Boston Wal-Mart shareholders today filed a resolution with the company requesting public disclosure of who gets Wal-Mart stock options, broken down by race and gender. In each of the last three years, between 4.8% and 13% of all Wal-Mart stock options went to the top five officers, who make up 0.0003 percent of the company's employees. All five are white men.
The filing of the resolution was timed to coincide with a national Wal-Mart Week.
In addition to Northstar Asset Management clients and other members of Responsible Wealth, the resolution was filed by Martha Burk, the director of the National Council of Women¹s Organizations¹ Corporate Accountability Project. Dr. Burk is best known for leading the effort to open the Augusta National Golf Club to women.
A second-generation Wal-Mart shareholder, Dr. Burk presented a similar resolution at last April¹s annual meeting. She said today, "I am still concerned that the wealth creation opportunities afforded by the company are disproportionately going to white men. The company needs to disclose the data."
Last year's resolution won 15% of the vote, an unusually high number given how much of the stock is owned by Walton family members and Wal-Mart's top management.
Margaret Covert, Shareholder Action Coordinator of NorthStar Asset Management, said, "Wal-Mart¹s emphasis on 'Always Low Prices' comes at a cost to employees working for always low wages. The tremendous profits that have enriched the Walton family and other major shareholders, if shared more broadly with all Wal-Mart workers, could mean health coverage and homeownership for those now lacking them."
Added Scott Klinger, co-director of Responsible Wealth, "In the last few weeks Wal-Mart has committed to greater transparency. This resolution is an invitation to uphold that commitment. Shareholders deserve to know which employees are being rewarded with stock options, and whether their company is contributing to the growing U.S. racial wealth divide."
A court decision is expected in coming months on Wal-Mart's appeal of the formation of a class for the largest gender discrimination lawsuit in history, filed by current and former women employees.
The text of the resolution can be seen online at:
http://www.responsiblewealth.org/shareholder/2006/WalMart.html
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Monday, November 14, 2005
Just posted on Since Sliced Bread
I just posted this on Since Sliced Bread, a project of the SEIU:
http://www.sinceslicedbread.com/idea/8980
Right now companies are considered the property of the shareholders. We need to change the dynamic by pushing the idea of stakeholders. Everyone that works for a company is a stakeholder. Everyone that does business with a company is a stakeholder. Everyone that lives around the company is a stakeholder. Democracy is the idea that our voices and opinions matter. We have groups focused on Democracy for America. We need Democracy for Wall Street.
Ideas that could come from this idea: The concept of one person one vote for shareholder resolutions and board elections; Employee ownership of companies; Requiring companies building in an area to have a certain percentage of shares owned by people living in that area; etc.
Why do labor unions focus so much attention on fighting against the owners of the corporations. I'd rather see them TAKE OWNERSHIP of the corporation and make the Board of Directors do the right thing for their employees, the community and the environment.
http://www.sinceslicedbread.com/idea/8980
Right now companies are considered the property of the shareholders. We need to change the dynamic by pushing the idea of stakeholders. Everyone that works for a company is a stakeholder. Everyone that does business with a company is a stakeholder. Everyone that lives around the company is a stakeholder. Democracy is the idea that our voices and opinions matter. We have groups focused on Democracy for America. We need Democracy for Wall Street.
Ideas that could come from this idea: The concept of one person one vote for shareholder resolutions and board elections; Employee ownership of companies; Requiring companies building in an area to have a certain percentage of shares owned by people living in that area; etc.
Why do labor unions focus so much attention on fighting against the owners of the corporations. I'd rather see them TAKE OWNERSHIP of the corporation and make the Board of Directors do the right thing for their employees, the community and the environment.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Press Release with good news
US Renewables Group Closes Initial $80 Million to Fund Renewable Energy Projects
Company Both Owns and Operates Renewable Energy Assets
LOS ANGELES, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 10/05/2005 -- US Renewables Group ("USRG"), a company organized to acquire, develop and operate renewable energy and clean fuel assets, today announced an initial close of $80 million as part of its plan to raise a total of $250 million in financing. Initial investors include Rustic Canyon Partners and several other investors. Founded in 2003 to invest in renewable energy operating assets, USRG focuses on stationary power generation (landfill methane, waste-to-gas, biomass and geothermal) and clean fuels (biodiesel, ethanol and coal-to-liquid).
