On April 6th 2009 Governor David Patterson announced a statewide $253 million dollar housing project funded on a federal level by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This plan is the first housing initiative to be granted any funding through the ARRA, and will focus on preservation and the construction of new units. New York’s use of its stimulus money is expected to focus primarily on those neighborhoods around the state which most desperately need affordable housing and have been hit the hardest during these difficult economic times. Paterson’s plan will also restore many units of Mitchell-Lama housing through construction projects.
According to a press release from the Governor, the first 9 projects will be the preservation of 80 units of affordable housing in Albany, 388 Mitchell-Lama apartments is Syracuse, along with “20 three-bedroom homes in Rochester, and a YWCA Residence for Women in Westchester County.” Through the ARRA, Patterson will look to use New York’s $253 million share of the more than 2 billion dollar of the Tax Credit Assistance Program to spark the construction of low and middle income buildings and could push state agencies to speed up the process. The first 9 projects are expected to create or preserve 1,400 units of low income housing. In Harlem, the new program will be used to build the Erbograph Apartments, which will be an 8-story building providing 64 affordable units for some of the lowest income apartments along with those for the extremely frail and elderly. One of the earliest supporters of this measure is Charles Rangel who touted the housing plan for not only creating new units of affordable housing but also potentially revitalizing the economies of some of the city’s poorest communities throughout the state. So far many in Albany have put their support behind the plan. Along with Rangel, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer have also put their weight behind the project, both of whom praised the governor’s bill for restocking affordable housing across the state.
Unlike Mayor Bloomberg’s housing plan, Patterson’s does not rely on a market-based system and because this is a community investment program, the production and preservation of affordable housing units will not be open to profit-based abuses, such as landlords opting out of rent regulated programs, which are plaguing New York’s current housing structure. And unlike the Mayor’s plan, Patterson is looking to restore buildings to the Mitchell-Lama program. Two such projects under DHCR received funding June of last year. Current economic conditions have put a halt to these projects but the ability to use New York’s stimulus money should restart the construction. Such a move to restore these rent regulated programs shows that the Governor has an eye on not only building new affordable units or preserving old ones but also is looking to help save much-needed programs like Mitchell-Lama which both the Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn fail to mention in their plans.
Patterson’s plan should not be seen as an end-all and be-all, however. The fact remains that New York City will continue to struggle with the lose of affordable housing until our local officials have the full authority to pass meaningful laws that will put an end to the quickening erosion of the rent stabilized housing along with the structural problems that continue to undermine the efforts of housing advocates.
Until next time…
http://www.examiner.com/x-6452-NY-Progressive-Examiner~y2009m5d4-Governor-David-Patersons-afforadable-housing-plan
After some spirited chanting and clapping to open last night’s Town Hall meeting at the Church of all Nations, Assembly member Linda Rosenthal began the night by discussing the importance of passing of the bill S2237-A, which was introduced to the State Senate by several reps including Andrea Stewart-Cousins. Ms.Rosenthal stated that without the bill those who live in rent stabilized housing wouldn’t have any real protection against the aggressive gentrification which is being pushed by “greedy landlords”. As I’ve stated in earlier pieces, one of the things that this legislation would do would be the removal of the $2000 dollar threshhold which currently allows building owners to remove a unit, or a building, from the protections of rent stabilization.
The obstacle to the bill S2237-A, are those lawmakers who receive large campaign contributions from real estate groups. According to Ms. Rosenthal, the landlords contributed a total of $ 2.5 million dollars to Albany, to politicians on both sides. For those of use who have been working on this issue for some time, this comes as no real surprise. When it became obvious that the Democrats were going to take control of Albany, building owners decided to hedge their bets and heavily funded some of the newer Democrats. This does complicate the passing of the bill which needs 32 votes to pass and has currently 23 sponsors signed on, 4 Democrats who refuse to state they support it and solid Republican opposition. Senator Rosenthal urged those in the audience to call Albany and tell those Democrats who are wavering on the bill and remind them why they are where they are and who put them there. Democrats usually win their positions because of the push by tenants and tenant rights group.
