SlutwalkMN - Saturday - October 1

I have been seeing a lot about this on the MN news channels.

Today (10/2, Sunday) I just found this article on Think Progress that reinforces why the slutwalks are so necessary.

On the MNSlutwalk webpage they have the following statement:
              People are not required to dress “slutty” or reclaim the word “slut”.

That is item number 2 - that's how important it is.

For those of you that are unaware

The rallies began when Constable Michael Sanguinetti, a Toronto Police officer, suggested that to remain safe, "women should avoid dressing like sluts."[3][4] The protest takes the form of a march, mainly by young women, where some dress in ordinary clothing and others dress provocatively, like "sluts."

Now -------
Why not reclaim the word "slut"?

What I am seeing and hearing on the news is the outrage over the use of the word "slut" - the "offerndati" are coming out in full force.  And this is really a challenge for me to understand.

I'm not 20 something or 30 something or 40 something or even 50 something....

In the late 60's as part of the women's movement we "would reclaim" - "desensitize" ourselves to the words commonly used against women.
We would sit down in a circle on the floor and hold hands and scream  - at the top of our lungs - the following words
cunt
slut
bitch
whore
lesbian
lesbo
beaver
bimbo
pussy
hag
Just to name a few. 
And this was part of every meeting and we went home hoarse.

What did it do?  Exactly what it was suppose to do -
Someone calls me a bitch - I don't care.
   My boss referred to me as a "bitch" just this past year.
Someone calls me a whore - I don't care.
   I've heard this many times throughout my life.
Someone tells me other people think I'm a lesbian - I don't care.
  And I get this on a regular basis - because I don't date -
  perfectly happy being with me, without a partner of any sexual orientation.


If someone calls someone else a bitch, whore or slut - and I can see that they have upset that person - I step in, I will act, I get in their face, literally - but I also take time for a little lecture about it "a word, being a word", powerless, until you give it power.

I do not tolerate other people being derogatory to others.
And I do step in - but I never argue the word - I always slam them for their aggressive behavior.

I don't denigrate others by the use of derogatory slang.
I don't tolerate other people being denigrated by a word.
- if they use it on me, I don't care.

There is no power in the word slut
- unless you give that power to someone else by your reaction to the word.
Screw them - thank them for calling you a slut
- I've done that - watch their reaction - it totally throws them off base.

We are amazing human beings - every single one of us (except the MN Tea Partiers and  Republicans)
- and we should embrace our wonderfulness and our unique qualities.
WE should define ourselves, who we are, what we are and who/what we are going to be
- and we should never let others define us with "words".

This is what I learned in the 60's and it has served me well.
              Someone calls me a whore in a threatening manner
              - I react to the threat - which is always something you have to deal with. 
              But I don't react to word, whore.
              It's about the aggression that caused the other person to use that word.

              It's about the aggression in which the derogatory word was used
              - it's not about the word.
              Focusing on the word - serves little purpose.
              Focusing on the aggression that provoked the word - can solve problems.

And the SlutWalkMN does just that - it addresses the misogynist aggression of a Canadian cop.        

Yours truly,
Your everloving - long living -
  cunt
  slut
  bitch
  whore
  lesbian
  lesbo
  beaver
  bimbo
  pussy
  hag
from a time before the organized offenderati.

Some people are really pissed off right now - that's okay.
There's no agression in this message - just words.

This is my life experience and it has served me well  and
I won't post comments or respond to any "offenderati"
who deem it necessary to tell me that my life experience is wrong.

OccupyMN - Friday, October 7

Here's the link - for the most current information.


Watch this to see why you MUST participate.


Need a poster - print them from here.

The Minnesota Occupation Begins:

October 7^th, 2011 at 9:00am
The People’s Plaza
300 South 6th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55487-0999
(Hennepin County Government Center Plaza)


See you there!




Update - Sat. 10/1
Here is what is known as a "palm card" distributed to protestors in New Yok regarding what you should do in case you are approached / arrested.

Update Sun, 10/2
An excerpt from an article that is well worth the read!

I have said it in so many venues over the past four years and will keep saying it.  Every authentic point of pressure matters and matters mightily.

Many lives have been sacrificed already on the alters of greed and in the board and conference rooms of the powerful.  The many millions of us who have lost so much – our homes, any hope to retire, our own health, and our faith that anyone cares at all about those losses – must help this movement stay real and stay on message.  Corporate greed kills.  A nation that has given itself over to the worship and protection of the religion of greed is snuffing out the hopes and dreams of all of those who might get in the way.

