Email Newsletter icon, E-mail Newsletter icon, Email List icon, E-mail List iconNo fear, no compromise, & no surrender: Occupy the Alliance Mailing List!
Follow @ThePDXAlliance 

Of, by, and for the People!
About Us | Subscribe | Contact & Submission info | Volunteer

Active Community,
Cartoons
, Cartoons by Shannon Wheeler, Clyde List, & Steve Amy   

Columns, Commentary, Critiques, News Bytes,
Letters, and more
!

Speaking
Truth to Power & Distressing Portland's Elites
Since 1981!

Photo of Don DuPay
by Theresa Griffin Kennedy

Navigation:

FrontPage / Activism /
BlogPortal / Calendar /
Ongoing Calendar Events
Donate / Flyer/
Pictures on Picasso:
picasaweb.google.com/
theportlandalliance
/
PDX Music /
Poster / Subscribe /
Place Ad / Ad Rates /
Online Ads /
Advertising /
Twitter / News! /
Previous Issues /
Blog/ Myspace /
Facebook1 / Facebook2
Waterfront Blues Fest
Alliance on YouTube:

youtube.com/theportlandalliance

Features:
Joe Anybody!
Active Community /
A Few Words /
Arts & Culture /
Book Reviews! /
Breaking News /
Cartoons / Steve Amy /
Too Much Coffee Man /
Community Calendar /
Cover The Real News! /

Fifth Monday LaborRadio!
Jobs / Labor History /
Letters / Music /
NewsBytes /
Poetry/
Mike Hastie Poetics

Progressive Directory /
Secret Society /
Viewpoints & Commentary

Columns:
William Beeman /
Ellen Brown /
Shamus Cooke /
Tom Engelhardt /
Kucinich /
Michael Munk /
Myers / William Reed /
Mark Schwebke /
Norman Solomon /
Vorpahl /
Lawrence S. Wittner


Partners: ACLU
AFD / AFL-CIO
Alliance for Democracy
AMA / Backspace
B-MediaCollective Bread&Roses /
CIO / CAUSA/
CLG / Code Pink
Common Dreams /
CWA / DIA /
Democracy Now /
First Unitarian Church
FSP /ISO /
Jobs w\ Justice /
KBOO /Labor Radio /
LGBTQ / MRG / Milagro /
Mobile T's Cover the News
Mosaic / Move-On /
NWLaborPress
Occupy /OEA /
Occupy PDX /
Oregon Peace & Justice /
Peace House
Peace worker /
PCASC / PPRC /
Right 2 Dream Too /
Sisters of The Road
Street Roots / Skanner /
SocialistWorker.org /
The Nation / TruthOut /
The 99%
Urban League /
VFP / Voz
We Are Oregon

Whitefeather
Witness for Peace /

Topics: A-F
Arts & Culture /
AIPAC / Beatles /
Books /
Bradley Manning /
Cartoons /
Civil Rights / Coal /
Death Penalty / Drones /
Economic Justice /
Education /
Election 2012 /
Fascism /
Fair Trade / F-29 /
Environment /
Film / Fluoridation
Foreclosure /
Topics: G-R
Health Care / Homeless / Iraq
J-Street / Jill Stein /
Justice Party / Middle East /
Music /
Occupy Blog / Peace /
Persian / Police /
Post Office / Quotes
Topics: S-Z
STRIKE! / Theatre /
The Pongo Fund /
Torture / TPP /
Tri-Met / Union /
Unionresource / VDay /
Viewpoints
Visual Arts
Voices in Action
War & Peace /
Women / Writing /
WritingResource
Yell

Corporate Accountability Portal
http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/corporateaccountability

Hear Jeff Clements in Portland on Friday, Oct 10th, 7 PM at the First Unitarian Church, SW 12th and Salmon. Doors open at 6:30PM. https://www.facebook.com/events/1537289076489376/

American corporate law is broken, ruining our democracy -- and worse than you thought, a leading author tells Salon
salon.com



 
http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/corporateaccountability   
Commentary by  Nancy Weaver:

        Attempting to get an amendment passed in this political chaos is nearly impossible. This is true. But when the Supreme Court in its mischief makes a grotesquely destructive law like making money the same as free 
speech, we are under the thumb of the moneyed class more than ever in U. S. elections.
       Money talks loud but money should be disclosed and restricted in politics. Money should not have "free speech." That's for warm-blooded men and women.
Citizens United isn't just a "stupid" idea, it's huge. It is beyond belief, almost, that an American court would make such an outrageous decision. 
       Our avenues to address the problem and make changes are limited to Congress making new law or going the amendment route. Both paths look dim because of GOP obstruction. But by attempting the amendment process we are getting people involved and we are educating the dumbed-down American citizenry. That's one goal.
       When the people get fed up enough, when they "get" it, Americans may demand action and a change to Citizens United. None of this is wasted effort. Because we do not have to win it all to win some: Awareness. Education. We know better next time, etc....

