‘The Union List’
Food for Thought: Van Jones on Rebuilding the American Dream
by n0madic, posted on Monday, August 1st, 2011 at 7:00 amPresident Obama’s Big Deal: Cuts for Social Security, but No Taxes for Wall Street
by Dean Baker, posted on Wednesday, July 20th, 2011 at 2:45 pmCross-posted from Truthout, where it was originally published on July 18, 2011.
The ability of Washington to turn everything on its head has no limits. We are in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Even though the recession officially ended two years ago, there are still more than 25 million people who are unemployed, can only find part-time work or who have given up looking for work altogether. This is an outrage and a tragedy. These people’s lives are being ruined due to the mismanagement of the economy.
And we know the cause of this mismanagement. The folks who get paid to manage and regulate the economy were unable to see an $8 trillion housing bubble. They weren’t bothered by the doubling of house prices in many areas, nor the dodgy mortgages that were sold to finance these purchases. Somehow, people like former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan and his sidekick and successor Ben Bernanke thought everything was fine as the Wall Street financers made billions selling junk mortgage and derivative instruments around the world.
When the bubble burst, one of the consequences was an increased budget deficit. This is kind of like two plus two equals four. The collapsing bubble tanked the economy. Tax revenue plummets and we spend more on programs like unemployment insurance and foods stamps. We did also have some tax cuts and stimulus spending to boost the economy. The result is a larger budget deficit.
All of this is about as clear as it can possibly be. The large deficit came about because the housing bubble, which was fueled by Wall Street excesses, crashed the economy. Yet, we are constantly being told by politicians from President Obama to Tea Party Republicans that we have a problem of out-of-control spending.
The claim of out-of-control spending is simply not true. It is an invention, a fabrication, a falsehood with no basis in reality that politicians are pushing to advance their agenda. And that agenda is not pretty.
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Toward a Post-Growth Society
by James Gustave Speth, posted on Wednesday, July 13th, 2011 at 1:45 pmIt’s business as usual that’s the utopian fantasy, while creating something very new and different is the pragmatic way forward.
Cross-posted from YES! Magazine, where it was originally posted on July 6, 2011.
Today, the reigning policy orientation holds that the path to greater well-being is to grow and expand the economy. Productivity, profits, the stock market, and consumption: all must go continually up. This growth imperative trumps all else. It is widely believed that growth is always worth the price that must be paid for it—even when it undermines families, jobs, communities, the environment, and our sense of place and continuity.
The Limits of Growth
But an expanding body of evidence is now telling us to think again. Economic growth may be the world’s secular religion, but for much of the world it is a god that is failing—underperforming for billions of the world’s people and, for those in affluent societies, now creating more problems than it is solving. The never-ending drive to grow the overall U.S. economy hollows out communities and the environment; it fuels a ruthless international search for energy and other resources; it fails at generating jobs; and it rests on a manufactured consumerism that is not meeting the deepest human needs. Americans are substituting growth and consumption for dealing with the real issues—for doing things that would truly make us and the country better off. Psychologists have pointed out, for example, that while economic output per person in the United States has risen sharply in recent decades, there has been no increase in life satisfaction and levels of distrust and depression have increased substantially.
We need to reinvent the economy, not merely restore it. The roots of our environmental and social problems are systemic and thus require transformational change. Sustaining people, communities, and nature must henceforth be seen as the core goals of economic activity, not hoped for byproducts of an economy based on market success, growth for its own sake, and modest regulation. That is the paradigm shift we seek.
Voices and Hope, or Lack Thereof
by Cynthia Voelkl, posted on Thursday, April 28th, 2011 at 7:24 pmEditor’s note: The Sandwich Life is Cynthia Voelkl’s wonderful blog about “life as a 40-something juggling children, a great husband living with cancer, and all the various challenges and joys of life as we live it.” On Wednesday, Cynthia testified at the State Capitol in Springfield at a legislative hearing on prospective changes in the health care insurance options that will be available to State of Illinois employees and retirees.
The boys aren’t going to school today. I have no good reason except that as we went into the fifth hour of the health insurance hearing last night and they were still sitting there being well behaved it was all I could think of to give them…. It probably makes me a lousy mother but I was so immensely proud of them and I was tired and I love them and God knows I can’t bear to give them any more Lego so I just whispered in Owen’s ear “you don’t have to go to school tomorrow.” His response? “what about Friday too?” I said, “just tell your brother about tomorrow.”
Geesh.
Ernie and the boys picked me up from work yesterday around 1:00 and we took off for Springfield. As we drove I read my little speech to the guys and when I finished Leo just gave me a sparkling smile which meant he was proud of me and Owen said, “that sound SO good Mom….and really believable too….I’m not kidding”
We got there, went into the Capitol Building and found the room for the hearing. We went and sat down around 3:30 because it was already starting to fill up. I’m too weary to try to recount the whole thing here. You can read here and here. The room was packed, with a lot of frustrated and angry people, and overall I felt the hearing was a kindness to let us express our stories that but it did not give me any hope. In fact, honestly I feel less hopeful after hearing the attorney for HFS basically say there was no way it could be overturned. This is crazy…it makes no sense. Lately all I can think about is the Emperor’s New Clothes…. Everyone wants to make sure they’re saying the right thing….it doesn’t really matter whether there are clothes or not….
Recall the Walker 8
by John Laesch, posted on Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 at 6:58 pmThe clock started ticking on March 2, 2011 when Wisconsin citizens initiated the recall of eight Republican state senators who back Scott Walker.