Several factors have converged to dramatically improve the outlook for the renewable energy market -- the adoption of renewable energy portfolio standards, now effective in 21 states; the environmental challenges posed by the continued use of non-renewable resources; and rising fuel prices. According to Global Energy Decisions, a provider of market data to the energy industry, renewable power and clean fuels are two of the fastest-growing segments in the US energy industry, with compounded annual growth rates of 10-20 percent per year.
USRG addresses an opportunity in the renewable energy market that neither traditional private equity nor venture capital investors currently address. Renewable energy financings require a strong understanding of project equity, senior and subordinated debt structures, regulatory compliance, fuel supply and power purchase agreements. Because of its unique structure and management team, USRG has the necessary skills to successfully operate renewable energy assets in a cost effective manner.
"In an increasingly volatile energy market, USRG believes that owning and operating renewable energy assets is an excellent hedge against rising oil and natural gas prices. USRG offers investors a method to obtain above-average current income and capital appreciation," said Jim McDermott, the CEO of USRG. "No one questions the environmental benefits of renewable energy as an alternative source of power and fuel. Yet when you also consider the growth fundamentals and lack of legitimate pure play renewables companies, it becomes clear why USRG is such a compelling investment opportunity."
Consistent with the company's stated goal to become the US' leading Independent Renewable Energy Company ("IREC"), USRG owns and operates two landfill methane facilities in California (Los Angeles) and is building another facility in Texas (San Antonio). In addition, USRG is negotiating to acquire an additional 100 MWs of biomass power and to acquire more than 300 million gallons per year of ethanol capacity.
"USRG has gained a reputation as an organization that understands the intricacies of the renewable energy market," said Michael T. Eckhart, President of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). "Companies like USRG, that can provide capital while managing the risks that are particular to renewable energy projects, are filling a very important role in our sector."
"Renewable and efficient energy is a growing and increasingly attractive investment opportunity, and USRG's innovative approach of focusing on the operation of renewable energy assets creates an ideal fit for us," said Tom Unterman, Managing Partner at Rustic Canyon Partners.
About US Renewables Group
US Renewables Group, LLC ("USRG") is an investment company capitalizing on the fastest-growing segments of the $650B energy marketplace. USRG acquires, develops and operates renewable stationary power generation and clean fuel assets primarily in North America. USRG operates nationally from headquarters in Los Angeles and offices in New York. For more information, please visit the company Web site at www.usregroup.com.
###
Let's try and prevent these guys from being bought out by the Mega-Corps.
Company Both Owns and Operates Renewable Energy Assets
LOS ANGELES, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 10/05/2005 -- US Renewables Group ("USRG"), a company organized to acquire, develop and operate renewable energy and clean fuel assets, today announced an initial close of $80 million as part of its plan to raise a total of $250 million in financing. Initial investors include Rustic Canyon Partners and several other investors. Founded in 2003 to invest in renewable energy operating assets, USRG focuses on stationary power generation (landfill methane, waste-to-gas, biomass and geothermal) and clean fuels (biodiesel, ethanol and coal-to-liquid).
Several factors have converged to dramatically improve the outlook for the renewable energy market -- the adoption of renewable energy portfolio standards, now effective in 21 states; the environmental challenges posed by the continued use of non-renewable resources; and rising fuel prices. According to Global Energy Decisions, a provider of market data to the energy industry, renewable power and clean fuels are two of the fastest-growing segments in the US energy industry, with compounded annual growth rates of 10-20 percent per year.
USRG addresses an opportunity in the renewable energy market that neither traditional private equity nor venture capital investors currently address. Renewable energy financings require a strong understanding of project equity, senior and subordinated debt structures, regulatory compliance, fuel supply and power purchase agreements. Because of its unique structure and management team, USRG has the necessary skills to successfully operate renewable energy assets in a cost effective manner.
"In an increasingly volatile energy market, USRG believes that owning and operating renewable energy assets is an excellent hedge against rising oil and natural gas prices. USRG offers investors a method to obtain above-average current income and capital appreciation," said Jim McDermott, the CEO of USRG. "No one questions the environmental benefits of renewable energy as an alternative source of power and fuel. Yet when you also consider the growth fundamentals and lack of legitimate pure play renewables companies, it becomes clear why USRG is such a compelling investment opportunity."