The next New York Senator to speak was Eric Schneiderman who started off by stating that Albany is a strange world, separated from the real one, where you have lobbyists instead of friends. He went onto say that the passing of the rent destabilization bill is the top priority for him. Mirroring what Senator Rosenthal had earlier stated, the main obstacle to the bill are the landlords and those who received contributions from them. Senator Schneiderman called the system of rent decontrol corrupt and the issue itself really centers on what kind of city and country we want to live in. He called for the audience to call Senators Carl Kruger, Jeffery Klein, Craig Johnson and Pedro Espada and demand that they support the bill.
Senator Liz Krueger spoke, saying that life in the city is about safe affordable housing and that the passing of S2237-A is on top of her list as a priority. She blamed overpriced housing for putting tenants of rent stabilized housing into the position that they currently are. She said that landlords argue due to the current economic situation, they are not able to find renters for their lower priced units. She pointed out that the units were overpriced and it was no surprise they were unable to rent apartments for $4,500 a month. Apparently, one of the building owners actually lamented that landlords are facing, “the tyranny of the majority”- that “there are more tenants than landlords”. “No, that’s democracy!” Senator Krueger pointed out. She went on to point out the end of the $2000 thresh hold and urged voters to help the 23 sponsors by calling Albany and urging those who are on the fence to vote in favor of the legislation.
After Senator Krueger spoke, two tenants came on to tell their story horror stories concerning their landlord. An elderly woman spoke of how her landlord tried to force her to move out of her apartment after her husband became ill. After she refused to sign a document which would have forced her out of the building, the landlord threatened to take her to court.
Senator Jose Serrano represents much of the Southern Bronx and Harlem. He states that the majority of the calls that his office gets are from tenants who are being harassed by their landlords. He went onto to speak about the urgency of the passing of the bill and like the earlier speakers urged the audience to call Albany. Poignantly he noted how he had grown up in these same neighborhoods in the 1970’s, none of the same developers and speculators would have ever set foot in Harlem and the South Bronx. He and his family had stuck it out only to face being forced out – now that the same neighborhoods had become desirable.
Senator Bill Perkins came out swinging from the first moment he took the podium. He stated that those tenants who want to fight for rent stabilization have to move beyond the prayers and the churches, that affordable housing is a right. This statement was met by a rebuttal from someone in the audience who yelled that it was a privilege. Without missing a beat, Senator Perkins said again that it is a right and called out Malcolm Smith, one of those Democrats on the fence, to clearly state his position in supporting the bill. He then went onto to say that if Mayor Michael Bloomberg wanted to, he could help push the bill through since he has a great deal of influence in Albany and among the real estate groups. Senator Perkins went onto state the shame that the issue is not being debated in the Mayoral election. He later called for the tenants to take up civil disobedience and that he is more than willing to go to jail with those who are willing to do so.
A final thought, the high spirit of the crowded room along with the fact that several elderly residents who are physically disabled also made the trip was moving testimony to how deeply important the issue is. And while major media has given the bill S2237-A very limited attention there a strong undercurrent is rising which could pull down those who Democrats who forgot who their constituents are.
For more information on this and other issues, you can read my work at
http://www.examiner.com/x-6452-NY-Progressive-Examiner~y2009m4d24-New-York-State-Senators-demand-the-passage-of-rent-stabilization-bill
Until next time..
Lies And Politics
March 12, 2009
One of the common questions when it comes to politics is, why do Politicians lie? The most straightforward answer, of course, is money and votes. Every elected official within the United States has to walk a fine line between their constituents and the entities which fund their campaigns. From a monetary stand point, it has grown increasingly more expensive to run a successful campaign. That is to say, the cost of creating an image for each candidate, while at the same time fudging certain facts about their position on key issues, has risen considerably.
Take the 2008 presidential race for example. The funding between Barack Obama and John McCain neared $1billion dollars, the most expensive political endeavor of its kind in history. A distant second would be the 2004 elections where the entire presidential fundraising totals only reached $880.5 million. At this rate, the 2012 race could easily cost in the range of 2 billion dollars.
