Keystone Pipeline Will Cost Midwest Economy - Dearly

TransCanada and API's job projections also fail to consider the large number of jobs that could be lost by construction of Keystone XL, Sweeney said.

This includes jobs lost due to consumers in the Midwest paying 10 to 20 cents more per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel, as Keystone XL diverts oil from refineries in the Midwest to the Gulf region.

Job Loss in the Midwest

Higher fuel costs in the Midwest

for a pipeline - we don't want - that will travel to gulf KOCH refineries - to BE EXPORTED!!!!!

The jobs Koch are touting they will create will be short-term -

the increased fuel costs and job loss will be permanent!

Big Oil: $100 Billion of Profits And Counting

From the Think Progress Front Page - (in it's entirety)

Big Oil’s Scary Haul: $100 Billion And Counting | The combined profits of the Big Five oil companies — ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips, and Chevron — has already exceeded $100 billion this year. Tabulated by Oil Change International’s Ross Hammond, the profits from the first three quarters of 2011 are a combined $102.85 billion, much of it plowed into stock buybacks and outrageous executive compensation, taken at the gas pump from hardworking American families. The Big Five are on track to rake in more than $140 billion over the year, as they benefit from billions of dollars of government subsidies.

ALL corporate sector / private enterprise member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)

ALEC = a 501c3 dedicated to the education of legislators in Corporate Greed.

#Occupy

Banks - Obscene Revenues; Customers - Obscene Fees

From Think Progress this morning:

Facing continued consumer pressure, Bank of America is pulling back from its debit-card fee by allowing customers to avoid the monthly $5 charge “by maintaining minimum balances, having paychecks direct-deposited or using Bank of America credit cards.”

Minimum Balance:  Is till at $20,000 – oh, yeh - I've got that much extra cash - ha!.

Paychecks directly deposited:  Most of us do that already – not a big yahoo!

Using Bank of America Credit Cards:  What the yearly charge for this card?  What’s the credit rate on these cards and how often would you be required to use them?

Ha! - Don’t let them fool you – they will still screw you – if you stay with them.
They are sitting in their big old leather chairs - with their feet on their desks - taking bets on how gullible  the American people are.  If you believe this crap (that they won't add fees to debit cards) - you are one of those gullible people.

Gullible:  easily taken in or tricked; a cant term for "dupe, sucker"

This is “Move Your Money Week” –

Please be part of the voice of the 99%.

Bank of America

Wells Fargo

JP Morgan Chase

TCF Banks

From Huffington Post – Last week

Bank of America earned billions of dollars in profits last quarter, even as banking officials expressed concern recently about the effects of new regulations on their bottom line.

The bank reported third quarter gains of $6.2 billion, compared to a $7.3 billion loss during the same quarter last year.

From Mercury News – last week

Wells Fargo's third-quarter profit soared to a record, but the San Francisco-based bank's revenue slumped in an economy that the company said Monday was more sluggish than experts had expected.

Wells Fargo earned $4.06 billion, up 21 percent from the year-ago quarter. Revenue totaled $19.63 billion, down 3.7 percent.

From CNN Money – two weeks ago

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- JPMorgan Chase said it earned $4.4 billion during the third quarter on Wednesday, an increase of 23% from a year ago, as loan loss reserves continued to decline

Check out the “Move Your Money” link on this page and get updates on “Good Guy” banks.

Move Your Money

#Occupy

On #Occupy - show your support

It appears to me that

99%
of the 99%

are letting less than 1%
of the 99%

Do all the work.


To the other 99+% of the 99% - the least you can do is show your support.


PRINT and tape the document in the link below
to the back window of your car - the lower "left" corner - PLEASE!

Your support of the 99% link.

Destroying ALEC - Minnesota Activist Group Established

Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity.  Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes.

Certain activities or expenditures may not be prohibited depending on the facts and circumstances.  For example, certain voter education activities (including presenting public forums and publishing voter education guides) conducted in a non-partisan manner do not constitute prohibited political campaign activity.

