I walked by him he mumbled under his breath “I’ll F-ck you up.” Fearing for my safety and not knowing how many accomplices were involved at that time I swiftly walked back to the Capitol police security station inside the Statehouse. As I expected, “perpetrator three” turned and followed at a short distance as I walked back to the Statehouse. On the way back I passed two of the Union leaders and told them that I was getting threatened and followed by one of their guys and asked them to please tell him to stop. (They did nothing as it shows on the video.) I walked by two more union leaders and told them “one of your guys is following and threatening me, can you tell him to stop.” They also did nothing. This is when I placed my first of five calls to 911. I made it back to the Capitol Police security station and “perpetrator three” took up a post right outside the door.
http://oathkeepers.org/oath/wp-conte.../DSCN56221.JPG
I told Capitol police that he had been stalking and threatening me and that I was on the phone to the 911 emergency center. The Capitol police asked “perpetrator three” what his problem was and if he would move along but he refused. Fearing for my safety and wanting to secure the crime evidence that was stored on my video camera, I asked the Capitol police if they would escort me to my vehicle. While I was walking out of the door with the Capitol police, “perpetrator three” made more threatening gestures and comments. He continued to follow and stalk us all the way to the police vehicle then he stood in front of the vehicle pointing his cell phone at us to take pictures or video. He continued to shout at me through the passenger window as we drove away.
I asked the Capital Police officer if he would mind taking a right out of the driveway so “perpetrator three” and his accomplices could not follow us along the same path they did last time which was to the left. Then I asked the Capitol Police Officer if he could drop me off in front of Borders bookstore (where there would be less chance of being ambushed on the street). He said he would drop me off on the Capitol grounds.
I looked in every direction to see if I could recognize any of the perpetrators stalking me and then I entered Borders bookstore to gain access to my vehicle. I walked through the store and towards the parking garage and there was “perpetrator three” waiting for me in front of the parking garage.
I turned and went back into the Borders bookstore and asked them to call the police (call number two) from their land line and tell the police that this man who had already threatened me a number of times was stalking me and was standing right outside the door, waiting for me at the entrance to the parking garage. I told them that the Capitol police were already aware of the situation, that they had dropped me off and that 911 had already been called. “Perpetrator three” followed me back into the store and continued to harass me in front of 11 witnesses, two clerks, and the store manager. Knowing how persistent he was, and it was obvious now to me that he was intent on getting the evidence of the crime that was stored on my video camera, I called 911 for the third time and also asked the manager of Borders to contact mall security.
“Perpetrator three,” now joined by a number of his accomplices, continued to stand outside the door pointing to me and making threatening gestures. Mall security arrived and began interviewing them. Unfortunately, security wasn’t interested in hearing my side of the story even though I was the one that had called them to the scene). I told mall security that I had been dropped off by the Capitol police. At which point “perpetrator three” said he saw the Capitol police dropped me off across the street. I said, “oh are you stalking me?” These statements are also verified on the video. I called 911 again (call number four) and went to the other door to wait for the Providence Police Department to show up. And then here comes “perpetrator three” stalking me again.
The Providence Police Department showed up and I told them what was going on and that everything had been documented on film. I told them that he had been stalking me and threatening to do physical harm. I told them: “Yes I will press charges.” The police handcuffed “perpetrator three” and I figured the matter was now finally over … but not quite! “Perpetrator three” lied to the police officers, telling them that I was threatening him in spite of all the evidence running onto the video camera continuously for the last hour and a half. I showed the Providence Police Department the video that I had been taking and at 6:35 p.m. I was finally escorted safely to my vehicle so I could find out if anybody was waiting for me outside the parking garage exit. Then I waited for a call from the Providence Police Department detective squad.
On February 23, the victim of the assault and myself presented the video evidence of the attack inside the state capital to Chief Joseph T. Little Jr. from the Capitol Police Department. I also submitted the complete linear/unedited version of the video I took that day that runs from approximately 3:45 p.m. to 6:20 p.m. when I shut the camera down to show Providence Police Department the video evidence. The tape clearly shows the coordinated stalking, threats of physical harm (with intent and ability to carry them out , which I believe constitutes simple assault in Rhode Island), and harassment that occurred after the event.
