On Occupy

Nov 18th, 2011

On Occupy
Recent changes in tactics of Occupy movements make blocking traffic and disrupting flows of commerce a strategy. Not surprisingly,people are being met with arrests. Lots of folks are being cuffed and taken away from building entrances and byways. Both high profile union bosses and ordinary citizens are making the news clips in cuffs.

Moving out, by choice or eviction, of encampments like Zaccotti Park in New York or Grand Circus Park here in Detroit are being taken as defeat by some. No longer will the visual, press appealing pictures of protesters in parks serve as a backdrop to highlight the disparity in our social, political and economic landscape...case closed?  I think not.

I agree with Michael Simmons, the millionaire rap-artist/social justice advocate in New York. The elephant in the room will not go away because you change the room. Simmons is a grateful 1%er. In his opinion, their is no beef with the right to earn a lot of income, get rich, trade stocks....It is in the influence that money has on the institution of government that most would agree is at the root of our national and global disparity and disenfranchisement.

Until Washington cleans its own house(s) and chambers, Occupy is not going away. I made that assessment when I announced the David v. Golliath campaign to become a US Congressman. They say I’ll be running in my home district to  represent the 9th District of Michigan and will run against long-time incumbent Sander Levin, chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means committee.

I say this: I’ll run against a broken system and have as my dictate the concerns of ordinary people,  that there can be no corruption of the peoples government. I will be one of many who will seek to Occupy Washington and return it to the citizens by removing, through the power of our vote, those who would threaten our citizens through the misuse of office for unreasonable personal gain, bought and sold by corporate and big-money interest that would have no issue at tearing down our communities for their own personal gain.

The people are not going away, nor would any rational, grateful, industrious 1%er want them to. As Henry Ford showed us here in Detroit 100 years ago, when you give your workers the dignity and respect of a fair paying job, they will become your greatest asset as a customer.

Keep that mindset with every American having an equal chance, and we shall overcome.  

AJ O’Neil

Focus, Focus, Focus

It's simple: This is the focus and the bedrock upon our entire movement and it's called "Cross-Trickle Economics." When you take away a worker here and replace that job with a cheaper foreign worker for a Wall Street profit, you remove a community builder and a customer. Those are the customers here at AJ's Cafe in Downtown Ferndale, Michigan and that is the scene being played on main streets all across the USA.

We change that, we'll restore jobs & tilt the scale of the economy and politics back to Main Street and community, giving ordinary citizens the voice they deserve.

1, Do what we're doing, and stay focused.

2. Organize and grow in size with one voice out of millions.

3. Elect politicians who agree and will be Peoples Lobbyists.

Cross Trickle Economics 101

Unless we work there, we tend to detach ourselves from union negotiations between rank & file and management as something that ain't on our side of the fence. Why does it matter if the UAW fights for big 3 auto jobs and workers rights anyway, I work at a cafe, or a barber shop, grocery store, city hall, salon, hospital...you get the idea. I don't build cars so the rights of auto workers don't affect me, right?

Wrong, way wrong!

A worker is a producer. A producer who earns income from a job becomes a consumer. A consumer is a customer. You see, they are all the same person. That is simple , market economy.

I call a properly working economy that operates this way "Cross-trickle economics." Cross -trickle understands that a community sustains itself because people get jobs and earn a paycheck. With that paycheck, they purchase goods and services. Good jobs, those with dignity and security, allow a person to buy a home, drive a car, start a family, eat out, take a vacation,...be the stake holders of a community.

So when GM, Ford, Chrysler, GE, Boeing, Caterpillar...deny workers rights and cut jobs in the name of investor dividend "profit," they take away community builders, stakeholders...and customers, theirs, yours and mine.

Cross-trickle economics works when we buy what we build, build what we buy, whenever its possible.

But, when the definition of economy takes a corporate, Wall Street mentality, companies answer to investors. Investors want to see growth and a return on their investment; Nothing inherently wrong with that. However, because we live in a global economy, the ability to invest in foreign workers and resources is a great frontier of possibility.

With improper safeguards and inadequate laws to protect domestic workers from loosing their jobs, and thus their ability to be the community builders that they want to be, a corporation can find that work somewhere else more cheaply, under different work rules and workers rights....so dometic shops close, schools suffer, teachers, police, fire, municipal services get cut...and rich get richer from disinvesting in the homeland... our towns stores get boarded up, Walmarts, complete with cheap,foreign goods replace them and and people go hungry.

Worse, the very people who we elect to "lobby" for us, the ordinary citizen are bought and paid for by the corporations that benefit from laws that get enacted to make all of this perfectly legal.

Cross-trickle economics would contend that the real market opportunity and potential for maximum return on investment rests in the dignified relationship between employer, producer and government policy.

Just as Henry Ford knew when he initiated the 5 -dollar- a- day work wage, far above the normal fair rate at the time. He knew that if he treated his employees fairly with dignity and security, he'd profit from a good work force and a great customer base.

