Hoovervilles Give Way To Bushvilles

When glancing at the images that capture the Great Depression, the infamous "Hoovervilles" are very much a part of what was captured by Ansel Adams. The desperation in the faces of both young and old are evident. Hope is lost, misery remains. Although their makeshift towns were named after Hoover, policies that helped bring them to that degree of poverty began many years before Hoover beat Al Smith in 1928. The same is true of George W. Bush, who's name is enshrined not on airports or high schools, but the tent cities across America that are growing here and now in 2009. Everyone knows that times are tough, but seeing these Bushvilles makes it all the more real.

From DailyKos:

Well sadly those shanty towns, those Hoovervilles, have now become Bushvilles, thanks to the do-nothing policies of the Bush Administration and the continued elitist "let them eat dirt" policies of the Republican Party. These are the images of the new Bushvilles:

These are from the new and growing tent city in Sacramento, one of America's new Bushvilles. This tent city has an estimated population of 1500 people and is growing at a rate of 50 people per week.

Seen above is Karen Hersh. She's a newly unemployed truck driver and now she's doing her best to keep her new home clean.

This is Tammy Day, with her husband, preparing their dinner over one of the Bushville's campfires. The unemployment rate in Sacramento reached a depressing 10.4% in January and the city has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country.

Here Ben Cardwell, a resident of this Bushville is helping carry supplies to the camp.

And despite the fact that their country and government has failed them, there's still clearly a faith and hope that America's greatest days are still ahead and they will soon see a better day:

This isn't some elaborate hoax, this is real life for an increasing amount of Americans today. This is what happens when government is destroyed from the inside and greed is allowed to flourish for the select few. Like 1933, Obama is left to clean Bush's mess as FDR had to pick up after Hoover, Coolidge and Harding. FDR, save for 1937, spent enough money to erase much of the damage done by the "Roaring 20s." Obama must realize that even with the stimulus act more must be done to get this country out of our economic rut. For no other reason, we must not be a nation that leaves its' citizens to live in makeshift tent cities.

Thompson Calls Bloomberg "Out Of Touch" For Defending The Rich

Cty comptroller and mayoral candidate Bill Thompson was at City Hall yesterday and called Mayor Bloomberg out for his defense of the rich. It's as if Bloomberg were trying to make it easy to attack him as an out-of-touch billionaire....Oh yeah that's right, he is an out-of-touch billionaire.

Congressman Cantor Thinks Life-Saving Research Is A Distraction

Just when you think that the Republican *cough* leadership couldn't distance themselves more from the American public, Eric Cantor (R-VA) comes through for his party. Today, Barack Obama will officially end the White House ban on embryonic stem cell research. In response, Mr. Cantor says that this is a distraction for the nation in our time of economic peril (caused by his party's love of greed and deregulation, but that's besides the point). Perhaps the Congressman would like to say that to these people, or perhaps this group, just so that they know how compassionate conservatism is supposed to work.

In his own callous, uncaring and purely political words:

"Why are we going and distracting ourselves from the economy? This is job No. 1. Let's focus on what needs to be done," Rep. Eric Cantor, the Republican whip in the House of Representatives, told CNN's "State of the Union."[...]

Cantor, R-Virginia, has been among the leaders of GOP opposition to Obama's economic policies.

In a conference call with reporters, (White House domestic policy adviser Melody) Barnes said funding research is also part of the administration's plan to boost the plunging U.S. economy.

"Advances with regard to science and technology help advance our overall national goals around economic growth and job creation," she said, adding, "I think anytime you make an effort to try and separate these pieces of the puzzle, you're missing the entire picture."

And of course, that is what it is all about. Eric Cantor, along with the great majority of his dwindling party just doesn't get the big picture. He can't understand that Americans want to find cures for diseases and that by doing so, you create (drumroll please) jobs! To Cantor, the "economy" is code word for less taxes on the rich and more penalties for the poor. Then when you talk about spending freezes at a time like this, it shows a real loathing for the health of our nation and partisan politics gone wild. So for the people out there that are waiting for stem-cell research to help find treatments for your particular disease, Eric Cantor doesn't just not care about you, that uncaring attitude is reserved for all of us.

Homeless Problem In NYC Is Larger Than Bloomberg's Counters Care To Admit

At the end of the week I heard about the report from the city that there was a substantial drop in the number of the homeless living on the streets of Gotham. Immediately it sounded like a substantial amount of BS, so I waited a couple of days until I saw a follow up report on what is really going on in terms of the actual street homeless problem we face. Simply put, a 30% drop in the population is wholly unrealistic. The "official" homeless count of 2,328 presented by Mr. Hess from the DHS is even more incredulous than the drop.

From the NYT Cityroom:

The total of 2,328 people counted in the survey, Mr. Hess said, is “a far cry from the 4,395 that we first counted in 2005.”

Not a chance, responded the Coalition for the Homeless, an advocacy group in New York.

“The numbers released by the city today defy credibility and run counter to what New Yorkers observe every day on New York’s streets,” Mary Brosnahan, the executive director, said in a statement. “The Bloomberg administration is claiming that there is the same number of homeless people in New York City as in San Diego — a city with one sixth of New York’s population. Looked at over a four-year period the city is arguing it has cut street homelessness in half. Do New Yorkers really think there are half as many homeless people on our streets as four years ago?”

