Bushwah!
PROSPERITY IN GEORGE BUSH'S ECONOMY
Joshua Holland, AlterNet
Why are folks so pessimistic about our boom-boom American
economy? Because for most of us, it's painful to live in.
http://www.alternet.org/story/30447/
========================================================
I certainly have to confirm the report by Joshua Holland from my experience as a college teacher -- both so far as my colleagues are concerned and with my (mainly working to get by) students. Things have not been getting better during the Bush years. We have been falling backwards, working harder, increasing our debt loads. I have never had students -- exceptional ones -- dropping out of school to repay debts before. Our CUNY contract has been stalled and salaries frozen for more than 3 years now. We cannot strike without facing the draconian penalties for striking public employees in NY -- two days pay for each strike day and heavy penalties for our union. And we are not breaking our backs with physical labor -- just teaching more students in stretched out classes, carrying more administrative duties with the switch over to part-time (slave wages and benefits) teachers, etc.
Having personally worked as a student summers in heavy laboring jobs -- factory to construction -- my heart goes out to those who are stretching our their work years to make ends meet. I know from personal experience that one's back begins to give way around the start of the 60s and one labors in pain -- if at all. Some of my students from blue collar backgrounds have had to switch late in life to desperate pursuits of college training because of injuries sustained on the job -- we have an extensive disabilities program. That is no easy life either with minimal support for the injured. I am looking to see my first returning veterans from Iraq as we had them from Viet Nam back then. Too many of the latter were basket cases psychologically, incidentally, who could not carry on with studies due to self-medication with drugs and alcohol. Wars destroy young people in more ways than killing and physical injuries.
Read the Holland piece and see the jolly Bush stats on the economy for what they are -- Bushwah. That is an ancient term dating back to my long deceased grandmother -- one of the early women college grads in this country. I have no idea of its origins, but I can assure you that the sound is appropriate in expressing its sense. Google gives some ripe definitions.
--
"A war is just if there is no alternative, and the resort
to arms is legitimate if they represent your last hope." (Livy)
--
Ed Kent 718-951-5324 (voice mail only) [blind copies]
--
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CollegeConversation
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PeaceEfforts
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EndingPoverty
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/440neighborhood
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StudentConcerns
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AcademicFreedom
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PrivacyRights
http://BlogByEdKent.blogspot.com/
http://www.bloggernews.net/blognews.asp
Joshua Holland, AlterNet
Why are folks so pessimistic about our boom-boom American
economy? Because for most of us, it's painful to live in.
http://www.alternet.org/story/30447/
========================================================
I certainly have to confirm the report by Joshua Holland from my experience as a college teacher -- both so far as my colleagues are concerned and with my (mainly working to get by) students. Things have not been getting better during the Bush years. We have been falling backwards, working harder, increasing our debt loads. I have never had students -- exceptional ones -- dropping out of school to repay debts before. Our CUNY contract has been stalled and salaries frozen for more than 3 years now. We cannot strike without facing the draconian penalties for striking public employees in NY -- two days pay for each strike day and heavy penalties for our union. And we are not breaking our backs with physical labor -- just teaching more students in stretched out classes, carrying more administrative duties with the switch over to part-time (slave wages and benefits) teachers, etc.
Having personally worked as a student summers in heavy laboring jobs -- factory to construction -- my heart goes out to those who are stretching our their work years to make ends meet. I know from personal experience that one's back begins to give way around the start of the 60s and one labors in pain -- if at all. Some of my students from blue collar backgrounds have had to switch late in life to desperate pursuits of college training because of injuries sustained on the job -- we have an extensive disabilities program. That is no easy life either with minimal support for the injured. I am looking to see my first returning veterans from Iraq as we had them from Viet Nam back then. Too many of the latter were basket cases psychologically, incidentally, who could not carry on with studies due to self-medication with drugs and alcohol. Wars destroy young people in more ways than killing and physical injuries.
Read the Holland piece and see the jolly Bush stats on the economy for what they are -- Bushwah. That is an ancient term dating back to my long deceased grandmother -- one of the early women college grads in this country. I have no idea of its origins, but I can assure you that the sound is appropriate in expressing its sense. Google gives some ripe definitions.
--
"A war is just if there is no alternative, and the resort
to arms is legitimate if they represent your last hope." (Livy)
--
Ed Kent 718-951-5324 (voice mail only) [blind copies]
--
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CollegeConversation
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PeaceEfforts
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EndingPoverty
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/440neighborhood
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StudentConcerns
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AcademicFreedom
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PrivacyRights
http://BlogByEdKent.blogspot.com/
http://www.bloggernews.net/blognews.asp
posted by Ed Kent at 9:12 AM
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