People Before Profit blog

Fixing busted budgets

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:43:00 +0000

In state capitals across the country, the fiscal year began July 1 with financial catastrophe. Summer schools were shut in California, state parks closed in Arizona, drug treatment and home health workers were slashed in Illinois, and paydays were payless in Pennsylvania, to give only a few examples.

How did this nightmare happen?

While the current recession has pushed the states over the edge, with the growing numbers of jobless unable to pay into state revenues, the crisis, the worst since the 1930s, goes a lot deeper. The recession did not bring the states to the cliff’s edge.

Inequality did. The states with the biggest budget gaps are the states with the widest gaps between the wealthy and everyone else.

Fifty or 60 years ago states were building public schools, colleges and libraries, expanding state parks and upgrading roads because a huge chunk of the working class had become the “middle class” majority. That huge “middle class” and the poor who aspired to become part of it needed and cherished those valuable public services, and paid for them because they had decent paying jobs.

The rich then earned a far smaller portion of the total national income than they do now.

As the right wing moved to dominate our national politics the income gap grew wildly until we got what we have today — the biggest gap between rich and poor since 1929, with the top 1 percent earning almost a third of all income, and an economically weakened working class. The powerful wealthy minority slashed its own taxes while the middle class base for state revenues eroded, leaving the state budgets in the mess we see now. And what did the rich care about public services?

The long-range solution to the state budget crises lies in creating an economically and politically more viable working class. Adding millions to the rolls of organized labor and thereby creating millions of additional good-paying jobs will be a great start. Passing the Employee Free Choice Act this year is a prime example of what needs to be done. It will result in closing the income gap that is behind the disaster in our states.

Truth-telling time

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:38:00 +0000

This is truth-telling time in the fight for health care. The voices of the uninsured and underinsured, of those who have insurance but live in fear of losing it, must be heard. The stakes could not be higher.

The right-wing campaign to whip up anti-health-reform hysteria and demonize the Obama administration is based on lies, lies and more lies.

Insurance companies will stop at nothing to protect their giant profits. They are rubbing their hands in glee at the prospect of funneling the 50 million uninsured into their clutches.

The truth is that 14,000 people lose their health coverage each day — that’s 2.3 million each year. One in six people in the U.S. have no health coverage.

Health care is a basic human right. That right cannot be fulfilled when health care depends on profit-driven corporations. A public option is essential.

As Howard Dean noted, the Veterans Administration and Medicare, both public, are “two very good programs that have been around for a long time.”

Republicans and conservative Democrats are holding health care reform hostage, placing the insurance companies above their constituents’ needs.

But a growing number in Congress say they will not support a health care bill unless it includes the public option.

The choice of a public option is included in the House bill that will be voted on in September.

The big fight now is to get enough support in the Senate to win the public option there.

The White House has reiterated that President Obama “believes the public option is the best way.”

The far-right attacks are a signal that the task of mobilizing the 83 percent who support health care for all is vital.

Union members are setting the pace. They know that if this fight is lost it will be very hard to win the Employee Free Choice Act for the right to organize.

The time is now for everyone to get involved. Attend your lawmakers’ town hall meetings. Phone-bank. Knock on doors. Get the truth out. Join the national day of action Sept. 3 to send members of Congress back to Washington with the message “We can’t wait.”

This is a fight for the future of our country. It is a fight for democracy and progressive change. It is a fight that can be won with a groundswell of truth-telling and participation.

Theres more to us than print

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:46:00 +0000

We have gotten some great responses to the news that the People’s Weekly World/Nuestro Mundo is publishing daily online. But some of you still might not realize what our website has to offer, all the content you’ll be missing, if you don’t visit our daily coverage online.

Here are a few recent stories from our daily online publishing. Go to our website www.pww.org to read the complete stories:

Congressman Sestak: ‘I won’t budge on public option’

by Ben Sears, 8/13/09

PHILADELPHIA — In a packed meeting August 12 at a south Philadelphia church Congressman Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) brought the crowd of over 600 to its feet when he said he “would not budge” on the need for a public health plan option.

