www.peoplesworld.org June 989, 2012

A right-wing apologist in sheep’s clothing

By Sam Webb

he ideological battle over the role of government promises to figure large in the current election campaign. So much so that it commands nearly daily atten- Ttion in the mass media. Hardly a news cycle goes by without some reference to it. Earlier this week David Brooks, a regular con- ernment assumed functions and established rights tributor to the oped pages of the New York Times (unemployment relief, jobs, Social Security, Medi- and frequent guest on television news shows, care, food stamps, Medicaid, welfare, education, jumped into the battle with both feet. Brooks po- environmental protection, civil rights, etc.) that sitions himself as an above-the-fray “moderate,” went beyond Hamilton’s vision. but the reality is otherwise. Now it may be true that the evolution of the Brooks writes that his vision of government federal government’s role in the 20th century and its role can be traced to Alexander Hamilton, eclipsed what Hamilton had in mind in the late one of the nation’s founding fathers and its first 18th century, but it is also true that it was a neces- secretary of the Treasury. According to Brooks, sary evolution given the crises, contradictions, and Hamilton believed that the federal government unfulfilled promises of developing capitalism. should be an active force that focuses on “long The particular configuration and functions of term structural development, not on providing the government and state are not set in stone. They jobs right now,” and “on dynamism and opportu- nity more than security, equality, and comfort.” Thus, a Hamiltonian government, Brooks this week: tells us, would be “energetic without ever becom- • A right-wing apologist in sheep’s clothing ing gigantic.” • Editorial: Traveling the road away from war But this vision of an active but narrowly circumscribed role for the federal government, • Spanish Civil War vets’ legacy continues Brooks says, has been largely abandoned over • Protesters force retreat on plan to dismantle schools the past century. The abandonment came during • Censo de 2010 no contó a 1,5 millones de minorías three eras of progressive reform - the Progressive era (in the first decade and a half of the last cen- read more news and opinion daily at www.peoplesworld.org tury), the New Deal, and Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society. In each of these eras, Brooks claims, “a good change under the impact of capitalist development impulse was taken to excess” as the federal gov- and class struggles. Hamilton were he alive would

Page 1 probably understand this better than Brooks, who wrought. blanches at the very thought of a broadly activist He may not want to admit it but Brooks’ posi- government animated by people’s needs. tion is not that much different from the right-wing In fact, if Brooks could have his way, he firebrands. On the one hand, he like them, would would like to freeze the role of the federal govern- drastically and immediately scale back those gov- ment to a time when it created favorable condi- ernmental functions and those democratic rights If there are tions for capitalist expansion and accumulation, (won in the course of hard struggle) that expand differences while at the same time largely ignoring questions the life possibilities of tens of millions of working between Brooks of economic security and equality for working and and oppressed people. and his fellow oppressed people. On the other hand, he, again like them, would Think about it - even now when the country tender to the needs of the rich and wealthy. He travelers on the is reeling and tens of millions are suffering from and his counterparts on the right don’t even mind right, they are the impact of the longest economic crisis since deficits as long as the deficits serve the needs of differences of style the Great Depression - a crisis that leaves poverty the 1 percent. and manner, not rates at record levels, wages stagnant, cities and If there are differences between Brooks and of substance and communities near collapse, public services un- his fellow travelers on the right, they are differ- strategic outlook. derfunded, and inequality, and especially racial ences of style and manner, not of substance and inequality, growing - our good “friend” Brooks strategic outlook. is more worried about government “excess” than David Brooks isn’t Rush Limbaugh. But don’t what positive actions (moratorium on home fore- mistake his lack of shrillness and soft demeanor closures, public works jobs, a second stimulus, for some “third way” when it comes to the role of green development, funds for education and in- government in a modern capitalist society. frastructure) the federal government could take to address the economic mess that capitalism has Sam Webb is chair of the Communist Party USA. Traveling the road away from war By PW Editorial Board ATO’s pledge, to turn over the lead in Jones, R-N.C., would require President Obama to combat operations to the Afghan Na- stick to his pledge to end all military and security tional Security Forces by the middle operations by the end of 2014. of next year, and end the alliance’s The vote the Republican leadership sched- Ncombat mission by the close of 2014, sets up a uled held its own drama. The amendment first new signpost on the road to ending our country’s introduced two years ago by Rep. Barbara Lee, D- longest war. Calif., to limit spending on the war to that needed What NATO’s But NATO’s stated commitment to “enduring for the safe and orderly withdrawal of all U.S. commitment does partnership” with Afghanistan, and the new U.S.- troops and contractors, predictably failed. But reflect is the Afghan Strategic Partnership Agreement which for the first time a majority of House Democrats continued and could stretch out U.S. military involvement long voted for it, by a margin of 101-79. growing opposition after 2014, should dampen any optimism that the As the enormous costs in money and lives to the war among war is really coming to an end. continue to soar, it is more urgent than ever to people in the NATO What NATO’s commitment does reflect is end a war which is only making conditions worse countries. the continued and growing opposition to the war for the Afghan people. among people in the NATO countries, symbolized The only way forward lies in bringing all the by new French President Francois Hollande’s de- U.S. troops and contractors home, negotiations cision to withdraw French combat troops. involving all parties to the conflict and all coun- And, the ever-growing opposition here at tries in the region, and international aid to help home, with over two-thirds of the U.S. people Afghans rebuild their country and achieve a vi- now saying it’spast time to leave. able economy. A fascinating drama took place in the U.S. It’s now the job of everyone among the two- House of Representatives recently as the Repub- thirds of the American people opposed to the Af- lican leadership refused to allow a vote on an ghanistan war, to roll up our sleeves for a com- amendment to the 2013 Defense Authorization plete end to the conflict. Act. The determination and commitment to end- The bipartisan amendment, introduced ing the war that’s being shown by the demonstra- by Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass. and Walter tors in Chicago recently points the way. www.peoplesworld.org Page 2 Spanish Civil War vets’ legacy continues