It's not that we cant expand into foreign countries, taking advantage of vast markets, but wouldn't we all be better global neighbors if we saw that potential as a means to help countries become self sufficient, trading cultural specialties and resource abundances that would be mutually beneficial?

I'm no economist, hell, I don't even have a college degree. I am however, a businessperson, who has a small cafe on a main street in Any town, USA. I may not have all the data, know all the laws...but I do know that what I say is the closest thing to how most people feel...

And, this is nothing new, it's just become more widespread. Heck, Highland Park, Michigan was one of the finest city in the world to live in fifty years ago. Look at it now. Our citizens have been abandoned and left with no means to sustain themselves in the name of expansionist corporatism for a long time...We are now seeing that mentality invade more than just a minority...we call it the middle class.

How are corporations and politicians going to reconcile the fact that so many people are hurting and unemployed? It can not be Wall Street v. Main Street. It must be an intersection and a merging of these two integral roads. We know this can be done.

There isn't a choice.

How do we do that....?

I submit that it is a 3-pronged approach and it entails the perspectives of cross-trickle economics and the cooperative relationship between our communities/ ordinary citiizens, corporations and politicians.

AJ O'Neil

10/09/11

Wall Street (Yankees) v. Main Street (Tigers)

Baseball: Main Street vs. Wall Street

Tigers v. Yankees (Main Street v Wall Street)

I love baseball. The late Ernie Harwell, Detroit icon, Hall of Fame Broadcaster and a friend of AJ's Cafe once said, "AJ, you don't go to see a baseball game, you take it in.." So profound, so true.. With all of the nuances and subplots, baseball is always high drama, even the sometimes seemingly "boring" pitchers duels...

A baseball purist can not help but appreciate the managerial mind games that go into every action of a baseball game. Each player is a "chess" piece to be maneuvered as best as one can guess to complete a successful "move."

And we fans, we have the luxury to follow a game called baseball that doesn't rush us through, leaving us to play manager as we see fit. We get to second-guess Jim Leyland (and do!) And we can hope, always hope that we beat those damn Yankees.

Really, why the Yankees? I mean who doesn't love New York, or New Yorkers for that matter? 9-11 aside, we have loved New York and its place in America as our big-city poster child for as long as I can remember. Why do we want to beat them so bad? Why do we want them to lose?

Those are two separate questions.

This is what I think.

Why do we want to beat them so bad? Because they've won a gazillion titles already. They have the bankroll from Wall Street that buys players with impunity. That mindset of "everything has a price, everything's for sale" is the overriding strategy. Yes, they still deal, cost analyze, scout...but, make no mistake, this is a corporatist warrior of a team...They will stop at nothing to buy whatever it takes to bring a championship and with it, all of the buying and selling power that it comes with. Viewer ratings translate to marketing and marketing translates to sales numbers and New York has the numbers. The Yankees are a link to all of that.

We Detroiters represent the rest of the nation. Those hard working men and women who clock in every day, putting their time in on a line somewhere, be in building cars, airplanes, computers, sofas, lattes, ....We want to beat them so bad because we need to remind them that we're the reason that you thrive in the first place; you forget that way too often.

Why do we want them to lose? Because, like in 2006, you seem to think that its yours for the taking. Sure, you'll talk the humble talk every team talks, saying you're taking nothing for granted, praising your opponent, blah, blah, blah... But when the cameras are off, when that one-on- one talk comes from Joe Girardi to his players....he's got his directive from today's front office corporate heads, legacies of the god of the entitled elite, George Steinbrenner, whose "humble" rise gave him and those who follow this mandate, ...This is NEW YORK, we are the YANKEES....this BELONGS to US! GET IT!

This is America's game, America's pasttime.

In 2006, those hard -scrabble Tigers...those underdog, assembly line Tigers, firmly said....no!

But these Tigers, these 2011 Tigers are not such underdogs. They represent a leaner, meaner assembly line that, make no mistake, would still like to remind those Yankees that, you may think that we owe you one...you peel back the onion of your marketing machine, your take away the speculative facade of appearance and uncover the real-real. This IS imported from DETROIT!

Its not the players, who are most welcome and appreciated, coming from all over the USA and beyond. It's not our own version of corporation, Mr. Mike Illitch, also my friend, who year after year build his legacy in thankful defiance of the asinine mentality that its financially wise to move out of our big-city rust belt town...

This is for the fans. It is for us that we want the Yankees to lose. Maybe these Tigers, transplanted Detroiters every one of them... care more about contributing to the grit and hard-working persona that is the very essence of Detroit as national representative to ordinary citizens.

Those tears from our tough, no-nonsense manager as he thanks the fans of Detroit could not be more sincere. They make us all feel so much like a big, loving family.

And the Yankees are pissed....There, there , you will still have your deals to make, your dividends to count, your entitled mantle that I swear every sportswriter takes a course in....We are Detroit, and we represent a nation of workers, that because we go to work every day, you have stuff to speculate on...

Go Tigers.