While appealing to their top funders, candidates from both sides of the aisle must also pacify their loyal base, or the “inconvenient mob” as some circles call them. Lobbyists are a third group which both the Democrats and Republicans know that they must pander to. To pull off this feat of political spin, language becomes increasingly important.
For the Republicans, the dialogue of less Government becomes paramount when speaking to their base. One only needs to listen to past speeches given by John McCain or the Governor of Louisiana Bobby Jindal, to be under the impression that we were dealing with populist party of Abraham Lincoln, but that party is long dead. The 19th century industrialists set the framework for what has become land owners representatives. Here is a quote from Jindal, in a response to Barack Obama’s address to Congress, “The strength of America is not found in our government. It is found in the compassionate hearts and enterprising spirit of our citizens.” Unfortunately the language of pandering often doesn’t reflect the actions of the party.
For the Democrats, their message must consistently appeal to Unions, women’s rights groups and community organizing groups, along with African Americans organizations which by and large have been the most loyal supporters of the party. Like Republicans, Democrats seek to deliver a populist message but some of them actually mean it. They will break with party lines and support policies that are popular among the American people but unpopular on the Hill. One prime example is the issue of single payer healthcare. According to one report, 60% of the polled public supports such system but less than half of those in Congress are willing to back it at the moment – and Obama has come out against it, despite supporting it as a State Senator.
Because both sides of aisle receive such heavy campaign funding from the insurance industry, Democrats and Republicans are quick to decry the idea as “socialism”, which shows the fear of a dying free market system and not a moment too soon. This brings up the issue of special interest groups. Both parties have to appeal to many of these large lobby groups even if they oppose the base of either political divide. This breaks with the notion that each presidential election is a ideological tug-of-war; a battle of Right versus Left.
Let’s take the so-called pro-Israel faction as an example of a lobby group that has helped develop American policy. Every fours year the Republicans like to paint the false picture that the Democratic presidential candidate has plans to overturn the US policy of lending the Israeli government unconditional support. The reason is simple, the Jewish community, despite being less than 10% of the total US population consistently prove to be one of the most organized and potent voting forces under the flag. The truth of the matter is that, since 1948 our unconditional policy towards Israel has been the policy of both parties and this seems very unlikely to change under president Obama.
But in the end, every politician knows that it costs money to run a successful campaign and this is where the best interests of 90% of the American publican are kicked to the curb by both parties. This is where the lies really are given birth. Below is a list of the top contributors in the latest presidential race cycle.
|
Industry |
Grand Total |
%Dem |
%Repub |
|
Retired |
$11,510,739 |
45% |
55% |
|
Lawyers/Law Firms |
$6,122,714 |
70% |
30% |
|
Securities & Investment |
$3,330,854 |
50% |
50% |
|
Real Estate |
$2,852,061 |
47% |
53% |
|
Health Professionals |
$2,153,116 |
49% |
51% |
|
Education |
$2,077,402 |
73% |
27% |
|
Business Services |
$2,013,354 |
62% |
38% |
|
Misc Business |
$1,747,086 |
51% |
49% |
|
Misc Finance |
$1,412,332 |
44% |
56% |
|
Computers/Internet |
$1,400,256 |
56% |
44% |
|
ActBlue |
$2,246,871 |
100% |
0% |
|
Goldman Sachs |
$1,472,646 |
71% |
29% |
|
Citigroup Inc |
$1,317,453 |
61% |
39% |
|
Morgan Stanley |
$1,012,097 |
62% |
38% |
|
Lehman Brothers |
$990,150 |
61% |
39% |
|
Merrill Lynch |
$932,376 |
42% |
58% |
|
JP Morgan Chase & Co |
$793,894 |
66% |
34% |
|
UBS AG |
$696,839 |
64% |
36% |
|
DLA Piper |
$682,560 |
92% |
8% |
|
Credit Suisse Group |
$651,895 |
45% |
55% |
Top 10 Contributors to Presidential Candidates, 4th Quarter
|
Donor |
Grand Total |
%Dem |
%Repub |
|
Lehman Brothers |
$234,060 |
56% |
44% |
|
Microsoft Corp |
$180,620 |
71% |
29% |
|
Merrill Lynch |
$174,654 |
28% |
72% |
|
Goldman Sachs |
$174,143 |
52% |
48% |
|
Morgan Stanley |
$169,922 |
55% |
45% |
|
Citigroup Inc |
$169,839 |
36% |
64% |
|
Sullivan & Cromwell |
$167,785 |
48% |
52% |
|
DLA Piper |
$136,400 |
92% |
8% |
|
Google Inc |
$115,511 |
71% |
29% |
|
Pricewaterhousecoopers |
$112,914 |
86% |
14% |
All three charts can be found on the Open Secrets website. What seems increasingly clear is that, for many businesses, the election cycle is really about hedging one’s bets and in the end, they will win no matter who gets into office. As a result of receiving the funding listed above, both the candidates running for Congress and for the White House find themselves in the position of selling policies to their bases, frequently in a storm of protest. So the electeds must become in essence used car sales people, selling the American people a bill of goods that only Wall Street wants.
