“Noncorporate” means they reject corporate contributions, which means they are “progressive.”
— JoAnn Chateau
Support and vote for unbought progressives, whenever possible, in the 2024 elections. They aim to serve their constituents, instead of wealthy special interests–and that’s best for democracy!
A vegan menu can reflect the intention of kindness and humanity to all, both man and creature. For most people, our hearts go out to both the Israeli and Palestinian people. (Netanyahu? Hamas? No. Neither.)
This is a difficult winter/holiday season for many. That is why my Hanukkah wishes are not overly cheerful. But they are hopeful. Let there be light.
“Hanukkah… symbolizes the creation of light in the darkest times.” – Rabbi Jessica Minnen
Only 10 percent of American workers belong to a labor union. Compare that to the 33 percent union membership of the 1950s. Union wages raise the competitive wages and benefits for non-union workers, as well. Now with fewer unionized workers, there is greater income inequality for all workers.
In Sweden, 90 percent of workers are unionized. They enjoy collective bargaining, and keep their work standards and benefits high. Swedish workers want it to stay that way. That is why Swedish mechanics are currently fighting Elon Musk’s automotive company, Tesla, for union rights.
In a statement, the Swedish Trade Union Confederation said: “In Sweden, we should not have American conditions. If we allow a giant company to do as they wish, more will follow.”
(Ouch. Swedish workers reject American working conditions.)
The Swedish mechanics do not strike alone. Other unionized industries stand in solidarity with them. Postal workers, painters, dock workers, transport workers, and building maintenance support their efforts, with their own Tesla-targeted strike actions.
Other trade unions have rallied around IF Metall’s strike action, believing that Tesla’s actions could put the entire Swedish labour model in danger.
Sadly, from the perspective of unionized workers, Elon Musk just won a fight against Swedish postal workers who refused to deliver license plates for Tesla vehicles.
The court’s decision delivers a blow to efforts by Swedish workers from a range of sectors to pressure Tesla into recognizing a labor union representing local mechanics who service the company’s cars.
Workers, everywhere, are engaged in a war between the classes. It’s a war between ordinary people and the obscenely rich. “Which side are you on?”
The now-classic labor song “Which Side Are You On” was written by Florence Reece in 1931. She was the wife of a union organizer for the United Mine Workers in Kentucky, USA.
Tom Turkey says, “Be grateful for vegans.” He is very concerned about the planet and human blood cholesterol levels. So this Thanksgiving, to please Tom, inch your way toward a plant-based menu.
Check out “Vegan Holiday Recipes for All 4Â Seasons” and look for the “Thanksgiving” section. (TIP: Control+f, and enter “thanksgiving” in the find field.) That should keep your kitchen entertained, for about the next week.
Whether you’re solo, or with a crowd, here’s wishing you peace and purpose. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
I didn’t mean to. After all, it’s a beautiful Saturday morning. But I got into it… And I wrote a good post (at least, longer than a Twitter update) at PostNews.
It’s entitled, “The American Fascist Movement Is Growing & Going International.” In it, I reveal something related to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Mike Johnson was scheduled to be a keynote speaker at the first Worldwide Freedom Initiative, in Paris.
If you’re on PostNews, give me a follow. If you aren’t yet on Post, I can tell you it is a decent social media network, and a good place to connect with like-minded people.
During a Medicare Open Enrollment period, it is easy for seniors to switch back to Medicare. My advice? Switch to real Medicare (often called “original” or “traditional” Medicare by wordsmiths working for the private health insurance industry) before your aging body parts start to breakdown. We are in a Medicare Open Enrollment period right now, from October 15, 2023 to December 7, 2023.
Why do I collect this information and share it with you? Because I am absolutely biased.
I am no fan of Medicare Advantage, or of any unnecessary private healthcare middlemen, making a mint off of the US Government and my fellow-Americans. This country would save a lot of money with a comprehensive, single-payer, universal healthcare system like Bernie Sanders’ Medicare For All. Even the conservative think tank Mercatus Center at George Mason University “found that under Sanders’s plan, overall health costs would go down, and wages would go up.”
Be well. Stay healthy. When injustice makes you unhappy, practice emotional detachment. And keep fighting the Good Fight.
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is coming up this November. The challenge is to write 50,000 words in 30 days, and to end up with the first draft of a new novel.
The idea of NaNoWriMo is to write as fast as you can. It’s quantity over quality. Kill that debilitating urge for perfectionism. You can edit in December.
So who’s signing up? I just might. I happen to have a story idea about a little dog who falls into the company of fractious, but lovable, progressive activists. (Of course!)
Meanwhile, I’m looking at various writers’ applications. Many of them include motivational tools that help authors set, and achieve, timely writing goals. They are the perfect tools for a mad-dash book draft.
Learn more about National Novel Writing Month at the NaNoWriMo website.
Progressive Graffiti 