The last few paragraphs of this report sound eerily familiar to what has
happened in this district over the past ten years. The plutocracy
recognizes that its multiple tactics have rendered the middle class
unable to stand up for the core processes of a Republic.
The poor always get hammered in bad economic times, but the "dismantling
of democracy" in Wisconsin, PA, etc. is exactly what was cheered for
here over the past ten years. Over the entire state, they are using the
same FOCP/UCD tactics and sound bite lies that we've watched and accepted.
As I've long understood, our gentrification was one of many pilot
experiments around the country which was indeed being studied. The Penn
takeover helped establish that the middle class was prepared to give up
the Republic and democratic principles, as soon as any real or
manufactured crisis opened the door. In this district, the crisis was
completely manufactured and the "good folks" cheered.
People thought they could abandon democracy up to 50th St. and then get
it back whenever the corporate overseers came to their front door. That
isn't what our forgotten history teaches!
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20110704_Criticism_for_cuts_to_programs_that_help_people_get_off_welfare.html?page=1&c=y
Advocates and budget analysts were puzzled by the legislature's
eleventh-hour decision to allow the Department of Public Welfare to make
decisions about welfare, Medicaid, and food stamps without legislative
input or oversight. An already opaque organization will be granted still
more power to make decisions affecting the poor without scrutiny,
advocates say.
"This is a major dismantling of democracy in Pennsylvania," said Mariana
Chilton, a professor in the Drexel University School of Public Health
and a leading national expert on hunger. "It cuts out the advocates who
can help fight for those who are poor. This is a backdoor magic trick."
Sharon Ward, executive director of the nonprofit Pennsylvania Budget and
Policy Center, said she wondered why "such sweeping changes were made in
secrecy with 15 minutes' notice two days before the legislature left for
the summer."
Last week, DPW Secretary Gary Alexander told The Inquirer that the
changes were not meant to circumvent public scrutiny, adding: "Anything
we do will be done in an open fashion, with stakeholder input and with
public comment."
But a skeptical Ward countered, "If you're willing to involve the public
in a full review of policy changes, then you don't need expedited
rule-making authority."
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