On February 24 Chief Joseph T. Little Jr. called to tell me that the video evidence has been delivered to the Rhode Island State police.
Randy Swanson
Acting Rhode Island Oath Keepers State Chapter President
It seems that perpetrator three is an experienced hand at trying to intimidate. Below you will see pics of the gentlemen at a tea party rally at the Rhode Island State capitol on April 15th, 2010, wearing a t-shirt with “Tea Bagger” and “Party Crasher” written on it, was quoted at the rally saying:
“I’m here because of ignorance,” said Peter Wilcox, of Warwick. “I’d like to know how many of them are college-educated, or how many people understand the health-care bill.”
http://oathkeepers.org/oath/wp-conte...82-300x225.jpg
A lone counter-protester wearing a black shirt
that read, “Tea Bagger” and “Party Crasher” stood
quietly behind the podium for much of the rally.
While two police officers stood at his side, he was not
forced to move.
http://oathkeepers.org/oath/wp-conte...75-300x225.jpg
http://oathkeepers.org/oath/wp-conte...69-300x225.jpg
http://oathkeepers.org/oath/wp-conte...67-300x225.jpg
Wisconsin Erupts: Ground Zero for National Movements | Print |
Written by Alex Newman Friday, 04 March 2011 17:00 0
http://thenewamerican.com/images/sto...over-6.001.jpg
A coalition of government-union members, socialists, and other protesters — some of whom were bussed in from out of state — raucously invaded Madison, Wisconsin, beginning on February 16, to demonstrate against a budget bill backed by Republican Governor Scott Walker.
The legislation that sparked the outrage, dubbed the "budget repair bill" by Gov. Walker and his supporters, would make an effort at closing a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit facing the state. In addition to requiring that government employees pay more toward their generous health and pension benefits, the bill would limit the ability of most state-worker unions to collectively bargain on matters ranging from working conditions to benefit packages.
Public-sector unions could still negotiate for higher pay, but only up to the federal government’s Consumer Price Index measure of inflation. After that, a referendum would be required to approve an increase. Also, most government unions would no longer be able to force workers to pay dues. A yearly vote would be taken to decide if the workers wish to continue allowing their unions to represent them.
Anti-reform Protests Break Out
The protests became so intense after a few days — officials estimated the number of demonstrators on various days at between 25,000 and over 70,000 — that Gov. Walker even threatened to call out the state’s National Guard to quell the disorder and keep certain state functions such as the prison system running. Early on, some protesters pushed their behavior too far. At least nine had been arrested by the afternoon of February 17, state officials reported.
The anti-Walker activists swarming the Capitol in Madison were caught vandalizing property, distributing subversive literature, putting fear into innocents, pounding on legislators’ doors and windows, shouting, and furiously banging drums, according to witnesses. Many slept in the Capitol building despite the usual policy of locking the doors after the work day.
The protesters’ rhetoric was intense. Some of them were videotaped carrying signs comparing Gov. Walker to Hitler, Mussolini, and deposed Egyptian despot Hosni Mubarak. Other more violent placards featured him with gun crosshairs trained on his face, and at least one suggested a "gang bang" rape of Tea Party activists. One sign likened the proposed budget cuts to rape. And on top of the rhetoric, the mob left behind mountains of trash in its wake, too.
Among the flyers being distributed at the events was one from the World Socialist Web Site entitled "Unite workers and youth to defeat Wisconsin budget cuts." Produced by the Socialist Equality Party and International Students for Social Equality, the document urged protesters to use the demonstration in Wisconsin as "the starting point for a mass movement." Solidarity with protesters in Egypt was also a prominent feature of the flyer.
Claiming that the "economic and political system has failed," the groups exhorted demonstrators to reject both parties, create "independent committees" of students and workers, nationalize corporations, seize "the wealth," and usher in socialism. "The capitalist system has failed and must be replaced with a new type of society based on social need," the flyer stated, promoting the transformation of businesses into "publicly owned and democratically controlled entities."
Another flyer from the protests obtained by The New American, headlined "Collective Bargaining is a MUST!" called for higher taxes on corporations and "the rich." It proposed a series of new taxes and tax increases to balance the state budget, urging readers to visit socialistworker.org for more information and updates.