Until next time…
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/27/hillary-attacked-for-mideast/
http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/5610
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_population
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/02/cost-of-08-presidential-race-a.html
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-100438.html
Joe The What ???
January 11, 2009
Just when we thought that we heard the last from the man who has become known as Joe “The Plumber,” Samuel J. Wurzelbacher is now back in the news but only this time he isn’t bemoaning Barack Obama’s tax plan nor is he snubbing John McCain rallies. The conservative online news site, pjtv.com, has hired Wurzelbacher as a war correspondent in Israel. His stated ten day project is to travel around the country, asking the so called “Average Joes,” about their feelings regarding the war in the Gaza strip. Of course several questions should arise from this story, including the following.
While the state of US journalism has been in near collapse over the past 30+, one should still expect news professionals to have a firsthand world view before they are ever hired by any syndicate. One must wonder what an Ohio resident who poses as a plumber knows about the detailed history of the Gaza conflict. By putting a novice into the international ring, especially one with such a narrow understanding of world affairs, the only possible outcome of his “reporting” is to perpetuate a one-sided view. But more to the point, this stunt, much like the image of “Joe The Plumber” serves only to forward one of a long series of false dialogues normally used to rile the rightwing base every four to six years. Even if one were to take seriously the premise of the project, it’s curious that a more seasoned journalist who could better articulate the conclusion that this conservative outlet has already come to, was not used.
Then there is the question of why no Palestinians are being interviewed for this project, only Israelis. Unfortunately the residents of the Gaza strip have long been portrayed as terrorists or, “non-people,” by much of the American mainstream media. How else then can one explain the total lack of coverage on the gates, walls and check points that surround Gaza, making the residents in the area prisoners and turning the entire region into one big jail. It is equally disheartening to see no press given to the fact that the Israeli Government has had its finger on the pulse of the Palestinian people and the functioning of their everyday lives. This ranges from the now infamous separation wall, which cuts farmers off from their land and family members from each other, to the overt manipulation of the area’s political system.
For good or ill Hamas did win the most recent election that was allowed by outside forces, and this includes the United States. The outcome of those election results was the cutting off of oil, food and water and medical supplies to the non-Jewish residents of Gaza. Even before the outbreak of violence, all supply levels had remained at near crisis level. And should be noted that even at the time Hamas was still the legitimate Government of Gaza, Israeli airstrikes assassinated several cabinet members and killed crowds of civilians. Perhaps if Joe Wurzelbacher was serious about his role as a so called journalist, he could very well interview the Palestinian mothers who saw their infants blown in half or the children now orphaned after watching their parents being blown apart. Or does he see them too as “elitists” as he did Barack Obama?
Then there is Joe, the man behind the image. Samuel J. Wurzelbacher came onto the scene, claiming that he was just an average American, making $200,000 a year, who was just trying to open a business as a plumber, which he is not licensed for, and Obama’s tax plan would hurt his chances at success, a claim that has long been discredited. And when it became obvious that his presence on the McCain campaign would make little difference in the outcome of the elections, he publically bashed the Republican ticket. So the final question I have is what is Joe’s credibility even as a person?
