Saturday, May 1, 2021
Joe Biden Is Electrifying America Like F.D.R.
By Nicholas Kristof
The New Deal was imperfect and left out too many African-Americans and Native Americans, but it was still transformative.Here in my hometown, Yamhill, the New Deal was an engine of opportunity. A few farmers had rigged generators on streams, but Roosevelt’s rural electrification brought almost everyone onto the grid and output soared. Jobs programs preserved the social fabric and built trails that I hike on every year. The G.I. Bill of Rights gave local families a shot at education and homeownership. Roosevelt’s Public Works Administration provided $27,415 in 1935 (the equivalent of $530,000 today) to help build a high school in Yamhill. That provided jobs for 90 people on the relief rolls, and it created the school that I attended and that remains in use today. In short, the New Deal invested in the potential and productivity of my little town — and of much of the nation. The returns were extraordinary. These kinds of investments in physical infrastructure (interstate highways) and human capital (state universities and community colleges) continued under Democratic and Republican presidents alike. They made America a stronger nation and a better one. Yet beginning in the 1970s, America took a wrong turn. We slowed new investments in health and education and embraced a harsh narrative that people just need to lift themselves up by their bootstraps. We gutted labor unions, embraced inequality and shrugged as working-class America disintegrated. Average weekly wages for America’s production workers were actually lower in December 2020 ($860) than they had been, after adjusting for inflation, in December 1972 ($902 in today’s money). What does that mean in human terms? I’ve written about how one-quarter of the people on my old No. 6 school bus died of drugs, alcohol or suicide — “deaths of despair.” That number needs to be updated: The toll has risen to about one-third. We allocated large sums of taxpayer dollars to incarcerate my friends and their children. Biden proposes something more humane and effective — investing in children, families and infrastructure in ways that echo Roosevelt’s initiatives. The most important thread of Biden’s program is his plan to use child allowances to cut America’s child poverty in half. Biden’s main misstep is that he would end the program in 2025 instead of making it permanent; Congress should fix that. The highest return on investment in America today isn’t in private equity but in early childhood initiatives for disadvantaged kids of all races. That includes home visitations, lead reduction, pre-K and child care. Roosevelt started a day care program during World War II to make it easier for parents to participate in the war economy. It was a huge success, looking after perhaps half a million children, but it was allowed to lapse after the war ended. Biden’s proposal for day care would be a lifeline for young children who might be neglected. Aside from the wartime model, we have another in the U.S.: The military operates a high-quality on-base day care system, because that supports service members in performing their jobs. Then there are Biden’s proposed investments in broadband; that’s today’s version of rural electrification. Likewise, free community college would enable young people to gain technical skills and earn more money, strengthening working-class families. Some Americans worry about the cost of Biden’s program. That’s a fair concern. Yet this is not an expense but an investment: Our ability to compete with China will depend less on our military budget, our spy satellites or our intellectual property protections than on our high school and college graduation rates. A country cannot succeed when so many of its people are failing. As many Americans have criminal records as college degrees. A baby born in Washington, D.C., has a shorter life expectancy (78 years) than a baby born in Beijing (82 years). Newborns in 10 counties in Mississippi have a shorter life expectancy than newborns in Bangladesh. Rather than continue with Herbert Hoover-style complacency, let’s acknowledge our “grave internal disorder” and summon a doctor. The question today, as in the 1930s, is not whether we can afford to make ambitious investments in our people. It’s whether we can afford not to.
Xhttps://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/01/opinion/sunday/biden-fdr-americans.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage#commentsContainer
COVID in Pakistan: Is army deployment an admission of failure?
Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked the military to assist the civilian administration in tackling the pandemic. Pakistan is witnessing a surge in COVID-19 infections and deaths as a "third wave" grips the country.
Pakistan has deployed troops in 16 major cities to assist civilian authorities in enforcing measures to stop the surge in COVID-19 cases. The soldiers will make sure that people are following standard operating procedures (SOPS), including social distancing and masking.
Pakistan is currently witnessing a spike in coronavirus infections. On Wednesday, the Muslim-majority nation recorded 201 deaths from coronavirus, the country's highest single-day toll since the start of the pandemic.
As of Thursday, Pakistan has logged 816,000 confirmed COVID cases and 17,680 related deaths, but experts say the actual figures could be much higher.
The "third wave" has overwhelmed hospitals, with many reporting a shortage of ICU beds, ventilators and oxygen for critically ill patients. Although, the authorities have started a mass vaccination drive, the country lacks doses and the inoculation pace is quite slow.
