More talk, less….crap?

I’ve said before that I prefer Obama over Clinton as the Democratic nominee, but I have to give it to Hillary for challenging her opponent to an unmoderated Lincoln-Douglas style debate.

Why is this awesome? Because if you watched the recent ABC debate you should be pretty fed up with the stark contrast between what the corporate media feels are important issues and what you and I should be concerned with. There were literally zero questions regarding actual policy standpoints. Every question was something about the candidates foot-in-mouth moments, or ridiculous fluff like “Do you love America?”

If you didn’t see it you might think I’m kidding, but I’m not. This is the low that the American political culture has stooped to. We’re looking at Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in the same way we look at Paris Hilton and Barry Bonds. Drama! Scandal! It’s stupid and I’m tired of it. They’ve dumbed us down politically to the point where they only logical next step is to take the politics out of political campaigns.

So let’s just cut the dumb ass moderators with their watered-down version of what constitutes political discourse and they can go head-to-head and hopefully tackle some real issues. Let’s hear about the candidates’ viewpoint on real political issues instead of focusing on who they know or what they did 15 years ago.

Plus, who knows? Maybe there will be a brawl.

Dynamic Issue No. 18 - Spring Double Issue!

Good news. I just got my new copy of Dynamic (the magazine of the Young Communist League) in the mail today. I have been anxiously waiting for months. It is typically published four times a year, but they skipped an issue and put out a super-duper ultra extreme Spring Double Issue.

This came at just the right time since I was extremely bummed to learn that, apparently, I have lost my Disc 1 of The Clash Sandinista! I really needed something to cheer me up right at that moment and this did the trick.

I’m not just doing my “Party Duty” when I say that I am really impressed with this publication. It has a lot of good stuff in it. The articles I particularly enjoy are in the Marxism 101 section; this month Clara Webb has written a great primer on unions in kind of a “faq” format. Another one I really liked in this issue was the story of James E. Jackson Jr. who was Virginia’s first black Eagle Scout and an activist in the Communist Party and civil rights movement. I also thought it was really cool that the leading articles in the magazine are printed in Spanish, as well as English, to cast a wider net.

Anyway, I could keep gushing about how sweet it is, but you should head on over to the YCL Website and get your own copy. Or even better: let me sell you a subscription and make the great state of Montana look good. A year’s subscription is a mere $15…even a broke bum like me can afford that!

Nine UM students face charges for sit-in

I got this story in my e-mail today and thought I’d pass it along. Apparently a student organization staged a demonstration on the University of Montana campus demanding that Griz gear be made with sweatshop-free apparel. Nine of the students performed a sit-in at the University President’s office and were arrested.

Getting arrested at a sit-in is nothing out of the ordinary. However, the fact that the nine students have been charged with trespassing and criminal mischief seems like an excessive attempt by the University administration to stifle acts of political expression.

Anyway, here’s the story:

STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS DEMAND THAT UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA APPAREL BE SWEAT-FREE!

Rally and sit-in on President Dennison’s office results in 9 arrests

On Wednesday April 16, nine students entered University of Montana President George Dennison’s office and refused to leave until the administration signed on in support of an anti-sweatshop policy called the Designated Suppliers Program (DSP). Over one hundred students and community members rallied outside the administration’s office in solidarity with the students sitting-in. The University administration later arrested the nine students, and charged them with criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct.

For two years, students and community members throughout Missoula have been requesting that UM not purchase its apparel made in sweatshops. Students for Economic and Social Justice (SESJ) have organized rallies, fashion shows, letter deliveries, petitions, May Day celebrations, and street theater to convince the University administration to adopt a policy, which would ensure that Griz Gear is produced under fair working conditions. President Dennison and Vice President Foley refused to adopt the DSP – a program that 42 leading institutions of higher education around the country have already endorsed.

“I think it is unfortunate that the University of Montana administration chose to arrest students who were peacefully protesting, rather than tackle the real problem of ensuring that U of M apparel is not produced in sweatshops,” said SESJ-member and Montana alum Sam Schabacker, who came back to Missoula to support the demonstration.