Until next time.
A Fireman’s Christmas Song
November 25, 2008
Every once in a while, a piece of music comes out that brings us back to our childhood. Bellow is a link to one of those songs. Enjoy.
To view the page to make a purchase, please cut and paste link into the URL space.
Crooked Connections
October 20, 2008
While the great PR-firm, also known as the mainstream media, continues to focus on Barak Obama’s superficial connections to Bill Ayers and ACORN, little to no attention is being paid to the fringe groups and think tanks tied to both Republican candidates John McCain and Sarah Palin. On the surface, this might seem strange since the media is always hungry for lead stories concerning the electoral race which can be fed to their readers or watchers. What is truly bizarre is that so much time and ink has been used to spear ACORN for what amounts to a fraction of voting problems but has given far less consideration to the caging of eligible voters by Republican officials. To be honest, it seems puzzling that Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris along with Choice point are not being investigated by the FBI for the theft of the 2000 election. So since the corporate media has proven to be unwilling to focus on John McCain and Sarah Palin’s connections, all of which are far more blatant, here is a closer look at just some of the groups which propelled both candidates into their position of power.
Listening to Sarah Palin, her rhetoric consists of a barking hatred for Obama, Bill Ayers and this or that community group. She holds rallies which in many ways are reminiscent of lynch mob gatherings. It is no secret that those who go to see her are rabidly nationalistic so the climate at these events are set long before she even takes the stage. Palin must know that buzzwords like “terrorist”, “un-American”, and “unpatriotic” push her followers over to edge, into a mindless feeding frenzy. It becomes obvious when you read of audience members screaming “Kill him!” and other phrases right out of the Jim Crowe South. As the media reports the stories about Obama from which Palin draws her material and yet fails to mention her own connections to highly questionable groups, we certainly understand the great fiction which Palin surrounds herself with.
Meet the Alaskan Independent Party (AIP), the very group which Sarah Palin has to thank for getting her where she is today. According to an article entitled “Meet Sarah Palin’s Radically Right-Wing Pals,” by Max Blumenthal and David Neiwert of Salon.com, the basis of the party is to secede from the Union and all the agencies that govern it. The group has wrapped themselves in the far right wing view of family values and the elimination of all taxes, even those that go towards the very infrastructure of our country. Many of the group are armed to the teeth with high powered rifles and former Soviet sides to ward off the “New World Order,” and what they call, “the 48″ which refers to the continental Unites States. Two notably names in the group are Mark Cryson and Steve Stoll. Both were key players of AIP in getting Sarah Palin elected Mayor of Wasilla. Both were key fundraisers and organizers. While their AIP is a fringe group, they had a direct line to the town’s Mayor’s office while Palin held the position there.
While Mayor of Wasilla Sarah Palin helped Cryson pass legislation in the state that altered the local constitution to adopt anti-tax, pro-gun initiatives which would benefit anti-government militias. According to the article, “She attempted to name Stoll, a John Birch Society activist known in the Mat-Su Valley as ‘Black Helicopter Steve,’ to an empty Wasilla City Council seat.” Palin also allowed members of AIP to come in and out of her office with very little restriction. For more on her and the Independent Party Of Alaska check out the Salon.com link below.
John “straight talk,” “maverick,” McCain is not without his ties to highly questionable think tanks. During the early 1980s, John McCain launched his political career while sitting the board of the Ultra Right Wing group, “U.S. Council for World Freedom.” The organization has long been known for being behind the overthrow of several left leaning Governments in South and Central America by arming local death squads but its greatest scandal to date was aiding the Contras during the Iran arms deals, an affair that got them into trouble with the IRS who later revoked the group’s charity status.
