Living Wage NYC video

Here is a good straight forward message:

http://youtu.be/HohOXvb2vKw

Living Wage Links

Living Wage Calculator for Albuquerque

This calculator gives an idea of what a family needs to be fully out of poverty in Albuquerque/Bernalillo County. Please read it and share with your friends and family, either by email or post on your social media page.

Ohio's Minimum Wage Battle

Ohio voters passed a constitutional amendment making increases in the minimum wage tied to inflation. The Ohio State Senate is working to exempt more people from minimum wage protections.

We need to keep track of this because La Raza Unida recently moved to support work toward a living wage.

Read more about this minimum wage constitutional amendment

Invisibility of Poverty in Diabetes Research

Chaufan and Weitz write an important article pointing out that poverty as a cause of disease is ignored in academic research. They also point out that there is at least a 200 year tradition showing this to be the case. Poverty is ignored because it would make academics and others have to deal with how we benefit from the power dynamics that create poverty.

Dealing with these dynamics would require academics and public health workers have to face their role in the maintenance of poverty and disenfranchisement. Or, in an attempt to appear more academic researches focus on individual cause and effects which can be easily manipulated in a manageable experiment. Either way this leads to what the authors state as "business as usual."

They also point out that working for changes is one possible option. They suggest that living wages, affordable housing, and health care as a right will have greater impact than attempting to change individual behaviors. They also suggest that researchers look at the role of poverty as a cause of disease and propose structural changes to society that make the population healthier.

Some of these health improving changes are electoral, others are economic. Either way, it is important to begin to look at poverty as a structure which makes people sick. Then we can look at politics as one of many methods to make people healthier!

Register! Vote! Organize Raza Unida!

Social Justice is Good for Our Hearts

Latest estimates are that 23% of premature years of life lost prior to age 75 in Canada
can be attributed to income differences. That is, 23% of all of the premature years of life
lost to Canadians is accounted for by the differences that exists among wealthy, middleincome,
and low income Canadians. The disease most related to income differences is
cardiovascular disease. Twenty-two percent of all years lost that can be attributed to
income differences are caused by cardiovascular disease.

In addition, it is estimated that income differences account for a 24% excess in
premature deaths prior to 75 years from cardiovascular disease among Canadians. Were
all Canadians’ rates of death from cardiovascular disease equal to those living in the
wealthiest quintile of neighbourhoods, there would be 6,366 fewer deaths each year from
cardiovascular disease. An estimate of the annual costs to Canada of these incomerelated
cardiovascular disease effects is $4 billion.

This report outlines the role that income and its distribution play in the incidence of
cardiovascular disease. There is particular focus on how living on low income -- combined
with government policies that limit access to basic needs and resources required for health
-- contributes to the process of social exclusion by which individuals are denied full
participation in Canadian life. This exploration of the role of income on cardiovascular
health is particularly timely as the distribution of income is becoming less equitable in
Canada.

Societal changes that increase the numbers of Canadians living on low incomes and
foster social exclusion are considered in relation to what is known about the societal
determinants of cardiovascular disease. Means are presented for addressing these issues
in order to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease in Canada. These include
recommendations for reducing the number of Canadians living on low incomes, reducing
the social exclusion of citizens from participation in Canadian society, and ways by which
the social safety nets that support population health can be restored.

Side effects of a lifestyle emphasis are discussed as are reasons for resistance to
thinking in new ways about the causes and means of preventing cardiovascular disease.
Finally, community activities that will support heart health that are consistent with the best
principles of health promotion are presented.

From - Social Justice is Good for Our Hearts

The Gap Between Rich and Poor is at its WIDEST

From Census: Gap Between Rich and Poor is at its Widest:

"highlights"

The income gap between rich and poor Americans grew to the widest amount on record and represents the greatest disparity among Western industrialized nations, according to U.S. Census data.

The census finds that the top-earning 20% of Americans (those making $100,000 each year) received 49.4% of all income generated in the U.S., compared with the 3.4% earned by those below the poverty line.

That ratio of 14.5-to-1 was an increase from 13.6 in 2008 and nearly double a low of 7.69 in 1968, the Associated Press reports.

# # #
A clear goal would be to get back to 7-to-1!

If we've done it before we can do it again. It is disappointing for the US to have the greatest disparity among industrialized countries. We should expect better.

American Dream?

There are many ideas about how the United States is doing. One important sample is the idea of the "American Dream." Apparently it is on the decline. Many people have felt that they never had a real chance at the American Dream - now others are catching up to that unfortunate reality.