AJ O'Neil

9/30/11

Press Release Immediate Release inquiries to AJ O'Neil 248 399 3946 ajamesoneil@gmail.com

Occupy AJ's

Thousands of people are organizing. Young and old, creative, talented..some working, many looking for a job, all gathering in solidarity to support the rights of ordinary citizens and the right to have a job.

Wall Street? New York? Washington? Los Angeles?

Try Ferndale, Michigan and "the little cafe that bailed out the auto industry, one cup of coffee at a time."

It can be argued that what first caught the attention of the world in 2009 with a Guinness world record's longest continuous concert, the Assembly Line Concert at AJ's Music Cafe in our fashionable little hamlet was the beginning of it all.

While many in Washington DC and Wall Street were calling for an end to workers rights and the death of the domestic auto industry, our hometown cafe went to bat, big time. Who could forget the news trucks and crews, literally from all over the globe who came here to witness main street fight back! AJ O'Neil and the band of musicians and volunteers that joined the cry were not about to give up on their hometown. The industry took note with millions of others who were sowing the seed that the concert had planted; "cross-trickle economics."

"It's simple," AJ says when you take away a persons job here and replace it with a cheaper foreign worker, for a Wall Street profit, you not only lose a producer, you lose a member of your community and a customer." Those are my customers too, and that's the scene being played on main streets all across the USA."

So naturally, with the newest world record for longest concert pending Guinness approval for this years 362 hour epic concert, AJ's doesn't think it should wait until March for the next shift (concert). "We owe it to the country to stay focused and remind them that we know what needs to be done to fix the economy and restore jobs; stop sending them out of the country."

November 4-6th, AJ's is holding a mini-marathon called "Assembly Line Party-Occupy AJ's," where dozens of bands will recreate the world-record effort and get the word out that it was the little cafe who showed the way, and who knows how to do it again.

They've even started a counterbalance to the Tea Party called The Assembly Line Party that anyone can join by simply texting "mainstreet" followed by 41242 or by going to www.assemblylineparty.com

I have a feeling that AJ O'Neil, AJ's Cafe and Ferndale are just getting started; again!

For more information, stop by AJ's Cafe, 240 w. 9 Mile Road, downtown Ferndale, 48220 (248) 399 3946 www.ajsmusicafe.com

Well, here we go! After 3 years of Guinness world record concerts, thousands and thousands of cups of good, Detroit Bold coffee and a band of committed friends and patrons from all walks of life...Game on! We begin to tilt the scale of our government and politics back towards main street and community, where it belongs. Why me?

Well, I dont think you could get a better perspective of how things are on main street than on main street. I live with the struggles and challenges of operating a small business every day from AJ's Cafe. And, I see and hear the concerns of people from all walks of life who come in and share with me their ideas, hopes and dreams.

What's more, I see how talented, creative and hard working they are. They've worked with me and , instead of moaning and groaning and sitting on their asses complaining, they've actually helped me to do something about it. Our Guinness world record for concert longevity (288 hours, with a 362 hour concert pending approval) is about as hard as anything I've ever been a part of. But you know, we did it! Those concerts are bigger than any one of us. But, because we all banded together and put our collective voices together to speak as on strong voice. The underlying message: We are a part of a strong, talented , hard working, good people who have the tenacity to speak (or sing) and be heard. We don't like that our representatives have lost their way and have forgotten who they work for. It is we, the people of main street and community that are the integral link. Without us, there is no need for Wall Street or Washington. We humbly but firmly demand that our representatives in the corporate and political worlds work with us to restore the scale of our economy and our politics back to main street and community, where it belongs.

I believe as much as anyone, I qualify!

Please get on the line and join us! www.assemblylineparty.com

Thought for the day May 21

You, and Main Street can take back the domestic manufacturing industry one pair of shoes at a time.

The time has arrived when the buying power of each citizen can show the way back.

Corporations hire foreign labor to manufacture things at a less expensive price because there is a market to sell these goods, the "market" being the vast majority of citizens who blindly purchase goods, say shoes for example; from the major retailers nation wide.

They would not do this if there were no market for the good.

The time has come to look at the big picture. Do everything you can to not blindly purchase what the corporations have produced, rather let corporations produce what we, the domestic producer who is the consumer wants.

Places where you can purchase "Made in the USA" shoes.

Thanks Alan Benchich!

http://www.unionlabel.com/carhartt-blue-jeans-3-pair-for.html

http://www.texasjeansusa.com/customer_recommend_jeans.html

Thought For The Day May 20

Hi!
Been away fro a few days. Been Busy!
Here's a vision.

I want everyone to take there shoes off at 2pm on Sept. 14! Why? Read this and see!

In 2009, to raise awareness for laid off Detroit auto workers, I hosted a Guinness world record event in my café’ for the, "Longest continuous musical concert." The event caused an incredible outpouring of Main Street support. Hundreds of Detroit musical acts graced my modest open mic stage, and when all was sung and done, “Main Street” had set a new Guinness world record! “The Assembly Line Concert" continued for a whopping 288 non-stop hours! The official Guinness certificate proudly hangs in our little café.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhCaQn7GZVI

To show that the Main Street spirit in Detroit is still strong, we held a second concert this year. Called, "Assembly Line II; Second Shift" Detroit broke its own record by 25 hours and now awaits Guinness confirmation to make the new record official.