Consistent with the company's stated goal to become the US' leading Independent Renewable Energy Company ("IREC"), USRG owns and operates two landfill methane facilities in California (Los Angeles) and is building another facility in Texas (San Antonio). In addition, USRG is negotiating to acquire an additional 100 MWs of biomass power and to acquire more than 300 million gallons per year of ethanol capacity.
"USRG has gained a reputation as an organization that understands the intricacies of the renewable energy market," said Michael T. Eckhart, President of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). "Companies like USRG, that can provide capital while managing the risks that are particular to renewable energy projects, are filling a very important role in our sector."
"Renewable and efficient energy is a growing and increasingly attractive investment opportunity, and USRG's innovative approach of focusing on the operation of renewable energy assets creates an ideal fit for us," said Tom Unterman, Managing Partner at Rustic Canyon Partners.
About US Renewables Group
US Renewables Group, LLC ("USRG") is an investment company capitalizing on the fastest-growing segments of the $650B energy marketplace. USRG acquires, develops and operates renewable stationary power generation and clean fuel assets primarily in North America. USRG operates nationally from headquarters in Los Angeles and offices in New York. For more information, please visit the company Web site at www.usregroup.com.
###
Let's try and prevent these guys from being bought out by the Mega-Corps.
Sunday, July 03, 2005
Montana Energy Debacle
Re: David Sirota's article
I find it disturbing that one of the topics on this blog entry on Working for Change is "Capitalist Pigs". The Progressive Movement needs to understand that they can't be Socialist and be serious contenders in our political system. Our economic system is capitalist, take it or leave it. The only way we're going to take back this country in the long term is by taking back the economy, and I'm not talking about a change in economic system. I'm talking about the people who want change in their country taking control of the companies that are destroying it. Public Ownership does not necessarily entail government ownership, especially since the government is almost as much of a problem as the corporations, thanks to current campaign finance regulations giving the advantage to the most valuable player from the onset.
I very much agree with David's comments, but it looks from the articles that Northwest Corp. is going to recommend against their shareholders approving the purchase. If they do, the citizens of Montana have another option. Beat them at their own game.
They are offering NWEC 1.17 Billion dollars. The NWEC stock is currently worth $31.87. That means that with this capital they could purchase 53 Million shares, or 15% of the company.
Progressives need to understand that they don't have to be anti-capitalist. They need to stop letting the rich people own the field and buy off the referees. We need to take control of our own economy and make it work for us. The only way of doing that is by taking control of the assets.
Chad Lupkes
I find it disturbing that one of the topics on this blog entry on Working for Change is "Capitalist Pigs". The Progressive Movement needs to understand that they can't be Socialist and be serious contenders in our political system. Our economic system is capitalist, take it or leave it. The only way we're going to take back this country in the long term is by taking back the economy, and I'm not talking about a change in economic system. I'm talking about the people who want change in their country taking control of the companies that are destroying it. Public Ownership does not necessarily entail government ownership, especially since the government is almost as much of a problem as the corporations, thanks to current campaign finance regulations giving the advantage to the most valuable player from the onset.
I very much agree with David's comments, but it looks from the articles that Northwest Corp. is going to recommend against their shareholders approving the purchase. If they do, the citizens of Montana have another option. Beat them at their own game.
They are offering NWEC 1.17 Billion dollars. The NWEC stock is currently worth $31.87. That means that with this capital they could purchase 53 Million shares, or 15% of the company.
Progressives need to understand that they don't have to be anti-capitalist. They need to stop letting the rich people own the field and buy off the referees. We need to take control of our own economy and make it work for us. The only way of doing that is by taking control of the assets.
Chad Lupkes
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
The Seattle Monorail
I've been looking at the Seattle Monorail recently. The board just came to contract agreements with Cascadia Monorail Company, LLC (http://www.cascadiamonorail.com/), and we're go for the start of construction. That's wonderful!
I've always wondered why the Seattle city Council didn't take on the management of the project instead of agreeing to a DBOM contract. That's Design, Build, Operate & Maintain. This model has evidently been used in other locations, and it's basically privatizing it as much as possible, while still keeping citizen oversight. What happens to the Monorail Board once the Green Line is complete is almost an open question, although to hear them tell it they're already starting to work on the next part of the project.
Now let's look at the Company itself. Cascadia Monorail Company, LLC, is a collaboration among a whole bunch of firms. Let's list them, and determine what information we can about them. Are they Public Firms? If so, we can get a piece of the action. If they're privately owned, who owns them? I can't answer all of these questions immediately, but it will be an interesting project. Much of this information is available on the Cascadia website.
