Tag Archives: budget

Business/Economics, U.S.

Occupy California! United Police States of America: California cuts $600 million from social programs, but adds $600 million for new prisons! More proof that the United States will become a giant prison planet

“It’s appalling that while the state is poised to cut another $600 million from already suffering essential programs, including In Home Supportive Services, Medi-Cal, child care, and universities and community colleges, they are forcing forward $600 million to build unnecessary jails. In order to make California a place where everyone can thrive, we need to raise revenues and reduce prison spending immediately!”–Nancy Berlin, the California Partnership

“Whether we’re talking about revenue or spending, it comes down to priorities. If decision makers in California continue to prioritize imprisonment over education, over healthcare, over the things that make our communities healthy and sustainable, then social and economic crisis will continue to deepen and the forecasts are going to get much more bleak!”-Emily Harris, Californians United for a Responsible Budget


Business/Economics, U.S.

United Police States of America: Doing time in California prisons will now cost you $142 per day

“We believe that 25% of the people who go through our jail systems can afford to pay for their jail stay.  If we just grab 25% of those, that would save the county or the city $6.7 million.”-Jeff Stone, County Supervisor

Riverside County, in California, has decided to charge prisoners $142.42 per day. The county says it’s an effort to “save” money, but it looks more like a way for the county to make a profit. When they say they could save $6.7 million, that’s actually how much money they’d take in from prisoners.

The problem is that once they start making big money from charging prisoners, the county government will get addicted to that form of revenue and start making up reasons to put people in prison. Don’t laugh, it’s happened before, and is going on right now with Corporate America operated for profit prisons.

The ACLU is concerned: “Programs like this certainly do raise very serious Constitutional questions.  We’re seeing it increasingly in jurisdictions around the country.”-Will Matthews, American Civil Liberties Union

Attorney’s for the county said there is nothing illegal about charging prisoners for their stay.  But they warned officials that not all prisoners can afford to pay for their keep: “In order to be reimbursed, the court must determine that the defendant has the ability to pay all or a portion of these costs. Many defendants who are incarcerated lack the financial means, after the payments of fines and penalties, to reimburse these costs.”-Pamela Walls, county attorney

 

Business/Economics, International

Government Incompetence: Greece has been paying thousands of dead people money

The insolvent government of Greece has just discovered that 4,500 dead people have been receiving government retirement pay, for years.

The government is now investigating whether there was a slip up on their side, or the families never filed notifications of death.  At least $23 million was paid out to dead people.

The Greek government is also investigating another 9,000 possible dead recipients of retirement money.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Biggest protest yet planned for Michigan

People are preparing for what could be the biggest protest yet of the Michigan government.  On Wednesday thousands of people will demonstrate outside the state capitol building.

The issue is collective bargaining rights.  The Michigan government what’s to get rid of it.  People are also upset by the planned huge cuts to social programs.  Then there’s the proposed tax on retirement, which could tax retirement funds the same as regular income.

There is talk of Unions staging mass strikes.  Sounds like what’s going on in some European countries.

U.S.

Washington D.C. mayor & City Council arrested after protesting the Federal Government

The mayor of Washington DC, and six city council members were arrested today, while protesting the Federal Government’s budget plans.  They sat in front of a big sign that read “No Taxation Without Representation”, which was one of the rallying cries of the American Revolution against the British.

Mayor Vincent Gray said the Federal budget infringes on the District of Columbia’s sovereignty.  “Folks in congress will do things to the District of Columbia that they wouldn’t do in their own districts … It’s an outrageous position. We raise our tax dollars just like other states do, just like other cities do.”

41 other protesters were arrested as well.

Business/Economics, International, Opinion, U.S.

While our government has no budget, Obama spending money around the world

The U.S. government continues to pass temporary budgets.  Political leaders have stated “We’re broke”.  State governments continue to enact austerity measures, cutting funding for social programs.  Yet, President Obama is tripping around the world starting fights and making promises of money.

The current attacks on Libya are costing the Unite States hundreds of millions of dollars every day.  It’s expected to cost a billion dollars in one months time.

On his Latin American trip Obama just promised the Central American countries $200 million dollars to fight drugs trafficking.   Obama signed a deal with Brazil that involves $1 billion dollars of financing. From where, us?

Critics say Obama’s promises to Latin America have to be false because we’re broke.

Many people in Latin American countries say they don’t trust what Obama said anyway. They point to the UN approved, and currently U.S. lead,  attacks on Libya as proof that you can’t trust the United States.

Business/Economics, International

Britain Enacts Huge Budget Cuts, Will the British People Rise Up Like the French?

I was watching a debate on the French strikes, and a British commentator said that what was going on in France would never happen in Britain, because there are laws against such demonstrations.  I wounder, after the British government will start the deepest cuts in 60 years?

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 22: Protestors dressed as Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg demonstrate against the budget in Parliament Square on June 22, 2010 in London, England. The Chancellor has announced a raft of tax increases and spending cuts to deal with the United Kingdom's growing debt. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

By 2015, the cuts would amount to about 130 billion U.S. dollars.  490,000 government jobs would be cut over 4 years.  The retirement age would be raised to 66, four years sooner than first planned.  Even the rents on subsidized housing will be increased.  Also, the Value Added Tax (a type of sales tax) will increase to 20% (don’t go shopping there).  However, the British government plans to increase spending on things like cracking down on tax fraud, and anti-terror security.  Officials also claim that Health Care Services will not be cut, and that school funding will kept in “…real terms” every year.

A boy holds a poster at a public services protest during the second day of the Liberal Democrat conference in Liverpool, northern England,September 19, 2010.REUTERS/Nigel Roddis (BRITAIN)

But what will the People think?  There has already been past protests about the cuts,  as far back as June, so i don’t think that British commentator knows what he’s talking about.  According to al Jazeera, small protests have already started.