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Monday, October 31, 2011

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


Sunday, October 30, 2011

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.

Friday, October 28, 2011

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.


Thursday, October 27, 2011

Minnesota - Land of 10,000 ALEC Members

Minnesota
Land of 10,000 ALEC members!

Anyway it feels like that most every day!  Although Mary Kiffmeyer says there are only 30 - but that's probably a lie - based on what we are seeing in our legilsature.

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 and the Minnesota campaign finance webpage.


Lynda
Boudreau
MN
Laura
Brod
MN
Arne
Carlson
MN
Matt
Dean
MN
Steve
Drazkowski
MN
Tom
Emmer
MN
Sondra
Erickson
MN
Gil
Gutknecht
MN
Mike
Jungbauer
MN
Mary
Kiffmeyer
MN
Bill
Macklin
MN
Gen
Olson
MN
Patricia (Patty)
Pariseau
MN
Eric
Paulsen
MN
Jim
Ramstad
MN
Linda
Rundbeck
MN
Ron
Shimanski
MN
Steve
Swiggum
MN


Many more Minnesota legislators 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?  There’s quite a few people on this ALEC list – I’d ask if I were you.


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 or this or this

This is what ALEC is About  - Mark Pocan - About ALEC

Please do your part in educating people
by sending them the links to the articles and reports listed just above.

Wall Street Speculators & Oil Companies Screw Minnesota on Gas Prices

RED LINE  = Crude Oil Prices
BLUE LINE = Gas Prices in Minnesota

PURPLE LINE - added by me to show trend
(focus your attention to where the blue line trends above the purple line)



Wall Street Speculators & Oil Companies Screw Minnesota on Gas Prices














Trend is
Minnesota gas prices over the past FIVE YEARS show that
    
   The price at the pump over the most current six months 
        is almost exactly the same 
        as the price at the pump
        during the period of May to September of 2008
                         
  During the period of May to September 2008
      oil peaked at $134 a barrel
    
  WE are paying the same price at the pump today
      that we were paying during the period of May to September 2008
        BUT NOW oil has been less than $90 a barrel 
        for five of the last six months.

         
Barrell of oil is $134 - Minnesotans pay about $3.25 per gallon
Barrel of oil is less than $90 - Minnesotan STILL pay about $3.25 per gallon

BTW:  Gas around my house has been fluctuating between $3.45 and $3.57 for the past month - I don't know where GasBuddy (source of the graph) is getting a price around $3.23 for Minnesota).

UPDATE - 6 hours later:
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Exxon Mobil reported quarterly earnings of $10.3 billion on Thursday, a surge of 41% from a year earlier.

LONDONRoyal Dutch Shell PLC Thursday said net profit for the third quarter more than doubled, driven by strong oil and rising natural gas prices and as major projects ramp up production.
Net profit for the quarter totaled $6.98 billion, more than double the $3.46 billion posted a year ago. Group revenue was $123.41 billion, compared with $90.71 billion in the third quarter of 2010.




Oil companies and speculators get richer
The 99% get SCREWED!

#Occupy


Monday, October 24, 2011

ALEC TRIVIA - The Annual Meeting Pot o'Gold

How much does it cost corporations to buy ALEC legislators?

At the annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) - here's my calculation of how much corporations paid to buy your legislator - these are guesstimates, of course - based on information that I have from 2008 and 2010 - so the numbers are probably LOW.


Dinner and Speech Sponsorships $   495,000.00
Sponsorships of the Annual Meeting - 82 companies $2,005,000.00
Exhibitor Fees - 55 exhibitors (based on 2008 rates/member rate) $     99,850.00
Corporate Scholarships for Legislators to attend the conference $1,425,000.00
 $4,024,850.00


AND that's the mucho dinero for just one of three national meetings that ALEC holds.

And I'm sure that some company sponsored the Kiddie Kongress too - but I can't find the fee for that. 
Must cost a lot to brainwash kids for three days.

It's a deal at any price
to get in the pants of your legislator
so they can have pro-corporate legislation introduced at the state and federal level.

The corporations must be laughing all the way to their checkbooks to pay for the next meeting.

Michigan - A state with BIG ALEC problems!

Michigan
A state with BIG ALEC problems!

The rumor is I only have less than 1/2 the names for Michigan - 1/2 - it's rumored that it is well over 100 ALEC members in Michigan.

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, the Michigan state bios, Michigan campaign finance webpage,  the Michigan manual, and other state and misc. webpages.


Jason E.
Allen
MI
Justin
Amash
MI
James A
Barcia
MI
Patricia (Patty)
Birkholz
MI
Mike
Bishop
MI
Bill
Bullard, Jr.
MI
David
Camp
MI
Allen
Cropsey
MI
Craig M
DeRoche
MI
Mat J.
Dunakiss
MI
Kevin
Elsenheimer
MI
Joanne
Emmons
MI
John
Engler
MI
David
Farhat
MI
Valde
Garcia
MI
John
Gardfield
MI
Ed
Gaffney
MI
Mike
Goshka
MI
Mike
Green
MI
Gail
Haines
MI
Dave
Hildenbrand
MI
Philip E.
Hoffmann
MI
Ken
Horn
MI
Bill
Huizenga
MI
Rick V.
Johnson
MI
Jerry O
Kooiman
MI
Mike
Kowall
MI
Wayne
Kuipers
MI
Phillip J
LaJoy
MI
Peter
Lund
MI
Jim
Marleau
MI
Mary Ann
Middaugh
MI
Leslie
Mortimer
MI
Aric
Nesbitt
MI
Gary
Newell
MI
Mike
Nofs
MI
David
Palsrok
MI
Bruce
Patterson
MI
Tom
Pearce
MI
Dick
Posthumus
MI
Randy
Richardville
MI
Dave
Robertson
MI
Bill
Rogers
MI
Mike
Rogers
MI
Tonya
Schuitmaker
MI
John
Schwarz
MI
Fulton
Sheen
MI
Kent
Sikkema
MI
Nick
Smith
MI
Barb
Vander Veen
MI
Tim
Walberg
MI
Christopher C
Ward
MI


11/10/11 - ADD
Susan Tabor
Beverly Hammerstrom


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?  There’s quite a few people on this ALEC list – I’d ask if I were you.


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 –

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.