Obama Prepares the Healthcare Sell-Out

Many people had high hopes for the presidency of Barak Obama. He was voted into office on a wave of popular support calling for “Change”. “Yes We Can”, was his battle cry and the people answered his call. But less than a year after taking office, these illusions are beginning to fade. Obama’s administration has, for the most part, been business as usual. He has continued the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The US is sliding deeper and deeper into a recession and dragging millions of people into poverty with it. Now it is becoming clear that he will break one of his key election promises – to provide healthcare coverage to nearly 50 million people who have no insurance.

The hysterical mobs whipped up by the right wing at the healthcare town hall meetings have clearly rattled the white house. They are already preparing the ground to back down on any meaningful change to the healthcare system in the United States. Key people in Obama’s administration are now coming out saying that the “public option” is not essential to their plan and covering all uninsured Americans has never been the top priority. Any idiot can read between the lines and see where this is going.

The President is backing down. Millions of Americans can kiss goodbye the hopes of seeing affordable healthcare coverage out of this administration. This will not be a surprise to many on the left. After all, the Democratic Party is a party of big business. Until working people in the United States organize their own party to represent them, the big corporations will continue to get their way and the working class will continue to get shafted.

Time for a Revolution in BC?

Gordon Campbell’s BC Liberal government has lost any legitimacy it had. Campbell’s approval rating is in free-fall and is now in the mid thirties. The majority of eligible voters didn’t even bother to cast a ballot in the last election and just under half of the ones that did voted for the Liberals. Now it is becoming clear that this election was won under false pretenses. The Liberals lied during the election about their intention to bring in the new Harmonized Sales Tax and they also deceived the public about the actual state of affairs in this province. They prevented a welfare report from being released before the election, they prevented healthcare budgets from being released before the election and it is looking like they even destroyed emails that were requested by the court for the BC Rail trial. This is an illegitimate government.

One has to question a democratic process that is conducted in an atmosphere of misinformation. When politicians deliberately hide important information that may change the outcome of an election and blatantly lie to the public about that information, then win the election on a razor-thin margin, we have a right to demand the removal of that government. Gordon Campbell’s administration has done exactly that. Only weeks after the election, they announce they will be implementing a tax that nine out of ten British Columbians oppose – what’s worse, they specifically said during the election campaign that they had no plans to do it!

It is time for the people of this province to start thinking about ways of removing this illegitimate government from power. We cannot afford to wait another four years to toss these crooks out on their rear ends. An escalating protest movement involving mass demonstrations and strikes could achieve this. If the labour leaders were prepared to lead this movement, it would be achieved in fairly short order. And if Campbell had even a shred of integrity left in him, he would call an election immediately to test his real agenda before the public. I think we all know what the results of that election would be.

What’s in a Name? New Democratic Party to Discuss Dropping “New” from its Name.

I find it appalling that in the midst of an economic crisis the likes of which none of us have ever seen, one of the main debates at the federal convention of the New Democratic Party of Canada will be discussing a name change. Surely there are more important things to talk about when hundreds of NDPers from across the country get together. Nevertheless, valuable time at this convention will be wasted debating a superficial change to the party’s brand.

But just how superficial is this name change? Many are worried that dropping the word “new” from the title could be seen as a move to align the party more closely with the Democratic Party in the United States. This is certainly how the move would be seen given the party leadership’s eagerness to jump on the Obama band wagon. It is getting harder and harder to find a large NDP event where they don’t start chanting “Yes We Can”. Oddly enough, if Barak Obama was Prime Minister of Canada he would be the most right wing Prime Minister we’ve had in generations.

Unfortunately, the NDP will waste this time staring at its own naval. The constitutional amendment would require a 2/3rds majority to pass and given the dived over this question, it is doubtful that they will get it. If there has to be discussion about changing the name of the NDP, I would suggest the title “Democratic Socialist Party”.

How to Organize a Union (and keep it)

The benefits of having a union are almost too numerous to name. Better wages, working conditions, benefits, a grievance procedure and often simple respect are some of the reasons people join unions. But the labour movement seems to have trouble organizing these days. Often shops are organized only to decertify a year or two down the road. Many organizers today have a narrow view of what it means to organize a union and this is at the heart of the problem.