The administration was reluctant to sign on in support of the DSP because of legal concerns, but the students argued that the University could issue a conditional letter of support for the program. The 42 other schools that have adopted the DSP, including the University of Washington and Washington State University, have issued similar conditional statements, and these colleges aren’t going to implement the program until a positive review letter is
received by the Department of Justice in the future.

“We want the University to take a stand against sweatshops by joining the DSP Working Group as a member, to create the conditions necessary to make the program work in the future,” said Ella Torti, a student who was arrested and a member of SESJ. “Other big public universities have cited legal issues they want to see resolved before the DSP is implement, and I don’t see why UM can’t issue a similar conditional statement in support of the program,” Torti said.

The sit-in ended two hours after Main Hall officially closed, with students being handcuffed and then released into the outer lobby. They were greeted by over 50 student supporters, and later the University administration announced that President Dennison would meet with SESJ to negotiate whether to sign on to the DSP next Wednesday. This week, SESJ will be reaching out to its faculty allies to persuade the administration to drop all charges and move forward with
signing onto the DSP. Additionally, on Tuesday SESJ members who were arrested will be holding an information session and teach-in to educate the University community about their sweatfree campaign. For more information, please feel free to email SESJ at montanasesj@gmail.com, and visit www.montanasitin.net.

Butte, Saturday: “Criminalization of Dissent”

[Note: Forgive me for not posting this sooner. Being the dumbass that I am, it just occured to me today to post this on my blog. I'll most likely be there, so come on down. Here is the press release in its entirety:]

Criminalization of Dissent program in Butte Saturday

Brian Terrell

The public is invited to hear peace activist Brian Terrell who will speak in Butte and Missoula about recent increased governmental surveillance, intimidation and prosecution of nonviolent peace efforts. The “Criminalization of Dissent” program at 1 pm Saturday, April 26, at the Carpenters Union Hall includes a panel discussion with local leaders able to provide both law enforcement and defense of civil liberties perspectives.

In the past 30 years Terrell, who is executive director of Catholic Peace Ministry and lives at a Catholic Worker Farm in Iowa , has chosen to be arrested in protests against U.S. military interventions in Honduras , Puerto Rico and elsewhere. He has provided nonviolent resistance training to others who hope to bring media attention to nuclear weapons, victims of war and other injustices.

In 2004 the Joint Terrorism Task Force subpoenaed Terrell to submit testimony about his participation in an anti-war forum sponsored by the Lawyer’s Guild of Drake University.  The Guild’s records and member list were also subpoenaed. A Georgetown University law professor, David D. Cole , was quoted in the New York Times February 10, 2004 as saying, “I’ve heard of such a thing, but not since the 1950’s, the McCarthy era.” He said “it sends a very troubling message about government officials’ attitudes toward basic liberties.”

The panel discussion following Terrell’s talk features attorney Dierdre Caughlin of the Montana Public Defender’s office, retired Montana District Court Judge Jack Whelan , and longtime state and national ACLU board member Frank Gary .

Hors d’oeurves and beverages will be available. There is no charge to attend the program. Donations to defray travel costs will be gratefully accepted.

Terrell will also speak in Missoula on Tuesday, April 29 at 7 pm at the University of Montana Law School’s Castle Room.

The program is sponsored locally by the Butte peace group TAPS - Taking Action for Peaceful Solutions, the Montana Tech Peace Seekers Club, and Sacred Ground. Co-sponsors include the University of Montana Law School chapter of the ACLU, the Bitterroot Catholic Worker, the Jeanette Rankin Peace Center and the Western Montana Spirituality Development Council, Missoula .

The Carpenter’s Union Hall is located at 156 West Granite Street . For more information, call 723-3851 .