The council was started by Nazi sympathizer retired Army Maj. Gen John Singlaub who was a point man for right wing death squads in South and Central America. Singlaub, according to a yahoo news report, takes some credit for teaching McCain the political ropes which he used once he was elected to the Senate. McCain has claimed that he resigned from the group as early as 1984 and asked for his name to be removed from the group’s list in 1986 but recently uncovered documents show he was still very much involved with the group in 1985. An IRS record from that year has confirmed the finding that he was still council member for the group and still active. And according to the report, “In October 1985, a States News Service report placed McCain, Rep. Tom Loeffler, R-Texas, and an Arizona congressman at a Washington awards ceremony staged by the council.”
By one account, he was also a council member for Singlaub after being elected to the Senate. After being elected to the Congress, John McCain voted for every action against Communist groups in South Americas including the support of arming the death squad, the Contras of Nicaragua, “a CIA-organized guerrilla force. In 1984, Congress cut off military assistance to the rebels.” The operation, headed by John Poindexter and Robert McFarlane, lead to a massive drug trade used to fund weapon sales to Iran. According to former DEA agent Michael Levine much of the drugs produced under the Contras wound up being consumed by the youth of the United States. In several articles, Michel Levine has mapped out exactly where those drugs wound up in the streets of every major U.S. city for the entire decade. He has also called for the prosecution of Oliver North and those others involved with the Contra project.
So when we talk about past connections, the mainstream media would be well advised to give equal time to both sides. Barack Obama’s connection to Bill Ayers begins and ends with the fact that they sat on the same chairing committee on housing, along with several former Reaganites. But this fact does not seem to matter in a time where truth takes a back seat to getting elected.
Until next time.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/10/10/palin_chryson/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081007/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_iran_contra
http://www.expertwitnessradio.org/essays/e6.htm
John McCain Advocates Military “Iraq” Tactics Be Used In Civilian Life
September 5, 2008
Of all the issues we will not hear about John McCain at any point during this current election cycle, the call by McCain to use similar tactics in US urban areas as those being used in Iraq by US and Iraq forces military forces is perhaps one of the most troubling. McCain called for a “crack down” in many inner city areas while speaking at a gathering of the National Urban League.
John McCain was asked how he, as President, would handle the issue of crime in some of the poorer urban neighborhoods. McCain used the opportunity to push the idea of using military tactics as a model for fighting crime.
“And some of those tactics, very frankly—you mention the war in Iraq—are somewhat like that we use in the military. You go into neighborhoods, you clamp down, you provide a secure environment for the people that live there, and you make sure that the known criminals are kept under control. And you provide them with a stable environment, and then they cooperate with law enforcement.”
To understand what exactly this would entail, one can check out a three part series featured in the Guardian London newspaper, by journalists, Chris Hedges and Laila Al-Arian. The series focused the testimony by US soldiers who have come forward to discuss the abuses they had either observed or taken part in. The stories were compiled by hundreds of transcripts which never saw the light of day in the papers or TV stations run by the great PR firm. The stories consisted of US forces raiding the homes of civilians, unarmed people with no connection to the rebel fighters, and killing men, women and children, some still in their night clothes. It is important to note that these were not isolated events.
As was pointed out in the first article, many of those who participate in these actions are able to do so by almost dehumanizing their victims. A report released by the Surgeon General’s on May 4th show that that only 47% of soldiers and 38% of marines agreed that Iraqi civilians should be treated with respect and dignity. Furthermore only 55% of soldiers and 40% of Marines said that they would report a member of their unit who killed an innocent civilian. This is important to remember when recognizes the wall of silence which already exists in every police department across United States. It is helpful to think about the transfer of these conditions to the US urban environment.
The explicit murder of US citizens in different neighborhoods is certainly not hypothetical. The Katrina disaster in New Orleans, which eventually led to a “shoot to kill” order against African Americans, would no doubt be used to justify such a policy which McCain is proposing.
