This story just shows you how capitalism works, its not the government in charge, its the corporations, companies, the bosses. One day the Governor of Illinois says he won't do business with Bank of America and the next the Federal government charges him with corruption and they have been wiretapping his place the whole election. Read the timeline.
December 6th
Workers at Republic of Windows and Doors decide to occupy their factory in order to demand compensation for back pay wage benefits and healthcare.
December 7-8th
Obama, Jesse Jackson and others come out "in support" of the occupation. Obama-presidnet elect however has not done anything to compensate them or demand a "bailout" for these workers. That would actually mean he would have to do something to protect the people instead of bailing them out like he did when he worked for the bailout.
Same day Govenor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich comes out and says the state will refuse to do any kind of business with Bank of America until they compensate the workers for healthcare, wages and other things lost when teh company decided to ditch them with three days notice ( by law they are supposed to give 60 days)
December 9th
Govenor Blagojevich is charged with "political corruption crime spree." The only guy who was actually going to do something about Bank of America is now being charged. Of course, Obama who has not promised anything is not being charged with anything.This is obviously a frameup to attack this guy for threatening basicaly a state-wide boycott of BofA. Whether any of these things happened is irrelevant to the railroad. The bosses dont mind if you are corrupt and maybe buy prostitiutes on the taxpayers dime, just as long as you dont touch their money.The Govenor did so now they have some charge against him.
Thats why the idea of somehow "working within the system" is not effective. When you go at it a lone often you get attacked alone. If we organize politically the people, the working class has got to be involved and have our backs. Then if someone wants to take you down they will have to answer to more than just your lawyer.
4 comments:
He thought he was safe be because Obama said he supported the occupation. He thought wrong. Chris Matthews and his panel of "experts" just spent a good 20-30 minutes blasting Chicago and it's politics after just hearing the "allegations." Speaking of which, the media puppet announced he was running for office, with all that exposure and coorporate money he is a dangerous competitor.
No one is more "within the system" that a state's governor--especially Blagojevich. The wire tapping and the investigation into the allegations that came out today has been going on for three years--with the governor's knowledge.
There is WAY more going on here in terms of corruption and abuse of office than anything Bank of America has an interest in.
While I agree that corporations have a great deal of undeserved influence and control over the political system, I find it very hard to swallow that a single comment about B of A lead to the governor's arrest. It may have been a final straw, but it was not the only factor in his arrest--take this from someone who lives around the corner from the guy.
The governor got himself into legal trouble by being a greedy, overconfident part of the system long before the standoff that the Republic workers are in currently and long before he threatened B of A.
Governor Blagojevich is great at telling the public what they want to hear. In this case, many Illinoisans have been mistrustful of him for quite some time. That doesn't change the fact that politicians must expend a great deal of energy getting us (the workers whose interest they pretend to serve)to believe that capitalism actually works.
The cracks are beginning to show these days though.
An update: The bank loaned Republic some cash to pay the workers:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ahQLJY.mx0Cg&refer=home
Well said.
I agree with both the original statement on Blagojevic and the follow up comments. However, I think the capitalist class, both Republicans and Democrats, were becoming increasingly impatient with Blagojevich and were going to prosecute him soon.
Starting out in politics he played the game by the rules: he got a law degree, he married a politician's daughter, he joined the Democratic Party, did everything right, but in power he attempted to become someone above both parties by playing the maverick. It seems he was hated by both parties in Illinois, and that his time was coming.
Blagojevich wanted to prepare his pension while in office. They all do it. He just did it clumsily and was caught in the act. But they all do it. Look at the millions Clinton has made since leaving his meager $200,000 job at the White House. The former Clinton Treasure, Ruben, made over $100 million with Citibank since retiring from politics. They're all at it.
Blagojevich is not on the worker's side but on his own side.
When he ran for office as a crusader against Corruption in 2002 he said he was "ending business as usual" and on the eve of his election victory he said, "Tonight Illinois has voted for Change." How many times have we heard that one?!?
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