The Idiot Factor: Corruption Folly

"He would physically grab me by the waist."

"He would ask me for pictures of myself."

"I'd tell him to stop and he'd keep doing it."¹

Those are just a few of the stories McDonald's workers came forward with yesterday, along with an explosive report showing that 40% of women in fast food are sexually harassed at work. And instead of getting help, the women who report harassment often get their hours cut or are fired--especially if the employee is a Black woman or Latina.²

Media scrutiny is picking up steam since the report came out. And with McDonald's executives under intense pressure to turn around declining sales, now is the perfect time to get their ear.³ Our friends at Fight for 15, the organization created by fast food workers, have mobilized rapid response protests outside of McDonald's stores today--if we act right now, we can help build the momentum to force McDonald's to do the right thing.⁴

^{Tell McDonald's: Enforce a zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy in your stores starting TODAY.}

Sign the petition

The accounts of sexual harassment from the women are nauseating. One former employee quit her job after her shift manager grabbed her breasts and offered her money for oral sex. Even worse is that McDonald's shrugs off these complaints and allows managers to retaliate--one in five of the women who came forward were denied a raise, had their hours cut, or were given a worse schedule.⁵

And McDonald's measly wages--so small that the company has told employees to go on food stamps--make sexual harassment even worse.⁶ The report found that nearly half of the women who endure harassment say they endure the abuse because they can't afford to lose their job.⁷

Women make up 65% of the sexual harassment-riddled fast food industry.⁸ As the second largest employer in the country, McDonald's can set an example across the industry.⁹ If enough of us join the fast food workers who are protesting right now, we can push McDonald's to fix its sexual harassment problem.

Tell McDonald's to end rampant sexual harassment in its stores.

Article from --Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Karin, Adam, Holly, Kathy, Onyi, Susan, Anathea, Audine, Shannon, Megan, Libby, Emma, PaKou, and Pilar, the UltraViolet team

Sources:

1. McDonald's Workers Detail Horrifying Sexual Harassment, The Huffington Post, October 5, 2016

2. McDonald's accused of ignoring rampant sexual harassment in its restaurants, ThinkProgress, October 5, 2016

3. McDonald's 2016 Revenues To Decline YoY Despite Improvement; To Pick Up Pace Thereafter, NASDAQ, May 19, 2016

4. McDonald's Workers Across the U.S. Plan Protests Against the Company's Sexual Harassment Problem, Jezebel, October 5, 2016

5. McDonald's accused of ignoring rampant sexual harassment in its restaurants, ThinkProgress, October 5, 2016

6. McDonald's helps workers get food stamps, CNN Money, October 24, 2013

7. McDonald's accused of ignoring rampant sexual harassment in its restaurants, ThinkProgress, October 5, 2016

8. Charts: Why Fast-Food Workers Are Going on Strike, Mother Jones, December 4, 2016

9. 7 Fortune 500 companies with the most employees, Fortune, June 13, 2015

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I missed the debates last night, since I wasn't feeling very well. But I realize now that I should have watched them. That's not because I thought anything major would change. It's not because I thought the candidates would clarify their stands on the issues. It is more like a Jerry Springermoment. It was less a civil debate and more a knock-down insult-fest.

I probably will watch reruns of this debate somewhere. This has got to be the most hostile debate since the beginning of television. We can give a lot credit to the "slug-fest" atmosphere to Donald Trump's showmanship. Even after the spectacle of his comments about women, taped years ago, where he didn't know he was being recorded, he barely apologized.

This was in my hometown of St. Louis. I haven't been there much since I left as a small kid. But it is interesting to see the old home town.

Polls show that Clinton is most likely to win this election. Trump has devastated the Republican Party and its members are distancing themselves from him. One thing we can say about Trump is that he has made the election interesting. Never have I ever regretted missing a presidential candidate debate as this one. This is history and we get to watch it live. -SJ Otto

For another look at the debates here is comments from Huffington Post:

ST. LOUIS - Shortly into Sunday night’s wildly anticipated debate, Donald Trumpmade a campaign promise that might be more fitting in Vladimir Putin’s Russiathan modern American politics: If he were president, he told Hillary Clinton, “you’d be in jail.”

