Before the law

 

Trying to work for economic justice in West Virginia often reminds me of the literary work of  Franz Kafka (1883-1924), who came from a German speaking Jewish Czech family. His works are characterized by weirdness (whence the term "Kafkaesque").  For example:

*His Metamorphosis is about a middle class commercial worker named Gregor Samsa who one day woke up as a giant bug. Then things got REALLY weird. I made my kids listen to this when they were little and still remember my daughter saying "so this guy just turned into a bug and he's worried about being late to work?" 

(In case you were wondering, the answer was yes.)

*In The Trial, the protagonist Josef K. is arrested for a crime although he never learns what it was. He desperately tries to work on his defense, although he has no clue about any of it. In the end, he's killed. His last thought: "Like a dog."

*In The Castle, the character K. is summoned to a village to meet and presumably do some work at a castle but despite his best effort he never gets there. The book was unfinished, which makes it even better. It's like one of those you-can't-get-there-from-here jokes.

You can see in his many stories alienation, confusion and incomprehensibility. People have interpreted this in many ways, ranging from theological bewilderment to bureaucratic confusion to existential despair. Good though.

The story on my mind today is a one-pager titled Before the Law. It came to mind after spending over a year pushing to continue or reinstitute an expanded child tax credit along the lines of the one that expired at the end of last year. Lots of people I know and work with hit it with all we had, with media work, quilts, teddy bears, street actions, meetings, rallies, etc.. We were even part of a last minute push to include it in yearend congressional legislation. 

No proverbial stone was unturned. But we couldn't get there from here.

In the story, a man spends his whole life waiting to make his case before a judge, although the gatekeeper never lets him enter. He eventually tries to bribe him. The gatekeeper accepts, though he says  “I am taking this only so that you do not think you have failed to do anything.”

At least we have that consolation.

One more try for the Child Tax Credit

 In the last half of 2021, a massive public policy experiment took place in the USA. And it worked.

The experiment was the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC), which was part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This program provided a small but significant amount of income to all but the wealthiest families with children, based on the age and number of children in the household. 

This was a different approach from other social programs in that it covered many people who wouldn’t qualify for other programs because their income was either too low or too high.

The results were startling but hardly unpredictable. Between 2020 and 2021, child poverty dropped by around 46 percent according to the US Census Bureau, reaching an all-time low of 5.2 percent by the end of the year.

I mean, gee, who would have thought that a little money might help people get out of poverty?

There is plenty of qualitative and quantitative research to show what families did with that extra bit of economic security. The short version is that they spent it pretty much where you’d expect: on food, rent or mortgage, home repair, utilities, education, childcare, internet/telecommunications, vehicle/transportation costs, clothing, paying past due bills, work expenses for parents, and savings.

Then there’s this: fewer parents had to sell their plasma to support their families or take out predatory payday loans with outrageous interest rates.

I know many West Virginians who collected stories from parents in our state about where the money went. In one case, they helped pay for a child’s braces. In another, a broken toilet finally got replaced  (kinda major if you haven’t been there). A child got a bed of his own. Worn out tires were replaced before winter hit. Utility cutoffs were avoided. Some found better and safer housing. Other kids were able to take part in things they would otherwise have missed, including extracurricular school activities like cheerleading and sports, summer camps, and a first ever vacation.

In a word, the kind of things that make life a bit more livable.

That was the good news. The bad news was that the CTC wasn’t renewed. It reminds me of the old medical joke that the operation was a success, although the patient died. Or so it seems.

The results of the expanded CTC were a big deal for many reasons, the biggest on being that child poverty is expensive. For everyone. 

A 2018 study from Washington University at St. Louis calculated that child poverty directly or indirectly cost the US $1.03 trillion in 2015 alone. At the time of the study, that amounted to 28 percent of the entire federal budget or 5.4 percent of total US gross domestic product.

Children living in poverty face hunger, sickness, instability, and a general lack of security, which can have community impacts over a lifetime and beyond. This kind of adverse childhood experience can increase odds of low academic achievement, developmental issues, and behavioral problems. Later in life, it can contribute to the greater likelihood of chronic diseases, shorter life expectancy, substance use disorder, contact with the criminal legal system, mental health issues, and more. It can affect lifetime earnings, intergenerational assets, family relationships, and community wellbeing. 

As one might expect, the negative effects of ending the expanded CTC didn’t take long to hit. As soon as February 2022, the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University reported an immediate spike in child poverty rates as the program ended, with 3.7 million American children yo-yoed back into poverty.