Labor seeks help from civil rights group

by John Wojcik, 8/14/09

Richard Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, is urging the NAACP to help the labor movement organize workers – particularly African Americans – after the expected passage this year of the Employee Free Choice Act.

NAFTA meeting produces

disappointment

by Emile Schepers, 8/15/09

The three heads of government of the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA) countries recently met in Guadalajara, Mexico. The net result of the meeting among Mexican President Felipe Calderon, U.S. President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is frustration and disappointment in all three countries.

Fox News: Still unfair and unbalanced

by Joel Wendland, 8/15/09

In addition to some of its major personalities promoting disruptions and even violence at congressional town hall meetings, the guests and commentators invited to appear on its programs seem to overwhelmingly oppose health reform as well.

Issues calmly debated at northern Calif. health care Town Hall

By Marilyn Bechtel, 8/18/09

ALAMEDA, Calif. ? Forty minutes before starting time, the line outside Alameda City Hall already stretched down the steps and across the block. Bright yellow tee-shirts printed with Health Care Reform Now! mingled with signs, Who profits from the status quo? and Public option now! Though most in the crowd clearly supported reform, one placard featured a vampire-toothed Uncle Sam demanding, “I want your money!”

The last thing Detroit needs: Wall Street dictators

by John Henry, 08/13/09

DETROIT — If one looks at the big picture, the city of Detroit is being set up by the powers that be, including the news media, for the same treatment as the school system here received — a financial dictatorship, with Wall Street and its agents ripping off the city’s workers and people. Mayor Dave Bing is demanding that city workers take a 10 percent pay cut over two years based on Detroit’s financial woes and debts to Wall Street.

••••••••

For those readers who have no access to a computer, please be advised that we are not doing away with the hard-copy printed word altogether. We are going to produce such a downloadable version weekly — in English and Spanish — easy to print from your home computer, library or school.

Perhaps, with successful fundraising efforts, a regular printable daily digest could be a doable goal in the not-too-distant future.

We also want to know how many of you have no access to computers at all so we can make sure this weekly printed mini-version is available to you. Please call editor Teresa Albano at (773) 446-9920 ext. 201 to let her know.

The Daily Worker began in Chicago in January 1924. This is our 85th year of “fighting words.” We’re very excited about this new venture, and look forward to your continued involvement and support. Please contact us if you have any questions.

British National Health ervice - The Truth!

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:33:00 +0000

Opponents to President Obama’s healthcare reform plan have circulated a number of serious lies and gross distortions about the UK’s National Health Service to defend their own interests and scupper plans that will help the 47 million Americans currently without healthcare cover.

What is the NHS? The UK’s National Health Service provides a wide range of healthcare services - everything from antenatal screening and routine treatments for coughs and colds to open heart surgery, accident and emergency treatment and end-of-life care to the whole UK population of 60million people.

Most importantly it is free for people to access healthcare and 1 million patients are seen every 36 hours.

The NHS funded by general taxation and is organised and run at a local, regional level. It is one of the most efficient, most egalitarian and most comprehensive in the world, looking after everyone from their birth to their death. It is an institution supported by every major political party in Britain and the British population, who have been responding to the Republican attacks on the NHS on Twitter, at #welovetheNHS by posting their own stories of how the NHS has saved and improved the lives of them and their loved ones, for free. LIE 1: that older people do not receive treatment on the NHS

Ted Kennedy, 77, would not be treated for his brain tumour if he was in Britain because he is too old (Charles Grassley, Republican senator from Iowa)

In England, anyone over 59 years of age cannot receive heart repairs, stents or bypass because it is not covered as being too expensive and not needed, (an anonymously authored, but widely circulated, email).

THE TRUTH There is no ban on anyone of any age receiving any treatment – indeed, it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of age when providing services. Professor Peter Weissberg, the medical director of the British Heart Foundation, an independent charity, says that “Growing numbers of patients over 65 with heart conditions are having surgery, including valve repairs and heart bypass surgery”. Additionally, the average age at which people have a bypass operation has risen from 58 in 1991 to 66 in 2008.Decisions over whether to recommend and perform surgery or prescribe drugs are clinical decisions, taken on a case by case basis on what is best for each patient. LIE 2: officials decide the ‘worth’ of each person’s life, denying treatment to those who are deemed ‘worthless’.

