Welfare Warriors

FALL 2008

MW Voice FEATURE

Letters to the  Editor

War

Editor's Tidbits

Mothers news from around the world

Victories

  Fall 2008

Obama, Are You Listening?

Barack Obama inherits a nation that has been greatly weakened. Bush policies have undermined our economic security, freedoms, and international reputation.

Presidents can establish policy by executive order, federal regulation, or by refocusing the executive agencies. The new president must use all of these tools to restore our freedoms and move the country forward. He will face lots of opposition. He will have to make American people understand that unchecked power does not make us safer.

It will not be easy to undo eight years of damage to our fundamental rights. But it can be done—some changes easily accomplished in one day.

 National Welfare Rights Union’s Eight Points to Dismantle US Poverty

 The opposite of privatization is nationalization. The government must to take control over the big corporations, run them in our interests and benefits. All of the rewards from the programs should be turned back into society.

 1. A guaranteed annual income and the nationalization of the food industry.

 2. Universal Health Care with a single-payer.       

3. Nationalization of Child Care. All children should be eligible for free, quality childcare. And a living wage for child chare providers.

4. Nationalization of education, including Headstart. 

5. Nationalization of utilities. Electricity, natural gas, heating fuels, water, alternative energy, and communications (telephone, internet) should be public, not subject to privatization. 

6. Nationalization of Housing. Government must provide affordable housing for all. And a permanent moratorium on the demolition of public housing. 

7. Nationalization of Public Mass Transit. 

8. Troop withdrawal from Iraq, Afghanistan and no new deployments. Focus on methods of peace. Redirect funds to eliminate poverty.           

ACLU Suggestions for Change:

Day One

• Stop Torture and Abuse

• Close Guantanamo and Restore the Rule of Law for Detainees

• End and Prohibit the Practice of Extraordinary Rendition

FIRST 100 DAYS

 Put an end to:

 1. Warrantless spying.

 2. American “Watch” lists.

 3. Freedom of Information - Ashcroft Doctrine.

 4. Monitoring of activists.

 5. DOJ's Civil Rights Division.

 6. Real ID Act.

 7. Abortion gag rule.

 8. Ban all workplace discrimination against sexual minorities by the federal government and its contractors.

 9. Death penalty.

10. "Faith-based initiatives."

FIRST YEAR  

 • Financial watch lists; Secure Flight; Civil Liberties Oversight Board, DNA databases; Freedom of Information ombudsman; Scientific freedom; Federal websites; DOJ politicization; Overclassification; Human rights treaties; Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties; Discrimination against sexual minorities with federal dollars; The Civil Rights Division; Other Agencies' Civil Rights Enforcement 

• 'Special Administrative Measures' for prisoners; Prisoner communications; Crack/Powder Sentencing; Medical marijuana; The shackling of pregnant prisoners; Death penalty 

• Federal Racial Profiling; Affirmative action; Rights of the disabled; School harassment based on sex and gender identity; Benefit plans covering domestic partners; Same-sex couples under Medicaid; Discrimination against sexual minorities in adoption and foster care; Discrimination By the Federal Government and Federal Contractors Against People with HIV 

• Political protest; Media Consolidation; Network neutrality; Online censorship of soldiers

Fleeting expletives; World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); Broaden Special Counsel for Religious Discrimination;  

• Local immigration enforcement; Immigration raids; ID theft prosecutions; Deportation to nations that torture; Detention standards; Expedited removal; Board of Immigration Appeals 

• Single-sex education; Fair housing for domestic violence victims; Home health care workers; 

• Global gag rule on abortion; Abortion restrictions; Emergency contraceptives; Regulations on birth control and religious refusals; Abortion clinic violence; Affordable birth control