>IN PACIFICA INTERVIEW: SLICK CLINTON TOPS BUSH-GORE LIES > >By Gary Wilson > >President Bill Clinton is so accomplished at the Big Lie >you'd think he'd invented the practice. > >Clinton's lies didn't start or stop with his statements >about what he was doing to "that woman." Consider his Nov. 7 >telephone call to Pacifica Radio's Amy Goodman and Gonzalo >Aburto. > >In a half-hour interview, Clinton appears to have made up >his answers as he was going. Clinton's claims during the >interview were at least as false as Al Gore's or George W's >during the presidential debates. > >>From his statements about the economy and the destruction of >the environment to his assertions denying that U.S. >sanctions on Iraq are killing 5,000 children a day, >everything Clinton said was inaccurate, if not a deliberate >lie. A slick liar always leaves you wondering if maybe >there's truth in what is being said. > >There's no need to make a word-by-word analysis of what >Clinton said. Just looking at his favorite theme, the >economy, is enough to see the distortions. The other answers >are equally if not more misleading. > >Clinton opened with a bald assertion that "for the first >time in 30 years, the incomes of average people and lower >income working people have gone up 15 percent after >inflation." > >Later in the interview, Goodman asked Clinton how he >answered those who say he has moved the Democratic Party to >the right. Clinton again turned to the economy, asserting >that poverty is at a 20 year low, that child poverty has >been cut by a third, that incomes have gone up 15 percent, >and much more. > >Not one word of his statement was true. In fact, in some >cases the exact opposite is true. These were really big >lies. > >A DOSE OF ECONOMIC REALITY > >Here are some of the economic realities. All of the figures >come from the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal think >tank in Washington. The EPI's founders include Clinton's >former labor secretary Robert Reich and Ray Marshall, the >labor secretary for Jimmy Carter, as well as Lester Thurow, >an MIT economist and economic adviser to Lyndon Johnson. >This is not an organization that would cook its statistics >against the Democratic Party or Bill Clinton. > >* Income inequality continues to grow. From 1995-1998 the >real income of the poorest 20 percent of households grew 1.9 >percent each year, while it grew 3.2 percent for the >wealthiest 20 percent. The gap between rich and poor >continued to increase. > >* Because the value of employer-paid health insurance and >pensions fell during the Clinton years, any wage gains were >substantially eroded. > >* A substantial part of the reported growth in income came >because the average household increased its work hours by >about 246 to 3,885 hours during the year 1998 over 1989. >That's about six extra full-time weeks a year. For African >American households, the aver age was even more--about 4,278 >hours per year, or over 500 hours per year more than white >households. > >* During the 1990s "boom," the poverty rate reached 12.7 >percent in 1998, a full percentage point higher than it was >almost 20 years before in 1979. > >* In 1998, one in five children in the U.S. lived in >poverty, or 18.9 percent. That is much higher than the child >poverty rate of 16.4 percent in 1979. > >* The biggest area of job growth is in jobs paying poverty- >level wages, defined as an hourly wage so low that a worker >em ployed full time cannot support a house hold of four >above the poverty line. In 1998, 29 percent of all workers >were in jobs paying poverty-level wages, a significantly >larger share than it has been in the past decades. > >This is the reality. Nothing like the phony stuff Clinton >kept throwing up during his interview. > >The economic boom is a boom for the rich. The rich really >are richer and the poor have gotten close to zero in >comparison. > >There is no economic system that is more unstable than >capitalism. The possibility of a sudden bust and recession >or worse is the only constant. > >This is reflected in the reports in the back pages of the >"business" section of the newspaper. There are now more >frequent reports of a pending recession. Worse are the >predictions of mass layoffs. > >The New York Times Business Section Sept. 9 led with the >phrase, "With economic data pointing to a slowdown ..." > >Business Week on Oct. 30 pointed to a financing squeeze. >"The slowdown is already weakening corporate profits," it >reports. Worries have "sent the stock market south." The >Standard & Poor's 500-stock index has dropped 13.5 percent >since March and the Nasdaq has dropped 60 percent in the >same time, "with no firm bottom in sight," the magazine >adds. > >Job instability is already at record levels. As part of the >high rate of mergers and acquisitions, jobs lost averaged >300,000 every week in 1999, according to a report by the >Aspen