Political Ruminations

Leader of Egyptian Labor Unions Supports Wisconsin Protesters

Have to get some sleep, but I wanted to get this up....it's inspiring and very cool, at that.

From Think Progress:

One of the most underreported stories about the pro-democracy movement in Egypt was the role of labor unions in the demonstrations, many of which were protesting against neoliberal right-wing economic policies just as much as they were protesting against the Mubarak dictatorship. During the uprising in that country, AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka praised the role of organized labor, saying, “The people’s movement for democracy in Egypt and the role unions are playing for freedom and worker rights inspires us and will not be forgotten.”

Now, as tens of thousands of union members and other Wisconsin residents are taking to the streets to protest against Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) attempt to abolish collective bargaining rights for most public workers, a leader of Egypt’s largest umbrella group of independent labor unions is praising the Wisconsin movement. In a videotaped statement, Kamal Abbas, the General Coordinator of the Centre for Trade Unions and Workers Services, tells the Wisconsin protesters, “We stand with you as you stood with us.” He says “no one believed” that the revolution against the Mubarak regime would succeed, yet they were able to bring the dictator down within 18 days. He encourages demonstrators to stay strong, saying, “Don’t give up on your rights. Victory always belongs to the people who stand firm and demand their just rights”:

Quote of the Day

President Obama to students at Parkville Middle School in Maryland, on Feb. 14:

We live in a world that is getting smaller because of technology. We saw recently what was happening in Egypt, people with Facebook and Twitter led an entire revolution in their country and we were watching it live on television,

Watch:

 

Political Cartoons of the Week

It’s been one hell of a week in politics, so I think something to laugh or snicker at couldn’t hurt…I hope these cartoons will work for you! To enlarge, click on each image. Enjoy.

Adding….a big “thank you” to the cartoonists who give us something to laugh at after all!

Egypt's Military

A must read article for those with an interest in the most recent developments in Egypt is the BBC's  "Egypt unrest: Military at heart of Egyptian state".

Mubarak Steps Down

I am not knowledgeable enough to write about current events in the Middle East, but, I would like to offer my best wishes to the Egyptian people who surely deserve democracy. My fear is that they may not get that in spite of Mubarak’s resignation, and I do think it is concerning that the military is now in charge. Time will tell.

Updating Daily Political News Brief

What we're reading today:

Howard Kurtz has an excellent analysis of Bill O’Reilly’s Super Bowl Sunday interview with President Obama.

Over the weekend, former Vice President Dick Cheney defended Egyptian President Mubarak, saying that Mubarak had been a  “good friend” to the United States, and should be treated well.

Former President Bush avoids arrest for war crimes in Switzerland. [if only…]

Rep. Jane Harmon [D-CA] resigning from Congress to head up a bi-partisan think tank.

Morning Quote: Sarah Palin

When Sarah Palin was asked for her opinion on President Obama’s handling of the crisis in Egypt, she gave us word salad:

And nobody yet has, nobody yet has explained to the American public what they know, and surely they know more than the rest of us know who it is who will be taking the place of Mubarak and no, not, not real enthused about what it is that that’s being done on a national level and from D.C. in regards to understanding all the situation there in Egypt. And, in these areas that are so volatile right now, because obviously it’s not just Egypt but the other countries too where we are seeing uprisings, we know that now more than ever, we need strength and sound mind there in the White House. We need to know what it is that America stands for so we know who it is that America will stand with. And, we do not have all that information yet.

hmmm…WTF? Does the moron really think that American diplomacy should be conducted in public when a foreign nation is in a crisis situation? And can’t the woman speak a few unscripted sentences with out resorting to gibberish?? Cursing John McCain yet again as a I type…….

Egyptian Social Media Access Not a Reason

Back when the Egyptian protests revolution began in late January, the Egyptian government shut down access to the internet, and consequently to social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, those of us on Twitter noted many tweets which seemed to blame a lack of access to the web, or to Twitter, and so forth, as the raison d'être for the revolution.

On Rachel Maddow's show, Richard Engel, NBC News chief foreign correspondent,offers an important clarification:

This didn‘t have anything to do with Twitter and Facebook.  This had to do with people‘s dignity, people‘s pride.  People are not able to feed their families.

Via Frank Rich

Morning Quote: Anderson Cooper

CNN’s Anderson Cooper from Egypt on February 4, after being attacked by protesters in Cairo:

I can't tell you where we are, frankly for our own safety. Systematically, we have seen journalists attacked...we would like to be showing you instead of...this strange image of us sitting on the floor of an undisclosed location in dim lighting, we would like to be showing you pictures, live pictures, of what's happening in Liberation Square right now, but we can't do that because our cameras have systematically been taken down through threats, through intimidation, through actual physical attacks.

I don't mind telling you I am a little bit scared, because we frankly don't really know what the next few hours will hold. And I think there's a lot of people who are scared tonight in Egypt.

Watch:

Updating Daily Political News Brief

What we're reading today:

Good news for the Affordable Care Act came in the form of a Mississippi judge’s dismissal of a lawsuit.

Egyptian government officials have joined the protests in Cairo, as the cries for Mubarak’s resignation grow louder.

Gov. Jan Brewer [R-AZ] struck out at Mayor Bloomberg [I-NYC] over the Arizona gun sales sting conducted by his administration.

President Obama will take questions from reporters today at a press conference regarding the crisis in #Egypt. There is chatter on the Hill that he is talking to Egyptian officials regarding a plan for Mubarak to resign immediately. UPDATE: the Obama administration is now in talks with Egyptian officials, and has said that the U.S, wants Mubarak to resign immediately.

What happened to the Republican chatter about shutting down the federal government?

We know that thanks to the rulings of activist judges in the matter of the Affordable Care Act, the case will very probably go to the Supreme Court sooner rather than later. Looking forward, Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-UT] is calling for Justice Elena Kagan to recuse herself from the consideration of the case, because she is partisan. Using that criteria, of course we should also excuse Alito, Thomas, Roberts, Scalia, and Kennedy. Ridiculous. H/T Ashby

The government has agreed to grant full collective bargaining rights to 40,000 airport screeners. Stay tuned for the massive Republican meltdown! H/T Ashby

Are the decisions Clarence Thomas made serving on the Supreme Court making his wife rich?

A Republican wants to raise taxes? Sen. Saxby Chambliss [R-GA] believes a tax increase is essential for deficit reduction.

No, President Obama did not order blackouts.