Katrina survivors blast Bushs inaction
WASHINGTON — As irrepressible as jazz itself, the people of New Orleans and many tourists celebrated Mardi Gras along Bourbon Street in the French Quarter last week.But the usual mood, “Laissez les bons temps rouler” (Let the good times roll), was replaced by an undercurrent of anger spiced with humor.
Weve won on Social Security for now
President Bush acknowledged earlier this month that his main domestic goal of “saving” Social Security was going nowhere. Regarding his privatization scheme, he said, “There seems to be a diminished appetite in the short term, but I’m going to remind people that there are long-term issues that we must solve.”
We are Joaquin: the legacy of Corky
During the 1960s, the American people broke out of the McCarthy era with mass movements for peace, civil rights, women’s rights, and labor organizing of agricultural and public workers. At the same time, throughout the Southwest, like a hardly noticed leitmotif, emerged the “movimiento Chicano,” the Chicano power movement.
Put the Hammer in the slammer: DeLay linked to swindle of Indian tribes
WASHINGTON — The downfall of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) may come from his crony ties to Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Michael Scanlon, DeLay’s former chief of staff. Over a three-year period, they allegedly fleeced six Native American Indian tribes of $82 million by pretending to represent their casino interests.
Congressional hypocrisy on medical care
As an emergency physician and former governor, I am struck by the towering contradictions — and indeed the hypocrisy — in the controversy over the tragic plight of Terri Schiavo. On the same day that the U.S. House of Representatives voted to involve the federal courts in her case, it also approved a 10-year $92-billion cut in Medicaid funding — $30 billion deeper than the cut recommended by President Bush.
L.A. labor challenges county board
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles area labor movement, spearheaded by the 800,000-member Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, is turning its attention to reversing the anti-worker trend of the powerful Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Happy birthday, Paul Robeson
April 9 is the 107th birthday of one of the foremost African Americans of the 20th century — Paul Robeson.
Rallies around the nation
SAN FRANCISCO: Some 2,000 demonstrators made a human chain surrounding San-Francisco-based Charles Schwab home office March 31. Demonstrators also demanded that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger drop his proposal to privatize pensions for all new public workers.
1916 2005 Lalo Guerrero, trovador chicano presente!
Known by all as Lalo, the Chicano trovador (troubadour) extraordinaire sang, composed and played mariachi, swing, bolero, boogie, mambo, cha-cha, rock and norteño music, often in poignant yet comic parodies, from the time of the Great Depression until he passed away March 17 in the Palm Springs suburb of California’s Coachella Valley.
Calif. govs ballot measures rev up opposition
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s road trip last week to gather signatures on three pet ballot measures has raised the likelihood of a special election later this year featuring a series of anti-people initiatives. Labor and community organizations are springing into action in response.
