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Home Issue: 220

Issue: 220

March 8, 2007

Cover Story

The African-American Decline In Unions and Manufacturing

By John Schmitt and Ben Zipperer

Introduction For much of the postwar period, a higher share of African-American workers have been in unions than workers from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. As union representation and union coverage have declined for the country as a whole, unionization rates for African-Americans have fallen more quickly than for the rest of the workforce. Black…

Introduction For much of the postwar period, a higher share of African-American workers have been in unions than workers from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. As…

Continue reading 3 min

Commentary

Left Margin: After Terrible Tuesday

By Carl Bloice Editorial Board

“Deterioration was marked in the more recent loans, as the absence of equity appreciation reduced customers’ options for refinancing.” Fannie Mae—the government-chartered housing lender—banks, and other companies involved in making loans are now busy tightening the criteria for new home loans but for the people who bought subprime mortgages over the past two years that’s…

"Deterioration was marked in the more recent loans, as the absence of equity appreciation reduced customers' options for refinancing.” Fannie Mae—the government-chartered housing lender—banks, and other…

Continue reading 5 min

Commentary

Single-Payer Healthcare – Part 13 – Pull the Plug on the Private Health Insurance Industry

By Ajamu K. Sankofa, Esq

Every year since 1994, the year in which the Clinton Administration failed to reform the health system in the United States (leaving in place the private health insurance industry dominating the healthcare-delivery system), actual healthcare coverage for people in the United States has continued to shrink. Real costs for private health insurance companies and their…

Every year since 1994, the year in which the Clinton Administration failed to reform the health system in the United States (leaving in place the private…

Continue reading 8 min

Commentary

Between The Lines: Conforming To The Status Quo – Knowing When It’s Not Okay To Accept The Lie

By Dr. Anthony Asadullah Samad, PhD Columnist

The world we live in is full of lies. Lies about war. Lies about peace. Lies about wealth and abundance. Lies about poverty. We seem to turn our heads at the slightest deviations to the social norm. What society says is okay, we say is okay. What society says is wrong, we chime right in.…

The world we live in is full of lies. Lies about war. Lies about peace. Lies about wealth and abundance. Lies about poverty. We seem to…

Continue reading 5 min

Commentary

Unapologetically Young, Black and Female: Clinton Pledges to Support Gays – Can Obama Do the Same?

By Jasmyne Cannick Columnist

Okay so it’s really starting to heat up. Presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton has upstaged her rival Senator Barack Obama, and I am not talking about her Selma appearance. Clinton told a gay rights group, the Human Rights Campaign, in an unannounced speech, that she wants a partnership with gays, if elected president. Clinton also…

Okay so it's really starting to heat up. Presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton has upstaged her rival Senator Barack Obama, and I am not talking about…

Continue reading 4 min

Commentary

Represent Our Resistance: Suffering at Walter Reed and High School Military Recruiting

By Dr. Lenore J. Daniels, PhD Editorial Board

In a nation quick to point to African Americans and Latino perpetrators of crime, it is not surprising that the number of African Americans and Latinos killed and maimed receives the color-blind treatment. It’s about sending “Americans” to establish law and order. Freedom. It is about “our troops” then. But story after story focuses on…

In a nation quick to point to African Americans and Latino perpetrators of crime, it is not surprising that the number of African Americans and Latinos…

Continue reading 7 min

Commentary

Beneath The Spin: Tennessee Death Sentence Moratorium – For Real?

By Molly Secours Guest Commentator

Of all the news stories in February, none caught my attention as much as Tennessee governor, Phil Bredesen’s announcement that he was halting all executions in Tennessee for 90 days. Like a dog hearing a high-pitched whistle I tilted my head to one side to listen more closely. Knowing he’s an avid supporter of the…

Of all the news stories in February, none caught my attention as much as Tennessee governor, Phil Bredesen’s announcement that he was halting all executions in…

Continue reading 5 min

Commentary

Inclusion: The Battle of Homophobia in Sports

By The Reverend Irene Monroe Editorial Board

Homophobia is part and parcel of the world of male professional sports, and with many African-American male professional athletes also of the hip-hop generation, the combination is lethal. Tim Hardaway, a retired professional basketball player, is of this generation of hip-hop athletes. And in an interview on Miami’s sports radio station, 790 The Ticket, Hardaway…

Homophobia is part and parcel of the world of male professional sports, and with many African-American male professional athletes also of the hip-hop generation, the combination…

Continue reading 5 min

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