by Cody Lyon

It might also serve Americans to call upon the greater spirits of worker history in this nation and remember too, that it wasn't unions who over time stripped private sector workers of any sense of collective bargaining power over the years, it was instead company hunger for a better bottom line on Wall Street.

The death of Howard Zinn last week at 87 is a loss deeply felt by the grassroots citizenry that he so ardently championed.

Zinn's longtime friend and ideological compatriot Noam Chomsky put the historian-activist's life of achievement in perspective in a quote from an obituary in the Boston Globe January 27:

"He made an amazing contribution to American intellectual and moral culture.  He's changed the conscience of America in a highly constructive way.  I really can't think of anyone I compare him to in this respect."

Scores of others of us, Dr. Chomsky, also cannot think of anyone to compare Howard Zinn in that respect, someone who delivered a lifelong commitment to America's intellectual and moral culture along with unswerving identification to serving people and seeking to help establish a progressive agenda.

by CODY LYON
But there is another side that must be addressed with some sort of legislative mandate because if the auto world of Detroit is allowed to fail and sink behind the veil of protection that bankruptcy provides, the potential for great human tragedy becomes increasingly real for large groups of vulnerable Americans.

The diary below was originally posted in my blog, the Intrepid Liberal Journal on Saturday, September 23rd when the interview took place.

Thom Hartmann is a dynamic voice for the aggrieved middle class. After one commercial break on a recent broadcast, the national radio host proudly declared,

"Welcome back to the Thom Hartman show where our talking points come from Jefferson and Madison, not some right wing think tank."

He then asks, "Will the next election be hacked?" as he promotes Bobby Kennedy, Jr.'s article in Rolling Stone magazine that examines fraudulent vote counting to the benefit of Republican candidates.

Talkers Magazine noted,

"There's a buzz growing around nationally syndicated talk show host Thom Hartmann, whose nationally syndicated daily program is drawing high marks by those who are on the lookout for talk radio's `Great Liberal Hope.'"

On a cable access show called "The Young Turks" the Generals son is full throttle to the mat on what his opinions are on the Democratic Party, and on the Republican Party.

I don't know if the General knows his son, is this blunt, but to me it is a refreshing thing to hear from some one so young, maybe he should consider running for office.......

On This Day in 1911, 146 people died in the very building I work in. The result of their deaths was the rapid growth of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union and the real beginning of the fight against sweatshops. It also was the beginning of fire regulations in American cities.

The story of the fire and the missed opportunities to prevent it are chilling. But what is more chilling is the fact that America has forgotten why we need unions. Even some unions have forgotten what unions are all about, but I want everyone who doubts the need for unions to remember the events of March 25, 1911.