> WW News Service Digest #157 > > 1) Why Dr. King would oppose 'welfare reform' > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 2) Outside the Democratic Convention 1,000 demand: 'End Iraq sanctions' > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 3) Gore talks 'left' in bid to hold Democratic base > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 4) Mumia to address teach-in before election 'debates' > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 5) It was all a lie: NATO now admits Yugoslavs carried out no mass killings >in Koso > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Aug. 31, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >WHY DR. KING WOULD OPPOSE 'WELFARE REFORM' > >By Monica Moorehead > >If Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were alive today, he would >certainly focus much of his attention on the issue of racist >repression in the United States. Dr. King dedicated most of >his life to fighting against racism and poverty. > >Many forces within the dynamic new youth and student >movement against so-called globalization that emerged last >December in Seattle have made the fight against the death >penalty, rampant police brutality and the expansion of the >prison-industrial complex top priorities. They have also >embraced winning freedom for political prisoner Mumia Abu- >Jamal. > >Fighting racism is strategic to overcoming all forms of >capitalist oppression. > >Racism, while rooted in white-supremacist ideology, also has >a deeper social character. Political repression is but one >side of the equation to combat racism. Underneath the >political repression, there is economic repression. > >Aug. 22 is the fourth anniversary of President Bill >Clinton's signing of the so-called welfare-reform law. The >official name of the law is the "Personal Responsibility and >Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act." Its true name should >be "Economic War against the Poor and People of Color Act." > >Dr. King would have viewed this law as a vicious assault >against the most downtrodden in society. It is just as >vicious as the city of Memphis, Tenn., denying Black >sanitation workers the right to organize back in 1968. King >had gone there to offer the workers his support before he >was assassinated. > >Just four months before he signed the anti-welfare bill, >Clinton signed the Effective Death Penalty Act, an addendum >to the Anti-Terrorism Bill. That law has all but gutted the >right to a writ of habeas corpus for death row inmates. It >makes it much harder for prisoners to get an independent >federal review to overturn biased state convictions. > >WELFARE WON THROUGH STRUGGLE > >Welfare was a right won by the struggle to build the unions >in this country back in the 1930s. It served as a necessary >safety net to provide a guaranteed income for the unemployed >and those unable to provide a means to subsist for >themselves. > >Signing away welfare is something that both Al Gore and >George W. Bush support wholeheartedly. > >The Center On Budget and Policy Priorities, which describes >itself as a non-partisan organization that conducts research >and analysis on government programs and policies, recently >released a report on the impact of this significant law. The >report, entitled "The Initial Impacts of Welfare Reform on >the Economic Well-Being of Single Mother Families," was >based on census data. > >The report found that the average income of low-income >families headed by single mothers rose "substantially" >between 1993 and 1995--but that the average income of the >poorest 20 percent of these same families declined between >1995 and 1997. The decline coincides with the application of >this repressive law. > >What was sore ly missing from this study was any major >section on the racist nature of so-called welfare reform. >Even though there were more white people on welfare, a >disproportionate number of Black, Latino and Native people >were dependent on welfare due to a lack of strong >affirmative-action policies. > >Wendell Primus, the report's main author, said, "It is >disturbing that substantial numbers of children and families >are sinking more deeply into poverty when we have the >strongest economy in decades and when substantial amounts of >funds provided to states to assist these families are going >unused." > >What does this mean in stark reality? These numbers reflect >2 million families and a total of 6 million people who have >lost an average of $580 per year in income. > >This may not seem like a lot to some people. But if you are >trying to survive, every dollar is precious. > >These statistics roughly equal the same number of people-- >especially youths--caught up with the vicious cycle of the >prison-industrial complex and the criminal-justice system. >The joint political and economic attacks amount to racist >genocide on the part of the U.S. government on behalf of >capitalist profit and greed. > >The poorest 10 percent of these families saw their income >decrease by $810 per year, a one-seventh loss in income. >Their incomes declined from 35 percent of the poverty line >in 1995 to 30 percent of the poverty line in 1997. > >Any income gains these families achiev ed between 1993 and >1995 were