Don’t blame China for global warming

Sure, there are a lot of people out there who deny the existence of global climate change or that humans have any responsibility for it, or control over it. But then there is another section of people; they are a little brighter than the outright denialists but want the proverbial shit to roll downhill. With the People’s Republic of China poised to surpass the United States in total carbon emissions there are a lot of people who want to play down the role of the United States in this environmental catastrophe and put the blame on China. But they’re idiots, and I’ll tell you why.

Looking at 2004 data, the per capita carbon dioxide emission for the United States was 5.61 tons/year. In the PRC it was 1.05. In other words, it would take more than 5 Chinese to have the same “carbon footprint” as one American. China is the most populous country in the world. I would think it logical to cut them some slack since it takes a lot of energy to power 1.3 billion people. They literally have a billion more people in China than we do in the United States. One in every 5 people on Earth lives in China.

It’s only logical that China should have the world’s largest output of CO2. What’s bad is that with less than 1/4 their population we manage to surpass them. Even when they do pass us in that category it shouldn’t let us off the hook…even being in the same ballpark as them is bad.

The whole problem with the issue of climate change is that the media and government seems to be entirely caught up in a game of finger pointing. Is it a natural cycle, or is it caused by man? Or is it some fraction man-made and some part natural? And if it is man-made, who is at fault?

None of this really matters. We know that global climate change is real (and by “we” I mean people who aren’t ideologically blinded ultralibertarians), and if left unchecked it will have serious consequences. That is the truth regardless of whose fault it is. Sometimes when we’re faced with serious problems, like the extinction of our species (just one example off the top of my head), we should probably start coming up with some solutions first and then determine guilt later.

Stimulate this!

I can’t really complain about the Bush economic stimulus plan. I mean, hey, I’m not going to turn down a couple hundred extra bucks. But just how much is it going to stimulate the economy? How many working-class families are going to be able to get their mortgages caught up with a few hundred bucks? Not too many.

I rarely agree with my father on politics, but I think he said it best when he told me I had to spend my economic stimulus check on beer and hookers: they’re the only things that keep your Keynesian Dollar hanging around the USA (or at least that’s what I’ll tell my wife). But seriously, give a guy a couple hundred bucks to go to Wal Mart and buy a new DVD player (made in Japan) and that’s supposed to solve the economy’s woes? Who’s economy are we trying to stimulate here?

With that in mind, I’ve got to give a big thumbs up to the new joint effort by labor leaders and Democrats to draft a bill for a REAL economic stimulus plan:

Sen. Edward Kennedy and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney announced a new economic stimulus plan that extends jobless benefits by 13 weeks. The April 10 announcement followed a meeting between labor and congressional leaders in Washington D.C., where the package was drawn up.

The plan calls for extending unemployment benefits from their current 26 to 39 weeks, with an extension to 52 weeks in high-unemployment states. It also includes funds to repair roads, bridges and airports, funds for helping states maintain medical benefits, increases in food stamp benefits and additional tax rebates for low- and moderate-income taxpayers.

Sen. Kennedy (D-Mass.) said the package was hammered out at a meeting of labor leaders with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The measure will be brought to the Senate floor within a month, Kennedy said.

Will this pass? Probably not. Republicans threatened to filibuster the original economic stimulus plan which included similar measures. And if, by some miracle, it were to pass, I’m sure we’ve got another splendid Bush Veto to look forward to. But hey, one can hope, right?

Insurance != Healthcare

I hate to even do this. It shows my total laziness and lack of originality. But I’m going to reference an article on another blog that references another article in a newspaper. So thanks to Left in the West for doing my research for me! But I just wanted to say that Jay Stevens’ commentary on health care and insurance is right on.

To say that the percentage of people with access to health insurance is the same as those with access to health care is about the same as saying the official unemployment statistic reflects the amount of people who are actually unemployed. I know it’s unfashionable to like Michael Moore these days, but if you’ve seen the movie Sicko, or actually gone to the hospital a few times, you should know that health insurance companies have ways of trying to weasel out of payments, or setting copays so high you still can’t afford it. Just because you have an insurance plan it doesn’t necessarily follow that you are going to be able to afford health care.

