"Trust but Verify."
-Ronald Reagan

If Obama is the Reagan of 21st century politics, his worshipers should appreciate Ronald Reagan's famous phrase about Soviet nuclear disarmament.  Obama is supposed to be the change this country needs and the hope of the progressive political movement.  He has the backing of the progressive media, progressive political organizations, and most progressive unions.  He even worked as a community organizer for a few years after college we're reminded.

Many progressive political activists are putting a lot of trust and effort into his campaign to make sure that he is nominated over Clinton, who we know is a verifiable corporate whore.

However, when we attempt to verify Obama's progressiveness by examining his policy proposals, speeches, and rhetoric, some enthusiastic Obama supporters will turn a blind eye to the facts.  Furthermore, they will denounce those who call attention to where Obama needs improvement. Like creationists deaf to science and reason, their faith in Obama is undeterred and their attacks on those who criticize him are lacking in substance.

This is a racist country controlled by rich white people.  Racism is how this country was founded and how this country was run.

What's the big deal with saying that?

The real controversy is the minister pretending that Obama is like John Edwards who would have taken on the powerful interests.

I think I get stupider the more I watch the news.

People love their gambling: senior citizens, hip 20 and 30 something year olds, housewives, middle-aged couples, even old trade unionists.  In California voters recently approved one of the largest expansions of gambling in American history at 4 anti-union tribal casinos.  Millions were spent by the tribes in media advertisements and political campaign contributions.

As reported in a recent American Prospect article ("Politicians Bet the Farm"), state governments in a time of widespread budget shortfalls are increasingly turning to gambling as an easy way to raise money without raising taxes.  However, the economic consequences on other businesses and the social costs on the community often outweigh the gains of gambling.  How should organized labor respond?

"A Leader at the Point of Union Growth and Criticism," Steven Greenhouse, NY Times

I'm not too familiar with the specifics behind everything going on here in SEIU between Stern and Rosselli, but there are comparable things in the hotel and casino industry that UNITE HERE has done.  Mainly, that is strategic bargaining and internal organizing for the future power of workers in an industry.  This means giving up some short term gains at a union workplace for longer term strategic gains for the industry (e.g. card check neutrality agreements at non-union workplaces owned by the same company).

It looks like UNITE HERE is fighting for a card check neutrality agreement with Google for their proposed hotel.  Google doesn't want to meet with the union.
-Mountain View Voice

Austin, Minnesota is in the news as the scene of a real life medical mystery.  There's a strange autoimmune disease that they think is caused by constant exposure to pig brains on the job at Quality Pork Processors.  Austin is also home to the Hormel plant where Barbara Kopple made that horribly depressing but super interesting labor documentary American Dream.

Edwards was our only real hope of having a truly progressive FDR sort of President. The remaining 2 are just lesser evils.  I think Obama is a little better, but I'm leaning towards voting for Nader in the general.

The new plan is to buy a lot of ads in Feb 5 states and keep on gaining delegates until the convention.

I say right on.  The more delegates that John Edwards wins, the more bargaining power he'll have at the convention to make the next Administration more progressive.  Whether it ends up being the corporate candidate (Clinton) or the one Paul Krugman describes as the least progressive of the three (Obama), Edwards has already pushed the progressive agenda into both their platforms and forced them to acknowledge corporate power as the enemy.  If he is selected as Vice Presidential running mate or Attorney General then we'll have a friend of labor fighting for us on the inside.

Make a contribution to help shape the next administration into a labor friendly, progressive one.

Arnold and the California legislature approved one of the largest gambling expansions in history at 4 anti-union tribal casinos in Southern California.  On February 5 or by mail ballot the voters of California will have a chance to send a message that all workers deserve the right to organize a union.  VOTE NO on Propositions 94-97 to tell the politicians and bosses that union busting is disgusting.

Paul Krugman's latest is yet another one about how John Edwards leads on the actual issues and policies, and how Obama is not all he's cracked up to be.  Edwards was the first to come up with a major economic stimulus plan to help working Americans in the coming recession.  Clinton and Obama followed and copied with their own plans.  Clinton's is bigger.  Obama's is smaller.

Krugman writes, "I know that Mr. Obama’s supporters hate to hear this, but he really is less progressive than his rivals on matters of domestic policy."