Some Thoughts, Updates and Strategy Insights

With this week’s article on the MSNBC website being our group’s first big media win, we wanted to take a moment and congratulate the group. Although hard fought and long in coming, we overcame the challenging odds and obtained some major media exposure for HR3149. It was the fifth most read article on the site that day and it provided further validation via the survey that the overwhelming majority of “the people” want HR3149 passed NOW. From a strategy perspective, in case you’re wondering, we spend so much time on getting media exposure for HR3149 because it swells our group’s impact exponentially by thousands and thousands. We still have less than 2000 members in our group and the best way at the moment to have the greatest impact is getting media exposure to get the word out to the American people. Keep in mind that relatively speaking virtually no one in America knows the pending legislation exists. Once the American people find out that HR3149 exists, they will force it through Congress. That’s why is it so important that each of you use every means and opportunity possible to spread the word every chance you have.

In a Democracy with a Free Press and Overwhelming Numbers We Win . . . Right?

While that should be the case, we have two large obstacles standing in our way to passage of HR3149. The first and largest obstacle is that most members of Congress campaigned with money they received from fat cats and corporations. The fat cats and corporations don’t want HR3149 passed and are doing everything in their power to hold tightly to the leash of their members of Congress. Feel free to disagree with us, but most people we believe would call this existing impasse “bribery and corruption” of the political system that’s supposed to be “by the people and for the people.” No matter which of the big two political parties you may be in or your geographic or ethnic origin – you’re being sold out when it comes to passage of HR3149. Even those members of Congress co-sponsoring the legislation along with unions and civil rights groups are NOT hotly pushing for passage of the legislation. As a U.S. citizen and or a member of a labor union or civil rights group . . . this impasse should enrage you and absolutely make your blood boil.

The second obstacle we face is that the major media outlets are owned by corporations. As we noted above, corporations don’t want HR3149 passed and corporations that own the media are no different. Be you left, right or in the middle . . . do you really think that the so called “independent, fair and balanced, free press” is really FREE to report on HR3149? Some of the major outlets (such as MSNBC) will report on it, but most will resist it as long as possible. The talking heads (a.k.a. reporters) want a paycheck and in this economy only a few will adhere to “journalistic integrity.” That’s just the reality.

If you don’t believe that both the obstacles above exist . . . ask yourself the following: The legislation was introduced way back in July and the vast overwhelming majority of Americans are for passage of HR3149 once they hear about it. Yet most of the members of this group never heard one single peep about the legislation until you were contacted on Facebook. That’s not just a coincidence, nor is it one of those deep conspiracy theories you come across on the Internet. Instead, the fact that you never heard about HR3149 until you were contacted on Facebook is due to the corruption and bribery taking place in Congress and the muzzling of the corporate media by their handlers. Those are just the facts people . . . if you have a better explanation pass it along, we’re all ears?

First the Good News

While these obstacles are formidable, similar legislation has passed already in Hawaii as well as in Washington State and was passed but vetoed in California. It’s currently being debated in eight states and Oregon, Connecticut and Maryland have actual bills introduced. All these states had or have the same obstacles we face in getting this passed on a national level and they either have or are being overcome. It should also be noted that our small Facebook group is not fighting this battle alone. There is at least one labor union and a civil rights group actively advocating for passage. What’s more, labor unions and their members in general, as reflected by huge numbers in our group, are supportive as well. How active, passionate and “hell bent” they all are on getting HR3149 passed is a question we need you to uncover and answer. Good intentions are not worth much . . .

Now the Bad News

The fact that Congress is “on the take” and being “bribed” to stop passage of HR3149 and the “corporate media” is resistant to report on it makes this an uphill battle. If you’re for passage but are passive or have a weak stomach . . . then this is NOT the cause for you. This is not like one of those Facebook groups such as the one we saw last week where someone is trying to get more fans for a poodle with a foil hat than Glen Beck has. To succeed, this cause unfortunately requires your passion, effort and work on an almost weekly basis. That’s just the way it is . . . we didn’t write the rules, they were dictated to us by the cards we were dealt.

If we on this end didn’t think we could overcome the two main obstacles to passage and believe 100% that we can and will win . . . we would not have gotten you involved in the first place. Quite frankly, if this were not an election year we would NOT have taken on the challenge. The fact that this is an election year is to our advantage for passage in a big way . . . that’s about the only time that most members of Congress still listen to the people instead of the corporations, lobbyists and campaign contributors. So for the moment at least, the cards dealt are somewhat in our favor for passage of HR3149. It doesn’t take a political genius to see that we have a short time window of perhaps seven or so months to get this legislation passed. It’s a now or never opportunity for justice in the workplace that all Americans deserve.

So let’s get to work . . . we’ll be in touch and look forward to working with you on an almost weekly basis to make HR3149 a reality. We will win but only if we do the work required . . .