President Bush has been promoting his "faith-based initiative" since the day he took office. It is a plan to funnel hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to religious institutions even as those government-funded programs practice blatant discrimination.
This week votes are planned that could make the Head Start program a victim of federally funded religious discrimination. There will be an amendment to the Head Start re-authorization bill that would repeal existing current civil rights protections.
Thousands of Head Start teachers could lose their jobs if they fail their employers' religious tests. Countless parents would furthermore be blocked from climbing the ladder out of poverty that has already allowed thousands of parents to go from being a parent volunteer to being a trained and paid Head Start teacher simply because they do not share the federally funded employer's
religious beliefs.
The National Head Start Association has come out against the amendment and said it will oppose the re-authorization bill if it allows for discrimination.
Progressive Group Calls for Keeping Wage Protections
In the aftermath of the Katrina disaster, President Bush ordered a suspension of the prevailing wage protection provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act for the disaster-affected areas. The prevailing wage rule orders that companies who receive federal contracts must pay workers competitive wages. Bush suspended this provision under the pretense that companies like Halliburton and Bechtel, unaffected by the hurricane, who quickly got large federal reconstruction contracts, can't afford to help the people affected by the disaster unless they have high profit margins.
Instead of embracing good jobs for the recently displaced, President Bush's first major act in the recovery effort was to suspend a law that requires federal contractors to pay workers a decent wage. And, at the same time, his administration signed no-bid contracts that will give billions to multi-national corporations like Halliburton without any guarantee that they will hire displaced people to rebuild their own communities.
The progressive organization is urging people to demand that their political representatives force Bush to rescind his order. Find out more here.
With Roberts' Confirmation All But Assured, Groups Intensify NO Vote Demand
The SaveOurCourts.org coalition and the Progressive Email Network, among others, are mounting last minute campaigns, urging their supporters to contact their Senators and ask them to vote against John Roberts' confirmation for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
According to SaveOurCourts.org, Roberts failed to demonstrate a commitment to protecting the rights of all Americans. He did nothing to convincingly allay serious doubts about his views on women's rights, civil rights, and other basic Constitutional principles.
The Progressive Email Network characterized Roberts' failure to address questions about his legal philosophy as a "stonewall" and an "act" posed as "integrity." During the confirmation hearings, Roberts provided a lot of legal mumbo-jumbo to sidestep concerns about his views but provided not substantive answers on issues he will have a direct impact on for several decades.
Both groups are urging voters to call their Senators today at (877)-762-8762 or (202) 224-3121 and tell them a NO vote is the only choice given Roberts' failure to provide the public with accurate information about his views. A vote in the full Senate is expected next week.
"Baker-Carter Commission" Report Calls for a Modern-Day Poll Tax, Rep. Conyers
Rep. John Conyers of Michigan described the recently released Baker-Carter Commission report on electoral reform as a call for a modern-day poll tax that would discriminate against a large portion of voters.
In a released statement, Conyers described the "Commission" as "a privately funded, unaccountable Commission organized by former Bush-Cheney campaign lawyer (Baker) ... [whose] proposals [would] disenfranchise over ten percent of eligible voters."
By calling on Congress to order the adoption of a National ID card as the only acceptable means of voter identification, the "reforms" called for by the Baker-Carter Commission would exclude millions of voters, mainly minorities and poor, who use other forms of identification than government issued picture ID cards to prove their identity at the polls.
Conyers also hinted that this "reform" measure provides a back door to implementing a National ID card, widely regarded "throughout our history [as] a tool of repression."
Conyers asked those who oppose the findings of the "Baker-Carter Commission" to join him by logging onto his website and voicing their views.
Universal Health Care Campaign Builds Momentum
The Healthcare-NOW campaign is supporting a national single-payer health care system for all that help eliminate the health care crisis.
In 73 cities, Healthcare-NOW is calling on members of Congress to hear real solutions to the crisis.
In a recent poll, 65% of the people in the U.S. said they wanted a government-guaranteed health care system. It would save consumers 30% to have a single-payer health care system instead of one run for profit. People want a comprehensive health care system that covers everybody for virtually every healthcare need.
Half of all bankruptcies in the U.S. are caused by health care catastrophes. 70% of those who don't have health care are working -- sometimes two and three jobs. Health care PROFITS are about 30% of our health care expenditures in the country.
H.R. 676, a bill that would expand Medicare to everyone, would create a public-supported, privately-delivered system that provides freedom for doctors and patients. It would cut down waiting periods for health care and everybody would have more choice of doctors. 95% of health care consumers would be paying less for health care than now. The bill eliminates co-pays, premiums, deductibles or health care denials and woul dprovide coverage for all doctors, specialists, hospitals, surgeries, mental healthcare, drug treatment, optical and dental care, and long-term care.