Fluor Enterprises, Inc.
Fluor Corporation, the parent company of Fluor Enterprises, Inc., provides services on a global basis in the fields of engineering, procurement, construction, operations, maintenance and project management. The company has worked on a number of urban transit projects including the HSL South Transportation System in The Netherlands (a trans-European rail network), Railtrack’s East Coast Main Line in Great Britain and the Conway Bypass Project in South Carolina. Fluor Corporation, one of the world's largest, publicly owned engineering, procurement, construction, and maintenance services organizations, is a Fortune 500 company with revenues of $10 billion in fiscal year 2002. Consistently rated as one of the world's safest contractors, Fluor's primary objective is to develop, execute, and maintain capital projects on schedule, within budget, and with operational excellence. For more information, visit www.fluor.com.
Fluor Corporation is a public company (NYSE: FLR), and they actually advertise on their Investors page that we can invest in the company at ShareBuilder. That's really cool, and rare. They're based in Dallas, Ft. Worth Texas. According to opensecrets.org, their federal PAC donated $229,649 to federal candidates, 17% to Democrats, 83% to Republicans. We need to get their attention about Jay Inslee's Apollo Project. If they want major construction contracts, alternative energy would get them a lot more money than the old and dying oil industry.
Hitachi Ltd.
Hitachi, Ltd. is a leading global technology company, with approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2001consolidated sales totaled $60.1 billion. The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors, including urban transit systems. With nearly four decades of experience, Hitachi provides advanced urban transportation solutions. Hitachi’s design technology has evolved over the past 38 years into a highly reliable and predictable mode of urban mass transit including the Tokyo Monorail, Kitakyushu Monorail, Osaka Monorail, Tama Monorail, and the Okinawa Monorail. Hitachi purchased a licensing agreement from Alweg for the production of Alweg-based designs in Japan during the 1962 World’s Fair. Hitachi has been improving upon those designs for the past 38 years, providing unsurpassed safety and reliability. For more information, visit www.hitachi-rail.com/products/monorail/.
Mitsui USA
The parent company of Mitsui USA is Mitsui & Co Ltd, (NASDAQ: MITSY) based in Japan. Mitsui & Co., U.S.A., Inc., a leading international trading house with an extensive global network, has over 100 consolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures across the U.S. The company's total trading transactions amounted to $7.5 billion for the year ended March 31, 2002. In the 2002 world’s largest corporations lists, its parent company, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., is ranked 6th in “The International 500” by Forbes magazine and 13th in “The Global 500” by Fortune magazine. For more information, visit www.mitsui.com.
HDR Engineering, Inc.
HDR is a nationally recognized employee-owned architectural, engineering consulting firm. Established in 1917, the company employs over 3,200 professionals across the U.S. and abroad, including architects, engineers, consultants, scientists, planners and construction managers, in over 85 locations worldwide, to provide solutions beyond the scope of traditional A/E/C firms. Engineering News-Record consistently ranks HDR as one of the “Top 20” transportation engineering firms. The company opened its first Pacific Northwest office in Seattle in 1975 and now employs more than 350 people in seven Northwest offices in Bellevue, Pasco and Port Orchard, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Boise, Idaho; Missoula, Montana; and Anchorage, Alaska. For more information, visit www.hdrinc.com.
Howard S. Wright Construction Co.
Howard S. Wright Construction Co., founded in 1885, provides professional construction services in the areas of commercial, institutional and industrial buildings. Since the company started in the state of Washington, it has performed work in a majority of the Western states including Alaska and Hawaii. Now a symbol of Seattle, the Space Needle was originally built by Howard S. Wright Construction Co. as the focal point for the 1962 World's Fair. The foundation of the Space Needle consists of 5,850 tons of concrete and steel, resting on a 30-foot deep foundation. The company was also the general contractor for the World’s Fair Monorail and the Seattle Art Museum. For more information, visit www.howardswright.com.