Until next time.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theworldnewser/2008/08/surge-at-home.html
tp://www.politicsforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=94038&sid=cc4d2594d4014ea2fb51dcbe113894f0
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jul/13/usa.iraq
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jul/13/usa.iraq1
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jul/13/usa.iraq2
Iraq War In Focus
August 9, 2008
Here we are in the middle of another election cycle and once again, the issues surrounding the Iraq war are once again being whitewashed by the great PR firm, also known as the U.S. mainstream media. Unlike the 2004 elections when the decision was sold to us as a vital part of homeland security, however, the war has hardly been brought up at all this year. So called “Iraq fatigue” is pointed to as the main reason for the lack of coverage but according to poll numbers leading up to the primaries, the Iraq war was second only to the economy in importance for the majority of those who voted for Obama and in the same range of concerns for Hillary Clinton supporters. So the question has to be asked, if the American people are still so concerned with the war, why has it not been a major issue during the race? Perhaps the details behind current events in the war-torn country could provide some clues. Here’s a hint: it has nothing to do with US troop build ups.
The most recent round of fallacies concerning the dip in violence over the past several months is that the surge of US troops has lead to many gains and suddenly the hit and run tactics of the Iraqi rebel fighters were no longer as successful in causing havoc. As George W Bush likes to point out, however, “the devil is in the details.” For starters, several reports coming out of Iraq, show that one fifth of the country is currently living as refugees, all of whom were forced out of their neighborhoods due to violence or the threat of violence. More than a million of those refugees have fled to Syria, Turkey or Jordan until they were forced to close their borders when it became obvious they would not receive support from NATO countries. By comparison, only 466 Iraqis have been allowed into the United States.
According to the Lancet Report a million Iraqis have been killed since the beginning of the war five years ago. Unlike Iraq-Body-Count-Dot-Org, which uses the official Pentagon count and news wire reports, the Lancet report actually involved face to face interviews, along with patterns of violence in given regions and morgue records to come up with this much higher number. The Pentagon numbers include only those Iraqis killed by bombings, shootings and other forms of violence but ignore the deaths caused by the disease due to the lack of sanitation and clean drinking water.
In a move that can only be described as an act of genocide, several reports have surfaced which suggest U.S. forces deliberately targeted Iraq’s sanitation works, bombing out their sewage systems leading to contamination of drinking water with human waste. As of 2007 there were 5000 cases of cholera in the Northern regions according to Patrick Cockburn of the online journal “Counter Punch.” The suddenness of the outbreak and lack of medicine has already forced 60,000 Kurds out of their homes, even in areas where there as been little to no fighting. In the regions of Sulaimaniyah and Kirkuk, 42% of the populations have no access to clean drinking water due to sewage.
According to an article by Stephen Gowans, the US command knowingly violated “Article 54 of the Geneva Convention which prohibits any country from undermining objects indispensable to the survival of (another country’s) civilian population.” According to Gowans, the Pentagon was well aware of the dangers that would be caused by destroying the country’s water supply.
If one reviews US involvement in Iraq dating back to the early 1990s, starting with our sanctions on Saddam Hussein’s Government, through today, you would see a body count of over 2 million, roughly half of which are children under the age of 18. In fact, the death toll, until recently, was headed towards that of the Congo under British and Dutch rule.
But while the great red, white and blue, along with the insurgents, have turned Iraq into a massive grave yard, most villages have now organized their own militias in reaction to the bloodshed caused by the so-called terrorists. This is the story of Najaf where the local “Mehdi Army” forced out the death squads targeting the villagers. Listening to CNN, however, one would think that the City was rapt awaiting the new great Conquistador of the west. But we here in the US are little more than babes in the wilderness, with no idea what is going around us. So when the US started their massive and sorely unnecessary bombing raid on Najaf, those who paid the heaviest price were the hundreds of innocent locals that were killed.
And finally, let us not forget about Al Sadr’s call for a cease fire in the middle of 2007, just prior to the US surge of troops. The rate of violence went down remarkably before the increase of our presence a year go. But all these facts mean little to John McCain who still believes we had a chance to get some sort of victory in Vietnam.
Until next time…
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article6668.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/07/AR2005110700977_pf.html
http://www.counterpunch.org/model05212008.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNWOj_dFSR4
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18765.htm
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/739/38228
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article6777.shtml
http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/declassdocs/dia/19950901/950901_0pgv072_90p.html
http://www-tc.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june07/iraq_3-26.pdf
http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/SAandUSWC.html
US Inc.