Researched published last month in the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) Health Bulletin further documented the harm done by failing to renew the CTC. The focus was on the “increased risk of food insecurity and associated adverse health outcomes, including developmental delay, behavioral problems, and school absenteeism, as well as decreased access to preventive care” after monthly payments ended. Special attention was given to children in very low-income households who were more likely to experience food insecurity and less likely to qualify for help as the safety net was scaled back.

What the researchers found was that after the expanded credit ended, the percentage of US households with children experiencing food insufficiency increased, with larger increases in food insufficiency among households with lower income levels. These estimates represent a relative increase in food insufficiency of approximately 16.7% among households making less than $50 000/y, 20.8% among households making less than $35 000/y, and 23.2%among households making less than $25 000/y.”

The report concludes: “Nonrestricted cash transfer programs like the monthly eCTC represent a promising approach to mitigating income instability and reducing food insufficiency among families with children. With the expiration of the monthly eCTC in 2021, additional policies aimed at mitigating the health and economic effects of poverty on children and families are urgently needed.”

The story doesn’t have to end here with a brief respite from poverty for millions of kids only for them to be thrown back into its depths.

Congress still has unfinished business to address as 2022 winds down. It has the chance and the responsibility to revisit this missed opportunity in yearend legislation and restore this vital program, rather than merely cut taxes for rich people and corporations. Specifically, America’s children and families need and deserve a basic monthly credit without cuts in eligibility for very poor or vulnerable families or reductions in other vital programs.

This time around, I hope that our senators open their hearts and minds and take this chance to prioritize our children, youth and families over—or at least as much as--more breaks for wealthy corporations. 

A big win for public education in West Virginia

 In what was a clear case of people power versus money power, West Virginia voters overwhelmingly rejected two state constitutional measures on the ballot this election day that would have (further) threatened public education in West Virginia.

Amendment 2 would have given the legislature the power to eliminate business equipment taxes, most of which go to local governments to support public education, emergency service, public libraries, senior centers, parks, etc. It was a power grab that would have taken away control from local voters and governments and given it to politicians in Charleston to give tax breaks to their supporters. Needless to say, business interest groups and dark money supported the amendments.

Amendment 2 was defeated by a nearly 2 to 1 margin.

Amendment 4 was equally bad because it would have taken control of public school curriculums away from boards of educations and given it to the same politicians, opening the way to censorship, book banning, stifling of education, and bogus culture wars. 

Amendment 4 was shot down by a margin of approximately 60 to 40.

Credit for this was due to mobilization from many quarters, including boards of education, county commissions, unions, parents, educators and school support workers, firefighters, grassroots advocacy groups and many others. Lots of people I know (myself included) hit the road and threw hearts and souls into stopping 2 and 4.

For once anyway  people power won over money power.

Please vote no on WV 2 and 4 Nov. 8 to protect education

 Public education was a major concern of West Virginia’s founders. Article 12 Section 1 of the state constitution states that “The Legislature shall provide, by general law, for a thorough and efficient system of free schools.”

Article 12 Section 6 of the state constitution that specifies that “the school board of any district shall be elected by the voters of the respective district without reference to political party affiliation.”

Two constitutional amendments on the ballot in November could threaten the intent of those provisions.

Amendment 2 would essentially give the legislature to power to eliminate business taxes on equipment and property that now provide over a quarter of funding for counties, cities, and schools. As a sweetener, it would also give them power to eliminate taxes on personal vehicles, although the lion’s share of more than 70 percent would go to businesses, many of which are out of state corporations.

If voters approve this amendment, the legislature could cut property taxes by over $500 million dollars. As things now stand, 66 percent of this revenue funds county school districts. Another 33.5 percent goes to county and municipal governments to provide funding for things like emergency medical services, fire protection, public safety, public libraries and senior citizen centers and other services.

This would end a long tradition of constitutional protections for local services, take authority for property taxes away from local voters and communities, and could impact bonds and levies supported by supermajorities of 60 percent or more of local voters. Currently 44 of West Virginia’s 55 counties fund services through voter-approved levies.

Supporters of Amendment 2 say that local governments will be “made whole” by state funding, but there’s no guarantee of that—and doing so would simply require cuts to state funding for other programs. The budget surpluses the state now enjoys are mostly the result of one-time federal COVID relief funding. Making long term plans based on temporary gains is a bit like counting on lottery winnings in making a family’s budget.

The likely long-term results will be either cuts in public services or regressive tax increases that fall on working class families…or a combination thereof.

As Governor Jim Justice put it, “We’re taking away an income stream and betting on good times forever and putting at risk our schools, our EMS, our firemen, our police and whatever it may be. We have to step back and think about what we are doing.”

