Jennifer Granholm: 'Teamsters President Hoffa: We Have To Fight" To Stop Right-To-Work'

Source:Real Clear Politics- Teamsters President James Hoffa Jr.

"James Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, tells Jennifer Granholm that the first thing Romney would do is push for a national "right-to-work" law to restrict the rights of unions.

"The unions are part of the American society. We play an important role. Business plays an important role. There is a political link. We are all part of a fabric that makes this country run. They don't accept us as being there. They want to knock us out. And that's what we have to fight. And if we can explain that to our members, I think we can get that through," Hoffa said.

Last September, Hoffa threatened the GOP at a union event where President Obama spoke.

"President Obama, this is your army. We are ready to march. Let's take these son of bitches out and give America back to an America where we belong," Hoffa said about Republicans." 

From Real Clear Politics

What so-called right to work laws really are, are trying to stop unions from organizing and putting unions out-of-business. If the Right really cares about workers and doesn't want them to be forced to pay for union dues that they didn't sign up, then they would outlaw forcing non-union workers to pay union dues. And instead allow non-union workers to negotiate their own pay and benefits instead.

Emmanuel Goldstein: The Open Mind With Richard Hefner- 'Dr. Martin L. King: First Interview in 1957'

Source:Emmanuel Goldstein-  Dr. Martin L. King, on The Open Mind with Richard Hefner, in 1957.

Source:The Daily Journal

"The first extensive TV Interview with Martin Luther King on The Open Mind - The New Negro (the 1957 term)"

From Emmanuel Goldstein

I think what Richard Hefner was talking about in his opening statement, is how he believed African-Americans (which is what they weren't called back in the 1950s) were perceived in the 1950s by Americans, European-Americans, especially Anglo-Saxons. That they were seen as submersive and as people who didn't want the constitutional rights they were entitled to under law and they were just happy to be in America. Which is one thing that Dr. King was fighting against in the 1950s and 60s.

Liberal democracy, worked pretty well in America except for African-Americans and perhaps other racial minorities. Which is why the civil rights movement was so important and Reverend Martin L. King comes along in the 1950s part of the civil rights generation that he in large part created. And concluded that for America to be a true liberal democracy, that all Americans should have their liberty and not just a special few. That liberal democracy had to work for all of us, not some of us, or we weren’t a real liberal democracy.

As President Kennedy said, we shouldn't would be a country that’s half free and half slave, with some Americans with the liberty to live up to their full-potential in life and get out of life what they put into it, with everyone else being dependent on what the special few gave us. And that forced segregation and racism was wrong and unacceptable and that this can’t be tolerated in a liberal democracy.

And Dr. King knew how to fight back against this and mobilized people who felt the same way. Dr. King’s political skills were also very good, he understood that not all Caucasian-Americans were racists and believed in forced segregation. He also knew that not all Southern Caucasians were racists either and reached out to those people a well.

Another thing that Dr. King understood that when of this interview in 1957, that African-Americans made up roughly 10% of the American population. And for his movement to ever get off the ground, let alone succeed, he was going to need the help of other Americans. Similar to the gay rights movement today.

Which is why Dr. King reached out to Caucasians, Jews, Latinos and others, especially in the media, to get the message out. And did a lot of interviews in print and broadcast. To spread the movement of non-violence, peace and equal rights for all Americans and again not just for the special few.

Thats a big part along with their keen intelligence that made Dr. King and Malcolm X so special. They both really knew how to work the media to get their message out. This is also what made people like Richard Hefner so special like this, who understood the greatness of people before they were famous.

Dr. King, understood the power of the media, especially the electronic media before a lot of other people did. Similar to Jack Kennedy and knew how to use it to get their message out and spread the word of what they were trying to say and be able to communicate. Not only to their followers, but also to bring in a lot of other new followers. And had a great message to get out and communicate to America. 

The Daily Beast: John Avalon, Michelle Goldberg & Phillip Sherwell: 'Todd Akin's Views On Abortion Are Bad; The GOP Platform is Worse'

Source:The Daily Beast- John Avalon & Michelle Goldberg. Maybe you can figure for yourself who is who. If so, congratulate yourself with a glass of water, tap water.

"There's no exception for rape in Todd Akin's pro-life philosophy, but neither is there one in the platform of the Republican party. On today's NewsBeast, John Avlon, Michelle Goldberg, and Philip Sherwell discuss the politics of the GOP's position." 

