Condolences and best wishes to President Ford's family. And thanks to Mr. Dana Carvey for cheering the nation up on this sad occasion.
An important report from the National Council of La Raza was released today confirming once again that poverty in the United States is real for millions of Americans. "Sin Provecho: Latinos and Food Insecurity," the latest report from NCLR, is getting international attention. The research details the effects of poverty for Latino/as in the United States in specific, revealing the staggering statistic that nearly one in five Latinos (19.6%) "faces food insecurity each year." The effect of ethnicity and race on hunger revealed by this report is equally alarming - while almost 20% of Latinos face hunger, only 5% of non-Hispanic, white Americans face "food insecurity" according to the US government.
This latest study reconfirms the problem of hunger in America. Although the Bush Administration recently removed the term "hunger" from its reports, instead terming the problem "food insecurity," the NCLR report shows once again that people in the United States face pain and malnutrition due to an inability to get food, which by any reasonable definition qualifies as hunger. The USDA recently showed that some 11% of all American households faced "food insecurity" - hunger - in 2005. In the wealthiest nation ever, this level of poverty and hunger is embarrassingly high.
The problem of hunger is not unsolvable, however, and the NCLR report offers specific suggestions. A large part of the problem affecting Latino families comes due to the fact that "eligible Latinos miss out on the benefits of food assistance programs." Often, this is simply because there's a lack of "culturally- and linguistically-appropriate information" as well as "confusion about eligibility rules." In other words, too many Latino families in the US believe they're not eligible for existing food assistance problems or simply can't find information on the programs. A simple and obvious way to help would be to make more Spanish-language information available indicating that most people residing in the US are eligible for food assistance. Other suggestions from the NCLR report include creating new outreach initiatives to help immigrant families find food assistance, eliminating all restrictions on legally-present immigrants, and allowing food stamps to be used at local farmers' markets.
During the holiday season, it's important to remember that hunger doesn't only exist elsewhere, far from home. It's present in California, and indeed all across America. But we can do better. Thanks to Jennifer Ng'andu and Emilia M. Leal Gianfortoni, the authors of the extremely important National Council of La Raza report.
From The Courage Campaign
Labels: From The Courage Campaign, Politics, Race
Labels: Important Blogger Ego Trip, Politics
I'm on my way back to Detroit for the Christmas -- please have snow and mistletoe. I'll see you back on the blog after the flight for some egg nog...
Labels: Detroit, Important Blog Update
Britney Divorces Her Husband and McCain Wins a LA Times Poll
Thursday, December 14, 2006 at 10:33 AM.
First of all, a nationwide poll for president is not relevant in any way. As the 2000 presidential election dramatically proved, the results of the nationwide popularity contest between candidates has no bearing on who becomes the President of the United States.
Secondly, why issue this poll now? Neither Senator McCain of Arizona nor Senator Clinton of New York have even announced their candidacies yet - it's too early even for them. The Times, apparently unwilling or unable to find a more compelling political story, instead invented its own by spending (probably) thousands of dollars on an irrelevant poll.
Thirdly, the Times, as an important institution in journalism, usually has higher standards and provides stories about issues - not about the "horse race" between candidates. Horse race stories like this are the worst aspect of American politics. Rather than talk about issues, let's talk about who has the best campaign strategy or the nicest hairdo or the snazziest outfit. Or - wait - let's not.
The paper would better serve its mission and its readership if it ran a major story on the top issues likely to face the presidential candidates when they actually start campaigning in 2007 and 2008. The story could show differences between the candidates on important issues including the Iraq war, immigration policy, health care, job security and economic inequality, education, and the list goes on. It's easy to imagine a series of feature-length articles on each of these issues, showing where the (presumed) candidates stand. Instead, the Times took the low road and just conducted a meaningless, expensive, and tabloid poll at a far-too early stage in the campaign.
Let me be clear. I'm personally not happy to see the poll indicates that, nationally, the most popular candidate for President is a Senator who currently advocates for sending tens of thousands more American troops to Iraq, who is anti-choice, who has a 0% rating on voting for civil rights, who has an anti-union voting record, and who supports diverting away public school resources through "vouchers." I think there are better choices for President than 70-year-old John McCain. But that's not why I'm so angry about the Times story. I think the story is an example of tabloid journalism that should not have been approved by the editors of what is usually a fine newspaper. I hope the Times elevates their coverage of the Presidential election once the 2008 campaign actually begins.