The military says it is helping the civilian administration in difficult times.
Failure of civil administration?
Unlike leaders of other countries, Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided against imposing a nationwide lockdown. Khan maintains that a lockdown would hurt the economy and put pressure on daily-wage laborers. Alternatively, the government enforced "smart lockdowns" in areas with high positivity rates.
But the government now realizes that the situation is getting out of control and that a lockdown would be necessary in coming days.
Last week, Khan urged people to wear masks and follow COVID rules in a televised address to the nation.
"If we find ourselves in a situation similar to India, we will have to close down cities," Khan said on Friday.
Most Pakistanis are not paying heed to the government's COVID advice. People are offering mass prayers in mosques during the Islamic month of Ramadan, while political parties continue to engage with crowds in different parts of the country.
"The government should be enforcing SOPs, not the army. But we don't have many options now. Had the government imposed stricter measures from the beginning, shut down the wedding halls and stopped mass gatherings, we wouldn't be in this situation," Sarah Kamal, a banker in Islamabad, told DW, adding that Khan failed to communicate effectively with the public by not enforcing lockdowns.
"Now the situation is so dire that the military intervention was needed," she said.
Army's 'efficiency'
Unlike the civil administration and law-enforcement agencies, the military is known for its discipline and its ability to enforce strict measures.
Qaisar Haroon, who runs a bakery chain in Rawalpindi, told DW that one of his bakeries was sealed by the army "within minutes" because he mistakenly violated curfew rules.
We need the kind of efficiency exhibited by the army to make sure we don't find ourselves in a situation like the one in India," Haroon said.
Hamza Shafqaat, deputy commissioner of Islamabad Police, told DW that Pakistan had a COVID positivity rate of 16% last week, and, since the armybegan assisting, it has fallen to 10%.
"People are fearful of the army. Their symbolic presence is enough to make people follow rules. Unfortunately, police officers do not get the same respect," he said.Encroachment in civilian spheres
But civil society activists say the enforcement of pandemic measures is the responsibility of the civilian government.
The labor rights activist Farooq Tariq told DW that the army's deployment had implications for civil rights. He said three men were killed in South Waziristan region while the army was implementing pandemic rules.
"Shooting people to enforce SOPs! It is terrible and inhumane. We condemn this state brutality and demand immediate justice," he said.
It is unclear in what circumstances the three men were killed.
Rights groups say that, since coming to power in 2018, Khan has allowed military generals to take over civilian departments.
"From government jobs to business and property, Pakistan's military controls every aspect of society," Tariq alleged.
"The pandemic has provided an opportunity to the military to increase their presence. The military should not have any role in civilian affairs," he added.
https://www.dw.com/en/covid-in-pakistan-is-army-deployment-an-admission-of-failure/a-57376149
بینظیر مزدور کارڈ کے اجراء سے محنت کشوں کی مشکلات کم اور سہولیات سے مستفید ہو سکیں گے۔ چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی بلاول بھٹو زرداری
کراچی (یکم مئی 2021) پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے کہا ہے کہ بینظیر مزدور کارڈ کے اجراء سے محنت کشوں کی مشکلات کم اور سہولیات سے مستفید ہو سکیں گے۔ وزیراعلیٰ ہاوَس میں بینظیر مزدور کارڈ کے اجراء کی تقریب سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے پی پی پی چیئرمین نے کہا کہ اِس کارڈ کے اجراء کے ذریعے ان کی پارٹی اس سفر کو آگے بڑھانا چاہتی ہے، جس کا آغاز شہید ذوالفقار علی بھٹو نے کیا تھا۔
انہوں نے کہا کہ مزدوروں کے حقوق کی تحریک میں پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کا اہم کردار رہا ہے۔ شہید ذوالفقار علی بھٹو کے دورِ حکومت میں پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی نے پہلی لیبر پالیسی کا اجراء کیا اور مزدوروں کے حقوق کو آئین میں شامل کرایا۔ ورکرز ویلفیئر بورڈز، ای او آئی بی اور پینشنز جیسے اقدام شہید ذوالفقار علی بھٹو نے اٹھائے۔ انہوں نے مزید کہا کہ جنرل ضیاء کے دور میں مزدوروں سے یونین سازی کا حق چھینا گیا تھا، لیکن شہید محترمہ بینظیر کے دورِ حکومت میں اس حق کو بحال کیا گیا۔ صدر زرداری کے دور میں اٹھارویں ترمیم کی منظوری بہت بڑی کامیابی تھی، لیکن اس کے ساتھ مزدوروں کو بینظیر ایمپلائیز اسٹاک آپشن منصوبہ کے ذریعے پاکستان کے مزدوروں کو ان کے اداروں میں شراکتدار بنایا۔
