It's good news-bad news for workers these days

By Annie Medic

It is heartening to see: the resurgence of the peace movement, which is needed as much now as it ever had been; the flourishing militancy of the labor movement; the coming protest and demonstration in Seattle against the WTO.

Hopefully, many organizations and committees will join with labor in Seattle, as well as contingents from Canada and other countries.

NGOs from other lands could send delegates and, in addition, organize demonstrations in their own countries against WTO-GATT, thus making November 30th a world protest day.

Now for the bad news:

The case of the judge who ruled that states' rights supersede federal law (therein lies anarchy). I should have cut my grammar school civics classes, as the good judge evidently did, instead of cramming my head with such nonsense as states cannot abrogate federal law.

In keeping with the good judge's a-plague-on-both-of-your-houses decision, this very effectively abolishes the need for a House and Senate. But it really points up the fact that that decision should be challenged, forthwith.

Judges should not get by with handing down decisions that are blatantly unconstitutional and against the precepts of a democratic society.

Getting back to civics classes: that this is a government of checks and balances. A measure should be put on the ballot, simultaneously in each state, to place all elected and appointed members in government on Social Security; to forthwith eliminate the high pensions currently being paid.

This can easily be achieved, as the American public is pretty sick of these high pensions and high "salaries" (which should be classified as "payments.")

Hands off Social Security - take it out of the general fund; return the money "borrowed" from Social Security surplus fund that paid for Bush's Gulf War and Clinton's Serbian War; no more raiding of the fund.

Reject the attempt to privatize the Social Security fund by the false promotion that the person, as payer into the fund can "take charge" and invest it (presumably in the stock market) as he/she sees fit, or conversely to use the funds when needed. That adds up to no security for the retirement years.

People will decide they need the new car, new furniture or whatever that they wouldn't be able to afford otherwise. Of course, that's good for business - more purchasing power.

There is the "scare" of people living longer, and that the present oldsters are being "funded" by the younger generation. Not so. The present retirees have paid into this system all their working years, and are now collecting a mere pittance (a total disgrace) of what was intended, to receive between 60 to 75 percent of their wages.

As to people living longer: yes, for the generations born before the 1960s. But, the generation born after, and especially since the '80s and '90s, and the coming generations are not going to live that long, thanks to the chemical companies and other WTO parasites.

The actuarial tables that are projected do not take into consideration the matter of pestilence and outcropping of communicable diseases (some still waiting in the wings before making their entrance), as well as the resurgence of diseases that up to now were practically eliminated: bubonic plague, tuberculosis, yellow fever, etc.

There are bigger, better and healthier viruses and bacteria, again thanks to the chemical companies.

Super cop of the world or super bully? - Either way this year it's costing us more than $290 billion to perform that role.

The present five-year plan provides for increases each year through 2005, when military spending is projected to reach $333 billion. Why? To keep oil and natural gas reserves "safe for democracy?" Or, more to the point, to keep the world's natural resources in the greedy clutches of the WTO-GATT leeches by quelling any effort towards self-determination by people's anywhere in the world.

No nation is wealthy enough to keep up this "forward presence" (gunboat diplomacy) indefinitely. Do we really want to bankrupt ourselves - no money for schools, health care, adequate pensions, housing units, inner city problems, medical research, etc.

For starters, demand that the U.S. pull out of, and stop bankrolling NATO, which is just a vehicle to give the U.S.A. a controlling voice in Europe; Bring an end to all military actions, and demand a reduction in the "defense" budget. Let's face it - we're not into "defense," our specialty is aggression.

To get results: Yes, it's by making an impact through the Ballot Box, putting measures on the ballot, door-to-door canvassing, leafleting, all foregoing and then some need to be done to win the election.

But petitions, demonstrations, marches, picketing, telephone trees (to call a quick demonstration when a tragic situation occurs, either locally, nationally or globally), street fairs, protests, are a way to get a message across.

After all, we still will have the likes of Jesse Helms, Trent Lott and their ilk. We need to neutralize and counteract their influence on other legislators. All-out to back up the victories at the ballot box - for freedom, liberty and peace.

Anne Medic is a New Yorker who now lives in Croatia.