I put that code from the IRS out there as the most important issue of this entry.

This entry is in no way meant to dismiss or contradict the accomplishments of the Center for Democracy (CMD).  Their contribution has been immeasurable – up to now.

This entry is meant to educate others on the limitations that are placed on CMD – because of their 501c3 status.

This entry is posted to help readers understand that CMD has for the most part - hit the end of the road – as far as their assistance to us in DESTOYING ALEC – what they are currently doing (which is great) is all that they can do – they can not take it to the next level..  CMD can continue to furnish us with information – thereby educating us in our knowledge of ALEC – but based on their 501c3 status, they can offer us very little more.

Although the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) claims to be bi-partisan, we know that ALEC is not and that the majority of writings that are done about ALEC will focus on Republican candidates almost exclusively.  CMD can not participate in a partisan type of activity.

Per the CMD 501c3 purpose (from their 990) they are to:

The Center for Media and Democracy educates the public on the impact of public relations on the political process through books, articles, newsletters, interviews, and speeches.

The Center for Democracy is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan, public interest organization that focuses on investigating and countering spin by corporations, industries, and government agencies that affects our health, liberty, security, economic opportunities, environment, and the vitality of the democratic process.

The purpose that CMD serves is too important for them to take a chance at jeopardizing their 501c3 status.

By providing us with access to ALEC model legislation and providing us with a place to compile lists of politicians affiliated with ALEC – CMD is assisting with the education of citizens about the very structure of ALEC.

By publishing articles about activities that ALEC, CMD is providing us with information to educate us and “countering spin” in order for us to take action.

I am getting the distinct and awful foreboding that people think that just because CMD has all this valuable ALEC information that somehow – CMD can destroy ALEC.

While CMD can be of assistance in the destruction of ALEC – it is citizen activists who will truly hold the responsibility for destroying ALEC.

The information that CMD can provide is important in our understanding of the workings of ALEC – but is WE who must take the actions necessary to make sure that ALEC is destroyed.

It is citizen action that will make sure that ALEC legislators are not re-elected – CMD can have no part of that political discussion due to their 501c3 status.

It is citizen action that will make sure that ALEC “model legislation” is not passed in our state legislatures – CMD can not do that due to their 501c3 status.

It is citizen action that will educate progressive and moderate legislators about ALEC and ask them for their assistance in stopping ALEC – CMD can not do this due to their 501c3 status.

It is citizen action that will educate voters in your precinct about ALEC and ask them to stop ALEC or ALEC leaning candidates from being elected – CMD can not do this due to their 501c3 status.

It is citizen action that will vet every candidate in 2012 to make sure that they are not affiliated with ALEC or hold a free market philosophy – CMD can not do that due to their 501c3 status.

It is citizen action that will be required to investigate every candidate in our city and county elections to make sure they are not affiliated with ALEC of hold a free market philosophy – CMD can not do that due to their 501c3 status.

CMD holds the information necessary to educate us in our quest.

CMD does not have the proverbial silver bullet that will destroy ALEC.

Citizen activists are the only people that can and must destroy ALEC at the city, county, state and federal level.

2011 IS NOT the first time ALEC has been exposed.  It is important to remember that this is not the first time that ALEC has been brought to the attention of the general public.  In 2002, Alecwatch.org supplied the reading public with information needed to begin the process of destroying ALEC – and no one listened – no one took action.  It is ten years later and ten years of more damage to our democracy by ALEC – we can no longer sit idle – we MUST act!

The actions of John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Scott Walker, John Kasich, Lindsey Graham, Tom Delay, John Kyl, Donald Rumsfeld, Steve King, Russell Pearce, Jan Brewer, Mary Kiffmeyer and all the other ALEC members or ALEC alumni should be fair warning to us that we CAN NOT afford to wait another 10 years to take action against ALEC – we MUST act.