It was part of a performance from Trump that put to rest the question, if it was still open, of whether Trump is fit for the presidency. Nobody appeared more aware of that reality than Trump, whose strategy seemed to be to extract as much public humiliation from Clinton as he could, rather than to win the election.

His acquiescences to reality also came through in his final answer, when, after trashing Clinton for 90 minutes, the candidates were asked to say one nice thing about each other. Clinton complimented Trump’s children, but Trump effusively praised Clinton’s indefatigable spirit.

“I will say this about Hillary. She doesn’t quit. She doesn’t give up. I respect that. I tell it like it is: She is a fighter. I disagree with much of what she’s fighting for. I do disagree with her judgment in many cases, but she does fight hard and she doesn’t quit and she doesn’t give up, and I consider that to be a very good trait,” he said.

For the rest click here.

Pix by money.cnn.com.

From Daily Kos:

This is just fun. Legendary singer, songwriter, musician and activist Carly Simon has given her permission and blessings for her classic song “You’re So Vain” to be used in a video that mocks the conceit of Republican nominee Donald Trump. This marks the first time Simon has allowed her 1972 hit to be used for political purposes. A spokesman for Simon said the singer is:

“...alarmed at the prospect of Donald Trump reaching the White House and has joined other creative voices in making a definitive statement.”

For the rest click here.

By SJ Otto

There have been a lot of supportive letters to The Wichita Eagle lately, supporting Rep. Mike Pompeo, Republican 4^thdistrict US Representative race. Some of the letter writers may actually be shills. But anyway here is an example, from J. Mullen:

We know Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Wichita, supports our Constitution. He took the oath to defend it while wearing our nation’s uniform and helped safeguard the rights of us all.

But this is simply not true. He does not support the Fourth Amendment to the constitution, unreasonable search and seizure. Such searches require a warrant and/or probable cause. But that is not what Pompeo believes.

Pompeo believes our wars and military are more important than us. We are supposed to just trust the government. Here is whathe has said:

As a veteran, I want our soldiers in the field to have the intelligence they need to perform their missions effectively. As a conservative, and member of the House Intelligence Committee, I take the balance between privacy and protecting American lives very seriously. I believe these anti-terror programs are crucial.”

But he doesn't take it seriously. He has gleefully supported the spying on innocent American citizens by the NSA. In fact he has supported the NSA when it hasengagedin massive, illegaldragnet surveillance of the domestic communications and communications records of millions of ordinary Americans since at least 2001.

Pompoe even supports the use of drones for surveillanceof American citizens.

“When it comes to domestic surveillance, sometimes Congress seems like it’s expressing shock and outrage about something it already knows—or should have known. Take the use of drones on U.S. soil.
FBI Director Robert Mueller admitted at a hearing this week that his agency uses unmanned aerial vehicles for surveillance on U.S. soil. Mueller insisted the FBI used drones “in a very, very minimal way.”

Then there was this letter from Justin Thompson:

Though the debate lacked the drama and excitement we have seen from this cycle’s presidential debates, one thing stood out to me: Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Wichita, was the only candidate who had any legitimate foreign policy views.

Pompeo has a foreign policy but it is reckless and amounts to ‘I never met a war I didn't like.’ He has opposed the diplomatic negotiations that led to an end of hostilities with Iran.

Around the same time, we all learned about the shocking $400 million payment to

Iran

that by shipping pallets of foreign currency being flown to Tehran secretly while

U.S.

hostages were being released. The world knew this was a ransom payment. I wrote a letter to the Treasury Department demanding to know what legal grounds they had to make such a transfer. Then, just this week, the State Department confirmed it – the $400 million was contingent on

Iran

releasing the American hostages! I explained all of this to Trish Regan on Fox News on Monday before the State Department confirmed our suspicions."

His seems to want to stay at war or go to war with Iran.

Another issue is his continues support for the Guantanamo Bay camps. At one point he suggestedthe US Joint Chiefs of Staff to deliberately defy President Barack Obama's policy to shut down the Guantanamo Bay concentration camp:

“As the urgency of the threat presented by Islamic extremism grows, we cannot afford to have the commander-in-chief issue executive orders in direct contravention of laws that he enacted,” Pompeo said in a statement. “I encourage the Joint Chiefs of Staff carry out an exhaustive legal review before implementing any executive order transferring these dangerous terrorists to the

United States.”

For these reasons it is important that we vote Pompeo out of office and put someone in with a moderate stand on the military and someone who does not want to permanently keep us at war.

By SJ Otto

This Saturday Morning I got up to see our Maize Pride Parade. It is nice that the City of Maize, where I presently reside, still puts on the parade. The people here need it. Just like it would be nice if they still put up Christmas decorations, but they don't. There were plenty of fun floats of local people and I got a lot of candy thrown at my drive-way. I love free candy.

Some of the highlights of the parade included the political floats, such as candidate for 4th congressional district for US Representative Daniel Giroux.

Giroux gets mixed results from this blog. He favors USintervention in Iraq and Syria but wants to try diplomacy and sanctions first. This is slightly better than Rep. Mike Pompeo, the Republican, who never met a war he didn't like.

Giroux supports Obama Care, although he says it needs to be fixed. And I think most of us would agree with that.

Giroux is prolife. That is why Miranda Allen is running as an independent against him.

Giroux is better than Pompeo, but that is not saying much. Allen is probably a good candidate, but with two people running against such an incumbent as Pompeo, that spells disaster. Pompeo is almost assured of winning this election. And that is a serious problem as Giroux has put out a really good campaign and worked hard to unseat that treacherous traitor. But with two people winning that ass-hole will probably win anyway.

And here we see candidate Daniel Giroux.

And some friends of mine were working on his campaign.

And we see that the pro-war incumbent Pompeo's minions out to promote his re-election.

There were a few other cool things about this parade, like this antique car.

And speaking of candy, check out this candy site for your upcoming Halloween.

By SJ Otto

Tea Party Conservatives, loyal to Kansas Governor Sam Brownback are running a campaign to oust five Kansas Supreme Court justices in the upcoming November election. To do this they are using the relatives of the Carr brother’s atrocities to drum up outrage from the fact that the Kansas Supreme Court overturned a death penalty ruling. Rather than argue the validity of the actual justices and why these people want them removed, they are using that one case to try and claim the court is soft on criminals.

The case of Jonathan and Reginald Carr was quite brutal. The brothers went on a spree of robberies, assaults, rapes, and murders from December 7 to 14, 2000. In the end they killed five people and one of their victims lived to testify against them.

The brothers are in jail and will never be released. The real reason for the removal of these justices is so that they won’t interfere in Brownback’s destruction of the school system and other government functions. Some very good videos have been released from those who want to save the Justices. See them below:

Former Kansas Governors: Vote Yes 5 Times

Kansas Supreme Court to be big ballot issue this

Brownback: Power Grab

By SJ Otto

Not since the Richard Nixon-George McGovern campaign, of 1972, have we seen such a bitter and nasty campaign for president of the US. Last night’s debate brought all of that out. By the end of the night many of the “talking heads” (pundits) surrounding that debate said that Hillary Clinton won and unless something unusual happens in the next 19 days she will be elected as our next president.

So for the absolute Trump haters out there and I do know a few, we don’t have to worry that he will actually win—at least not right now. There was a substantial debate over a few issues such as abortion and the war against ISIS (Islamic State). There was also horror by both Clinton and several news personalities over Trump’s refusal to say he would accept the outcome of the election. All along he has been saying that the election is rigged. I don’t know why anyone would take that seriously. Trump is a showman. That is what he has been in the past. He knows how to keep people’s interest up. He has used that gimmick throughout the election. At one point in the debate Clinton said that ‘he claimed the Emmy awards were rigged.’ Trump responded almost joking “Should have gotten it.” For me it was hard to take him seriously.

This is not unlike the Nixon-McGovern race. The main issue in 1972 was the Vietnam War and McGovern made that his main theme. Much of the rest of the Democratic Party had denounced McGovern, some even going so far as to run commercials against him—“Democrats for Nixon.”All of this was over the military and their war in Vietnam. As with this year’s campaign the candidates called each other names.

During that election there was speculation that McGovern was not going to congratulate Nixon if he won the election. In fact The Washington Post ran the following after the election results came in and McGovern had lost by a record landslide vote:

“The South Dakota senator, though buried in an electoral defeat of historic dimensions, refused to concede that his platform of immediate peace in Vietnam and populist reform at home had been repudiated along with his candidacy.

Referring to the Nixon stands he had condemned in his long struggle for the presidency, McGovern said from Sioux Falls: "We do not rally to the support of policies we deplore. We love this country and we will continue to beckon it to a higher standard."

Of course there were some major differences. McGovern was considered far to the left of the main stream. Trump is considered farther to the right than Clinton. And on some foreign policies he is slightly farther to the left. And it seems this race is a lot closer. And in the end McGovern did congratulate Nixon on his win. I’m betting that Trump will do the same if and when he loses.

This has been a lively campaign. Trump may not be the man for the job, but he has made this campaign stand out in history. One thing this campaign is not—is boring.

Campaigns are full of surprises, as in the George W. Bush-Al Gore campaign, of 2000 where the votes were so close there was a recount that took until December 12 before a winner was declared. This year’s campaign has had its share of surprises also, especially with Trump having to answer to all the allegations he harassed several women.

Regardless of what the polls say we still need Democrats to get out and vote. A lot of people are saying they don’t want to vote for Hillary and they don’t need to since she is ahead in the polls. Such an attitude leads to delegating your choice to others and with it your own personal responsibility. So do vote.

Hillary Clinton shook hands with the moderator, Chris Wallace, on Wednesday after the debate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, a gesture that she did not repeat with Donald J. Trump.CreditJosh Haner/The New York Times

From Daily Kos:

By Denise Oliver Velez

Much of the focus here in the U.S. is on the upcoming election of our first female president and her opponent’s ugly behavior and language—and his shaming of women has struck a chord with young women and girls. Hillary Clinton’s campaign ad, titled “Mirrors,” speaks to it. Recently, I had a discussion about this with the young women (and one young man) in my introduction to women’s studies class. Most of them are first-year students, so their memories of high school and middle school are fresh.

All of these young women shared stories about being sent to detention, or shamed, or being sent home, or having parents called to school because they had a shirt on that showed their collarbones or shoulders, or because they wore leggings or yoga pants. They shared about themselves, their younger sisters, and friends, and how this made them feel.

For the rest click here.

Printed in the letter section of The Wichita Eagle:

Kansas is often used as a punchline, but the terrorist plot in western
Kansas is serious and frightening. But it is important to know that
Wichita is full of good people who support the Muslim community and
their Muslim friends when they are under attack. For example there was
support for a local mosque when local bullies threatened to show up with
guns during Friday services, egged on by the disgraceful politician Mike
Pompeo. Representative Pompeo didn't like that evening's speaker because
of his support of Palestinian rights. Last year a few ignorant
anti-Muslim locals tried to intimidate Wichita State University into
canceling planned modifications to the interfaith chapel. This was a
longstanding plan initiated by local Protestant clergy for a more modern
facility, and also designed to meet the needs of Muslim members of the
WSU community. Widespread support for the chapel from the students,
faculty, and community at large kept the bullies from succeeding in
this. We know Wichita will continue to stand up for community,
solidarity and civil rights.

Laura Tillem

Peace and Social Justice Center

From Daily Kos:

Ohio has been involved in a decade-long voting dispute. Last month, two Republican-appointed white judges and Judge Damon Keith (appointed in 1977 and black) ruled on a Republican-led initiative to rid black voting rights with little to no justification. The two white judges ruled that Ohio was justified in its completely evidence-free approach to fighting “voter fraud” and other phantom voting maladies. 94-year-old Judge Damon Keith wrote an 11-page dissent, which included historic civil rights imagery. His basic legal argument is that the two justices applied incorrect legal tests to come to their conclusion, and were even contradictory in their applications of these “tests.” Judge Damon goes on to explain that these laws are clearly racist and an attack on voting rights.

For more click here.

More and more mainstream celebrities are coming out in favor of supporting the rights of Palestinians and opposing their oppressive conditions at the hands of Israel. But that doesn’t mean it happens without flak from Mainstream corporations who still side with Israel. The latest musician is Roger Waters, who played for years, for the band Pink Floyd.-SJ Otto

According to FoxNews:

“Roger Waters is planning his most spectacular and expensive tour yet — but the Pink Floyd legend is facing backlash from some big-name sponsors over his views on Israel.

Sources tell us that American Express balked at spending up to $4 million to sponsor Waters’ 2017 US + Them North American tour.”

Also according to the Fox articles Waters said:

“I have been accused of being a Nazi and an anti-Semite for the past 10 years. My industry has been particularly recalcitrant in even raising a voice [against Israel] . . . I’ve talked to a lot of them, and they are scared s - - tless. If they say something in public, they will no longer have a career. They will be destroyed.”

He also slammed Presidential Candidate Donald Trump:

“Waters, who has angered many in New York with his support for a boycott of Israel over the issue of Palestinian rights, shocked people at Oldchellaby unleashing a series of brutal images targeting Donald Trump, and slogans such as “F - - k Trump and his wall” and “Arrogant, lying, racist, sexist,” then voicing solidarity with students protesting for Palestinians. He also urged people to support the controversial BDS Movement (boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel) and added, “I encourage the government in Israel to end the occupation.”

For the full article click here.

Pix by LA Daily News Media Center.

By SJ Otto

Just a few weeks ago The Wichita Eagle ran an article on the Charles Koch Foundation giving money to Wichita State University (WSU) have also talked about creating the Study of Free Enterprise at the Barton School of Business. It seems the Koch Brothers, Charles and David, both like to promote their philosophy on the importance of free-wheeling "free enterprise" and that freedom loving "free market place."

For those not familiar with the Koch brothers and their philosophy it amounts to massive tax breaks for the business classes, (similar to what Gov. Sam Brownback has inflicted on us here in Kansas) lack of any regulations of any kind and complete freedom over the workers of our country. That freedom entails no-unions, no safety regulations, no benefits to workers and really low wages. Workers are to be beaten down into submission. One thing is for sure, you will never become a $billionaire or a $millionaire working for Koch Industries.

The Koch brothers want to use the WSU facilities to promote those ideas.

According to The Wichita Eagle:

"Koch has funded similar institutes at OklahomaStateUniversity, the University of Kentucky and, most recently, at WSU president John Bardo’s former institution, WesternCarolinaUniversityin North Carolina.

“This opportunity is transformative for the BartonSchool,” WSU provost Tony Vizzini wrote in an e-mail in July. “By us being stewards for the (Charles Koch Foundation) we assist them in their mission. They, in return, transform us allowing us to advance in our mission.”

But the question here is "can they really promote their own mission, in the best interest of the students, while supporting the Koch's philosophy of self-serving government for the business community?" The answer to that is "probably not!" This week the WSU Sunflower, the official newspaper of that school, put out an article called: "Student leaders plead for help from regents president," by Chance Swaim.

In the article some students talked of a “culture of fear” at WSU, one perpetuated by administrators who are “puppets to private business.”

In addition to that, the article said several students sent in complaints and among them:

"—Students, faculty and staff “afraid to speak up” out of fear of retaliation by President Bardo.....

—Provost and Vice President of Student Affairs Anthony Vizzini notified SGA he would appoint a new faculty advisor, which student leaders say violates the WSU’s Student Bill of Rights. Vizzini said he didn’t know about the existence of the Student Bill of Rights, and then appointed a new advisor, Lyston Skerritt, anyway....

—Concerns about outside influence on university decisions...."

That is right. The students complained about "outside influences on University Decisions." What does that mean? I talked to a Sunflower staff member who told me that the Koch brothers were a part of that concern.

The idea that a free market of business and a free market of ideas just naturally go hand in hand does not pan out at WSU. People who work there are in fear of loosing their jobs according to the Sunflower article. The Koch brothers give as much as $11.25 million to the university at a time. But they expect something back. They don't want to be criticized by people who work for the university nor do they really want any criticism by the students. They want their philosophy to go unquestioned. They expect those who do raise questions to be punished. According to the Sunflower article, (probably the Koch's) and other donors mean business.

For more on this "Culture of fear" I recommend reading the entireSunflower article.

Pix from We Party Patriots and Pinterest.

By SJ Otto

Black Friday is happening today. Stores are not waiting for the traditional last of November sales. May places are putting out sales today. It is a celebration of crass consumerism.

So here is my traditional Christmas Black Friday song:

Bad News - Cashing In On Christmas

By the way, don't forget to try these holiday gifts. And some toys for tots.

By SJ Otto

Besides the Presidential elections Kansans have a lot at stake this election year. We can’t vote Governor Sam Brownback out of office, but we can take aim at his political lackeys in the Kansas Congress.

Probably the most important candidates and issues in this coming Tuesday are the retention of the Kansas Supreme Court justices who are under attack by a group calling itself "Kansans for Justice." It is real important that we vote "yes" to keep in the Kansas Supreme Court Justices Carol Beier, Dan Biles, Lawton Nuss and Marla Luckert. Unscrupulous politicians are using the victims of the Car Brother (Jonathan and Reginald) Murders to get the people of Kansas to allow Gov. Sam Brownback to pick new justices who will give him a blank check on his policies, such as destroying Kansas education.

If "Kansans for Justice" get their way, Brownback will be unstoppable in his efforts to further defund and destroy Kansas' education system. Also it is dangerous to put in justices who will look only at the effect of victims of crime. If we just let victims go with their gut feelings on these cases, we will not have justice at all. We may see the revival of torture in Kansas. We need fair justices who will look at the cases and rule based on what is just and not just what is popular at the time.

US House of Representative Mike Pompeo is being challenged by Dan Giroux, a Democrat who has put some real effort into his campaign. Miranda Allen is running as an independent against both candidates. Allen and her supporters are upset that Giroux is not pro-choice. Those beliefs are understandable, but the Allen campaign probably hurts Giroux's chances of unseating Pompeo. It is really hard to unseat an incumbent and even harder that incumbent's opposition are split into two parties. There is a real good reason to unseat Pompeo, who is one of the most pro-war, pro-imperialist and anti-privacy rights. My endorsement goes to Giroux.

Another important race is Keith Humphrey, running as a Democrat for the Kansas Senate. He has put up a good active campaign so far to remove Mike Petersen, a Republican and Brownback Supporter. As in most of these races, the easiest thing to do is just vote Democrat all the way down. That way you have no chance of returning one of Brownback's lackeys.

In Some other important races, we need to support Democrat Tim Norton, Sedgwick County Commission seat in District 2, which includes Haysville, Clearwater and parts of Mulvane and south Wichita, from a challenge from Republican and Brownbacker Michael O’Donnell.

We also need to get rid of the ultra-conservatives on the county commission and replace them with moderates who will show some respect for our less wealthy citizens and local area immigrants. In the past Richard Ranzau, Karl Peterjohn and Jim Howell have supported measures to ban any support of the federal Women, Infants and Children program (WIC) from non-citizens. Such a move is designed to starve out the children of non-citizens and the move was just plain mean-spirited. We are now rid of Peterjohn, who lost in the Republican primary. We need to vote in independent Marcey Gregory, former mayor of Goddard, to serve on the commission.

We will likely have more election endorsements and updates as the election draws near. Keep in touch with The Idiot Factor for more election news and updates.

Pix from Wallyhood and Virginia Christian Alliance.

From Julie A. Burkhart

Founder and CEO

Trust Women

Trust Women South Wind Women's Center;

Our Fifth Annual Gala is November 17th at Abode Venue in Wichita, and we hope to see you there. So does political trailblazer Carol Moseley Braun, our special guest and keynote speaker for the evening. The gala is our biggest night of the year and is your chance to show your support for reproductive rights and meet the staff of our foundation and clinics.

Ms. Moseley Braun is the first and only African-American woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. We're so honored she's joining us to support our work!

I hope we can count on you to be there, too. Just click on the invitation below for information about tickets, special seating and sponsorships.

If you can't make it to the gala but still would like to make a difference, please click on the "Contribute" button at the end of my note. You'd be amazed at how far we stretch every dollar to help women.

By SJ Otto

This is a follow-up article to our “voter’s Guide.” Tomorrow is the big day. In the United States of America we really have an oligarchy rather than an actual democracy. Still we encourage all people to vote, especially those who are progressive and agree, at least in part, with this site. We actually have a system of “one dollar- one vote,” rather than “one man- one vote,” which is what we really need. Still—it is the only voice we have on political matters so let’s make the most of it.

