Alabama

Board Meeting of Decatur Committee on Church Cooperation Open To the Public

October 14, 2011 by Left in Alabama

The Committee on Church Cooperation (CCC) in Decatur, Alabama made news this week for going above and beyond the mandates of Alabama's harsh Immigration Law and requiring those seeking assistance to provide proof of citizenship on every single visit. 

"We thoroughly check everybody out," Monk said. "We've even got wind that a lot of them have illegal Social Security cards. So I've tried to educate my staff on what to look for."

...

"It used to be about 10 percent (Hispanics) that we served," Monk said. "Since cracking down, I haven't seen anybody, especially in the last month.

The CCC did not welcome the publicity about its citizenship requirement, fearing it would dissuade contributors (many of them churches) from supporting the organization.   That's a valid concern since the original Decatur Daily article quoted several church officials who were surprised and disappointed to find the CCC made proof of citizenship a requirement for assistance. 

Immigrant Jobs: A Journalist Goes To The Tomato Field

October 14, 2011 by Left in Alabama

More of this, please ...

I met up Wednesday with four men desperate enough to take on hard, low-paying jobs that, for decades, have been reserved for Mexican migrants.

...

"It's OK. It's just work," laid-off electrician Jeb Stuart Lessley said. "But I don't want to do it forever."

...

Because our agricultural system, which keeps food prices low, has exploited immigrant labor because it could. ...  Our dirty little secret -- that we keep our grocery prices low only by failing to pay a living wage -- is out.

Farm work is hard work, really hard labor.  In the real world it is dangerous, dirty and uncomfortable ... anything but a romantic, pastoral occupation.  Pay is incredibly low and the physical wear and tear on bodies mean few people can make a career of it.  Chicken plants are just as bad and construction is not much better.

Terri Sewell On The Colombia Free Trade Agreement

October 14, 2011 by Left in Alabama

Congress approved the Colombia Free Trade Agreement a couple of days ago.  Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D, AL-07) voted against the agreement and issued a very strong statement in opposition to this deal.  (Emphasis mine)

Alabama #1 Again - Least Competitive Health Insurance Market

October 14, 2011 by Left in Alabama

Alabama is at the top of yet another undesireable statistic pile -- our health insurance market is the least competitive in the United States.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama sells 86 percent of the policies in the individual market, and 96 percent of the policies in the small group market.

While the report found that individual insurers dominate insurance markets in 45 states, Alabama’s numbers for individual and group plans were far above the national median rates of 54 percent and 51 percent, respectively.

Predictably, Blue Cross Blue Shield says their dominance is reflective of how satisfied their customers are.  And truly, BCBS consumers in Alabama might as well resign themselves to being satisfied with whatever they get at whatever price they have to pay ... because BCBS is literally the only game in town the state.  Ditto with doctors, hospitals and clinics -- if you don't agree to the BCBS payment schedule, you won't have many patients left.

Some "free" market.

 

How Ugly Can It Get? Edited version :)

October 14, 2011 by Left in Alabama

NYC Mayor Bloomberg, undoubtedly [NOT] channeling the ghost of Richard Daley (see above), has decided NOT to evict Occupy Wall Street from Zuccotti Park. This is  was scheduled to occur at 7 a.m. tomorrow, coincidentally (?) the Global Day of Protest.

MoveOn is was collecting signatures. They are were 99% of the way to 300,000. Please consider adding your name to Defend Occupy Wall Street.

The Mayor, echoing Scott Walker when he threw the protesters out of the Wisconsin State Capitol, says said the park 'needs to be cleaned'. Like the Wisconsin protesters, the OWS crew have a sanitation group making sure things stay tidy. SOMETHING in New York needs to be cleaned up alright, but I'm not sure I would start in Zuccotti Park!