The threat to Social Security and Medicare just turned still more sinister.
Charles Blahous, point man for George W. Bush in his abortive campaign to privatize Social Security, has been named one of two Public Trustees for the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds.
Blahous, formerly on the staff of Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson, was the choice of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Blahous is now associated with the far-right Hudson Institute.
The Democrats named Robert Reischauer as trustee. He is a conservative with ties to billionaire Pete Peterson, including membership on the Peterson-funded Committee for a Responsible Budget. If Blahous is clearly an extreme privatizer, Reischauer is at best a lukewarm supporter.
The appointments will weaken Social Security and Medicare from within at a moment when the deficit commission is poised to send its wrecking proposal to Congress.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Paid sick days for a healthy Tacoma
The Coalition for a Healthy Tacoma is campaigning for paid sick days for the 41,000 of the city’s workers who currently lack that basic protection.
The coalition reports that 78 percent of Tacoma’s restaurant workers, 55 percent of its retail workers, and even 29 percent of its health care workers have no paid sick days. That means they either go to work sick, or stay home and lose pay – or even face discipline for absenteeism.
It’s a public health issue as well. Sneezing, coughing workers spread disease. Paid sick days protect the entire community.
The plan would provide one hour paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Workers in small companies could accrue up to 40 hours of paid sick time; those in larger companies, up to 72 hours.
The coalition reports that 78 percent of Tacoma’s restaurant workers, 55 percent of its retail workers, and even 29 percent of its health care workers have no paid sick days. That means they either go to work sick, or stay home and lose pay – or even face discipline for absenteeism.
It’s a public health issue as well. Sneezing, coughing workers spread disease. Paid sick days protect the entire community.
The plan would provide one hour paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Workers in small companies could accrue up to 40 hours of paid sick time; those in larger companies, up to 72 hours.
Where Do We Go From Here
By Robby Stern
When you read this column, the 2010 election will be over and we will learn whether Washington voters and voters across the country have decided to move us forward or take us backwards. As I write this column in the last week of Oct., PSARA members are casting their votes (I KNOW PSARA members vote!) and many of us are anxiously awaiting the results.
Whatever the outcome of the election, PSARA is preparing for the next stage of our fight to achieve a society where people are encouraged to care about each other and work together to make the lives of all of our broader community better. PSARA has our short term focus, which includes developing our goals for the 2011 Legislative session. At the federal level, we are organizing to stop any cuts to Social Security and Medicare and supporting efforts to improve those essential programs. We are also supporting efforts to achieve Comprehensive Immigration Reform and all genuine efforts to create jobs and help the victims of this Wall Street generated economic crisis.
In the 2010 election, we have witnessed the pernicious impact of corporate greed as multi national corporations spent historically unprecedented amounts of money to gain advantage at the expense of the vast majority of the American people. We have also experienced a reactionary resurgence that longs for mythical days of yore when white, mostly men, ruled and government was a hand maiden to oppression of the vulnerable.
At the same time, on Oct. 2, in Washington D.C. (with a satellite action in Seattle) tens of thousands of people, reflecting the real diversity, of our country, came together under the theme “One Nation Working Together”. There is a real battle taking place for the “soul” of America and PSARA intends to be part of the side that works to create what Dr. Martin Luther King described as “The Beloved Community”.
I recently completed Going Down Jericho Road, The Memphis Strike, Martin Luther King’s Last Campaign, by U.W. Professor Michael K. Honey. Michael Honey has given us a gift with this book. The book left me with a much better understanding of the forces at play in the strike by Memphis sanitation workers. It sparked emotions of hope, of deep sadness, and also a sense of what we need to be building for the long haul in order to achieve the vision of “The Beloved Community”.
In Memphis, led by truly heroic African American sanitation workers, a community-wide coalition was forged including the labor movement, led by AFSCME, the union representing the sanitation workers and the Memphis Central Labor Council. Playing a key role in the coalition were the African American Churches and African American civic organizations, most notably the NAACP. This coalition faced off against an unbelievably racist Mayor, Henry Loeb, a predominantly racist and gutless City Council, a white media and a white community that was poisoned with racism and ignorance. The sanitation workers, their union and the African American community stood strong in the face of terrible violence, culminating in the assassination of Dr. King (Honey refers to it as a crucifixion), vilification and betrayal reaching as far as the FBI and the White House. The sanitation workers, the union, and the community won the battle at a huge cost to themselves and to the nation…but they WON!