An excerpt from another excellent article

There are no excuses left. Either you join the revolt taking place on Wall Street and in the financial districts of other cities across the country or you stand on the wrong side of history. Either you obstruct, in the only form left to us, which is civil disobedience, the plundering by the criminal class on Wall Street and accelerated destruction of the ecosystem that sustains the human species, or become the passive enabler of a monstrous evil. Either you taste, feel and smell the intoxication of freedom and revolt or sink into the miasma of despair and apathy. Either you are a rebel or a slave.

Update Wed Oct 6
A video by Greenwald

Credit Unions and ALEC

Everywhere you look and on almost every radio station you hear financial people pushing you to join a credit union.  Everyone is saying it's a better option to the traidional banks.

I know a lot of the banks belong to the American Legislative Exchange Council - but this particualr Corporate Sector member really bothers me - and has bothered me for quite some time.

 

The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) based in Washington, D.C., and Madison, Wisconsin, is the premier national trade association serving America’s credit unions. The trade group is governed by volunteer directors who are elected by their credit union peers. CUNA provides many services to credit unions, including representation, public relations, continuing professional education, and business development.

 

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) met the week of Aug. 1 in New Orleans. CUNA's State Government Affairs staff met state legislators from across the country, discussing credit union issues.

"ALEC created a new financial services subcommittee and CUNA attended the first meeting," Pat Sowick, CUNA vice president of league relations, told News Now. "It's important to have a credit union presence in these forums where financial services issues are discussed. A highlight this year at ALEC was the attendance by more than 600 state legislators--many of whom were freshman members."

What else bothers me is what I found on their webpage
              Credit Union National Association
              (CUNA), the premier national trade association serving credit unions.
              Ninety percent of America’s credit unions are affiliated with CUNA.


And the fact that CUNA has a "directors only" webpage for their "legislative actions" that you and I can't see, bothers me - too ALEC-esque.

I thought credit unions were suppose to be concerned about their members. 
I thought MY credit union was concerned about me.

Is this another scam by ALEC - pushing us toward credit unions - just like their "model legislation" and tax credit legislation pushed us toward IRA's and 401k's to prop up their banking and investment members in the past?

If so - why? 
But I guess that question has been answered multiple times over the course of ALEC's history - to spread the wealth to the Private Enterprise members and screw the general public.

I REALLY don't like this one!
Everywhere I turn - ALEC shows up.

Repug Presidential Candidates...Real ALEC or ALEC-ish?

Somebody asked in a comment - what do you know about the Republican primary candidates?
Well.... there have been so many of them and more waiting in the wings - I don't know if we will ever be able to keep up with this bunch of whackos.  I've probably missed someone - because following the debates is not on my list of things to do.

Last night I went through my ALEC documents and this is what I found on the list of people who keep popping up in the news.

I would suggest you look at their campaign webpage.   If it has the talking points of the American Legislative Exchange Council - then that's the political party they are representing.


1.Newt Gingrich:

ü      Confirmed ALEC Alumni

ü      Was one of the people who worked on the ALEC's 1983-84 Source Book of American State Legislation

ü      Keynote Speaker ALEC's 1994 National Orientation Conference.

ü      Keynote speaker ALEC’s 2007 34th Annual Meeting

ü      Keynote speaker ALEC’s 2008 States & Nation Policy Summit,

ü      Keynote speaker ALEC’s 2009 States & Nation Policy Summit,

ü      Keynote speaker ALEC’s 2009 36th Annual Meeting

ü      Winner of the 1995 Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award

ü      Quoted in the legacy membership brochure ($5,000)

“The remarkable achievements of ALEC’s members... deserve much applause and recognition. Since 1973, ALEC members have been key leaders in state government, responsible for pioneering legislation inspired by the legacy of our honored Founding Father, Thomas Jefferson. For a quarter of a century, through advancing Jefferson’s ideas, you have been stalwart in your effort to revitalize the original American dream as intended by our Founders. ALEC members have helped reinforce my continuing optimism for the future of our great nation. ~ Newt Gingrich

2.Herman Cain

ü      Keynote speaker ALEC’s 2009 36th Annual Meeting

ü      1994, President, National Restaurant Association– an ALEC Corporate Sector Member

3.Ron Paul

ü      Congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul (R)TX introduced the Family Education Freedom Act of 2007 (H.R. 1056), which would allow dollar-for-dollar tax credits for tuition paid to private elementary and secondary schools up to a cap of $5,000 per student.

