U.S. military to escort a scab grain ship into the port of Longview, Washington

The Armed Forces disastrously interfered with labor the during the Pullman Strike

1/10/2012

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By Doug Cunningham

The San Francisco Labor Council has passed a resolution condemning the use of the U.S. military to escort a scab grain ship into the port of Longview, Washington. 

The ILWU has put out a national call to action to meet the ship at the port when EGT tries to load it with grain in violation of EGT’s agreement with the port to use ILWU labor. 

EGT is trying to bust the ILWU and the union is calling for a massive protest at the port when that scab ship comes in within the next few weeks. 

The San Francisco Labor Council resolution says in part that this is the first use of the U.S. military to intervene on management’s side in a labor dispute in forty years. 

The labor council says the use of armed forces against labor unions is something you expect to see in a police state. 

ILWU President Bob McEllrath says “corporations, no matter how harmful their conduct to society, enjoy full state and federal protection while workers and the middle class get treated as criminals for trying to protect their jobs and communities." 

Thousands of workers are expected to answer the ILWU’s call to action to come meet the ship.

Rightardia wonders what this is about. Obama needs labor to win the next election. Wake up, DNC! 


See http://www.fightbacknews.org/2012/1/10/san-francisco-labor-council-condemns-use-military-escort-scab-grain-ship

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Let's fix the economy by increasing defense spending

House Republicans were completing a budget proposal for next year and beyond. It is likely to spur an ideological showdown over the size of government and the role of entitlement programs like Medicaid and Medicare.

According the Huffington Post, Last week, Senate Democrats came to the table with $10 billion in proposed cuts to the military budget but the offer was immediately rejected.

Democrats and Republicans are now moving toward an agreement that would increase defense spending.

But Democratic familiar with the talks said the Democrats' spending recommendation remains roughly $2 billion shy of what the Republicans want.

During an Appropriations Committee meeting last weekend, the Obama administration and Senate Democrats proposed funding the Pentagon at $513 billion.

That spending level is the same as Senate Democrats’ December proposal, but it also offers a $5 billion boost to the Pentagon's current budget.

Still, it's not enough for the Republicans, who have demanded funding be set at $514 billion.

Rightardia wonders how the GOP believes that an increase in defence spending will help the country weather the financial contraction. Once the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan end, there will be a huge Armed Forces Reduction in Force (RIF).

Consequentially, The Department of Defense should need less funding in the out years.

sources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/04/defense-spending-budget-as-pa_n_844692.html and Hysterical Raisins

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Miliatary .com: Two Panels Pushing to Overhaul Retirement

Week of November 22, 2010

Yet another so called "debt reduction" panel has announced their proposal to overhaul the military retirement system.

The bipartisan Debt Reduction Task Force, co-chaired by former Republican Sen. Pete Domenici and economist Alice Rivlin, offered a detailed plan for overhauling military retirement and TRICARE.

Like the previous "blue ribbon" panel's proposal, the task force's plan includes steps to replace the current system with a new program that would allow members to retire after 10 years, but not start drawing pay until they reach 60 years old.

However, the task force proposal would go further and tie military retirement to the government-funded Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with vesting after 10 years. Read more about the task force's plans to reform military retirement.

The major remembers the military retirement system was reformed in the 1980s during the Reagan presidency. 


President Ronald Reagan signed the Military Retirement Reform Act of 1986 . . .The new formula applied to people entering the Armed Forces after August 1, 1986, and meeting the existing minimum 20 years' service required for normal retirement. 

Under the new formula, those retiring at or after age 62 with 20 years' service will receive a pension equal to 40 percent of their average annual basic pay during their highest three consecutive years . . .


Previously, age had not been a factor in calculating pensions, which ranged from 50 percent after 20 years service to 75 percent after 30 years or more.

This system is very similar to the pension system for reservists. The Thrift Savings Plan implies a contributory retirement system. This is unfortunate because IRA plans were designed by Congress to be savings plan, not a pension plan.

It looks like the GOP is doing the bait and switch with the Armed Forces that many corporate workers experienced with their 401ks.

When many workers lost their jobs, they found that nearly a third of their IRA funds had been taken by fund managers as management fees.

Today only 21 per cent of Americans enter retirement with a pension. Republicans will also try to raise the Social  Security age which will cause more Americans to file for Social Security disability.

GWB admitted his biggest failure was his inability to privatize Social Security although he was elected without a mandate to do this or for that mater, much of anything else.

sources: http://www.military.com/military-report/two-panels-pushing-to-overhaul-retirement?ESRC=miltrep.nl and http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1153/is_v109/ai_4459849/

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Armed Forces celebrate Bring Your Daughter to War Day

Another great Bush administration idea!


Army Holds Annual 'Bring Your Daughter To War' Day

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Wolfram Alpha: Comparison of Columbian and Venezuelan Armed Forces

It is easy to see why Hugo Chavez is concerned about bolstering his armed forces up. Columbian outspends Venezuela on defense by more than two times and the US is increasing the presence of its military in Columbia. 

 

 

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