March 30th, 2011
Articles tagged with: “Wisconsin”
Will “Bitches” and “Turds” Decide the Fate of Wisconsin?
The reign of lawlessness continues in Wisconsin. Last week, a local court issued a stay temporarily blocking the implementation of Governor Scott Walker's radical proposal to do away with most collective bargaining rights for public workers and cripple labor's ability to collect union dues. The court put a halt to ...
The Cost of One F-15E Lost in Libya Is 563 Wisconsin Teachers
According to the New York Times, the U.S. fighter jet that just crashed in Libya was an F-15E Strike Eagle.The Air Force says each F-15E cost $31.1 million in 1998 dollars (not including fuel, pilot training or anything else). Adjusted for inflation, that's $42.23 million today.Wisconsin teachers are paid an ...
In States without Collective Bargaining Workers Get a Raw Deal
As northern states like Wisconsin seek to eliminate collective bargaining rights for public service workers we should examine what it’s like to work in states that don’t have this basic human right. While right wing pundits declare how great it is to work without collective bargaining, the reality is workers ...
On May 4, 1886, in Haymarket Square in Chicago, the public rallied peacefully in support of 40,000 workers in Chicago who had gone on strike, to win the right to organize. The police attacked, and eight died. On July 6, 1892, in Homestead, Pennsylvania, 3800 workers went on strike, to ...
WI Firefighters Spark "Move Your Money" Moment
On the day that the bill passed the Wisconsin Assembly effectively ending 50 years of collective bargaining in Wisconsin and eviscerating the ability of public unions to raise money through dues, a new front opened in the battle for the future of Wisconsin families. Bagpipes blaring, hundreds of firefighters walked ...
The Wisconsin Uprising Is a Bottom-Up Movement -- Should We Hope DC Leaders Don't Get in the Way?
Since the financial crisis and President Obama's election in the fall of 2008, there have been two major actions taken by working people that commanded the attention of America's financial elite -- the 2008 occupation of Republic Windows and Doors factory in Chicago and the current Wisconsin State Capitol occupation. ...
How I Got to Madison, Wisconsin
Early yesterday morning, around 1:00 AM, I had finished work for the day on my current "project" (top secret for now -- sorry, no spoiler alerts!). Someone had sent me a link to a discussion Bill O'Reilly had had with Sarah Palin a few hours earlier about my belief that ...
America is not broke. Contrary to what those in power would like you to believe so that you'll give up your pension, cut your wages, and settle for the life your great-grandparents had, America is not broke. Not by a long shot. The country is awash in wealth and cash. ...
Reclaiming Our Democracy…from the States to the Capitol
What’s happening across our country is both tragic and inspiring. On the tragic side are the blatant attacks against public sector workers and low-income families. On the inspiring side are the mobilizations happening in Wisconsin and beyond as people stand up and fight to take the country back. Things got ...
Scott Walker Down the Rat Hole with the Palace Guard
The Wisconsin State Capitol has erupted in a torrent of lawlessness this week that schoolchildren will be reading about for years. No, I don't mean rowdy protests resulting in mass arrests. Even though some 300,000 people have visited the capitol in the last two weeks, the crowds have been peaceful ...
The Wizard Will See You Now, Scott Walker
I've been thinking of how Republicans and Tea Partyers hate socialism, communism and want less government -- but don't act like it. The Governor of Wisconsin, the great Cheese Head himself, wants to kill collective bargaining for public unions -- in other words, give no control to Wisconsinites like teachers ...
Like Scott Walker, Honeywell CEO Has Threatened to Use Troops to Bust a Strike
Last Friday, two van loads of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 7-669 members, who have been locked out of the Honeywell uranium facility in Metropolis, Ill., for nine months, traveled through the night to join the ongoing protest in the Wisconsin State Capitol. “After all the support we have seen from ...
Nurses Offer to Buy President's Shoes to March With Workers
The past two weeks have been a "Where's Waldo" moment for President Obama. He's been largely a bystander while tens of thousands of American workers, joined by students, and community allies, marched in Madison's snow and freezing temperatures, and slept on the floors of the capitol to defend their most ...
The call reportedly arrived from Cairo. Pizza for the protesters, the voice said. It was Saturday, February 20th, and by then Ian's Pizza on State Street in Madison, Wisconsin, was overwhelmed. One employee had been assigned the sole task of answering the phone and taking down orders. And in they ...
A Message of Solidarity with Workers from Cindy Sheehan
A MESSAGE FROM CINDY SHEEHAN Working women and men, I stand with you, because I am one of you! Some people call me the “Peace Mom," because of my unwavering work and stand for peace. In 2004, my son Casey made the ultimate sacrifice for war profiteering and imperial hubris; ...