Hoffman Construction Company
Hoffman Construction Company was founded in 1922 in Portland, Oregon as a family-owned general contractor, building apartments, schools and factories. Based in Portland, with offices in Seattle, Hoffman is a leader in specialized construction for transportation facilities such as station and maintenance facilities understanding the importance of maintaining traffic during construction; environmental requirements particularly those that relate to noise and vibration, and utility relocation requirements in the Seattle area. Hoffman has developed detailed procedures to ensure the safety of the traveling public during construction. Hoffman was the general contractor for some of Seattle’s more notable projects such as the Experience Music Project, the new Seattle Library and City Hall. For more information, visit http://www.hoffmancorp.com.
Atkinson Construction
RCI Construction Group
RCI Construction Group was founded in 1978 and is based in Sumner, Washington. RCI specializes in technically difficult projects including deep shaft and pipeline construction, steep slope outfall, and penstock installation. Coupled with comprehensive experience in pier construction, commercial, industrial and residential planned community development, and structural concrete capabilities, RCI brings all aspects of infrastructure construction and rehabilitation to the utility field. By virtue of owning one of the region's largest inventories of construction equipment ranging from sophisticated microtunneling machinery to specialized trenching and pile driving equipment, RCI is able to complete each project more efficiently and cost effectively. RCI’s experience includes utility projects such as the Denny Way Elliot West Pipelines and the City of Tacoma’s Second Supply Pipeline. For more information, visit www.rci-group.com.
Concrete Technology Corporation
VANIR Construction Management
David Evans and Associates
Kleinfelder, Inc.
PanGeo
Buckland & Taylor
PB Transit and Rail Systems, Inc.
H.W. Lochner, Inc.
Praha Strategies, Inc. (Patrick Kylen)
Alcatel Transport Automation, Inc.
Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc.
Berger/ABAM Engineers, Inc.
EDAW
Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum (HOK)
Wilson Ihrig & Assoc., Inc.
White Electrical
Holmes Electric
PSI
Doris Locke & Associates
Wow, quite a list! If I missed one, please let me know. It will take me a while to look at each of these companies.
What's my point in all this? I believe that the citizens of Seattle should be the owners and gain the financial benefits from the construction and operation of the monorail system. But I support the capitalist system. So that means to me that we should be owners of the companies that are getting the Billion dollar contract, so we can keep an eye on what the companies are doing and we can have a voice in the decisions they make. That's what this blog is all about.
Sources:
http://www.elevated.org/
http://www.cascadiamonorail.com/
http://www.opensecrets.org/
I've always wondered why the Seattle city Council didn't take on the management of the project instead of agreeing to a DBOM contract. That's Design, Build, Operate & Maintain. This model has evidently been used in other locations, and it's basically privatizing it as much as possible, while still keeping citizen oversight. What happens to the Monorail Board once the Green Line is complete is almost an open question, although to hear them tell it they're already starting to work on the next part of the project.
Now let's look at the Company itself. Cascadia Monorail Company, LLC, is a collaboration among a whole bunch of firms. Let's list them, and determine what information we can about them. Are they Public Firms? If so, we can get a piece of the action. If they're privately owned, who owns them? I can't answer all of these questions immediately, but it will be an interesting project. Much of this information is available on the Cascadia website.
Fluor Enterprises, Inc.
Fluor Corporation, the parent company of Fluor Enterprises, Inc., provides services on a global basis in the fields of engineering, procurement, construction, operations, maintenance and project management. The company has worked on a number of urban transit projects including the HSL South Transportation System in The Netherlands (a trans-European rail network), Railtrack’s East Coast Main Line in Great Britain and the Conway Bypass Project in South Carolina. Fluor Corporation, one of the world's largest, publicly owned engineering, procurement, construction, and maintenance services organizations, is a Fortune 500 company with revenues of $10 billion in fiscal year 2002. Consistently rated as one of the world's safest contractors, Fluor's primary objective is to develop, execute, and maintain capital projects on schedule, within budget, and with operational excellence. For more information, visit www.fluor.com.
Fluor Corporation is a public company (NYSE: FLR), and they actually advertise on their Investors page that we can invest in the company at ShareBuilder. That's really cool, and rare. They're based in Dallas, Ft. Worth Texas. According to opensecrets.org, their federal PAC donated $229,649 to federal candidates, 17% to Democrats, 83% to Republicans. We need to get their attention about Jay Inslee's Apollo Project. If they want major construction contracts, alternative energy would get them a lot more money than the old and dying oil industry.
Hitachi Ltd.
