RENTER'S RIGHTS AND FAIR HOUSING

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YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD

 

YOU HAVE THE POWER

TO CHANGE THE WORLD

You know you are powerful.

You know that you matter.

You know you have the right to a good life.

You have a vision of a better life for yourself and your loved ones.  You have a vision of a better world. The vision that you have is shared by many people and would benefit even more. That is exactly why you are so powerful.  

Your issues are the issues.  You speak for millions.  Your thoughts, your solutions, your actions, can change the world for everyone.

All large movements began with just a few people, or even just one person. You do not need a large group of like-minded people or to stage large demonstrations.  You do not need a lot of money or guns or to have a large following on social media.  

The Fight for $15 is a great example of how much change a few people can create. The Fight for $15 movement has transformed the battle for living wages and unions in the U.S.

All you need is your own mind, and a decision to use it.  A commitment of a little of your time, to exercise your power. It is every citizen’s responsibility to communicate with elected officials. They need to hear from EVERYONE they represent, and frequently. You do not need to be a voter, or even eligible to vote, to contact YOUR representatives! Flood the phone lines! Keep their staff so busy there is no time for anything else.

JOIN THE ONE MINUTE REVOLUTION! 

Do you have one minute to change the world?  Do you have one minute that you can spare to call an elected official about an issue that matters to you? How about one minute every month, or one minute every week?

ONE MINUTE REVOLUTION

 

HOW TO MAKE REVOLUTION IN ONE MINUTE

(THE EASY NON-VIOLENT WAY)

 

The foundation of the One Minute Revolution is at least one phone call per month and an additional 50 minutes of live action once a year. If just 1% of the adult population (about 2 million people) participated, one year would result in 25 million calls, plus 2 million live action events. 

 

Part One: Put your elected officials in your contacts list in your phone.  Ideally this would include at minimum both federal senators and House representative, and state senator, representative, governor, and mayor, alderperson or council member, etc.  It is every citizen's responsibility to communicate with elected officials-even if you didn’t vote for them! How can they represent you if they don’t know what you want?!

US Congress Switchboard number: (202) 224-3121

Missouri: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default.aspx

 

Part Two: Think about an issue that matters to you and compose a brief statement.  The person answering the phone will only need your zip code and one or two sentences. Be concise and prepared. Be courteous. 

“Hello, I’m calling from (Your zip code) to let Senator Josh Hawley know that I support a $15 an hour minimum wage.  In areas where the wage has increased small businesses have not suffered, prices have remained stable, and the economy has improved. All workers deserve a living wage.”  

Wait to see if they have any questions, although usually they do not.  Sometimes you might have to wait, but most offices have an option to leave a voicemail.  Rarely do calls last longer than a minute.  

Repeat at least once a month. (Optional step: set a reminder on your phone for regularly scheduled calls. Weekday mornings before lunch is often a good time.) 

Part Three: Research a topic one question at a time. (Repeat as needed before returning to Part Two or progressing to Part Four.) 

How much does the US government spend on the ACA, including administrative and other costs? 

How much does the US government spend on Medicare, including administrative and other costs?

Medicaid? WIC? Veteran’s?

Spend a minute adding your figures and making some calculations.  

How many taxpayers are there? 

How much are US citizens paying for all forms of health insurance? 

How much would Medicare For All Cost? 

 

Part Four: Compose an email to an elected official with your research and conclusions, in one-minute segments.  Review it a few days and edit as needed.  Consider asking for a return phone call. 

Dear Senator Hawley, I support Medicare For All. The US government is currently spending $1.2 trillion a year on all Medicare, Medicaid, ACA and other forms of insurance.  That’s about $3600 per capita (divided by US population at 330 million), and about $8400 per taxpayer (divided by 143 million taxpayers). Private citizens are spending about 2.3 trillion dollars. That’s $3.5 trillion a year.  The average cost of a single health insurance premium is over $7000 a year.  We spend more and get less than every other industrialized nation, and many that we consider to be less advanced. Medicare for All would cost this country less and improve public health.  I would like to know where the Senator stands on Medicare for All.  I would appreciate a return phone call.

 

Part Five: Go Live! Once a year set aside 50 minutes and show up! Attend a Town Hall, a rally, library board meeting, observe a judge, volunteer in a community group, etc.  oneminuterevolution.blogspot.com

REGISTER TO VOTE

                      

PROTECT THE POWER OF

WE THE PEOPLE

AND REGISTER TO VOTE

Voting is the only power in the government that cannot be bought or sold. We the people do need more power, and the government needs many changes, but we must maintain what we currently have. 

Your vote is your voice. Why aren’t you using it? You can use your vote as a form of protest with a write-in, including for people that are not running. And even if you don’t vote for candidates, you can vote for issues, especially at the local level, where voting has the most impact on day-to-day life.

And if not yourself, what about others? Minor changes in legislation can make a big difference to the poor, the elderly, homeless, and disabled.  Can you spend a few minutes registering on-line, and make a quick trip to the polls for local and state elections, to help someone else? And what about all the people that have had to fight so hard to gain the right to vote: can you take a moment and honor them?

