NATIONAL STRIKES: TIME DURATION, APPROXIMATE DATES, PRODUCTS AND/OR MARKETS, SPECIFIC ITEMS BOYCOTTS, ITEMS BY REGION, STRIKES IN COINCIDENCE WITH POLITICAL ACTIVITY
Why even entertain the thought of a general strike? Because, they tend to work. Most general strikes bring about political changes, and as is their intended mission. To add targeted, or rolling, general strikes to the ongoing “OWS” (Occupy Wall Street) movement would bring beneficial results to both. The general strike can broaden the reach and consequences intended by “Occupy Wall Street”, and conversely, “Occupy Wall Street” allows for a ready platform from which any general strike may be launched. As intended for use in this context, a general strike is inherently non-violent. The “Authorities” ( i.e. Law Enforcement ) have no dog in this fight, and thus need not react either positively, or negatively. By taking Law Enforcement out of the loop, the 1%, Owners of the Country, have no public means of combating the effects of the general strike.
The common thread that would bind “General Striking” with “Occupy Wall Street” is that this Nation needs to redraw the lines between politics and the big money that makes our economy work. With that line of demarcation drawn boldly and clearly, once again, we will see to it that our blend of democracy and a strong economy is reinstated as our “way of life”
MISSION STATEMENT:
THESE STRIKES ARE TO ACT AGAINST THE BLATANT MISUSE OF OUR TAX DOLLARS TO FUND FOREIGN, IMPORTED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. THE ITEMS AND AREAS TARGETED WILL BE OF THE NATURE OF ONCE HAVING BEEN PRODUCED AND/OR OFFERED BY UNITED STATES MANUFACTURERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS INSIDE THE BORDERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.; BUILT BY AMERICANS, FOR AMERICANS. IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THE DURATION OF SAID STRIKES TO BE OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH AS TO Influence THE NET PROFITS OF THE TARGETS.
General strikes have been a tried and true course of action in other Nations, and has led to both minor and major reforms.
examples:
Great Britain: Biggest strike for 100 years – union chief - Pensions revolt won't be like the miners – because we'll win, says Unison general secretary Dave Prentis The leader of the largest public sector union promises to mount the most sustained campaign of industrial action the country has seen since the general strike of 1926, vowing not to back down until the government has dropped its controversial pension changes.
{Polly Curtis, Whitehall correspondent
The Guardian, Friday 17 June 2011
biggest-strike-100-years-union}
Japan: At any given moment, there may be general strikes in numerous nations around the world. Government leaders may seek to ban general strikes, and in some cases, they are successful. In February, 1947, General Douglas MacArthur, as Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers in Japan, banned a planned general strike of 2,400,000 government workers, stating that "so deadly a social weapon" as the general strike should not be used in the impoverished and emaciated condition of Japan so soon after World War II. Japan's labor leaders complied with his ban.
{http://www.facebook.com/pages/General-strike/110663942295810}India: by Ravi Velloor, The Straits Times - Singapore, Tuesday 6 July 2010
Large parts of India shut down Monday during an opposition-called general strike to protest against inflation and a rolling back of subsidies on oil and cooking gas. With the leftist groups holding their own protests independently of the mainstream opposition, commuters and office workers across the country had a hard day as air; rail and road transport was disrupted across several states. Opposition-ruled states such as Orissa, Bihar and West Bengal reported massive work stoppages as the administration made little effort to force people to work. Television footage from the technology hub of Bangalore, which is in opposition-ruled Karnataka state, also showed unusually thin traffic at midday, with many shops and offices shuttered.
{http://www.mysinchew.com/node/41293}And, yes, even here!
U.S. In 1927 the IWW called for a three-day nationwide walkout — in essence, a demonstration general strike — to protest the execution of anarchists Ferdinando Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti. The most notable response to the call was in the Walsenburg coal district of Colorado, where 1,132 miners stayed off the job, and only 35 went to work a participation rate which led directly to the Colorado coal strike of 1927.
On March 18, 2011, the Industrial Workers of the World website (www.iww.org) supported an endorsement of a general strike as a follow-up to protests against Governor Scott Walker's proposed labor legislation in Wisconsin, following a motion passed by the South Central Federation of Labor (SCFL) of Wisconsin endorsing a statewide general strike as a response to those legislative proposals.
{http://www.mysinchew.com/node/41293}The alternative to product and service boycotts would this form of “general” strike, which could follow a regional, or National, blueprint. Unlike specific item boycotting, a general strike targets every aspect of daily living. This, by its very nature, takes less organization, but a lot more motivation. The increased motivation is needed, because the general strike will, to some extent, hit everyone’s pocket book. It will also require a higher level of motivation for the populace to take to the streets in lawful assembly and make the message heard.
The highest priority should be granted against those companies that are simply taking the same items made here, duplicating them off shore, and selling back here at lower prices. One obvious example is the consumer entertainment market. If the potential consumer can defer a current purchase, this would be one instance of a longer-term type of boycott. If the potential consumer had to make a purchase now, the choice of “Buy American”, instead of buying that import, would have the same desired effect; as long as you do the research as to what percentage of your “American” electronic gadget actually comes from America.These actions may have greater impact by closely coinciding in time and space with the political primary dates and physical locations of the political primary calendars in the upcoming General Election year.
example: During the New Hampshire primary voting week,
or month, products that were normally manufactured in and
services that normally originated from New Hampshire, before
being “off shored”, will be targeted as boycott Items of Interest.
A day, or two, of general striking in specific locations may offer
a message harder to ignore.
In keeping with our love of choices, a participant can simply choose to not do something for a specific time period. “Made in America” does not apply in this instance. However, this, in conjunction with the “in your face” public display of an “OWS” type movement over a decent period of time will make a difference.
As dictated by weather conditions, a movement that would aim to start sometime in January, to coincide with political agenda, might need to kick off in the southern most States and work its way to the north, as the weather becomes more conducive to the act of public assembly and protest. This does not rule out the opportunity to act in the northern sections of the Country, but would most probably cut way down on the visibility of any action.
These actions may be better served they were to occur after the December Holidays, as to lessen any negative effect they would have on the little amount of manufacturing and retail business that still employs some of our bottom 99%.
Of course, the ultimate general strike would be if someone threw a Presidential Election and nobody came!
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