The name of the ALEC legislation that does the same thing is the:

Family Education Tax Credit Program Act

4.Chris Christie:

ü      Written up in the 2011 State Budget Reform Toolkit

“Similarly, the New Jersey Privatization Task Force—created by Gov. Chris Christie under an early executive order— released a report in July 2010 identifying 40 specific privatization opportunities across state government, with an estimated annual savings of over $200 million. Notably, the New Jersey Privatization Task Force also recommended that finding efficiency through private sector competition should become standard policy for all state agencies.”

ALEC “model legislation” for this would be:

The Council for Efficient Government Act 

(The establishment of a “privatization task force”

And the

Government Services Competition Act

(for privatizing government services)

5.Tim Pawlenty: 

ü      A keynote Speaker at the ALEC 2008 Annual Meeting

6.Haley Barbour: 

ü      ALEC Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award – 2006

7.Mitch Daniels:

ü      ALEC’s Rich States Poor States has this quote:

As we highlight throughout this publication, states do not make policy changes inside a vacuum. If anyone doubts this phenomenon, they should take a drive to the Michigan-Indiana state line, where Gov. Mitch Daniels has put up a billboard that reads: “Come on IN for lower taxes, business and housing costs.”

ü      Keynote speaker at ALEC’s 2008 States & Nation Policy Summit

ü      He is the cover of Inside ALEC April 2011 - with an article written by him

8.Jon Huntsman:

ü      Wrote the foreword to ALEC’s 2009 report Rich States, Poor States

ü      School choice history was made February 12 [2007], when Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. signed the Parent Choice in Education Act making the state the first in the United States to boast universal eligibility for public-school students to receive tuition scholarships for private schools.

There are FOUR versions of ALEC’s  “Parent Choice in Education Act”

ü      Wrote the following recommendation for the 2010 report Rich States Poor States

ü      “The second edition of Rich States, Poor States is a valuable resource to those charged with understanding fiscal policy and enacting change. In times of change, it is essential to understand the perspectives from which other states are making decisions, especially as policy-makers determine the best path forward for their respective states.”

9.John Thune

ü      While most action this year by the executive and legislative branches on government management has so far been opposed to competitive sourcing and privatization, a bill sponsored by Sen. John Thune (R–SD) and Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (R–TN) would codify a policy of ensuring fair competition between government employees and private-sector vendors for services deemed to be commercial in nature.

Sounds a lot like the ALEC legislation named:

Government Services Competition Act

(for privatizing government services)

10.Jim DeMint

ü      Statement in the introduction to the 2010 report Rich States Poor States

“Washington’s big-government takeovers, power grabs, regulations, mandates, higher taxes, and bailouts have put state budgets in shambles. Rich States, Poor States is an essential guide for states to preserve their constitutional rights and fiscal sovereignty in the face of an ever-encroaching federal government.” U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina

11.Michele Bachmann
This one is kinda of an enigma when it comes to ALEC.  I have not been able to find anything that would suggest that she is a member - YET - I have heard media refer to her as a member, I have seen discussions on MN state research pages talk about an issue she had with 2005 ALEC expenses she reported to the state (which I can not find backup to support) - so is she?  That's good question - probably should check Marcus' checkbook.
12.Rick Perry

  ü  Keynote speaker ALEC Annual Meeting 2010

13.Mitt Romney
Nov 05, 2007 -- Boston, MA – Today, Paul Weyrich, Chairman and CEO of the Free Congress Research and Education Foundation announced his support for Governor Mitt Romney and his campaign to be our country's next President. Paul Weyrich is one of the premier leaders in the conservative movement, having founded the Heritage Foundation and the American Legislative Exchange Council.

Scouring my volumes of ALEC documents - I can't find any reference to these folks. 

1. Mike Huckabee
2. Mike Pence 
3. Gary Johnson   
4. Donald Trump 
5. Rick Santorum
6. Sarah Palin 

The US Flag According to ALEC

Source of Picture:  earthfirstnews.wordpress.com

ALEC Member Plakon - Lies to FL - becausehecan

An Excerpt from a September 15th  article -
(an article that is well worth it to read.)