Health insurance is a racket. Health insurance companies’ sole purpose for existence is to look for people who are sick or injured, and can’t afford medical care (just about everyone), and exploit them for profit. On top of that, they will take your money and try everything they legally can to get out of providing the service you’re paying for. The best word I can use to describe that is “predatory”. Health insurance companies, in my book, are lower scum than those seedy check-cashing/payday loan places you see in strip malls.

Making sure everyone has access to private health insurance is not the answer. I would very much like to see a real universal health care system enacted, and all the sleazy insurance companies shuttered and their executives put to work at McDonald’s. Not only because health insurance is a half-assed solution, but because I have a moral problem with their very existence. If I had to pick who’s picture would go in the dictionary next to the entry for “class enemy”, I would probably find a health insurance executive to snap a photo of.

Measuring the number of uninsured in our country only scratches the surface of the material and moral crisis we’re facing. Let’s think of something better.

Not everyone disagrees with me on Tibet.

[Note: I happened to "cross paths" with the Dalai Lama while I was in Seattle this weekend. I was boozing at the Pyramid, getting warmed up for the Mariners game as he was leaving his speaking engagement at Qwest Field. I didn't actually see him but I saw his throngs of supporters, and someone said he planned to attend the ball game. Anyway, I just thought I would repost this article because it's good to see that not everyone is so willing to hop on the anti-Chinese bandwagon. Also, if you're interested in learning about the "great" Tibetan culture that the Chinese Communists have been wrongly accused of destroying, you should read this article on the history of Tibet. Pre-Chinese Tibet was definitely not the Shangri-La that the bumper sticker crowd imagines.]

SEATTLE - In a showing of pro-Chinese support, hundreds of demonstrators protested outside a college arena Monday as the Dalai Lama spoke to students on solving problems through dialogue.

Thousands of people have flocked to Seattle to hear the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader speak since he arrived Thursday for a five-day conference on compassion, but the city’s Chinese community had remained largely silent until Monday.

Demonstrators held signs alleging media bias and protesting the violence from rioting by Tibetan monks.

Some echoed Beijing’s stand that the Dalai Lama is behind the recent uprising against five decades of Chinese rule. Signs called the Dalai Lama a liar and a “CIA-funded militant.” Many people waved large Chinese flags.

“I think that people are misinformed. They have media discrimination,” demonstrator Jiange Li said. “Tibet was freed — 50 years ago.”

The group chanted “We love Tibet,” “Stop lying” and “Dalai, your smiles charm, your actions harm,” as thousands of people filed into the University of Washington arena. A small plane flew overhead with a banner mirroring the chants.

The China-born community is the largest Asian immigrant group in Seattle, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures.

However, Seattle has historically been friendly to the Tibetan cause. The Dalai Lama has visited the city several times and has always been warmly welcomed.

Inside the arena, the Dalai Lama received an honorary degree and spoke of the importance of employing dialogue and mutual respect to solve problems.

He was greeted by a standing ovation. University president Mark Emmert welcomed the Tibetan leader, calling him the “pre-eminent spiritual leader of our time.”

“You will make this century of peace,” the Dalai Lama told students. “Today’s world (is) heavily interdependent. Destruction of your neighbor or enemy is destruction of yourself.”

He said dialogue is the only way to solve conflict, especially because he sees poverty and environmental problems increasing in the future.

While his visit to the United States was billed as nonpolitical, the Dalai Lama is expected to meet with a senior U.S. official next week to discuss China’s crackdown on anti-Beijing protesters in Tibet.

(Reposted from http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080415/ap_on_re_us/dalai_lama)

Cuban Socialism: the end or just a new chapter?

In the months since Raul Castro was elected as President of Cuba the media has been dancing in the streets with every story of reform and liberalization. The story between the lines — or not-so between the lines in some cases — is that Cuba has supposedly turned away from socialism, that they have accepted the “failure” of the system and are going to embrace capitalism.