And while eliminating those taxes might do significant damage to funding local services, it’s not likely to result in more jobs for West Virginians. State and local taxes make up less than two percent of the cost of doing business, so we’re talking about a fraction of a fraction. Some evidence even suggests that cuts in equipment taxes can result in automation and loss of manufacturing jobs.

Amendment 4 would threaten the constitutional intent of school governance without regard to party affiliation by giving partisan politicians control over classrooms and taking authority away from educators, school boards, parents, and voters. This could turn schools into political battlegrounds, stifle learning, create a climate of intimidation, impose a narrow range of ideological and religious perspectives, and lead to censorship and book banning.

What both proposed amendments have in common is the centralization of power by a partisan legislature at the expense of local voters, governments, and school boards.

 For those reasons, we are compelled to express our opposition to Amendments 2 and 4.

(Sorry if this sounds familiar but it's kinda important.)

To protect education, just say no

 Public education was a major concern of West Virginia’s founders. Article 12 Section 1 of the state constitution states that “The Legislature shall provide, by general law, for a thorough and efficient system of free schools.”

Good luck with that these days.

The public education system that taught most people reading this newspaper is now under attack as never before. And the source of that attack is some of the leadership of the West Virginia legislature. 

In recent years, a majority of legislators pushed through a bill allowing public money to be diverted to profit-making charter schools, which have little or no public accountability, as well as a program that essentially pays parents to take kids and funding out of the public schools that the vast majority of West Virginians rely on.

Now some want to rewrite the state constitution with two amendments that would centralize in their hands control over school funding and curriculum that now resides with county governments, local voters, and school boards. 

To paraphrase the late great Mister Rogers, can you say power grab?

Amendment 2 would essentially give the legislature to power to eliminate business taxes on equipment and property that now provide over a quarter of funding for counties, cities, and schools. As a sweetener, it would also give them power to eliminate taxes on personal vehicles, although the lion’s share of more than 70 percent would go to businesses, many of which are out of state corporations.

If voters approve this amendment, the legislature could cut property taxes by over $500 million dollars. As things now stand, 66 percent of this revenue funds county school districts. Another 33.5 percent goes to county and municipal governments to provide funding for things like emergency medical services, fire protection, public safety, public libraries and senior citizen centers and other services.

This would end a long tradition of constitutional protections for local services, take authority for property taxes away from local voters and communities, and could impact bonds and levies supported by supermajorities of 60 percent or more of local voters. Currently 44 of West Virginia’s 55 counties fund services through voter-approved levies.

Supporters of Amendment 2 say that local governments will be “made whole” by state funding, but there’s no guarantee of that—and doing so would simply require cuts to state funding for other programs. The budget surpluses the state now enjoys are mostly the result of one-time federal COVID relief funding. Making long term plans based on temporary gains is a bit like counting on lottery winnings in making a family’s budget.

The likely long-term results will be either cuts in public services or regressive tax increases that fall on working class families…or a combination thereof.

As Governor Jim Justice put it, with the apparent approval of Babydog, “We’re taking away an income stream and betting on good times forever and putting at risk our schools, our EMS, our firemen, our police and whatever it may be. We have to step back and think about what we are doing.”

And while eliminating those taxes might give a break to corporations and the politicians they financially support, it’s not likely to result in more jobs for West Virginians. State and local taxes make up less than two percent of the cost of doing business, so we’re talking about a fraction of a fraction. Some evidence even suggests that cuts in equipment taxes can result in automation and loss of manufacturing jobs.

Then there’s Amendment 4. If passed by voters, this would essentially nullify the intent of Article 12 Section 6 of the state constitution that specifies that “the school board of any district shall be elected by the voters of the respective district without reference to political party affiliation” by giving partisan politicians control over classrooms and taking authority away from educators, school boards, parents, and voters.

Do we really want politicians to be able to control and censor the books kids read, the lessons they learn, and even the songs they sing? 

Once you go down that road, there’s no telling how things will end up, but it’s never a good place. It’s a slippery slope from book banning to book burning.

Here’s hoping West Virginia voters of all stripes show up in November to vote “no” on 2 and 4 and protect the education system we need for a decent future as well as local control of the investments we rely on for everything from emergency services to parks and recreation.

(This appeared as a column in the Charleston Gazette-Mail.)

Too good to be true?