After filing the papers, pro-recall activists will have 60 days (that is 55 days from this posting) to collect almost 15,000 signatures per district. Party activists have narrowed down the top six districts that are most likely to recall their senator. You can see the chart below. It is true that District 8 is slightly closer to Chicagoland, but I am planning on spending my weekend in District 14; supporting the Wisconsin14.
Illinois General Assembly passes civil unions
by John Laesch, posted on Saturday, December 4th, 2010 at 12:09 pmWhile the Illinois General Assembly has yet to create jobs, pass a balanced budget, or find a way to fund the $80B pension liability, they did a very courageous thing during veto session by passing a civil unions bill. This strikes me as one of the biggest “change” votes taken by the ILGA and perhaps the biggest act of courage in my memory. It was a positive step forward for residents of Illinois as we seek to join other states who view equality as a centerpiece for social and economic justice.
In the 21st century, I find it hard to believe that there are still people in Springfield and Washington who honestly feel that some in our society should be treated like second class citizens in the eyes of the government. But, some still voted “nay.” You can see the entire Senate vote here. You can see the entire House vote here.
If you agree that this is a good step for Illinois, please call or write members in the Fox Valley to let express appreciation or disappointment. Altough he has delayed signing the bill until 2011, it is expected that Governor Quinn (312-814-2121 / Online Contact Form) will sign the bill. It probably does not hurt to send the Governor a note to thank him for his support of equality. See list of Fox Valley Representatives below.
Citizen’s Group Urges DeKalb County Board to Postpone Landfill Expansion Vote
by dkenney, posted on Tuesday, May 4th, 2010 at 11:50 pmPRESS RELEASE
Contact: Dan Kenney
Chair of the Stop the Mega-Dump Citizens’ group
815-793-0950
Citizen’s Group Urges DeKalb County Board to Postpone Landfill Expansion Vote: “Give the People of Cortland Township a Voice First” at a Special Township Meeting May 18th
The Stop the Mega-Dump citizens’ group is asking the DeKalb County Board not to turn their backs on the citizens of Cortland again. Citizens of Cortland Township have petitioned the Cortland Township Board of Trustees for a special meeting to vote on a resolution that would prevent any landfill expansion in their township. The special meeting will be held on the evening of Tuesday May 18th , the day before the DeKalb County regularly scheduled board meeting. However the county has added an earlier meeting of May 10th at 7:30 to vote on the landfill expansion application by Waste Management Inc.
Adverse Effects of Unemployment on a Community
by TimBush50, posted on Monday, April 26th, 2010 at 9:01 amBy Geraldine Solomon and Timothy Beushausen
There are many negative effects of unemployment on both personal and social levels. In the realm of the former, the person who loses his or her job can feel a depreciated sense of self worth. On a social level, the entire structure of society can disintegrate, as we can see clearly in the city of Juarez, Mexico. The policies of so-called “Big Government” were designed to stimulate production and ameliorate the effects of unemployment. The problem is, they no longer work. To see why, we have to look at the economy itself.
On Homosexuality
by TimBush50, posted on Sunday, April 11th, 2010 at 12:00 pmby Timothy Beushausen
I recently contacted an ex-classmate from high school on Facebook (who had amazingly wished me a happy 60th birthday), and chatted with him for a few minutes, more than we ever talked to each other in four years of school. He had hit dotage a few months before I did, and wanted to know if I still look as young as my avatar from 15 years ago. Not. Like Alice and the Walrus, we spoke of many things, and at one point he mentioned his musical talent, which in me is merely a passion rather than a talent. He plays the viol, quite beautifully, which caused me to have one of the very few, full-blown aesthetic reactions I have ever had in my life. He brought up that he was persecuted in high school by the perceived association of piano talent with being gay, which brought back painful memories of being called such names since long before I had any idea what they mean. If that was the genesis of my becoming a commie-pinko-fag {in fact, my true sexual identity is that of a young, black lesbian stuck in an old, white man’s body (you don’t believe me? Then prove I am lying!)}, then it was basically the best thing that could have happened to me. I wouldn’t trade my life experiences for those of anyone else in the world.
Pack the House to Send Corinne Pierog to the State Senate!
by barbz, posted on Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 at 3:00 pmDemocratic candidate for the 28th District State Senate, Corinne Pierog, invites all to attend her friend and fun-raiser on Sunday, April 25, 2010, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the incomparable John Barleycorn’s, located at 1100 American Lane in Schaumburg. Whether you live in the 28th District or not, please support Corinne as she makes history as the first Democrat to take this Senate seat in 130 years!
“As I meet more and more people in State Senate District 28, as I listen to the heartfelt stories they share, one common theme emerges: the status quo is unacceptable. People want real change. And they want it now!” explains Corinne.
Live entertainment, complimentary appetizers and a free libation are included with ticket price, which is $50 each or two for $80. Also available are $100 tickets, which include a free raffle entry for two tickets to the up-coming Art of Leadership event at the Chicago Photography Center on May 14.
Join Corinne at John Barleycorn’s on April 25 to see what a fresh perspective can do to re-build Illinois now. Please R.S.V.P. by calling 630 251-1538 or via e-mail at cmpstatesenate@sbcglobal.net.
Jobs, real opportunity, quality education and an open, transparent government that demonstrates fiscal integrity with your hard-earned tax dollars, while serving everyone are the cornerstone of Corinne’s historic campaign.
Various sponsorship levels are still available; for additional information, please call 630 251-1538. Please join Corinne for this very special event. Even if you are unable to attend, please support Corinne’s candidacy for Illinois State Senate 28th District with your maximum support! And don’t forget to spread the word – it’s going to take all of us working together now to create a better Illinois tomorrow.
For additional information, please call 630 251-1538 or sign up for campaign updates at www.ElectCorinnePierog.com.
