Global
A number of bad ideas and virulent trends in American life converge, it seems to me, in the unfolding scandal in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., known as “kids for cash.”
The blurring of the line that separates profit from state, especially since the Reagan era, has had a far more devastating effect on American values — indeed, on the very notion that anything besides a good financial buzz even has value — than the blurring of that more famously wobbly line that separates church from state. What’s been going on in the Luzerne County judicial system over the last five or six years illustrates this with a raw jolt.
Two juvenile court judges there, Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan, were recently arrested for setting a new standard in entrepreneurial corruption: taking payoffs — $2.6 million since 2003 — in return for sending youngsters accused of petty offenses (fighting, shoplifting, lampooning an assistant principal on MySpace) to private prison facilities, sometimes for preposterously extended stays.
The blurring of the line that separates profit from state, especially since the Reagan era, has had a far more devastating effect on American values — indeed, on the very notion that anything besides a good financial buzz even has value — than the blurring of that more famously wobbly line that separates church from state. What’s been going on in the Luzerne County judicial system over the last five or six years illustrates this with a raw jolt.
Two juvenile court judges there, Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan, were recently arrested for setting a new standard in entrepreneurial corruption: taking payoffs — $2.6 million since 2003 — in return for sending youngsters accused of petty offenses (fighting, shoplifting, lampooning an assistant principal on MySpace) to private prison facilities, sometimes for preposterously extended stays.
When US envoy to Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke met with Afghanistan’s ‘democratically’ installed President Hamid Karzai in Kabul on February 14, he may have just learned of the historic significance of the following day. February 15 commemorates the end of the bloody Russian campaign against Afghanistan (August 1978-February 1989).
Those who are seeking reform of the woefully inadequate health care system
have a new and powerful ally that aims to put the bulk of the country’s
registered nurses behind a drive to guarantee decent health care to all
Americans.
The drive will be led by an alliance of three of the largest nurses’ unions, the United American Nurses – National Nurses Organizing Committee. It’s an AFL-CIO affiliate formed recently by the California and Massachusetts Nurses Associations, which have members in six states, and the Maryland-based United American Nurses, with members in 12 states.
The alliance represents 150,000 registered nurses. That’s only a very small part of the nation’s 2.5 million RNs, but an extensive organizing drive planned by the alliance in conjunction with its drive to improve health care is certain to unionize growing numbers of nurses and bring other nurses’ organizations into the alliance.
The drive will be led by an alliance of three of the largest nurses’ unions, the United American Nurses – National Nurses Organizing Committee. It’s an AFL-CIO affiliate formed recently by the California and Massachusetts Nurses Associations, which have members in six states, and the Maryland-based United American Nurses, with members in 12 states.
The alliance represents 150,000 registered nurses. That’s only a very small part of the nation’s 2.5 million RNs, but an extensive organizing drive planned by the alliance in conjunction with its drive to improve health care is certain to unionize growing numbers of nurses and bring other nurses’ organizations into the alliance.
I publish this opening passage from PASSIONS OF THE PATRIOTS in honor of George's birthday. Of course, I knew him well. Happy Birthday, George..."Thomas Paine"
George Washington wrapped himself around the young Marquis. Lafayette sighed with pleasure.
It was their fourth such rendez-vous since that delicious denouement in Philadelphia. Each new encounter involved a progressively deepening experience, full of confusion and doubt at first (at least on Washington’s part) but now blooming into a supremely sensitive trans-oceanic detente.
The Frenchman stared deep into the taller man’s eyes, then down. There was an inexpressible connection between them, and the promise of so much more. The Franco-American alliance was making possible the defeat of the British. Now it would achieve a more perfect union.
“Soon, mon cher, we shall get married. No law shall stop us. Our love transcends all churches and all state hypocrisies, and renders all Puritans impotent. Their rage shall be as nothing when our passion washes over them.”
Washington was overcome with emotion. He fairly lunged forward, moving them both toward the four-poster.
George Washington wrapped himself around the young Marquis. Lafayette sighed with pleasure.
It was their fourth such rendez-vous since that delicious denouement in Philadelphia. Each new encounter involved a progressively deepening experience, full of confusion and doubt at first (at least on Washington’s part) but now blooming into a supremely sensitive trans-oceanic detente.
The Frenchman stared deep into the taller man’s eyes, then down. There was an inexpressible connection between them, and the promise of so much more. The Franco-American alliance was making possible the defeat of the British. Now it would achieve a more perfect union.
“Soon, mon cher, we shall get married. No law shall stop us. Our love transcends all churches and all state hypocrisies, and renders all Puritans impotent. Their rage shall be as nothing when our passion washes over them.”
Washington was overcome with emotion. He fairly lunged forward, moving them both toward the four-poster.
When US envoy to Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, met with Afghanistan’s ‘democratically’ installed President Hamid Karzai in Kabul on February 14, he may have just learned of the historic significance of the following day. February 15 commemorates the end of the bloody Russian campaign against Afghanistan (August 1978-February 1989).
The reason to indict bush isn't so much to prevent another president from doing the same thing, (could we really stoop to that level of incompetence again???), but rather, when leadership permits and glorifies slaughtering, torturing, oppression, and destruction, it encourages people to engage in those acts in all realms of their lives. There are many humans who enjoy watching death, destruction, and oppression. All they need to move forward with those desires is leadership that condones it. Hence Nazis, ku kux klan, gangs, mafia crime families, us military and cia under bush, taliban, and other sadisticly misguided groups.
After nearly a half-century of steady decline, American unions are showing
unmistakable signs that they’re finally reversing direction.
The clearest evidence of that comes in a survey by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics showing that the percentage of workers belonging to unions grew last year for the second consecutive year– from 12.1 to 12.4 percent of the workforce.
Although that might seem insignificant, the percentage increase meant union ranks grew by more than 425,000 in 2008 to a very healthy figure of more than 16 million. That indicated to economists that union growth is likely to continue at that rate – or perhaps an even greater rate – in the years ahead.
Last year’s growth came despite the steady decline in job growth and increase in unemployment. Unions also had to cope with the fierce anti-union pressures of the Bush administration.
The clearest evidence of that comes in a survey by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics showing that the percentage of workers belonging to unions grew last year for the second consecutive year– from 12.1 to 12.4 percent of the workforce.
Although that might seem insignificant, the percentage increase meant union ranks grew by more than 425,000 in 2008 to a very healthy figure of more than 16 million. That indicated to economists that union growth is likely to continue at that rate – or perhaps an even greater rate – in the years ahead.
Last year’s growth came despite the steady decline in job growth and increase in unemployment. Unions also had to cope with the fierce anti-union pressures of the Bush administration.