Thursday, March 31, 2011

Van Jones Cheering 9/11 Terrorists On 9/12

Via Jim Hoft who has more about the video.



I'm about halfway through watching the video right now. There's some sort of hippie chant and drum circle going on through out the clip. Enough to make you want to poke your eardrums out with an icepick. And it goes on throughout the entire clip.

This was the guy Barack put in place as the 'Green Job Czar' until Jones quit. It's not what Barack says but who he nominates to positions of power or prestige which should tell you about Obama's character.

"That's A Nice Business You Have There, It Would Be A Shame If Anything Should Happen To It"

Via Da Tech Guy, who has a pretty good posting that asks are the Republicans really in trouble?

Legalized thuggery?

Members of Wisconsin State Employees Union, AFSCME Council 24, have begun circulating letters to businesses in southeast Wisconsin, asking them to support workers’ rights by putting up a sign in their windows.

If businesses fail to comply, the letter says, “Failure to do so will leave us no choice but (to) do a public boycott of your business. And sorry, neutral means 'no' to those who work for the largest employer in the area and are union members."

Jim Parrett, a field representative of Council 24 for Southeast Wisconsin, confirmed the contents of the letter, which carries his signature. But he added that the union was also circulating letters to businesses thanking them for supporting workers’ rights.

Parrett said that since the letters were sent out, he has received threatening phone calls as well as calls from people supporting the state workers.

"I've gotten a lot of threatening phone calls," Parrett said.

Parrett said he believed the letter campaign was going on in other parts of the state. His region includes Racine and Kenosha counties, as well as parts of Waukesha and Walworth counties.

“It’s going on in other parts of the state,” he said Wednesday.

Parrett referred questions to Marty Beil, the head of the Wisconsin State Employees Union. Beil was not immediately available for comment.

Nothing like a little intimidation to start the day off.

Warning! Do Not Hit This Link!

Do not click this link. You have been warned.

Whatever you do, don't click over. All I know that the person in the picture is most definitely not Carrot Top.

If you click anyway, you will hate yourself and me. But save the hate for someone else who deserves it. Like Bob Belvedere.

Do not click over at work, that's for sure. IYKWIMAITYD.

House Republicans Doing The Job They Were Sent To Do

No, not pass a real budget yet. Start investigations into special interest groups who stand to profit from ObamaCare.

AARP lobbied for the new health care law and now it stands to profit, Republican lawmakers charged Wednesday as they called for the IRS to investigate whether the powerful interest group representing older Americans should be stripped of its federal tax exemption.

Three veteran GOP representatives released a report that estimates the seniors lobby could make an additional $1 billion over 10 years on health insurance plans whose sales are expected to pick up under the new law. They also questioned seven-figure compensation for some AARP executives.

"Based on the available evidence, substantial questions remain about whether AARP should maintain its tax-exempt status," said the report, released by Reps. Wally Herger of California, Charles Boustany of Louisiana and Dave Reichert of Washington.

It's a start.

Why It's Difficult For Me To Take Many Of Today's Progressive "Feminists" Seriously

Because they take issue with the term, "Man Cave".

Props to my girl Erin for finding this gem at Home Depot – that’s right, the store is offering the “Top 10 Man Cave” paint colors, hence making the “no women allowed” den of sports, beer and manly brouhaha to escape the oppressive forces of their wives an official room of the hetero household…and to be painted bold, masculine colors.

Yes, because there is the word 'man' in the title, it automatically means 'no womyn allowed'.

I contend that if a woman can walk through her house and not see any evidence that a man lives there, then the house is clean.

Let the man have his cave.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Spring Officially Started A Week Ago

And I'm just now getting around to posting this.

They Told Me That If I Voted For John McCain That There Would Be An Escalation Of Undefined Wars Over Oil In The Middle East . . .

. . . And they were right!

Yeah, the headline. That's all I got.

More: By all indications, the rebels in Libya fighting against Kadaffy seem to be backed by Al-Qaeda and The Muslim Brotherhood. This is were you root for injuries rather than sides.