People such as scientist Stephen Hawking [who has Motor Neurone Disease, a degenerative illness] wouldn't have a chance in the UK, where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless.' (Investors Business Daily)

Government health officials in England have decided that $22,750 (£14,000) is what six months' life is worth. Under their socialised system, if a medical treatment costs more, you're out of luck (Club for Growth)

THE TRUTH Professor Stephen Hawking lives and works in Britain and received NHS treatment as recently as April 2009. He has responded to the above claim by saying that he “wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived”.

In Britain, the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) decides whether new drugs represent value for money for the NHS. There has been a gross misrepresentation of its role; Nice assesses new drugs by looking at the amount and quality of extended life it is hoped the patient will gain by looking at the medical evidence. The current ceiling is £30,000 for a full course of treatment but exceptions are made. LIE 3: rationing means people are not able to access the treatment they need for serious conditions.

In Britain, 40% of cancer patients are never able to see an oncologist; there is explicit rationing for services such as kidney dialysis, open heart surgery and care for the terminally ill. (Conservatives for Patients' Rights)

The British NHS 'does not allow' women under 25 to receive screening for cervical cancer (Jim DeMint, Republican senator from South Carolina)

THE TRUTH There is no ‘rationing’ for services such as kidney dialysis, open heart surgery or end of life care.

The above claim about cancer is from an out of date, 15 year old study. In 2000 a 10 year programme was launched, setting key targets for improvement. The National Audit Office, which is responsible for analyzing how effectively the government spends money, reported in 2005 that 99.2%of people who are referred by their doctor with suspected cancer see a specialist within 2 weeks and 89.9% of patients diagnosed with cancer begin treatment within 31 days.

There is an ‘End of Life Care Strategy’ that “aims to improve access to high quality care for adults approaching the end of life. This care should be available wherever the person might be, ie at home, in a care home, in hospital, in a hospice, or somewhere else.”

All women over 25 are routinely and regularly invited for a cervical smear. Any woman, at any age, who presents symptoms of cervical cancer will receive a smear test if their doctor thinks it is appropriate.

Long Island City factory accused of being sweatshop

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 03:12:00 +0000

Original source:

A clothing factory in Long Island City is being charged with operating as a sweatshop by workers.

According to the New York Daily News, workers for Great Wall Corporation have been rallying outside of the factory and allege they were fired after they complained to management about work weeks as long as 100-hours and wages below the minimum.

Some employees were allegedly forced to work more than 15 hours and locking doors until garment orders were completed.

The workers are filing a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.

This isn’t the first time Great Wall has been accused of wage violations.

Hands off our health service

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:07:00 +0000

Original source:

British health unions unveiled two initiatives designed to address a barrage of propaganda from US insurance companies and lobbyists who hope to scupper US President Barack Obama's plans for public health.

Launching the 'NHS factfile' for sister unions in the US, health union UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: 'We are outraged by the gross lies and distortions being spread in the US about our NHS.

'A universal health system, free at the point of need is something that we can all be proud of - it is a mark of a civilised, caring society,' he said.

UNISON and Unite joined forces to launch a campaign highlighting the benefits of the NHS to the public.

A Unite spokesman said that the union was calling on NHS staff and communities to challenge the 'sell-off and break-up of our NHS.'

The latest twist in a war of words that is assuming international incident proportions saw the reactionary US Conservatives for Patients Rights group heavily criticised for a documentary about the British health-care system featuring NHS patients.

Several people who appeared in the broadcast complained that their views had been 'misrepresented' in order to discredit the concept of universal health care.

Further fuel was added to the fire when Tory MEP Daniel Hannan appeared on Fox News to tell US viewers that he 'wouldn't wish the NHS on anyone.'

Mr Hannan went on to compare the NHS with being a relic of a time of 'rationing' and part of a 'benign' state.