There are basically three main steps to organizing and solidifying a union. The first step is obvious and universally recognized – getting the certification. To bring a union into a workplace you need to sign membership cards and depending on the number of cards signed and the labour laws in your area, have a vote. This will doubtlessly require a lot of hard work and long conversations about what exactly it means to be in a union. This is the first step, but it is only the first step.

The next two steps are the ones that are too often over-looked in the labour movement: winning the first collective agreement and enforcing that agreement. The first hurdle is bargaining a good contract. This can be easier said than done, but it is vital for the success of the union. At the end of the day, workers need to see concrete improvements in their workplace. If their union doesn't bring them tangible results, they will decertify. The contract will only be as good as the workers are ready to fight for, so the bargaining committee must have the perspective of mobilizing the workers to put pressure on the bosses. This doesn’t mean that a strike is always necessary, but if workers aren’t prepared to strike they will not be happy with the outcome.

Once a collective agreement is in place, the union must be willing to back it up. Generally the bosses will test the limits of the union. They will ignore clauses in the collective agreement. They will refuse to implement what they have already agreed to. The union staff must be prepared to follow through on the grievances to force the employer to comply. This can be costly. It is easy for union staffers to do a quick cost/benefit analysis and determine that the cost of the grievance isn’t worth it. But this overlooks the political aspect. If the workers don’t see their union standing up for them, they will soon loose faith. Generally the bosses need to loose a few grievances before they realize that it isn’t worth the hassle to violate the contract.

I have been involved in organizing dozens of shops. I have seen great victories won, only to be unraveled a year later because one of these steps was ignored. Ultimately the power of a union is the productive power of the workers. There is an old saying in the labour movement, “Not a wheel will turn, not a light bulb will shine, without the consent of the working class”. That is the only real power a union has. Workers run the world. The bosses wouldn’t have a penny without us. That is the strength we must rely on.

51% of NDPers Say it’s Time for Carole James to Go

A new Angus Reid Strategies poll reveals some interesting facts about the state of discontent in this province. Support for the BC Liberals is in freefall. They’ve lost 12% since the election down to a pathetic 34%. The NDP is ahead in the polls for the first time since November 2008. This is not surprising given the overwhelming opposition to Campbell’s new harmonized sales tax. What is surprising is that the NDP has failed to gain anything from this; support for the party has remained stagnant at 42%. 59% believe it is time for new leaders in both parties. But perhaps the most telling number of all, 51% of NDP supporters believe it is time for a new leader.

Given the results of this poll, it is no surprise that the Take Back the Party campaign launched in Vancouver on July 7th is gaining momentum. The second meeting of this group elected a steering committee including notable names like Tim Luis (former COPE city councilor) and Fred Muzin (former president of the Hospital Employees Union). A meeting is set to launch the group in Victoria on August 20th. Speakers at this meeting will include Ben Isitt (two time mayoral candidate) and Dennis Pilon (UVIC Political Science Prof.).

Take Back the Party is aiming to bring more grassroots democracy into the party and bring the NDP back to their working class roots. The group has called for free tuition at all levels, free public transit and a dramatic increase in the minimum wage among other things. This movement should be welcomed by all those on the left in British Columbia. Poor and working people need a voice in BC politics. The NDP used to be that voice, but the shift to the right by the party leadership has left many of us speechless. Now the results of these policies are starting to sink in. Another electoral defeat has shown, that you don’t win anything by walking down the middle of the road. It’s time for the NDP to pick a side. The reality of capitalism in the 21st century is that there is no middle road. You are either with the working class or the employing class. You fight for the poor and disadvantaged or you maintain the rule of big business. We’ve run out of room to compromise and it seems the only people who haven’t realized that yet are leading the NDP.

takebacktheparty@gmail.com

Capitalism, War and the Downfall of the American Empire

There is little doubt that the American Empire is the greatest empire in the history of humanity. Its influence extends to every corner of the globe. Its corporations control vast sectors of the economies of nearly every country on the planet. It posses the most powerful military force ever constructed. The United States of America is a giant, but it is clearly in trouble. A collapsing economy, a massive deficit, rising foreign powers, and two exhaustive wars are all threatening its position as the global super power.

