Great article on corporate crime and Benton Harbor
Pinkney Interview
BENTON HARBOR: THE STOLEN TOWN
by Kathy Nathan
As consumers of main stream media “news” and accounts on events in our world and communities, we often see and read reassuring reports about the apprehension of dangerous criminals who commit bank robberies and convenience store heists with the aid of fire arms or threats. It makes us all feel safer to know the criminal has been detained and will probably be brought to justice. Sadly, there are much more ruthless and destructive criminals abroad which the media prefers to ignore as they sack and ruin the once vibrant state of Michigan. But equally sadly the MSM media remains disturbingly blank about these events. Specifically I am talking about the heist which has been taking place in the beseiged lake front community of Benton Harbor over a number of years.
In this case, the robbers and criminals do not wear masks or work under the cover of darkness. Their plundering and dismemberment of the once-thriving working and middleclass community in Benton Harbor is openly performed in broad daylight. Those who are committing this open heist claim to be “public servants,” legitimate business interests, and “protectors” of the environment. Their only cover is the indifference of the media and the ignorance of the rest of us. As a reader of the bhbanco.org blog, I have been following these events over the years with increasing consternation. How can this be happening now in the “era of racial equality” in a country “by and for the people?”
In a recent phone conversation, Reverend Edward Pinkney took some of his valuable time as one of the only active voices standing up for the people against the oppression happening in Benton Harbor to fill me in on some of the details. Even though I have been somewhat aware of this situation for some time, the facts and figures he quoted tell a story that is beyond appalling and which make the petty bank robberies and break-ins that our media is always highlighting seem like mere little kids stuff. When we can begin to grasp the truth behind these numbers we see who the real criminals and sociopaths are. The figures he quoted check out with the US 2010 census report.
Pinkney explained to me how the heist taking place isn’t just on paper. The city of Benton Harbor’s elected mayor, Wilce Cooke, has literally been removed from his offices. He is “allowed” to use a community owned space with telephones which he shares with the other disenfranchised elected officials. All the real work of governing the town is now performed by Joseph Harris who has the title of Emergency Financial Manager. He has been given tax supported office space and is answerable to Gov. Rick Snyder. Thus the citizens of Benton Harbor have been effectively deprived of the right to electing their own government officials. They no longer have a voice and their “vote” is a meaningless gesture to elect a token official who does not even have a real address.
Pinkney believes that the power grab has occurred to consolidate the victory of corporate interests over an oppressed and racially targeted community. Indeed, the facts do validate his claims. As Pinkney reports, the population is 94% black and 90% below the poverty level. Unemployment is anyone’s guess from 60% to 80%.
While asking for and obtaining huge tax breaks as “incentives” for business, Whirlpool Corp. then proceeded to outsource and move all its manufacturing jobs to Mexico and other similar countries outside the US, thus impoverishing the local workers in Benton Harbor and similar towns in the area who had worked for Whirlpool for decades.
In the meantime, Benton Harbor has been asked to underwrite the Whirlpool Corporation by allowing them reduced fees for operating their offices here. This corporation has taken the offered goods and services and given nothing in return on a state, local, and national level. For example, the US government gave Whirlpool over $500 million dollars in tax breaks and Whirlpool has taken 19.3 million from the state of Michigan Economic Growth Authority. Apparently, judging from the horrific statistics, none of these incentives, benefits or tax supported handouts have trickled down to the people who remain in a dire state.
Now, with the help of US congressman Fred Upton (one of the principle heirs to the Whirlpool fortune), Whirlpool is attempting to grab the remaining park land belonging to the city of Benton Harbor and the homes that border it from the legitimate owners. In the place of the public parks, Whirlpool hopes to construct condos, golf courses and playgrounds for the very wealthy elite who people their offices—all of which will be off limits to those who currently own and use this land.
Because the victims are all poor (by design) and black these blatant robberies and crimes continue seemingly invisible to our media--and the rest of us as well. I agree with Reverend Pinkney. It is time to end the era of the corporate robber barons personified by Whirlpool and its minion Fred Upton. We need a federal grand jury investigation into their theft and dismemberment of an entire town and their use of public funds and resources to further personal wealth. It is the ugliest of heists and those participating should feel the force of the laws which protect us.
But how can this be accomplished? Pinkney has the following observations on that point:
“We the people must change the system; it is broken. The time is now. In the end, we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand ….”
“Our pathway must be through the soil up...through swamps, forests, streams and rocks...up through commerce, education, and religion. We cannot begin at the top to build a house...if we try to do this we shall reap folly as our reward. We must start at the grassroots. The time is now.“
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
EFM Joseph Harris and some commissioners:
90% of Benton Harbor residents are in favor
of EFM total control [NOT!]