As the owner of AJ’s, I've come to know many men and women of our area, their families and neighbors. One common theme I hear over and over again is that it seems like no one hears them. They grapple with who is speaking for them on just the very basic issue of their jobs and livelihood.

I've been pondering how to bring their message across in a substantial way.

The stories and efforts of Michiganders are among the most moving anywhere in the world. The spirit here is just so unbelievably strong. Think about this, through all we’ve been through together, our spirit is still so very strong! The people I meet every day, in my little café, compel me to push onward and try to make a difference. You make me realize that while we have a lot to do, we will pull together and make things better.

Here in Michigan, we know that manufacturing is the backbone of our economy. When we talk about it, most of us agree. But, the issue, as I see it, is that Americans are not BRINGING the conversation to the forefront. MANUFACTURING IS THE BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMY!!! So the next question is, HOW DO WE STRENGTHEN OUR BACKBONE? What will our politicians and business leaders do about it?

I believe that Manufacturing is the backbone of our economy and that “Cross Trickle Economics” is the best economic model for a strong economy and is based on two ideals: First, that “Trickle Down Economics” has failed main street. Second, that Cross Trickle Economics supports local, domestic business first and foremost.

Cross-trickle economics: the relationship between the producer/ employee who is also the consumer; and the business entity/ corporation, who is also the employer.

Read more on cross-trickle economics :

http://assemblylineparty.blogspot.com/2010/04/thought-for-day-april-28.html

(thought for the day April,28)

To raise awareness, I am also proposing two additional ideas:

1) A proposition that September 14*, 2010 be known as: "National Domestic Manufacturing Day". This will lend awareness and attention to "all things domestically manufactured."

2) To observe and honor domestic manufacturing, a proposal that also on this date, September 14, 2010, at 2:00 pm, people take a minute to find out where your shoes were made. We ask that people simply remove their shoes and look for a “Made in______” label, or even Google it to find out. We will ask for you to send us your findings and we’ll publish the results.

Please help us put domestic manufacturing back into the forefront of the American discussion on job creation, won’t you please? Blog on and join the conversation!“The Assembly Line Party” at http://www.assemblylineparty.blogspot.com/

Kindest regards,

AJ

*This date carries significance in American history. September 14, 1814 is the day that our National Anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner" was written by Francis Scott Key, having been inspired by the defense of Baltimore over foreign invasion.

Thought for the day May 10

I have just returned from a 3 day convention, the Michigan Governors Conference on Tourism with its slogan, Pure Michigan.
"Pure Michigan" is the "brand" and advertising campaign for promoting tourism in Michigan. Our state is blessed with unimaginable beauty on land and water, from the Great Lakes, as well as thousands of inland waterways. We have been a destination for millions, particularly in- state, as well as regionally for decades.

Much of the increase in Michigan's tourism numbers are attributed to advertising. The award winning "Pure Michigan" spots are now seen nationally. I agree, they are very well done. Studies have shown that over $2.00 come into our state for every $1.00 spent on advertising. The numbers seem to show that advertising is a good investment..

The conference took place on the beautiful and historic Mackinac Island. This auto-less, horse and buggy town is known for its simplistic ways and turn-of-the-century feel. It's slogan "where time stands still" is a perfect model for "cross- trickle" economics.

The Assembly Line Party is seeking to implement a study which will show how the domestic manufacturing industry is integral to the economies of every town throughout the USA, simply by entering the town's zip code.

Under The ALP ctdm (cross trickle domestic manufacturing) map, If I entered the zip code of Mackinac Island., 49757, it would probably show that nearly 100% of employment on the island comes from tourism.

Everything M.I., MI. is about tourism. Lets run my vacation as an example.

Firstly, I drove 300 miles in my domestic, Detroit-born auto through Michigan to get to Mackinaw City, at the tip of the lower peninsula. From there, I took a ferry ride over to the Island . I landed at the pier where I took a horse drawn taxi to the beautiful Grand Hotel. I stayed at the hotel where I attended speeches and seminars, ate, slept in a clean room, watched a little tv...I went into town where I bought souvenirs, ate, took a tour, rented a bike...

All of these activities had employees to perform a function or supply the good that I purchased. I spent my money to support the sole industry in that town. This money was regenerated into the local M.I. economy by the hotel, taxi company, bike rental store, gift shop and restaurant employees. The people who work on the island that provided me with what I bought, reinvested in their community with their own living expanses; food, clothing, shelter, recreation, health care...

But where did my money come from? This, after all made my stay possible, propelling the entire flow of money.

Well, I got my money from saving what was left after I had paid my bills (in a perfect world!). Essentially, my money was generated from the customers that ate and drank in my cafe in Detroit (Ferndale). They got their money to buy my food and drink from their salary. They may have worked in one of our automobile assembly line plants, or for a supplier, truck driver, sales person... any one of the myriad of jobs that are a result of the domestic auto and manufacturing industry.