We certainly do not, unless you live at Gracie Mansion an expanding 17 E. 79th St. it is extremely difficult to not gauge our city's homeless problem as either staying the same or increasing. Even Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs knows better than to just sweep this problem under the rug:

“You know, this is a little bit counterintuitive,” said Deputy Mayor Linda I. Gibbs, who oversees homeless programs. “How is it that, in this economy, with everything that’s going on and all the need we see, with the recession, the loss of jobs, the instability in the housing market — how is it that we can see such a dramatic drop, a 30 percent drop, in street homelessness this year compared to last?”

We already know academia thinks these things are hooey. One of the city's spokesmen tried backpedaling after the response from advocates of the homeless and scientists who would have preferred to use a scientific methodology for counting those that live on the streets. I don't know if they answered Ms. Gibbs' question, but I will.

The reason we see such a drop is that the Mayor (and/or his Administration) wants to see that drop, whether it is real or imaginary. The "progress" he shows is a part of his business model for the city, so that the shareholders voters are more amenable to leaving him in charge for another four years. In that lies the ultimate problem, that Bloomberg runs the city as a business, and not like a city that its' citizens, whether they be homeless or not, deserve.

Obama To Reduce U.S. Presence In Iraq 10% By September

Talking about reducing the amount of our troops in Iraq is one thing, but actually doing it is democracy in action. America selected Barack Obama to be President for many reasons, but this is certainly one of the bigger issues. Hopefully we'll see the rest of them out of there as soon as humanly possible.

Cleaning Up The M.T.A. In Order To Fund It Is Harder Than It Looks

We still do not have a bailout plan ready to go for the M.T.A. and we mainly have the State Senate to thank for that. I already remarked (perhaps a lil' harshly) a couple days ago about the Gang of Three's role in stalling the bill but I must admit that there are ways we can clean up the Authority in the process of funding it so that we don't have to pay $103 for monthly cards. Some ideas coming from the Senate are listed below.

From The Gothamist:

Word is that a bailout plan for the MTA could begin making its way through state legislatures in the week ahead. This past week was one that only seemed to present stalling for any potential alternatives to the looming threat of a $100 monthly Metrocard. Despite a push from Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, any serious talk of bringing tolls to the East River crossings has hit a snag with the Democratic bloc in the State Senate known as the Three Amigos demanding the MTA "go back to the drawing board" and calling for an audit for the agency. The new bailout plan would come with some potential reorganization for the MTA, a full-time chief executive position replacing the two part-time voluntary roles filled by Elliot Sander (pictured) and Dale Hemmerdinger. The legislature could also see a revenue driven proposal from Governor Paterson that would substantially raise DMV registration fees.

Paying a CEO sounds more costly than the $0 perks given to Sander and Hemmerdinger. There are already enough exorbitant salaries paid out to the executives within the transit authority. As for Paterson's idea, raising DMV fees can only a partial solution, since if we raise them too high they'll be another punitive tax on the working class who aren't close to mass transit.

In an ideal world we'd dissolve the Authority and make the apparatus more accountable to the people that ride their buses and trains, but that isn't going to happen anytime soon. "Radical change" and "Albany" mix as well as oil and water. For now we'll just have to scream and shout at Albany and hope they'll listen to the needs of straphangers and not intrasigent State Senators who think their South Bronx constituents rely more on taxis than the subway.

Good News On The "Dean For Surgeon General" Front

When I saw that Dr. Sanjay Gupta had dropped out of the running to be Surgeon General, the first name that came to mind was my man Howard Dean. Dr. Dean was passed over at HHS and had subsequently stated he was coming back to DFA among other things. However, with Gupta gone it was Dean's time to shine. I wrote yesterday about those feelings and apparently the White House has similar inclinations.

From Reuters:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Howard Dean, a practicing physician before entering politics, was under consideration by the Obama administration for the post of U.S. surgeon general, CNN reported Friday.

Dean, who recently wrapped up a four-year term as Democratic Party chairman, has been a supporter of health reform, and has privately made clear that he is interested in the job, according to the cable network.

CNN said two White House officials noted that, while it is too early to compile a list of candidates for surgeon general, they did not rule out Dean getting the job.

His name isn't set in stone for the position yet, but simply having been mentioned is a big deal. With no other names in contention, having Howard spotlighted is a good way to securing the prestigious position within the Obama Administration. I would love to have Howard working full time for us who are associated with Democracy for America, but my preference is that he is working for the entire country instead.

President Obama Stays Realistic Yet Hopeful

Obama starts out on a somber tone but focuses on what we must do as a nation to help America recover from this fiscal malaise...and how Washington must change to work for their constituents and not just for earmarks alone.

Bank Of America Is Right

I wholeheartedly agree with the lawyers representing one of the biggest banks in America. Disclosing the bonuses of Merrill Lynch employees preceding BoA's acquisition will cause "grave and irreparable harm" if the information gets out to the public.

Guess what?

I can't wait to see all of those details disclosed, down to the very last penny.