Update: Linked in the sidebar by P & P Blogging Factory and at The TrogloPundit. No alternative name based on a 90's hip hop group for him yet.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Apologies For The Blogging Absence

Have had quite a few balls up in the air and the blogging ball finally landed for a short while.

All it took was the bombing of Libya and Charlie Sheen going on a sold out tour.

I'm moving across town but there is no internet set up at the new place yet. Just at the old place.

Anyway, something occurred to me about the Democrats in Congress. Are they really Chessmasters?

I kept seeing people ask, "Why are the Democrats in Congress doubling down on stupid? Don't they realize that they will lose control of the House and maybe even the Senate?" last year, long before the election. Then the time came for Congress to pass a budget. Nothing. The can was kicked down the road.

Did the liberals/progressives in Congress see far enough into the future to realize that the Republicans would take over and they were purposefully leaving them a House in chaos? It seems like it now with the Continuing Resolutions going on. And with each Resolution being passed, Democrats can claim that Republicans have "cut too much" or some other crap like that. Knowing that if a budget or a CR isn't passed, a government shutdown would be likely. That would be the cudgel that the Democrats could use against the Republicans in the next election.

They passed ObamaCare, knowing it will cost them control in at least one-- if not both-- part of Congress so when the Republicans took over, they would be in a bind with the budget.

In all fairness, however, all it would take is one 'Chessmaster' on the liberal/progressive's side. All the rest of the Democrats are a collective mindset who would follow along like cows following along the Judas Goat at a slaughterhouse.

I know, I'm using at TV Trope as an example but I it was the best example I could thing of.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Hollywood: We Love The Troops! As Long As They Are Fighting Make Believe Enemies

With as many enemies that America has, why would Hollywood need to resort to aliens if they wanted to make a 'Love Letter' to the Marine Corps?

I first heard about Battle: Los Angeles last year while attending Comic Con in San Diego. As you can imagine, there were quite a few projects being hyped that weekend and, honestly, I didn’t pay too much attention to this particular film. Why? Because, when it comes to projects that feature our military, I’ve been let down too many times before. My first reaction is typically, “Here we go again.”
[. . .]
As the release date neared, I was torn. Do I go see the movie, take my licks and try to enjoy the action aspect of it or do I give it a pass? I decided on the latter. I was not going to pay good money to go watch my brothers and sisters get crapped on again.

Then, last week I read an article in which Aaron Eckhart talked about the film:

“This movie, in my opinion, is meant to be a love letter to the Marines. We had their full cooperation. They had my full cooperation. I tried to get it right. I think this movie is very reverent towards the military and reverent towards the ranks, both the officers and the Marines and the grunts. I don’t see how any Marine can see this movie and feel like they’ve been at all taken advantage of. I think this is going to be an oo-rah moment for them.”

That's fine. I enjoy movies with Marines being bad asses because Marines are, well, bad asses.

But why limit them to fighting blue markers where the effects would be filled in later? Have them kicking butt in the Middle East where there is a real war with real people who hate us instead.

Hollywood can't do that. They can't even finish making a movie without changing out the main villain. Instead of China attacking the US this go around, the producers are switching the bad guys to North Korea.

Yes, they are really changing it so that we are invaded by North Korea. So, as [Little Miss Attila's] husband points out, they are going to make it The Mouse That Roared.
Yes, North Korea.  The one without the lights.

I'm aware that North Korea isn't too keen on the US but are they in any shape able to position themselves for an invation?  I don't thing so.  Not without some serious backing with another country three backing them financially.  *coff*China*coff*


Maybe they like aliens because they can use bigger explosions in the movies.

Autotune

Is there anything it can't do?

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

One More Republican Senator Declares His Opposition To The Continuing Resolutions

Sen. Mike Lee of Utah says it's a losing strategy and taxation without representation (video of Sen. Lee at link to Cubachi).

Mike Lee joins Marco Rubio in support of passing a real budget, instead of this week by week nonsense that is being done now.