A moral of the story? The auto-less, bygone days tourist town of Mackinac Island, Michigan, zip code 49757 would be nothing more than an historical blip on the map, were it not for the domestic auto and manufacturing industry, born downstate in Detroit.

Mackinaw City on the mainland would likely be a lovely fishing town of a few hundred people, if not for the residual effect of being the gathering point of thousands of autos and buses that bring all of the tourists to their town to catch the ferry that takes them to the island.

Bottom line:

The flow of tourism dollars and the generating employment is a direct result of domestic manufacturing.

Just ask MI, MI.

Follow the trail

How does the domestic manufacturing industry affect you, your profession and your town?

See if you can "follow the trail" from where the money starts and how it becomes what's in "your wallet."

Thought for the day May 5

In memorium to Ernie Harwell, who passed away yesterday, May 4, 2010 at 92 years of age. My thoughts are with Lulu, his wife of 68 years, and to Michigan, who says goodbye to a dear friend.

Ernie was a friend of mine. I am one of the fortunate of many, many others who had a personal relationship with him, not for any other reason than a man who, despite his stature, reached out to help me. I will forever have your example of kindness and humilty to carry with me as I live my days here on Earth.

Note* I'll be out of town until Sunday, May 9. I'll know more later on whether I can contribute to this column while I'm away!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

I applaud the celebration of of a rich culture and heritage.

The Latino community of The United States should be embraced and as any immigrant heritage. A people and a culture should be a shining example of the greatness of America.

The "idea" that is The United States should always be about the opportunities all people are afforded, that is the right to make a living and provide a home where the rights of our citizens , those inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are never given preferred status to anyone.

The need for "assimilation", that is the melding of ones history and custom into the custom and heritage of the country in which one chooses to live make for a sound argument.

Reconcilling customs and ways of life to fit into the best for a society as a whole is a good thing, provided it be reasonable and without undue hardship to someone.

It must be always an intolerable action to discriminate for prejudice to any person. Our society as a whole deserves no less.

Thought for the day, May 4

Gulf Oil Spill

I hate this thing. I hate that we live in a world dominated by crude oil. The growth of nations lay in its ability to mine or obtain crude.

While I preach the virtues of the domestic manufacturing industry, maintaining that this is the backbone of our economy; while I advocate the virtues of buying the domestic, Detroit-born automobile, the impact of our reliance on crude oil is not what the Assembly Line Party sees for the future.

Something to consider:

From Suite101.com
According to the DOE, coal gasification is already in its first stages of commercially viable application. The DOE is now studying the future gasification concepts and looking at the ways the process can be improved, in terms of costs, technology, emissions- capture, efficiencies and fuel flexibility. The DOE’s research, for example, is now suggesting that the same gasification process being used for coal could also be used – with a few modifications – to produce usable fuels from other feedstocks, like biomass, municipal waste, solid waste – or a combination of feedstocks.


While quite possibly not the final answer, the philosophy of common sense holds this idea to have merit for several reasons:

!. At $3.00 per gallon, crude oil is on par to be relatively equal to the price of syngas (coal/gas)
2. Coal is in abundant supply domestically (and world wide) meaning that we become more fully engaged in cross-trickle economics, the effect of which can offset any nominal cost differences.
3. The need to retrofit current combustible engine automobiles is not necessary.
4. The effect of cross trickle economics would leave more funding available to further the progress of the next generation of cars, which would move in the direction of green, alternative fuel sources, dictated by the market. We hold all of the power of this direction with our buying power!
5. Statistics show (DOE) that Co2 emissions would be cut by 20% due mainly to the reduction of fuel expenditure in crude oil transportation costs.
6. It would employ a lot of people in the USA and propel the mandates set forth by the Assembly Line Party, namely the right for a fair-living wage, as well as the ability to become the producer/consumer part of the cross trickle economy at a rapid rate.


Something to "argue!"

Thought for the day May 3

Go Blue! Go Green! Go Michigan! Go State!

Echos and chats from the crowd of almost any sporting event in my States two Big Ten schools.

On Saturday, May 1st, at the Big House, The U of M legendary football stadium, the 44th President of the United States, Barack H. Obama was the guest of honor, having accepted the schools offer to deliver the commencement speech to the class of '10.

It was, for all of its history a stirring speech. Never mind your political affiliation, as an American, this was special. I am a purist in this regard; I believe that we, as a civilized society should stand strongly behind our President as the duly elected highest representative in our land. My views, however contrary they may be should always come second to the respect deserving of a holder of elected office, especially the President.

As President Obama said in the Michigan commencement speech, we live in a land where dissent and the questioning of authority are civil rights. Disagreements, even vocal and assembled are guaranteed under the 1st amendment.

The philosophy of common sense would hold that argument and discourse are healthy means of finding truth. I submit that argument by way of debate and constructive dialogue between two dissenting views is how to reach the truth.