Fighting for Fair Fights and for Aurora
We try to teach our children to fight when they need to but to fight fairly unless there is no other choice to protect life and limb. At least that’s what my parents tried to teach me and what I tried to teach my kids. Though I know that the ...
How Obama's Organizing Election Efforts Influenced the Wisconsin Protests
It's a constantly shifting, energetic crowd on the third floor of the capitol, with graduate students running around frantically in the situation room of the Teacher Assistant Association. They are discussing setting up phone banks to get more graduate students to come out for protests, plans to arrange for more ...
Labor Leaders Say Wisconsin Signals 'New Era of Labor Militancy'
MADISON, WIS.—In the past, labor leaders have been hesitant to call militant actions in part because they're afraid they won’t have the support and energy of union members. But after the massive outpouring of rank and file support in Wisconsin during the last eight days—triggered by proposed GOP legislation that ...
Is Scott Walker Cutting Off Internet Access To Thwart Protesters?
According to pro-labor protesters in Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker (R) may be taking a page from former Egyptian Dictator Hosni Mubarak and cutting off internet access to key protest organizers within the state Capitol building. If you are in the Capitol attempting to access the internet from a free wifi ...
Madison Area AFL CIO Votes to Prepare For General Strike
This evening in a press release from IBEW Local 2304 President Dave Pokilinski, I received word that the 45,000 member Southern Central Federation of Labor, the local chapter of the AFL-CIO for the Madison and Southern Central Wisconsin area, has voted to make preparations for a general strike. The press ...
From Cairo to Madison: Hope and Solidarity Are Alive
Here in Madison, Wisconsin, where protesters have occupied the State Capitol Building to stop the pending bill that would eliminate workers' right to collective bargaining, echoes of Cairo are everywhere. Protesters here were elated by the photo of an Egyptian engineer named Muhammad Saladin Nusair holding a sign in Tahrir ...
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Mike's Blog
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June 5th, 2013
Here's How We Built a Movie Theater for the People – and Why the MPAA Says It's #1 in the World
This past week, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the main federation of Hollywood's six major studios, posted on their web site a list of what they believe ...
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March 23rd, 2013
This evening is going be a big moment in turning our country around on the issue of gun violence. That's why I desperately want you ...
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March 21st, 2013
I am hosting a nationwide series of house parties this Saturday night where tens of thousands of people will gather together in living rooms to ...
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March 15th, 2013
The response to my Newtown letter this week has been overwhelming. It is so very clear to everyone that the majority of Americans have had ...
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March 13th, 2013
America, You Must Not Look Away (How to Finish Off the NRA)
The year was 1955. Emmett Till was a young African American boy from Chicago visiting relatives in Mississippi. One day Emmett was seen "flirting" with ...
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February 26th, 2013
My Final Word on Buzzfeed and Emad Burnat's Detention at LAX
Thanks to everyone for bearing with me as I spend so much time on what happened to Emad Burnat. It's important to me because he's ...
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February 26th, 2013
Michael Moore Responds to Buzzfeed Story on '5 Broken Cameras' Co-Director Emad Burnat
On Tuesday, February 19th, Emad Burnat, the Palestianian co-director of the Oscar-nominated documentary '5 Broken Cameras,' was detained with his wife and son at Los ...
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September 11th, 2010
If the 'Mosque' Isn't Built, This Is No Longer America
OpenMike 9/11/10 Michael Moore's daily blog I am opposed to the building of the "mosque" two blocks from Ground Zero. I want it built on ...
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December 14th, 2010
Why I'm Posting Bail Money for Julian Assange
Yesterday, in the Westminster Magistrates Court in London, the lawyers for WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange presented to the judge a document from me stating that ...
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May 12th, 2011
Some Final Thoughts on the Death of Osama bin Laden
"The Nazis killed tens of MILLIONS. They got a trial. Why? Because we're not like them. We're Americans. We roll different." – Michael Moore in ...
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November 22nd, 2011
Where Does Occupy Wall Street Go From Here?
This past weekend I participated in a four-hour meeting of Occupy Wall Street activists whose job it is to come up with the vision and ...
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September 22nd, 2011
A STATEMENT FROM MICHAEL MOORE ON THE EXECUTION OF TROY DAVIS
I encourage everyone I know to never travel to Georgia, never buy anything made in Georgia, to never do business in Georgia. I will ask ...
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December 16th, 2010
Dear Swedish Government: Hi there -- or as you all say, Hallå! You know, all of us here in the U.S. love your country. Your ...
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November 2nd, 2010
This letter contains (almost) no criticisms of how the Democrats have brought this day of reckoning upon themselves. That -- and where to go from ...