 A month or so back, I spoke with New York Times reporter Jason DeParle, who was working on a story about child poverty in West Virginia. That article came out yesterday (or was it the day before?) and it had some surprising conclusions, the biggest one being that child poverty declined dramatically in the US over the last few decades and that this change was even more dramatic in West Virginia:

 Child poverty has plunged over the last generation, and few places have experienced larger declines than West Virginia, a state that once epitomized childhood deprivation. Poverty among the state’s children fell nearly three-quarters from 1993 to 2019, according to a comprehensive analysis by Child Trends, a nonpartisan research group, conducted in partnership with The New York Times. That compares to a 59 percent drop nationwide.

If West Virginia’s child poverty rate was as high now as in 1993, nearly 80,000 additional children would be poor, a population larger than the state capital, Charleston.

That was news to me, especially considering that these changes didn't include the vast influx of COVID related federal aid from the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan. It kinda sounds too good to be true, although my WV comrades have worked on that issue for years and years.

Just when I was beginning to think my life wasn't a total waste, a friend--we can call him Mr. Buzzkill--sent me this response to the national poverty numbers in the Times article. Short version: different poverty measures show vastly different results.

However that data fights wind up, I did find some encouragement in the story itself, which profiles some West Virginia families living in or near poverty. It showed how years of undramatic grunt work on policy at the state and even county level can eventually show some real positive changes for real people. 

I'm talking about things people worked on here, offensively and defensively, like EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) outreach, defending SNAP, advocating for access to education for people in the "welfare" system and challenging its more draconian aspects, supporting state adoption and expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program to 300 percent of the federal poverty level over13 years, Medicaid expansion, free school breakfast and lunch, defending child care, support services for people on or leaving TANF, raising the state minimum wage and such can really make a difference in the lives of real people.

I think at least those programs and policies that so many West Virginias have fought for made things less bad than they would otherwise have been. I'll take that.

 

Big stakes for schools riding on November ballot

 Those of us of a certain age who remember a certain debacle in the Middle East, might also remember when then secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld said in a justification for the war on Iraq:

“As we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”

I was reminded of this famous “known unknowns” soundbite recently after hearing the concerns raised by the Raleigh County commission regarding Amendment 2, the property tax amendment that the state legislature voted to put on the ballot in the upcoming November election.

A county commissioner said that “the unknowns are what scares everybody,” and because of this uncertainty, Raleigh County is among fifteen county commissions to date that publicly oppose Amendment 2. 

The commissioner is spot on, there are many scary unknowns as to how counties could make up for the potential loss of $515 million in revenue if Amendment 2 passes muster with West Virginia voters.  

There are also some known knowns, the first of which is who is behind this effort to strip local county governments of the power to set business and manufacturing property tax rates, and give that authority over to the state legislature.  Just follow the money.  

Of the estimated $515 million in revenue generated by these taxes for the counties, over seventy per cent is paid for by large businesses, the majority of which are wealthy, out-of-state corporations who want nothing more than another tax break.  

To be sure, these moneyed interests have been lobbying our legislature for years to eliminate this tax.  Putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot is their latest attempt.  

Another known known is who stands to lose if Amendment 2 were to pass, and the list is long. Nearly all of these business property taxes fund local services including public schools, libraries, EMTs, firefighters, among many other public goods and services.  Amendment 2 would permanently eliminate local control over one of the biggest funding sources for these critical public services.   

And lest we forget that it’s these public services that businesses one way or another rely on, to educate future employees, keep their employees and their families safe in emergencies, and create a thriving community where businesses would want to locate. 

In the “known unknown” category is what will future legislators do.  A common defense of Amendment 2 is that it doesn’t mean the legislature will cut these business and manufacturing taxes, it simply means they can.  

But the truth is that current politicians cannot say that future legislatures will ensure counties have adequate revenue.  Because of the inherent unpredictability of power at the state legislature, assurances made for revenue replacement can be nothing more than empty promises. 

Speaking of promises, after Labor Day West Virginians will be inundated with fancy ads on TV, in print, and on the radio tying a vote for Amendment 2 to a break on their car tax.  Gee I wonder who will be paying for all that expensive advertising.    

Fortunately a known known is that West Virginians have a keen eye for a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  The sheep will be the “car tax promise” and the wolf is a $515 million power grab away from local governments.  As the saying goes, remember in November! 

(This op-ed was published in the Charleston Gazette Mail by my co-worker Lida Shepherd.)

Good news on health care

 It’s not obvious from the title, but the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is the biggest federal health care legislation in a dozen years, one that will directly benefit over one in four West Virginians.