The Democrats failed to pass a budget at the start of the financial year so Congress have been reduced passing the short term CRs instead of an actual budget. But with passing the CRs, ObamaCare is being funded by hidden provision put in by the Democrats last year. So many Republicans are at a fork in the road. Take a principled stand call for a vote on a real budget or keep funding ObamaCare, a couple of weeks at at time.

The messaging should be easy enough for the budget. Keep pushing that the Democrats had control of both the House and Senate and failed to act and lead.

When the eventual question about a "Government Shutdown" is asked, reply back that it wouldn't have been necessary if the Democrats did their job last year and passed a budget instead of kicking the can down the road. Hammer home that message. If someone strays off point-- Lindsey Graham comes to mind as an example for no particular reason-- haul him off into some backroom and beat him with a pillowcase full of door knobs until he gets back on message. "A Government Shutdown wouldn't have been necessary if the Democrats did their Constitutional duty and pass a budget last year."

Oh yeah, Mike Lee is the (Tea Party) guy who took (Establishment) Bob Bennett out of the running last year in the state caucus.

Video: End The De Facto Off Shore Drilling Moratorium Now

Drill, baby drill.

With Hawaii being the first state to hit $4 a gallon for gas, drilling is sounding like more and more of a solution everyday.



Whoever the artist is with the dry-erase board is amazingly good. Almost had to watch this twice.

Thanks to Rebecca.

If You Are In The Seattle Area

Via Camp Of The Saints.

Michelle Malkin's cousin is missing.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STATEMENT FROM EDGAR AND JASMIN PEREZ

PARENTS OF MISSING UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON STUDENT
MARIZELA PEREZ

Seattle, Wash.
March 12, 2011

Contact: Edgar Perez, 609 – 646 – 0905

First, we would like to extend our deepest thanks to all of the citizens in Seattle and across the country who have spread the word about our daughter’s disappearance on Saturday, March 5, in the University District.

We would like to thank Seattle law enforcement and the University of Washington staff, students, administration, and campus police for their ongoing support and assistance at this difficult time.

And we would like to thank all the local media outlets that have covered Marizela’s case with vigilance, compassion and sensitivity.

We remain hopeful and we will not rest until we find Marizela.

As the police investigation continues, we are releasing today video clips of surveillance video from the University District Safeway on 4732 Brooklyn Ave NE Seattle where Marizela was last seen on Saturday, March 5.

She was wearing a dark jacket with hood over a light-colored sweater with hood, denim jeans, light brown suede laced boots, possibly wearing green eye contacts, carrying a denim drawstring backpack with rainbow butterfly screen print.

We are asking for anyone who may have seen Marizela after she exited the Safeway sometime in the 2pm hour on Saturday, March 5, to please contact SPD immediately.

As our family has mentioned in flyers all week, Marizela is taking anti-depressants. We are concerned about Marizela’s safety, health, and well-being. She is in a vulnerable state of mind and it is urgent that we find her and bring her home safely as soon as possible.

This has been a heart-wrenching time for us and for all of Marizela’s friends, family, and supporters. We appreciate the public’s continued thoughts, prayers, and help in locating Marizela.

– Edgar and Jasmin Perez

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

If You Think You Are Having A Bad Day. . .

. . . It could be worse.

You could be her.

Video below the fold. Not for someone with a case of the willies.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Marco Rubio: No More Budget Games

Rather than these two week continuing resolutions, Sen. Rubio seems to be putting his foot down.

“Our country faces a brutal reality: for far too long, the federal government has been recklessly spending money it does not have. It is the reason we now have a $14 trillion debt that threatens to bankrupt our country and why, each day, our government borrows $4 billion - almost half from foreigners and most of that from China.

“Despite the seriousness of this debt crisis, an absurd pattern has clearly developed in Washington. Last year, when they still controlled the House, Senate and White House, the Democrats failed to pass a budget at all. In the first two months of this year, Senate Democrat leaders have spent invaluable time not on tackling the debt but on re-authorizing the F.A.A. and reforming the patent system. Their only attempt at addressing our debt was a plan to cut $4.7 billion in spending, which only equals what our government borrows approximately every 30 hours alone.