completely wiped out between 1995 and 1997. > >Before Clinton signed the 1996 bill, every family eligible >for welfare or Aid to Families with Dependent Children >automatically received Medicaid, federal- and state- >government-sponsored health care for the poor. Of course, >the 1996 welfare act dramatically changed this scenario and >has created a national health-care scandal. > >A 1999 study by Families USA, a group that supports >universal health care, found that 675,000 people lost their >Medicaid benefits in 1997 and another 200,000 lost their >benefits in 1998. All together, at least 1.25 million people >have lost their Medicaid benefits since 1996. > >At least 100,000 disabled children who lost their >supplementary Social Security benefits thanks to the 1996 >law also lost Medicaid. The Health Care Financing >Administration, which runs Medicaid, has "ordered" the >states to reinstate Medicaid coverage for those thrown off >of welfare, including the disabled children. How this agency >is going to oversee the reinstatement is another question. > >The 1996 bill has also had a negative impact on the right of >poor children to nutrition. Before the bill went into >effect, poor families could count on food stamps and some >cash assistance. After the bill was signed, there was a 17- >percent decline in those receiving food stamps between 1995 >and 1997. > >The 1996 law requires that single mothers seek work and job >training in order to receive what little benefits they can >before they are completely cut off from welfare after two >years. > >The federal government is supposed to provide vouchers for >child care. But in many cases across the country, single >mothers have been forced to pay out of pocket. Many mothers >were not informed by their caseworkers of their right to >subsidized child care. > >Child care can cost upwards of $1,000 a month. Single >mothers, if they can find jobs, wind up paying most of their >salaries for child care. > >$7 BILLION SURPLUS > >Ever since the federal government stopped providing funds >for welfare, it has given the states block grants to use as >they see fit. Each state can set its own rules and >regulations about who is eligible to receive food, medical >care, child care and cash assistance. There is no higher >body to monitor them. > >This has led to a $7 billion welfare surplus in 45 states >and the District of Columbia, according to a report issued >by the National Campaign for Jobs and Income, an anti- >poverty coalition. > >This is a complete and utter scandal that warrants an >independent people's investigation. > >Texas is one of 17 states that have accumulated over $100 >million in surplus welfare funds--$175 million to be exact. > >Texas has executed more people than any other--140 under >Bush. But that state also has an official poverty rate of >15.1 percent. > >Of course, the poverty rate is actually much higher. The >state doesn't count the great mass of immigrants from all >over Latin America who have been denied citizenship and >decent-paying jobs. > >When asked why the huge surplus isn't being spent to >alleviate the suffering of the poor, Charles Stuart of the >Texas Health and Human Services Commission replied, "The >legislature has been prudent in maintaining a reserve for >contingency purposes." What contingency purposes? > >This is the kind of "compassionate conservatism" that Gov. >George W. Bush is talking about. If you cannot outright >legally lynch every poor person or person of color, then >relegate them to an even slower death of poverty, drug >addiction and despair. > >William Mason is the co-founder of Workfairness, an >organization of New York workfare workers and supporters >fighting for the right to join unions. Workfairness was >founded just days after Clinton signed the 1996 bill. "The >whole welfare reform act is a lie--a lie that doesn't help >anybody," Mason says. > >"Nothing has improved. Things have actually gotten much, >much worse than they were before. Welfare reform has created >more homelessness and joblessness. It has added to the >oppression faced by women, people of color and the poor. >Anybody can see it doesn't work. Case closed." > >The working class should be organizing to demand that every >state release these funds immediately for emergency aid for >the poor and the working poor. > >BOOM FOR WHICH CLASS? > >All the capitalist think tanks and politicians love to talk >about the "booming" economy. The question is, booming for >which class? It certainly is not booming for the poor and >the most oppressed. > >In fact, since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the >socialist camp in the early 1990s, the rich have gotten >richer at an ever greater rate while the poor have gotten >poorer. This is due to the greater concentration of wealth >in the hands of the banks and corporate monopolies >worldwide, especially U.S. big business. > >If Dr. King were alive today, it's hard to say whether he >would be supporting Gore's presidential candidacy. The >Democrats are still considered by many to be the "lesser >evil." > >But one thing is for sure--Dr. King believed in activism and >he would be urging the masses to be out in the streets, >organizing and fighting against racism, be it political