Michael Moore has done it again, only this time he's coming out strong against the most pervasive evil in the United States: capitalism. Moore serves to moviegoers a searing critique of capitalism that is well needed during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

On Thursday, Oct. 1, a supportive crowd of 200 progressives and activists came to one of the many locations in Chicago showing Capitalism: A Love Story. The special showings benefited United Electrical Union Local 1110, the same local that carried out the historic Republic Windows and Doors factory occupation this past December.

Capitalism: A Love Story is filled with comedy, satire, and chilling analysis of the economic crisis in the U.S. It highlights the American people's “love affair” with capitalism that ends in heartbreak for believers in the “American Dream”.

The film begins with a searing critique of capitalism, highlighting several U.S. propaganda films praising “free enterprise” and the “profit motive.” Now with the current economic crisis, we know that Wall Street and financial giants such as Bank of America, Lehman Brothers, and Merrill Lynch are filled with greed, corruption, and deceit. Michael Moore skillfully argues that these characteristics are part and parcel of an economic and social system that is clearly bankrupt.

Next Moore exposes the US Federal government's $700 billion bailout fraud last year, which was forced upon the American people by Congress under fear and bribery from the financial elite. Instead of a government that serves the people, Moore argues Capitol Hill is a corrupt collection of wealthy servants to the top U.S. CEOs. Democratic Party officials in particular are blamed for the passage of the bailout that gave billions to the banks and nothing to the people.

The movie, in all its bleak observations, gives incredible hope to the American people. It features the fight back against housing evictions and foreclosures across the country – events mostly clouded over by the corporate media. The film shows stories of personal resistance, such as one family waiting to be forcibly removed by the sheriff from their home in Lexington, NC.

The main feature though is the union workers' occupation of Republic Windows and Doors in Chicago. The occupation is historic in the sense that it is the first factory occupation in the U.S. in decades. Workers are looking back to the tactics used during the Great Depression. The film briefly shows footage of the sit-down strikes at the GM factory in Flint, MI, of the 1930s that gave birth to the United Auto Workers. The recent Republic occupation stands in the same tradition of the working class using militant tactics to struggle for a better livelihood.

At the end, Moore implores the audience to take action, just as the workers at Republic, the families and poor in dozens of homes across the U.S., and protesters outside Wall Street are doing. This call is ringing in the ears of all those attending the special benefit on Oct. 2 in Chicago, as everyone signed up to get involved in union support work.

The big picture in Capitalism: A Love Story is the contradiction between democracy and capitalism. The problem with this view is that there is democracy under capitalism – it is democracy for the capitalists, the bankers, business people, and investors whose money controls the government in a thousand different ways. What we need is democracy for working people and the poor. But this can only come about if the wealth and power of the capitalists is done away with, that is with a socialist economy, which will mean democracy for the people and an end to capitalist economic crisis.

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Charlotte, NC – Chanting, “The banks got bailed out, and the workers got sold out!” and “Bail out the workers and not the banks!” more than 20 people gathered here for a spirited rally in front of the Bank of America corporate headquarters. Called by UE Local 150, the action was in solidarity with the workers of UE 1110 who have occupied the Republic Windows and Doors factory in Chicago. Participants marched together into the office building to deliver a letter to Kenneth Lewis, Bank of America chairman and CEO, demanding that the Bank of America use some of the $25 billion bailout funds to provide credit to save the jobs at the Chicago plant.

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Working people across the country are holding up newspaper photos and declaring, “Did you see this!” Like us, they are rooting for the Chicago workers waging a militant fight-back in the midst of the economic crisis. 260 union members are occupying their factory, owned by the Republic of Windows and Doors on Goose Island in Chicago. The workers were fired last Friday, two weeks before the holidays. Now the workers dare to set an example to millions of others. Instead of going to the unemployment lines with their heads down and pockets empty they are fighting back.

“Bank of America got bailed out! We got sold out!”

Working people are proud of the members of United Electrical workers Local 1110 for refusing to be put out on the streets with nothing. In solidarity with millions of other low income and unemployed workers, the Republic workers are saying “We're not going to take it anymore! We demand justice!” The workers are demanding payment of the $1 million owed them by the bosses while the factory sits with tens of millions of dollars of products and machinery. The main target of the workers' wrath however, is the big shots at Bank of America. We call upon unions and militants everywhere to protest your local branch of Bank of America! Bank of America managers are swimming in $25 billion of the American taxpayers' bailout but cannot bring it upon themselves to make a loan to keep the factory doors open. Main Street pays for Wall Street, while Wall Street decides for Main Street. The system is upside down. We say, “Make the rich pay!” The workers at Republic Window’s need their jobs back.