A table set up and staffed by socialist activists at the demonstrations — adorned with a poster reading, "From Cairo to Madison, workers unite!" — displayed Communist Manifestos and other socialist books. One of the women at the International Socialist Organization’s booth, who said on camera that she was a government worker in Wisconsin, claimed the response to the reform proposals "partly reflects that we just spent a month watching people hold revolutions and stand up in a way that frankly I didn’t imagine was possible in the near term." Another person at the booth said the socialist group was planning to use Egypt’s example to "have something like that here."
But despite the fear, chaos, and damage the demonstrators inflicted, organizers and protest leaders were quite happy with the demonstrations. "I have never been prouder of our movement than I am at this moment," Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Phil Neuenfeldt told the crowd. Other union leaders and socialist organizers made similar remarks.
Outside Involvement
Former "community organizer" and current President Barack Obama jumped into the fray early on, too. In an interview with a Wisconsin television station, he said the measures seemed like "an assault on unions." Obama also urged viewers not to blame government employees for all the budget problems. "I think it is very important for us to understand that public employees, they’re our neighbors, they’re our friends. These are folks who are teachers and they’re firefighters and they’re social workers and they’re police officers."
Numerous other national figures including prominent Senators and Congressmen weighed in on both sides of the issue as well. But Gov. Walker dismissed the rhetoric from Obama and other D.C. Democrats, urging them to get their own affairs in order first. "We’re focused on balancing our budget, it would be wise for the President and others in Washington to focus on balancing their budget, which they’re a long way from doing," he told Fox News.
The protests were organized by government-union bosses from around the country and the Democratic National Committee’s Organizing for America, which helped propel the Obama campaign to victory. A broad coalition of socialist and statist groups, many of which — like the Midwest Academy — have close ties to Obama and his socialist-terrorist friend Bill Ayers, participated in the organizing as well. So-called "community organizers" tied to radical Saul Alinsky played a big role, too, as did national leftist groups like MoveOn.org.
On the other side, national conservative-minded groups eventually got involved in support of Gov. Walker and his proposals. After witnessing the massive machine orchestrating the original demonstrations, groups such as American Majority and Americans for Prosperity helped coordinate rallies to express solidarity with reformers attempting to rein in the budget deficit and the powerful government-employee unions — among the largest contributors to Democratic political coffers.
But despite the size and ferocity of the anti-reform protests, the Governor said he had received thousands of e-mails on the subject, most supporting his plan. He also noted that the protests had only made him more resolute in his desire to save the state from a catastrophic budget hole, saying he would not be intimidated by the government-union protesters — particularly those from out of state — and that he intended to continue pushing the needed reforms.
Very few Republicans wavered in their support for the proposals even after a week of daunting protests. If just three GOP state Senators had backed down, the measure would have failed. But with recent electoral gains, the party can pass the legislation without support from any Democrats — assuming run-away Democrat lawmakers come back to the Capitol for a quorum to allow the vote to take place.
Runaway Democrats
Democrat lawmakers fled the state in an effort to delay the proposals until the GOP was willing to compromise, prompting strong and swift Republican criticism. A vote cannot take place in the Senate unless at least one Democrat is present to make a quorum, and the runaway legislators had not returned two weeks after the demonstrations started. All of them were reportedly waiting in Illinois at "undisclosed locations" in an effort to avoid capture. Leftist groups and unions around the country were sending the Senators "care packages" and encouraging them to stand firm.
"We’ll be here until Gov. Walker decides that he wants to talk," Democratic state Sen. Tim Carpenter told the Huffington Post several days after he fled with his colleagues. "In a democracy, I thought we were supposed to talk. But the thing is, he’s been a dictator, and just basically said this is the only thing. No amendments, and it’s going to be that way."
But Gov. Walker urged the missing Democrats to quit their "stunt" and "do the job they’re paid to do." He said that if the standoff continued, he would consider cutting their offices’ funding. "If they’re not here, it begs the question whether or not they need to have staff," Walker said. "They’re not performing their functions." The Republicans did pass a measure requiring that the runaway Democrats appear on the Senate floor while the Senate is in session to pick up their checks, instead of having the checks directly deposited in banks and another to fine them $100 per day.