By Marilyn Bechtel

he Spanish Civil War ended over 70 years ago. But families and supporters of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade - Amer- icans who fought alongside Spanish pa- Ttriots and thousands of international volunteers before finally losing to Spanish fascists in 1939 - have never stopped their fight to end wars and crimes against humanity. The May 27 celebration of the Brigade’s 76th anniversary, by the Abraham Lincoln Brigades Ar- chives (ALBA), honored Delmer Berg of Columbia, Calif., one of the four “Lincoln vets” who remain from some 2,800 who went to Spain. Also honored was Kate Doyle, the National “leading the process of turning evidence into trials Security Archive’s senior analyst of U.S. policy in and convictions.” Latin America and co-recipient of the second an- Among the results, she cited the 2011 convic- nual Award for Human Rights Activism, conferred tion of five soldiers in the massacre of 201 people by ALBA and the Puffin Foundation. at Dos Erres in December 1982, with each sen- She shares the $100,000 award with Fredy tenced to over 6,000 years in prison. Peccerelli, who heads the Guatemalan Forensic Doyle also cited the indictment earlier this Doyle told the Anthropology Foundation. year of Gen. José Efraín Rios Montt, who ruled crowd the award The two have worked together for 20 years to Guatemala for nine months in 1982, the year dur- will be used to expose the evidence of human rights violations in ing which nearly half the conflict’s human rights further their work. Guatemala during the 1960-1996 “internal con- violations occurred. Among other crimes, she flict,” during which an estimated 200,000 people said, Rios Montt is linked to orders to massacre were killed and 40-50,000 people “disappeared”. Mayan Quiché farmers northwest of Guatemala Doyle told the crowd the award will be used to City, the capital. further their work. For over seven decades, Abraham Lincoln Bri- Doyle has researched formerly secret docu- gade members, their families and supporters have ments from the Pentagon and other national se- kept up their struggle, from protesting Franco’s curity agencies under the Freedom of Information Spain and serving in World War II to participat- Act, while Peccerelli has exhumed over a thousand ing in all the peace and civil rights struggles that bodies, working to identify victims buried as “XX” have followed. or “unknown,” gathering evidence for use in court The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives main- and helping family members gain closure. tains a year-round schedule of activities, including Through linking documents and DNA from seminars for teachers who return to their class- family members, she said, the researchers have rooms and teach about the Spanish Civil War, and identified five previously unidentified victims and a contest for the best student essay on the mean- are on the verge of identifying a sixth. ing of that war. In a conversation after the program, Doyle The Human Rights Project, initiated last year, credited Guatemalan Attorney General Claudia connects the veterans’ legacy with today’s defense Paz y Paz, appointed in 2010, with permitting of international human rights. “extraordinary work” by evidence gatherers, and www.peoplesworld.org Page 3 local news Censo de 2010 no contó a Local contact 1,5 millones de minorías en EEUU [email protected] Por Hope Yen l censo de 2010 en Estados contar como las personas que alquilan Protesters force Unidos no contó a más de sus viviendas fue el que menos figuró” 1,5 millones de personas en la suma total, dijo el director de retreat on plan to pertenecientes a minorías la Oficina del Censo Robert Groves. Eraciales, especialmente negros e lati- “Ya que las etnias raciales minori- dismantle schools nos, habitantes que alquilan sus vivi- tarias viven desproporcionadamente endas y jóvenes, aunque mayormente en circunstancias de difícil recuento, By Ben Sears sus cifras fueron precisas. también escaparon al conteo general robust coalition of parent, com- La Oficina del Censo difundió en comparación a la población may- munity, student and labor groups una extensa