By John Wojcik
CHICAGO - Attorney General Eric Holder declared Oct. 7 that the beating death of a 16-year-old high school student was a "stark wake-up call" to the nation to deal with youth violence.
President Barack Obama sent Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan to this city to meet with school officials, parents and students after the killing of Derrion Albert on Sept. 24. The fatal beating was captured on a cell phone video, and viewed by millions across the country.
"The scenes in the video left an indelible mark on the mind of every American who has seen them," Holder said. He said the video underlined "a reality that can be too easy for too many to ignore as they go about their daily lives."
Holder urged a "comprehensive, coordinated approach" to teen violence involving police, religious organizations, businesses and social service groups.
School closures, many say, are one of a number of factors that contributed to the violence and killing.
Since 2005, dozens of Chicago's public schools have been closed and thousands of students reassigned outside their neighborhoods, often across entrenched gang lines, as part of Renaissance 2010.
The plan involves replacing supposedly "failing" public schools with charter schools, something teachers' unions and many community groups oppose. Many parents, students and neighborhood activists say the plan has led to a spike in violence that often turns deadly.
At the press conference Duncan said it was "ridiculous" to suggest that a plan to improve education in Chicago contributed to a surge in violence among students.
"Chicago won't be defined by this incident but rather our response to it," Duncan said. "I am committed to this fight. I am committed to this cause."
Duncan, who as the former head of Chicago Public Schools, helped implement the district's "improvement" plan, told the press that "it is easy to point fingers, but the country needs to focus it's attention instead on the root of the problem."
Angela Robinson, 42, has a two-family home on S. Coles Av., about two miles northeast of where the killing occurred. Her nephew, a student at the high school attended by Albert, is living with her now. "My sister put him here because it's safer," she told the World. "The real root of this is that there is nothing in these neighborhoods for anyone, no way to live like a human being. I don't excuse violence but young people and a lot of other people here are left with nothing except to prey off of each other."
Pro-labor economists say the problem goes far deeper than just a lack of jobs, programs and services for youth and that the result of more than 30 years of "trickle down" economics and a widening of the income gap have left neighborhoods, if not entire cities, without an economic base that can sustain productive livelihoods for people.
Before the 2006 school year in Chicago, an average of 10-15 public school students were fatally shot each year. That soared to 24 deadly shootings in the 2006-07 school year, 23 deaths and 211 shootings in the 2007-08 school year and 34 deaths and 290 shootings in the last school year.
Albert, an honor student at Christian Fenger Academy High School, was attacked by a group of youth about six blocks from school on the city's South Side.
The video shows him curled up on the sidewalk, as other youth kick him and hit him with splintered railroad ties. So far, four have been charged in his death.
Duncan announced that Fenger High would receive $500,000 in federal emergency grant money to help it stabilize after the killing. The school says it will use the money for counselors and other programs.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Family files civil lawsuit in Barmore case
Official Press Release (Courtesy of Mannuscript blog)
A lawsuit was filed against the City Rockford and Rockford police officers ODA POOLE and STAN NORTH relating to the August 24, 2009 shooting death of Mark A. Barmore at a Rockford Day Care Center and Pre-school connected to a church.
The Complaint alleges that Officers Poole and/or Stan North presented themselves at the door of the day care center with guns drawn from the outset, looking for Mark A. Barmore who had gone inside after casually speaking with several people outside, including pastors and counselors.
In the middle of the afternoon, while children were present, the officers proceeded through the day care center, guns drawn, into “Toddler Rooms” and other rooms of children looking for Mark Barmore. They determined that he was in a windowed storage room behind a closed door. They kicked the door open and ordered him out of the storage room and into a play area outside the storage. Children were in the outer playroom at the time.
According to witnesses, including the pastor’s wife and 17 year old daughter, Mark Barmore exited with his hands raised and without a weapon. As he exited he was fired upon and struck once in the neck, in what was determined by independent autopsy to be a superficial wound. After he fell to the ground, and lay face down, he was shot 3 times in the back at point blank range. According to witnesses, and as can be clearly seen by photos attached to the complaint, Mark Barmore had no where to run based upon the configuration of the room and was unarmed. Photos attached to the complaint clearly show 3 bullet entrance wounds to Mark Barmore’s back which witnesses say were delivered as he lay defenseless on the ground. There were no exit wounds on the front of his torso.