The lessons from Memphis as well as other successful struggles for social and economic justice are clear. Every activity, every struggle in which PSARA engages we will keep in mind the need to build a broader movement for progressive change. We will work hard to be constructive members of the coalitions to which we commit. By working together with other sectors of the community, we are building the capacity to create a movement for progressive change.
The forces arrayed against us are strong, they have unlimited money, they control the media, and they will try to make us believe that our efforts are hopeless. But if we are determined, brave and smart; if we are genuinely loyal to those with whom we coalesce; if we are prepared to make sacrifices, then we will follow the example of the great victory of the sanitation workers and their allies in Memphis and we will prevail.
When you read this column, the 2010 election will be over and we will learn whether Washington voters and voters across the country have decided to move us forward or take us backwards. As I write this column in the last week of Oct., PSARA members are casting their votes (I KNOW PSARA members vote!) and many of us are anxiously awaiting the results.
Whatever the outcome of the election, PSARA is preparing for the next stage of our fight to achieve a society where people are encouraged to care about each other and work together to make the lives of all of our broader community better. PSARA has our short term focus, which includes developing our goals for the 2011 Legislative session. At the federal level, we are organizing to stop any cuts to Social Security and Medicare and supporting efforts to improve those essential programs. We are also supporting efforts to achieve Comprehensive Immigration Reform and all genuine efforts to create jobs and help the victims of this Wall Street generated economic crisis.
In the 2010 election, we have witnessed the pernicious impact of corporate greed as multi national corporations spent historically unprecedented amounts of money to gain advantage at the expense of the vast majority of the American people. We have also experienced a reactionary resurgence that longs for mythical days of yore when white, mostly men, ruled and government was a hand maiden to oppression of the vulnerable.
At the same time, on Oct. 2, in Washington D.C. (with a satellite action in Seattle) tens of thousands of people, reflecting the real diversity, of our country, came together under the theme “One Nation Working Together”. There is a real battle taking place for the “soul” of America and PSARA intends to be part of the side that works to create what Dr. Martin Luther King described as “The Beloved Community”.
I recently completed Going Down Jericho Road, The Memphis Strike, Martin Luther King’s Last Campaign, by U.W. Professor Michael K. Honey. Michael Honey has given us a gift with this book. The book left me with a much better understanding of the forces at play in the strike by Memphis sanitation workers. It sparked emotions of hope, of deep sadness, and also a sense of what we need to be building for the long haul in order to achieve the vision of “The Beloved Community”.
In Memphis, led by truly heroic African American sanitation workers, a community-wide coalition was forged including the labor movement, led by AFSCME, the union representing the sanitation workers and the Memphis Central Labor Council. Playing a key role in the coalition were the African American Churches and African American civic organizations, most notably the NAACP. This coalition faced off against an unbelievably racist Mayor, Henry Loeb, a predominantly racist and gutless City Council, a white media and a white community that was poisoned with racism and ignorance. The sanitation workers, their union and the African American community stood strong in the face of terrible violence, culminating in the assassination of Dr. King (Honey refers to it as a crucifixion), vilification and betrayal reaching as far as the FBI and the White House. The sanitation workers, the union, and the community won the battle at a huge cost to themselves and to the nation…but they WON!
The lessons from Memphis as well as other successful struggles for social and economic justice are clear. Every activity, every struggle in which PSARA engages we will keep in mind the need to build a broader movement for progressive change. We will work hard to be constructive members of the coalitions to which we commit. By working together with other sectors of the community, we are building the capacity to create a movement for progressive change.
The forces arrayed against us are strong, they have unlimited money, they control the media, and they will try to make us believe that our efforts are hopeless. But if we are determined, brave and smart; if we are genuinely loyal to those with whom we coalesce; if we are prepared to make sacrifices, then we will follow the example of the great victory of the sanitation workers and their allies in Memphis and we will prevail.
Drug company corruption
The Swiss drug giant Novartis is the latest company in that sleazy industry to buy its way out of multiple corrupt practices charges.
Novartis paid $422.5 million to settle criminal and civil investigations into the marketing of six of its drugs. It had been accused by federal prosecutors of paying illegal kickbacks to health professionals. It denied wrongdoing – a common drug company practice in these situations – but paid the walloping fine to avoid prosecution.
