Womens concerns often missing in health care debate
Soaring health care costs and eroding benefits are seriously impeding Americans’ ability to get needed health care, with women particularly affected, a recent Commonwealth Fund study found.
VIDEO Walter Cronkite on 9/11
Walter Cronkite interviewed on David Letterman days after Sept. 11, 2001. Cronkite is prophetic, a thoughtful American.
Homelessness increases among families
The number of homeless families who spend some time in a shelter increased by 9 percent from 2007 to 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) annual report on homelessness. The report, released last week, also showed significant increases in homelessness in suburban and rural areas.
Texas unemployment offices break down
Unprecedented unemployment and political posturing by Governor Rick Perry have forced the Texas Workforce Commmission into a complete breakdown. There were warnings from the Texas AFL-CIO more than a month ago, but the corporate media reported on July 15 that tens of thousands of jobless Texans will not get their check and tens of thousands of telephone calls for help are going unanswered. Reporter Robert T. Garrett of the Dallas Morning News estimated that 82,000 unlucky Texans won't get the federal 13-week extension of benefits when their state benefits expire, and 150,000 telephone calls couldn't get through in one day, July 13.
COMMENTARY Affirmative action and disregard of evidence
The five reactionary Supreme Court judges ignored evidence and ruled to let stand the results of a 2003 firefighter promotion test, even though no African Americans were promoted, and despite the fact that second-generation fire fighters, mostly white, had test material that the others did not possess.
COMMENTARY Public options for a dual economy
The egregious economic crimes perpetrated by U.S. finance capital have compelled new positive change in the balance of forces in our country.
VIDEO President Obama addresses the NAACP @100
President Obama's speech at the NAACP convention, July 16, 2009.
Full text of President Obama speech to the NAACP Centennial Convention
Full text of President Obama speech to the July 2009 NAACP Centennial Convention, as prepared for delivery for July 16.
Obama at NAACP: Civil rights leaders paved way for him
NEW YORK — President Barack Obama on July 16 traced his historic rise to power to the vigor and valor of black civil rights leaders, telling the NAACP that the sacrifice of others 'began the journey that has led me here.' The nation's first black president bluntly warned, though, that racial barriers persist.
Labor, doctors and small business owners back health reform
Health care reform gained new momentum this week. Wednesday, July 15, the Senate HELP committee passed a version of the bill that closely fits President Obama's main principles for reform. The same day, House Democrats announced the introduction of their own health reform and its referral to three major committees who finalize the bill.