بلاول بھٹو زرادری نے کہا کہ صدر زرداری کے دورِ حکومت میں جنرل مشرف کے ہاتھوں بے روزگار کیئے گئے ملازمین کو بحال کیا۔ بی آئی ایس پی کا پروگرام درحقیقت غریب خواتین کے لیئے سوشل سکیورٹی کا اقدام تھا۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ اٹھارویں ترمیم کے تحت ورکرز بورڈ اور ای او آئی بی جیسے اداروں کو صوبوں کے حوالے ہونا تھا، جس پر تاحال عملدرآمد نہیں ہوا۔ پی پی پی چیئرمین نے کہا کہ ہمارے پاس مزدوروں کا درست رکارڈ نہیں ہے، اس کارڈ کے ذریعے مزدوروں کی رجسٹریشن بھی ہوجائے گی۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ مزدوروں کے حقوق کے لیئے جو لڑائی آگے بھی لڑی جائے گی وہ، پیپلز پارٹی ہی لڑے گی۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ جب مزدور خوش ہوگا، تو صنعتی پیداوار بھی بڑھے گی۔ بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے کہا کہ پی ٹی آئی ایم ایف کے تحت چلائی جانے والی معیشت نہ فقط صنعت بلکہ مزدوروں کو بھی نقسان پہنچا رہی ہے۔ موجودہ نااہل و نالائق حکومت نے جو معاہدے کیئے ہیں، وہ نہ معیشت کے فائدے میں ہیں، اور نہ انڈسٹری کے مفاد میں ہیں۔ بعدازاں، چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے مزدوروں میں بینظیر مزدور کارڈ تقسیم کیئے۔ اس موقعے پر وزیراعلیٰ سندھ سید مراد علی شاہ، سینیٹر شیری رحمان، صوبائی وزراء سعید غنی، ناصر حسین شاہ، جام اکرام اللہ دھاریجو، حبیب الدین جنیدی اور دیگر رہنما بھی موجود تھے۔
On #LabourDay, Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inaugurates Benazir Mazdoor Cards launched by Sindh government to facilitate labourers
Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inaugurated Benazir Mazdoor Card, launched by Sindh government to alleviate the hardships of the labourers, including from non-formal sectors and enable them to avail facilities.Addressing the inauguration ceremony of Benazir Mazdoor Card at the Chief Minister’s House, the PPP Chairman said that his party wanted to take this journey forward, which was started by former Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, through the issuance of this card.He said that PPP has been playing an important role in the workers’ rights movement. During the rule of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the Party launched first-ever comprehensive Labour Policy and incorporated labour rights into the Constitution. Initiatives like Workers Welfare Boards, EOBI and Pensions were introduced by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari further said that during the tenure of dictator Zia, the workers were deprived of the right to form unions, but this right was restored during the government led by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. The passage of the 18th Amendment under President Zardari was a great achievement, besides the Benazir Employees Stock Option Scheme was introduced to make Pakistani workers partners in their organizations, he added. PPP Chairman said that the employees who were laid off by General Musharraf were reinstated by President Zardari’s government with all benefits. The BISP program was in fact a social security initiative for poor women, he added. He said that under the 18th amendment, institutions like Workers Welfare Board and EOBI were to be handed over to the provinces, which has not been implemented yet and needs to be implemented without further delay. PPP Chairman said that we do not have the correct record of the workers and the registration of the workers will also be done through this card. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the fight for the rights of the workers will continue to be fought by the PPP adding that when the workers are happy, the industrial production will also increase. He further said that the economy being run under PTIMF was harming not only the industry but also the workers. The agreements made by the present incompetent and illegitimate government are neither in the interest of the economy nor in the interest of the industry. Later, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari launched the distribution of Benazir Mazdoor Cards by handing over the Cards to some workers. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Senator Sherry Rehman, Provincial Ministers Saeed Ghani, Nasir Hussain Shah, Jam Ikramullah Dharijo, President Peoples Labour Bureau, Sindh President Habibuddin Junaidi and other Labour leaders were also present on the occasion. https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/24716/