Other Republican leaders suggested law enforcement should bring the legislators to work if they were still within state borders. One report said state troopers had indeed been dispatched to track them down. Petitions to recall some of the missing state Senators were also being circulated days after they first disappeared, and some Tea Partiers at a pro-reform rally carried signs urging the missing lawmakers to come back to work.
GOP legislative leaders were also considering other methods of passing the bill and said the reforms would be implemented regardless of Democrats’ obstructionism. The Republican Assembly leadership issued a statement after the first week of protests noting that, despite the decision to recess over protest-related security concerns, the reforms would pass. "We are committed as ever to pass Governor Walker’s Budget Repair Bill.... Millions of taxpayers spoke in November and we will not let them down. We have a fiscal crisis that can’t be ignored. We have the votes to pass the bill; it is only a matter of time."
Potential Trouble for Lying Teachers, Doctors Gone Wild
In addition to the Democrat lawmakers who didn’t turn up for work in an effort block the reform bill, thousands of teachers also skipped school by calling in sick at the behest of union leaders in order to demonstrate. Taxpayers, meanwhile, still had to report for work. And in addition to the lying educators, more than a few doctors at the demonstrations were caught on video handing out bogus excuses to whomever asked. Now, the people of Wisconsin and their officials want answers for what critics are referring to as outright fraud.
So many teachers skipped school to attend the protests that numerous schools across the state were actually forced to shut down for several days. Estimates on the cost of the teachers’ absences range from $6 million on the low end, to almost $10 million on the higher side after just the first week. Parents, who generally still had to work despite the turmoil, were left scrambling to find something to do with their children as schools closed down.
The missing educators — as well as others who reported to work and encouraged students to join their political cause — sparked a furor among Wisconsinites and commentators, many of whom are calling for serious consequences. Some are even pushing to have the teachers fired, though union contracts would probably not allow that.
Conservative columnist Michelle Malkin suggested docking their pay. "Turn in a fake doctor’s note É receive a rubber paycheck in return," she wrote. "Monopoly money will do, too. If these union heavies want to play games with families’ lives, they should reap the consequences to their own bank accounts." Malkin said recent events were a "perfect illustration" of Democrat Party values: "Educational malpractice. Medical malpractice. Economic malpractice."
Noting that teachers are supposed to be role models for their students, Washington Post columnist Esther Cepeda blasted the example they were setting. "The teachers were cheese-brained for walking out of work, denying schooling for four days to the very students they profess to care so much about — even after the head of the state’s largest teacher’s union, the Wisconsin Education Association Council, asked them to return to their classrooms," the former teacher charged in the piece, entitled "No apple for Wisconsin’s teachers."
And perhaps due to the outrage, at least some school districts have now promised to investigate. According to news reports, school officials in the Madison and Milwaukee school districts intend to verify all sick notes handed in during the relevant period. "There’s no rubber stamp," a spokeswoman for the Milwaukee Public Schools told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, noting that the excuse slips would be sent to the human resources department for review. Countless teachers were caught on camera admitting they lied to attend the protests.
At least four separate doctors were caught writing bogus notes to cover for the lying teachers, too. One doctor shown on camera by a local Fox News affiliate was walking around carrying a big sign reading, "I’m a doctor — need a note?" Another had a similar placard, reading, "I’m a Dr. — need a work note?" The Wisconsin-based MacIver News Service also caught several doctors red-handed on video.
But the medical personnel who wrote the fake excuses could be in hot water, too. Both the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, where several of the doctors work, and the Wisconsin Medical Society vowed to investigate. "If these reports are accurate, the Society does not condone these actions under any circumstances," the Wisconsin Medical Society said on February 21, noting that it had already started to investigate the allegations.
The university was even more blunt. "These UW Health physicians were acting on their own and without the knowledge or approval of UW Health. These charges are very serious."
Any disciplinary action taken will follow the university’s "established procedures." And since it is a "personnel matter," it will not be public information, the statement said.
Of course, after being caught, some of the doctors tried to justify their actions. "Some people think it’s a nod-and-a-wink thing but it’s not,Ó University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Doctor Lou Sanner told the Associated Press. "One of the biggest stresses in life is the threat of loss of income, loss of job, loss of health insurance. People have actually been getting ill from this, or they can’t sleep." Sanner admitted to writing hundreds of medical-absence excuses.
