The American Ruling Class

[minoly]

Vulture Capitalists

That's right they should all accept the minimum wage, work their a's off, bend over and take it... period. Wait... minimum wage! we need to drop that too! forget the benefits, if they can't learn how to read and write to get a better job, they deserve whatever happens!

This is pathetic!


Hostess Bankrupt - No More Twinkies?! - YouTube


union workers had already agreed to a series of concessions over the years and the company had failed to invest in brand marketing and modernization of plants and trucks and had focused instead on enriching owners such as private equity firm Ripplewood Holdings and hedge funds Silver Point Capital and Monarch Alternative Capital.

Officials at the three firms declined to comment.

"Our members decided... they were not going to agree to another round of outrageous wage and benefit cuts and give up their pension only to see yet another management team fail and Wall Street vulture capitalists and 'restructuring specialists' walk away with untold millions of dollars," said BCTGM International Union President Frank Hurt.

Twinkies maker Hostess plans to go out of business | Reuters

[jdodson]

Democrats stiffen spine against trimming benefits - Yahoo! News

Shocker!
Obama was re-elected...lets keep spending
and the downfall continues.

[FuzzyTomCat]

In a show of stupidity, the baker's union has refused to return to work at Hostess, the king of baked junk foods including Twinkies, Hostess cupcakes, Ding Dongs, and Wonder Bread (to name a few of their most popular items). As a result, Hostess is permanently closing down operations because the company cannot afford to meet union demands for pay hikes, and 18,500 more Americans will be out of work. The Teamsters union, which drives the trucks that have delivered Hostess baked goods, was willing to go along with company requests for a pay freeze, but the baker's union refused, so now all the workers are out of a job. Makes a lot of sense, huh? Looks like the bakers want to have their cake and eat it too.

Seriously, though, there are already 23 million Americans out of work, so why not hire 18,500 of them (at a starting wage of half what they paid the union bakers) to bake, fill, and wrap twinkies instead of shutting down? After all, how hard can that be, especially since every process is pretty much automated. As to the union bakers, fire all of them for not showing up for work. You'd think the CEO would have been able to figure all of this out instead of letting the business go under.

Hey Rick, This doesn't surprise me a bit, we see this all the time with Unions dictating and ultimately doing hostile take overs of business with over and above wage earnings and entitlements thru their collective Union demands.

I don't blame any OWNER that feels that the employees he has show no gratitude for the company they work for because the employees feel their entitlement on their demands, willing to stop the company's sales and production ignoring other employees positions at their work place, willing to do anything including sabotage to get their way.

When is it a requirement to keep your business OPEN especially for unreasonable disgruntled employees whether the workers are Union or Non-Union? You would think having a job is a good thing and having the freedoms we have if your unhappy with your job to go some where else and work.

Myself like many others it's a sad day to not have products that's been around for ages, but the owner appears to have had his share of crap for years with his employees and thankfully there is NO LAW requiring the owner to keep the doors open just for the employees or certain employees welfare.

[jdodson]

@Minoly and @FuzzyTomCat

I think you both describe each side of the story very well.

Either side can be the right, It really just depends on which people are being the irresponsible people, maybe to a degree they both are.

I personally tend to side with the private businesses. We already have federal labor laws. As an employee if your really not happy what a company is paying you ect.., use your own free time and achieve something better. There is unlimited opportunity here to strive for a better life. It takes hard work, and yes sacrifices must be made but thats what it takes to put yourself in the best position.

If everyone relied on an easy way out when things get tough america never would have became the nation it is today, nor will it survive for long if everyone expects to be handed what they think they deserve.

I was taught to work hard from an early age, thats why im a realtor, construction contractor, software programmer, web designer, graphic designer all at the age of 23. I grew up with nothing, living in a trailor park and now own 3 houses. I'll never be without work...I've made myself too valuable. I'm going to buy some country land and build my dream house from the ground up. I already have all the experience to do it. (I can build a quarter million dollar house for 50 thousand in materials)

I dont even have an education. I dropped out of school at the age of 12. Never passed a class in high school but still got my GED at 16. Everything I know I learned from the internet. The internet itself is your own privately accessible college university.

