From: Paul Bullock (paulbullock@EBMS-LTD.CO.UK)
Date: Fri May 02 2003 - 17:20:13 EDT
Subject: Attacks on US working class, poor and oppressed - > This is LeiLani Dowell's notes for her speech at the April 19th > ANSWER Teach In on Iraq, Palestine & the US Global War Drive, San > Francisco. > > (Note to reader) > Medicaid - "Medicaid is a jointly-funded, Federal-State health > insurance program for certain low-income and needy people. It covers > approximately 36 million individuals including children, the aged, > blind, and/or disabled, and people who are eligible to receive > federally assisted income maintenance payments." NB - kids, but not > their parents ... caps benefits too low for AIDs drugs etc etc. > Remember, there's no NHS. If you don't have insurance and you don't > qualify for Medicaid, you have to go to the public hospital or a > volunteer clinic. > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > LeiLani's notes > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > While the war on Iraq has been in the headlines for the past few > months, there's another battle going on that you'd probably miss if > you didn't pay extremely close attention, a war that is far more > harmful and deadly to the people of the United States than any > so-called "terrorist" threat from abroad. What I'm talking about is > the war on the poor and people of color - in the United States - that > is being waged by the Bush administration. > > WAR ON THE POOR - this term used a lot; what does it actually mean? > What is actually being done? Through small changes that will have > big effects on the people: > > > Requiring Documentation: > > School lunch and breakfast programs: widely credited with reducing > hunger and malnutrition among children in the U.S. > > Change: Bush proposes new requirement: documentation of income level > > Problem: This done in response to a report saying 24 percent of kids > enrolled ineligible. However, nonpartisan Center on Budget and > Policy Priorities says almost 75-80 percent of families declared > "ineligible" simply didn't respond. According to Dr. David Hilfiker, > "studies also show that in populations with erratic work histories > and complicated family lives, especially immigrant families who don't > speak English well, requiring documentation drives away more eligible > than ineligible people. > > Result: CBPP estimates if passed, this proposal would keep over two > million eligible kids from receiving free or reduced-cost meals. > > > Earned Income Tax Credit: provides refundable tax credit to working > families > > Change: more documentation required > > Problem: This done in response to a 1999 IRS report showing a 20-25 > percent error rate. However, this could be significantly fixed with > simplification of tax forms (who understands them anyway?). Same > problem as with school lunches, as far as requiring documentation. > Dr. Hilfiker: "Nevermind that the tax-fudging that costs the > government the most revenue comes from corporate tax shelters, > President Bush chooses to go after the working poor - those with the > least political power and the most to lose. > > > > Block grants: > > Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program: > > Change: from entitlement programs into block grants - increased > funding over the next seven years and increased state flexibility in > running the program with a cap in years 7-10 on federal expenditures. > Problem: as a block grant with increased flexibility, and with states > in times of financial distress (as we have now in all 50 states), may > reduce expenditures - used as a loan instead to puff up budget. > Then, when the money runs out in seven years (while inflation > increases, the trend of fewer employers covering health insurance > continues, baby boomers age), the current administrators don't have > to worry about it - they'll be out of office by then. > > Change: Merging of Children's Health Insurance program with Medicaid, > as well as Disproportionate Share Hospital program - program that > gives hospitals that serve a disproportionate share of > Medicaid/uninsured patients supplemental Medicaid payments. > > Problem: merging the two means children will have to compete with the > elderly for funds. DSH merging means hospitals would now have to > compete with all other providers for what will be limited Medicaid > funds. > > **Bush also tried limiting emergency medical services by allowing > states to set a maximum number of visits to the emergency room, but > rules rescinded due to pressure five days before passed. Just > another example of Bush's hostility to the poor. > > > Education: > > Headstart: same block grant treatment as the Medicaid program. > > After-school services - at a time when we see the growth of the > prison industrial complex, Bush proposes to cut after-school services > by $400 million. > > No Child Left Behind: focus on standardized testing as way to earn > funds means schools force students to cram for tests of limited kinds > of information, rather than teach them critical thinking, creative > and writing skills, etc. Once a school fails, subject to "sanctions" > that move funding from public to private sector, including > subcontracting of services. > > > Housing: > > Bush proposes turning Section 8 into a block grant. > > Program that demolished 115,000 dilapidated public housing units and > built 60,000 new ones over the past ten years is eliminated. > > > Welfare: > > Bush proposes changes to increase work participation and reduce state > flexibility in administering the program. > > · parent's participation in education or vocational training, > substance abuse treatment, other programs designed to address > barriers to employment limited to three months in any two-year > period. Then parents would have to go to work. If not, states would > develop unpaid "workfare" programs to employ them. All recipients > have to work 40-hours a week - previously moms with kids under six > could work part-time. > · President's