Converting Trots

We had dinner night before last with some old Left friends, former members of the SWP but still Trots who are probably in some other Left group now. I didn't ask.

Like many people on the Left, they are great friends to all working men and women. They are now in their 70s, and have spent their entire lives fighting for working people. Unlike may Lefties, they like kids more than cats and dogs and laugh a lot. But still, they cling to Trotsky and the idea that these squirrely, corporate, anti-worker, "unions" can be reformed.

So, we argued about that and they seemed interested in Michele Mauder's ESOP as well as the Republic Windows & Doors plant seizure which they were well-informed about; and the Canadian auto plant grab which they didn't know anything about.

They listened, politely I suppose, to my pitch for Distributism. Distributism, which seems to be more every day the only way out of this colossal Depression, may actually have interested them since they have always had confidence in working folks goodness & competence.

They were interested too in John's idea about seizing and/or buying parts plants as they bankrupt but didn't know where we would get the money and if we did how we could get contracts and pay a just wage? I don't know either. The Banksters are into loans for other Banksters but not real working people.

I have many acquaintances on the Left but not many friends. So it was great to renew this friendship. It also reminds me that there are those on the Left who are there because they see no other option to Capitalism; and, that Bishop Sheen was successful in rescuing Communists and turning them towards Distributism. (Not that I'm anything close to Sheen but I'm giving it a try.)

There radicals who are radical because they hate people.

There are radicals who are radical because they love people. Our friends are like that.

We are getting together again soon and when we do we'll be talking some about the posts below from the Detroit News this morning. People are upset and angry but we have to get ready to do something better than riot. Riots don't work. Plant takeovers work:

Sun. 04/05/09 07:44 AM
DPS AND GM

Excellent post truth!
And when are we going to get it that the media, government and big business and their "unions" are all opposed to us?
American workers need to get themselves together and shut this country down until we have big business and their "unions" broken up, downsized and owned and operated by people who understand it and are devoted to the work.
That is clearly the answer if you look at what it will take to put everyone back to work at good jobs.
Gravedigger, Colfax, WI


Sat. 04/04/09 11:59 AM
DPS AND GM

Lets see if I can get this through to the fools that have run this country into the ground.

1. You can't increase sales if you've laid-off off 1/2 the employees.

2. you can't increase sales in the US if you build all your cars in Mexico and Japan, and all your parts are from foreign sources with only the headquarter in the US. No manufacturing in the US means no jobs in the US and means nobody can buy the products.

3. With the Government increasing cost in electric and gas bills, more people are looking for help from the government and less funds going in that means a bigger bite out of the people and the companys in the US and more will fold and move to Mexico.
FORDS best selling car is built in Mexico, motor is Mexico, trans is from Japan and it is shipped to the US. So how can they complain about losing market share and falling sales when you're not employing the people that got you to the place you are #2.

4.Our Government is going to kill us with this budget they are passing and we just are sitting around and taking it. Do you people understand we are going to be owned by China, Mexico and Japan after this? We are owned and are in debt to these countries to the tune of Trillions and when we get done they will own us.

5. As the people in our LOVING congress, and government get done we will have to let China take over because we will not be able to live. The poor are going to have to kill themselves, the mid class will be the new poor and the people like our governent are going to be OK because the get our MONEY to retire on and get cost of living to boot. So they don't care.

So as I say we need to stand up and riot as they did in CA. we need to stand up and put an end to the treachery that OBAMA and our other leaders are commiting on the UNITED STATES, and our people.

real truth, Warren, MI
--