Corporate thieves are stealing our resources and making off like bandits. Whether it’s Nike sweatshops stealing human labor, or Kimberly-Clark clear-cutting ancient rainforests, our shared resources are being stolen, packaged, marketed and sold back to us (that is, if we can afford it).
When corporate representatives get elected to government or appointed to non-profit boards, we get disaster in public policy. George Bush and Dick Cheney have been great examples of that.
Recently, the State of Florida gave Nestle Corporation the right to steal the people’s water–as much as it can–from the drought-distressed Madison Blue Springs State Park. For this right, they will pay absolutely nothing for the next 10 years.
Hard to believe? You can read more here.
And before we think it’s far from home and we don’t need to pay attention, did you know that for the last 10 years the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, a state-chartered government agency, has contracted wastewater treatment out to private companies?
I wonder who sits on their board?
11 Apr 2008 | 4:45 pm | Water, Representation | No comments yet - Add your comments
Sunday, April 6
11 a.m.-noon at the corner of 12th and Wisconsin Avenue.
To raise consciousness for freedom of speech, press, assembly and human rights for both Tibet and China.
KT Rusch (Mali Blues, Universal Love Band) and fellow musician Saskia Pretorius are sponsoring a Rally for Compassion to raise awareness of the human rights violations in Tibet and China. They ask supporters to wear red to symbolize compassion, and to bring signs to promote compassion, and photos of the Dalai Lama, Martin Luther King and Gandhi.
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What is so remarkable about the human spirit is that the monks who witness these atrocities and compile these photos are not just praying for their homeland martyrs, they are praying for the Chinese in prayers such as “May the Buddha Consciousness of compassion increase in the Chinese” at their peaceful demonstrations in India.
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Please join us at RALLY FOR COMPASSION!
Bring coffee, smiles, open heart, meet new friends.
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A note from KT, the organizer:
I received photos from Buddhist monk, Tenzin P. in India that show evidence of Chinese brutality in Tibet. I have posted a short piece on the Tibetan Uprising here: http://www.milwaukeerenaissance.com/KtRusch/TibetanUprising2008
More information can be found
in this Shepherd Express article.
3 Apr 2008 | 1:27 pm | Events | No comments yet - Add your comments
Thank You!
We did it! Thanks to your hard work, our grassroots campaign has energized the district and earned an improbable victory. Thank you to the hundreds of people who gave time, money, and good will to this inspiring effort, and thank you to the thousands of people who trusted our campaign with a vote on Tuesday.
Thank you also to Patrick Flaherty and the thousands of people who trusted his campaign with a vote. We all should reach out to Patrick and his supporters. To make this district and city better, we will need the energy, insight, and good will of everyone who lives here.
Patrick has an accomplished track record of fighting for social justice and fiscal fairness in this city. We all must continue the fight for those causes. Together we will build a better future for Milwaukee!
Nik Kovac
3 Apr 2008 | 5:31 am | 3rd District | No comments yet - Add your comments
It was a very close race. Nik gave a great speech about humbleness in serving, and reaching out to Patrick and folks in his campaign.
Nik Kovac . . . . . . . . . . 4,292 50%
Patrick Flaherty . . . . . . . 4,221 49%
The people’s power called this one in. And every vote counted.
Thank you, everyone. Each one individually, and all of us together.
Sura
2 Apr 2008 | 2:12 am | Representation, 3rd District | No comments yet - Add your comments
What can you do with old medicine, over-the-counter cough syrup, prescription drugs, inhalers, pet medicine?
Medicine Collection Day
Saturday, April 19
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Continue reading ‘Sat., April 19 - Medicine Collection Day’
31 Mar 2008 | 12:34 pm | Water, Health | No comments yet - Add your comments
I’m endorsing Nik Kovac for Milwaukee 3rd District Alderman, along with Jennifer Morales and many of my other supporters. Here are just some of the reasons why:
- Nik Kovac is a leader, challenging Mike D’Amato when he was expected to run for re-election. Conversely, Patrick Flaherty told me he last year that he would only run if D’Amato stepped down.
- Nik is progressive. He’s thoughtful on big issues and I’m excited about his ability to bring a new way of thinking to politics in Milwaukee. We’re not going to solve our problems with the same kind of thinking that got us into trouble. Nik will bring us new solutions.
- Nik doesn’t waste money on massive mailings, and he promises the same wise use of our tax dollars.
- Nik has run a clean, positive campaign.
- Nik’s campaign is fueled by the people, not big money or political insiders
- Nik Kovac is smart, honest and trustworthy.
- Nik is educated and involved on local issues. He’s the only candidate that I’ve seen at neighborhood meetings, city planning meetings, development hearings, student groups, environmental meetings. He’s involved in Urban Agriculture, Food Policy, Milwaukee River Preservation, Historic Preservation, Riverwest Neighborhood Association, etc.
- Nik is Local. He was born and raised on the East Side, and he lives in Riverwest. Unlike his opponent, he’s involved in his neighborhood association, his block club, his church and volunteers teaching chess to high school students.
- Nik cares about all of Milwaukee. He attends Community Brainstormers meetings at St. Matthew’s Church on 9th and Chambers because he cares about all the problems in the city, including segregation, economic development and public education.
- Nik has committed to local campaign finance reform, which we desperately need to ensure that aldermanic races can’t be bought by the highest bidder. Votes should come because a candidate is participating in a broad range of community concerns, not just because they can afford to pour tens of thousands of dollars into a mail-blitz campaign.
- Nik is endorsed by the people: environmentalists, artists, teachers, business owners, bicyclists, LGBT community members, and those who believe that local power should remain in the hands of the people.
Please join me in supporting Nik Kovac for Milwaukee’s East Side, Riverwest and Brady St. Alderman, and vote on Tuesday, April 1. Find out where you vote here
30 Mar 2008 | 8:05 pm | 3rd District | No comments yet - Add your comments
“I know and respect Nik Kovac. He is a good friend and a true progressive.” –Vel Phillips
That’s what Vel Phillips says about Nik, who calls her one of his civic heroes. She said, “A few weeks ago, Nik asked me if he could refer to me as one of his heroes in his campaign literature. I was honored by the request. I have seen the brochure in which Nik uses my name and picture. I approve.”
I am writing this because Dominique Paul Noth, the editor of the Labor Press, got a few things wrong about Nik in a recent article. No surprise, since the Labor Council is endorsing Patrick.
But let’s get a few things straight.
Noth implies that Nik didn’t get Vel’s permission to use her name. This is untrue. As you can see from the quotes above and her hand-signed letter on Nik’s website it’s clear that Vel Phillips gave her permission, and that she is one of Nik’s supporters.
Continue reading ‘Vel Phillips on Nik Kovac - setting the record straight’
28 Mar 2008 | 11:06 am | 3rd District | No comments yet - Add your comments