For starters, the law permanently extends the Black Lung Excise Tax, which provides benefits for over 4,400 West Virginia families impacted by that terrible disease caused by breathing coal dust. Nationwide nearly 26,000 families will benefit, including over 18,000 primary beneficiaries and around 7,000 dependents. According to the Brookings Institution, Black Lung is most prevalent in central Appalachia, with 20.6 percent of miners affected. 

In the late 1960s, a historic grassroots movement spearheaded by West Virginia coal miners and supporters brought the issue to national attention and won federal legislation to establish the benefit, although its funding was in jeopardy in recent years until the bill was passed.

The IRA also extends Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace subsidies for three years for people who purchase insurance plans on the exchange, which will help around 23,000 West Virginians and over 14 million people nationwide.  

People who buy care through the ACA marketplace have traditionally been the hardest group to find health care since they aren’t covered by employer-based insurance and don’t qualify for public programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tri-Care, or VA benefits. Thanks largely to ACA subsidies and Medicaid expansion, the number of uninsured Americans reached an all time low of eight percent this summer: still too high but a big improvement.

The biggest impact of the bill will be on people receiving Medicare, which covers over 440,000 West Virginians and around 64 million Americans, although these changes will be rolled out over time. 

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, in 2023 insulin will be capped at $35 a month on the Medicare Part D prescription drug program; drug companies have to offer rebates if prices increase above inflation; and cost sharing for adult vaccines under Part D and Medicaid will be eliminated.

The Medicare diabetes cap is a big deal, although a ruling by the senate parliamentarian blocked its application to private insurance. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, which supported several IRA medical provisions, “More than 37 million Americans have diabetes, and an estimated one-quarter of people with diabetes in the United States ration their insulin due to costs. In 2021, U.S. diabetes deaths exceeded 100,000 for the second consecutive year.” The WV Department of Health and Human Resources estimates that 240,626 West Virginians have that disease with undiagnosed cases 65,210.

In 2024, the IRA caps Medicare premium increases to six percent a year through 2030; eliminates a part D co-pay for catastrophic coverage; and expands eligibility for the low-income Part D subsidy to 150 percent of the federal poverty level. In 2025, it caps drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries at $2,000 per year. And between 2026 and 2029, it will negotiate costs for an increasing number of expensive medicines each year.

While health care is only part of the IRA, which also addresses climate change and tax fairness, those are significant steps in the right direction and Senator Manchin was instrumental in sealing the deal. Of course, no legislation is perfect. Lots of West Virginians, myself included, worked hard on what would become the IRA for the last year or so. We didn’t get all we wanted and got some of what we didn’t, but there are still things to celebrate.

(This ran as an op-ed in the Charleston Gazette Mail last week.)

WV Climate Alliance on Inflation Reduction Act: "A good first step"

The WV Climate Alliance is composed of representatives of more than 20 state organizations (including AFSC) concerned about  the threat of climate change. The group released this statement to coincide with the signing of the bill into law.

Charleston, WV: The WV Climate Alliance has come together to release a joint statement in support of the Inflation Reduction Act as a “Good First Step”. Passage by the House Friday puts this historic legislation on president Biden’s desk for his signature. This legislation will now begin to move our nation forward in addressing our ever escalating Climate Crisis.

“We’d like to recognize Senator Manchin’s leadership for co-sponsoring this legislation,” said Gary Zuckett, Executive Director of WV Citizen Action Group, “and for his efforts to advance these reforms even in the face of total Republican opposition, outright lies broadcast 24-7 by dark money groups over social and regular media, and intense lobbying from Big Pharma, oil companies and other corporate special interests. In these tough times, West Virginians have been waiting long enough for these common-sense improvements.” 

"Once enacted, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will help more West Virginians take control of where their energy comes from at a time when it’s needed most,” said Leah Barbor, West Virginia Program Director, Solar United Neighbors. “These clean energy investments will put us on track to reduce emissions, reduce energy bills, create good jobs and improve equity by expanding the opportunities to bring the benefits of solar to all West Virginians.”

“We want to thank Senator Manchin for ensuring the IRA passage. The IRA is truly a historical step forward,” said Lead West Virginia Veteran and Climate Justice Organizer Lakiesha Lloyd with Common Defense. “However, we must recognize that there is still much to do. We have a long way to go to ensure a renewable energy future where West Virginia veterans will not only survive but thrive. Thus, we’ll keep organizing–this bill is the step we need on our path to full climate justice.”  

“The Inflation Reduction Act is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest in climate solutions that will help protect West Virginia from the impacts of the climate crisis for generations to come. The WV Environmental Council (WVEC) thanks Senator Manchin for supporting this legislation. West Virginia now has a chance to fight climate change, create jobs and be a part of a clean energy future. WVEC is committed to continuing our advocacy for solutions that promote environmental protection across the state and advance environmental justice,” said Linda Frame, President of the West Virginia Environmental Council.