Hitachi, Ltd. is a leading global technology company, with approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2001consolidated sales totaled $60.1 billion. The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors, including urban transit systems. With nearly four decades of experience, Hitachi provides advanced urban transportation solutions. Hitachi’s design technology has evolved over the past 38 years into a highly reliable and predictable mode of urban mass transit including the Tokyo Monorail, Kitakyushu Monorail, Osaka Monorail, Tama Monorail, and the Okinawa Monorail. Hitachi purchased a licensing agreement from Alweg for the production of Alweg-based designs in Japan during the 1962 World’s Fair. Hitachi has been improving upon those designs for the past 38 years, providing unsurpassed safety and reliability. For more information, visit www.hitachi-rail.com/products/monorail/.
Mitsui USA
The parent company of Mitsui USA is Mitsui & Co Ltd, (NASDAQ: MITSY) based in Japan. Mitsui & Co., U.S.A., Inc., a leading international trading house with an extensive global network, has over 100 consolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures across the U.S. The company's total trading transactions amounted to $7.5 billion for the year ended March 31, 2002. In the 2002 world’s largest corporations lists, its parent company, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., is ranked 6th in “The International 500” by Forbes magazine and 13th in “The Global 500” by Fortune magazine. For more information, visit www.mitsui.com.
HDR Engineering, Inc.
HDR is a nationally recognized employee-owned architectural, engineering consulting firm. Established in 1917, the company employs over 3,200 professionals across the U.S. and abroad, including architects, engineers, consultants, scientists, planners and construction managers, in over 85 locations worldwide, to provide solutions beyond the scope of traditional A/E/C firms. Engineering News-Record consistently ranks HDR as one of the “Top 20” transportation engineering firms. The company opened its first Pacific Northwest office in Seattle in 1975 and now employs more than 350 people in seven Northwest offices in Bellevue, Pasco and Port Orchard, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Boise, Idaho; Missoula, Montana; and Anchorage, Alaska. For more information, visit www.hdrinc.com.
Howard S. Wright Construction Co.
Howard S. Wright Construction Co., founded in 1885, provides professional construction services in the areas of commercial, institutional and industrial buildings. Since the company started in the state of Washington, it has performed work in a majority of the Western states including Alaska and Hawaii. Now a symbol of Seattle, the Space Needle was originally built by Howard S. Wright Construction Co. as the focal point for the 1962 World's Fair. The foundation of the Space Needle consists of 5,850 tons of concrete and steel, resting on a 30-foot deep foundation. The company was also the general contractor for the World’s Fair Monorail and the Seattle Art Museum. For more information, visit www.howardswright.com.
Hoffman Construction Company
Hoffman Construction Company was founded in 1922 in Portland, Oregon as a family-owned general contractor, building apartments, schools and factories. Based in Portland, with offices in Seattle, Hoffman is a leader in specialized construction for transportation facilities such as station and maintenance facilities understanding the importance of maintaining traffic during construction; environmental requirements particularly those that relate to noise and vibration, and utility relocation requirements in the Seattle area. Hoffman has developed detailed procedures to ensure the safety of the traveling public during construction. Hoffman was the general contractor for some of Seattle’s more notable projects such as the Experience Music Project, the new Seattle Library and City Hall. For more information, visit http://www.hoffmancorp.com.
Atkinson Construction
RCI Construction Group
RCI Construction Group was founded in 1978 and is based in Sumner, Washington. RCI specializes in technically difficult projects including deep shaft and pipeline construction, steep slope outfall, and penstock installation. Coupled with comprehensive experience in pier construction, commercial, industrial and residential planned community development, and structural concrete capabilities, RCI brings all aspects of infrastructure construction and rehabilitation to the utility field. By virtue of owning one of the region's largest inventories of construction equipment ranging from sophisticated microtunneling machinery to specialized trenching and pile driving equipment, RCI is able to complete each project more efficiently and cost effectively. RCI’s experience includes utility projects such as the Denny Way Elliot West Pipelines and the City of Tacoma’s Second Supply Pipeline. For more information, visit www.rci-group.com.
Concrete Technology Corporation
VANIR Construction Management
David Evans and Associates
Kleinfelder, Inc.
PanGeo
Buckland & Taylor
PB Transit and Rail Systems, Inc.
H.W. Lochner, Inc.
Praha Strategies, Inc. (Patrick Kylen)
Alcatel Transport Automation, Inc.
Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc.
Berger/ABAM Engineers, Inc.
