What Happens When We Raise The Minimum Wage?

FACT: In January 2014, 13 states raised their minimum wage; since then these states added more jobs and have lower unemployment rates than the 36 states that did not raise the minimum wage.

FACT: The U.S. Government could save $7 billion dollars if companies just paid employees a higher minimum wage.

FACT: Federal minimum wage is $7.25 – and some states actually have a lower state wage of $6.25 an hour.

How can anyone, alone or with a family, survive on minimum wage?

FACT: They can’t.

But together we are fighting to change this. In two weeks, states like Arkansas, Alaska, South Dakota, Nebraska and cities like Eureka and Oakland are casting their votes to raise the wage. And Brave New Films is continuing to expose the Koch brothers' fight against increasing the minimum wage.



It's time to #RaiseTheWage, don't you think?

When Did Americans Become the Enemy?

Armored tanks. Automatic weapons. Tear gas. In small towns across America.

When did we all become the potential target of hostile military-police aggression? When the federal government decided to spend billions getting police every toy they could possibly want.

To use against our own citizens. With no protocol or training on when such force and intimidation may be justified.



Soulclap to the folks at Brave New Films for pulling this information together. Quick facts on Police Militarization:

• Pentagon’s Excess Property Program (1033 Program) has supplied police departments across the country with more than $4.3 billion in gear since 1997. This includes $449 million in 2013.
• St. Louis County, where Ferguson is located, received two military vehicles, a trailer, a generator, 12 5.56-millimeter rifles and six .45 caliber pistols from the Pentagon.
• Military style police raids have increased in recent years, with one count putting the number at 80,000 such raids last year.
• In SWAT style raids, people of color are most affected - 37% were Black, 12% Latino, and 19% White. Race was not known for the remainder.

Police militarization grew out of our failed drug war. Does a town of 2,200 need a massive military tank? Why does the police department in Dundee Michigan need a MRAP (Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected vehicle)? They don’t. Military grade gear does not improve the safety and security in small towns. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel must end the flow of military grade gear from the Pentagon to our local communities. It’s time for the militarizing of police to end.

Last month, protests in Ferguson, MO turned violent after police showed up in full SWAT gear after fellow officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Michael Brown. But Ferguson isn’t the only community receiving military grade weaponry from the Pentagon.

You can fight back. SIGN THE PETITION: http://stoppolicemilitary.org

Why Do The Kochs Want to End Public Education?

Our nation continues to struggle with race relations. There are many forces that are trying to take our nation back to the Jim Crow era of our segregated past. David and Charles Koch are some rich white guys who are working hard to dismantle the public school system.

Their efforts began in North Carolina where they funded an effort to resegregate schools in an award winning school district. Using the same language as Gov. George Wallace in the 60s, Koch-supported school board members attempted to make “segregation always” a policy for tens of thousands of families.

While David and Charles Koch drink down the high life, they are causing tens of thousands of families in North Carolina to lose their opportunity at enjoying educational equality and a free and fair shot at success. It’s part and parcel of the Kochs’ ideology to dismantle public service generally.






This film and investigation connects the dots and reveals why the Koch brothers are trying to end public education and how their wealth winds up in the hands of Jim Crow.


Watch the video, then call David Koch and tell him to stop funding school re-segregation now. His number is 212.319-1100.

Discuss at: http://facebook.com/KochBrothers
More at: http://KochBrothersExposed.com/education

Show Solidarity with Wisconsin; Rally in All 50 States on Saturday, February 26

Tens of thousands of protesters have gathered in Wisconsin and Ohio over the past week to protest over attacks being made on the American Dream. The call is being made for concerned citizens in all 50 states to join the protests on Saturday, February 26 @ noon in front of your state's capital building.

Many villagers will recall that the Republicans won the mid-term elections last November with a battle cry of "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs". Instead of creating much needed jobs, it appears that these right-wing wackos are giving tax breaks to corporations and the very rich all while cutting funding for education, police, emergency response, and vital human services.