From The Daily Beast

I think anytime that a Liberal (meaning me) and a leftist (meaning Michelle Goldberg) can agree on what time it is, what day it is, the weather outside when just happen to be in the same room, let alone on a political issue and discussion, I think we should go down to New Orleans together and celebrate like the world is about to blow up or something. Because this is as rare as seeing snow in Los Angeles, at anytime during the year, let alone during the summer. 

I agree with Michelle Goldberg that the Christian-Right and the Far-Right in general in America is horribly bad and why. I don't like the Far-Left either, which is where Michelle Goldberg tends to come down ideologically, but that's for a different discussion.

ABC Evening News: ‘George McGovern and Ed Muskie 1972 Presidential Election’

Source:ABC News- covering U.S. Senator George McGovern (Democrat, South Dakota) 

Source:The Daily Journal

"George McGovern and Ed Muskie Election Wall, For more presidential election videos." 

From Election Wall

Edmund Muskie reminds me a little bit of John Kerry. Just thought I throw that in there.

The Democrats didn't have anyone who could beat Richard Nixon in 1972. They also didn't have a united party that could do that as well. One of the reasons why Senator George McGovern as leader of the party for that fall campaign reformed the rules for how delegates were assigned at conventions was to bring in more Americans to the party.

The party was transitioning from a Southern based party with Northeastern ties to a party that by the 1980s was heavily dependent on the Northeast and West Coast to win. As well as big cities in the Midwest. Because Senator McGovern brought in African-Americans, Latinos, Jews and Asians to the party from these big cities in the country.

George McGovern, whatever you think of his politics was a very bright man. And served South Dakota very well in Congress both in the House and later in the Senate. And I'm sure at the very least knew that even if he did win the Democratic nomination for president he had not an uphill  battle against President Nixon in the fall. But more like a swimmer trying to swim upstream with one arm, one leg and one eye.

But what McGovern did in 1972 as far as changing the voting rules in the party paid off really well for Democrats in 1976 with Jimmy Carter. And perhaps helped Democrats hold onto the House of Representatives for another 22 years after 72 with all of the new voters that came to the party. But 1972 was not a year that Democrats were prepared to win back the presidency. They were in transition and way too divided. 

David Pakman: 'Pregnant Girl Dies After Abortion Ban Prevents Chemotherapy'

Source:David Pakman- talking about abortion in Dominican.

"Pregnant teen dies after an abortion ban delays her chemotherapy treatment for leukemia" 

From David Pakman

Since I couldn't find an official definition of what it means to be pro-life, that's not related to abortion, then I'll just have to give you my own. 

Someone who is pro-life, supports the right of every innocent American (or whatever the nationality) to live and exist and not be murdered. And yes, that can apply to abortion, but only if you believe that fetuses are people, or at the very least have the same right to life and exist as people, meaning someone who has already been born. 

From My Options: "Being pro-choice means supporting the notion that people are able to have agency over their lives, bodies, and choices. Having a child is a significant life event - and it is in everyone’s best interests that a potential parent is emotionally, financially, and physically prepared to do so." 

Yes, being pro-choice on abortion, also qualifies as being pro-choice. But if you are only pro-choice on abortion, you are only pro-choice on abortion. (Hopefully that's obvious enough) And even if you are also pro-choice on women's health care in general, but perhaps nothing else, then you are just pro-choice on women's rights as a whole. If you are pro-choice on women's health care, period, as well as all forms of sexuality, so now you are pro-choice on women's health care and sexuality. 

My point is, to be pro-choice, you have to be pro-choice. (Again, hopefully this is obvious enough) A lot of people, especially on the left-wing, who say they're pro-choice, are really just pro-choice on women's health care, including abortion and perhaps homosexuality, but are pro-state on so many other issues, including marijuana, just look at the Obama Administration. But are also pro-state on issues like gambling, pornography, education, and I''m sure other issues dealing with free speech in America. 

To get back to this abortion issue in Dominican: they do not have a pro-life bill on abortion in their country. They have an antiabortion bill instead. It's not just that the fetus died thanks to this bill, but the fetus's mother as well. So one innocent life for sure that was lost, as well as potential life that wasn't even given an opportunity to be born. 

This post was updated 6/15/2023.

ABC Evening News: ‘A Few Days Before The 1972 Democratic Convention’

Source:ABC News- covering the 1972 Democratic National Convention in Miami, Florida.

Source:The Daily Journal

“In this rare clip from 1972, George Wallace campaigns for the first time since he was shot, Ed Muskie was considered a mystery, and the National Guard is called in to stop riots.

Also talked about is the trial of the man who shot Wallace, and some Vietnam news.” 

From EFAN

Here’s a reason to watch ABC Now, if you are a political junky.