Republicans and special interests are working hard to make it more difficult for people to vote. In the 2020 election, 70% of eligible voters were registered, and nine out ten voted- the highest turnout in decades, but balanced both right and left. At state and local levels, voter turnout is low. Republicans work hard year-round, to disqualify and restrict Democratic votes. By staying registered, especially as a Democrat, Libertarian, Green, or Independent, you will be part of shifting the power away from oligarchs and special interests.

The more registered voters there are, the more power honest politicians have against the lobbyists and special interests, and dishonest politicians.  Which means you have greater power.

“I am the ballot in your box...”

https://www.sos.mo.gov/votemissouri/request 

GENERAL STRIKE

 

WHAT IS ESSENTIAL?

It is NOT CEO’s, or Executives, “Job Creators” or Republican Elected officials!

The pandemic revealed the truth! Society cannot survive without fast-food workers, gas station attendants, grocery store clerks, delivery drivers, and most minimum wage, “unskilled labor” jobs.

WORKERS ARE ESSENTIAL!

WE NEED TO CLAIM OUR POWER!

ALL WORKERS DESERVE:

·         A MINIMUM WAGE OF $15 AN HOUR (OR MORE!)

·       FULL BENEFITS & RETIREMENT

·       GUARANTEED HOURS

·       SICK LEAVE AND PARENTAL LEAVE

·       VACATION

·       UNION REPRESENTATION

NOW IS THE TIME!

WE NEED A GENERAL STRIKE!
SHUTDOWN THE CITY, THE STATE, AND THE COUNTRY UNTIL WE HAVE A LIVING WAGE AND MEDICARE FOR ALL!
WHAT DAY IS GOOD FOR YOU?

PROGRESSIVE AGENDA

THE VAST LEFT-WING CONSPIRACY…

is fiction. What the USA calls “moderate” is right-of-center neo-liberalism. What we call “liberal” is middle of the road moderate. And because of this, many Leftists feel disenfranchised by the system.

But we are a powerful majority! And we cannot afford to wait for perfect conditions or candidates. Or despair that “the whole system needs to change,” therefore why do anything at all? There are many changes within our reach. Changes we can have if we act together, in unison. NOW.

We need to take a page from the Republican playbook. They can count on any candidate that is anti-choice, anti-immigration, and pro-gun.  Most Republicans and right-wing extremists will vote a straight red ticket for these three issues, regardless of what else is at stake.

The Left needs to learn from this and demand a similar devotion from the Democrats on three core issues:

1.   $15 an hour minimum wage and a union for every job. (And it really should be $22/hour now. A living wage is in relation to the cost of living.)

2.   Medicare for All/ Universal Health Care

3.   Free College

Can you spare one minute today to call your Democratic representatives and candidates and ask them to pledge commitment to these three issues?               Oneminuterevolution.blogspot.com

MISSOURI EMPLOYMENT, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND WAGES

 

WAGES IN MISSOURI

Minimum Wage | Missouri Labor (mo.gov)

The state minimum wage for 2021 is $10.30/hr.

Employers engaged in retail or service businesses whose annual gross income is less than $500,000 are not required to pay the state minimum wage rate. Employers not subject to the minimum wage law can pay employees wages of their choosing. For more information, please contact the United States Department of Labor.

MANY businesses are exempt from minimum wage. Did you know the average net income of a McDonald’s franchise is only $150,000 a year?  (And they cost one million dollars.) And other fast food franchises average $66,000.

Most small and medium size businesses do not fight the unfair advantages that corporations are given- construction grants, TIFs, Sales tax incentives. They only fight wage increases. That’s because workers don’t fight back.

UNEMPLOYMENT IN MISSOURI

Missouri employment laws are structured to benefit the employer, and to keep a surplus of unemployed workers so wages stay low.  In Missouri, only those that profit from labor matter. A lot of this is disguised as “freedom.”

Only the employer pays unemployment insurance, and the employer pays whether someone is getting benefits or not.  If payment is not awarded to the employee, it is not reimbursed to the employer. It stays in the State’s trust fund. Employers fight unemployment claims because they don’t want their insurance rates to go up.

The State does little for the unemployed worker.  EDD offices are chronically understaffed and overworked. This is not to save taxpayers money; this is so the state doesn’t have to assist workers. They require only three work searches.  They do not require people to come into the offices, or for employers to interview those on benefits. 

Employers often complain that “no one wants to work” but many employers automatically disqualify certain applicants.  The employer has freedom to reject you without reviewing your skills for any reason or no reason at all.

Workers in Missouri are not “saving” money by not paying unemployment insurance.  It’s just another rip-off disguised as “freedom.” (Similar to “you have the freedom to work without paying union dues” scam.) Workers would have more protection if they paid into unemployment insurance.

BREAKS? IF YOU’RE LUCKY

Missouri, and most states, do not require employees get a break for any reason, including going to the bathroom.  It is also not a Federal law.

If an employer DOES give breaks to employees, the Federal government regulates how breaks are paid.  (Beware- people go to the Federal site and see the rules for how breaks must be paid and think the break is guaranteed.)

States CAN require that employees be given a break.  But it is state by state, and only five states require it. And Missouri is not one of them. Meal and Rest Breaks: Your Rights as an Employee | Nolo Osha requires bathrooms be available, but only disabled workers are guaranteed the right to use the bathroom.

We cannot allow this to continue! Workers need to demand laws requiring adequate breaks at Federal and state levels!