This judgment is made based on a misunderstanding of what socialism is. Socialism, in their mind, equals restriction. Cuba is liberalizing. Therefor they are becoming less socialist.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

What people don’t understand is that Cuba is a relatively poor country, and yet maintains a planned economy. It differs from the United States and other countries (mostly in the north) in that the marketplace isn’t flooded with cheap consumer goods. Some things we take for granted simply aren’t available in high enough quantities to satisfy everyone. This can’t be entirely blamed on the embargo, but it certainly doesn’t help.

Cuba is also different than the good old U.S. of A. in another way. In Cuba you won’t find someone like myself who has a laptop computer and can’t afford medical care. We have Levi’s and Coca Cola, they have education and health care. They have limited resources and have to choose between consumer goods and quality of life, and they choose a little more wisely than we do.

The situation in Cuba is also different than a lot of similar Latin American countries. In those countries there are no legal or accessibility barriers to purchasing goods, it’s just that simple people live in such abject poverty that they can’t afford them if they are available. We hear about Cuban “dissidents” complaining that the government has “banned” broadband internet access in private residences, as if that is such a terrible human rights abuse, but do you ever hear about Mexican or Honduran farmers complaining about not having the internet?

So Cuba is faced with a situation: there’s not enough of a good to go around, and in the interests of creating an egalitarian society it would be bad to just throw things on the market and let only the rich gobble them up. The answer is to distribute with priority. So, sticking with the internet example (because the bandwidth which connects the island to the world is scarce) the answer is limiting access to public internet cafes and promoting the use of a national intranet.

Lately we’ve seen the reversal of this: cell phones, hotel rooms, all sorts of consumer goods are being put onto the open market for all to purchase. What does this mean? Is the socialist system failing? Is Cuba about to turn? Is it just a way to try to calm the supposed rampant dissidence on the island and let Fidel Castro….err, I mean Raul Castro, maintain his iron grip on power?

Those of you who guessed “the socialist system is failing” are exactly wrong. What’s more likely is that socialist system is succeeding. The leadership of Cuba has determined that the economy has recovered from the special period following the fall of the USSR and that the inequality caused by unregulated distribution of certain goods and services has been reduced to a level that it is no longer necessary to restrict them.

What about the distribution of collective farmland into small, private plots? Is that the beginning of the end for socialism in Cuba? Hardly. The point of socialism is that the workers control the means of production, but there can be different forms of socialist property. In some instances collectivization makes sense, but if smaller farm plots produce food more efficiently, what’s wrong with that? The land is still in the hands of those who work the land, as opposed to the huge foreign-owned plantations before the revolution.

But how about renters being given private ownership of their homes? Is that anti-socialist? Well, Cuba has already had the highest rate of homeownership in the western hemisphere, so this is nothing new.

All the cheerleading and ballyhoo in the media about Cuba’s supposed turn from socialism is totally premature. The problem is that people are ignorant about what socialism really is and how their system differs from that of the rest of the world. When people take into account the planned economy and open their mind to different ways of implementing socialism, the picture becomes clearer.

Odds n Ends

So a couple of things:

1) I’m going to be in the great state of Warshington until Sunday night/Monday morning. I hear they have internets there but I’ve got stuff planned (anyone going to the Mariners game Saturday?) so if you’ve got any comments to make about how I am a horrible monster, and they don’t get approved until next week, don’t worry. I’m not trying to censor you or anything.

2) In keeping with my pro-blog stance, I wanna give some linkage to Coffee House Poetry, who did me the honor on their blogroll. I don’t really know how to sum that joint up other than good stuff, funny stuff, thought-provoking stuff, what have you, so just do yourself a favor and click on the linky link.

3) I’ve got some ideas for new posts but I don’t have time to start new drafts, but I’m hoping to do a defense of Socialist Realist art, and I also hope that something interesting will happen in Montana so I can write about it (I know Obama and the Clintons were here in Butte, but every blog ever is already all over it and I don’t have anything new to add.

Have a good weekend, comrades!