There was simply no way that the Democratic Party was going to win the 1972 presidential election. Even if you could get past the facts that President Richard Nixon was ending the Vietnam War, that his policies to talk too and work with Russia and China were paying off and that the American economy was still relatively healthy. But the state of the Democratic Party was the main issues for Democrats in 72.

The emerging that I at least would call Socialist New-Left that backed Senator George McGovern for president who went out his way to have this fringe political faction behind him, combined with what was left of the Southern right-wing base in the party that backed Governor George Wallace, and the traditional New Deal/Great Society progressive coalition that was behind Senator Hubert Humphrey, gave the Democratic Party that was only willing to vote for their preferred candidate for President and no one else.

Democrats and Senator George McGovern were so desperate to get attention and support behind their campaign that they tried to make Watergate an issue in the summer and fall of 72. Even though most of the country hadn’t even heard of the Watergate Hotel yet, let alone the burglary there.

Landslides tend to happen at least at the presidential level when you have a fairly popular president which is what Richard Nixon was for most of 1972, with a large percentage of the country believing things are going well, facing a divided opposition party like the Democratic Party in 72. That couldn’t decide who their presidential nominee was going to be and which faction of the party would get it until they got to the convention itself. Opposition parties need to be united behind a leader in order to defeat the President of the United States. Which is not what the Democrats were in 72.

Salon: Willa Paskin- Interviewing Anna Gunn: 'Skyler Might Kill Walt'

Source:Salon Magazine- Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston.

Source:The Daily Journal

“Things are pretty bleak for “Breaking Bad’s” Skyler White, played by Anna Gunn. Trapped in her marriage to Walt, her increasingly malevolent, manipulative meth-lord husband, she’s terrified for the safety or her children, but unable to see a way out. With just two episodes left in the first half of “Breaking Bad’s” fifth season, it is simultaneously hard to imagine how things could get much worse for Skyler, and even more difficult to think that they could get better.

Gunn spoke to Salon about Skyler, her predicament, her depression and the possibility of her killing Walter White.

I’m extremely worried about Skyler. It’s getting really stressful to watch her. Was it stressful to be her?

It was. It really was. There were days on set where it was like, “Wow, it’s hard to live in this place.” And thank God for Bryan Cranston being so hilarious and great, and pretty much our whole cast and crew, so we have a lot of levity. But I had to dig deep into some pretty black stuff this year. As an actor you wait for this kind of material, but it can also be very emotionally exhausting.” 

From Salon Magazine 

“A memorable clip from Breaking Bad – Season 5: Episode 14, ‘Ozymandias'” 

Source:Sony Pictures- Walt vs Skylar.

From Sony Pictures 

One of the cutest mommies you’ll ever see. Skyler White (played by the beautiful and adorable Anna Gunn) comes off at least what I believe as a ‘babe in the woods’ (great Goodfellas line) in Breaking Bad, at least in the first season. I didn’t become a regular viewer of this show until the third or fourth season.

Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston) doesn’t start off as a criminal. He’s someone who get into the meth business to save his life and get the treatment that he needs for his cancer, as well as to support his family. He’s a woefully underpaid middle-age science teacher in New Mexico. And goes into the meth business to again save his life and support his family. Skyler, his wife starts off this series as a homemaker, who other than her husband’s cancer believes he’s a good honest man, living a normal life.

As the first season moves along the White Family (Walter, Skyler, and their son) is essentially broke. Walt, is bringing in the only income to the family. Forty-thousand-dollars a year as a high school science teacher. 2008-09, the start of the Great Recession and when it was at its worst, no economic or job growth, even with Baby Boomers retiring.

Skyler goes back to work as an accountant. She’s an accountant, not some former stripper bimbo married to one her former clients that she fell in love with. She’s an educated an intelligent person and knows her family is going to need money and a lot of it. Especially with her husband in the hospital on a regular basis getting treatment. The accountant part is key here, because she figures out her husband has extra money here. Which is where this series gets very interesting.

This is when Walt is getting is meth business going and becoming successful with his high school dropout partner. She figures out that he’s in the drug business, but doesn’t turn him in. Maybe she’s worried about what will happen to her if she does that. Maybe she’s worried about what will happen to the father of her son who has cancer. Maybe she doesn’t want to lose his income from his business, because again they need the money.

The White Family which was pretty normal pre-cancer, now becomes very stressful and Skyler and Walt, now are arguing on a regular basis and even separate, but never actually divorce. This is really a great and funny crime drama with all sorts of great characters. And Skyler White played by Anna Gunn, is a huge part of that.