Institute. Most workers who lose their jobs are forced >to take new jobs at substantially lower pay. > >Job security is the number-one concern among all workers. Al >Gore, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton did not touch this >issue. > >The capitalist boom may have reduced unemployment, mostly by >creating poverty-level jobs. But there is no protection of >the right to a job. No one believes that unemployment will >stay low. Every worker, especially those at poverty level, >wonders every day how much longer she or he will have a job. >There is no stability to capitalist prosperity. > >If every worker were guaranteed a job at a living wage, that >would be something to brag about. > >The presidential candidate that spoke to this issue was >Monica Moorehead of Workers World Party. Moorehead called >for tripling the minimum wage and protect ing every worker's >right to have and keep a job. Only socialism can offer the >kind of job stability that capitalism will never have. > >The full interview with Clinton can be found on the Web at >www.democracynow.org/news/clinton.html. > >- 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: <00af01c050f6$6d1f0420$0a00a8c0@linux> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Prisons are capitalism's new sweatshops >Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 19:28:07 -0500 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 23, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >PRISONS ARE CAPITALISM'S NEW SWEATSHOPS > >Special to Workers World >New Paltz, N.Y. > >Monica Moorehead, the Workers World Party candidate for >president in the recent election, was the principal speaker >Nov. 13 at a meeting on "America's Criminal Injustice >System" that drew an audience of 120 people at the State >University of New York in New Paltz, N.Y. > >"The prison system in the United States is becoming >capitalism's newest sweatshop," she said in describing the >exploitation of inmate labor by large corporations. >"Prisoners are paid $5 an hour booking airline flights--one- >third the pay of free labor." She urged trade unions to >organize prison workers. > >Other speakers at the meeting included Nancy Hammond, >executive director of New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty; >Safiya Bukhari, an advocate for political prisoners >representing the Jericho Movement; Jack A. Smith of the Mid- >Hudson National People's Campaign and International Action >Center, co-sponsors of the meeting; Michael Chameides, a >Bard College student activist arrested during demonstrations >at the Republican Convention in Philadelphia this summer; >Sandra Oxford of the Coalition for Parole Restoration; and >Robert Robinson of NORML. > >- 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: <00b501c050f6$86a96840$0a00a8c0@linux> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Havana: 4,000 world delegates salute Cuban Revolution >Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 19:28:47 -0500 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 23, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >HAVANA: 4,000 WORLD DELEGATES SALUTE CUBAN REVOLUTION > > >By Teresa Gutierrez >Havana > >Over 4,000 delegates from 116 countries participated in the >Second World Conference of Friendship and Solidarity with >Cuba in Havana from Nov. 11-14. The conference was an >overwhelming expression of international solidarity and a >show of the tremendous support the people of the world have >for socialist Cuba. > >The theme of the conference was based on a quote from Cuba's >national hero Jos� Mart�: "All of the land should be one >great embrace." It was packed with reports on Cuba's current >situation and presentations from approximately 400 >international delegates. > >In addition, Cuba's Institute of Friendship with the Peoples >organized a number of memorable cultural and social events. >A sentiment shared by many at the conference was that Cuba >has not only survived the special economic period, but today >is strong and vibrant in every way. > >The only thing holding Cuba back from flourishing even more >is the continuing genocidal and illegal U.S. blockade. > >CUBAN LEADERS SPEAK > >Cuban leaders Carlos Lage, Ricardo Alarcon, Felipe Perez >Roque and Sergio Corrieri gave excellent and detailed >reports of Cuba's economic and political situation. Lage, >the minister of economic relations, made a thorough >comparison of Cuba's economy today with 1994, at the time of >the first world solidarity conference. > >Alarcon, president of the National Assembly, provided an >historical description of U.S./Cuba relations and pointed >out that recent measures passed in the U.S. Congress have >intensified the blockade. > >Prominent participants in the conference included radical >theologian Frei Betto of Brazil, Sandinista leader Daniel >Ortega from Nicaragua, FMLN leader Shafik Handal from El >Salvador, Cuba-China