“Democrats' unwillingness to engage on this issue is leading us closer to a catastrophic debt spiral that will irreversibly damage our government, our economy and ultimately our country.

“The absurdity of what we have witnessed on the Senate floor is only eclipsed by the lack of leadership demonstrated by the White House, and a President who has been absent from this debate and even sent his lead negotiator on a five-day foreign trip.

“All this has led to a very predictable outcome: Washington politicians of both parties scrambling to put together two and three week plans to keep funding the government, while not fundamentally changing the behavior that has gotten us into this mess to begin with.

“Running our government on the fumes of borrowed spending is unacceptable, short-sighted and dangerous
. I commend the efforts of House and Senate Republican leaders to deal with this, but I did not come to the U.S. Senate to be part of some absurd political theatre.

I will no longer support short-term budget plans. While attempts at new spending reductions are commendable, we simply can no longer afford to nickel-and-dime our way out of the dangerous debt America has amassed. It is time our leaders in Washington wake up and realize that we are headed for a debt disaster.

“With Congress set to begin another week-long recess next week, every senator and representative should feel ashamed if they have to go home again, look their constituents in the eye, and explain why nothing is being done about our debt crisis.

“If the federal government keeps spending money we don't have, we are going to do permanent damage to our economy's ability to grow and create jobs while ultimately destroying Medicare and Social Security.

“Despite the lack of leadership demonstrated so far in Washington, we still have a choice. A government shutdown is entirely avoidable if the President steps up to lead and if politicians from both parties finally get their act together, pass a budget for the rest of the year, and move on to the real debate to save entitlements and tackle America's debt crisis.

“If we deal with these issues seriously and immediately, we can leave our children with a country better than the one we grew up in. If we don't, we will be the first Americans to leave our children worse off than ourselves.”

So Who Is James Wolcott Exactly?

Other than Vanity Fair's version of Andrew Sullivan without the Trip Palin obsession?

No, seriously. I have never heard of the guy before and all of a sudden, his name starts to pop up all over.

Or is this an inside blogging baseball and doesn't matter?

Videos: Up Close And Personal Of The Tsunami In Japan

It's unbelievable to power and the force that water has.

When the waves first start coming in, it's moving a lot of trash. Then cars. Then trucks. Then the waves start to pick up houses off of their foundations and they float them away.



One more here that I couldn't embed.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

So This Is What A Community Organizer Does

Defends thugs accused of raping an 11 year old girl.

Racial divisions have surfaced in the town of Cleveland, 40 miles north of Houston, ever since last Thanksgiving’s alleged gang rape of an 11-year old Hispanic girl.

Most of the 17 suspects accused of sexually assaulting the preteen girl are black. And on Thursday night, community activist Quanell X hosted a rally there.

With some of the defendants’ parents standing next to him on stage, the activist took up a collection for their legal expenses from the largely African-American crowd.

While a few of those accused have admitted their guilt, he says others are probably innocent.

“She lives in another community,” Quanell X told the gathering. “You mean to tell me the only men that had sex with that girl were black men, locked up in that jail?” [Emphasis Mine]

Video: Tsunami Hits Japan

I've watched this clip and others like several times and it's still difficult for me to believe how destructive the wave was.

This starts out looking like dirty water being poured out on the drive way until the camera zooms in. Then what looked like twigs and trash is actually homes and cars. If you look careful enough, you can see other cars on the ground driving away as fast as they can.

The weird thing is watching what I think is a house burning in the middle of the water. A huge bonfire going along for the ride.



Video sniped from here.

Pray for the victims of this catastrophe.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Is This For Real? Sen. John Cornyn Approached Joe Scarborough To Run For Senate?

Gadzooks, it might not be a joke after all:

The genius who picked Charlie Crist over Marco Rubio is back to his old tricks in the Sunshine State.