We learned during in November 2010 that elections have consequences. It is time that we wake up and realize that the effort by Wisconsin governor Scott Walker is only the first battle in the right wing’s attempts to destroy the American Dream. We must stop it before it spreads to other states.






Show Solidarity with Wisconsin! Join the Saturday rally to save the American Dream.

Arizona Police Officer: 'This is a Racist Law' [VIDEO]

Brave New Foundation's Cuéntame, has made major headlines this week for its video interview with Arizona Police Officer Paul Dobson speaking out about evil Arizona anti-immigration bill, SB1070. Officer Dobson is now under investigation for exercising his first amendment right to speak freely about the real effects of the law:

“I know people will not call the police in case of a real emergency. This law is purely racist and solely focused on Latinos. In my opinion, SB 1070 violates equal protection under the law.” Paul Dobson, Patrol Officer, Arizona

Here is the video interview:




Are you in favor of the Arizona law? What would you like to see done about immigration reform in America?

Can We Stop GOP-Inspired Tea Party Violence Before April 19th Second Amendment March?

I see that Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele turned down request from his Democratic Party counterpart, Tim Kaine, to issue a joint statement against the recent violent acts against lawmakers who voted in favor of health care reform. It is another indication that the GOP is intentionally stoking the base emotions of the Tea Party folks.

Here are examples of what the GOP leadership is saying:

Rep. Michele Bachmann: "I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous ... having a revolution every now and then is a good thing."

Rep. John Boehner: "Take [Democratic Congressman] Steve Driehaus, for example. He may be a dead man. He can't go home to the west side of Cincinnati."

Rep. Steve King: "Let's beat that other side to a pulp! Let's take them out. Let's chase them down."

It is time for us to end the right-wing violence brought to us by the GOP.



I think that we need to squash this nonsense right away. It could be dangerous if it goes on through April 19th.

Villagers will recall that April 19, 1993 was the end of the 51-day siege of the Branch Davidian building outside of Waco TX. 81 people died.

April 19, 1995 was the day that Timothy McVeigh killed 168 people with his bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Tea Party folks are making plans for a gun-toting gathering on April 19, 2010.

Villagers, we need to bring this nonsense to an end. Do you agree?

7th Anniversary of Iraq War: Thousands Dead, $747.3 Billion Spent And Not Any Safer

Soulclap to the BraveNew Foundation for continuing to champion social justice issues by using media to inspire, empower, motivate and teach civic participation that makes a difference.

It is worth remembering that today is the 7th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of the Iraq War. The invasion and occupation of Iraq has been a massive waste of human life and treasure.




The folks at BraveNew Foundation want to ensure that President Obama doesn't make the same mistakes in Afghanistan that Bush made in Iraq. I don't support their policy preference of leaving the Afghanistan War immediately. I prefer to put my confidence in our Commander-in-Chief on the timing for ending our war with Afghanistan.

What are your thoughts on this 7th anniversary of the Iraq War?

Devolution of Harold Ford (video)

Harold Ford came close to being an important part of African American history. Do you remember the 2006 elections in November 2006 when he came so close to becoming a US Senator from Tennessee. I remember staying up on election night that year to see if he could join a short list of Black senators (beginning with Hiram Revels).

Ford lost the election. It appears that he may have lost his way as well. He left his home in Tennessee to take a job as a bank executive in New York. He still has a dream of making history.
Harold Ford wants to be the next elected senator from New York.

The folks at Brave New Films put together the following video to document the devolution of Harold Ford:

Ford is remaking himself as a pro-choice, pro-gay, pro-gun control progressive so he can fit in with the New York political scene. But unfortunately for Harold, this is the age of the Internet, and you can’t just walk away from your past statements.

What are your thoughts on Harold Ford? Do you think he will ever get back into Congress?

Is WellPoint the Worst Corporation in America?

WellPoint, the nation's largest health insurer which pays its CEO roughly $9.8 million, announced that it is cutting back on the health benefits it offers to its own employees. WellPoint also announced that it will eliminate some jobs at the company, while raising deductibles and premiums for some of its employee health benefits.

