Our Chamber of Commerce Lackey Governor vs. Labor

OK, I've calmed down a bit, and I'd like to share a few things with you.

Above is a picture from 1902 of some of the leadership of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union; in the third row is my great uncle, Bernard Braff, a founding member of the union and its General Secretary-Treasurer for many years. Bernard, along with his friends like Samuel Gompers and the rest of the figures of the early labor movements, are heroes on par with the soldiers of the American Revolution. ("Some historians might consider him a minor patriot, but I think he's at least on par with a William Dawes or even Samuel Otis). Despite the shrill panic-stricken vilification of the working class that you hear every day from Conservative mouth breathers on cable news, people with any sense of justice, fairness, and history understand what the labor movement meant for America.

My grandfather would often tell stories about how his Uncle Bernard was routinely beaten up by industry thugs, how he would have to hide out for fear of his life. Remember, these were the days of the Pinkertons and honest to god Robber Barons: not a safe time to be a Socialist, yiddish-speaking Polish Jew, by any means, especially a rabble rousing one.

When you consider what he and others like him accomplished, and how they helped to transform the experience of the working class American from one of abject misery to one of relative prosperity (and, one hopes, happiness), one really can only stand in awe. I certainly can't imagine what it would be like to work for even five minutes in a pre-organized-labor 19th century factory or mill. We hear horror stories all the time about sweatshop labor in China, but do people realize that workers in our very own country slaved under similar conditions before a courageous few took a stand and changed the world?

So when you get a thick-headed lump of shit like Paul LePage ordering a mural in honor of Maine's Labor history taken down because it's "anti-business," when you see this feckless cowardly usefully idiotic pawn of the "Pro-Business" lobby and the Chamber of Commerce declare that honoring heroes like Rosie the Riveter of the Bath Iron Works or the shoe mill workers of Auburn is an affront to partisan balance, well, I really take it personally.

Friday is the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire: a horrific tragedy in which unsafe conditions doomed hundreds of young immigrant textilers to a horrible death. It is emblematic of what happens when you sacrifice the good of all men for the profits of a few, or when you abdicate responsibility for protecting workers to the whims of laissez faire capitalists.

And this is the week that LePage chooses to dismantle a mural honoring the better path.

Great Fucking Timing, Paul.

p.s. This week HBO is airing an original program about the Triangle Fire. I heartily encourage watching it.

Sometimes I Get So Angry That I Have Trouble Typing

Someone should force that fat fuck to work a ten hour shift in a paper mill or an Iron Works for a month or so, perhaps breathing in toxic fumes, perhaps having his fingers mangled by machinery, for a pittance wage and no healthcare, vacation hours, or protections of any sort.

Someone should force that fucking piece of shit to work under the conditions that existed in the early 20th century.

Then ask that pig headed sack of shit if he would like to remove the labor mural.

God Bless University of Maine-Farmington Students

Yes, we haven't always seen eye to eye, but never have I been prouder of the students of UMF than when I read this:

A student-led rally is being organized to support teachers during Gov. Paul LePage's visit Thursday to the University of Maine at Farmington.

A group of education majors has been scrambling to spread the word after learning a little more than a week ago about the governor's visit, according to Grady Burns, one of the 12 students behind the rally.

...

"It's kind of sending a chilling effect through education majors," Burns, 20, said of the governor's proposals and others like it across the country. "It's kind of a frightening time to be an education major."

Indeed it is a frightening time to be an education major or a public educator. But, more broadly, it is a frightening time to be a member of the middle class. As the right wing ascendant Tea Party gibberish caucus declares full scale war on the middle class, it will take instances both large and small of people willing to speak out and say: "actually, no, the problem with this country is NOT that the middle class have it too damn good."

It's sad to see how budgetary chicken littles have frightened people into accepting the necessity of their own debasement. I'm glad to see UMF students not buying it.

In addition, maybe Chompy the Beaver can gnaw on LePage's head.