Rev. Pinkney is often asked to speak on
radio programs. Monday morning he was on
in Detroit. It was reported that
Benton Harbor EFM Joseph Harris and
several BH city commissioners stated or
agreed that 90% of BH residents are in favor
of EFM Harris's one-man control of their town.
With close to 90% of BH residents
in poverty, we doubt their
generalization.
It has been said that poverty is a full-time job.
Anxiety about where meals and housing will
come from is all-consuming. Anxiety about
how to find employment and provide for a family
take up 24 hours each day. It's an existence
that no human being should ever have to bear,
but in the US, pulling oneself up by bootstraps
is the revered way of life.
In Berrien County, destroying Benton Harbor
is a major goal of Whirlpool, Rep. Fred Upton,
and the rest of the power players.
People living in poverty rarely have time to
follow news or current events. 90% of BH residents
are not lucky enough to have the leisure time to
acquaint themselves with the sordid politics imposed
on their town by Whirlpool, the St. Joseph rich
folks, or state government.
EFM Joseph Harris actually works for the Whirlpool Corp.
He spent part of at least one morning this week
at Cornerstone Alliance - Whirlpool's real estate arm.
His is an agenda which we will never see reported
in mainstream media. It's not hard to guess...
90% of Benton Harbor residents are in favor
of EFM total control [NOT!]
Rev. Pinkney is often asked to speak on
radio programs. Monday morning he was on
in Detroit. It was reported that
Benton Harbor EFM Joseph Harris and
several BH city commissioners stated or
agreed that 90% of BH residents are in favor
of EFM Harris's one-man control of their town.
With close to 90% of BH residents
in poverty, we doubt their
generalization.
It has been said that poverty is a full-time job.
Anxiety about where meals and housing will
come from is all-consuming. Anxiety about
how to find employment and provide for a family
take up 24 hours each day. It's an existence
that no human being should ever have to bear,
but in the US, pulling oneself up by bootstraps
is the revered way of life.
In Berrien County, destroying Benton Harbor
is a major goal of Whirlpool, Rep. Fred Upton,
and the rest of the power players.
People living in poverty rarely have time to
follow news or current events. 90% of BH residents
are not lucky enough to have the leisure time to
acquaint themselves with the sordid politics imposed
on their town by Whirlpool, the St. Joseph rich
folks, or state government.
EFM Joseph Harris actually works for the Whirlpool Corp.
He spent part of at least one morning this week
at Cornerstone Alliance - Whirlpool's real estate arm.
His is an agenda which we will never see reported
in mainstream media. It's not hard to guess...
Monday, May 16, 2011
Comment by Paula, a St. Joe resident, from a
Friday, October 08, 2010 post:
"It is very evident that political neglect, oppression, racism and discrimination are alive, well and thriving in St. Joseph/Berrien County"
http://bhbanco.blogspot.com/2010/10/it-is-very-evident-that-political.html
The comment: "My respect and sympathies to Mr. Peeks family. I am so sorry this happened. For the record I am a white St. Joseph resident who believes fully
that the sentencing for Paige Karsten would have had a very different outcome if the situation had been reversed. I am abhorred at this conviction and believe it is very unfair to Mr. Peek's family. I do believe if Mr. Peek had been drinking and driving a vehicle and ran into the back of Karsten's vehicle killing her, all hell would be breaking loose in St. Joe. I am sick of this double standard and it does make St. Joseph, residents look racist. (which we are not all that way.)
I would have liked to have seen this woman get more time, the Mi laws are for 15 yrs. for OWI and causing a death. I believe people who drink and drive should get the maximum penalty, and I don't care if there is a baby at home, whether she is a blond or not or if her parents live in an affluent neighborhood or not. Again my sympathies to you and your family may the Lord help you heal. God Bless."
Friday, October 08, 2010 post:
"It is very evident that political neglect, oppression, racism and discrimination are alive, well and thriving in St. Joseph/Berrien County"
http://bhbanco.blogspot.com/2010/10/it-is-very-evident-that-political.html
The comment: "My respect and sympathies to Mr. Peeks family. I am so sorry this happened. For the record I am a white St. Joseph resident who believes fully
that the sentencing for Paige Karsten would have had a very different outcome if the situation had been reversed. I am abhorred at this conviction and believe it is very unfair to Mr. Peek's family. I do believe if Mr. Peek had been drinking and driving a vehicle and ran into the back of Karsten's vehicle killing her, all hell would be breaking loose in St. Joe. I am sick of this double standard and it does make St. Joseph, residents look racist. (which we are not all that way.)