“We thank Senator Manchin for his support and leadership on the Inflation Reduction Act,” said Lucia Valentine, West Virginia Organizer of Moms Clean Air Force. “This historic investment in our future comes at a crucial time in Appalachia, as devastating floods remind us of the urgency to act for the safety of our children and for future generations. The Inflation Reduction Act puts us on a path to a cleaner, safer, and healthier future.”

“This legislation includes a permanent extension of the Black Lung Excise Tax – an unprecedented investment in the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund. This is a huge victory for every miner and mining family that is worried about how to pay for their bills and medication in light of the uncertainty around the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund. In West Virginia alone, 4,423 miners and their families are currently receiving federal black lung compensation. The Black Lung Disability Trust Fund provided $38 million in black lung compensation to West Virginia miners in 2021, or nearly 25% of the total funds disbursed nationally,” said Dana Kuhnline, Campaign Director for ReImagine Appalachia.

“The Inflation Reduction Act is an important measure towards ensuring the livability of our planet.  For West Virginians who have been fighting for just transitions, economic diversity, and growth, we believe this to be a giant step in the right direction”, stated Kathy Ferguson, Interim Executive Director with Our Future West Virginia. “However, we must acknowledge the trade-offs and we lament that the MVP will be bolstered at the expense of the IRA passage.  We will certainly keep pushing for Sen. Manchin to go further in ensuring that people are prioritized over profits and that all our communities are protected and environmentally sound.”

“The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act puts our nation on the pathway toward unprecedented greenhouse gas emissions reduction,” said Autumn Crowe, Program Director of the West Virginia Rivers Coalition. “While we celebrate this milestone, our work is not done. We recognize that some provisions within the IRA call for additional fossil fuel development which perpetuates the harm to frontline communities. We will continue to advocate for healthy communities and work toward 'net zero' greenhouse gas emissions.”

While the Climate Alliance is hopeful about this historic step forward in climate policy, much more is needed to be done. We will continue advocating for the advancement of climate solutions that focus on our three pillars of reform: climate justice for communities that have borne the brunt of our current fossil-fuel economy; a true transition for coal miners and other fossil fuel workers likely to be impacted by the transition to a low-carbon economy; and a significant reduction in greenhouse gasses in accordance with the findings of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

________________

FOUNDED in 2020, the WEST VIRGINIA CLIMATE ALLIANCE is a broad-based coalition of almost 20 environmental organizations, faith-based, civil rights and civic organizations, and other groups with a focus on climate change. Members of the Alliance work together to provide science-based education on climate change to West Virginia citizens and policymakers. 

FOR MORE ON THE CLIMATE ALLIANCE, VISIT: WVClimateAlliance.org

A yo-yo year

 Lots of people I know, myself included, spent a lot of time over the last year trying to get something across the line in terms of a federal reconciliation bill. We started with high hopes and saw things go off the rails on more than one occasion. 

Now, a possible new bill could be voted on very soon, one largely negotiated by a certain senator from West Virginia who has been front and center throughout the process. Although there are plenty of things in the bill not to like, and some things we wanted didn't make it, this is the first major federal legislation to address climate change, while also preserving health care benefits for millions, reducing prescription drug prices, and fixing Black Lung funding.

I'm pleased and proud that this action alert in support of the legislation is at the top of the AFSC webpage.

The United Mine Workers union has also come out strong in support of the Inflation Reduction Act. The release reads in part:

“We are very pleased that Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) were able to come to an agreement on legislation that includes full and permanent funding of the excise tax that funds the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund. This will give victims of this insidious disease, their families and their survivors some peace of mind that the benefits they so desperately need will never be reduced.

“Senator Manchin never wavered in his commitment to secure the funding for this program, and he delivered. Thousands in the coalfields owe him yet another debt of gratitude, and the UMWA will never forget his dedication to getting this done.

“There is more to do regarding Black Lung, starting with the promulgation of a final rule to limit silica dust exposure in coal mines. We also must examine the entire Black Lung benefits system to make it more inclusive for victims, more efficient in the awarding of benefits, and to ensure its long-term viability in the face of a declining coal industry. The UMWA stands ready to meet with all stakeholders – victims and their families, labor, and industry – to work on solutions to these issues.

“We are also pleased to see that provisions were included in the IRA that will extend tax credits to renewable energy supply chain manufacturers that build plants in the coalfields, which will be a big step toward providing good jobs to these distressed communities. The enhanced tax credits for carbon capture and storage included in the legislation will also be a boon for coalfield jobs. We urge swift passage of this legislation by Congress.”

