112 responses to “Living in Obamastan – what’s not to like?”

1. 

   George Rebane

   13 August 2013

   BenE 953pm – Ben, it appears that you have a difficult time trying to figure out evidence – who’s who and what’s what. That is not a FOIA release that indicts the FBI as planning to assassinate occupy leaders. It is evidence that FBI was on the case having identified possible perpetrators and ready to interdict them.
   This is the same FBI that you were ragging against when the econuts wanted to shut down a private business. I know you are trying hard to think about these things, but it doesn’t look like you’re having any luck.
   In any case, the last thing any real opponent of the occupy movement and mindset would want to have happen is that some of ‘leaders’ would be assassinated during a demonstration. That would enrage the country and balloon their cause. Only some cynical mind wanting to obtain that result would consider such a course. (The communists did that often to garner emotional support from the populations they were infiltrating. It works, Jo Ann and I joined the NAACP the day following MLK’s assassination.)

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2. 

   Bill Tozer

   13 August 2013

   Ben, the real world nowadays is nothing like your grandfather’s world of Norma Rae.
   My father joined the submariners the day after Pearl Harbor and fought the Japs. Opps, Japs is now offensive and racist, albeit everyone knows it was just short for Japanese back then, being neither positive or derogatory and gender neutral to boot.. But, that was then, this is now.
   So, my father survived the war and came home and started a moving company. He hired guys and had the “world at his fingertips” to quote him. He bought trucks and tires, word was spreading and all was going well. Plus he treated his drivers fairly and even paid them to come in and sweep up the shop on slow days.
   Then one day the union dudes showed up. Dad told them ask the workers and let them vote on becoming unionized. Well, Dad left and the drivers voted not to unionize. That was a bad thing. The thugs came back and told him he HAS TO be a union shop. Dad said that was up to the drivers.
   Well, guess what? They came back at night and sugared the gas tanks and slashed some tires that were 500 bucks each in 1948 dollars. Still, the drivers did not want to unionize since Dad paid them more, lol.
   The union thugs came back again (thinking only of the poor workers of course) and told Dad that if he does not make the drivers join up, they will burn his trucks down and then they threatened his wife and kids.
   Dad threw up his hands in the air, walked away from his dream, and became a cop. He was the lone survivor of his sub fighting the Japs in the South Pacific, but he could not survive the union thugs.
   So, Brother Ben, we come from different places. If your grandpappy was one of those fucking thugs that threatened my siblings life as a kid, I won’t say FUCK YOU and tell me where your Grandpappy’s grave is so I can go shit on it and deface it. No, Brother Ben, I won’t cause that was then, this is now. We come from different places. Fuck the unions. My Dad passed away 6 weeks ago.

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3. 

   Ben Emery

   13 August 2013

   Bill,
   Sorry to hear about your dad and I will assume your dads shop story is true. Your dad was treated wrong and unfair. My grandfather also fought in WWII and had an uncle who won silver star in that war as well who was the head of his union. If employers didn’t exploit workers to the core unions wouldn’t be necessary and your dad’s dream could have been fulfilled without union “thugs”. What the labor movement figured out was to get short term gains they had to play the violent action game, an eye for an eye. You pay us shit wages and force us to work in dangerous conditions so you can make more profit, fuck you. Your dad might not treated his workers poorly but then again I am always speaking out against big business who the unions were pushing back against not decent small business owners such as you dad. If big business would have treated their workers with some respect than maybe much of the violence and divisiveness between labor and management could had a much different history. Big business just as big unions are destructive but are powerful and that power becomes an addiction.
   Right back at you from my end, fuck big business and their oppressive work practices. Since the squashing of the unions we have only seen our nation go into the toilet. Bill my friend I know we get a bit overzealous on blogs because this type of communication is very difficult. But you and I would have some serious problems if you were to talk to me or about my grandfather the way you finished your comment. Despite my decades long journey to move towards non violence, we have to remember unions are not peace groups, they have and will always punch back. What I came to realize in the early 90’s is that violence only creates more violence. I have spent the last two decades trying to promote non violent solutions and get my temper into check. It took years before I could just walk away from a confrontation but that fighter still lies inside of me and probably will until the day I die. I am just not strong enough to let it go entirely. As you said we do not have to fight the fights of the past.
   Power to the peaceful

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4. 

   George Rebane

   13 August 2013

   Re BenE’s 932am – “…unions are not peace groups, they have and will always punch back.” The main problems with unions, as Mr Tozer points out (855am), is that they punch first with the attitude that says ‘what’s yours is mine’ – that is thuggery pure and simple.

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5. 

   Ben Emery

   13 August 2013

   George,
   You’re on the older side and your memory might not be as strong as it once was. Exploitation of workers started long long before workers organized and started pushing back. You’re delusional if you think the history is any other way.

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6. 

   George Rebane

   13 August 2013

   BenE 1003am – Huh?! Is that another monologue posing as a dialogue?

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7. 

   Ben Emery

   13 August 2013

   George,
   Screw the dialogue. That went out the window long ago. I could care less about what you and yours have to say on RR. It is purely based in ideology and nothing more. I admit unions have done wrong. I admit unions are special interests. I protect the 2nd amendment. I stand up and speak out against the profiling of right wing groups. I admit my vote for President Obama in 08′ was a mistake and call for his impeachment. I fight against government overreach, size, and scope no matter what political party sits at the controls. This list can go on and on but I will stop. I asked for some true independent thinking from you but received pure right wing authoritarian think tank positions on every issue. Sorry George you are tool for the ruling class who has mistakenly thought of himself as an equal in their circles. You would be considered a joke much like I am here if you broke from defending the security of their wealth and power. I kind of feel bad for you for being a lemming of the powers that be but we all have to do what we think is best for ourselves and families.

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8. 

   Gregory

   13 August 2013

   Ben is a creative person

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9. 

   Gregory

   13 August 2013

   “Despite my decades long journey to move towards non violence, we have to remember unions are not peace groups, they have and will always punch back…I have spent the last two decades trying to promote non violent solutions and get my temper into check.”
   Good luck with that; most of your peers figured out non violence was the path and tempers needed controlling back in junior high.

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10. 

    Bill Tozer

    13 August 2013

    OK, here is something good the unions are fighting back on. I have a dog in this fight cause I am rather fond of my employer sponsored health bennies. Hate to lose them and I don’t want no stinkin’ subsidy or exchange. And I don’t want to be paying a grand a month for what costs me pennies on the dollar right now. 11 cents on the dollar to be more precise. So, go unions and go out and fight for this non-union worker! Don’t mess with my cheese!
    http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2013/07/15/labor-leaders-obamacare-will-shatter-their-health-benefits-cause-nightmare-scenarios/
    Washington might listen to the unions before they listen to me. As an added bonus, at one time during the last campaign I saw on the web that my little company and its board and management team was the #2 donor to the Obama Reelection Campaign. At first I was stunned, then depressed, then in denial and then angry. But, time heals all wounds and now I say “You owe me!!” Power to the people! Free Bill Tozer!” Hit them hard unions, hit em’ hard.

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11. 

    Bill Tozer

    13 August 2013

    Darn unions are their employer sponsored health care are standing in the way of the progressive wet dream of single payer:
    http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2013/08/10/sen-harry-reid-obamacare-absolutely-a-step-toward-a-single-payer-system/
    Harry Reid says we must get beyond employer sponsored health care. Fight back unions, fight back. Burn their houses down and threaten their children.

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12. 

    Todd Juvinall

    13 August 2013

    So BenE, why do come here? You obviously have a screw loose and belong at the DailyKos.

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