CONVOY!! 600 Truckers Block FL Turnpike

[sandnsea]

This is looking to be the month when the worm turned. Don't forget to take a minute to push this story with local media too.

“MIAMI -- More than 600 truckers gathered in their big rigs Wednesday to protest the rising gas prices in South Florida, NBC 6's Hank Tester reported.

The trucks, which included tractor-trailers, dump trucks and box trucks, gathered at the intersection of Okeechobee Road and the Florida Turnpike in Miami-Dade County.

Traffic in the area was at a standstill as the trucks started a caravan headed toward Miami City Hall.

The truckers claim that the high cost of gas has made it impossible for them to earn a living.”

PIC & LINK:
http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?view=plink&id=1309

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

1. I've been wondering when this was going to start...

It's gonna get worse before it gets better,

[buff2]

32. EVERYBODY should park their vehicles

and let em sit until they bring down these outrageous gas prices. We are all FOOLS to accept forking out all our money for gas and making those rich assholes richer. Something's got to give,soon.

[babylonsister]

2. This is another story I read about on DU this

afternoon, but not a peep out of any news I've watched tonight. Why isn't this considered news?

[Mr_Spock]

5. It could be the only news soon if it is copy-catted

It could be a big deal soon. Do you think the media is afraid that all hell is about to break loose? ...like they don't want to be blamed?

[sandnsea]

10. Possibly

If this grows on its own, with no media focus, then nobody can blame the "liberal media". I just hope anybody who has the ability to go, goes. Or joins the truckers. Or something.

[babylonsister]

12. Frankly, I don't know what to think about the MSM. And

Mr. Olbermann is proving to be a big disappointment this week. He ticked off his boss when he shared his tumor story with us, so I'm assuming he has creative license to report what he wants. So why isn't he going near this story, or Cindy at Compound W?

[sandnsea]

19. UPDATE, PNW too

Is it time for a national walkout, the Crawford Flu?

UNREST spreads, in the Pacific Northwest:

“More than 50 independent log truckers parked their rigs and refused to work this morning, as a protest over the high price of fuel - and, they say, timber companies' refusal to help defray the costs.
"They're paying us on a scale that hasn't been updated since 1984," said Rick Smith, president of the Twin Harbors Division of the Northwest Log Truckers' Co-operative. "Everybody knows that in 2005, you can't live on what you worked for in 1984…

"We've made these companies millions," Smith said. "It's time to say no. We can't even fill our pickups with gas, much less our log trucks.

LINK ADDED:
http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?view=plink&id=1309

[Norquist Nemesis]

38. The MSM has abandoned the working middle class

in favor of big corporate interests and profit. That's it in a nutshell. The middle class has been pushed aside.

One more thing...I also consider small business owners as part of the middle class/workers. I wish the Democrats would seize the opportunity that exists to bring them in and support our side.

[Pam-Moby]

3. And here dump ass *ush

says thing are just great with the economy.

[Mr_Spock]

4. This is a real issue

These sorts of actions tend to spawn into larger actions. Looks like we may all be paying for this war with sacrifice soon. You can bet they aren't impressed with the energy bill that ass-wipe signed saying "don't expect prices to go down any time soon" - what a fool!

[Imagevision]

68. Truckers strike would be beautiful -> LINK:>

-->http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?view=plink&id=1309

[greenbriar]

6. Rock on brotha rock on

ball of confusion!!

thats what the world is today yea hay





that song was written in the late 60's and still holds strong today

[Hubert Flottz]

7. I'll bet Mr. Snow's wisecrack made the truckers extra happy too!

I love it!

[deminks]

8. I have listened to several truckers on the Mike Malloy show

over the last few months. I have tremendous respect for them. They are having to pay so much out of their own pocket. My heart is with them, as it is with Cindy.

:applause:

[aquart]

9. Angry truckers.

Oh, Georgie, Georgie.

Oh, my.

[Trillo]

11. I turned on the TV news this evening during dinner,

top story was about a kid that fell into a net at a stadium somewhere.

I changed the channel. It seems we don't get real news on TV anymore.

[Jim Sagle]

14. Ever since Haircutgate...

[Just Me]

13. Um,...WOW!!! The "exploited" are rebelling against the profiteers!

:hug:

WE ARE UNITING AGAINST THE PROFITEERING BUSHCO/NEOCON REGIME!!!!

