In The News: Thanks this morning to ChrisM, my MP3Angel, for supplying the news and commentary audio files. [After the commentary a little history of a violent and bloody time in America when Internationalist unions with a BIG "U" scared the bejezzus out of the industrialist robber barons and the states, their police apparatus and thugs had no qualms whatsoever about killing union organizers, or for that matter just about any worker who stood up for their rights. Joe Hill, by Phil Ochs, from a Swedish television show in July 1968, about a month before the whole world watched as all hell broke loose at the Democratic convention in Chicago. Phil was on that 'line' too. R.I.P. friend.]
[Click the image to visit the Industrial Workers Of The World website... Join Us!] Some "Egyptian Action" comes to America: The new Republican governor of Wisconsin, the big cheeze of the "Cheese State" so to speak, pushed a bill through the state legislature that would not only adversely affect the pay-ins of state employees (except for police and firemen) to their health and retirement programs (a 5X increase!) but also put serious limitations on their right to collectively bargain through the unions. At voting time, the Republican legislators found that all 15 Democratic legislators had walked out and fled the state to avoid capture by the Wisconsin state police, leaving the legislature without a quorum and unable to vote on the bill. Further, 10s of thousands of state employees and other workers, unemployed, and just average state citizens enraged at the governor's actions have invaded the state capital and have taken the steps of the capitol building and swarmed the halls of the building. More on this in the commentary. In the U.S. House of Representatives, which has been hearing over 400 amendments to the continuing budget resolution (partially because the president said he would veto any 'earmarks' and partially because of House Speaker Boerner's incompetence)that must be passed by March 3rd finds itself on the cusp of a vote on de-funding the president's health care reforms and whether the EPA can enforce clean air regulations. The square in Bahrain's capital has been cleared of protesters after melees with the police left four dead over the last few days... yet the protesters are returning today. Egyptian authorities (most likely the army since martial law is in effect and the government dissolved) have arrested three top government ministers including the Interior minister, who is responsible for the country's police state apparatus. The "Problems" continue in Yemen as well where protesters burned the capital's city hall and that's just the beginning in today's planned "Day of Rage" demonstration. It's not just North Africa experiencing internal turmoil anymore. Someone who was upset about the 81 year old Senegalese president's intention to run for office again immolated himself in front of the presidential palace making it the eighth such incident recently in West Africa. In OTHER News: The Times They Are A Changin' For Iran's Regime and it's Basij thugs:

Iran's Revolutionary Guard pledges to hold fire Iran Revolutionary Guard Senior officers demand assurance they will NOT be required to fire on protesters "...the letter, which is signed by senior officers commanding Guards units in Tehran, Qom, Isfahan and Tabriz urges Major Gen Jafari to "use your authority over the Basij to order them to leave their truncheons at home next time." It goes on to state unequivocally, "We promise our people that we will not shoot nor beat our brothers who are seeking to express legitimate protest against the policies and conduct of their leader." The Iranian government has called on its supporters to take to the streets today to demonstrate their "hatred" for the opposition Green Movement, which has made a dramatic return following the recent unrest in Tunisia and Egypt. One demonstrator was killed and scores more injured when pro-democracy activists protested against Mr Ahmadinejad's government, chanting "death to the dictator". Western diplomats, who have also seen the letter and confirm its authenticity, say it has now been passed to Mr Ahmadinejad and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's Supreme Ruler, although no official response has been forthcoming." [More @ Telegraph.uk]

Follow-up report

Second American Involved in Pakistan Shooting Slips Back to U.S. A Pakistani court has demanded the arrest of a second U.S. official in connection with a deadly shootout in Lahore, Pakistan, last month, but that official, as well another American official involved in the incident, have already slipped out of the country and are back on American soil, a senior U.S. official told ABC News. The American sought for arrest, who the State Department only identified as a member of the U.S. embassy's staff in Islamabad, Pakistan, was behind the wheel when he struck and killed a bystander while racing to the aid of U.S. "technical advisor" Raymond Davis, who is currently detained in Lahore. Davis is accused of gunning down two Pakistani men in the street on Jan. 27 in what the State Department said was self-defense during a "botched robbery." The driver of the vehicle held the same diplomatic visa as Davis, U.S. officials told ABC News. Since his arrest, the U.S. argued that Davis should be afforded diplomatic immunity as a member of the embassy's "technical and administrative staff" [ABCNews for more]