EDAW
Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum (HOK)
Wilson Ihrig & Assoc., Inc.
White Electrical
Holmes Electric
PSI
Doris Locke & Associates
Wow, quite a list! If I missed one, please let me know. It will take me a while to look at each of these companies.
What's my point in all this? I believe that the citizens of Seattle should be the owners and gain the financial benefits from the construction and operation of the monorail system. But I support the capitalist system. So that means to me that we should be owners of the companies that are getting the Billion dollar contract, so we can keep an eye on what the companies are doing and we can have a voice in the decisions they make. That's what this blog is all about.
Sources:
http://www.elevated.org/
http://www.cascadiamonorail.com/
http://www.opensecrets.org/
Thursday, June 16, 2005
The Ed Shultz Show
I want to start this by saying that I love the Ed Shultz Show. I listen every day, and the only thing that prevents me from calling in on a regular basis is the time slot, which is in the middle of the day. Of course, it's that time slot that allows me to listen in the first place, while I'm at work.
I went to the Seattle Town Hall Event on June 13th where the announcement was made that the shares of the show owned by Democracy Radio had been sold to a major player in the Radio business, Randy Michaels and P1 (Product First), a division of Radioactive LLC. Like the letter that Ed received and posted on his website said, the entire hall went silent. He had to tell us that it was a good thing, and many of us are still not sure.
I have a degree in business. I know how the market works, and I know you have to have money to get and keep your voice in the mix. That's all fine well and good. But here's the reality. Three people now own the shares in the Ed Shultz Show. My question is how is that Progressive? How is that Populist? Ed says all the right progressive and populist things, and he believes them. But like the vast majority of us, he can't live them. Not because he wouldn't want to, but because the system doesn't allow him to. It takes money, and he's now really excited about his ability to keep his show on the air through 2008 and help defeat whoever comes out of the Republican Party to try and keep this country going in the wrong direction. That's great, but then one of the show's new owners was on his show talking about all the money that they plan to make from advertising, and saying that it was a pure business decision that made them want to buy into the show, not because they support any of the things that Ed says. These two were part of the movement that brought Rush Limbaugh to the air, and they freely admit that. Ed says that doesn't make them Conservatives or Republicans, it makes them good businessmen.
Ed, THAT'S THE PROBLEM!
The impersonal nature of our businesses, corporations and the pure profit motive of our Capitalist economic system IS WHAT IS DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY AND DESTROYING OUR PLANET!
Our system of economics, thanks to Hamilton and FDR, is a capitalist system. It should be a free market that fosters fair competition of ideas, products and services. I'm not against that! I just recognize that 90% of the wealth in our country is owned and managed by 5% of our population. (Or some such rediculous statistic. It keeps changing depending on who you talk to.) How much of an influence do people making minimum wage or less have in our Congress? How much of the population am I talking about? Now, how much of an influence do people making more than $1 million per year have in our Congress? And how many people am I talking about? That's my point.
Ed, you read an email from me on the air on Wednesday. Sell stock. Sell shares in your show to the people who take a shower after work. Give us a chance to support you, and give us a chance to share in all the money that you and your two partners plan to make from advertising. Live your words, Ed. Become the progressive that we need you to be, and become not just the voice of the Progressive movement, but part of the heart and soul of the evolution of our country and the institutions that operate the machinery.
You're much better than Rush, Ed. Show us how much better you can be.
I went to the Seattle Town Hall Event on June 13th where the announcement was made that the shares of the show owned by Democracy Radio had been sold to a major player in the Radio business, Randy Michaels and P1 (Product First), a division of Radioactive LLC. Like the letter that Ed received and posted on his website said, the entire hall went silent. He had to tell us that it was a good thing, and many of us are still not sure.
I have a degree in business. I know how the market works, and I know you have to have money to get and keep your voice in the mix. That's all fine well and good. But here's the reality. Three people now own the shares in the Ed Shultz Show. My question is how is that Progressive? How is that Populist? Ed says all the right progressive and populist things, and he believes them. But like the vast majority of us, he can't live them. Not because he wouldn't want to, but because the system doesn't allow him to. It takes money, and he's now really excited about his ability to keep his show on the air through 2008 and help defeat whoever comes out of the Republican Party to try and keep this country going in the wrong direction. That's great, but then one of the show's new owners was on his show talking about all the money that they plan to make from advertising, and saying that it was a pure business decision that made them want to buy into the show, not because they support any of the things that Ed says. These two were part of the movement that brought Rush Limbaugh to the air, and they freely admit that. Ed says that doesn't make them Conservatives or Republicans, it makes them good businessmen.
