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Forum Post: General STRIKE brewing?

Posted 11 years ago on Dec. 11, 2012, 10:35 p.m. EST by therising (6643)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

Is it just me or does it seem as if we're headed ultimately for a general strike?

Look at the momentum here with Walmart, Michigan and what's happening with Starbucks in England right now. People are waking up! The way it looks to me, the next 12 - 18 months look ripe for a nationwide strike.

Let's follow the example of Occupy groups in England who are occupying Starbucks across the country to expose the absurdity of shutting down services for women (like rape crisis centers) when big multinational corporations are paying zero taxes. This whole "Gee gosh, I guess there is nothing else we can do but impose austerity is bullshit. http://occupywallst.org/article/starbucks-occupied-across-britain/

Huge corporations and the super rich have corrupted democratic governments around the world and rigged laws to benefit those corporations and super rich. And when that results in budget deficits, they sell it to us through corporate owned media in a way that makes it sound like WE are being greedy when we insist on living wages, basic health care, decent education, etc.

Austerity is their rallying cry and it is total fucking bullshit.

18 Comments

18 Comments


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[-] 10 points by beautifulworld (23769) 11 years ago

This is what we need. The American worker needs to garner the power that is within him/her to overcome the exploitation of the past 30 years that has caused his wages to be at an all time low while corporate profits are at an all time high.

A national strike would send the message that laws that degrade the worker are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

[-] 4 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

I think you're absolutely right and I thank you for bringing this up in your comments yesterday. I've been thinking more and more about what's going on here and it's naked aggression. Americans need to wake up to this. I think things like this in Michigan and England really help open our eyes to what's ACTUALLY happening here. Please see this link: http://occupywallst.org/forum/that-michigan-law-that-steals-workers-rightsit-was/

[-] 5 points by beautifulworld (23769) 11 years ago

Exactly. All workers need to unite. And, unfortunately, unions haven't made a good name for themselves over the years, but hope springs eternal because all that workers really have to do is stand up for themselves, they don't necessarily need unions. A national strike by all workers would be very effective.

[-] 4 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

I think people in general are getting the confidence to speak up because others are too. Occupy movement has destigmatized speaking up about the elephants in the room. :). I want a national strike because of the huge impact it will have but also because it will get unions to dot their i's and cross their t's and get back to their roots. The people can make the unions even better than they are.

[-] 2 points by beautifulworld (23769) 11 years ago

I agree. It would be very effective on many fronts.

[-] 3 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

I think a national general strike is conceivable in the next 8-12 months.

[-] 2 points by beautifulworld (23769) 11 years ago

I was just thinking myself of how this has to be planned well in advance. Yes. I agree. And, Occupy Wall Street can take the lead.

[-] 2 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

Right on. I think the conditions will be increasingly conducive to larger and larger strikes until we hit general strike. It gives me shivers just thinking about it.

[-] 1 points by SparkyJP (1646) from Westminster, MD 11 years ago

The "fiscal cliff" outcome may speed up that timeline. I think the 99% are about to get "hosed" again. BO is supposed to include corporate tax cuts to his offer. Corporations used to represent over 15% of total revenue. Now it's below 1.2%.

http://www.rollcall.com/news/obama_includes_corporate_tax_overhaul_in_fiscal_cliff_offer_to_gop-219914-1.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/these-are-the-30-american-companies-that-paid-less-than-zero-income-tax-from-2008-2010-2011-11?op=1

[-] 2 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

Holy crap. I didn't realize it was that bad.

[-] 1 points by SparkyJP (1646) from Westminster, MD 11 years ago

The United States is a low-tax country. That’s true for individuals and for corporations, and it’s true whether you compare us to other countries or the America of the past. No matter how you slice it the conclusion is the same.

Conservatives like to claim that our budget deficits are purely a “spending problem.” Said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “We don’t have this problem because we tax too little. We have it because we spent too much.”

It’s a popular talking point, but it simply isn’t true. Deficits do not stem from spending levels alone. They are the product of a mismatch between spending and revenue. And when revenue is as low as ours is, you end up with big deficits.

Here are 10 charts demonstrating the simple, clear truth that federal taxes in the United States are very low.

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/tax-reform/news/2011/06/10/9751/ten-charts-that-prove-the-united-states-is-a-low-tax-country/

[-] 2 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

This is fantastic. I would encourage you to do it as a separate post so all call see.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

You said it so well.

[-] 1 points by rayolite (461) 11 years ago

Deprived of our greatest right is the best reason for a strike.

We have been deprived of Article V of the US constitution, the right to "alter or abolish" abusive government, for 100 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs7qIQ1VkEg

About 8 months ago a criminal complaint against all members of congress was filed with the attorney general.

http://my.firedoglake.com/danielmarks/2012/02/18/congress-refuses-to-call-a-convention-to-amend/

Shall we comply with seat belt laws while wars are unconstitutionally fought in our name and do so silently OR, with no real priority in our reasons?

[-] 1 points by Coyote88 (-24) 11 years ago

It's just you.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

I wish.

[-] 2 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

It can happen. Austerity can't survive the light of day. When the full extent of the lie is exposed to some, it passes to orhers. It's a virtuous cycle which would seem logically to culminate in a national strike.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

Actually I think the odds are pretty good that we'll see a somewhat successful general strike in the next 8 - 12 months.