Attorney Larry R. Rogers, Jr., of Power Rogers & Smith, P.C. in Chicago and one of the attorneys for the Barmore family stated, “The physical evidence doesn’t lie. Mark Barmore had no weapon, no where to run, and he was in a church day care center, yet he has 3 large caliber, police issued bullet wounds in his back which, according to a pastor’s wife were fired by an officer as Mr. Barmore lay on the ground. If this isn’t an unjustified use of excessive force by an officer, then what is?”
Attorney John F. Lyke, a former Cook County prosecutor who prosecuted several murders in Chicago and who also represents the family stated, “If we all had blindfolds on and were given these facts, it could be described as an execution style murder and we would want the murderers arrested, jailed and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Yet here we are, 6 weeks later and no findings have been reported and no arrests have been made and the investigation is ‘ongoing.’ Why? Solely because it involved police officers. While all policemen are not bad policemen, some are. These police officers killed this young man and must be held.”
Officer Poole, the officer believed to be the one who fired the fatal shots into Mark Barmore’s back has had several shooting incidents in the past 5 years that he has been on the force, one of which also involved the death of another black citizen.
A lawsuit was filed against the City Rockford and Rockford police officers ODA POOLE and STAN NORTH relating to the August 24, 2009 shooting death of Mark A. Barmore at a Rockford Day Care Center and Pre-school connected to a church.
The Complaint alleges that Officers Poole and/or Stan North presented themselves at the door of the day care center with guns drawn from the outset, looking for Mark A. Barmore who had gone inside after casually speaking with several people outside, including pastors and counselors.
In the middle of the afternoon, while children were present, the officers proceeded through the day care center, guns drawn, into “Toddler Rooms” and other rooms of children looking for Mark Barmore. They determined that he was in a windowed storage room behind a closed door. They kicked the door open and ordered him out of the storage room and into a play area outside the storage. Children were in the outer playroom at the time.
According to witnesses, including the pastor’s wife and 17 year old daughter, Mark Barmore exited with his hands raised and without a weapon. As he exited he was fired upon and struck once in the neck, in what was determined by independent autopsy to be a superficial wound. After he fell to the ground, and lay face down, he was shot 3 times in the back at point blank range. According to witnesses, and as can be clearly seen by photos attached to the complaint, Mark Barmore had no where to run based upon the configuration of the room and was unarmed. Photos attached to the complaint clearly show 3 bullet entrance wounds to Mark Barmore’s back which witnesses say were delivered as he lay defenseless on the ground. There were no exit wounds on the front of his torso.
Attorney Larry R. Rogers, Jr., of Power Rogers & Smith, P.C. in Chicago and one of the attorneys for the Barmore family stated, “The physical evidence doesn’t lie. Mark Barmore had no weapon, no where to run, and he was in a church day care center, yet he has 3 large caliber, police issued bullet wounds in his back which, according to a pastor’s wife were fired by an officer as Mr. Barmore lay on the ground. If this isn’t an unjustified use of excessive force by an officer, then what is?”
Attorney John F. Lyke, a former Cook County prosecutor who prosecuted several murders in Chicago and who also represents the family stated, “If we all had blindfolds on and were given these facts, it could be described as an execution style murder and we would want the murderers arrested, jailed and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Yet here we are, 6 weeks later and no findings have been reported and no arrests have been made and the investigation is ‘ongoing.’ Why? Solely because it involved police officers. While all policemen are not bad policemen, some are. These police officers killed this young man and must be held.”
Officer Poole, the officer believed to be the one who fired the fatal shots into Mark Barmore’s back has had several shooting incidents in the past 5 years that he has been on the force, one of which also involved the death of another black citizen.
Seven arrested at CIGNA demanding ‘profits out of health care’
By John Bachtell
Chicago – Seven health care activists were arrested when the refused to leave the lobby of CIGNA insurance company after they were denied a meeting with corporate executives. The activists were demanding immediate approval of all doctor recommended treatments by CIGNA.
The arrests were part of a national action and aimed at highlighting how the insurance industry drive for profits is resulting in thousands of unnecessary deaths.
“Forty-five thousand people die each year because they are denied care by insurance corporations,” said Edward Crouse, 34 of the Chicago Single Payer Action Network (CSPAN). This is more than die each year in car accidents. It’s criminal but it’s what happens when we have a health care system based on corporate profit making.”