       The most recent amendment that passed quickly was allowing 18 year-olds to vote. That was a no-brainer because we were sending 18 year-olds to war to die. The least we could do was to allow them to vote for the politicians who would make war or peace decisions.
       We could not get the ERA amendment passed for women's equality. Very strong push-back from the right wing and the religious right including the brilliant Phyllis Schafley. An affluent women, she enjoyed telling women to stay home and take care of their husbands and children while she marched across the globe dining out. Crazy is US.
       Senator Bernie Sanders supports the amendment to get money out of politics. I endorse the effort. The effort itself provides an education. Americans are learning about the Supreme Court and how law is made. At least somewhat. 
The level of awareness is new and growing.
       This is not a wasted effort.


Nancy WeaverNancy Weaver
...is a m
other and grandmother with a degree in Sociology from West Virginia State University. She is retired from employment with Portland State
University, Department of Philosophy.

 





The Fiscal Cliff and Austerity are Nonsense

It is time our corporate partners step up to the plate!


http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/corporateaccountability

 

16 Giant Corporations That Have Basically Stopped Paying Taxes --
While Also Cutting Jobs!

It's a golden age for corporate profits. So why don't our biggest corporations pay more taxes?

The brackets are set for the big dance — the dance around tax responsibility. Most of the teams are in the bottom bracket. In this league, the lowest score wins.

Outside the stadium our nation's kids and seniors and low-income mothers may be dealing with food and housing cuts, but on the corporate playing floor new low-tax records are being set again this year. Just as this is a golden age for sports, this is also, as noted by the New York Times, "a golden age for corporate profits."

Corporations have simply stopped paying their taxes, perhaps using the 2008 recession as an excuse to plead hardship, but then never restoring their tax obligations when business got better. The facts are indisputable. For over 20 years, from 1987 to 2008, corporations paid an average of 22.5% in federal taxes. Since the recession, this has dropped to 10% -- even though their profits have doubled in less than ten years.

Pay Up Now just completed a compilation of corporate tax payments over the past five years, using SEC data as reported by the companies themselves. The firms chosen are top-earners who have filed 10-K reports through 2012. Their US Tax figures represent the five-year total of "current" payments.

The 64 corporate teams paid just over 8% in taxes over the five-year period.

The Slink Sixteen

General Electric: The worst tax record over five years, with $81 billion in profits and a $3 billion refund.

Boeing: In addition to receiving a refund despite $21.5 billion in profits, the company ranked high in job cutting, underfunded pensions, andcontractor misconduct.

Exxon Mobil: Made by far the largest profits in the group, but paid less than 1% in U.S. taxes, and yet received oil subsidies along with their tax breaks. Unabashedly reports a 2012 "theoretical tax" of over $27 billion, almost 90% of its total income tax expense. The company was also near the top in contractor misconduct.

Verizon: Second worst tax record, with a refund despite $48 billion in profits.

Kraft Foods: Received a refund from the public despite $13.5 billion in profits. Also a leading job-cutter.

Citigroup: One of the five big banks who are estimated to get a bailout/refund from the American public amounting to three cents from every tax dollar.

Dow Chemical: Received a refund despite almost $10 billion in profits.

IBM: Paid less than 3% in taxes while ranking as one of the leading job cutters, and near the top in contractor misconduct.

Chevron: In addition to a meager 4.3% tax rate and a share of oil subsidies, the company has been the main beneficiary of tax-exempt government bonds.

FedEx: The company paid less than 5% in federal taxes while relying on the publicly-funded Post Office to deliver thirty percent of its ground packages.

Honeywell: Less than 6% in taxes, a leading job cutter, near the top in instances of contractor misconduct, and run by the "Fix the Debt" CEO with the largest pension fund.

An 8% tax rate, a leader in job cuts and underfunded pensions, and in the top 20 of contractor misconduct instances.

Notable for an 8.4% tax rate, job cuts, offshore holdings, and the top U.S. spot on the contractor misconduct dollar list.

Apple: Where to begin? Avoiding federal taxes, avoiding state taxes, hiding overseas earnings, engaging in intellectual property schemes, using the "Double Irish" to transfer profits from Europe to Bermuda, and underpaying its store workers despite conducting most of itsproduct and research development in the United States.

Pfizer: One of the leaders in stockpiling untaxed profits overseas, and right behind Merck in contractor misconduct dollars.

Google: A master at the "Double Irish" revenue shift to Bermuda tax havens, while using tax loopholes to bring a lot of the money back to the U.S. without paying taxes on it. Recognized as one of the world's biggest tax avoiders.

Microsoft: Named as one of the biggest offshore hoarders while using tax strategies to bring much of their untaxed money back to the U.S., where it also avoids state taxes.

...

All these companies, after using our infrastructure and technology and research facilities and higher education and national defense to build incomparably successful businesses, are now doing everything in their power to avoid paying anything back, while instead using a carefully manipulated set of "legal" business writeoffs and exemptions and loopholes to cut their tax bills to almost nothing. And all the while they rant about the unfairness of the U.S. tax code.

The real madness is that human beings are suffering because of the tax games corporations play.