The American empire has clearly reached the height of its success and is now in decline. Rocketed into the position of a major power after the Second World War, the United States quickly grew to super power status. After the fall of the Berlin wall, the US became the sole super power on the planet and quickly dominated the globe. This was a first in human history. But every empire must fall, no matter how large and powerful. This does not mean that America will collapse entirely as a major power in the short term; the decline of the Roman Empire spanned several centuries. But it is becoming more and more clear that America’s grip on the world is slipping.

The economic foundations of American dominance are crumbling. The currency is struggling, major institutions are failing, mass unemployment undermines domestic markets and a 1.3 trillion dollar deficit threatens to cripple her future development. She has been fighting wars on multiple fronts, leaving her military stretched and her population fatigued and unwilling to support further military action. The limits of American power are being clearly shown in Latin America. The persistent presence of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and a rising tide of leftists being elected throughout the continent show her weakness. A few decades ago, every one of these governments would have been overthrown by coups, carefully plotted in American embassies. But American imperialism is left powerless in the face of growing revolutionary movements in its own “backyard”.

One could write an entire book on nearly every line of this post. The topic is not one that could be covered extensively in any forum, let alone a four paragraph blog-post. But these are fascinating times we live in. I’ve often thought about what it would have been like to live in the tumultuous past and watch history being made. But it is becoming clear to me, that our grandchildren will look back on our time with the same reflections. It is a privilege to be witness to such a spectacle. We are watching the beginning of the downfall of the greatest empire that has ever existed. This is one of the most important events in human history and we will all have some part in it.

Comrade Obama – is the President a Communist?

I’m sick and tired of hearing all the right-wing demagogues saying that Obama is a Communist. I happen to be a Communist and I take great offence to being lumped in with the likes of Obama. Obama is a Capitalist – plain and simple. He is not going to nationalize the economy. He is not going to collectivize the farms. He is not going to hand control of industry over to working people. In fact, he is going to do everything in his power to help big business continue to plunder the United States and the world.

It is ironic that these idiots would scream Communism now. After all, we didn’t hear a whisper from them when George W Bush was out nationalizing banks! That’s right – NATIONALIZING BANKS. Of course, we commies called it socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor. In any event, it was basically an admission that free-market capitalism had failed. The big corporations and their lackeys in Washington are changing tactics. The free market thing didn’t work out so well, so they’re going to go back to the corporate welfare thing.

Now I know what you’re thinking – that Obama is trying to bring in socialized medicine. There’s that word again – Socialism. Well first off, that really isn’t even strictly accurate. But the second thing you have to realize is that every other advanced capitalist country has it. If public healthcare makes Obama a Communist, then America is just one tiny island of capitalism in a whole sea of Communism. In fact, every other G8 country is Communist. So is Canada, all of the European Union, Israel, Brazil, Australia, Finland and North Korea – ah, okay forget that last one. You could also add to the list of Communists the 56% of Americans who support public healthcare.

With so many “Communists” in this world, what’s a guy like me to do? You see, I’m actually in favor of nationalizing the economy and handing over control of industry to the workers. I think that the people should democratically control the economy, that you should be involved in decisions in your work place and that you should be able to elect your boss. I think that the billions upon billions of dollars in profits that the big corporations make should be given to the people that earned it. I think that we should stop wasting money and lives on unwinnable wars, and put that money into healthcare, education and a general improvements in living standards. I think that politicians should be elected, recallable and make no more than the average wage of a worker. But if everyone says that what Obama is spouting is Communism, then what’s the point in even hoisting the red flag? No self-respecting commie would ever march under his banner.