I would have liked to have seen this woman get more time, the Mi laws are for 15 yrs. for OWI and causing a death. I believe people who drink and drive should get the maximum penalty, and I don't care if there is a baby at home, whether she is a blond or not or if her parents live in an affluent neighborhood or not. Again my sympathies to you and your family may the Lord help you heal. God Bless."
Saturday, May 14, 2011
When reading the following brief report on Whirlpool activities keep in mind:
--Rep. Fred Upton, heir to Whirlpool, was a sponsor of NAFTA.
--Upton is one of the wealthiest reps. in congress and therefore has a lot of power (to influence the 5 to 0 vote reported in this article.)
--Antitrust law was out the window while Whirlpool gobbled 72% of the domestic market through product and brand acquisition. Now they're demanding protection FROM the law via tariffs on foreign manufacturers to protect domestic jobs? The majority of which they continue to EXPORT?
--The motivation here is to tax these two companies so prices of their products are driven up in the US - Whirlpool products will have less competition as a result.
--Of course, Whirlpool can still sell appliances world-wide without tariffs (taxes).
US rules imports harm Whirlpool’s business
Bloomberg News / May 14, 2011
WASHINGTON — Whirlpool Corp., the world’s largest appliance maker, is being harmed by low-cost refrigerators from Mexico and South Korea, a US trade panel ruled, paving the way for tariffs on those imports.
The US International Trade Commission voted 5 to 0 in Washington yesterday in a preliminary ruling on the petition by Whirlpool to get antidumping and countervailing duties imposed on so-called bottom-mount refrigerators made by Samsung Electronics Co. or LG Electronics Inc. in the two nations.
LG said it will “aggressively contest’’ the decision.
The decision is the first of four the US company must win before tariffs of as much as 183 percent are imposed.
A spokeswoman for Samsung didn’t respond to an e-mail seeking a response.
“This unanimous decision by the ITC validates the action we’ve taken to protect our 23,000 US employees and the communities in which they work,’’ Jill Saletta, a spokeswoman for Whirlpool, said in a statement.
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2011/05/14/us_rules_imports_harm_whirlpools_business/
--Rep. Fred Upton, heir to Whirlpool, was a sponsor of NAFTA.
--Upton is one of the wealthiest reps. in congress and therefore has a lot of power (to influence the 5 to 0 vote reported in this article.)
--Antitrust law was out the window while Whirlpool gobbled 72% of the domestic market through product and brand acquisition. Now they're demanding protection FROM the law via tariffs on foreign manufacturers to protect domestic jobs? The majority of which they continue to EXPORT?
--The motivation here is to tax these two companies so prices of their products are driven up in the US - Whirlpool products will have less competition as a result.
--Of course, Whirlpool can still sell appliances world-wide without tariffs (taxes).
US rules imports harm Whirlpool’s business
Bloomberg News / May 14, 2011
WASHINGTON — Whirlpool Corp., the world’s largest appliance maker, is being harmed by low-cost refrigerators from Mexico and South Korea, a US trade panel ruled, paving the way for tariffs on those imports.
The US International Trade Commission voted 5 to 0 in Washington yesterday in a preliminary ruling on the petition by Whirlpool to get antidumping and countervailing duties imposed on so-called bottom-mount refrigerators made by Samsung Electronics Co. or LG Electronics Inc. in the two nations.
LG said it will “aggressively contest’’ the decision.
The decision is the first of four the US company must win before tariffs of as much as 183 percent are imposed.
A spokeswoman for Samsung didn’t respond to an e-mail seeking a response.
“This unanimous decision by the ITC validates the action we’ve taken to protect our 23,000 US employees and the communities in which they work,’’ Jill Saletta, a spokeswoman for Whirlpool, said in a statement.
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2011/05/14/us_rules_imports_harm_whirlpools_business/
Friday, May 13, 2011
California Teachers Protest Cuts, Gov. Snyder Heckled at Parade Allison Kilkenny, May 9, 2011
--Good article from The Nation, except for the fact that one important word is missing: Whirlpool
...In Michigan, protesters greeted Gov. Rick Snyder during Benton Harbor’s annual parade. The governor has become the center of much controversy lately due to his statewide budget that includes deep cuts in education, while providing billions in tax breaks for businesses, and his proto-fascist use of appointed “emergency manages” to reject, modify, or terminate the terms of any existing contracts or collective bargaining agreements and dissolve local governing bodies of schools and cities.