That is why I agree with the President when he suggests that we I listen to what the "other side" says. I want to understand where that side is coming from for the sake of sound argument on my part.

If, on the other hand I choose to name-call, yell louder, and sensationalize my "view," then I am not arguing. I am engauged in very childish, stupid and truly uneducated blather that can hardly be called arguing.

To tell you the truth, that is not worthy of discussion at any level that can lead to anything constructive.

It plays to fear and weakness and is a ploy by some in their position as politician and the media to keep people at the absolute lowest level of ignorance that they can.

And the only reason that they continue to do this is because people accept it.We turn in, we yell louder, call names and buy the sensationalism.

If we are ever to reach beyond these seemingly impenetrable impasses, we must give ourselves more credit than that. We are not that stupid and we deserve much, much, better.

I think that the "hope" that President Obama portrayed contagiously and convincingly that swept so many of us when he won the Presidential election, and became President 15 months ago has fallen victim to this mentality.

The ugly form of dissent that has come to be identified with outreaches like the Tea Party are a result from the rightful, grass-roots frustrations. However, you and I have been given a lame example of how to argue effectively, and it will get us nowhere.

What I hope for with the Assembly Line Party is to return all sides to the table to solve problems, meet challenges and reach goals by respecting what each person believes and finding truths by way of good, effective argument.

President Obama, like him or not, is our President. I think what he's saying is that it's OK to root for the home team, but the real blessing is that we have a home team.

Go Green! Go Blue!

USA! USA!

Thought for the day, May 2

A comment came back to me with regards to the cross-trickle economic theory and how it applies in this case:

A person is employed by Boeing to build jets in Seattle. In all likelihood, this employee is never going to buy one of the jets that he or she helps to produce. It's not like an automobile assembly line worker, who is building cars, that in all likelihood will be something that our producer will be a purchaser (consumer) of.

Simple, my friend Larry says. The worker at Boeing builds jets because there is a market for people to fly. A lot of people. In fact, flight is an integral part of not merely our transportation system, it is another "vertebrae" in the backbone of our manufacturing economy.

In this example, cross -trickle economics works this way:

A vibrant producer/consumer- business entity/ coporation climate exists which creates resonating demand for other domestic goods and services. In this case, the market demand for airline transportation creates the need for airplanes, which creates the need for workers who in turn are paid a wage.

The wage earner uses some of their income to fly, to visit family, take vacations, attend a business meeting...

It is the same mindset that a person would stop into AJ's Cafe for a bowl of chili or a latte on their way to or from work. Though not directly affliliated with the actual production of the product, AJ's Cafe is the benificiary of the wage earner and his or her ability to be a consumer.

Though some might argue that the purchase of non domestic products also reverborate into our economy, study after study shows that domestic spending contributes a much larger percentage of money that cycles back into the domestic, or local economy.

This is a prime expample of "the philosophy of common sense."

Thought for the day May 1

The Assembly Line Party at 2 weeks.

The Assembly Line Party believes:

1. The domestic manufacturing industry is the backbone of the American economy.
All other sectors of the economy,: Construction, Trade, transportation, utilities, Information,Finance, Professional and business services, Education and health services, Leisure and hospitality, as well as Government are directly related to domestic manufacturing.

2. The correct economic system is a "Cross-Trickle" economy. Cross-trickle economics is defined as the relationship between the producer / consumer and the employer/ business entity.

A. The producer is also the wage earner, who is also the consumer. These citizens make up the vast majority of the workforce of the United States
B. The employer is also the business entity: corporations or companies, including all economic sectors named above.

Our economy is at optimal strength when the producer/ consumer can purchase the goods made by the business entity, to which they are employed.

3. It is not good business practice, nor is it morally correct and lacks common sense to hire workers from foreign lands at the expense of cheaper short term production costs by replacing a domestic producer, who is also the consumer.

4. Under the Assembly Line Party, the right to a fair, living wage is inalienable. No other outside interest may supersede this.

5. Under the Assembly Line Party, all elected government officials are "peoples lobbyists." No other outside interest may supersede this.

6. Under the Assembly Line Party, Therefore, the responsibility of a government is to be the fiduciary representative of the citizenry. The mandate of laws that protect a citizens right to earn a fair, living wage are in the best interest of the nation as a whole and should be the irrevocable premise from which all law is enacted.

Rome is an "idea," The United States is also.
Parallels in the fall of the Roman empire to the possible demise of
the United States is a popular comparison. I read of multitudes of
reasons why historians, for thousands of years have found the fall of
Rome a fascinating subject.
Suffice to say, there is no one theory on the fall of the Roman Empire
that can hold up as absolute. Many valid points are hypothesized, but
no one theory has held up as "the smoking gun," even to this day.
Nonetheless, the correlation of these two Empires and the use of
"idea" when describing them is borne of the hopes and visions of our
founders.

The proclamation of the rights to all citizens that guaranteed life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness are still evolving in the USA,
234 years later. Surely, our growth and expansion has come to benefit
the nation as a whole, but at a disproportionate rate of "haves" vs
"have-nots'.

