www.goiam.org
Tuesday,
May 28 2002
Oregon Unions OK ‘New Alliance’
An IAM member played a key role
as more than 200 union delegates approved a historic New Alliance for
Oregon’s labor movement. DBR Chuck Macrae of District W-1 served on the
drafting committee and “exercised strong leadership in brokering an
agreement” that won quick approval from the delegates
Oregon becomes the fifth state to complete the New Alliance process,
which is designed to bring local unions and labor councils together in
one central body. IP Tom Buffenbarger chaired the AFL-CIO committee,
which developed the New Alliance strategy.
The delegates ratified a new constitution for the Oregon AFL-CIO,
adopted ambitious plans for organizing new members and strengthening
their voices in the political process and welcomed commitments to
affiliate an additional 40,000 AFL-CIO union members with the state
federation.
Corporate Taxes: Welfare for
the Wealthy
A surge in corporate tax welfare outlays
could drive corporate income taxes down to their lowest level since the early
1980’s—when Reaganomics ruled the roost—and the second-lowest level in at least
six decades, reports Citizens for Tax Justice in a recent report. New corporate
tax breaks in President Bush’s so-called “stimulus” package means the average
taxpayer must make up for more $170 billion in each of the next two years.
“Is it any wonder that the President has to dip into Social Security and
Medicare trust funds?” asked IP Tom Buffenbarger. “This is shameful.”
General Electric, America’s most profitable corporation, reported $50.8
billion in U.S. profits over the past five years, but paid only 11.5 percent
of that in corporate taxes Corporate tax welfare has been growing at a steadily
increasing rate, the reports claimed, citing tax write-offs for stock options,
congressional indifference to offshore corporate tax shelters and other tax
breaks. The report said such benefits allow many companies to earn billions in
profits, yet pay little or nothing in federal income taxes.
General Motors drove away with a fat wallet, as well. The firm paid no
taxes in three of the past five years, despite $12.5 billion in U.S.
profits; GM’s tax rate for the past three years was a negative 1.3
percent.
Privatization? What’s in a
Name?
Republican campaign strategists set their
sights on senior citizens, Independents and women in the upcoming election
campaign, saying their votes are key to GOP victory. These political gurus issue
specific recommendations for how GOP candidates should frame the debate on
Social Security.
“Don’t say ‘privatization,’” they advise. “Instead, say, ‘personal
retirement accounts.’” Whatever happened to truth in (political) advertising?
Retiree Group Blasts FTC, Networks
The pharmaceutical industry’s trade
group and the Federal Trade Commission came under blistering fire from George
Kourpias, president of the Alliance for Retired Americans. The drug industry’s
trade association launched a misleading TV ad campaign supporting a
Republican-sponsored prescription drug benefit with huge benefits flowing to the
industry.
When the Alliance and other senior groups asked the FTC to intervene, that
agency turned a deaf ear. But when AARP, a major senior organization, sponsored
a TV campaign urging seniors to save money by switching from brand-name drugs to
generics, the big drug firms demanded that the TV networks force AARP to tone
down their ads, which the networks tamely did.
“So why is it fair for the drug industry to use front groups to advance its
agenda but a senior group is forced to moderate its message to keep drug
companies happy?” Kourpias asked. “Could it be that the pharmaceutical industry
spends a lot of its exorbitant profits on TV ads and the networks don’t dare
risk offending such a big advertiser?”