Ed, THAT'S THE PROBLEM!
The impersonal nature of our businesses, corporations and the pure profit motive of our Capitalist economic system IS WHAT IS DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY AND DESTROYING OUR PLANET!
Our system of economics, thanks to Hamilton and FDR, is a capitalist system. It should be a free market that fosters fair competition of ideas, products and services. I'm not against that! I just recognize that 90% of the wealth in our country is owned and managed by 5% of our population. (Or some such rediculous statistic. It keeps changing depending on who you talk to.) How much of an influence do people making minimum wage or less have in our Congress? How much of the population am I talking about? Now, how much of an influence do people making more than $1 million per year have in our Congress? And how many people am I talking about? That's my point.
Ed, you read an email from me on the air on Wednesday. Sell stock. Sell shares in your show to the people who take a shower after work. Give us a chance to support you, and give us a chance to share in all the money that you and your two partners plan to make from advertising. Live your words, Ed. Become the progressive that we need you to be, and become not just the voice of the Progressive movement, but part of the heart and soul of the evolution of our country and the institutions that operate the machinery.
You're much better than Rush, Ed. Show us how much better you can be.
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Welcome to Democracy for Wall Street
Are we consumers, or investors?
If we are stakeholders, shouldn't we be shareholders?
The Democratic Party is Pro-Capitalism, but Anti-Elitism. If the progressive grassroots want to take back the White House, the US Congress and our local governments, we have to start by taking back Wall Street. We don't need lawsuits, we need porfolios!
You're all asking what we can do about the Conservative Movement. The distribution of capital must be balanced. FDR started on the right path with Social Security and the SEC, but nobody caught on to what really needed to happen. Question: what is the most powerful statement that you can give an elected representative in a letter or interview? "I am a voter in your district, and whether I support you or not depends on how you deal with my issues." So, we need to make another statement just as powerful. "I am a shareholder in your company, and whether I support your bid for reelection to the Board of Directors depends on how you deal with my issues." Howard Dean started Democracy for America. We need Democracy for Wall Street.
The Board of Directors for every company in the country is who is making these decisions. If we buy their stocks, we can vote the Board of Directors out of office! Everyone on the Liberal side is running away from the stock market, and the Conservatives are laughing all the way to the board room. We need a Union centered campaign to get these SOB's off the Boards. If everyone in a union could pitch in $100, we'd have enough to buy enough stock to take over the company those union members are working for. It has to be a coordinated effort, and it must begin now.
Progressive means people against Big Money, but we have to fight fire with fire. BUY THEIR STOCK, VOTE THEM OUT!
This blog will be a place for us to talk about taking back this country, one share of stock at a time.
If we are stakeholders, shouldn't we be shareholders?
The Democratic Party is Pro-Capitalism, but Anti-Elitism. If the progressive grassroots want to take back the White House, the US Congress and our local governments, we have to start by taking back Wall Street. We don't need lawsuits, we need porfolios!
You're all asking what we can do about the Conservative Movement. The distribution of capital must be balanced. FDR started on the right path with Social Security and the SEC, but nobody caught on to what really needed to happen. Question: what is the most powerful statement that you can give an elected representative in a letter or interview? "I am a voter in your district, and whether I support you or not depends on how you deal with my issues." So, we need to make another statement just as powerful. "I am a shareholder in your company, and whether I support your bid for reelection to the Board of Directors depends on how you deal with my issues." Howard Dean started Democracy for America. We need Democracy for Wall Street.
The Board of Directors for every company in the country is who is making these decisions. If we buy their stocks, we can vote the Board of Directors out of office! Everyone on the Liberal side is running away from the stock market, and the Conservatives are laughing all the way to the board room. We need a Union centered campaign to get these SOB's off the Boards. If everyone in a union could pitch in $100, we'd have enough to buy enough stock to take over the company those union members are working for. It has to be a coordinated effort, and it must begin now.
Progressive means people against Big Money, but we have to fight fire with fire. BUY THEIR STOCK, VOTE THEM OUT!
This blog will be a place for us to talk about taking back this country, one share of stock at a time.
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