But prominent voices in the field aren’t buying it. "When all’s said and done, it’s really the profession of medicine that has the black eye in this case," Arthur Derse, the director of the Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities at the Medical College of Wisconsin, told The Atlantic after seeing the videos of doctors writing fake notes.
Tea Party Support for Reforms
After several days of non-stop anti-Walker protests, a coalition of conservative and Tea Party groups rallied in Madison on Saturday, February 19, to support the newly elected Governor and his proposals. Organized in part by American Majority and other groups, the conservative rally went under the banner "I Stand with Walker." A line-up of several nationally known personalities spoke to the assembled activists. Among them were "Joe the Plumber," conservative media boss Andrew Breitbart, and potential presidential candidate and former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain.
Cain, who only recently rose to prominence among segments of the conservative movement, told the cheering crowd that it was time for solutions. Standing at the podium surrounded by Tea Partiers, he said: "Over the last couple of days, America has heard from the ten percent.... Let me tell you something about the 90 percent of the workforce that maybe the ten percent have forgotten: We pay the bills!"
Andrew Breitbart, who runs the conservative news website breitbart.com and others like it, complained that teachers were calling in sick when they were not, in order to protest against the reforms. "What kind of lesson" does it teach the children that their instructors were "willing to lie?" he wondered.
Executive director Tim Phillips of the free-market activist group Americans for Prosperity, which also helped organize the rally, spoke as well. Telling the audience that "the eyes of the entire nation are on you today," Phillips said America was undergoing a "revolution" of "fiscal sanity." He also led the activists in chanting "do your job," referring to runaway State Senate Democrats who fled Wisconsin in an effort to prevent a vote on Gov. Walker’s proposed reforms. The group collected almost 100,000 signatures on a petition supporting Gov. Walker by February 26.
Many anti-Walker protesters were also at the Capitol during the Tea Party rally. Though some intense exchanges took place between them and Tea Partiers (sometimes nose to nose), physical violence did not break out and police reported there were no arrests that day. "If the eyes of the nation and the world are truly upon us, then I think we’ve been able to show that democracy can work well, even if those who have passionate views on different sides come together," Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
During the controversy, however, some anti-Walker protesters have been expressing their "passionate views" via violent rhetoric and signage, suggesting that physical violence was and is a very real possibility. Numerous Twitter users actually called for Walker’s death.
Estimates of the crowd size that Saturday varied widely, but there were at least tens of thousands of people around the Capitol and several thousand Tea Party activists. One speaker at the pro-Walker rally said there were 10,000 people at the pro-reform event, while officials cited in news reports estimated the overall crowd around the Capitol (both pro- and anti-Walker) at about 60,000.
Chaos Already Spreading
As protests in Wisconsin dragged into their second week, both sides held support rallies for their cause across the country. Dozens of gatherings referred to as "solidarity events" were hosted across the United States to back the anti-reform Wisconsin demonstrators the week after the protests started.
A coalition of leftist groups including MoveOn.org and People for the American Way also organized rallies in all 50 state capitals on February 26. The "solidarity" protests were organized under the banner of "Save the American Dream" rallies. "It’s not just Wisconsin. Republicans are launching a coordinated assault on workers in other states, too," MoveOn.org said in a letter to supporters urging them to rally in state capitals. "That’s why we need to nationalize the fight — to show Republicans that we won’t fight back state-by-state, but as a united, national movement." The Communist Party and its propaganda organs also encouraged their supporters to do the same.
Similar rallies were also held in support of Walker. The non-profit American Majority, through the website www.istandwithwalker.com, called for "a national demonstration of support for Scott Walker and leaders across the country who have the courage to fight the public sector union bosses" on February 23. "This is the moment and opportunity for the tea partiers, and those who want limited government and support the free market, to stand firm against the greed and dangerous statist philosophy of the public sector unions," the group’s president, Ned Ryun, said in a statement.
Many analysts predict the chaos in Wisconsin is actually just a foreshadowing of a broader conflict that will soon paralyze states across the nation. Both sides have emphasized that similar battles are playing out around the country, and that the results in Wisconsin will have broad implications for other states and the federal government. And considering the states’ fiscal situations — just unfunded pension liabilities are estimated at around $3 trillion — the battle over austerity is just getting started. And Wisconsin, at least compared to states like New Jersey, California, and Illinois, was doing relatively well fiscally.