I considered the following (Wikapedia) entry as quite provocative:




Arnold J. Toynbee and James Burke
"....(the Roman) Empire could never have lasted longer than it did
without radical reforms that no Emperor could implement. The Romans
had no budgetary system and thus wasted whatever resources they had
available. The economy of the Empire was a plunder economy based on
looting existing resources rather than producing anything new. The
Empire relied on booty from conquered territories (this source of
revenue ending, of course, with the end of Roman territorial
expansion) or on a pattern of tax collection that drove small-scale
farmers into destitution (and onto a dole (welfare; aid to those in
need) that required even more exaction's upon those who could not
escape taxation), or into dependency upon a landed elite exempt from
taxation. With the cessation of tribute from conquered territories,
the full cost of their military machine had to be borne by the
citizenry.
An economy based upon slave labor precluded a middle class with buying
power. The Roman Empire produced few exportable goods. Material
innovation, whether through entrepreneurialism or technological
advancement, all but ended long before the final dissolution of the
Empire. Meanwhile the costs of military defense and the pomp of
Emperors continued. Financial needs continued to increase, but the
means of meeting them steadily eroded. In the end due to economic
failure, even the armor of soldiers deteriorated and the weaponry of
soldiers became so obsolete that the enemies of the Empire had better
armor and weapons as well as larger forces. The decrepit social order
offered so little to its subjects that many saw the barbarian invasion
as liberation from onerous obligations to the ruling class....."

The objective of the Assembly Line Party is to take care of our manufacturing industry and treat it as we see it, that is as the backbone of our economy and our society.

All else, other sectors of the economy, trade, foreign relations, welfare, health care, income, militray, conservation, community....grow, or not, from there.

Thought for the Day , April 29

As in Rome of ancient times, when it was asked, "what is Rome?" The United States too, is an Idea, one that our founding members visioned as a system of governance that gaurenteed all persons inalienable rights; the rights of freedom of expression and self determination.

In some ways, our current system is out of touch to that example. As our fore-fathers and mothers said, when seeking to establish a more perfect union, ours is a government "for the people, of the people, and by the people." Government is beholden to the citizenry of its nation. This idea must always be strictly adhered to as a noblest cause, above all self interest.

A free market, capitalist society works best when its citizens purchase the goods and services that are produced from within there economic system. The Assembly Line Party's arguement is that Cross Trickle economics is the conduit that best accomplishes this.

The ultimate cost of purchasing foreign goods or services that are not on an absolute even and fair paradigm with our own citizens right to a fair-living wage is not fiscally or fiduciarily responsible, and is not sustainable.

We must seek to establish a new paridigm between the manufacturing industry and its place in the realm of importance that it has for our entire econimic viability, as well as its place as the builder and sustaining drive behind our communities.

It does not make good, long term sense to outsource cheaper labor at the expense of eliminating domestic jobs

Thought for the Day April 28

TFTD 4/28

Variations of cross trickle economic theory is nothing new.

Henry Ford and his automobile industry began to find a place in the everyday mainstream because of the fact that he could meet a rapidly growing demand for cars with his implementation of the assembly line. Henry is the person credited with the creation of assembly line automobile manufacturing.

What Henry also realized was that he'd need a workforce to keep up with demand. So Henry did an unprecedented thing at the time: he offered a $5.00 a-day wage.

People by the thousands came to Michigan for this. So many came that the the town of Dearborn, Michigan, founded in 1836 grew to become a town that his workforce would have a place that they could live and raise there families.

He actually accomplished 2 things by doing these things with his workforce, and both are great examples of cross trickle economics.

Firstly, he created a loyal workforce who were paid enough to afford the stuff they built, his cars. Secondly, a community grew, where generation after generation could afford to live and prosper.

The reverberating effect was that schools, churches, saloons, barbershops, drugstores and diners and stores sprang up, each providing services, goods and jobs.

This is exactly how cross trickle economics works today.

When I hire someone to work in my cafe, they always come in on their time off and purchase something. They bring there family, friends... They are proud to work at my cafe and want to support it.

If things go bad, as they sometimes do and I have to let them go, I never see them again. They don't come back to buy my goods and neither do their friends and family.

I may not have replaced their job with that of a foreign entity, but the similarity is the loss of the cross trickle economic system,

What cross trickle economics do you practice?

Where are the parallels in "cross trickle economics" in your world.?

TFTD April 27

The Assembly Line Party (ALP) Vision Statement

Manufacturing is the backbone of our economy. All other sectors of the economy are a derivative of manufacturing.

In a capitalist society, the proper logic of successful manufacturing is in the marketability of the goods produced. Therefore, the marktplace can be defined as the arena where the manufactured goods, and their interconnected services, are purchased.

The producer, who is the wage earner and consumer, are one -in-the-same, i.e. the "producer/consumer". The producer/consumer is the assembly line worker, the seamstress, the computer manufacturer, airplane builder, service technician, appliance manufacturer, etc.