July 16, 2008
A case involving 11South Africans who are suing some of the United State’s largest companies over human rights abuses got underway a week ago with very little attention by the great PR firm known the mainstream media. What is so profound about this case is less the case itself than the reason it was allowed to move forward. As it turns out the Supreme Court itself was unable to make a decision because too many of the justices, or their family members, retain stocks in many of the companies that have been cited in the lawsuit. Here is a closer look at is behind the case and how the blurring of Federal and corporate interests can very well cripple our legal system
In May of this year the United States Supreme court tied for one of the first time in recent history because too many judges would be in conflict interest. The case in question was brought by some 11 black South Africans living under the apartheid Government from 1948 to 1994. The victims in the suit are seeking $400 billion dollars in damages from 50 US corporations who were financially in bed with the former apartheid landownership structure which had enslaved the locals in their own country. Those filing the case are using the “‘Alien Tort Claims Act’, a U.S. law enacted in 1789… meant to protect U.S. ships from pirates and U.S. diplomats from attack overseas”, according to David Stout of the International Herald Tribune. A lower court judge ruled in favor of those who filed the suit after lawyer Paul Hoffman wrote that any ruling by the supreme court would be seen as the aiding and abetting the defendants. As to be expected lawyers representing the companies tried to put forth the argument that Hoffman, as Richey Warren of the Christian Science Monitor put it, “was trying to hide behind procedural maneuvers.”
The companies named as defendants include, Citi-Group, Exxon-Mobile, General Electric, International Business Machines, IBM Bank of America, Barclay’s Bank, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, BP, ChevronTexaco, Citigroup, Coca-Cola, Daimler, and Deutch Bank. Four of the court’s nine justices had to excuse themselves from making any decision on the case. Justices John Roberts JR, Stephen Breyer and Samuel Alito JR all owned stock in these companies. Justice Kennedy’s son Gregory still holds several stocks in some of the companies named in the suit. By any ruler, this situation shows quite clearly, and alarmingly, how easily the court is crippled when facing what has become the “money changers.” Moreover, it brings into question the importance of public opinion, and laws for that matter since those in charge are essentially in bed with those who commit the most stark crimes against humanity and the environment.
By not being able to make a decision on the case, the Supreme court has to allow the suit to move forward. While this is good news on the surface, it does expose how intertwined the US’s own structure is with that of corporate interests and how these interests in turn can cripple the government. What we are seeing in this case in the literal crippling of our justice system because those in Washington who accept corporate backing or have stakes in those companies must now challenge the very same money changers that supply funds to every politician’s campaign come election time. As a result it has become unquestioned practice even for judges to find themselves in bed with the same entities they themselves are technically supposed to govern.
Welcome to US Inc.
Until next time.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/12/business/court.php
http://www.globalpolicy.org/intljustice/atca/2008/0513apartheid.htm
Winter Soldier Conference
If one were to task the man or woman on the street if they knew that a Winter Soldier conference was held just a few months ago, chances are you would be met with a blank stare or asked what you were talking about. Former winter soldier John Kerry was asked if he was going to attend the gathering but instated that he knew nothing of the event, which is not surprising considering only one media source even mentioned it. The Washington Post had buried the conference deep in “local events” column. So it is little surprise that the great PR firm which calls itself “the media” can keep the argument of the Iraq war going under the rather superficial banner of supporting the troops or supporting a withdraw. To do so they continue to use similar propaganda campaigns to those that were unearthed by the New York Times a week ago, which by the way bordered on a jail able offence which violates laws first passed in 1951 and have been repassed every since. Further more, by white washing this conference, the “support our troop” argument becomes a little hollow considering that not one TV channel nor radio station outside of WBAI and the other Pacifica outlets even mentioned the testimony of troops who spoke so patiently about their regrets and long term disabilities due to the war. So instead of me writing, I urge you to click or cut and past the links below. The words of those who were their say more than I could possibly type.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Winter+Soldier+2008&search_type=
http://ivaw.org/wintersoldier/testimony
