Wake The Hell Up!!

‘CIPIENTS SPEAK
by Maureen D. Taylor
State Chair, MWRO
May 2009

On Thursday, May 14th, 2009, most Americans woke up to the grim news that in order for Chrysler to save itself, 25% of the current dealers needed to be sacrificed. Some 789 Chrysler dealers were on a list to be closed, some as early as June 9th, after having served the master for decades. Never mind the hundreds of thousands of new families who are now facing unemployment, never mind the many community programs underwritten by these dealerships over the years, never mind the feeder businesses near by who rely on the traffic created by these car dealers - with one swipe of the pen, they will soon be “toast!”

Next comes the dreaded list issued by General Motors who will name the fate of thousands more GM dealerships that must close to save GM. All the while these horrific announcements are being made, a psychotic Wall Street reacts by closing higher, happy at the news that the Big Two are being saved by the sacrifices of millions. Is there not something insidious, sick, and diabolical about these happenings?

Perhaps what is most disturbing is the ease in which millions of car-related workers accept the premise that for America to be better, they must starve, lose healthcare, have homes taken from them, and in other ways stand “mute” while their very lives are being wrecked. The incomes offered to the next generation of workers is woefully lower than what their predecessors earned and will not allow the purchase of these hi-priced cars of the future.

The question is, where are the blue-collar and no-collar visionaries who have the answers to these current economic issues? Welfare Rights firmly believes that the solution to this deepening crisis is not to be found in the direction which we are all being pushed that calls for us to lose everything for the sake of the company. Don’t our lives and the future of our children count? Every response to the growing international crisis is one that suggests that we must bear the pain…closing schools, reduced wages, loss of retirement funds, loss of retiree health coverage, mounting foreclosures, rising domestic violence, rising suicide rates among children and veterans, rising incidents of police brutality…all things connected to rising stress levels. What do we get for our pain?

The time to bring up new ideas is now. The time to suggest a new and different course of action has arrived. The 6.5 million workers who now receive unemployment benefits must soon decide what is to be done when that last check arrives and a job has not been secured. The only answer to this greed-driven, corporate crisis is to engage in building an organized society that rests on certain foundations. People must eat, no matter what. People must have access to clean drinking water, no matter what. People and families must have homes to raise children in, no matter what. Elders deserve respect and a level of comfort, no matter what. We take care of sick people, we educate children so that they can make wise decisions as adults, we care for animals, and we live our days to serve a higher cause that includes kindness and concern.

The time has come to make a choice – “which side are YOU on?” Massa won’t let you live with him, so we must live without him. Wake the hell up!

'Cipients Speak: The Margin of Victory!

The strongest and clearest candidate in the Presidential race is by far, the under-dog, Cynthia McKinney, Green Party. That campaign cannot compete with the millions of dollars being spent by the Elephants and Donkeys, so we are calling on the next elected President to do the right thing. Hire Cynthia McKinney as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services, and appoint Dennis Kucinich as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. This would make a good start.

The survey polls are all over the place, so the question is what do you believe? At Welfare Rights, we know that the margin of victory is found in the ranks of those already marginalized and who, if included, can secure the victory. If the Obama camp wants to win this election, it must engage the low income voter, the homeless voter, the ex-felon voter, and the high school, new voter. We are already spreading out across the city to find, to secure, locate and to sign-up every one of those voters just listed. What would help would be to get these no-good, trifling Democrats on the same page that we are on. A simple thing like securing lawn signs and bumper stickers for those unable to spend the requisite $5 per sign should be a task even they can manage. Not so…

There is great angst in the Detroit Obama camp. Volunteers are rightfully upset about what they perceive as unfair treatment. Many have worked tireless hours to support their candidate and thought they would receive compensation for that labor. They are angry because that didn’t happen, and are even more upset to learn that an out-of-town volunteer committee is being slightly paid for working in the Detroit, Wayne County area.

This is a new day and new strategies are being tried, so we all have to get used to new stuff. What’s not new is that we are still being tricked, bamboozled, and hood-winked by corporate powers. To think that both parties in both houses are even considering making a gift of $1 trillion dollars to banks so that they can make loans to the common people that would generate interest is a sick trick. We don’t need credit, we need jobs that pay livable wages and a guaranteed annual income for those who find themselves in-between jobs. Obama said, “Not that America is perfect, but that America can be perfect.” That can happen if we move to restructure this nation on the basis of what is good for the many, and not on what is good for the few. Make tax-free checks available to low income & middle class families, and watch the economy become highly stimulated! Just like the government found trillions of dollars for these low-down banks, find stimulus checks for the people and we will turn this economy around quick, fast and in a hurry. Post an “800 #” for us to call and tell you NOT to give banks our money so you will know how we feel. Local Democrats, get those lawn signs and bumper stickers delivered to the people so we won’t have to talk anymore about this issue!

Maureen D. Taylor
State Chair, Michigan Welfare Rights Organization

'Cipients Speak-May 2008

Detroit, MI, continues to sink under the weight of mis-management, corruption, and greed at the hands of despots seen when the Declaration of Independence was being written. Just when we believed that nothing else horrible could happen, we are again jolted by yet another attack on the quality of life poor people are trying to hold on to. Dig this!

In 2007 in Detroit alone, over 70,000 homes were foreclosed on in that one year. These devastating numbers come as a result of the “local” Katrina we suffer because Detroit is tied to the auto industry. Because the “Big Three” must maintain maximum profits at all costs, workers have to suffer. Plants have disappeared…Mack Stamping, Fleetwood Assembly, Huber Ave. Foundry, Lynch Rd. Assembly, Dodge Main, Ford Glass, and others have all gone the way of the wrecking ball. The number of cars being produced however, is the same. What is different is the number of hands needed to produce those cars, have been replaced by robots and in many cases, off shore workers. Technology that used to enhance labor, now has replaced labor, so what does that mean? It means that you had better figure out how to say, “poof” and turn yourself into a computer!

For Detroiters who used to believe that they, they children and their children’s children would always have good paying jobs with the auto industry are undergoing a transformation. Further evidence of what we are all in store for came to light in the following example. With so many evictions, the community has decided that enough is enough, so they are moving families back into their homes all over the city. Speculators like the Deutsch Bank of Germany are purchasing properties listed on tax foreclosures internet screens, buying homes sight-unseen. Bailiffs can’t keep up with the demand for 8-10 set-outs per day!

Now comes the depth of treachery – mortgage companies and banks are not willing to wait, so they have resorted to hiring “street thugs” to evict families. The highest Judge in one of our local Courts verified this information saying that the Courts are actively looking for these “thugs” who are performing a totally illegal act. Everything owned by these unfortunate families is summarily tossed out into waiting dumpsters -- children’s pictures, the family Bible, grandma’s wedding photos, all thrown away. Roving highwaymen come by in cars and take unattended bits of furniture and appliances. We are under siege.

Some are like frogs in a pot of water. Turn up the heat slowly, and they stay quiet as they boil to death not noticing the change. Some of us have noticed, and have decided that it is time for Detroit to change. It won’t be pretty, but the government here must be overthrown, jailed and tried for crimes against humanity. (MDT)