Now it looks like all eyes are on Senator Sinema. It's nice for once not to have to worry about someone from West Virginia breaking the deal. It would be nicer to finally get this one done.

Good news if the deal is sealed

 By now, I'm guessing most interested people have heard of the deal reportedly struck by Senators Schumer and Manchin on climate, prescription drugs, and health care. It was quite a reversal of fortune from the last two weeks.

Here's a brief statement in response penned by yours truly and AFSC DC colleague Peniel Ibe about the deal on Twitter:

Me:

Over the last year, many West Virginians worked hard to push a reconciliation bill across the line. While the outlines of the potential deal are not as bold as many hoped in addressing family economic security, we are optimistic and relieved to learn that an agreement on addressing climate change is within reach and appreciate protections for health care.  

Certain provisions in this bill will have tremendous benefits for the children and families in the Mountain State. Looking forward, we will continue to work with the Senator to ensure that components not included in the package, such as the Child Tax Credit, are enacted to provide even more support for West Virginia’s families and children.  

Peniel:

The existence of this bill is a testament to the commitment for advocates across the country to delivering much needed relief for our communities.  

The wins are hard fought, delivering on provisions to lower health care costs, reduce the deficit, tax wealthy corporations, and invest in some clean energy projects and the environment.  

But the losses are just as painful. As negotiations stalled, critical investments included in the initial package were cut, sacrificial compromises were made, and countless people lost out. The bill currently includes some counterproductive provisions that further entrench the use of fossil fuels into our society- disregarding the intensity of the climate crisis and calls from front line communities.  

Yet this plan to begin to address the needs in our communities’ wellbeing is still at risk of being cut to a point beyond meaningful impact. We call on all Senators to focus on delivering relief now as there is more to do. We have waited too long and we must no longer leave our communities needs unaddressed.  

Today, many people across the U.S. struggle to make ends meet—especially amid soaring costs of housing, groceries, and other goods. We must continue to call for massive investments in a robust care infrastructure, including monthly Child Tax Credit payments, paid family/medical leave, closing the Medicaid coverage gap and more. 

This is the only way to build vibrant communities. 

I'm still nervous and will be until the deal is actually sealed, but this was welcome news in tough times. 

 

WV climate groups respond to the latest from Manchin

 Climate Alliance representing dozens of regional groups underscores the urgency of the climate crisis; rally at Manchin office planned for Monday

 

Charleston, W.Va.– Senator Joe Manchin announced today that he wants to delay a  plan to use the money that wealthy corporations owe to pay for desperately needed projects to help our climate and workers. 

In response, the West Virginia Climate Alliance submitted a letter to Senator Manchin (letter here). When the letter was sent, the Alliance requested an in person meeting with Senator Manchin, noting they had not been able to meet with the Senator in over a year to discuss grassroots concerns about climate impacts in the state.

“Every day that we delay taking action on the climate crisis makes our weather more extreme and the implementation of solutions even more challenging. The country, and indeed the planet, need Senator Manchin to negotiate in good faith on a bill addressing the climate crisis with the goal of keeping global warming below an increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius. Passage of this bill should not be contingent on a one month inflation report,” said Perry Bryant, founder of the WV Climate Alliance.

Manchin’s move comes just one day after more than 100 homes, roads and bridges in McDowell County, WV were damaged from climate-related flooding. 

The Rev. Jeffrey Allen, executive director of the West Virginia Council of Churches, stated, “Climate change is a crisis of today. It’s flooding in West Virginia and Virginia; fires in the West; and drought here and abroad. There is an enormous cost that we already bear due to our lack of action and it’s a cost being borne by our neighbors. Passing climate change legislation is as local as it gets. This legislation is not only for our neighbors, but for all of those people who we care deeply about. For their sake, we cannot afford to delay any longer.”

As the letter to Senator Manchin notes: “The late Senator Byrd said many times that filibustering the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was his biggest regret; the decision troubled him for the rest of his life. We encourage you to deeply consider the broad implications of continued delays to act to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, for your own children and grandchildren, and for all the children and grandchildren in our beautiful mountain state and across the world.”

Karan May, Sr. Campaign Representative for theSierra Club said, “Folks in Appalachia are among the hardest hit by the effects of climate change. West Virginians are paying the price for poor health outcomes from pollution; here and in Kentucky and Southwest Virginia, year after year, we are paying the enormous price for catastrophic flooding. Senator Manchin has the opportunity to facilitate meaningful change for his constituents and, yet, is choosing to walk away from legislation that could help alleviate this suffering.