Crouse said all the insurance giants were equally guilty, but they targeted CIGNA because of a notorious case in which the company denied Nataline Sarkisyan treatment for a liver transplant. Her family fought the decision and forced CIGNA to finally grant the treatment, but it came 2 hours before she died. The delay in approval became a denial of care.
Well-known whistle blower Wendell Potter was also the former head of corporate communications for CIGNA. He has said the insurance industry is forced to cut back on paying claims because of unceasing pressure from investors on Wall Street.
Potter recently told TV journalist Bill Moyers, “Back in the early nineties, 95 cents out of every dollar was used by the insurance companies to pay claims. Last year, it was down to just slightly above 80 percent.
”So, investors want that to keep shrinking. And if they see that an insurance company has not done what they think meets their expectations with the medical loss ratio, they'll punish them. Investors will start leaving in droves.
Potter said he had seen a company stock price fall 20 percent in a single day, when it did not meet Wall Street's expectations.
Potter also said the insurance industry is deathly afraid of any public competition in the health care field. In fact, the number of competitors has been shrinking due to buyouts and mergers.
“They don't want any more competition period. They certainly don't want it from a government plan that might be operating more efficiently than they operate. The Medicare program is a government-run program that has administrative expenses that are three percent," compared to the health insurance industry's 20%, he said
Back at the CIGNA protest, Crouse said while a single payer health care system wasn’t going to pass in this session of Congress the current reforms being considered won’t be enough to solve the health care crisis.
“Single payer may not pass, but it won’t be abandoned. We believe a single payer system is the only viable solution to the health care crisis,” said Crouse.
As he watched his friends being carried to the police wagon, Bill Bianchi of Progressive Democrats of America said “the biggest crime is the denial of insurance and the removal of insurance of those who have it. This greed is something you would expect from the Mafia, but instead we get it from large American corporations on a scale the Mafia never dreamed of.”
“Single payer is alive and well and we’ll continue to demand our legislators pass it. Everybody in and nobody out,” he said.
Chicago – Seven health care activists were arrested when the refused to leave the lobby of CIGNA insurance company after they were denied a meeting with corporate executives. The activists were demanding immediate approval of all doctor recommended treatments by CIGNA.
The arrests were part of a national action and aimed at highlighting how the insurance industry drive for profits is resulting in thousands of unnecessary deaths.
“Forty-five thousand people die each year because they are denied care by insurance corporations,” said Edward Crouse, 34 of the Chicago Single Payer Action Network (CSPAN). This is more than die each year in car accidents. It’s criminal but it’s what happens when we have a health care system based on corporate profit making.”
Crouse said all the insurance giants were equally guilty, but they targeted CIGNA because of a notorious case in which the company denied Nataline Sarkisyan treatment for a liver transplant. Her family fought the decision and forced CIGNA to finally grant the treatment, but it came 2 hours before she died. The delay in approval became a denial of care.
Well-known whistle blower Wendell Potter was also the former head of corporate communications for CIGNA. He has said the insurance industry is forced to cut back on paying claims because of unceasing pressure from investors on Wall Street.
Potter recently told TV journalist Bill Moyers, “Back in the early nineties, 95 cents out of every dollar was used by the insurance companies to pay claims. Last year, it was down to just slightly above 80 percent.
”So, investors want that to keep shrinking. And if they see that an insurance company has not done what they think meets their expectations with the medical loss ratio, they'll punish them. Investors will start leaving in droves.
Potter said he had seen a company stock price fall 20 percent in a single day, when it did not meet Wall Street's expectations.
Potter also said the insurance industry is deathly afraid of any public competition in the health care field. In fact, the number of competitors has been shrinking due to buyouts and mergers.
“They don't want any more competition period. They certainly don't want it from a government plan that might be operating more efficiently than they operate. The Medicare program is a government-run program that has administrative expenses that are three percent," compared to the health insurance industry's 20%, he said
Back at the CIGNA protest, Crouse said while a single payer health care system wasn’t going to pass in this session of Congress the current reforms being considered won’t be enough to solve the health care crisis.
“Single payer may not pass, but it won’t be abandoned. We believe a single payer system is the only viable solution to the health care crisis,” said Crouse.
As he watched his friends being carried to the police wagon, Bill Bianchi of Progressive Democrats of America said “the biggest crime is the denial of insurance and the removal of insurance of those who have it. This greed is something you would expect from the Mafia, but instead we get it from large American corporations on a scale the Mafia never dreamed of.”