valoración de su recuento oritaria”. brought their message to the Phil- de la población estadounidense, que “Creemos que sin el esfuerzo adelphia School Reform Commis- se repite cada década. Los analistas publicitario, nuestras cifras habrían Asion May 31 and received extensive media gubernamentales fueron motivo de sido mucho, mucho peores”. coverage of their efforts. Hundreds of dem- desavenencias políticas en otras oca- El sur del país, encabezado por el onstrators rallied outside School District siones por el uso de “ajustes estadís- Distrito de Columbia, Texas, Georgia, headquarters and then filled the SRC meet- ticos” para compensar las personas Virginia, Carolina del Norte y la Flor- ing to overflowing while the commission at- no contadas según fórmulas compu- ida, fueron los estados más afectados tempted to conduct the business of voting on tarizadas, generalmente entre las mi- por esas deficiencias numéricas. El a “bare bones” budget for next year. norías raciales que suelen votar por el centro y noreste del país fueron los Facing a deficit of over $200 million, Partido Demócrata. menos. the district leaders say they are looking for Según esas conclusiones, el cen- La Oficina del Censo, que re- ways to balance the budget without cutting so de 2010 se excedió en la población cientemente rechazó el pedido de classroom programs and teaching staff any total estadounidense en 36.000 per- Nueva York para revisar el conteo more than they already have over the last sonas, un 0,01%, debido principal- municipal, dijo que el último análisis two years. The cuts threatened for next year mente a la repetición en el recuento no afectará el total oficial de 308,7 involve primarily support staff and services. de personas blancas acaudaladas con millones de personas afincadas en The demonstrators were not persuaded. más de un domicilio. Fue una mejora Estados Unidos ni la distribución de The large pre-meeting rally outside district frente al censo del 2000, cuando el más de 400.000 millones de dólares headquarters heard speakers from school excedente alcanzó el 0,5%. en fondos federales para carreteras, employee unions and the AFL-CIO, as well Empero, el censo no contó al escuelas y programas sociales. as from parent and community groups. Jerry 2,1% de los negros y el 1,5% de los his- La demanda fue presentada ante Mondesire of the Philadelphia NAACP told panos, que juntos suman 1,5 millones un tribunal civil de Los Angeles por el the crowd, “Our allies are every union in this de personas no contabilizadas. Esa Fondo Mexicoamericano para la De- district. This privatization has got to stop. proporción es estadísticamente com- fensa Legal y Educación, a nombre de This will not be the last time we have to come parable a la del 2000, pese a las su- los lavacoches. Alega violaciones lab- out here, and we’re in this all the way.” man gastadas en publicidad en 2010, orares de parte de los negocios Lin- James Whitehead of SEIU Local 32BJ 15.000 millones de dólares. coln Millenium Car Wash Inc., Silver said he had received a layoff notice after 29 Igualmente no fueron debida- Wash Inc. y Gold Wash, perteneciente years with the school district. He called on mente contados el 5% de los indios a Bijan, Edna y Kambiz Dimavandi, the school district to “do what is right for the estadounidenses que viven en reser- respectivamente. children, the teachers, and the taxpayers of vaciones y casi el 25% de las minoría En general, la querella alega Philadelphia.” que se consideraron “de otra raza”. nueve violaciones laborales, incluyen- Liz McElroy, political director of the “Aunque la cobertura general del do incumplimiento del pago de sala- Philadelphia AFL-CIO, noted that Samuel censo fue ejemplar, el recuento de rio mínimo, y pide una compensación Gompers, more, than 100 years ago, had grupos tradicionalmente difíciles de por daños y perjuicios. placed as one of labor’s first priorities “more schools and less jails,” and that the AFL-CIO would be in this struggle for another 100 national contact years if necessary. Editorial: (773) 446-9920 Business: (212) 924-2523

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