Netting $2.5 billion in profits last year wasn't enough for WellPoint, the nation's largest insurance company ... now, WellPoint's affiliate, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, is suing the state of Maine for refusing to guarantee it a profit margin in the midst of a painful recession.




Health insurance companies are truly screwing the American people as they seek to avoid health care reform in our nation. Methinks that these companies are choosing profits over health and life. What say u?

The Van Jones that Glenn Beck Doesn't Know

I haven't talked much about Van Jones. He's the young guy that resigned earlier this month from his position as an advisor to the President. His resignation was a direct result of videotapes and petitions from a number of years ago being brought to public attention by Fox News. Some call it nothing more than right-wing smears.

Jones was forced to leave the White House quietly and without any fanfare. There are many who feel that his career as a voice for the poor is legendary. In fact, the folks at the Brave New Foundation featured him as part of their Brave Nation series. Check it out:




What are your thoughts on Van Jones? Or on the circumstances surrounding his resignation?

Goldman Sachs Screws Its Burger King Employees

What would you do with an extra $18,000 in your pocket?

That's the amount of extra cash each and every Burger King employee in America would have received last year if Goldman Sachs (one of the fast-food chain's largest owners) had shared its bailout billions with rank-and-file workers. Instead, Goldman Sachs squandered 6.5 billion of our taxpayer dollars on bonuses for their financial staff. These were some of the highest bonuses on Wall Street! Meanwhile, Burger King workers earn wages averaging just $14,000 a year -- well below the federal poverty line for a family of three.

The folks at Brave New Films created this video to demonstrate the harmful effects of Wall Street's greed:





I must admit that I didn't remember Goldman Sachs purchasing Burger King. I never thought of the Burger King employees when the initial Wall Street bailout discussions were taking place. This is a compelling story of greed on Wall Street overwhelming compassion for the workers on Main Street.

What do you think about this issue?

Will John McCain Stop Fear-Mongering Tactics?

Do you remember when you were engaged in a verbal debate with a schoolmate back in the day? If your buddy was losing the verbal joust it didn't take long for him to say, 'Yo Mama'!

John McCain and Sarah Palin lost three straight debates. They have lost in the battle of ideas against Barack Obama. So, instead of continuing a losing dialogue about the issues, McCain-Palin campaign launched a strategy relying on fear-mongering, racial divisions, and hate.

White folks rarely yell, 'Yo Mama' ... instead we see McCain/Palin supporters saying "kill him!" "terrorist!" "traitor," and more, at rallies, with the McCain campaign playing dumb in response.

Check out this video to see what I'm talking about:

Villagers, I've signed onto ColorofChange's open-letter calling out McCain and Palin.

McCain and Palin are going down a dangerous path. All of it plays on the much more sinister rumors in anonymous smear emails which claim Obama is Muslim, anti-American, and is somehow connected with terrorists. This strategy is powerful because Obama is Black, and it's designed to make Obama's race a disadvantage without appearing overtly racist.

Villagers, we've seen how Barack Obama's historic candidacy has moved our friends and family to have a more honest conversation about race in this country. It's inspired a lot of people to step out of their comfort zone and confront racism in their own communities, with their friends, neighbors and families.

In the final days of this campaign, we can't let a desperate John McCain and Sarah Palin drag us down. All villagers need to stand united against race-baiting and fear-mongering coming from the McCain-Palin campaign.

What say u? Will you sign the petition?

John McCain's Rage

"I have a temper, to state the obvious, which I have tried to control with varying degrees of success because it does not always serve my interest or the public's." - John McCain
Am I the only one that thinks that John McCain doesn't have the temperment to be our next Commander-in-Chief?

Drumbeats from Brave New Films remind us that during last night's debate, John McCain said we need "a cool hand at the tiller," but McCain has proven to be a loose cannon. He has accosted his Congressional colleagues on both sides of the aisle on everything from the federal budget to diplomatic relations. He is known for hurling profanities rather than settling disagreements calmly. His belligerence is legendary. Even conservative Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi has said, "He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."

