Amazon & Starbucks workers hit the bricks.
Also... AI, the new deity & The Democratic Party's old guard more worried about losing control than beating back the MAGAs.
Amazon workers at seven facilities walked off the job early on Thursday during the holiday shopping rush as workers protest what they say is the retailing giant's unfair treatment of its employees. Warehouse workers in cities including New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco were taking part in what Teamsters officials called the largest-ever strike against Amazon.
The great irony here…The Teamsters, who are battling corporate oligarchs like Bezos refused to endorse neither Trump nor Harris in November. Democrats felt betrayed but this likely reflects where many younger workers are at politically. Republicans don’t have them. But Democrats are losing them. [See story on AOC below]
Speaking of young workers…
Starbucks baristas have launched a 5-day protest in Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle. Three years after baristas first formed a union, Workers United and Starbucks remain far apart on the terms of an initial contract. Workers United represents more than 11,000 of the roughly 200,000 workers at company-operated US stores.
She talks to God. I talk to AI.
MAGA profit Julie Green claims she has God’s personal cell phone number. They chat regularly. Back in June, Julie said God told her that Trump would be acquitted on the whole Stormy Daniels thing in New York. Oh well.
As for me, I tried but failed to make that connection. I left a message re. the war in Gaza but so far, no results. So now, I’m talking directly to our new deity, AI.
ME: What’s the difference between an oligarchy and a plutocracy?
AI: Oligarchy is a form of government or organization where power is held by a small group of individuals. The ruling group could be distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, education, corporate, or military control.
Plutocracy is a form of government where the wealthy hold power and influence. Characteristics: The influence of the wealthy can shape political policies and decisions, often prioritizing their interests.
ME: Which one of these currently most closely resembles the US?
AI: While the US government structure is designed to balance power among its branches and ensure representation, the substantial financial contributions from billionaires like Trump and Musk can sway political outcomes and policies. This influence aligns more closely with a plutocracy, where wealth plays a crucial role in governance.
ME: Thank you, Deity.
What's that sound? The death knell of the Democratic Party as we know it
It’s as if the Democratic Party leadership team of octogenarians had learned nothing from November’s election debacle. Their Pelosi-led skunking of AOC’s bid for leadership of the powerful House Oversight and Accountability Committee in favor of Gerry Connolly, a 74-year-old liberal party regular, was another poke in the eye of the shrinking base of young, working-class, party activists who are turned off by the war party’s cultural and political life.
Ocasio-Cortez would have become the youngest Democrat to lead a House committee if the vote had gone her way on Tuesday. Instead, Connolly’s appointment showed once again that the Biden/Pelosi/Schumer/Clinton crew (average age, 79) is much more fearful of a progressive takeover than they are of Trump and the MAGAs.
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Dems watch as plutocrat 'Co-President' pushes for gov’t shutdown. But they join Republicans in spending nearly a trillion on wars.
If “Co-President Musk” gets his way, the federal government may shut down this week. But the military and warmakers are doing fine and so are their fans in the Senate. This week, the Senate passed the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), sending the military policy bill to Biden’s desk for final approval.
The Senate voted to authorize $895 billion for the Pentagon, 85-14. Based on past budgets, the Pentagon will commit more than half that amount to military contractors. The 85 senators who voted for the NDAA accepted on average $280,106 in political contributions from military contractors this election cycle. The 14 senators who voted against the bill received $58,170 on average. The median amounts for each bloc were $234,605 and $45,240, respectively. (Center for International Policy)
I used to contribute monthly to AOC's campaign fund, but when she remained silent on the genocide in Palestine, I switched it to Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, whom I should have been supporting from the get-go.
The only way I could forgive AOC is if it turned out her family was threatened by Mossad-AIPAC.