UPDATE: 12/19 4:08PM - Looks like Arianna Huffington agrees with me. In other news, Britney and Paris Hilton apparently look set to break up, too.From The Courage Campaign
Labels: From The Courage Campaign, News Media, Politics
Total Recall: The Courage Campaign Governor Watch - Prison Reform
Wednesday, December 13, 2006 at 10:41 AM.This second installment of Total Recall focuses on prison reform. Our first installment looked at health care. Check back for posts on the environment, electoral reform, immigration, and more in the coming weeks.
Let's start by recalling Governor Schwarzenegger's promises on prison reform, and then we'll see how his actions so far have lived up to those promises. To end on a hopeful note, we'll end by looking at prospects for change in the future.
Recalling Arnold's Promises
Given the dire state of the prison system in California, it's no surprise that one of Arnold's top promises in 2003 during the Recall election was to provide prison reform. Sure enough, on his second day in office, Arnold appointed a tough new leader of the department of corrections, and stated that "Corrections should correct." It seemed that serious reform of the prison system was soon to follow.
Instead, little changed in the three years that followed. The prison system got even worse. But, during his 2006 reelection campaign, Arnold again stated that prison reform would be at the top of his agenda for his new term. This time, Arnold gave some specifics. Schwarzenegger:
- Promised to create a new program to help people released from prison find counseling and life-skills training.
- Promised to build two new prisons using "lease-revenue" bonds.
- Promised to hire more correctional officers, to essentially make the bloated prison system even bigger.
- Promised to use private prisons - for-profit, non-state facilities - to house some people sentenced in California.
What Arnold Has Done So Far
The need for urgent change in California prison system is extremely dire.
California's prisons are in an unprecedented crisis. Experts note that California's prison system is the largest in the Western world, with more than 170,000 people in prisons designed for, at the very most, 90,000 people. Overcrowding is so bad that 16,000 people (again: Sixteen Thousand People) held in the system don't have regular prison cells - they're given cots in hallways and gyms. California has more people in prison than does Germany, Britain or France. The system simply cannot cope with the surge of people given to it by the criminal justice system.
The problems at the prison system go far beyond finding enough beds. The system's health care system is unable to provide basic service. Conditions inside the prisons are often inhumane. Deteriorating facilities, inadequate supplies, and the constant threat of violence keeps people in prison in a situation so close to "cruel and unusual," the courts are already monitoring nearly all aspects of the system's operations, and the entire system might soon come under direct control of the federal courts.
Fixing the prison system is a complex task that demands bold leadership. Since taking office, Schwarzenegger's actions on prison reform have been spotty.
A federal investigator, John Hagar, specifically singled out Schwarzenegger's administration for failing to carry out reforms. "Beginning January 2006... it appears that the requisite leadership has been absent from the governor's office," Hagar concluded.
The same investigator also heaps plenty of blame on the Correctional Officer's union. But the real problem is severe overcrowding. The union reports that almost 4,000 correctional officer jobs remain unfilled - because work conditions are so terrible they simply cannot find people to do the job. Bold leadership - not pointing fingers at the people who dedicate their lives to public service in prisons - is required to solve our state's prison problems.
Arnold's boldest effort at reform didn't come until June 2006, when his reelection campaign was in full swing. Arnold declared a state of emergency in the prison system, a move which gave emergency authority to the governor to take drastic action. He then called for a special Session of the Legislature, to request nearly 6 billion emergency dollars.
Then, Arnold began to fulfill one of his campaign promises for reform. He ordered the Department of Corrections to move some of the people in its custody to private jails in Tennessee and other far-away states. This move has been criticized as expensive and at best a stop-gap measure. Worse, the program provides no effective oversight for the private prisons outside of California. Many critics say that this new program is probably unconstitutional.
In addition, Arnold has taken no action to deal with the systemic problems that underlie the severe overcrowding in our state's prisons. The high recidivism rate - 2 out of 3 people released from California prisons are back in prison within three years - and the unreasonably long sentences given for minor offenses are the two most obvious systemic problems.
To date, Arnold has taken no action on creating the new rehabilitation programs he promised during the campaign. These programs would reduce the unacceptable recidivism rate and are a necessary first step.
Arnold has also been silent on changing California's broken sentencing system, which might very well soon be declared unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court. The sentencing system in our state all too often demands unreasonably long sentences for very minor offenses.
The Future: Prospects for Change
Societies, the saying goes, will be judged on how they treat the young, the elderly, and the imprisoned. Correctional facilities - prisons - are not supposed to be overflowing human warehouses. We spend too much on prisons and not nearly enough on education. California can do better.