Paul Buchheit teaches economic inequality at DePaul University. He is the founder and developer of the Web sites UsAgainstGreed.org, PayUpNow.org and RappingHistory.org, and the editor and main author of "American Wars: Illusions and Realities" (Clarity Press). He can be reached at paul@UsAgainstGreed.org.


"People have only as much liberty
as they have the intelligence to want
and the courage to take.”
Emma Goldman


The right to rebellion is the right to seek a higher rule...
~George Elliot

Speaking Truth to Power Since 1981!
Support Alternative Media!

And Checkout The Alliance Community Action Calendar

ThePortlandAlliance.org/communitycalendar


ThePortlandAlliance.org/99PercentMovement

http://www.theportlandalliance.org/breakingnews

BREAKING NEWS AT THE ALLIANCE:
SYSTEM GRAVELY BROKEN:
RESPONSES TO CHASSE DISCIPLINE REVERSAL

The two officers who had been disciplined in the brutal beating death of James Chasse, Jr. were ordered to have their records expunged and back payments made for the 80 hours each was suspended.
As long as we continue without police accountability in Portland,
avoidable killings of innocent people will continue.
http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/policeaccountability

For all we can know

The Universe begins and ends

in each of us,

in the reach of our own hands.

~From Time on Our Hands, by Max Linden Levy

Readings

A Tasty Fruit - voice presentation poetry
The Birth of Light -- voice presentation fiction
Driver -- voice presentation poetry
Charlie's Dad-- voice presentation fiction

AlternativeNewsResource.org/ Behind the Headlines... Oregon News Links


TPA Community Meetings: theportlandalliance.org/communitymeetings
Shannon Wheeler's Too Much Coffee Man Portal at The Portland AllianceToo Much Coffee Man

 

No More Cuts!
 


Arts & Culture
Visual Arts, Music,
Theatre,
Cartoons, Movies,
Books, Writing


Community Calendar

Local actions, events, rallies, etc.


Eyes Wide Shut!

by Yugen Fardan Rashad



King:

I Have ea Dream. Obama:
I Have a Drone

By Norman Solomon

Munk's Musings

Picture of Michael Munk Tribune Photo L. E. Baskow

This is class war, and we are under attack.

What do we do?

Stand up and Fight back!
Stay Connected: Join the Alliance Mailing List!

NW Alliance for Alt. Media & Education

(NAAME) dba The Portland Alliance:

Questions, comments, or suggestions: editor@theportlandalliance.org

We Speak Truth to Power for the 99%

http://wordsmithcollection.blogspot.com/


Follow @ThePDXAlliance Contact us: Click Here!

Navigation: FrontPage / Activism / Interactive Calendar / Donate / Flyer / YouTube / Poster / Subscribe / Place Ad /
Ad Rates / Online Ads / Advertising / Twitter / News! / Previous Issues / Blog/ Myspace / Facebook1 / Facebook2
Features: Active Community / A Few Words /Arts & Culture / Breaking News / Jobs / / Labor History / Music /NewsBytes / Progressive Directory / Cartoons / Community Calendar /Letters / Poetry / Viewpoints & Commentary
Columns: William Beeman, Ellen Brown, Engelhardt / Dennis Kucinich / Michael Munk / Myers /
William Reed / Mark Schwebke / Norman Solomon / Vorpahl / Wittner
Partners: AFD / AMA /
B-MediaCollective / Bread&Roses / CAUSA/ CLG/ Common Dreams / CWA / DIA / FSP /ISO / Jobs w\ Justice / KBOO / Labor Radio / LGBTQ /MRG / Milagro / Mosaic / Move-On / NWLaborPress / Occupy / OEA / Occupy PDX / Peace House / The 99% / Peace worker / PCASC / PPRC / Right 2 Dream Too /
Street Roots / Skanner / The Nation / TruthOut / Urban League / VFP / Voz /
Topics: A-F AIPAC / Civil Rights / Coal / Death Penalty / Education / Election 2012 / Fair Trade / F-29 / Environment / Foreclosure /
Topics: G-R Health / Homeless / J-Street / Middle East / Occupy Blog / Peace / Persian / Police / Post Office/ Quotes
Topics
: S-Z STRIKE! / Tri-Met / Union / VDay / War & Peace / Women / Waterfront Blues Festival /
Writing / WritingResource
Coming Soon: Service Directory / Editing / Flyers / Ground View / Flying Focus / Literacy / Rashad


The Portland Alliance: P.O. Box 14162 / Portland, OR 97293-0162 Phone: (Cell) (503)-697-1670
Production office: To be determined (Archives in Beaverton, Oregon )
Questions, comments, suggestions: editor@theportlandalliance.org or ThePortlandAlliance@gmail.com
© 1981-2023 NAAME NW Alliance for Alternative Media & Education, dba The Portland Alliance:
All Rights Reserved. A 501C3 Oregon Non-profit Corporation for Public Benefit

Support local media:
B-MediaCollective / The Portland Alliance / Cover The Real News! /Joe Anybody
The Asian Reporter | Kboo | Oregon Peaceworker | Portland.Indymedia.org | The Skanner