Sen. John Cornyn (Texas), who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), told The Hill on Thursday that he has talked to Scarborough a couple times about a Senate bid. And he indicated he’s still working on persuading the MSNBC host to run for the upper chamber.
“I’d be delighted to talk to him a third time,” Cornyn said.

Just what the Republicans need. Another Senator who will capitulate his own side in order to 'work across the isle'.

UPDATE: Clarification is called for. It wasn't Florida but New York Cornyn talked to Scarborough about.

Sen. Rand Paul On The Budget

Slicing like a flat razor in an old fashioned barber shop.



He cuts through one of my biggest pet peeves when politicians and pundits deal with budgetary items. That a "cut' really isn't a cut at all but a slight promise not to spend 'as much as planned'.

Added: More red meat goodness. Rand Paul to Obama energy official: Why are you pro-choice on abortion but not on toilets and lightbulbs?

Andrew Klavan And The Public Unions

Slicing like a machete by explaining how public sector unions work.



Thanks to Thomas.

It's Official: The "New Tone" Is Dead

As if there was any life in it to begin with.

Since the MSM appears intent on downplaying the growing intimidation and escalating threats of violence around the union power issue, I am reprinting verbatim an email that was sent to Republican senators. The email was signed, but I have deleted the name pending what I hope will be a thorough police investigation.
[. . .]
Please put your things in order because you will be killed and your familes
will also be killed due to your actions in the last 8 weeks. Please explain
to them that this is because if we get rid of you and your families then it
will save the rights of 300,000 people and also be able to close the deficit
that you have created. I hope you have a good time in hell. Read below for
more information on possible scenarios in which you will die.

And it goes on.

Also, via Jim Treacher, protesters rioters storming the State Capital in Madison last night.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

If The Undercover NPR Video Was Such A "Non-Story", Then Why Is Everyone Suddenly Resigning? UPDATE: Did Vivian Schiller Break A Few Laws?

Morning Joe at MSNBC deemed it a "Half minute news story", if only to spend the half minute demeaning the story as to why it's not a story.

If so, then why did Vivian Schiller follow in Ron Schillers (the target of the video, no relation) footsteps and leave NPR?

NPR President and CEO Vivian Schiller has resigned, NPR just announced.

This follows yesterday's news that then-NPR fundraiser Ron Schiller (no relation) was videotapped slamming conservatives and questioning whether NPR needs federal funding during a lunch with men posing as members of a Muslim organization (they were working with political activist James O'Keefe on a "sting.")

Vivian Schiller quickly condemned Ron Schiller's comments, and he moved up an already-announced decision to leave NPR and resigned effectively immediately. But Ron Schiller's gaffe followed last fall's dismissal of NPR political analyst Juan Williams, for which Vivian Schiller came under harsh criticism.

They say one thing in public and another in private.

Update Via Insty: Is the sting video the real reason or did Vivian Schiller break a few laws in order to scare monger children into thinking Sesame Street will be going off the air keep her juicy federal funding?

NPR and PBS stations nationwide are rallying their audiences to contact Congress to fight against Republicans’ proposed spending cuts, but some affiliates’ pleas may violate laws preventing nonprofits or government-funded groups from lobbying.
[. . .]
The ad campaigns are a direct response to House Republicans’ push to eliminate all Corporation for Public Broadcasting funds for the rest of the fiscal year. Democrats have fought the cuts and President Obama asked for $451 million for CPB in his 2012 budget request — a $6 million increase.

But lawmakers and conservative critics argue the stations are breaking two laws, one that prohibits using taxpayer-funded grants to petition Congress for more taxpayer money and the other that bans nonprofits from doing much lobbying of any kind. [Emphasis mine]

Video: Stunning Undercover Footage Of National Public Radio Executive Talking About How NPR Is Liberal

Video via The Daley Gator.



Of course NPR is walking back from this, saying it's "edited" (Of course it's edited. The lunch was two hours long. Do you want to hear four people chew their food? Because if you do, the video in it's entirety is found at James O'Keefe site) and saying that they knew the fake organization was just that. A fake.