Bloomberg reported on February 18 that several thousand government employees converged on the Ohio state Capitol to battle similar measures. Tea Partiers also showed up to support loosening the grip of government unions. The number of demonstrators eventually swelled to a reported 15,000 and, in its second week, showed no signs of letting up.
By February 21, union protests had also spread to Indiana as the demonstrations in Ohio were still growing. Democrat lawmakers, following their colleagues in Wisconsin, fled the state as well. And labor leaders have vowed to continue fighting similar budget-cutting proposals across the country.
GOP Governors across America are also getting ready for a showdown. They recently banded together through the Republican Governors Association to support Gov. Walker, even setting up a website under the banner "Stand with Scott."
Libertarians see it too. The Future of Freedom Foundation President Jacob Hornberger, in an opinion piece, noted that he sensed a broader struggle. "With the federal government itself hurtling toward bankruptcy owing to its ever-increasing welfare-warfare state spending and debt, and with such foreign welfare states as Greece and Ireland on the ropes, and now with American state governments in financial straits, the world might just be witnessing the death throes of the welfare state at all levels of government."
Hornberger’s solution: separate school and state, get the government out of charity, end the drug war, and fire all of the bureaucrats associated with those issues. "It’s time to ask that fundamental question: What should be the role of government in a free society? Once we answer that question, we can then dismantle all the departments, agencies, and bureaucracies that are engaged in illegitimate activity and end all the spending, taxes, and borrowing needed to sustain them," he noted.
State and local governments all over America are wrestling with massive budget deficits and unfunded pension liabilities that threaten to bankrupt their treasuries — not to mention the taxpayers. Numerous Governors — even including some Democrats — have already started the process of reducing state-employee pensions and benefits in states from New Jersey to Florida. Municipalities and local governments are facing similar scenarios, with many opting to raise taxes on their already-hard-pressed citizens. But considering the fiscal train wreck of most government entities in the United States and even around the world, observers expect the battles to continue intensifying and spreading before the problems are resolved.
Related articles :
- Runaway Wisconsin Democrats Face Trouble as Layoffs Loom
- Govt, Unions, and the Battle in Wisconsin
- Big, International Consequences in Wisconsin Union Battle
- "Peaceful" Wisconsin Protestors?
- Wisconsin Cops Refuse Orders, Join Protests
- Rallies Across U.S. Back Wisconsin Protestors
- Wisconsin Protests Go National
- Wisconsin Assembly Passes Budget Repair Bill
- Wisconsin Protests: The Reforms, the Reality
- Wisconsin Teachers, Doctors Caught Lying Could Face Trouble
- Tea Party Shows Support for Wis. Gov. Walker, Reforms
- Wisconsin Gov. to Obama: Butt Out
Governor Walker, take a page out of Reagan's book. Fire them all. Let the economy sort them out.
Capitol Chaos: Lawmakers Get Death Threats
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Photo: JSOnline.com
Capitol Chaos: Lawmakers Get Death Threats
By Jon Byman
Story Created: Mar 10, 2011
Story Updated: Mar 10, 2011
MADISON - The State Department of Justice confirms that it is investigating several death threats against a number of lawmakers in response to the legislature's move to strip employees of many collective bargaining rights.
Among the threats the Justice Department is investigationg is one that was emailed to Republican Senators Wednesday night. Newsradio 620 WTMJ has obtained that email.
The following is the unedited email:
Please put your things in order because you will be killed and your familes
will also be killed due to your actions in the last 8 weeks. Please explain
to them that this is because if we get rid of you and your families then it
will save the rights of 300,000 people and also be able to close the deficit
that you have created. I hope you have a good time in hell. Read below for
more information on possible scenarios in which you will die.
WE want to make this perfectly clear. Because of your actions today and in
the past couple of weeks I and the group of people that are working with me
have decided that we've had enough. We feel that you and the people that
support the dictator have to die. We have tried many other ways of dealing
with your corruption but you have taken things too far and we will not stand
for it any longer. So, this is how it's going to happen: I as well as many
others know where you and your family live, it's a matter of public records.