Hiding the sausage

How ALEC, a well-funded right-wing organization, is grinding out state laws

Among the organization's more than 2,000 legislative members are local powerhouse names, like Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon, gun-loving State Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, and avid pro-life State Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood.

Rep. Plakon didn't make the convention, though his name is listed among the ALEC membership. "I had never heard of them until six or seven months ago," he says.

ALEC Press Release February 24, 2010

The letter commends the president for his efforts at bipartisanship but also says “we think you’re missing a critical element in this discussion—the ideas of thousands of state legislators.” The signers are the sponsors of the Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act, model legislation by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the nation’s largest nonpartisan individual membership association of state legislators.

Who signed that aforementioned letter?

Representative Scott Plakon

Florida House District 37

Is Plakon so ignorant and uninformed that he did not know what he was signing when he signed this letter - Plakon did not understand he was supporting ALEC "model legislation"?

From an ALEC Press Release

"The Florida legislature has done a great job responding to their citizens' requests to have a constitutional state-level defense against ObamaCare," said Christie Herrera, director of ALEC's Health and Human Services Task Force. "I applaud the efforts of Rep. Plakon and Sen. Haridopolos to protect their state against encroaching federal healthcare mandates. It's clear that the people of Florida want patient-centered—not government-centered—legislation, and I hope they have the chance to vote this into law in 2012."  ALEC Press Release May 5, 2011

Is Plakon so ignorant and uninformed that he did not know that he was pushing ALEC “model legislation” for over a year?  (The same "model legislation" that was lauded in the letter he signed 14 months before this latest press release)

AND NOW -  the death blow  - The Pièce de résistance
From ALEC EXPOSED –

Rep. Scott Plakon (R-37), ALEC International Relations Task Force member; worked with ALEC in 2011 on "a proposed constitutional amendment that prohibits laws that would force people to join health care plans, an attack on federal health care changes"

Well – evidently - after he found out about ALEC – HAH! – he jumped in with gusto – or maybe he’s so damn uninformed and ignorant he doesn’t realize that he is serving on an ALEC Task Force - and he thinks the International Relations Task Force is a branch of the NRA (which he does acknowledge membership to on his webpage).

Hey, Plakon – why do ya lie about ALEC?

    You lie about the organization that puts pre-written legislation in your grubby little hand just by visiting the ALEC “Members Only” webpage – which is now “outed”?

    You lie about the organization that reaffirms your commitment to free-market philosophy at the expense of representative government?

   You lie about the organization that you belong to that wants to privatize all government services and turn them over to the ALEC Corporate Sector / Private Enterprise members?

    You lie about your membership in an organization whose corporate sponsors wine and dine you at all the ALEC meetings and help you write legislation – legislation / government by the corporations and for the corporations?

    You lie - about belonging - when in fact you are a "task force" member?

Yo! – Plakon - are you embarrassed to acknowledge your relationship with ALEC?

I would be –

but then, I wouldn’t be a member of an organization

that in my opinion subverts democracy in the United States.

He’s a liar – Florida – a liar and does not deserve to be in public service.

There is something

VERY VERY wrong and dangerous about ALEC

when their members lie

about belonging to the American Legislative Exchange Council.

Mississippi - Please be Inhospitable to ALEC

Mississippi

The Hospitality State

I hope the citizens of Mississippi choose to be inhospitable to the members of ALEC.

Below you will find a list of people who have an association with to have been linked with ALEC – many are even verifiable Mississippi ALEC members.

Each person on the list has been compiled and cited using the web and you can also find the proof by researching through ALEC documents, reports and magazines.

Jim C.	Barnett	MS
Charles Jim	Beckett	MS
Sid	Bondurant	MS
Mike	Chaney	MS
Eugene	Clarke	MS
Becky	Currie	MS
William C	Denny	MS
Jim	Ellington	MS
Merle	Flowers	MS
Timothy A	Ford	MS
Mark	Formby	MS
Jeffrey	Guice	MS
David	Halbrook	MS
William	Hewes	MS
Robert G	Huggins	MS
Roger	Ishee	MS
Michael	Janus	MS
Perry	Lee	MS
Tommy	Moffat	MS
W T	Mayhall, Jr	MS
Alex	Monsour	MS
Alan	Nunnelee	MS
Steve	Palazzo	MS
Randall	Patterson	MS
Stacey	Pickering	MS
Charlie	Ross	MS
James C "Jim"	Simpson	MS
Gary	Staples	MS
Amy	Tuck	MS
Jessica	Upshaw	MS
Roger	Wicker	MS
Tommy	Woods	MS

ADD - 01 16/12
Tommy Robertson

Another list can be found at ALEC Exposed– because they access to leaked documents that I don’t have.  Since I don’t have these documents on file – I won’t list those people in my blog.

