June 23, 2007

OAKLAND, Calif. — With City Council approval of $250,000 in seed money expected this week, Oakland is poised to launch the nation’s first Green Jobs Corps program to train young people with limited job prospects for good jobs in growing “green” industries.

LGBT unionists fighting on several fronts
Supreme Court rules against public employees
Big 3 aiming for more cuts
High court shafts home aides on overtime
Grocery workers facing big battle
Ohio workers rally for EFCA

CARACAS, Venezuela — The fight against war is part of the fight for women to become “first-class citizens in every nation,” declared Marcia Campos, the Brazilian president of the Women’s International Democratic Federation.

The reopening of Senate floor debate on the “Grand Bargain” immigration bill, S 1348, reflects, among many things, the increasing significance of migrating labor in global economics and politics. Like global warming, it cannot be ignored anymore.

The stock market continues to skyrocket, corporate profits are rising at a record-setting pace and mortgage foreclosures surged 90 percent in May compared to a year ago. The rich are getting filthier and working families are on the street.

Afghan death toll
Green, blue and red all over
Korean model
How long?
Zimbabwe

The new balance of forces in Congress, the greatly weakened position of the Bush administration, and the growing activity of the labor-led people’s coalition have rearranged the political playing field in our country. Everyone involved in politics has to adjust their tactics to these new realities.

Not to say that bad things didn’t happen under socialism; but what happened under socialism doesn’t hold a candle to what has occurred under capitalism. The entirety of what city would be required for a monument to the victims of capitalism? There’s no city big enough.

I was born in Alabama. My father, who wanted better opportunities for our family, was recruited by Winchester, the rifle manufacturer, to come to New Haven and work. And many other African Americans from the South went to different locations seeking better opportunities for themselves.