A history of class struggle and unity

The Republic workers are not new to the class struggle. Many have been on the job for 12 or more years – one for 34 years! Many are Mexican and Latino immigrants who came to escape poverty, moving north like three generations of African-American workers from the South. The spirit with which the Republic workers fight reminds one of history-makers like Chicago's Haymarket Martyrs of the 1880's who led the working class, many of whom were immigrants in the fight for the eight-hour day. One cannot but help see the relationship between today's militant struggle, uniting workers of all nationalities, and the recent mega-marches for immigrants' rights demanding equality for all.

Solidarity! Build a fighting workers' movement

We salute the example and leadership of these brave union workers and their local union leaders. They are truly leading the way towards a fighting workers' movement. Through their sacrifice and suffering, they will prove what a class struggle union can accomplish. They already have experience. Until a few years ago, the Republic workers were under the thumb of a mafia-type union until they organized themselves, breaking free and finding a real union to work with – UE. Bank managers, bosses and some politicians and union officials underestimate the workers and the solidarity they have built. To get the Republic workers their pay, and to keep their jobs in Chicago, we need solidarity. Solidarity means protesting the Bank of America. Solidarity means organizing your union to send money and plan for similar fight-backs. Solidarity means building a fighting workers movement that says, “Make the rich pay! Workers did not create this crisis!”

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Obreros en todo el país están agarrando periódicos y preguntando a los demás, “¿viste esto?” Como nosotros, están con los obreros de Chicago que están luchando y resistiendo fuertemente en medio de la crisis económica. 260 miembros de un sindicato están ocupando su fábrica, que pertenece a la Republic of Windows and Doors en Goose Island en Chicago. Los trabajadores fueron despedidos el viernes pasado, dos semanas antes de la navidad. Ahora los trabajadores se atreven a hacerse ejemplos para millones de otras personas. En vez de ir a las colas de desempleo con caras tristes y bolsas vacías ellos están luchando y resistiendo.

“¡A Banco de América lo rescataron! ¡A nosotros se nos vendieron!”

Los obreros están orgullosos de los miembros del Local 1110 de la Unión de Electrecistas por rehusar que los tiraran a las calles sin nada. En solidaridad con millones de otros obreros desempleados y o de bajos ingresos, los trabajadores de Republic están diciendo que “¡Ya no nos dejamos! ¡Exigimos justicia!” Los trabajadores están exigiendo un pago de los millones de dólares que los jefes los deben mientras la fábrica queda con millones de dólares de productos y maquinaria. El blanco principal de la cólera de los trabajadores sin embargo, son los poderosos del Banco de América. ¡Llamamos a los sindicatos y militantes por todos lados que se manifiestan frente la sucursal de Banco de América! Los gerentes del Banco de América están nadando en los $25 billones de dólares de los impuestos del pueblo del rescate pero no pueden hacer el esfuerzo de hacer un préstamo para que las puertas de la fábrica quedan abiertas. El pueblo paga por el sector financiero pero el sector financiero decide por el pueblo. La sistema está al revés. Nosotros decimos, “¡Que paguen los ricos!” Los trabajadores de Republic Window’s necesitan sus trabajos.

Una historia de lucha de clases y unidad

Los trabajadores de Republic no están nuevos en la lucha de clases. Muchos han estado trabajando por más que 12 años – ¡uno por 34 años! Muchos son inmigrantes Mexicanos y Latinos quienes se huyeron de la pobreza, mudándose al norte como tres generaciones de obreros Afro-Americanos del sur de los Estados Unidos. El espíritu con cuál los trabajadores de Republic lucha nos recuerda de los que hicieron la historia con luchas como la de los mártires de Haymarket en Chicago en los años 1880 quienes lideraban a la clase obrera, muchos de quienes eran inmigrantes en la lucha por el día de ocho horas. No se puede negar la relación entre la lucha militante de hoy, uniendo trabajadores de todas nacionalidades y las mega-marchas recientes por los derechos de los inmigrantes exigiendo igualdad para todas y todos.

¡Solidaridad! Construyendo un movimiento luchador de los obreros

Rendimos homenaje al ejemplo y liderazgo de estos trabajadores de sindicato valientes y los líderes locales de su unión. Están verdaderamente abriendo el camino hacia un movimiento obrero luchador. Con su sacrificio y sufrimiento, demostrarán lo que un sindicato orientado hacia la lucha de clases puede lograr. Ya tienen experiencia. Hasta hace pocos años, los trabajadores de Republic estaban bajo el control de un sindicato corrupto hasta que se organizaron por si mismos, liberándose y encontrando una unión verdadera con que trabajar – la UE. Los gerentes de los bancos, los jefes y algunos políticos y oficiales del sindicato subestimaron los trabajadores y la solidaridad que han construido. Para que los trabajadores de Republic reciben su pago, y quedan con sus trabajos en Chicago, necesitamos solidaridad. La solidaridad significa manifestarse frente el Banco de América. La solidaridad significa organizando para que su sindicato manda dinero y se prepara para luchas parecidas. La solidaridad significa hacienda un movimiento luchador de los trabajadores que dice, “¡Que paguen los ricos! ¡Los trabajadores no creamos este crisis!”

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