AND if your legislator is not on either list – contact them and ask them, “Are you a member of ALEC?”

So what – what if people had a list – what does that accomplish? 

What would happen if people had a list - what will it accomplish? 

Does it really hurt ALEC if a list were available or would ALEC just go on – business as usual?

How would this information be used in a constructive way?

What is next – we HAVE TO REMOVE all ALEC members from state and federal government.  It is our role to make sure that they don’t get re-elected.  Now is the time for “boots to the ground” to use the information we have compiled on ALEC members and ALEC “model legislation” to prove to others that ALEC members MUST be removed from public service at any and all levels. 

ALEC just completed their four day conference where ALEC Corporations told your legislators what legislation they wanted to have passed and what legislation they did not want to have passed.

ALEC members are not serving the public – they are serving the ALEC corporations.  It does not matter how ALEC or their members spin this story over the next couple months it is important for you – to remember and to talk about the following fact:

When was the last time YOU got to sit with your legislator for two or three days and tell your legislator what YOUR needs are and help your legislator write legislation that benefited YOU?

Your ALEC legislator does this multiple times a year with corporations – so when push come to shove – it is evident who your legislator is representing – the ALEC corporations.

Past members are important – because they may come up for a state or federal appointment.

Campaign reports – report campaigns – so someone may be on the list that did not win  - but you can bet your boots they will try again.

ALEC members and those affiliated with ALEC in any manner

MUST NOT BE RE-ELECTED.

Without state and federal legislators ALEC will cease to exist and it will implode.

As a courtesy -
please don't take credit for this list or
post it anywhere on the web as your original work and research.
This blog - in whole and part - is copyright protected.

For more information on ALEC –

Please read this report or this report or this report

or this series of six articles.

And watch this news video  from North Carolina on how other ALEC "model legislation" is going to screw the citizens of North Carolina - legislation introduced by ALEC legislators.

Governor's "Education Nation" - A Koch/ALEC Perspective on Education

Couldn't help taking a minute to look up who was on NBC's "Education Nation - Governors Summit"


Guess if this is who is going to guide state education - we're screwed.


Will be interesting to see who gets the most air time - bet it won't be the Dems and I bet the Dems will be too damn polite to call out the right wing extremists for their radical and anti-public education policies.

.REMEMBER - if you are listening or will listen to this broadcast 
            - the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) wants to privatize public education!

Scott Walker – WI  ALEC ALUMNI

Mary Fallin – OK – ALEC ALUMNI

Robert F. McDonnell  - VA -  Attended the KOCH get to together in Vail in June

Paul LePage – ME - corporate chair of ALEC for the state of Maine is Ann Robinson, a close advisor to LePage and LePage has been a speaker at the Heritage Foundation

Bill Haslam  - Tennessee   “Governor Bill Haslam last week signed legislation that in most instances places a $750000 cap on non-economic damages and a $500000 cap on punitive damages. ..”   Right out of the ALEC Tort Reform manual.

Yep - He's an ALEC-er  --  here's Haslam's review of ALEC's report Rich States, Poor States.

“The Great Recession has taken a correspondingly great toll on state budgets. Yet, states that have put in place the strongest pro-growth economic policies have been able to weather the storm much better than states with the highest taxes, highest government spending, and most burdensome regulation. Year after year Rich States, Poor States puts forth compelling new anecdotes, data and theories to back up the commonsense economic policies Tennessee continues to count on for longterm economic growth.”

- Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam

Sean Parnell – AK – Signed Grover Norquists “No New Taxes Pledge”  Norquist and ALEC go back a LOOOOOONG way.  HIs attorney general has been published in InsideALEC when he was with the Institute of the North.  Yep - He's an ALEC-er  --  on the

Martin O’Malley (D) -  Maryland

John Hickenlooper (D) – Colorado

Lincoln Chafee (I) – Rhode Island

Jack Markell; (D) – Delaware

Brought to you by NBC

Owned by General Electric and Comcast

BOTH ALEC members.