We have all planned to assult you by arriving at your house and putting a
nice little bullet in your head. However, we decided that we wouldn't leave
it there. We also have decided that this may not be enough to send the
message to you since you are so "high" on Koch and have decided that you are
now going to single handedly make this a dictatorship instead of a
demorcratic process. So we have also built several bombs that we have placed in various locations around the areas in which we know that you frequent.
This includes, your house, your car, the state capitol, and well I won't
tell you all of them because that's just no fun. Since we know that you are
not smart enough to figure out why this is happening to you we have decided to make it perfectly clear to you. If you and your goonies feel that it's necessary to strip the rights of 300,000 people and ruin their lives, making them unable to feed, clothe, and provide the necessities to their families and themselves then We Will "get rid of" (in which I mean kill) you.
Please understand that this does not include the heroic Rep. Senator that risked everything to go aganist what you and your goonies wanted him to do. We feel that it's worth our lives to do this, because we would be saving the lives of 300,000 people. Please make your peace with God as soon as possible and say goodbye to your loved ones we will not wait any longer.
YOU WILL DIE!!!!
Unions, Liberals, Socialists.... they've been trying for years to get the Right to start shooting first. Looks they are throwing the first punches.
MADISON, WI: This is what a whole hell of a lot of people look like
http://www.democraticunderground.com...ess=439x629773
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It was packed like a Singapore subway train.
All bussed in no doubt. LOL
Windows at Washington, D.C. Republican Office Shot Out
Updated: Thursday, 17 Mar 2011, 9:04 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 17 Mar 2011, 7:10 AM EDT
By MYFOXDC
Windows at Washington, D.C. Republican Office Shot Out: MyFoxDC.com
WASHINGTON - Police are searching for suspects after someone shot-out windows at a Republican office in the District.
Police say the vandalism occurred Tuesday night. All of the windows of the officer were damaged.
The executive director of the Republican Committee says an air gun was probably used.
Police also say they found a ‘BB’ on the ground outside the office.
Workers believe the shooting was politically related.
lol
"politically related"?
It was a KID that did it. Bet you money. A 16 or 18 year old, smart assed Right Wing Hating KID.
Portland Commies Call for Violent Overthrow of USA
Sunday, March 20, 2011 5:18
Get ready to wash out your ears after listening to the obscenity-laced moonbattery barked at an International Socialists Organization rally at Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, Oregon earlier this month.
A commie creepazoid calls for violence:
Lawlessness prevails as security is shouted down by a socialist mob equipped with bongo drums:
A moonbat calls for "elves in the night" — i.e., domestic terrorism from Earth Liberation Front types:
These freaks itch not only with lice but with eagerness to inflict on America exactly what Lenin, Stalin, et al. inflicted on Russia. All they need is for the old order to collapse — which will happen soon if Obama's spending is not sharply curtailed.
On tips from Crazy?
Bring it Commie creeps.
Wait... let me be the first to say this, "COMMUNISTS ARE UNAMERICAN!"
Organized Left Plan Massive Protests for April 4th
by Brett Healy In the wake of changes to government employee unions’ power in Wisconsin and elsewhere, The Communist Party USA is working in conjunction with national labor unions and other left wing political groups to organize protests in Madison, Wisconsin and across the nation on April 4th.
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Scott Marshall, Vice Chair of The Communist Party USA said his organization is working with the likes of MoveOn.org, the SEIU, the AFL-CIO and others to make April 4th, the anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., a national day of action.
“Support is beginning to grow,” said Marshall in an online meeting earlier this month. “A bunch of organizations already are hyping the idea of massive demonstrations on April 4th.”
The Community Party in particular has benefited from the recent debate over Wisconsin government employee unions’ power to collectively bargain, using the opportunity to build their ranks.
“In this struggle, the question of building the Left and building the Party has to come to the fore,” Marshall said. “Recruiting has picked up, more people are joining the Party and the broader left is getting bigger.”
The Communist Party USA leader said his members cannot just participate alongside other organizations, however. They must continue to join and help lead them.
‘We have to totally be imbedded in this movement and in these activities,” Marshall said. “Every comrade has a part to play.”
During the recent demonstrations in Madison, several protesters invoked images of Dr King, who was shot in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968, while in the city to meet and march in support of striking African American sanitation workers.
MacIver News Service’s Bill Osmulski reports from Madison, Wisconsin: