The LiberalOC received this commentary via email this morning. I felt it worthy of a full post.
From: Luette Forrest
I am a UCI faculty member and grew up in this part of the county and I still have a farm there.
Three articles that are in this days local paper lay out nicely without further comment what is going wrong-right in little Berrien County Michigan. Whirlpool Headquarters is in Benton Harbor and this city has been under emergency management for some time. Congressman Upton’s family has long ties to Whirlpool. Funny how that works.
My dad was a machinist at Whirlpool on Broad Street and then in Benton Harbor as was my brother who now lives in Georgia.
They lose Whirlpool manufacturing jobs, a Meijers has 2000 application for 170 jobs, the majority part time no benefits, and the city of Benton Harbor is being taken over by a non elected “corporate” manager and removes elected officials.
Articles below
Emergency manager “Harris Eyes Big changes for BH“ EM proposes abolishing ward elections, shrinking City Commission to five Emergency manager compares a city with a company.
Last Whirlpool factory “End of the Line“
Superstore “It’s May for Meijer“ 2000 applicants for 170 jobs, mostly part time.
In light of the efforts of the City of Costa Mesa to sell off our core government services piece by piece to the lowest bidder and cast off our dedicated public employees, I’ve got to wonder when people are going to wake up and see what these Robber Barons are trying to do to our country.
First they Came
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.
Well, it started with exporting our good paying private sector union jobs to the 3rd world (NAFTA, PNTR, etc). “Overpaid” private sector union labor, you know.
People wanted their cheap foreign goods – selfish, short-sighted actions. Long range consequences be dammed.
Now, the chickens are coming home to roost.
Hopefully the people of this country will indeed awaken to what is happening all over our country; all that had been won the “hard way” over the long years since our beginnings, seems to be coming to an end; people of this country need to “wake up and smell the roses” or they will have no rights left. The imbalance of the “monied power” in our country continue to put our democracy at extreme risk. Those who belong to the “tea-bagger” group may begin to realize their jobs and family are at risk from these “robber barons” — hopefully they will “grow up” and actually read and learn more about what is really going on around them and begin to really take a truly active part in this country they claim to love; perhaps then the “barons” will be completely exposed for who and what they really are and no longer fool the ignorant and illiterate.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time and making the effort needed to get these important stories out to the public, thus exposing such frauds to all and sundry.
What would you do if someone broke into your house, and stole everything you have, and everything you will ever have?