“Single payer is alive and well and we’ll continue to demand our legislators pass it. Everybody in and nobody out,” he said.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Unpaid Latino workers: hunger strike in Aurora, IL
Press Contacts: Jose Cipriano (331) 262-3331,Cristobal Cavazos (630)260-0142, Manuel Sanchez (630) 270-8750
Immigrant Day Laborers Jose Cipriano Nevarez and Manuel Sanchez Vega worked for over 7 weeks in late 2008 (Aug. 25- Oct. 10) having been contracted to dismantle an industrial air conditional system at the Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus Church complex and flea market at 175 N. State Street (corner of State and Claim Street) in Aurora. Performing the work without proper safety equipment, they would later find out that the HVAC system in the aged structure was ridden with asbestos and other contaminants. The pair would go on to paint murals of religious imagery and other artwork around the complex in addition to maintenance and creation of signage around the complex at the request of the property management.
Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus Church property owner and minister Rev. Rodolfo Hernandez refused to pay Cipriano Nevarez and Sanchez Vega when the job was complete alleging the two did the work “of their own volition.“ The workers, owed tens of thousand of dollars, have gone on to battle poor health and joblessness since they finished work on the property on October 10, 2008.
On Friday morning at 9 a.m. the workers will set up outside in front of the Aurora complex at 175 N. State Street with tent and signs and commence a hunger strike demanding their pay and denouncing the routine labor injustices suffered by immigrant workers across Chicagoland.
What? Latino Workers Hunger Strike
When? Friday, October 9, 9am
Where? 175 N. State Street, Aurora (corner of State & Claim)
Info:(331) 262-3331, (630)260-0142
Immigrant Day Laborers Jose Cipriano Nevarez and Manuel Sanchez Vega worked for over 7 weeks in late 2008 (Aug. 25- Oct. 10) having been contracted to dismantle an industrial air conditional system at the Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus Church complex and flea market at 175 N. State Street (corner of State and Claim Street) in Aurora. Performing the work without proper safety equipment, they would later find out that the HVAC system in the aged structure was ridden with asbestos and other contaminants. The pair would go on to paint murals of religious imagery and other artwork around the complex in addition to maintenance and creation of signage around the complex at the request of the property management.
Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus Church property owner and minister Rev. Rodolfo Hernandez refused to pay Cipriano Nevarez and Sanchez Vega when the job was complete alleging the two did the work “of their own volition.“ The workers, owed tens of thousand of dollars, have gone on to battle poor health and joblessness since they finished work on the property on October 10, 2008.
On Friday morning at 9 a.m. the workers will set up outside in front of the Aurora complex at 175 N. State Street with tent and signs and commence a hunger strike demanding their pay and denouncing the routine labor injustices suffered by immigrant workers across Chicagoland.
What? Latino Workers Hunger Strike
When? Friday, October 9, 9am
Where? 175 N. State Street, Aurora (corner of State & Claim)
Info:(331) 262-3331, (630)260-0142
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Mercedes Sosa, Argentinian singer for Justice Dies
By Sijisfredo Aviles
Mercedes Sosa is dead, Long live Mercedes. And she will live in the hearts of many music lovers of the Nueva Cancion, the new form of music that combined modern popular music with folk music with a message of support of the exploited and a call for social justice for the indigenous people, Afro Latinos and the poor of Latin America. She will also live in other singers to whom she passed the torch of commitment to social justice and struggle.
As a singer, interpreter of the Nueva Cancion and a member of the Communist Party, she was considered an arch enemy of the military dictatorship that controlled Argentina from 1976 to 1983 after a coup. The regime either killed or disappeared perhaps 30,000 people, including their children who were kidnapped and given for adoption and whose family do not know their fortune. She and her audience were arrested during a concert and she was freed after an international campaign in favor of her freedom. Threats from right wing death squads forced her to flee, seek exile in France and live in Spain. She returned in 1982 just before the military dictatorship crumbled.
Born in Tecuman, one of the poorest northern province of Argentina, she died at age 72 this past Sunday, October 4 in Buenos Aires, peacefully according to her son, Fabian Matus, although she suffered from hepatitis and other complications. Her fans called her fondly "La Negra" in reference to the shining black hair that she inherited from her Quechuan Indian roots. Her death ended a sixth decade career that began at age 15. Her remains lay in state at the National Congress and a funeral procession accompanied her to the Chacarita Cemetery where she was cremated.