[CrazyForKucinich]

30. Marx would be proud

I sure the hell am! :)

[donheld]

15. More! We need this to be contagious!

:bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce:

[Doo_Revolution]

16. How about turn that into.....

60,000??? And start spreading the fires.....

[demosincebirth]

17. What they should do is caravan and block the entrance

to Bush's Crawford ranch. He is the one that can do something about the oil prices. Today I seem my first $3.oo a gallon gas station in Oakland.

[jbane]

18. "11 long-haired friends of Jesus in a Chartreuse microbus"

"Looks like we got ourselves a CONVOY"
C.W. McCall

[ananda]

20. did you know that..

.. in the UK, gas is going up to £1 a liter..?

.. that's over $6 a gallon.

Sue

[sandnsea]

21. Did you know

that the US is WAY bigger than the UK? Your products are shipped into a port and trucked a short distance. Ours are trucked hundreds of miles. We would have people starving without the trucking industry. It is not the same situation at all.

[Dave Reynolds]

23. Not to mention

that their public transit system is better than ours, giving fewer people reasons to use automobiles so much.

[sandnsea]

24. Modest help to truckers

Even if we had more people using public transit, the cost of fuel to truckers is serious. I don't see how it can do anything but to continue to go up, regardless of personal use. The gas prices in the 70's accompanied the worst inflation we've seen in recent years. Hmmm.

[Tuesday_Morning]

22. Who organized them?

Anybody know?

It'd be nice to let them know we support them.

[Imagevision]

67. It was only a matter of time - Go Bush have your daddy talk to

ragheads and get the price up to 3-$4.00 a gallon - and you assholes expect this country to continue to work? or is the plan to bring this great country to its knee's.

Bush, tale your time, you've got your hands filled in Crawford and that problem kust might follow you back to DC. putz!

[lonestarnot]

25. WOW Damn! Why didn't they just camp out?

[Must_B_Free]

37. WOW is right - this seems like a monster statement to me...

600 is a HUGE NUMBER of truckers!

[lonestarnot]

59. Look at the jam Peter built oh....

[Turn CO Blue]

26. Other story on that link suggests it time for the "Crawford Flu" !!!

same link, farther down:
<http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?view=plink&id=1309>

UNREST spreads, in the Pacific Northwest:

“More than 50 independent log truckers parked their rigs and refused to work this morning, as a protest over the high price of fuel - and, they say, timber companies' refusal to help defray the costs.
"They're paying us on a scale that hasn't been updated since 1984," said Rick Smith, president of the Twin Harbors Division of the Northwest Log Truckers' Co-operative. "Everybody knows that in 2005, you can't live on what you worked for in 1984…

"We've made these companies millions," Smith said. "It's time to say no. We can't even fill our pickups with gas, much less our log trucks."

Is it time for a national walk-out, perhaps The Crawford Flu?

(emphasis mine)

-----------------------
Yeah -- what if everyone should come down with "The Crawford Flu" some day next week!?!

[bobbieinok]

27. campaign 2000--republicans were constantly bemoaning gas prices

and blaming Clinton/Gore

this was a constant refrain from DJs on late nite national shows for truckers (one show was on the old and good KVOO 1170am in Tulsa)

message was Republicans stick up for the little guy the truckers

weren't there even some congressional hearings on gas prices in the republican dominated congress????? all with the message that it was the evil democrats'fault

message then was vote republican for lower gas prices.....now I don't think it's ever mentioned by congressional republicans

[sandnsea]

29. A 300 truck convoy to D.C.

Yep, you're right. I think Republicans were willing to accept hardship last year "for the war effort", but it's starting to look like they've had enough.

[napi21]

28. I agree with them, but why Fla?

IS this just a group of truckers who only travel Fla? This has been a National paroblem for everyone in the transportation business for a year or more. Are we going to see this happening in every state?

I'd almost like to see all truckers, airline pilots, and cab drivers just stop going to work! Talk about bringing tie gas industry to it's knees!!!!!

[sandnsea]

31. See UPDATE post

50 truckers walked off the job in the PNW today too. So I don't know if this is coordinated or not. We'll have to see if this takes root across the country or what.

[Imagevision]

69. It's convenient, Jeb can relay current truck probs to Bro

[Freedomfried]

33. GOOD START, NOW HOW ABOUT A GENERAL STRIKE?

Or is that too much of an inconvenience for such "free" and "brave" Americans.


