[monetize id=”1″]
Questions and Answers
Tommy Douglas recites one of his favourite stories.
Introduction by Pierre Berton, video by Doug Taylor.
"The Cream Separator" is an analysis of the capitalist economic system. This story was suggested by Tommy Douglas' reading of Lewis Mumford, who had argued: "During the age of expansion capitalism gave cream to the few, whole milk to the middle classes, and a blue watery residue to the majority of farmers and industrial workers, agri- cultural labourers and slaves." The way in which Douglas adapted this rather arid analysis to his rural audiences testifies to his oratorical genius.
Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE5fOJfKR…
==========================
Certainly all you State approved media opinion generating machines for the corporate structure of our society will have an easy time finding plenty of errors in a mere self proclaimed socialist Scottish Canadian Christian
List the errors in his presentation his premises and conclusions — If you can.
The bankers rule: Jamie Dimon at the US Senate
By David Walsh
16 June 2012
World Socialist Web Site
Http://www.wsws.org/
Excerpts:
An extraordinary event occurred on Wednesday in the august chamber where the US Senate Banking Committee meets.
In a magnificent ceremony lasting two-and-a-quarter hours, JPMorgan Chase Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon sat on a throne constructed with “all the pomp of Oriental greatness,” while the various senators passed one by one, bending their knees, placing their hands within his, taking an oath of fealty, and rendering to him “the homage which had been previously agreed on.” *
Well, this isn’t quite what happened, but it may as well have.
Dimon is the head of the biggest US bank by assets ($2.3 trillion) and one of the planet’s largest publicly traded companies. He was called to testify Wednesday at a hearing of the US Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, theoretically to respond to questions about the recent revelation that his bank lost billions in speculative trades.
Dimon presides over what is essentially a criminal enterprise. JPMorgan Chase and other financial institutions have operated a glorified Ponzi scheme for years, profiting from one speculative bubble after another. In the case of the housing boom, Dimon’s bank, along with the others, deliberately pushed lucrative subprime mortgages on millions of families, raking in massive amounts of money.
Dimon and other bank executives have played a significant part in the massive decline in US household income over the past four years. How many foreclosures, bankruptcies, layoffs, family breakups and suicides are the CEO of JPMorgan Chase and his fellow bank executives responsible for? How much homelessness, poverty and accumulated social misery?
By rights, Dimon should be contemplating how much jail time he will face. Instead, he walks around a free man, living a life of opulence, having received $26 million in compensation in 2011 alone.
This is an insightful story of the erosion of freedom in Austria before and during WW II.
The author of this article lives in South Dakota and is very active in attempting to maintain our freedom. There are so many parallels in this country are we going to sit by and watch it happen? Spread the word; also contact your congressional reps; vote them out if they dont do what they should. Google Kitty Werthmann and you will see articles and videos.
>
What I am about to tell you is something you've probably never heard or will ever read in history books. I believe that I am an eyewitness to history. I cannot tell you that Hitler took Austria by tanks and guns; it would distort history. We elected him by a landslide – 98% of the vote.. I've never read that in any American publications. Everyone thinks that Hitler just rolled in with his tanks and took Austria by force.
>
In 1938, Austria was in deep Depression. Nearly one-third of our workforce was unemployed. We had 25% inflation and 25% bank loan interest rates. Farmers and business people were declaring bankruptcy daily. Young people were going from house to house begging for food. Not that they didn't want to work; there simply weren't any jobs. My mother was a Christian woman and believed in helping people in need. Every day we cooked a big kettle of soup and baked bread to feed those poor, hungry people – about 30 daily.
>
The Communist Party and the National Socialist Party were fighting each other. Blocks and blocks of cities like Vienna , Linz , and Graz were destroyed. The people became desperate and petitioned the government to let them decide what kind of government they wanted.
>
We looked to our neighbor on the north, Germany, where Hitler had been in power since 1933. We had been told that they didn't have unemployment or crime, and they had a high standard of living. Nothing was ever said about persecution of any group — Jewish or otherwise. We were led to believe
> that everyone was happy. We wanted the same way of life in Austria . We were promised that a vote for Hitler would mean the end of unemployment and help for the family. Hitler also said that businesses would be assisted, and farmers would get their farms back. Ninety-eight percent of the
> population voted to annex Austria to Germany and have Hitler for our ruler.
