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Home Issue: 202

Issue: 202

October 19, 2006

Cover Story

The Welfare Nanny Diaries

By Rinku Sen and Gabriel Thompson

Sandra had only recently received her license to provide childcare, in 2001, when she first came across Khalid and his mother, Tanisha Watson, at the Jesse Owens Playground in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. The park had become an afternoon retreat for the five kids that Sandra was supervising, located two blocks from the house she shares with…

Sandra had only recently received her license to provide childcare, in 2001, when she first came across Khalid and his mother, Tanisha Watson, at the Jesse…

Continue reading 21 min

Commentary

Are you or aren’t you?

By Nancy Littlefield Staffer

Do you know that it takes a full week to put together the next issue of BC? Do you discuss BC commentaries with your children? Do you think BC is worth supporting? Did you know that readers’ comments are published in the new BC feature, Readers’ Corner? Did you know the BC Past Issues file…

Do you know that it takes a full week to put together the next issue of BC? Do you discuss BC commentaries with your children? Do…

Continue reading 2 min

Commentary

No fig leaf big enough for Foley

By Jamala Rogers Editorial Board

The Republican Party has enjoyed being King of the Hill (Capitol Hill, that is). Republicans have taken, snatched or stolen gifts, tax dollars, positions and civil liberties in a nose-thumbing way that has been politically debilitating for most Americans. The recent incident involving Florida Congressman Mark Foley has made the screeching wheels of their run-away…

The Republican Party has enjoyed being King of the Hill (Capitol Hill, that is). Republicans have taken, snatched or stolen gifts, tax dollars, positions and civil…

Continue reading 3 min

Guest Commentary

Bush as Brat: Pretensions to Empire

By David Swanson Guest Commentator

Lewis Lapham, essayist extraordinaire and editor of Harper’s magazine, asked Congressman John Conyers what he thought the point was of publishing a lengthy report laying out evidence of Bush’s impeachable offenses. Conyers’ response was: “to take away the excuse that we didn’t know.” But Lapham still wanted to know what the hurry was: why not…

Lewis Lapham, essayist extraordinaire and editor of Harper's magazine, asked Congressman John Conyers what he thought the point was of publishing a lengthy report laying out…

Continue reading 5 min

Art: The Duke

Art

Art: The Duke

By The Black Commentator Guest Commentator

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Commentary

Think Piece: Sentimental Education: Academia Signs Up to Track Down Dissent

By Chris Floyd

I. Why is the United States government spending millions of dollars to track down critics of George W. Bush in the press? And why have major American universities agreed to put this technology of tyranny into the state’s hands? At the most basic level, of course, both questions are easily answered: 1) Power. 2) Money.…

I. Why is the United States government spending millions of dollars to track down critics of George W. Bush in the press? And why have major…

Continue reading 11 min

Commentary

Between The Lines: Will LAUSD’s New “Brotha” Create “A Situation”

By Dr. Anthony Asadullah Samad, PhD Columnist

Just when you thought things couldn’t get more interesting in the melodrama called Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s plan to takeover the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)…it did. After the Mayor’s takeover legislation became a partial takeover legislation, after he lost a power play by the statewide and local unions (CTA and UTLA), then…

Just when you thought things couldn’t get more interesting in the melodrama called Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s plan to takeover the Los Angeles Unified School…

Continue reading 5 min

Guest Commentary

700 unionists ring bells to knock out Santorum

By Denise Winebrenner Edwards Guest Commentator

Laughter, cheers and applause filled the Steelworkers union headquarters in Pittsburgh when Allegheny County Labor Council President Jack Shea introduced steelworkers who had forced Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to flee into a subway closet the day before. Bush had ventured into this steel town to try to boost the campaign of Republican Sen. Rick Santorum,…

Laughter, cheers and applause filled the Steelworkers union headquarters in Pittsburgh when Allegheny County Labor Council President Jack Shea introduced steelworkers who had forced Florida Gov.…

Continue reading 5 min

Commentary

World Bank Called On To Cancel Liberia’s Debt

By Africa Action

On October 18, 2006 Africa Action called on the World Bank to cancel Liberia’s debt. Nearly one year after her election to the presidency of Liberia marked an historic return to democratic rule after years of civil war in that country, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf visited Washington, DC from October 16-18, and petitioned for U.S. support of…

On October 18, 2006 Africa Action called on the World Bank to cancel Liberia’s debt. Nearly one year after her election to the presidency of Liberia…

Continue reading 7 min

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