To which Larry O'Connor asks this:

As this story continues to unravel on NPR they are going to need to explain how the could definitively state to the public that they repeatedly refused the large, anonymous donation from MEAC yet at the same time, were “vetting” them. Why would you vet an organization from which you were repeatedly refusing a donation?

More accurately, NPR was trying to track down it's sizable donation and when they realized they had been 'Punked', went into spin mode to cover their collective buts.

Anyway, the best part of this is that Shiller-- reading between the lines with all of his talk about "Intellectuals" obviously considers himself to be one-- has been punked.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

I Maybe Taking Robert Heinlein's View With These Sort Of Things. . .

. . . But I always thought that at it's basic function, the purpose of the military is to kill people and claim ground.

Not trying to fulfill social quotas.

Friday, March 4, 2011

A Couple More Points About The Noodle Guy

I missed a couple of things the other day about Rob Lewis the service industry worker, which was graciously linked by Bob Belvedere over at The Camp Of The Saints.

So yeah, I'll be wearing a 'Captain Obvious' cap. Much like before.

Noodles & Company is a franchise. Chances are, Rob's boss isn't even the boss of the company. The franchise location where Rob works under control of the corporation *gasp* of Noodles & Company. Which is done so if someone walks into one franchise store and buys a dish they like, they can walk into any other Noodles & Company and get the same dish, made the same way.

Sure there isn't much of a chance to do variations and custom dishes but the chain stores are helped out in the way of name recognition, a set menu and advertising.

I also forgot to mention risk. Rob's boss had to have put up a substantial sum to get his restaurant running. The franchise fee, lease on the building, deposits on utilities, with money on loan from the bank. He needed all of these done even before he can open the doors to the public. Couple that with the chance his place has a 23% chance of failure within the first year. There's bound to be a few sleepless nights when starting out.

And Johnny Come Lately Rob Lewis wants an equal share of the profits because he can flop a spoonful of stir fry on a plate after watching a ten minute instructional video about the importance of food safety? The level of risk by his boss (lots) isn't exactly the same as the level of risk done by Rob (slim to none).

Even the Bible knew and understood how risk and investment worked. Obviously, Rob has no idea about what actually goes into running a restaurant.

There's an old joke that says, "How do you make a million dollars in the restaurant industry?"

"You start out with two million."

One way to 'earn' that million is to let people like Rob run the place.

Video: Bill Whittle & The End Of The Beginning

Mr. Whittle expounds on the classic Ronald Reagan axiom, "If no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else?"



Thanks to Paul.

The Zombie Apocalypse Is Coming Sooner Than We Think

Not due to a virus but a fungus.

This is how it starts. It's how it always starts.

Scientists bring this fungi back to the lab to study it and-- for whatever reason-- try to make the fungi reach it's full potential. Until it's too late and it grows out of control. You have been warned.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

This Confirms What Most People Already Knew

There isn't anything post-racial about this President.

But Obama, in his most candid moments, acknowledged that race was still a problem. In May 2010, he told guests at a private White House dinner that race was probably a key component in the rising opposition to his presidency from conservatives, especially right-wing activists in the anti-incumbent "Tea Party" movement that was then surging across the country. Many middle-class and working-class whites felt aggrieved and resentful that the federal government was helping other groups, including bankers, automakers, irresponsible people who had defaulted on their mortgages, and the poor, but wasn't helping them nearly enough, he said.

A guest suggested that when Tea Party activists said they wanted to "take back" their country, their real motivation was to stir up anger and anxiety at having a black president, and Obama didn't dispute the idea. He agreed that there was a "subterranean agenda" in the anti-Obama movement—a racially biased one—that was unfortunate. But he sadly conceded that there was little he could do about it. [Emphasis mine]

It isn't the color of his skin. It's the color of his politics. Red.

Obama is either willingly ignorant about this or gleefully lying about the 'race' aspect of this. I'm guessing he's lying.