Thousands of people paid their respects with tears, flowers, dance and song. They remembered her as a person who loved humanity and justice and not only just a singer. After all there have been many singers but few as committed as Mercedes Sosa.
Mercedes Sosa is dead, Long live Mercedes. And she will live in the hearts of many music lovers of the Nueva Cancion, the new form of music that combined modern popular music with folk music with a message of support of the exploited and a call for social justice for the indigenous people, Afro Latinos and the poor of Latin America. She will also live in other singers to whom she passed the torch of commitment to social justice and struggle.
As a singer, interpreter of the Nueva Cancion and a member of the Communist Party, she was considered an arch enemy of the military dictatorship that controlled Argentina from 1976 to 1983 after a coup. The regime either killed or disappeared perhaps 30,000 people, including their children who were kidnapped and given for adoption and whose family do not know their fortune. She and her audience were arrested during a concert and she was freed after an international campaign in favor of her freedom. Threats from right wing death squads forced her to flee, seek exile in France and live in Spain. She returned in 1982 just before the military dictatorship crumbled.
Born in Tecuman, one of the poorest northern province of Argentina, she died at age 72 this past Sunday, October 4 in Buenos Aires, peacefully according to her son, Fabian Matus, although she suffered from hepatitis and other complications. Her fans called her fondly "La Negra" in reference to the shining black hair that she inherited from her Quechuan Indian roots. Her death ended a sixth decade career that began at age 15. Her remains lay in state at the National Congress and a funeral procession accompanied her to the Chacarita Cemetery where she was cremated.
Thousands of people paid their respects with tears, flowers, dance and song. They remembered her as a person who loved humanity and justice and not only just a singer. After all there have been many singers but few as committed as Mercedes Sosa.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Rockford rallies for justice in police killing
By John Bachtell
Rockford, IL – Rainy cool weather couldn’t dampen the outrage of hundreds of people demanding justice in the murder by two white police officers of unarmed 23 year-old African American Mark Anthony Barmore in a church day care center here August 24.
Barmore had run into the church in fear of the police who approached him about a domestic complaint. He was gunned down in full view of horrified witnesses and small children. An autopsy revealed he had been shot several times in the back.
The killing has sparked a series of rallies in Rockford, an old industrial city 75 miles from Chicago that has been devastated by plant closings. Several weeks ago, Rev. Jesse Jackson met with the city’s labor movement and led a multi-racial march calling for justice and jobs to rebuild the community.
Rockford currently has the highest unemployment rate in the state and has experienced a history of racial segregation and tension. The police killing is the most recent in a long list of grievances by this city’s African American community. A rally in support of the police a couple of weeks ago only heightened bitterness.
Speakers called for unity against the police violence and appealed to the youth to get involved. Protesters are demanding the establishment of the civilian complaint review board with subpoena power, a federal government investigation of the killing and national standards for the use of force by police.
The NAACP mobilized its chapters across the Midwest to participate. “No distance is long enough to fight for the cause of justice, said Pastor Steven Bland of Detroit. “As Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, ‘An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ Even a worm will wiggle if you step on it. I came to Rockford to wiggle.”
Also attending were NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous and actor Nate Parker, star in the movie “The Great Debaters.” Both had come directly from the funeral of Darrien Albert, the 16 year-old honor student who was beaten to death in Chicago by fellow students.
Because of the rain, a planned march was cancelled and protesters packed the Kingdom Authorities International Ministries church, whose adjacent day care center was the site of the murder. The church is situated on the city’s west side, where most of the African American community lives.
The throng was welcomed by Pastor Melvin Brown, who said had Barmore run into a church on the city’s largely white East Side officers would have stopped and asked questions and not come in with guns drawn.
A city newspaper had condemned the rally as the instigation of “outsiders.” To many, this smacked of similar charges leveled by the racist power establishment in the Deep South during the Civil Rights movement when protests erupted against Jim Crow segregation.
It was repeatedly noted the NAACP is celebrating its 100 anniversary. As Theresa Dear, President of the DuPage County NAACP branch put it, “The NAACP didn’t just show up. We’ve been in Rockford for 75 years and we’re not going anywhere!”
Another speaker said the only thing different about Rockford and Milwaukee or Gary is the name of the city. The problems are the same.
Caprica Cooper of the National Council of Negro Women said the killing reminded her of the barbaric church bombing that killed four little girls in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. “The Black church and NAACP is all we have. No one should take this from us,” she said.