Also see: Obama Advisor Delivered Presidential Threat To Pakistan Over Detained American (National Security Advisor Tom Donilon Told Pakistanis To Release Ray Davis By Friday Or Else...) Please pardon me, but I've re-posted three items from the January 7th commentary that are more than apropos to today's commentary topic... Watch out Wisconsin Labor organizers! You are not only being surveilled... You are being 'made' as terrorists for protesting your government's abuses of power:

Police Accidentally Release Counter-Protest Manual January 06 2011 After filing a Freedom of Information Act request with the Richmond Police Department for police training documents, Mo Karn received much more than expected in return: homeland security and crowd control guides that show how the police target protests. The documents have already been published online. And buried in the training guides are insights into three trends in law enforcement that have been occurring not just in Virginia, but nationally: the demonization of protest, the militarization of police, and turning local cops into “terrorism” officials... _{[More, including a link to the manual]}

Meanwhile, more than ten percent of America lives below poverty level... according to new Census data and formulas taking medical expenses, as well as transportation costs and work expenses into account:

The Census Bureau has released new estimates that show the US poverty rate is far higher than previously thought, with 1 in 6 Americans living below the poverty line, reports the AP. Unlike the official poverty rate, the new numbers take into account medical bills as well as transportation costs and work expenses. The number of seniors living in poverty almost doubles under the new formula, according to the AP._{[Read On]}

Did you note "The number of seniors living in poverty almost doubles..."? Last but not least... a question... So, if this IS a 'Democracy', what WILL your government do when the people disagree with it?

A Profound and Jarring Disconnect Dave Lindorff January 04, 2011 Democracy: de-moc-ra-cy, government by the people; the common people of a community, as distinguished from any privileged class According to the latest poll conducted by CBS "60 Minutes" and the magazine Vanity Fair, 61 percent of Americans want to raise taxes on the wealthy as the primary way to cut the budget. The same poll finds that the second most popular first choice for cutting the nation's budget deficit, at 20 percent, is cutting the military budget. That is, 81 percent of us--four out of five--would cut the deficit by taxing the rich and/or slashing military spending. Only four percent of those polled favored cutting Medicare, the government-run program that provides health care for the elderly and disabled, and only three percent favored cutting Social Security. President Obama meanwhile, appointed a so-called National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (quickly dubbed the "Catfood Commission" by critics) to come up with proposals to cut the budget deficit. He named as co-chairs former Republican Senator from Wyoming Alan Simpson, a troglodyte sworn enemy of Social Security who publicly declared it to be "a milk cow with 310 million tits," and Erskine Bowles, a retired investment banker and former chief of staff to President Clinton who says he wants to cut spending, not raise taxes, which, when it comes to Social Security, means lower benefits for retirees. The writing on the wall appears to be that the White House, and Democrats and Republicans in Congress, are looking to raise the retirement age, currently 66, to 68 or 69, to reduce or at least limit the inflation adjustment in Social Security benefits, and perhaps also to increase the payroll tax on current workers. What they want to do is balance the budget by screwing with our retirement. What they do not want to do is raise taxes on the rich and on investment income, two steps which, if taken, could fully fund Social Security indefinitely into the future.... [Read it all]

Revolution: rev-uh-loo-shun, an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed. -30-
Creative Commons Copyright Courtesy of Cabale News Service, KPIG Radio, and KVMR Radio. Listen to KVMR Recorded & transcribed by Razer Raygun @ Razed By Wolves Travus T. Hipp Fan Page @ Facebook (unaffiliated) In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 and The Berne Convention on Literary and Artistic Works, Article 10, the news clippings, audio, and images used in this posting are made available without profit for research and educational purposes.

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