Activists chanted “Recall Rick” as the governor passed.
Some of the protesters, who were led by the AFL-CIA, came from as far away as Kentucky.
"People are waking up," said Betsy Coffia, who traveled from Traverse City, Mich. to protest the parade. "Michigan didn't have a Wisconsin, things just sneaked in behind us. We're starting to realize that unless we the people start getting engaged, and make our voices heard, we're going to lose what we thought we had."
Michigan Rep. Al Pscholka was also scheduled to appear in the parade, but declined to participate after he heard about the scheduled protest.
Pscholka said he was “deeply disappointed and angered” about the news of the protests, and while the protesters have a right to exercise their First Amendment liberties at the parade, “that doesn’t make it appropriate.”
There may be some sore feelings on the part of Pscholka due to the fact that his own constituents are trying to force him out of office via recall for a variety of offenses, including his role as the author of the Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) legislation.
Conveniently, the new EFM rules could abet Pscholka’s finances.
In addition to being the state Representative from the area that includes Benton Harbor, Pscholka is a former aide to Congressman Fred Upton, a man who has deep ties into shoreline development efforts all along Lake Michigan including in Benton Harbor…
Pscholka himself was the president of the Board of Directors of the Cornerstone Alliance in 2008, the group that developed the Harbor Shores golf course and luxury residential development that snagged some of Benton Harbor's public park for its own use. This is a fact he conveniently left off his campaign site's About page when he ran for Congressman.
The first use of the new EFM law to take over a city's government was right in Benton Harbor, the area that Rep. Pscholka represents and where he has deep financial interests. And the first thing EFM Joseph Harris did after dismissing the City Council was to rejigger the Planning Commission and Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the two groups who make crucial decisions regarding shoreline development in Benton Harbor. Harris replaced some of their members with new members selected by him.
With that blatant conflict of interest in mind, it’s no surprise residents of Benton Harbor want to recall Pscholka. Here is a representative using, and in some cases changing, the laws to benefit his financial self-interest.
http://www.thenation.com/node/160516
--Good article from The Nation, except for the fact that one important word is missing: Whirlpool
...In Michigan, protesters greeted Gov. Rick Snyder during Benton Harbor’s annual parade. The governor has become the center of much controversy lately due to his statewide budget that includes deep cuts in education, while providing billions in tax breaks for businesses, and his proto-fascist use of appointed “emergency manages” to reject, modify, or terminate the terms of any existing contracts or collective bargaining agreements and dissolve local governing bodies of schools and cities.
Activists chanted “Recall Rick” as the governor passed.
Some of the protesters, who were led by the AFL-CIA, came from as far away as Kentucky.
"People are waking up," said Betsy Coffia, who traveled from Traverse City, Mich. to protest the parade. "Michigan didn't have a Wisconsin, things just sneaked in behind us. We're starting to realize that unless we the people start getting engaged, and make our voices heard, we're going to lose what we thought we had."
Michigan Rep. Al Pscholka was also scheduled to appear in the parade, but declined to participate after he heard about the scheduled protest.
Pscholka said he was “deeply disappointed and angered” about the news of the protests, and while the protesters have a right to exercise their First Amendment liberties at the parade, “that doesn’t make it appropriate.”
There may be some sore feelings on the part of Pscholka due to the fact that his own constituents are trying to force him out of office via recall for a variety of offenses, including his role as the author of the Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) legislation.
Conveniently, the new EFM rules could abet Pscholka’s finances.
In addition to being the state Representative from the area that includes Benton Harbor, Pscholka is a former aide to Congressman Fred Upton, a man who has deep ties into shoreline development efforts all along Lake Michigan including in Benton Harbor…
Pscholka himself was the president of the Board of Directors of the Cornerstone Alliance in 2008, the group that developed the Harbor Shores golf course and luxury residential development that snagged some of Benton Harbor's public park for its own use. This is a fact he conveniently left off his campaign site's About page when he ran for Congressman.
The first use of the new EFM law to take over a city's government was right in Benton Harbor, the area that Rep. Pscholka represents and where he has deep financial interests. And the first thing EFM Joseph Harris did after dismissing the City Council was to rejigger the Planning Commission and Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the two groups who make crucial decisions regarding shoreline development in Benton Harbor. Harris replaced some of their members with new members selected by him.
With that blatant conflict of interest in mind, it’s no surprise residents of Benton Harbor want to recall Pscholka. Here is a representative using, and in some cases changing, the laws to benefit his financial self-interest.
http://www.thenation.com/node/160516
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