In the last few years, at least five other major drug companies have pleaded guilty of health care fraud and have settled with huge payments. Pfizer paid $2.3 billion; Eli Lilly, $1.4 billion; Allergan,$600 million; AstraZeneca, $520 million; Bristol-Myers Squibb, $515 million, and Forest Laboratories, $313 million.
Novartis raised a few eyebrows when it announced its guilt and in the same release pledged to “continue its commitment too high standards of ethical business conduct and regulatory compliance.”
The criminal conduct at issue with Novartis and the other companies was aggressive (and illegal) “off‐label marketing, ”that is, persuading physicians to use drugs for purposes other than those approved by rigorous testing.
Novartis paid $422.5 million to settle criminal and civil investigations into the marketing of six of its drugs. It had been accused by federal prosecutors of paying illegal kickbacks to health professionals. It denied wrongdoing – a common drug company practice in these situations – but paid the walloping fine to avoid prosecution.
In the last few years, at least five other major drug companies have pleaded guilty of health care fraud and have settled with huge payments. Pfizer paid $2.3 billion; Eli Lilly, $1.4 billion; Allergan,$600 million; AstraZeneca, $520 million; Bristol-Myers Squibb, $515 million, and Forest Laboratories, $313 million.
Novartis raised a few eyebrows when it announced its guilt and in the same release pledged to “continue its commitment too high standards of ethical business conduct and regulatory compliance.”
The criminal conduct at issue with Novartis and the other companies was aggressive (and illegal) “off‐label marketing, ”that is, persuading physicians to use drugs for purposes other than those approved by rigorous testing.
Monthly discussions at three senior centers
Groups will meet monthly to discuss topical issues at Seattle’s Greenwood, Ballard and Wallingford Senior Centers, on the initiative of the Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans.
The first such gathering, at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, November 4, at the Wallingford Senior Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., will discuss the significance of the 2010 election results. Discussions at the Ballard Senior Center are scheduled at 11 a.m. on the third Monday of each month, and those at the Greenwood Senior Center are scheduled at 1 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month.
“We’d like to encourage the participants to study and evaluate local issues – particularly those that impact the lives of seniors,” said Bette Reed, PSARA community vice president and chair of its Outreach Committee. “Residents of each of the three communities are encouraged to drop in and take part in these one-hour discussion groups.”
The first such gathering, at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, November 4, at the Wallingford Senior Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., will discuss the significance of the 2010 election results. Discussions at the Ballard Senior Center are scheduled at 11 a.m. on the third Monday of each month, and those at the Greenwood Senior Center are scheduled at 1 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month.
“We’d like to encourage the participants to study and evaluate local issues – particularly those that impact the lives of seniors,” said Bette Reed, PSARA community vice president and chair of its Outreach Committee. “Residents of each of the three communities are encouraged to drop in and take part in these one-hour discussion groups.”
Defending Saturday mail delivery
If the Postal Service eliminates Saturday delivery - - a step under serious consideration – it will shoot itself in those sturdy and dependable feet that for generations have walked the mail door to door in fair weather and foul.
Cutting service from six to five days is a dumb idea, the Postal Workers Union says. Here are five reasons why:
1. Saturday delivery is the key strategic advantage the Postal Service has over United Parcel Service and Federal Express. Surrendering Saturday to the competition would reduce Postal Service revenues in an amount far exceeding any short-term savings.
2. Slower service will drive customers away. Letters mailed late Friday wouldn’t be picked up until Monday. Besides, the less frequent delivery is likely to accelerate the shift to electronic invoicing and bill paying, further draining Postal Service revenues.
3. Niche delivery firms are already salivating over the lucrative business opportunities offered by Saturday delivery. Once established, competitors will demand that Congress open the mail boxes to their deliveries, making it impossible to maintain the government monopoly – the foundation of dependable, affordable service.
4. The slick rationale for ending Saturday delivery could be used again to cut the delivery week still further from five days to four days. This would not only eliminate half the union jobs in the system. It would inevitably trigger a death spiral, with less service leading to less mail volume, justifying still deeper cuts in service, etc.
5. Eliminating Saturday delivery is not a budget necessity. The union insists that pensions and retiree health benefits are fully funded and that the system has reserves that can be drawn upon.
Tell Congress you want to have your mail delivered Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, too. Let the letter carriers continue to have Sundays and holidays free and clear.
Cutting service from six to five days is a dumb idea, the Postal Workers Union says. Here are five reasons why:
1. Saturday delivery is the key strategic advantage the Postal Service has over United Parcel Service and Federal Express. Surrendering Saturday to the competition would reduce Postal Service revenues in an amount far exceeding any short-term savings.