It is in the best interest of the wage earner, who is also the producer/consumer, to purchase the goods that they produce. It is in the best interest of the business

to employ a workforce who will purchase the goods they produce and likewise, support those businesses that also subscribe to the cross-trickle economic philiosophy, (read below).

The new way of thinking is "cross-trickle economics." The ALP believes that cross trickle economics is the correct economic system that will ensure the optimum employment of our society. Therefore, we believe that laws that guarantee the right of every citizen a fair, decent wage are correct policy and good common sense.entity to employ a workforce who will purchase the goods they produce

Cross-trickle economic theory is the cycle, or relationship between the producer/consumer and employer/business entity.

Therefore, the responsibility of a government is to be the fiduciary representative of the citizenry. The mandate of laws that protect a citizen's right to earn a fair, living wage are in the best interest of the nation as a whole and should be the irrevocable premise from which all law is enacted.

Thought For The day, April 26

Howdy,

I have enclosed the letter that I sent out this past weekend as the thought for the day. I think it will go directly towards how the ALP is modeled.

W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
300 South Westnedge Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49007-4686

Good day,
My name is AJ O'Neil and I own AJ's Cafe in Ferndale , Mi. Our cafe holds the Guinness world record for the longest continuous concert. Our 288 hour non - stop "Assembly Line Concert" set the record last year as an awareness campaign to the virtues of the domestic automobile industry here in Detroit.

We held the "Second Shift Concert" earlier this year and eclipsed our existing record. Pending Guinness approval., we will hold the record at 313 hours, non-stop.

What I learned from the concert was from a "main street" perspective. I had so much real data and stories to relate to. I recently, after much consideration, started a political party. Called The Assembly Line Party (ALP) I hold this as my main vision :

The domestic manufacturing sector is the backbone of our economy. We must retain the right of every citizen to have a decent wage job.

I maintain this premise, "we are all in this together." What I have done is come up with "cross - trickle economic theory." Cross-trickle economic theory holds that the proper relationship in a capitalist society as the United States would be that of "consumer/producer to business entity."

Plainly said, the producer of a product, i.e. the automobile assembly line worker for example is also the consumer. The people who build cars also are the people who buy them. It stands as very likely that they buy the cars they build.

This is good for the producer/consumer, and good for the employer.

However, if the employer decides that they are going to opt for a cheaper labor workforce in a foreign country at the expense of the domestic producer, they not only replace the worker, they have disrupted the cross-trickle economic system that reverberates all the way through our economy.

(Please see www.assemblylineparty.blogspot.com)

My request to you is this: Do you have the ability to scientifically calculate the relationship that a proper cross-trickle economic relationship has with regards to the strength (or detriment) to our economy and our employment?

Can you assist me in this?

Most kindly yours,
AJ O'Neil
AJ's cafe
240 w. 9 Mile Rd.
Ferndale, Mi. 48220
248.399.3946
ajsmusiccafe.com
ajamesoneil@gmail.com

Thought For The Day, April 25

Thought for the Day: April 25

Happy Sunday. For me, this has always been the day of reflection, rest

and family. I miss those days! I don't get them too much since a cafe

became my kid. Oh well, I aim to get back to that way of living. I

think it's very important. Anyhow, I'll be brief. I want to touch on

what I see as a "people's lobbyist."

Over 300 million of us could call ourselves citizens of the UnitedStates.

A " people's lobbyist is beholden to all of them, first and foremost. That includes all people of every race, gender, age and persuasion. It includes families, single people, people of color, and differing sexual identities. It includes every socioeconomic a political ideology, from the far left, to the far right. How can the Assembly Line Party please them all?

Obviously, we can't. But I do believe that we must have a platform and a charter which is as universally encompassing as we can be.

I have no doubt that today's politicians would in fact also call themselves "peoples lobbyist's" in there essence. They may not choose the same wording, but I'm sure that today's politicians love our country as much as anyone, and believe that they look out for the best interest of the people , as a whole.

The reality however, is that elections and re-elections mandate a schedule and itinerary which mandates a constituency. In truth, the ALP would have to be convincing in the same way. Convincing people across all "party" line that the ALP serves in the best interest of evryone is the challenge.

So, the overriding statement/ vision is this:

"The ALP believes that Manufacturing is the backbone of the economy and that cross-trickle economics (consumer/producer -- business entity relationship) is the new way of thinking.

A. Rights and safeguards have got to favor the ability of every citizen to have a fair living wage, as set forth in our original premise (see April 19 TFTD).

B. The reverberating effect on the entrepreneur, business entity, and corporation is the correct relationship that exists between the workers and the bosses; i.e. "cross-trickle economics."

Taken this ideal into account, it is my stance that the efforts and ideals of the ALP are favorable to all sides of the political ideological spectrum. The Left is given equal importance to the Right, and the Right, given equal importance to the left.

.

This premise has the ability to erase and erode core and fundamental differences in the 2 existing political parties that have been ingrained in the minds of politicians for generations.

We must, for the sake of our entire country never forget to begin from the simple truth that we are all Americans, firstly and foremost.

"We are all in this together."