Does that mean Bank of America will fail? No, I doubt that will happen at this date, the government Fed has invested too much money in them (like they have in AIG) to let the megalithic bank go down in flames.

The "harm" will come in other ways though. With Cuomo's help as New York's Attorney General, the insatiable and devastating greed of these Wall Street houses will continue to be in the news. While Main Street suffers, those living on it will be able to see the wealthy protest having their dirty laundry aired out in public. It will harm their reputations and deservedly so.

Whatever these people are guilty of, the more that we know about it, the better we'll be in the long run. Unless we get full accountability then nothing systemic will change. Without justice, there will just be another bubble down the line and this catastrophic economic environment will be recreated again.

There was a few minutes dedicated to this issue on Bill Maher's show last night. One of the panelists, I believe the CNBC anchor, was saying that the rich have suffered, with trillions in assets having vanished over the last few months. Maher, ever the brilliant debater, countered with the fact that the rich are not suffering, it is their bank statements that are hurting. Other Americans, the ones that are foregoing three meals a day to make ends meet, those are the people that are truly suffering in this fiscal crisis.

We need to get our priorities straight in this country. I think President Obama is trying to guide us out of the greed and self-serving behavior of the last eight thirty years since we heard how greed is good under Reagan. Though as Obama said, it can't be done by him alone. So by exposing these titans of Wall Street who pillaged their companies before they collapsed, we are serving the greater good for a change. And if that causes these people grave and irreperable harm....well, they did it to themselves.

Gang Of Three Back Together Again To Scuttle MTA Bailout Bill

It is crunch time in Albany for the budget and in regard to mass transit in New York City, that is very serious business. The M.T.A. has already approved massive fare increases and tremendous service cuts if they do not get capital from the Legislature. The Assembly is ready to help, but the State Senate is unfortunately a partisan battleground. With the divide between Dems and Repubs so slim, who else would get in the way of legislation to help straphangers than the infamous Gang of Three (Kruger, Espada and Diaz). Screwing their party over for individual gain is nothing new but these men represent the very New Yorkers that depend on mass transit.

As the Gotham Gazette points out, it hardly makes any sense:

Most of Krueger’s constituents do have a car but do not use it for a daily drive to Manhattan’s central business district. Of the 32 percent of his constituents who commute to that part of Manhttan, about 84 percent take mass transit.

In Diaz’s Bronx district more than five times as many people take mass transit to the business district as drive. Two thirds of his constituents do not even own a car. In Espada’s adjacent Bronx district, more than 70 percent of residents do not have a car and less than 4 percent drive to the central business district as compared with 29 percent who take mass transit.

“Taxi drivers have to pay, too, and they will have to increase their fares. Who is gonna pay for that? The people,” Diaz told Gotham Gazette. Or at least all those residents of the South Bronx who take cabs to work every day.

I know that gentrification has been an issue in the city for a while now, but it hasn't reached the South Bronx. Up there the 4/5/6, the 2 and the B/D trains along with myriad bus routes are what moves people around, not Yellow Cabs that start at $2.50 just to get in the door. What this action means for Malcolm Smith is that it will be up to Republicans to make the deal go through. If Golden, Lanza and Padavan are responsible for the bill's passage, they can tout "hero" status for their re-election campaigns while leaving Malcolm Smith looking like a Leader who can't get his herd in order.

If Smith were smart, he should be working very quietly to rid Manhattan and the Bronx of their 'Gang problem.' That way we can add three more solid, progressive Democrats to the caucus two months before the November election.

SEIU Leaders Talk About Being A Part Of Obama's Health Care Strategy Group

Could you imagine George Bush ever inviting labor union leaders into the White House to talk about how to make health care more affordable? Yeah, me neither.

Paterson Considers Going Anti-Green

No, not Mark Green. The green initiative that we as a society are fighting for so that global warming doesn't destroy our civilization. Apparently Governor Paterson is determined to keep making the wrong choices by siding with the fossil fuel industry by rolling back regulations that were actually instituted during the Pataki Administration.

From The NY Times:

ALBANY — At the urging of the energy industry, Gov. David A. Paterson has agreed to reconsider a key rule New York adopted as part of a 10-state pact aimed at reducing the threat of global warming by cutting power plant emissions.

Mr. Paterson appeared to overrule the State Department of Environmental Conservation in making the move, which would reopen state regulations to provide power plants leeway to release greater amounts of emissions at no additional cost. Administration officials said the governor was concerned the rule might unfairly burden the energy industry.

His decision infuriated environmental groups, which learned of Mr. Paterson’s decision just this week, though he met with energy executives privately last fall and assured them he would take the step.

You know, I had high hopes for Paterson when he took over almost a year ago. Spitzer was just too corrosive and that whole hooker thing really took him down. Paterson was supposed to be more of a negotiator and someone that the Legislature could work with. However, the more time passes, the amount of wrong decisions keep piling up. The fact that he did this in private last year without telling anyone makes it even worse.

It just makes me wonder, would a Governor Cuomo consider such a regressive measure for our environment, our health and the general direction of how we are going to shape our energy economy for the future. My gut says, "No!"