When someone earns the nickname "Senator Hothead," the public ought to call his character into question. McCain's propensity to explode undermines his abilities as a rational decision maker, particularly on national security issues -- which could prove disastrous considering our country is already involved in two wars.

Watch this video to learn more about John McCain's rage:

Do you have concerns about McCain's temperment?

John McCain: Economic Disaster

Am I the only villager who is scared to death of having John McCain and Sarah Palin in charge of the political decisions impacting on the American economy? We will see what Sarah Palin has to say about the economy in her upcoming debate later this week.

We already have some history on John McCain's judgement regarding the economy. Check out this video:





McCain stopped his campaign last week in order to broker a deal on the Wall Street bailout. He took credit for the deal during his campaign speech on Monday morning in Columbus OH. Then the deal was defeated. Where does he stand now?

John McCain Must Release His Health Records

John McCain has not yet released his medical records to the public. McCain is 72 years old, and has been diagnosed with invasive melanoma. In May of this year, a small group of selected reporters were allowed to review 1,173 pages of McCain's medical records that covered only the last eight years, and were allowed only three hours to do so. John McCain's health is an issue of profound importance.

We call on John McCain to issue a full, public disclosure of all of his medical records, available for the media and members of the general public to review.




Don't we deserve to know if John McCain is healthy enough to serve as our next President?

John McCain is a Liar

Do you remember the story of the Emperor who wore no clothes? He lied to his kingdom and they ignored their own eyes and went with the lie.

That is how I feel about John McCain. He continues to distort and lie about his record and about the record of his opponent. McCain lies to the American people and hopes that we will ignore our own eyes. He hopes that we will buy his lies and vote him into the White House.

I challenge all villagers to do what the little girl did in that story. She believed her own eyes and candidly pointed out to everyone, 'The Emperor has no clothes!'. This election is too important for America to let it be stolen. Villagers, it's time to step up and candidly point out to everyone, 'John McCain is a liar'.

Here is the video evidence:




That's my view. What say u?

John McCain is Livin' Large!

McCain and his cronies keep trying to paint Barack Obama as an 'elitist'. Check out the video below and tell me who you think is the 'elitist' in this campaign!

"Most working families today do not have homes that have anywhere near ten rooms. John McCain has ten houses. Many working people in America have to work two and three jobs to provide for their families and pay their car loans. John McCain hops on a private jet. Is it any wonder why McCain champions a George Bush agenda of cutting taxes for corporations and the wealthy, helping oil companies turn record profits, and leaving working families to fend for themselves? McCain's velvet world leaves him utterly unprepared to make the tough choices we need to restore the middle class and ensure that everyone in America has quality, affordable health insurance."

- Andy Stern, President, Service Employees International Union (SEIU)



McCain is living large! I don't think that McCain has a clue about what kind of lives ordinary citizens in America are living. What say u?

Fox News Continues to Smear Barack Obama

It is almost comical how transparent Fox News is when it comes to smearing Barack Obama. Check out this video prepared by the folks at Brave New Films.

Send Karl Rove to Jail

It is time for all chickens to come home to roost. It is time for Karl Rove to pay a price for his cynical and criminal arrogance. Villagers, we have a unique opportunity right now to send Karl Rove to jail, but only if we take immediate action.

Drumbeats from Robert Greenwald encourage us to pressure the 40 members of the House Judiciary Committee, make them hold Rove in contempt and send him to jail. We've never had such a direct opportunity to hold Rove accountable. No, this is not enough punishment for his years and years of crimes, but it's a huge start, and will send a very clear message to the entire Bush administration.

Take a moment to check out this video that explains the issues surrounding Rove's failure to testify before Congress, and why Rove should be held in contempt and sent to jail:

Finally, I encourage all villagers to sign the petition asking the House Judiciary Committee to hold Rove in contempt.

What say u?

John McCain Flip-Flops Over and Over Again

John McCain ran for president back in 2000. He was known by everyone as the 'Straight Talk Express'. Much has changed in the past eight years and it appears that the 'Straight Talk Express' if falling off the tracks. See the video below for a taste of the real McBush!



Can our nation afford to have this man in the White House for the next four years? What say u?