For president—this is a tough election for many of us. Hillary Clinton is one of the most establishment presidents we have had in many years. However, Donald Trump, who is our president of change, is not the kind of change this country needs. We don’t need popular change that benefits the $billionaire class. We already have that and we don’t need more. We also need Obamacare (ACA / Affordable Care Act) fixed so it works for all those who never had health care before. We don’t want that rug pulled out from under us. Those of us who don’t make much money don’t want to die way before our times so that wealthy people will not be inconvenienced.

Hillary is a war hawk. But we can oppose her wars more effectively if we are not sick from lack of health care. So vote for Hillary. For some of us our lives depend on it. Earlier we posted: The Primary is over —it is Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump —let's dump Trump and Clinton vs Trump- damned if we do vote, damned if we don’t. We already know she is not the best candidate we could have. But she is THE BEST we have at this time.

We have discussed third parties this election cycle and for president we reject them all. Not only will a third party help elect Trump, there are no progressive parties running candidates here in Kansas. The closest left-party, The Green Party, is a pro-capitalist party. They are not economically left-wing and do not support any democratic socialist positions. There are no socialist party candidates running on the ticket here in Kansas. For a review of why we don’t endorse the Green Party see: US Green Party is not left-wing at all—supporting them is a waste of time!

There are many races here in Kansas and the best rule of thumb is to just vote Democrat. The Republican Party is always the party of greed and corruption. There are a few moderates running, but considering the damage being done by Governor Sam Brownback and his minions in the Kansas Legislature why take chances? It is safer just to vote against all Republicans running. If they are opposed by Democrats then vote for the Democrats. Brownback is now considered the worst governor in the US today. He is destroying education and he is destroying the infrastructure of this state. He is giving huge tax breaks to businesses at the expense of working people. We can’t get rid of him so let’s get rid of his supporters.

One big issue is the Supreme Court justices under attack by "Kansans for Justice," an obvious Brownback front group that wants to get rid of all the court justices who will hold Brownback accountable for his actions. It is important to vote YES to keep Chief Justice Lawton Nuss, Justice Marla J. Luckert, Justice Carol A. Beier and Justice Dan Biles in office. Don’t let Kansas for Justice make fools of us. Keep those justices in office.

So now it is time to vote.

Pix by Future of Business and Tech.

Alice Cooper - Elected

By SJ Otto

What can we say about Donald Trump? He is unstable, unpredictable and he can’t take criticism. One thing is for sure—never say: “what is the worst that can happen?” Because we will find that out and probably sooner than later. There were those who told me before the election: “I just can’t bring myself to vote for Hillary Clinton”/ “She lies, lies, lies!”/ “I’m going to vote for Jill Stein and the Greens.” Well folks…I hope you like having President Trump!? All those who didn’t vote for Hillary help Trump get elected.

On the Kansas State level for US congressional offices, nothing was that surprising. Pro-war, pro-imperialist US Representative Mike Pompeo, 4th district, easily beat out all his Democratic opponents, Daniel Giroux, who gave him a real challenge and an independent, Miranda Allen who split the opposition vote. They both still had too few votes together and either would have lost to Pompeo anyway. In the first district Roger Marshall, the far-far-far-far to the Right Republican won since there was no Democratic opposition. The Democrats have deserted the 1st district several years ago because the voters in that district are so hostile to the Democratic Party. Some of them like living in a one party state.

Most Kansans will only vote for a Republican and pay attention to little else. The vote for Republicans seems to be some kind of tradition. But the Kansas Republican Party is made up of some of the most corrupt and abusive politicians in the country. Over the years this local Republican Party has attracted all kinds of far right movements including the “religious right,” hard-core anti-abortion zelots, followers of the Koch brothers, David and Charles, (who champion pro-business, anti-worker and anti-evironmental causes) and all kinds of pro-military and pro-imperialists. As Thomas Frank tells us in his book “What's the Matter with Kansas?” most Kansans are voting against their self interest by supporting a party that actually works against the rights of working people. Why the people here have so much faith in such a negative anti-worker party has got to be one of the major mystories of today’s modern world.