Maybe we should log off the computers and start doing some civil disobedience.

[sandnsea]

35. Crawford Flu

I called for it, at the end of the blog post.

[Mr_Spock]

34. Anybody seen my CB radio?

:rofl:

[evil eggplant]

36. Don't blame me...

I voted for Kerry...

I wonder how many of those guys with the rebel flag mudflaps voted for the chimp?

[Rainscents]

39. This COVOY is the beginning of HUGE protest is going to happen

to this country... I remember in 70's, these truck CONVOY started out with few and in within two weeks... whole country major highway was SHUT down for few weeks!!! Oh boy, do I remember this so well!

BTW: This will be HUGE just in few days!!! TRUCKERS don't mess around!!!:bounce:

[Must_B_Free]

40. If Bush has lost truckers, he's lost America!

this is even bigger than the Cindy Sheehan event.

[Rainscents]

43. I agree!!! Trucker's knows how to have people turn against their

government!!!

[Imagevision]

70. Go Truckers we support you too, dive the rigs up to DC. when

Bush returns from his vacation > maybe Bush will have a mental breakdown

[Synnical]

41. Ah, the local papers didn't even cover this!

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[DanCa]

42. Convoy woo hoo

I love it.

[eridani]

44. Protesting isn't going to have much effect on Peak Oil

People disagree about exactly when, but we will see it in our lifetimes, and hopefully not witness a massive population dieoff.

[eridani]

45. Protesting isn't going to have much effect on Peak Oil

People disagree about exactly when, but we will see it in our lifetimes, and hopefully not witness a massive population dieoff.

[Pooka Fey]

46. Now I've got that lame-ass disco-era song "CONVOY" stuck in my head.

Lookin' like a CON-voy...:puke:

[sandnsea]

47. sorry

There's another protest story in the link, 50 truckers in Washington State walked off the job. Take This Job and Shove It...

Is that better? :P

[loftycity]

48. Truckers and the Longshoremen could lock up the country..

This is the best action the people can take..I have so much respect for Truckers and the all the people that make this country really move economically. They are brave!!
The Crawford Flu idea is perfect.

[rman]

49. other GD thread on same subject:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4306289

[converted_democrat]

50. Damn....n/t

[rodeodance]

51. GRAND

[sldavis]

52. gas prices are a hot topic here in Detroit, too

Detroit, besides being the home of a bunch of auto companies, is really a commuting city. Most of our workers (including myself) live a good 20-40 minute drive away, and the price of gas is starting to keep people from getting to their jobs. I think there are a number of cities around the country where a protest or a walkout like this is a real possibility, not just for truckers, but for all of us who have to commute. This morning, one of our local hip-hop/top-40 radio stations was talking about the truckers in Florida. One of the DJs was a fierce defender of the Bush administration during the election, and between the Iraq war and the price of oil, this morning he officially declared himself ashamed for having voted for the republicans in the past.

[myrna minx]

53. Wow-I feel like there is a perfect strom brewing against

the chimp administration. No matter how they try to spin it, we Americans are hurting as a result of their policies. Our fellow citizens are dying in an unjust war. Is this the beginning of the end? I pray that it is. Way to go truckers!!!

[Dorian Gray]

54. Isn't Okeechobee Road

in West Palm Beach? Or is there another one in Miami-Dade?

[Toots]

55. If they are Teamsters then fuck them, they made their bed now they can lay

in it. The Teamsters are the Zell Millers of the Unions.

[ohio_liberal]

56. Breaker 1-9, this here's the Rubber Duck

I have that song stuck in my head now. Thanks ;)

[JHB]

57. Oh, man... Now I have that song playing in my head...

Was the dark of the moon, on the sixth of June
In a Kenworth, pullin' logs
Cabover Pete with a reefer on
And a Jimmy haulin' hogs
We 'as headin' fer bear on I-One-Oh
'Bout a mile outta Shaky-Town
I sez Pig-Pen, this here's the Rubber Duck
An' I'm about to put the hammer on down

Cause we gotta little ol' convoy, rockin' through the night
Yeah we gotta little ol' convoy, ain't she a beautiful sight?
Come on an' join our convoy, ain't nothin' gonna git in our way
We're gonna roll this truckin' convoy, cross the USA
Convoy... Convoy...