new budget acknowledges over 200,000 kids will be > dropped from childcare over next five years. > > Quote: Dr. Hilfiker: "What will ultimately prove the most devastating > for the poor, however, are not the specifics of any policy or group > of policies, but the Bush Administration's direct assault on the > federal budget and the very concept of progressive taxation. The > multi-trillion dollar tax cuts passed and proposed, which go > primarily to the wealthy, and the vast increases in the military > budget and defense spending, combined with an economic recession that > shows no sign of going away soon, have devastated the federal budget. > > 2004 budget: "lifetime savings accounts," which will allow anyone to > save up to $7,500 per year for any purpose and all interest, dividend > or capital gains income from these accounts would be forever tax > free. It will also more than double the contribution limit for > "retirement savings accounts" (from $3,000 to $7,500) and remove the > income limits that had previously confined these accounts to > middle-income families. Altogether, a couple could set aside up to > $30,000 a year in these tax-free accounts--$3 million to $4 million > including interest over a working life. To these two blockbuster > proposals must be added the proposed or already enacted $5,000 > medical savings accounts, $2,000 education savings accounts, college > savings plans (which allow hundreds of thousands of dollars of > tax-free savings for education), and traditional pensions and 401(k) > retirement accounts (which were vastly expanded in 2001). > > But, you may well ask, how could this be an attack on the tax system > itself, much less the poor? As it happens, people with incomes over > $1 million a year get more than 40 percent of that income from > savings accounts. Many earn all of their income from savings. Further > exempting these high-income people from income tax makes the entire > tax system far less progressive. Tax revenue has to come from > someplace, however, so either social programs are cut or > middle-class, working-class, and poor people are forced to pay more > taxes. > > Cutting corners on the poor in order to fund a global war -$75 > billion now, hundreds of billions for reconstruction of Iraq - in the > name of security and liberation while giving a break for those who > certainly don't need it. > > WAR ON PEOPLE OF COLOR > > Patriot Act II > > L.A. Times article, 2/13/03: Since Sept. 11, 2001, the government has > rounded up hundreds of people in secret and refused to disclose even > their names, on the spurious grounds that this protects their > privacy. As drafted, the measure would remove existing protections > under the Freedom of Information Act, making it easier for the > government to hide whom it is holding and why, and preventing the > public from ever obtaining embarrassing information about government > overreaching. > > Another section would nullify existing consent decrees against state > law enforcement agencies that prevent the agencies from spying on > individuals and organizations. These consent decrees were crafted > because state and local governments illegally invaded the privacy of > American citizens and repeatedly violated their civil rights. To make > matters worse, the proposed bill prevents courts from issuing > injunctions to block future abuses. > > Perhaps the most troubling section would strip U.S. citizenship from > anyone who gives "material support" to any group that the attorney > general designates as a terrorist organization. Under our > Constitution, Americans can't be deprived of their citizenship, and > the rights that go with it, unless they voluntarily give it up. > > The Times concluded: The Bush administration claimed last year that > the original Patriot Act gave it the tools it needed to fight the war > on terror at a minimal cost to civil liberties. These new proposals > show, however, that the administration still is not satisfied. It now > seems clear that there is no civil right -- even the precious right > of citizenship -- that this administration will not abuse to secure > ever-greater control over American life. The Bush administration and > Ashcroft have become addicted to secrecy and are drunk on power; the > more they obtain, they more they demand. > > 9/20/01 Detention Without Charge > Department of Justice issues interim regulation allowing detention > without charge for 48 hours (or an additional "reasonable period of > time") in the event of emergency. > > 9/21/01 Secret Proceedings > Department of Justice instructs immigration judges to keep September > 11-related bond and deportation hearings closed, allowing no > visitors, family, or press and releasing no records or information > about cases, including whether they are on the docket or scheduled > for hearings. > > 10/26/01 USA PATRIOT Act > Bush signs the USA PATRIOT Act, which gives broad powers to conduct > searches, use electronic surveillance, and detain suspected > terrorists. > > 10/31/01 Indefinite Detention > Ashcroft issues an edict allowing INS to detain immigrants even after > an immigration judge has ordered their release for lack of evidence. > The measure, in effect, results in indefinite detention. > > 11/7/01 Terrorist Task Force > Bush announces the creation of the first Foreign Terrorist Tracking > Task Force, which will deny entry, detain, prosecute, and deport > anyone suspected of terrorist activity. > > 11/9/01 Questioning of 5,000 Men > Ashcroft orders the questioning of 5,000 men ages 18-33 who came from > countries connected to al Qaeda. Although "voluntary," investigators > were instructed to check immigration status and hold those with > immigration violations. > > 11/13/01 Military Tribunals > Bush issues an executive order creating military tribunals to try > non-citizens alleged to be involved in terrorism. > > 11/16/01 No Names Released > DOJ declares that identities and locations of 9/11 detainees will not > be disclosed. By