Friendship Association President Qi >Huayuan, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General >Secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet, Palestine National >Council member Fatah Abuel el Arda and Puerto Rican >Independence Party hero Rafael Cancel Miranda. The Congress >of South African Trade Unions sent a large and spirited >delegation. > >The Rev. Al Sharpton made a short but memorable visit. While >in Cuba, Sharpton held a two-hour interview with WLIB, a >radio station based in New York's African American >community. Pastors for Peace leader the Rev. Lucius Walker >was a guest and answered questions from WLIB listeners. > >Sharpton got a standing ovation from all 4,000 delegates >when he was introduced as a leader of the struggle against >police brutality in the U.S. > >The largest international delegation was from the U.S., with >600 participants. This fact inspired the Cubans and the >other international delegates. They recognized the >intimidation and repression U.S. delegates may face when >they return home. > >10,000 RALLY AGAINST BLOCKADE > >On Nov. 14, the last day of the conference, the delegates >participated in an early-morning rally and cultural event in >front of the U.S. Interests Section. Along with the 4,000 >delegates, the Young Communist Union organized thousands of >students from the School of Latin American Education and >other universities to participate. > >The Jos� Mart� Plaza was constructed outside the U.S. >government installation during the struggle to bring Eli�n >Gonz�lez home. President Fidel Castro told the delegates >that the fixture would remain as long as U.S. aggression >against Cuba continues. > >The 8:30 a.m. rally, titled "An anti-imperialist tribunal," >heard representatives of movements from around the world >denounce U.S. aggression. The event was closed by Walker, >who gave a stirring, powerful talk that brought the 10,000 >demonstrators to their feet. His hard-hitting speech had >everyone pointing at the U.S. Interests Section building and >shouting "Shame, shame!" as he recited Washington's crimes >against Cuba, Palestine, Mumia Abu-Jamal and all the people >of the world. > >The International Action Center, which brought the largest >group of U.S. delegates, distributed thousands of pieces of >literature about Cuba and many other issues. This material >was well received because the international movement >recognizes the importance of building a strong anti- >imperialist movement in the United States. > >While in Cuba, IAC leader and Workers World Party vice >presidential candidate Gloria La Riva participated in a >nationally televised roundtable discussion about the U.S. >election debacle. She also talked about the recent measures >passed by the U.S. Congress tightening the blockade. > >Further coverage of the conference will appear in next >week's WW. > >- 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: <00bd01c050f6$9c8f7c80$0a00a8c0@linux> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] South Africa: Strikes planned vs. privatization >Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 19:29:27 -0500 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 23, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >SOUTH AFRICA: STRIKES PLANNED VS. PRIVATIZATION > >Tens of thousands of South African municipal workers in the >Gautang, Cape Town and Johannesburg areas are planning >strikes and demonstrations Nov. 14-17 to protest moves >toward privatization of municipal services and the threat of >layoffs. > >The unions involved in the work actions--the South African >Municipal Workers Union and the Independent Municipal and >Allied Trade Union--have also called for messages of >solidarity from supporters around the world. > >According to a release from SAMWU on Nov. 9, the unions will >begin marching Nov. 14 in Greater Vaal, and the next day >20,000 SAMWU and IMATU members will put their tools down in >Johannesburg and converge on the Library Gardens. > >Marches are set to continue in the following days in Gauteng >and in Thabazimbi, where 2,000 members are protesting the >privatization of sanitation jobs. SAMWU's Cape Metro Branch, >with 18,000 members, pledged to strike on Nov. 16, with the >action set to spread across all municipalities of the >Western Cape and include 25,000 workers in all. > >SAMWU and IMATU oppose the plans to carry out iGoli 2002--a >proposal for restructuring municipal government that >involves the privatization of many municipal services. They >argue that it opens the door to fraud and corruption while >eliminating many jobs and services. > >SAMWU has asked that letters of support be sent to >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >--John Catalinotto > >- 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) > > > > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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