Daily Archives: October 22, 2012

Concerned About Conservatives, UN Affiliate to Monitor U.S. Election

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An international outfit associated with the controversial United Nations, invited in by various American organizations and authorities, is set to deploy election monitors across the United States for the upcoming November 6 presidential vote. The campaign is supposedly aimed in part at keeping tabs on alleged “voter suppression” efforts by conservatives.

While there have been plenty of legitimate questions raised in recent years about the integrity of U.S. elections, the latest news sparked fierce criticism from a broad range of organizations and activists. Opponents blasted the move as everything from a cheap propaganda stunt to a dangerous harbinger of future developments.

Other critics pointed out that the UN and its affiliates have absolutely no jurisdiction on U.S. soil. Besides, outraged activists said, concerns about American elections should be addressed by domestic authorities through constitutional means — not by international organizations, especially discredited groups with dictatorial regimes as members.

Dozens of election observers with a UN-partner group known as the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will be stationed throughout the country, the outfit said in a statement. The monitors come mostly from Europe and Asia. Among the countries represented are Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Russia, Serbia, and others not exactly known for their regimes’ human-rights track records or even honest elections.

The “observer” mission, according to a statement released by the OSCE, is to ensure that U.S. elections comply with “international” standards. “They [will] observe the overall election process, not just the ballot casting,” a spokesperson for the OSCE was quoted as saying by The Hill. “They are focusing on a number of areas on the state level, including the legal system, election administration, the campaign, the campaign financing [and] new voting technologies used in the different states.”

Read more at The New American

They didn’t build that. You did.

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MICHIGAN—Target 8 television in Holland, Michigan is reporting on LG Chem company which created a plant to make Lithium-Ion batteries for the Chevy Volt vehicle. Apparently they even fly their Korean flag over the taxpayer built plant. LG makes phones and batteries for Tracfone which provides “Obama phones.”

Like Solyndra and other “green” projects President Obama demanded in his address to the Congress at the beginning of the year, the failure of the “green” Chevy Volt caused a reduction in the requirement for the 15-million batteries a year this plant was to produce.

Now the workers in this factory play monopoly, Texas Hold ’em and watch movies. Some are working on “government time” at non-profit activities. Workers are not allowed to discuss the problem because of confidentiality agreements.

The factory was given property tax breaks by the State of Michigan if they created 300 jobs. So far they only have 200 and some are quitting because they are tired of having nothing to do. 100 of the workers are paid by the U.S. Government.

The company’s goal: 300 employees pumping out 15 million battery cells a year. Its biggest customer: The Chevrolet Volt.

The U.S. Department of Energy provided a $151 million grant, part of Obama’s Recovery Act.

The Korea-based company recently said it has 200 employees, and the company’s most recent federal filing shows 100 of them are funded through the Recovery Act grant.

The company has spent $133 million so far, most for construction and equipment, records show. About 40% has gone to foreign companies — mostly to Korea, a Target 8 analysis shows.

The company also spent more than $533,000 of that federal grant for the groundbreaking, records show.

A Target 8 analysis of federal records shows taxpayers spent $7 million to train workers and have paid more than $700,000 for workers’ health and dental insurance.

There’s millions of dollars more at stake for LG Chem if it doesn’t keep hiring, or if its job numbers fall. The state approved a $25.2 million job-creation state tax credit over 15 years, and a battery cell state tax credit worth $100 million over 4 years. Both are tied to job creation.

LG Chem has yet to file claims for that money, state officials said.

The City of Holland created a Renewable Energy Renaissance Zone, allowing LG Chem to operate free of property taxes for 15 years — if it reaches 300 employees within 5 years. That’s another $48.5 million. (Target 8)

Volt no jolt: LG Chem employees idle

Read more at Target 8