It doesnt matter who you are or where you come from all of us can achieve the american dream.

Those who work the hardest will get rewarded the most. Dont wait for your employer to cut your pay and leave you with no options, diversify your own abilities and put the power back into your hands no matter what your employer wants to do. I realize thats easier said than done, but your future is worth the sacrifice.

Thats why I tend to side with businesses. We all should have the freedom to make our own choices; people and businesses. (within the labor laws of course)

[aljhoa]

American dream

The reality is that in America, only a few people truly live the American dream. Those at the top who control the flow of economic resources and production capital (in socialist philosophy terms, they are referred to as the “haute bourgeoisie” class) are also the ones who get most of the resource flow even though they don't need it.

In reality, the majority of people in this country live in slavery to their jobs just so they can keep up with never-ending bills and make ends meet. They never live the American dream. And the myth of “individual freedom” for all in America is just that, a myth, perpetuated to appease and motivate the masses of people, making each person feel important. Most people in America work at least 8 hours a day at a full time job, and what little time is left at the end of the day is spent at home with their families, making dinner, getting children ready for bed, and then going to bed to start the next day the same way again. There isn't really enough time for people to develop themselves intellectually or spiritually.
Propaganda vs. Real Life in America


Al

[jdodson]

@aljhoa

I fully understand what you mean. It is a slave society. However it doesnt have to be that way for us. You do have the power to be free. The american dream, for me, is being self sufficient. I intend on having everything I want and being off the grid. Supplying my own power, food and water. I would no longer need to work a job, and could spend the rest of my life in peace.

Everyone has that opportunity. Although, similiar to what you mention, if everyone did the same where would the material resources come from to build a residence off the grid. Where could you buy windows if no one builds them. ect?

The entire economy is one big pyramid scheme of slavery. You cant even get out of the economy without using materials from someone within the economy. Old workers are replaced by new ones, and the big low income working base at the bottom is controlled by the few wealthy at the top.

[aljhoa]

I intend on having everything I want and being off the grid. Supplying my own power, food and water. I would no longer need to work a job, and could spend the rest of my life in peace.

This video is for entertainment purposes only.
This video is copyright of it's originator: Mindfreer
Solid State Free Energy Demonstration - YouTube


Al

[minoly]

@Minoly and @FuzzyTomCat

I think you both describe each side of the story very well.

Either side can be the right, It really just depends on which people are being the irresponsible people, maybe to a degree they both are.

I personally tend to side with the private businesses. We already have federal labor laws. As an employee if your really not happy what a company is paying you ect.., use your own free time and achieve something better. There is unlimited opportunity here to strive for a better life. It takes hard work, and yes sacrifices must be made but thats what it takes to put yourself in the best position.

If everyone relied on an easy way out when things get tough america never would have became the nation it is today, nor will it survive for long if everyone expects to be handed what they think they deserve.

I was taught to work hard from an early age, thats why im a realtor, construction contractor, software programmer, web designer, graphic designer all at the age of 23. I grew up with nothing, living in a trailor park and now own 3 houses. I'll never be without work...I've made myself too valuable. I'm going to buy some country land and build my dream house from the ground up. I already have all the experience to do it. (I can build a quarter million dollar house for 50 thousand in materials)

I dont even have an education. I dropped out of school at the age of 12. Never passed a class in high school but still got my GED at 16. Everything I know I learned from the internet. The internet itself is your own privately accessible college university.

It doesnt matter who you are or where you come from all of us can achieve the american dream.

Those who work the hardest will get rewarded the most. Dont wait for your employer to cut your pay and leave you with no options, diversify your own abilities and put the power back into your hands no matter what your employer wants to do. I realize thats easier said than done, but your future is worth the sacrifice.