Embarrassed Conservative Party leader David Cameron was forced to distance himself from the 'eccentric' views of Mr Hannan, insisting that the NHS was his party's 'number one mission.'

Labour has launched a 'We love the NHS' campaign in order to counteract the propaganda offensive from free-market think tanks and right-wing politicians.

However, this prompted left MPs unions and campaigners to urge the government to end all private-sector involvement in the NHS in order to improve services for patients.

Labour Representation Committee chairman John McDonnell MP said he found it 'ironic' that Prime Minister Gordon Brown was 'twitters and tweets' in defence of the NHS when private-sector involvement was at an all-time high.

'As chancellor and prime minister, Mr Brown has undertaken the largest-scale privatisation of health care since the NHS was founded,' said Mr McDonnell.

Commenting on the prospects for the NHS under a Conservative government, Mr McDonnell added: 'The US model of health care demonstrates what the Tories will do if they get elected, despite Cameron's assurances.

'Big business will take over on the basis of a private insurance system and millions will lose the right to health care.'

Campaign group Health Emergency spokesman Geoff Martin condemned the 'unreconstructed free-market fruit cakes' leading the charge against socialised medicine.

'Rather than Gordon Brown twittering, he could send out a real message by slinging United Health Care, who are one of the private health corporations, out of the NHS,' he said.

Congress losing patience with lending industry on foreclosure prevention

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Original source:

Rep. Barney Frank, D. Mass., chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services, is taking a hard line with the lending industry for failing to take action to prevent more foreclosures. In a statement issued last week, Frank said his committee would not support the industry's legislative agenda until lenders do far more to modify troubled mortgage loans.

In 2008, Congress passed a law designed to encourage, but not require, mortgage lenders to refinance loans in order to prevent foreclosures. Another bill that would have given bankruptcy judges the ability to rework defaulted home mortgages passed in the House of Representatives earlier this year but was stripped from the Senate bill after intense lobbying by the banking industry.

The industry argued that allowing courts to modify loans would force lenders to raise interest rates and discourage them from voluntarily modifying mortgage terms. However, data released today by the Obama administration shows that only 9 percent of eligible homeowners have had their mortgage terms restructured since the program began in February.

'I can assure all concerned that no legislation which we are asked to pass to facilitate the full return of the lending industry to the role it should be playing in the economy will pass out of the Financial Services Committee unless we see a significant increase in mortgage modifications and foreclosure-avoidance, or the legislation includes a bankruptcy provision for primary residences,' said Frank.

Minimum wage hike still leaves workers short

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 05:06:00 +0000

ST. PAUL - (Workday Minnesota) On July 24, the federal minimum wage rose from $6.55 to $7.25 per hour, an increase of 70 cents or just over 10 percent. For full-time minimum wage workers, the raise amounts to about $28 a week.

'When you are barely keeping your head above water, any wave can drown you,' said worker advocate Kris Jacobs, director of the statewide JOBS NOW Coalition. 'An extra bag of groceries means a lot to vulnerable low-wage workers and their families.'

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, if the minimum wage had kept pace with inflation since 1968, it would now be $9.92 an hour. More than 600,000 jobs in Minnesota pay less than $9.92 per hour; and in Greater Minnesota one out of four jobs pay less than this.

JOBS NOW’s Cost of Living in Minnesota research shows the results of the steep decline in value and purchasing power of the minimum wage. At the new minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, a couple with two children living in Minnesota would have to work 148 hours a week just to meet basic needs.

According to JOBS NOW's research on living standards, each worker in a Minnesota family of four with two workers needs at least $13.41 per hour. View the research at www.jobsnowcoalition.org.

Over the next year the wage hike will generate $5.5 billion in consumer spending across the nation, according to the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute.

Nationally, about 10 million workers - 10.7% of all workers – will earn the new, higher wage, according to an analysis by the organization Workplace Fairness.

Minnesota businesses that engage in interstate commerce and have annual business volume of $500,000 or more will be covered by the new minimum. But firms smaller than that who do not engage in interstate commerce will still pay only $5.25 an hour and the 90 day training wage for workers under 20 years old remains $4.90.