Canadian versus American Healthcare

I am continually appalled by the lack of coverage in the American healthcare system. Millions upon millions of Americans have no coverage at all, and as Michael Moore’s movie Sicko points out, even the people who do have coverage are often untreated. It is estimated that in Texas alone, seven people die every day because of a lack of healthcare coverage. Thousands of Americans die every year because they can’t afford to pay. To put this in perspective, more people die from lack of treatment in America every year than the total number killed during the 9/11 attacks.

And yet, with talk of reforming the healthcare system in the good old US of A, comes dooms-day style attack ads. A frenzied campaign is underway to convince Americans that public healthcare systems are evil. They are told that bureaucrats in Washington will decide whether or not they get covered. They are told they will have to wait for months or years to get treatment. They are told they will not get to choose their own doctor and their doctors will not get to choose where they practice. An endless stream of half-truths, innuendo and out-right lies are employed to convince Americans that there is no way to fix their broken system.

For my American friends, I will relay some recent healthcare stories from my life in Soviet Canuckistan. Last year my appendix ruptured. When I went to emergency I was treated right away. I went under the knife that same day. It was a much more involved surgery than normal appendectomies because my appendix actually ruptured several days earlier. I spent a week in hospital recovering. My bill would have been covered 100% by our public healthcare system, but I chose to pay a little more to stay in a private room with a TV (yes, you can do that). The extra charges were covered by a private extended healthcare plan paid for by my employer (yes, you can do that too). The overall quality of care was excellent.

A few days after getting out of hospital my son was born (I know, rough timing). We were planning to do a home birth with a midwife. We chose the midwife we liked and the government paid the bill. But as my wife went into labour there were some complications. The home birth didn’t work out and we had to go into the hospital. After a gruelingly long labour, Nikolai was born. We had our midwife there, plus a whole team of others. A couple days later we took our new son home and again, paid nothing. We did not have to call anyone for approval. We did not have to ask what hospital we were allowed to go to. And through it all, we didn't even think about having to pay a bill.

One of the founders of Canadian healthcare, Tommy Douglas, was recently voted by the public as the single “greatest Canadian” in history. That is the extent to which we value our public healthcare system. It is so well supported that if any political leader even talked about privatizing healthcare it would be political suicide. Not a single major party in Canada advocates an American-style system. We are horrified at the thought. I am convinced, that if any government in Canada ever attempted to privatize healthcare, there would be a revolution.

CLC Sanctions the BCNU for Raiding HEU

It’s not often that I find myself praising the actions of Ken Georgetti. But in his ruling on the BC Nurses Union’s raid of the Hospital Employees Union, he is bang on. The BCNU has been trying to recruit members of the HEU to their union for months. The Canadian Labour Congress has now laid out escalating penalties for the BCNU. The BCNU is barred from taking part in local labour councils, the BC Federation of Labour and programs and services of the Canadian Labour Congress. It is hoped by everyone in the labour movement, that the BCNU will come to their senses and drop these divisive tactics.

At a time when the BC Liberal government is preparing an assault on public healthcare, the BCNU has decided to pick a fight with another healthcare union. Raiding is banned in the labour movement for the simple reason that it pits workers against each other instead of the bosses. Some unions have called for a “right to choose” policy in the CLC. So far there hasn’t been much enthusiasm for this move.

The argument that workers should be able to choose which union they belong to seems like a logical one at first, but a second look shows the flaws in such reasoning. To start with, unions are democratic organizations. If workers are unhappy with their unions, they can change them. They can elect new leaders, pass new policies, change their constitutions or implement whatever changes they want. When that is understood, the idea of switching unions seems a little strange. But the negative side of raiding is a bigger issue. It is not only bad for the workers involved, but for the labour movement as a whole. If there was an open season for raiding, the labour movement would spend more time fighting each other than fighting the bosses. Solidarity between unions would disappear as they would see each other as potential rivals. Divide and conquer is an old tactic and the bosses are quick to exploit any division that comes up.

The leaders of the CLC have taken the right stand on this one. They’ve stood up for unity in the labour movement. They’ve stood up for solidarity over division. And there is still the obvious point that needs to be made: two thirds of workers in Canada don’t have a union at all. Those are the workers we should be focused on organizing.