this time, it's believed there are at least 1,200, > mostly Arab and Muslim men. > > 11/19/01 Airport Screeners Targeted > FAA requires U.S. citizenship for airport security screeners. Out of > 28,000 screeners nationwide, 10,000 are thought to be immigrants. > > 11/29/01 Snitch Visas > Ashcroft authorizes the use of S visas for those who provide > information relating to terrorism. > > 12/01 Operation Tarmac > Operation Tarmac, a multi-agency sweep of airports nationwide, > begins-resulting in more than 1,000 arrests and deportations of > undocumented airport workers. In southern California, about 100 > people were arrested, with 85 charged with document fraud. The > government has since reduced most of the charges against workers to > misdemeanors. > > 12/4/01 Senate Hearings > Senate holds hearings on 9/11 detainees. Ashcroft testifies that > those who question his policies are "aiding and abetting terrorism," > and goes largely unchallenged. > > 12/5/01 Absconders Initiative > INS announces that it will send the names of 314,000 immigrants with > outstanding orders of deportation to the FBI for inclusion in the > National Crime Information Center database. Law enforcement agencies > begin to pursue what will become known as the "Alien Absconders > Apprehension Initiative"-eventually resulting in 758 arrests, > according to the INS. > > 1/8/02 AAI Targets 6,000 Men > DOJ adds to the "Absconders Apprehension Initiative" the names of > 6,000 men from countries suspected of connections to al-Qaeda. > > 2/02 No-Match Letters > Social Security Administration begins sending "no-match" letters to > more than 750,000 employers, compared to 100,000 in previous years. > Thousands of workers have lost jobs as a result. > > 2/4/02 Budget for War on Terrorism > Bush submits a budget proposal that would significantly slash > domestic programs to divert funds to the war on terrorism. The > proposal includes the largest defense spending increase in 20 years > and significant funding for INS enforcement efforts. > > 2/8/02 Targeting Undocumented > DOJ memo instructs federal antiterrorism officials to apprehend and > interrogate thousands of undocumented immigrants with deportation > orders. The memo reportedly instructs federal agents to find a way to > detain some of them for possible criminal charges. > > 2/25/02 Militarizing the Border > DOJ enters into agreement with the Department of Defense to provide > 700 National Guard troops to assist the Border Patrol at the southern > and northern borders. > > 3/02 Restricting Drivers' Licenses > Congress and state legislatures begin considering measures to > restrict immigrants' access to drivers' licenses. > > 3/19/02 Questioning of 3,000 > DOJ announces interviews with 3,000 more Arabs and Muslims in the > U.S. as visitors or students. > > 4/3/02 Police with INS Power > Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel issues an opinion > that local law enforcement agencies have authority to enforce > immigration laws. > > 4/25/02 INS Restructuring > The House passes an INS restructuring bill that would dismantle the > agency. > > 6/5/02 INS Registration Requirement > Ashcroft announces a new requirement for certain non-immigrants > deemed a national security risk to register and submit fingerprints > and photographs upon arrival in the U.S., report to the INS at > regular intervals, and notify an INS agent of their departure-with > possible criminal prosecution for noncompliance. > > 6/5/02 Dept. of Homeland Security > Administration announces a proposal for a new Department of Homeland > Security, which would combine the functions of multiple agencies in > the largest government restructuring since the post-World War II era. > > > 6/26/02 Enemy Combatants > Bush declares two U.S. citizens, Jose Padilla and Yassar Hamdi, > "enemy combatants" who can be held until the end of the war on > terrorism, without access to an attorney or to challenge their > detention in federal court. > > 7/2/02 Florida Gives Police INS Powers > Florida becomes the first state to sign an agreement with the DOJ to > allow state law enforcement officials to enforce immigration laws. > > 7/11/02 Sept. 11 Detainees Deported > DOJ announces that most of the detainees picked up as part of its > investigations of September 11 have been released and many of them > deported. > > 7/26/02 Notify INS of Address Change > Ashcroft proposes implementation of a 50-year-old requirement that > foreigners alert the government within 10 days of changing addresses. > Failing to register a change of address could result in deportation. > > 9/9/02 Colleges Turn Over Student Info > DOJ has asked more than 200 colleges to provide information on their > Middle Eastern students. > > 9/11/02 "Special Registration" Begins > New registration requirements are put in effect for non-citizens from > Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, and Sudan. > > 11/26/02 Homeland Security Act > Bush signs Homeland Security Act, creating the cabinet-level > Department of Homeland Security. > > 12/18/02 INS Registrants Jailed > Hundreds of Iranian and other Middle Eastern nationals were arrested > and held in Southern California when they came forward to comply with > registration requirements. Immigrant groups estimate more than 500 > people are jailed in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. > > 1/10/03 More Nationalities Targeted > Registration deadline for men from North Korea, United Arab Emirates, > Morocco, Afghanistan, and nine other countries. Two more rounds of > registrations will follow with the goal of tracking most foreign > nationals by 2005 > There are a million other ways this is happening: affirmative action, > attacks on labor, prison industrial complex, police brutality. > If you've heard me speak before, I talk a lot about global connections. This is the most important connection we need to make. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----
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