The time of being ONLY ALEC keyboard commandos has passed– we MUST concentrate on putting “boots to the ground” and making sure that ALEC members and alumni are not re-elected.  We must make sure that ALEC sympathizers and past members are not appointed to state and federal positions of authority.  We must make sure that every candidate – for years to come - is properly vetted to make sure they are not an ALEC member and do not hold an ALEC-like free market philosophy.

Your future depends on your actions.  Your children’s future depends on your actions.  Your grandchildren’s future depends on your actions.  Your family’s future depends on your actions.

Now is your moment and you are holding the power to take action to eliminate this radical right wing extremist corporatist organization and remove ALEC legislative members from our democratic process.

Now is your moment to save representation of, by and for the people and save our democracy.

Minnesota / Western Wisconsin Activist Committee Against ALEC

With this posting and in cooperation with MnDem999 from Daily Kos we are starting the Minnesota / Western Wisconsin Activist Committee Against ALEC. 

The purpose of this committee will be to strategize ways to eliminate ALEC influence from the state legislature and to strategize ways to eliminate ALEC legislators in the 2012 elections and beyond. 

This is a “face to face” group and while discussion is important – ACTION is the purpose.  We will not be convening to “talk about ALEC”. 

Every person involved will be required to commit to ACTION.  If you don’t have time to take ACTION – this is not be the group for you. 

We will be the “boots on the ground” in the attempt to Destroy ALEC. 

If you are interested in joining this group please leave me a comment with your real name and email address (I will not publish your comment with your email) and I will contact you regarding the first meeting of the group.

This entry is cross-posted on Daily Kos.

Minnesota – PLEASE Sign the 2011 “No New Levies Pledge”

Minnesota – Please bear with me for a moment as I lay out my logic behind this.

Minnesota – once known for our progressive politics has turned over to the dark side.

We are now electing way too many Republicans into office.

The Republicans that are in office are signing Grover Norquist’s “No New Taxes Pledge” which is causing absolute havoc in our state.

PLEASE join me in signing the “No New Levies Pledge” for 2011.

Your kid or city can make it for one year – until the 2012 elections – when we can once again get progressives into office that understand and appreciate the need for adequate state funding to our cities and schools.

If you vote NO! to any new Minnesota tax levy you will NOT be causing irreparable damage to your child or city - The time period will only be ONE more YEAR of decreased funding.  In 2012, we can change the political makeup of our legislature in the 2012 elections and once again get adequate funding for our cities and our schools.

The Republicans MUST be held responsible for the consequences of their unyielding allegiance to the “no new taxes” pledge.  One of those consequences is for citizens of this state to say NO! – to levy requests that are being voted on in November.

If schools and cities DO NOT get their levies passed next month – then we can hope that independents will be more open for voting for people who HAVE NOT signed the “no new taxes pledge” and they will help us move the state in a more progressive direction.  Maybe independents will be more willing to vote for candidates who are willing to raise taxes to fund our schools, our cities and our counties.

Your mantra after the levy does not pass could be something like this:

Our current city / school structure was never intended to be funded by the citizens of the city/school.

The Republicans obstinate insistence of “no new taxes” puts the burden on the citizens of the city/school district to self fund the city / school.

We can not maintain that type of funding structure

The citizens of this city can’t afford to support the city / school without help from the State government.

We need support from the State and that means tax increases – the Republicans have got to be removed from office.

As citizens of our city / school district – we can not and must not be held responsible for funding what the Republicans choose not to fund, by the Republicans choice to not raise taxes.

You MUST take a stand against this type of legislature that is stifling our state, our cities and our schools.  The “no new taxes pledge” is destructive to the State of Minnesota.

PLEASE take the 2011 “NO New Levies Pledge”.

PLEASE Vote NO! to any Minnesota 2011 school or city levy – which is asking for money that the Republicans have refused to give them – by not raising the necessary taxes.

Taxpayer Protection Pledge

I, ____________, pledge to the taxpayers of the City of __________ and the parents and students of School District #________of the State of _________ and to all the people of this state, that I will oppose and vote against any and all 2011 levies for our city or school district.