Changing California's unreasonable sentencing laws must be step one in any real effort at reform. Far, far too many people in California prisons are there for non-violent, victimless crimes like simple drug possession. The "three-strikes law" means that many people end up sentenced to decades behind bars for trivial offenses. Experts predict that if sentencing guidelines are left unchanged, the prison population in California will increase even further over the next five years to the tune of 21,000 more people. This rate is astronomical and will defeat any prison-building plan. California can do better.
It's hard to find a silver lining for this issue. But the prison system is in such dire straits that the crisis itself might become a silver lining. The situation demands immediate, drastic reforms. If the Governor can provide bold leadership through this crisis, our correctional facilities might become something to be proud of. As they are now, California's prisons are overcrowded, inhumane, cruel, and deadly. We can do better.
From The Courage CampaignLabels: From The Courage Campaign, Politics
The Bush Administration is appealing the recent court ruling that US paper currency must be redesigned to allow blind people to feel different denominations. The Administration's argument?
...paper money [that] could be more easily used by the blind would be too expensive and could cause undue hardships on the vending machine industry, the Bush administration says....
Well, we wouldn't want to make things more difficult for the vending machine industry.
Seriously, as Judge James Robertson wrote in his decision:
Of the more than 180 countries that issue paper currency, only the United States prints bills that are identical in size and color in all their denominations. Every other issuer includes at least some features that help the visually impaired.
Here are some photos of currency in other countries. I remember thinking about this very issue when I first laid my hands on those luscious 10,000 and 1,000 yen notes in Japan -- they have little bumps on the corners which you can use to feel the different denomination. Can the richest country in the history of the world not afford this simple change which would make a huge difference to the visually impaired?
Labels: Politics, Republican Douchebaggery
The PSSP has just released their first report, a survey of existing contributions to progressive strategy. At almost 60 pages, this thing is hefty, but it's well worth your time.
The report, entitled "Finding Strategy: A Survey of Contemporary Contributions to Progressive Strategy," casts a wide net - evaluating both electoral as well as social movement approaches to achieving progressive goals. It looks at each "contribution to progressive strategy" (usually a book, website, or mission statement) separately and critically, with a qualitative review as well as a checklist of the "components" (like concrete tactical suggestions or a set of delineated objectives) offered by each contributor.
The report reviews just about every current electoral policy position and strategy proposal in existence - from Markos Moulitsas Zúniga and Jerome Armostrong's Crashing The Gate to Howard Dean's 50 State Strategy and even the Green Party's multiple positions and ideas. From there, it looks at ideas that straddle the dividing line between electoral and social movement strategies, including Domhoff, the Progressive Democrats of America, and the Working Families Party. After proper movement strategies including Bill Moyer and Wade Rathke's are evaluated, then the report looks at "Sectoral and Cross-Sectoral" strategies like SEIU and Change to Win's alliance.
The conclusion cautions repeatedly that this report is preliminary and just a preview of more detailed surveys to come. They only tentatively conclude that the progressive landscape is "highly heterogeneous," which seems all too obvious. Still, reading through this highly informative and well-written report gives invaluable insight into just how and where progressives differ in both objectives and tactics. Knowing the field in this way is essential. This report, and whatever report the PSSP issues next, should be required reading for any progressive activist.Labels: Politics
Others aren't so sure. In fact, the government of Israel has moved beyond the Lionel Richie idea and has embarked on a stunning new plan for solving their beleaguered nation's foreign relations problems. The new plan is so important that they've sent the foreign minister on a trip abroad to make sure it succeeds.
What is the Israeli foreign minister up to? A bold new summit with regional leaders? A courageous mission to the Arab League to talk about potential peace initiatives? A speech at the UN to announce a new comprehensive peace plan that brings the Israelis in line with existing agreements and UN Security Council resolutions?
Nope. Turns out the Israeli Foreign Minister is meeting with a marketing agency to figure out a new "branding strategy" for Israel. Fantastic idea.
Labels: Middle East, News Media
Demetrius Crocker, a 40-year old farm worker, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison last week for obtaining what he thought were ingredients to make a bomb, after telling undercover FBI agents that he would use the bomb to attack the Capitol.
As David Neiwert points out, if this Demetrius Crocker were of Middle Eastern descent, we'd probably have seen Attorney General Gonzales or maybe even President Bush himself on television trumpeting the fine work of the FBI in apprehending this would-be mass murderer. Since Crocker is, in fact, a white, ultra-conservative -- there's no need to pay any attention to his story.
UPDATE, 12/8/2006: The agent in charge of the FBI office in Chicago announced today that they've caught a Muslim man who tried to buy grenades from an undercover agent in a plot to blow up a shopping mall. There goes the theory that only because Demetrius Crocker was acting alone did we not hear about it. The Muslim name was enough for this to become a big news story.