Governor is a Big Fat Hypocrite

Now, this really surprises me. You'd think a rich asshole like Paul LePage would at least not be tone-deaf enough to realize that if he's planning to slash the pensions of public employees, he would include his own as part of the "shared sacrifice" meme. I mean, how much could LePage really need that measly $26,000 a year from the state, since he's such a good businessman and surely has a private retirement account that will see to all of his needs for life (right?). But, no, it turns out Governor Triplechin really is that dumb:

Gov. Paul LePage's proposed $6.1 billion budget calls for most public employees and teachers to contribute an additional 2 percent into their pensions. The administration has described the proposal as a "shared sacrifice" plan designed to plug the state's budget gap.

But LePage's decision not to contribute more to his own pension benefit has prompted critics to claim the governor has exempted himself from his budget mantra while missing an opportunity to lead by example.

By now it's clear what philosophy governs this fucking asshole's politics. The working class in Maine just have it TOO DAMN GOOD and need to SACRIFICE dammit for the good of...the good of...uh...wealthy business owners, I guess...and members of the Chamber of Commerce. As for LePage? Well, of course he shouldn't have his pension contribution upped. He was a powerful executive at Marden's and created quadrillions of minimum wage jobs. If anything, he should get a big fat bonus check from the state of Maine for keeping so many people off the dole.

Meanwhile, despite his spittle-flecked ranting about sacrifice and deficits, taxes for the rich (i.e. state revenue) will go down down down under LePage's plan....and that will create jobs instead of nicer yachts in Kennebunkport because...um...a wizard did it.

LePage Exhaustion

I've been suffering a bit of LePage exhaustion lately. Also, it's been a few days since he said something stupid. We'll be gearing up for much more posting soon as we get down to the budget battle.

Bring it on, motherfucker

Sorry for the blue language, but that's really all I could think to title this post. As I'm sure you've heard by now, LePage is fixing up to bust the unions...and all I can think is, PLEASE try it. PLEASE. Seriously...this is Maine, as we are talking about a man elected with barely a third of the vote. Taking on right to work will absolutely break him...

“Forcing a worker to join an organization as a condition of employment runs counter to the rights described in our Declaration of Independence,” LePage said in his Saturday radio address. “For many in Maine there is no freedom of choice when it comes to union membership. I think that needs to change and I look forward to a fair but honest debate on the matter.”

First of all, this guy is a freaking idiot. No one is forced to join a union. They can be required to pay dues, but federal law prohibits "forcing a worker to join an organization as a condition of employment." So ignore his pablum about the Deceleration of Independence.

Second, is this guy serious? We are talking about a state where 5.5 percent of the workforce is employed by the state government, and he is going to try to strip them of their collective bargaining rights? If this really, truly happens, then election day 2014 (hurry!) will be an even bigger bloodbath than I'm already anticipating.

How sad is it that we have a governor who has bought into the bullshit notion that the real problem with this country is that the middle class just have it too damn good? Really, this fat-faced crony of Chamber flunkies is running up and down the state trying to convince people that all we need to do to fix our problems is get rid of everything that makes life in this state suck less than it surely could: environmental protection, social assistance and public healthcare programs, good paying public sector jobs backed by strong unions...what's next? Is LePage going to sell all our lobstering waters to New Hampshire?

I'll just say this: if LePage picks a fight on collective bargaining he will get his ample ass HANDED to him. Even the Republicans in the state house aren't that dumb.

LePage: Bearded Women Won't Be Noticed in Maine

Now, I've made my fair share of cracks about the women of Maine not exactly being the women of Malibu...but Paul LePage seems to think lifting the restrictions on a harmful chemical won't be a big deal, even if it causes an explosion in female facial hair:

"The only thing that I've heard is if you take a plastic bottle and put it in the microwave and you heat it up, it gives off a chemical similar to estrogen. So the worst case is some women may have little beards."

Let's forget for a second the stupidity of this sentence (one scientist called the comments a "callous disregard" for facts and a "shocking ingorance"), does LePage think this is actually funny? Does he can laugh away restrictions on a dangerous chemical to line the pockets of rich industrialists? Maybe he thinks a few more bearded women will goose the finances of the state's waxing industry.

Let's remember the facts: BPA, according to the FDA, may adversely effect "brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and young children." Also, in large quantities it can lead to catastrophic incidences of hormone imbalance, like the lady above.