2. Slower service will drive customers away. Letters mailed late Friday wouldn’t be picked up until Monday. Besides, the less frequent delivery is likely to accelerate the shift to electronic invoicing and bill paying, further draining Postal Service revenues.
3. Niche delivery firms are already salivating over the lucrative business opportunities offered by Saturday delivery. Once established, competitors will demand that Congress open the mail boxes to their deliveries, making it impossible to maintain the government monopoly – the foundation of dependable, affordable service.
4. The slick rationale for ending Saturday delivery could be used again to cut the delivery week still further from five days to four days. This would not only eliminate half the union jobs in the system. It would inevitably trigger a death spiral, with less service leading to less mail volume, justifying still deeper cuts in service, etc.
5. Eliminating Saturday delivery is not a budget necessity. The union insists that pensions and retiree health benefits are fully funded and that the system has reserves that can be drawn upon.
Tell Congress you want to have your mail delivered Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, too. Let the letter carriers continue to have Sundays and holidays free and clear.
One beautiful rainbow nation
By Rap Lewis
Marshaled by more than 400 sponsoring organizations, tens of thousands of labor, civil rights and social justice advocates massed at the Lincoln Memorial October 2 for a powerful demonstration with the theme of “One Nation Working Together.”
The mighty gathering presented a rainbow of Black, Brown and white faces, in stark contrast to the virtually all ‐ white crowd pulled together August 28 by Fox News, the Tea Party and TV demagogue Glenn Beck.
“You look like one beautiful nation,” a radiant AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said, touching off a roaring ovation from a crowd that included thousands of Black, Latino and white union members in their brightly colored T-shirts, jackets and caps.
“We are together. This march is about power to the people,” said Ed Schultz, host of MSNBC’s “Ed Show.” “It is about the people standing up to the corporations. Are you ready to fight back?” Another roaring affirmative rose from the crowd, waving a sea of placards proclaiming “Hope not Hate,” “Healthcare not Warfare,” and “Jobs, not Tax Give-aways to the Rich.”
Speaking from the steps where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children’s Defense Fund, condemned those who dole out “massive tax giveaways to the rich when fifty percent of our children are living in poverty.”
Citing the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark, Edelman said, “We’re all in the same boat. Don’t let our children be put in small, leaky boats. “Noah’s Ark was built by amateurs,” she reminded the crowd. “The Titanic was built by professionals.”
Trumka captured the mood of the huge throng when he said, “There is nothing, and I mean nothing, we can’t do when we stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder.
“We will stand together,” Trumka said, his voice ringing out loud and clear over the sea of faces. “And we will win together. And we won’t let anyone – and I mean anyone – stand in our way.
Marshaled by more than 400 sponsoring organizations, tens of thousands of labor, civil rights and social justice advocates massed at the Lincoln Memorial October 2 for a powerful demonstration with the theme of “One Nation Working Together.”
The mighty gathering presented a rainbow of Black, Brown and white faces, in stark contrast to the virtually all ‐ white crowd pulled together August 28 by Fox News, the Tea Party and TV demagogue Glenn Beck.
“You look like one beautiful nation,” a radiant AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said, touching off a roaring ovation from a crowd that included thousands of Black, Latino and white union members in their brightly colored T-shirts, jackets and caps.
“We are together. This march is about power to the people,” said Ed Schultz, host of MSNBC’s “Ed Show.” “It is about the people standing up to the corporations. Are you ready to fight back?” Another roaring affirmative rose from the crowd, waving a sea of placards proclaiming “Hope not Hate,” “Healthcare not Warfare,” and “Jobs, not Tax Give-aways to the Rich.”
Speaking from the steps where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children’s Defense Fund, condemned those who dole out “massive tax giveaways to the rich when fifty percent of our children are living in poverty.”
Citing the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark, Edelman said, “We’re all in the same boat. Don’t let our children be put in small, leaky boats. “Noah’s Ark was built by amateurs,” she reminded the crowd. “The Titanic was built by professionals.”
Trumka captured the mood of the huge throng when he said, “There is nothing, and I mean nothing, we can’t do when we stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder.
“We will stand together,” Trumka said, his voice ringing out loud and clear over the sea of faces. “And we will win together. And we won’t let anyone – and I mean anyone – stand in our way.
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