The crowd was peppered with signs saying, “I am human.” In his remarks Jealous said, “Everybody is made in God’s image. We are all human, and police officers need to treat us as human “
Jealous placed the issue of police violence in the larger context of severely under funded public education, growing mass joblessness without any prospects for employment and 46 million people without health care. He said a huge challenge in the 21st century is the mass incarceration in the US and today’s young generation is the most murdered and incarcerated ever.
“The incarceration has a disproportionate effect on the Black community but not only,” he said. “This is a national problem. The US has five percent of the world’s people and twenty-five percent of the world’s prison population. Without all Black and Latino inmates, we would still lead the world in incarceration,” he said
“We come today and commit to a better day for our children,” said Jealous.
There were many other calls to continue to build the movement for justice. State Representative Charles Jefferson said people were joining together because they were sick and tired of the status quo. A spider may be small, but together they can tie up a lion, he said.
“It’s time for a change, Joyce Higgins of Chromelight II told the Peoples World. “This is just the beginning. People can accomplish a great deal if they come together.”
Friday, October 2, 2009
More radical steps needed to counter massive joblessness
The release of the latest "official" unemployment report - a rise to 9.8% and the loss of another 263,000 jobs in September - makes one thing crystal clear: corporate America will never get us out of this deep economic crisis. Government action is urgently needed.
To date there are 15 million unemployed Americans and millions more who are underemployed. According to new studies the high rates of unemployment will persist for years and its impact on working class communities will be profound.
With continuing job loss, the US can't wait for corporate America and the "market forces" to get us out of this crisis. Many economists, including those in the CPUSA, believe we are looking at a "jobless recovery."
Only some far reaching government intervention in the economy and radical reforms will alleviate the misery.
A massive 2nd stimulus package is needed that will create millions of new "green jobs" building affordable housing, mass transit, new schools and day care centers for a start. Millions could be put to work in environmental clean up, rebuilding our parks and recreation areas, cleaning up "brownfields" and planting trees and native plants.
But even that may not be enough.
Some radical economic reforms that need to be considered are:
First, conversion from a militarized economy to a peace economy. More jobs are created with the same expenditure of money in education, health care, and other fields.
Second, a shorter work week with no cut in pay or benefits. The 35 hour work week is standard in some countries. A shorter work week will create more jobs.
Third, expanding unemployment compensation for the duration of unemployment. The right wing says this will encourage people to be lazy. But they have no humanity - there are at least six people looking for each job. Most people want desperately to work and would rather work than be idle. Our society can't let people starve, lose their homes and families and ruin their lives.
Fourth, unemployment compensation for first time job seekers. Unemployment among young people is astronomical, especially in African American, Latino and neighborhoods of people of color. This young generation can see little future for itself. Unemployment compensation should be provided until young people attain jobs.
Corporations be damned! Unless radical measures are taken, we will not emerge from this crisis.
To date there are 15 million unemployed Americans and millions more who are underemployed. According to new studies the high rates of unemployment will persist for years and its impact on working class communities will be profound.
With continuing job loss, the US can't wait for corporate America and the "market forces" to get us out of this crisis. Many economists, including those in the CPUSA, believe we are looking at a "jobless recovery."
Only some far reaching government intervention in the economy and radical reforms will alleviate the misery.
A massive 2nd stimulus package is needed that will create millions of new "green jobs" building affordable housing, mass transit, new schools and day care centers for a start. Millions could be put to work in environmental clean up, rebuilding our parks and recreation areas, cleaning up "brownfields" and planting trees and native plants.
But even that may not be enough.
Some radical economic reforms that need to be considered are:
First, conversion from a militarized economy to a peace economy. More jobs are created with the same expenditure of money in education, health care, and other fields.
Second, a shorter work week with no cut in pay or benefits. The 35 hour work week is standard in some countries. A shorter work week will create more jobs.
Third, expanding unemployment compensation for the duration of unemployment. The right wing says this will encourage people to be lazy. But they have no humanity - there are at least six people looking for each job. Most people want desperately to work and would rather work than be idle. Our society can't let people starve, lose their homes and families and ruin their lives.
Fourth, unemployment compensation for first time job seekers. Unemployment among young people is astronomical, especially in African American, Latino and neighborhoods of people of color. This young generation can see little future for itself. Unemployment compensation should be provided until young people attain jobs.
Corporations be damned! Unless radical measures are taken, we will not emerge from this crisis.
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