or >economic, regardless of the capitalist elections. > >Dr. King understood better than most that elections do not >change social conditions. Mass movements do. > >[Moorehead, Workers World Party's 2000 presidential >candidate, disrupted Clinton's appearance at a New York >fundraiser in 1996 after he consigned a million more >children into poverty by signing the "welfare reform" bill.] > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > >Message-ID: <013601c01088$ff2b5340$0a00a8c0@home> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Outside the Democratic Convention 1,000 demand: 'End Iraq >sanctions' >Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2000 20:43:33 -0400 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Aug. 31, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >Outside the Democratic Convention > >1,000 DEMAND: 'END IRAQ SANCTIONS' > >By Nancy Mitchell >Los Angeles > >On Aug. 15 a rally was held outside the Democratic National >Convention in Los Angeles to demand an end to the U.S./ >United Nations war and sanctions against Iraq. > >More than 1,000 people participated in the protest, which >was co-chaired by American Arab Anti-Discrimination >Committee Western Regional Director Michel Shehadeh and >International Action Center Los Angeles Co-coordinator >Preston Wood. Shehadeh and Wood co-chair the Save the Iraqi >Children Coalition, which sponsored the rally. > >During a moment of silence, participants held up 250 small >coffins, each with the name and picture of an Iraqi child on >it. The coffins dramatically symbolized the number of Iraqi >children who die each day as a result of the sanctions. > >More than 1.5 million people have died as a result of the >sanctions since 1990. President Bill Clinton's >administration has blocked every effort in the UN to lift >the sanctions. > >U.S. and British air strikes against civilian targets in >Iraq continue almost daily. > >As the rally ended at sundown, hundreds of demonstrators >carrying coffins and signs lined the 12-foot-high fence >directly across the street from the Staples Center, site of >the Democratic Party gathering. The protesters chanted anti- >sanctions slogans at the delegates. > >Later, protestors lined a narrow sidewalk through which the >thousands of delegates had to pass to return to their >hotels. The demonstrators lining this gauntlet chanted >slogans denouncing Democratic Party presidential candidate >Al Gore and his Republican counterpart, George W. Bush, for >being guilty of genocide in Iraq and racist executions in >the United States. > >The demonstration received extensive media coverage. The >Associated Press and Reuters news services filed stories and >photos that appeared in many newspapers across the United >States and abroad. Arabic-language television stations also >covered the rally. It was widely seen in the Middle East and >in Arab American communities. > >Speakers at the rally included radio and television >personality Casey Kasem; IAC Western Regional Co-director >Richard Becker; high-school student Meghan Flynn Perrault >Lafayette, who traveled to Iraq last February; the Rev. >James Lawson, pastor emeritus of Holman United Methodist >Church; Jasser Hathout of the Islamic Center of Southern >California; Sonia Tuma of the American Friends Service >Committee; Office of the Americas Co-director Blase Bonpane; >and Workers World Party presidential candidate Monica >Moorehead. > >Also: Alicia Jrapko of the U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan; >National Lawyers Guild Executive Director James Lafferty; >Linda Tubach and Bob McCloskey of the Save the Iraqi >Children Coalition and Fellowship of Reconciliation; Middle >East Children's Alliance Executive Director Barbara Lubin; >Ghaith Mahmoud of the Muslim Student Association West at >UCLA; and Don White of the Committee in Solidarity with the >People of El Salvador. > >Magda Miller of the Iraq Sanctions Challenge introduced a >group of young people who defied sanctions by taking >medicine to Iraq. They included Forrest Schmidt, Sarah Sloan >and this writer. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > >Message-ID: <013c01c01089$14f15c60$0a00a8c0@home> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Gore talks 'left' in bid to hold Democratic base >Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2000 20:44:10 -0400 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Aug. 31, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >Smoke and mirrors > >GORE TALKS LEFT IN BID TO HOLD DEMOCRATIC BASE > >By Fred Goldstein > >There were several problems facing Vice President Al Gore >when he made his Aug. 17 speech accepting the Democratic >presidential nomination. > >He was down 18 points in the polls from his Republican >opponent, Texas Gov. George W. Bush. > >Gore's chances were rapidly eroding because his politics >were completely aligned with the vacillating Clinton/New >Democrat policies. > >Gore was openly friendly to big business, having recently >played errand boy for the pharmaceutical companies in their >effort to block the South African government's search for an >affordable response to the AIDS crisis. > > _______________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________