Thats why I tend to side with businesses. We all should have the freedom to make our own choices; people and businesses. (within the labor laws of course)

It's examples like this that give mankind hope. You are however an anomoly out of the vast downtrodden population, I am as well. This is what keeps the ruling class up at night.

[minoly]

Yet another reason to get rid of PBS

Wal-Mart employs more people than any other company in the United States outside of the Federal government, yet the majority of its employees with children live below the poverty line. "Buy American" banners are prominently placed throughout its stores; however, the majority of its goods are made outside the U.S. and often in sweatshops. Critics believe that Wal-Mart opens stores to saturate the marketplace and clear out the competition, then closes the stores and leaves them sitting empty. Freedom of speech issues also come into play. Musicians are at the mercy of Wal-Mart's stringent content rules, forcing many to create "sanitized" versions of their albums specifically for the discount chain.

The sentiment behind Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton's promise of a "better life for all" belies questionable business practices - many that have been challenged by employees, unions, environmentalists, recording artists and human rights organizations.


Top: Wal-Mart executive
Middle: Wal-Mart associates at work
Bottom: Associates singing the Star Spangled Banner at grand opening
Working for Wal-Mart
Forbes magazine, polling business executives (not employees) has ranked Wal-Mart among the best 100 corporations to work for. Yet the employees on average take home pay of under $250 a week. The salary for full-time employees (called "associates") is $6 to $7.50 an hour for 28-40 hours a week, which is typical in the discount retail industry. This pay scale places employees with families below the poverty line, with the majority of employees' children qualifying for free lunch at school. When closely examined, this amounts to a form of corporate welfare, as the taxpayer subsidizes the low salaries. One-third are part-time employees - limited to less than 28 hours of work per week - and are not eligible for benefits.

The company is staunchly anti-union. New employees are shown videotapes explaining that instead of unionizing, they benefit from the open door policy, allowing them to take their complaints beyond the supervisors to higher management. When the United Food and Commercial Workers tried to organize workers across the country, labor experts were brought in for "coaching sessions" with personnel who support unionization. Employees complained that these were intimidation sessions. Many such complaints are currently on file with the National Labor Relations Board.

Whereas Wal-Mart employees start at the same salary as unionized employees in similar lines of work, they make 25 percent less than their unionized counterparts after two years at the job. The rapid turnover - 70 percent of employees leave within the first year - is attributed to a lack of recognition and inadequate pay, according to a survey Wal-Mart conducted. Yet this can work to the company's advantage, since it is more difficult for unions to organize when there is constant employee turnover.
PBS - STORE WARS: Wal-Mart Business Practices


Wal-Mart's Phony Patriotism

To many Americans, Wal-Mart seems as American as apple pie. After all, what could be more American than a company started by retail legend Sam Walton, who successfully pioneered America's biggest buy American retail program? History may be correct and compelling in this regard, but today's Wal-Mart bears little resemblance to Sam's original vision of old, except the low prices. The low prices remain, but unless we are to accept that the end justifies the means, today's Wal-Mart deserves a closer look at just how they maintain their popularity and seemingly unshakeable reputation as the low-price leader.

To be quick to the point, Wal-Mart's buy American campaign is a complete sham. However, most people looking for the cheapest bargain possible pay attention to little else than price, and it is quite possible the thing they remember most about America's number one retailer is, besides the low prices, that they pretty much stock mostly made in U.S.A. goods wherever and whenever possible, which is entirely untrue. Were they to visit stores in Mexico or Canada in the mid-1990's, however, they would find buy Mexican and buy Canadian campaigns just as prominent as the buy American campaign back home.
How Americans Can Buy American

There is a disconnect in anyone's inability to understand why some one would accept a job from a company like this. People were working for Walmart long before 2008.

[Mad Scientist]

The petition movement for a state to secede from the union appears to be growing despite the efforts to discredit it. Apparently there are now petitions coming in from all states. This is something that is obviously starting to resonate with a large number of people. Now I think we can all agree that the government will in no way grant these requests, but that is irrelevant! But what is happening is like in the movie scene where the newscaster tells his audience “open you windows stick you head our and scream, We are mad as hell and we are not going to take this anymore”. This is what these petitions are telling our politicians however it is being done in a manner that is way more forceful and powerful than anything that has ever been done before. Even the most callous or brain dead politician has got to realize that they got a real problem here and they are going to have to deal with it.