Disgusting

A slap to the face of anyone who has served recently:

The U.S. Navy says it is forging ahead with its decision to name a warship for the late Rep. John P. Murtha, Pennsylvania Democrat, despite protests the decorated Vietnam War veteran was disloyal in his 2006 accusation that Marines had murdered Iraqi civilians.

Three Facebook sites opposing the Navy’s April 2010 decision bristle with thousands of angry postings. The Navy website with the announcement drew critical comments. The Washington Times voiced its outrage in an editorial titled “Sink the Murtha.”

He flat out lied about the Marines on national TV for political gain and never apologized for it when the truth was exposed.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

The Atlantic Seeks To Renew Lost Credibility

Now that Andrew Sullivan-- AKA, Milky Glutes, Excitable Andi-- is heading over the The Daily Beast.

I'll be taking bets on how soon his first Trig Palin Truther posting is up.

Within the fist day is my bet.

Video: "Noodles" Restaurant Worker Not Quite Understanding The Concept Of The Service Industry

Rob Lewis-- the main subject of the clip-- is not even in circle he's trying to square.



Parts of the video is some meeting of a few people who are looking to organize a union for something. One of the guys running the meeting goes into a squawking diatribe about the usual left wing offenses. Koch Brothers, 'The Rich', blah blah blah. It's been said before and will be said again. I'm only thankful that the video is edited enough to where his speech is way less than two minutes.  More info about that meeting here.

I suspect I'm going to be preaching to much of the choir with this. At the very least, most people understands how businesses are ran.

There are two parts where Mr. Lewis is showing his disconnect from reality.

The first part of his disconnect:

“You either work for someone else or you work for yourself. And most people work for someone else in a way that they aren’t free. You don’t really get to decide your work. For example, I work at Noodles, a restaurant, and basically it’s a dictatorship there. We’re told exactly what we’re going to cook, how we’re going to cook it, what time we’re going to get there. And basically if they don’t like what we’re doing, they try and tell us what to do. If we don’t listen, they get rid of us,” the employee said.

He's correct to a point about working for someone else or for yourself. Most people are employed by someone else. But its a mutual exchange. For the most part, it's time and labor on behalf of the employee in exchange for a set rate of dollars per hour. If Rob doesn't like it, he can leave Noodles and work elsewhere. Maybe he can find a job with a higher rate of pay. That's part of the perks and risks of living in a free market. All this should have been taught in Econ 101 in high school.

It can be said that even self-employed people are still working for people. Directly for their clients and customers.

As a restaurant that is dependent on repeat service and loyal clientele, consistency in food preparation is key. If the customers who walk into Noodles don't like their food, they will go someplace else next time. There are plenty of other restaurants in the area who would be happy to take in the hungry customer. Noodles doesn't have the benefit of being on the exit ramp near a busy highway where most customers would be one timers.

The second part of the disconnect is here:

The employee continued, “And so we’re not able to actually cooperate in a way that we make decisions together. I try to convince my fellow employees that we should have a union at Noodles so it’s a source of power to start with and then I think in terms of the bigger picture, we need to look at revolutions in a way that you actually get rid of any sort of dictatorship is by having workers take control of the place where they work.”

Who knows what kind of guy Mr. Lewis's boss is. But the key is that Mr. Lewis is free to leave the job and work elsewhere. His boss is the person who put up the money to buy the franchise of Noodles. He rents the building that the restaurant is located at. He has to make it work so that his employees get paid. Keep an eye out on the food. And so on and so forth. Stands to reason why he should be receiving a larger share.

And as a service industry based restaurant based in a college town, I'm sure that he has no end of job applicants to sort through. And with a minimal amount of training, the new person can be serving noodles with the best of them.

There may be a few other reasons but the main reason why people like Mr. Lewis want to unionize such an entry level position is for protection. He should be happy to have a job.

Now if only he would use his energy for socialism towards his job, he might eventually become a free market kind of guy.

Anyway: Stick with the video until the very end to see the free market transaction take place and you'll be doing one of these.