(from "Convoy" by C.W. McCall)

[ohio_liberal]

58. Heh

http://members.tripod.com/~Cybertrucker/convoy.mp3

[rniel]

60. Unions

all i read about is the decline of unions and workers organizing togehter. It's really nice to see this kind of thing still going strong in america.

[rniel]

61. I expect to see

George Bush or one of his cronies to start calling them "terrorists" any time now.

[lostinacause]

62. The truckers are wasting their time.

The cause of the high oil prices is largely due to increased demand in China and India. Short of the government (tax payers) subsidizing truck drivers there is little that can be done. Given the current deficit spending more money to appease an individual group is not wise.

If Bush was lucky enough to have a magic wand, I'm sure he would have used it by now. This is hurting his approval rating even though it shouldn't be. This is not to say that the approval rating should be higher but rather that high gas prices are not a fault of policy and when government polls do not represent their performance it tends to lead to worse performance over the long run. This is because there is less of a need for governments to accountable. (Bush has also gotten away with things that should have lowered his approval ratings)

[sandnsea]

63. and the war

and the dollar. If Tom Delay can slip in $1.5 billion for his oil buddies, they can sure do something for the truckers.

[lostinacause]

74. The American dollar was overvalued for quite some time. The revaluation

was inevitable. So far as I know the war is very small factor in gas consumption. While the tax breaks were likely a bad idea given the amount of profits oil companies are making right now, giving money to truckers would result in other people making the same demands. Oil prices affect and the resulting subsidies would result in either shortages (rationing) or over consumption.

[DemonFighterLives]

64. I don't know about China, but dubby is very much to blame

How much is his God forsaken war burning up everyday and how much money have his oil buddies gobbled up. Remember Enron raping Caleeeforneeyah?
I would sooner blame dubby before I start on anyone else. Look at his cheesy friends in Saudi Arabia - they aren't hurting.
Terrible management all the way.

[lostinacause]

76. The additional consumption from the war is probably small in the big

picture. As you have probably heard, China is increasing its share in the oil industry. Their consumption continues to increase as their industry continues to grow. With the increase in demand it is natural that the price goes up and so do profits. The profits that oil companies are making are largely because prices are exceeding expectations.

I don't see how either Enron or the relationship with Saudi Arabia has affected the oil prices.

Given that you believe that there are things that could be done to keep the prices lower, what would you do differently? Keep in mind that the prices may continue to increase.

[DemonFighterLives]

78. Chase the oil men murderers out.

And yes the war ships, planes and etc do consume a hell of a lot of fuel at taxpayers expense.

[lostinacause]

79. The fuel that these planes consume is the small part of both overall

consumption and military expenses. When compared with the average American consumption this consumption is not that significant especially given the time it will last.

[Imagevision]

66. Get a clue! truckers need only to unite & stick together

this was only a matter of time! what was Bush crowd thinking - so they want to bring this country to its knee's? even they need goods!

[lostinacause]

77. What do you expect to come of them sticking together?

What solution, besides improving public transportation, would you suggest be done to solve this problem?

BTW: When you insult me at least have the decency to show a flaw in my argument. It would, of course, be that you didn't insult me at all.

[Lone_Wolf]

65. They should convoy on Washington, D.C.

If the truckers closed the highways to D.C. down they'd get quicker results.

[Imagevision]

71. Excellant news! - bad for Bushco! hey! it's hard work?

this puyz hasn't seen anything yet, piss the american people off, go ahead, I dare you George!

[cthrumatrix]

72. it's Clinton's fault .... Pat Buchanan said so...

[Carni]

73. I'm sorry but I've gotta say it...and who did they vote for?

Now maybe I am wrong so if there are a bunch of angry truckers here at DU then no offense and don't bite my head off because I will readily admit my error.

But before the bush reign I seem to remember fighting on political posting boards (not this one I mean general boards about the impeachment) against right winged truckers and RW loud mouthed wives of truckers about what a scumbag Clinton and the Dems supposedly were.

bush was going to "clean all this up" and restore dignity and honor to the whitehouse (according to them)

With that said I have to wonder why they are having buyers remorse isn't this what you are supposed to get when you vote for a couple of sleazy oil company candidates with a rap sheet of offenses against humanity about three miles long?

[TrueAmerican]

75. These truckers better becareful

There are thousands of Mexican truck drivers willing to take their place and work for less.