Jan 29, 2005

Obscene spending at inaugural while millions go without

WASHINGTON – In his inaugural address Jan. 20, President George W. Bush vowed to spread “liberty” and “freedom,” brushing aside his administration’s record of torture and mass detention of detainees and its support of authoritarian regimes around the world.

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil — Even before the fifth World Social Forum officially opened here, Jan. 26, the city was teeming with peace and justice activists, trade unionists, community organizers, and youth and students from five continents.

CHICAGO — More than 130 people came to celebrate the People’s Weekly World’s “80 years of struggle” and to hear Military Families Speak Out co-founder Fernando Suarez del Solar on Jan. 16 here.

Labor, retiree and community organizations in California are kicking off a campaign to uphold Social Security against the drive of President Bush and Wall Street to privatize the 70-year-old program serving retirees, the disabled, and families of deceased workers. At the same time, they are gearing up to defeat Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s campaign to privatize the pensions of California state employees.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — After five months of arduous contract negotiations with grocery giants Safeway, Albertson’s and Kroger, the Bay Area Coalition of eight United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) locals announced a tentative settlement Jan. 24.

WASHINGTON — Despite a raging blizzard and the shadow of the Bush inauguration, more than 500 activists turned out for a summit to help craft a strategy of taking back the country from the ultraright. Organized by the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), the meeting also had a goal of reinvigorating the progressive movement both inside and outside the Democratic Party.

MONTPELIER, Vt. — About half of Vermont’s Army National Guard is over in Iraq. Now, there’s a grassroots campaign to bring them home. Organizers of the Iraq Resolution Campaign say at least 47 Vermont communities will vote on a resolution regarding the war in Iraq on Town Meeting Day in March.

WASHINGTON — The city was under snow emergency, but a crowd of men and women came out to a vigil to defend women’s reproductive rights on Jan. 22, the 32nd anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision by the Supreme Court, which legalized abortion.

NEW ORLEANS: Marchers ‘mourn’ second term / SEATTLE: Students evict recruiters from campus / WASHINGTON: Push to bring troops home grows in House / ATLANTA: African Americans challenge Waffle House / HARRISBURG, Pa: Republicans cut unemployment benefits

LOS ANGELES — “I spent a week listening to the governor’s proposals,” said Judy Chu. “This governor has declared war.”