>
We were overjoyed, and for three days we danced in the streets and had candlelight parades. The new government opened up big field kitchens and everyone was fed.
>
After the election, German officials were appointed, and like a miracle, we suddenly had law and order. Three or four weeks later, everyone was employed. The government made sure that a lot of work was created through the Public Work Service.
>
Hitler decided we should have equal rights for women. Before this, it was a custom that married Austrian women did not work outside the home. An able-bodied husband would be looked down on if he couldn't support his family. Many women in the teaching profession were elated that they could
> retain the jobs they previously had been required to give up for marriage.
>
>Hitler Targets Education – Eliminates Religious Instruction for Children:
> Our education was nationalized. I attended a very good public school. The population was predominantly Catholic, so we had religion in our schools. The day we elected Hitler (March 13, 1938), I walked into my schoolroom to find the crucifix replaced by Hitler's picture hanging next to a Nazi flag. Our teacher, a very devout woman, stood up and told the class we wouldn't pray or have religion anymore. Instead, we sang "Deutschland, Deutschland, Uber Alles," and had physical education.
>
Sunday became National Youth Day with compulsory attendance. Parents were not pleased about the sudden change in curriculum. They were told that if they did not send us, they would receive a stiff letter of warning the first time. The second time they would be fined the equivalent of $300, and
> the third time they would be subject to jail. The first two hours consisted of political indoctrination. The rest of the day we had sports. As time went along, we loved it. Oh, we had so much fun and got our sports equipment free. We would go home and gleefully tell our parents about the wonderful time we had.
>
My mother was very unhappy. When the next term started, she took me out of public school and put me in a convent. I told her she couldn't do that and she told me that someday when I grew up, I would be grateful. There was a very good curriculum, but hardly any fun – no sports, and no political
> indoctrination. I hated it at first but felt I could tolerate it. Every once in a while, on holidays, I went home. I would go back to my old friends and ask what was going on and what they were doing. Their loose lifestyle was very alarming t.
Nice chain mail urban legend.
Bookmark this website for your mental health:
I'm a sophomore in HS and next year I want to start a charity club in my school. We have a key club but there are so many people that I can't actually help much and the fundraisers they do are more aimed towards hospitals whereas I want to help people who are homeless or in need of food. I know a bunch of my friends already said they would join if I did it and I know the teacher adviser I'd ask would say yes but I need help with the smaller details. My dad thinks I should just find an already existing organization and donate to that but I kinda want to make my own. Should I focus just on homeless shelters and stuff or have a broader range? And what can I call it?
OK, so you want to '"reinvent the wheel" so to speak. Here are some of the reasons your dad most likely has already given you.
The Key Club is an offspring of Kiwanis International, a service club. (In college it is called Circle K)
– Because of the high turnover rate in student run organizations, you would probably be able to push forward a program of your own design.
– You will have the resources of not only the club, but be able to tap into the sponsoring Kiwanis Club as well, insuring a better prospect of success.
– Because Key Clubs have a reputation already, you will be able to build on that when you approach the shelter/charity with your offer of help.
– Personally, you will be able to watch and learn leadership skills (and mistakes that leaders make) that will put you ahead of the game when you are a few years older.
– Your project may continue after you graduate because the organization is there to support it.
On the other side, the challenges:
Start ups, require a great deal of groundwork to get started…and a VERY high level of commitment.
You will learn leadership skills the hard way, through the school of hard knocks. And while an adviser should be able to help, it won't be easy.
– You need to be able to build a track record and won't have much funding to begin with. Some schools have a limited amount of money for club activities, but if not, you will be out fund raising more than doing the actual service.
– Most needs for charity are already being filled, albeit understaffed and underfunded, and you might find yourself as an unwelcome competition, unless you know of something that is neglected ( such as an unused vacant lot which could be cultivated for an urban garden raising crops for a food bank.)
Bottom line:
The name will come out of your purpose (eg. "City Farmers" would be good for the above listed project)
– Your decision may rest on whether you want the high risk ego trip of doing it yourself, or the higher probability of success of helping by going with an existing group.
– All that said, there is ONE LAST NOTE: You are a student. This is a time when you can try new things. And if you fail, you can pick yourself up, and try something else, without having to worry that you have run yourself into bankruptcy, failed to spend time with your wife and children because you've spent so much time getting your business started, or put a stain on your resume when you apply for a job.
[monetize id=”2″]