That “faith-in-the-Republicans” may be why such good candiates as Keith Humphrey lost and why Ty Masterson, the far-far-far-far to the right Governor Sam Brownback clone got re-elected, even though his constituents hate Brownback.

One of the creepyiest of all far-far-far-far right-wing Republicans, Michael O'Donnell won a seat away from Democrat incumbantTim Norton on the Sedgwick County Commission. O’Donnel is one of the most corrupt and greedy political hacks in Kansas politics today. And yet he was able to beat a moderate politician. The voters just recently booted far-far-far-far to the right Karl Peterjohn off of the commission. Some voters are finally getting tired of the far-far-far-far to the right silliness of such politicians.

Amazingly enough TheWichita Eagle reported that the Democratic Party did make some gains against the heavily Republican Senate and House.

Some of that pro-Republican stupidity and silliness is spreading across the country and has been for some time. Anti-worker Republicans seem good at panning themselves off as populists and their party is being presented as if it is actually pro-worker. So for now the American public are locked into believing a pipe-dream—that Republicans work for their own good—and the idea that a $billionaire can somehow share the good fortunes of his own with that his constituents. But history has shown that $billionaires care about themselves and other $billionaires. That means that the majority of people in this country will be as bad off four years from now as they are today. It seems as if most people in the US just can’t learn from their past mistakes.

by SJ Otto

Every year I write something about veteran's Day. That is the day this country (

United States

) honors its vets. Since after World War II, the

fought the cold war and now it just fights to preserve a giant empire against ISIS (Islamic State). For the first time in the history of the world, the US has built the largest empire since the Roman Empire.

Nothing has ever existed like this before. Every country in the world has to live with this empire trying to force its will on the world. So far there are no other super powers that can rival the US Empire since the fall of the

USSR

. However ISISis putting up a real fight. They have the land. They have an extended network of people to inflict civilian casualties in case they lose their land and state. But they are probably about to lose their so called state. When they do, it will be a little like the USwinning the cold war over the Soviet Union. But ISIS was never as strong as the Soviet Union. And with our new prez., Donald Trump, he may send in the gazillion US troops it takes to l liquidate those people. President Barack Obama wants it to look like our puppet government troops of

Iraq

are in the process of "liberating their own country." However it is likely that Trump doesn't care if it looks like the Iraqis or US troops are doing the so called "liberating." He is not into subtleties. He is the USbull-in-the-China-shop. Results count and providing a saving face for imperialism will not be necessary.

From the National Interest:

In military terms, we know that roughly 750 military bases and installations staffed by American military personnel exist in approximately 130 countries around the world. We know that the United Statesaccounts now for roughly two-fifths, 40 percent, of all military expenditures in the world.

What few Americans realize is that our standing as the richest most powerful country in the world demands that those in weaker countries suffer without those things that we take for granted. We have the best in electronic devices—iphones-computers-etc. And we have the best motor-vehicles and cheapest gas of anywhere in the world.

We have an unlimited supply of water, food and electricity. Not everyone in the world has those things (see A Nicaraguan travelogue—First hand look at 3rd world poverty).

The Melian dialogue—by Thucydides –the city of Atheniansand the people of Melos-Relevant Quotes:

”Since you know as well as we do that right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must"

And the biggest lie of all—“These people fight for your freedom—Freedom isn’t Fee!”

To which I state:

No one in the

is fighting for your FREEDOM!! -

NO ONE!!

Pix by KidsKonnect.

From Daily Kos:

Today, November 15, thousands of activists in towns and cities across the United States will come together to halt the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Dakota Access has every intention of finishing this pipeline, regardless of the impact on Indigenous communities or the climate. To win, we're going to have to fight harder, organize smarter, and mobilize our supporters more effectively than ever before. We are never more powerful than when we are united.

Solidarity with Indigenous leadership—in Standing Rock and beyond—is more important today, not less. Together, we have to keep the pressure on President Obama to do what’s right while he’s still in office and stop the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Join one of the 200 peaceful #noDAPL actions are happening around the country on Tuesday, November 15. Click here to find one near you or sign up to host an action in your city.

Keep fighting,
Monique Teal, Daily Kos

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