Immigration Reform 5/12/10

If we want real comprehensive immigration reform we'd have to deal with:

Repealing NAFTA;

Closing down employers who hire people illegally;

Promoting that other countries enforce strong labor standards and protections;

Deal with universal medical and social services;

Eliminate exemptions for minimum wage in farm work and domestic services;

Ensure a living wage;

Create a rational pathway for citizenship;

and deal with racism in a very real way as a country!

How class works

Easy to read presentation talks about class. It is a straightforward look at class in the US. It is not political and still has some value.

Check it out and post your thoughts. How Class Works

Ping Pong

It seems like all that is needed for US voters to flip flop is a crisis. Many are expecting that to be true in the November elections as the economy continues to drag along.

Had the minimum wage been increased at the beginning of this crisis, the people working at those jobs would be spending more and in turn creating new jobs. Instead we have banksters continuing to rob society blind with tax payer money.

We'll see if this year brings another ping pong election. Most people only see two options, the openly corporatist party and the party of the middle-class. The illusion that "everyone" thinks they are middle-class in the US is not true. While those identifying as middle-class has grown, one study shows 47 percent of voters identify as working-class. And given that voter turnout is higher among college educated and higher income groups this number may be low.

So it is time for the working class to figure out what is in the interest of working families and organize, network, and vote for family friendly, working friendly, and justice friendly parties and candidates!

2/8/10 Spirit Level Video

Health Insurance Debate

We keep calling what we see in congress as a health care debate. True health care would be the societal policies and expectactions that would provide everyone an honest opportunity to live a health and long life. Only corporations are supported in that way.

What we have is a health insurance debate to attempt to provide access to illness treatement services. Changing the health of the country in the future will depend on preventing illness through policy. Medical services providers do very little prevention work.

If we want changes in health we'll need to change power dynamics. We'll need political parties that support family friendly wages, educational for all, and health coverage for all as a given!

46.3 Million Without Health Care!

More and more people are ending up without health insurance. The Census reports that it is now 46.3 Million Without Health Care! And President Obama made sure to mention that no "illegals" get health care.

Everyone deserves health care. If we want to make sure less people come here for work we should be encouraging and supporting other countries to be more equitable and improve their economies.

Come to think of it we should ensure that our economy is more democratic!

Is Inequality Killing Americans?

Thom Hartman had a great segment where he pointed out that societies where inequalities were higher had worse health outcomes. The outline of his show are on his website. He used information from EqualityTrust.org.uk for the information and there is even a video there for those who prefer watching to reading.

Here is a quote from the EqualityTrust:

"Great inequality is the scourge of modern societies. We provide the evidence on each of eleven different health and social problems: physical health, mental health, drug abuse, education, imprisonment, obesity, social mobility, trust and community life, violence, teenage births, and child well-being. For all eleven of these health and social problems, outcomes are very substantially worse in more unequal societies."

The US does close to the bottom in almost every area. And Thom talked about even within the US states that are more unequal also have worse outcomes for these public health issues. Until we have strong parties that stand on this as basic policy we will continue to get the fights that we get for decent wages, health policy, and more.

Register Raza Unida in NM by placing "LRU" in box 5 of your voter registration form!

No Caps on Execs?

Geithner keeps letting execs rip off American People. No exec works 100 or 300 times harder than anyone else in a company. This is just stealing the profits which could be shared more equitably and giving them to a few instead of to many.

This is why we are stuck on the idea of increasing credit. Just pay everyone fairly and ethically and more people would be able to live within their means and enjoy the common wealth created by everyone's work!

Maybe then college students wouldn't have such a hard time.

European Policies Soften Blow of Economic Hard Times

With its tidy villages, orderly cities and atmospheric scenery, there are few outward signs that the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, home to historic Heidelberg and the famed Black Forest, is a victim of the current economic crisis.

But with the auto industry here hit especially hard — this is the home of Mercedes-Benz — things are tougher than they have been in decades. Unemployment is up 70 percent in the past year (albeit to a relatively low 5 percent total) and many employees have been forced to cut down their hours.

Misery below the surface, perhaps? Not at the bustling Fuerstenberger home just outside Heidelberg, where little has changed for the family's four children despite neither parent currently working.

Read more...

Employee Free Choice Act Poll Results

This poll shows that people in the US are behind the Employee Free Choice Act.

Cheap Labor Trap (12/04/08)

There is a myth of economic freedom in this country. One important thing to ask ourselves is "who is left out of this story?" The conservative economic freedom story leaves out about 45 million people. Who are they?

Conservative myth telling leaves out the forty-five million people working hard for a living but cannot afford health care. People who are too old or sick to work are left out. The millions of working class people whose wages have not gone up over the last thirty years while prices have risen, while profits go to stockholders, and while CEOs get paid more and more each year!