So the more people that sign these petitions the louder the scream and the harder it will be for the politicians to ignore it.


I was listening to an internet radio show earlier today and they went into this issue in detail. It is a three hour show, yeah it is long, but the first two hours are the meat of it and you can fast forward through the first 9 minutes. But once you get into it a bit and the guest starts talking I don’t think you will turn it off.

Drake's Vital Weekend Update - Sunday 11/18 by Universal Voice Radio | Blog Talk Radio

click on Download this episode

[rickoff]

As we would certainly expect, while the media is reporting about the secession petitions, the reports typically make the petitioners out to be looney tunes folks. This ABC (All Barack Channel) story is a good example:

ABC News state secession petitions report

And in this report from CBS (Complete Bull ****), we actually see the exact same people that were featured in the ABC News report! Both stations simply ran what was handed to them by TPTB, which was nothing more than propaganda aimed at influencing public opinion.

Contrast those media reports to some real and sincere reporting on the subject by Dr. Ron Paul:

Dr Paul on Secession

As Ron points out, "Independence of the states will come back, and it doesn't mean you will be un-American to even contemplate what might have to be done once the dollar crashes."

[aljhoa]

As Ron points out, "Independence of the states will come back, and it doesn't mean you will be un-American to even contemplate what might have to be done once the dollar crashes."

I think we can all agree: the world is full of deception, greed, and the seeds of evil.

One might say that if the John Birch Society has exposed the truth for so long, how come they have not been able to wake up enough people over the years to agree with them?

When you awake for the first time you are told that the political process is a fake. It’s called the left-right paradigm. When you awake the second time you realize that the truth movement has been equally hijacked, and the opposition to the status quo is a fake opposition – - a false paradigm of it’s own. But, funny enough, you wouldn’t expect that now would you?

Ron Paul once said on the Alex Jones show, that the globalists are very patient. They have effected their plan over a long period of time.

If the real truth is what I now believe it to be, the globalists will be using the first time wake uppers to destroy their own government. Did you hear that? Destroy your own government leaving no choice but World Government. The ants will have been herded to take the action desired by the few controllers. They will have them listening to grandpa Paul as he tells them to go ahead, secede from the union, and divide yourselves little children. Because when you do, you will be helpless to the global empire.
The Controlled Opposition Fronts have played truthers like a fiddle


Al

[Mad Scientist]

But how can we tell this to the average person without them thinking that they are talking to a complete nut case? We are asking them to reject everything they know and believe to be our history. That everything they were taught in school was a lie and they are being used and manipulated in ways they cannot even begin to imagine.
Even if documentation is brought and we say “see this, look at that or how about this” my guess is their eyes would glaze over and they would say “That’s imposable, there is no why that can be true, or I would have known about it”.

Like in the movie the “Matrix” do you want to take the red pill or the blue pill?
That can be a very hard choice to make.

[rickoff]

Quotable quote of the day

"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes. You just pass a law that says that any time there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP,all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election." - Warren Buffet

Right on, but surely Congress would never pass such a law, just as they would never pass a law requiring term limits imposed upon themselves. It's too bad that such safeguards were not included in the Constitution.

[jdodson]

"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes. You just pass a law that says that any time there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP,all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election." - Warren Buffet

Right on, but surely Congress would never pass such a law

Not only would they not pass it, americans would demand that they do no such thing.
If that bill were in discussion there would be massive fear campaigns taking place. Grandma and grandpa would be out on the street. No more assistance for anyone getting an education. The sick will be left for dead.

You hear the same arguments anytime anyone talks about cutting the deficit. Apparently it makes you a heartless person who wants to endanger peoples lives.

I can hear Obama now, "You'll drive the truck off the cliff"