This doesn’t have anything to do with what Christian said. I think you are confusing Marx’s opinions about revolutionary tactics (in the mid-19th century US…) with his normative views of capitalism and its legal superstructure.

Let’s just say I already hit a Godwin chalk line in 18.

http://thenewshole.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/12/12/1713569.aspx

Henry, I also was impressed by Gutierrez’s performance in the video. I thought he did a really good job of explaining the almost-wonkish point that the workers, through their then-unpaid labor, had a valid interest in the remaining inventory.

Which is why Obama’s timely support was so important. Our national discourse has become so poisoned over the past few years; we need actions like this to reframe the debate. And how about appointing Luis Gutierrez to replace Obama?

Okay, I’ll bite. Lord Voldemort?

It wasn’t lip service after the fact. Obama’s statement was on the 7th, and the action ended on the 10th. I can’t say how significant his statement was for the negotiations, but I do think it’s an example of the moral economy Scott’s referring to.

And more generally, you’re contrasting Obama with the workers in a way that just doesn’t make sense. For actions to be successfully, there needs to be grassroots support and a favorable legal and political environment. If Obama fails to provide that, we’ll both have plenty to complain about, but I think it’s fair to hold fire until he’s, you know, actually president.

And the Blagojevich reference is a classy touch, btw. Kind of like a minor-league version of the you-know-who was a vegetarian argument.

bh, of course he did. So did Blago and every other politician desiring union support. So? That kind of lip-service after the fact means nothing. It only reinforces the point that it is up to the people to lead the way where the politicians wouldn’t dare tread on their own. The success here was a result of the militant action taken. Had the workers just written a letter to their representative, they would have gotten nothing.

There’s not going to be a test is there?

Now only if the UAW had taken a similar action 3 or 4 [10 or 12] years ago, en masse, not over pay and benefit, but over quality and progress in solving issues beyond cosmetic model year changes….

And Christian H, it’s worth pointing out that the ‘neo-liberal hack’ about to occupy the White House supported the workers in this case.

Steven, it isn’t the same firm that’s opening in Iowa. That’s a firm called Echo Windows. It seems that the Chicago firm really is bankrupt, which is an excuse, legally speaking. It may all seem empty formalism, and perhaps the shield of limited liability is a bad idea too, but the way to address those issues is straight-ahead, and not ad hoc for the benefit of some particular group of workers (and for the benefit of a particularly unpopular governor who was trying to change the subject even before he was arrested).