We need those jobs done - picking fruit and vegetables, flipping burgers, day laborers in construction - those jobs that are absolutely necessary to our current lifestyles. Let's include Educational Assistants, Child Care workers, and school food service employees - it shows how little we care about children. These people are left out of the myth and they are caught in a cheap labor trap.

Their trap is to hold up all of our lifestyles. A living wage would help, but we need more than that. Imagine if all of the employees without health care went on strike?

The beginning of the solution is to develop labor policies, health care policies, business and tax policies from the moral principle of fairness.

Yes, better wages is key - people deserve fair compensation for work done. Our current market is unfair in this area. It is time for working people to be fairly compensated for the profits that they bring to employers.

Regardless of the imperfections of the early USA there are important principles to build from. It is very wise to collect our common wealth for the common good in order to provide the infrastructure that everyone can access for their fulfillment. That's the positive of taxes. Without taxes we don't have highways, the Internet, public education, parks, and so much more. Without a common wealth there is no common good.

We need policies that hold up our highest ideals, our moral responsibilities for freedom. If you work for a living, you should earn a living. Work is a contribution to society at large, and fair compensation is the right thing to do. The cheap labor trap is immoral and we need to eliminate it.

We need a quality educational system that serves ALL children. We need to end and reverse the huge transfers of wealth from ordinary taxpayers to the rich. We need to create expectations for ethical business. Corporations impose themselves in ways similar to governments, we need to make them accountable to the public well being.

All institutions that govern our lives should be accountable to the people. Privatization removes the accountability - the same as "taxation without representation." The civil justice system needs to be protected in order for it to protect the people. Public education and the diversity of Albuquerque are what will be the great engine of wealth - if we remove the barriers. Markets are not "natural" and we need to ensure that they serve the public good.

This will be the transformation necessary to turn around the economy and many of the problems we've been dealing with for decades, and in some cases centuries. We are all in this together and all of us working together will make the biggest difference.

Working For a Living (11/26/08)

People who work for a living deserve a fair shake. Communities often pay taxpayer dollars to support business in many ways: tax breaks, education of the workers, infrastructure, and contracts with government. It really is only fair for business to return some of this payment with living wages for workers. That's just good ethical business.

Communities benefit from living wages in many ways. They lower the cost of community services by allowing people to move out of poverty. Services of people impoverished by poverty wages include emergency medical care, food programs, housing programs, drug and alcohol programs, and much more. Living wages make communities better places to live. With living wages there is less poverty, less crime, less homeless and less addiction. There would also be more selfrespect if people knew they could support a family with one full time job. People would have more community pride, and better kept communities. When communities improve, more people want to live there and more businesses want to locate there. Living wage benefits spread positively across entire communities.

Living wages also benefit businesses. Businesses benefit from living wages with increased morale, increased productivity, and increased worker retention. Because workers stay where wages are good businesses save on recruitment and training costs.

Occasionally some businesses may face lower profits. Well run businesses can deal with these moral limits on profits. Effective business owners have coped without slavery, child labor, and other moral benefits given to workers. Competent business owners should be able to cope without below-poverty-level wages.

The cost to business of paying living wages has been found to be extremely low. Between payments by the community and the benefits of increased productivity and lowered costs, living wage costs should be easily absorbed when accounting practices make the trade-offs clear. Businesses can both do good and do well.

Working For A Living (11/25/08)

The American Dream - the idea that if you work hard you'll be rewarded with a decent standard of living, including the opportunity to own a home. It is a human ideal that everyone inherently deserves to have basic needs met. Working a job should pay enough to at least meet basic needs. Yet many people have to work two jobs just to make ends meet.

It is immoral for anyone working for a living at a full time job to be stuck below the poverty line. Working for a living includes being able to support a family. Anything less is a failure to live up to the American Dream.

This is an issue of morality - an issue of justice. Markets have rules structured by morality. We no longer allow child labor because it is immoral. We no longer allow slavery because it is immoral. We no longer allow employees to be beaten because it is immoral. Increasing profits of a few by decreasing pay to below poverty level needs to be outlawed because that too is immoral! Impoverishing people consciously is very immoral!

Markets have been set up to serve special interests. Energy subsidies to oil and coal are good examples. These so-called "subsidies" are really just payments from taxpayers to these corporations. They help to make us think that oil and coal prices are allow so we become dependent on them. This serves those companies because we don't see that we pay at the pump or meter and pay again through our taxes!

Markets need to serve the public interest!

These tax breaks take money out of our pockets and give them to corporations. The fair thing these companies can do is to pay living wages to employees. That's a responsibility they need to live up to.

As the new administration starts its stimulus plan hopefully they will make sure that the books balance for working people as well as the corporations. It will be up to us to keep pushing that message. It will be up to us to organize and be the active people that democracy needs.