We will continue to fight for policy that will address the climate crisis, while also putting money back into our communities with investments in clean energy and sustainable economic development.”

Linda Frame, President of the WV Environmental Council, said “After a year of good-faith discussions with Senator Manchin and his team it’s hard not to be deflated by this latest delay. We continue to urge Senator Manchin to seize this opportunity to do the right thing for our state, our country, and our planet because the alternative is unthinkable.” 

“The overall cost of building climate change resilient infrastructure, as well as the transition to a clean energy economy, can be paid for now,” said Eve Marcum-Atkinson, Comms. Coord. fFor WV Citizen Action Group. “Tax minimums for millionaires and the elimination of zero-tax-paying loopholes for corporations are how we do this. They have financially benefited from our people’s labor, our nation’s infrastructure, and our economy. We need them to pay their fair share to help us all, as we continue to struggle with the effects of rising prices, increases in dangerous storms, record temperatures, drought, flooding, and more. We need Senator Manchin to fully embrace this now, as climate change is a now issue, a global issue. It’s not going away.”

“No matter our race or income, we want to live and raise our families in healthy and safe communities. Done right, the reconciliation bill is an opportunity to create bridges across our differences rather than making them deeper. Appalachia has been hit hard both by climate change impacts and global energy shifts – with Black and brown communities seeing disproportionate impacts. At the same time, we have an incredible opportunity to mitigate the climate crisis by investing in the communities hardest hit. Appalachian communities need action from Congress, this delay on key climate provisions not only hurts communities struggling with flooding and job loss due to the downturn of the coal industry, it pushes back other urgent actions we need to see from Congress,” said Dana Kuhnline, Campaign Manager for ReImagine Appalachia. 

“Promoting good energy legislation is part of Senator Manchin’s role as chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. We call on him to not further delay action on the issues he proclaims to champion. It’s past time to listen to the science that shows a transformational clean energy transition will mitigate climate change while saving lives and creating new jobs,” said Morgan King, climate campaign coordinator of WV Rivers Coalition.

PRESS ARE INVITED TO A MONDAY RALLY AT SEN. MANCHIN’S CHARLESTON OFFICE:

WV Citizen Action and other groups are calling on everyone who is concerned about passing robust Climate Change policy, and paying for it by making millionaires and tax-dodging corporations pay what they owe, to show up at Sen Manchin’s office at 900 Pennsylvania Ave., Charleston, WV 25302, at 5PM on Monday July 18th. If you can’t make it, call his office at  304-342-5855 and tell him to quit stalling on Climate and Taxes! For more info contact info@wvcag.org  Gary Zuckett @ 304-437-3701 or check out events on https://www.facebook.com/WVCAG 

###

FOUNDED in 2020, the WEST VIRGINIA CLIMATE ALLIANCE is a broad-based coalition of almost 20 environmental organizations, faith-based, civil rights and civic organizations, and other groups with a focus on climate change. Members of the Alliance work together to provide science-based education on climate change to West Virginia citizens and policymakers. 

FOR MORE ON THE CLIMATE ALLIANCE, VISIT: WVClimateAlliance.org

(The AFSC WV Economic justice Project is a proud member of the WV Climate Alliance)

Thou shalt not steal (from public education)...for now anyway

I look back with fondness on 2018, for lots of reasons. One of the biggest was the unexpected (by me anyway) wave of unrest by teachers and school service workers tired of being insulted and jerked around that resulted in a successful work stoppage that in turn set off a national--and mostly successful--wave of school strikes.

And they've paid for it ever since. The following year, the legislature rammed through laws enabling charter schools, a step mostly supported by enemies of public education and those out for payback, a Venn diagram with significant overlap. In 2021, it passed a so-called "paycheck protection" act, which was more like a paycheck reduction act, that prohibited the withholding of dues from public employee paychecks. In 2022, they shot the moon with a truly horrible False Hope Scholarship Act, that would basically allow parents to take thousands of dollars from public education funding to do whatever they want.

(It was so bad that I even heard Senator Joe Manchin talk about how crazy it was to pay people to take kids out of school at a recent event in McDowell County.)

The case went to court and fortunately today Judge Joanna Tabit overturned the law. The judge was quoted in WV MetroNews as saying 

“The Hope Scholarship Program in my view undermines the free education system by requiring the Department of Education to take funds appropriated by the Legislature and transferring them to the Hope Scholarship Fund, which is then tasked for dispersing funds for private education.

“And in my view, the Legislature has violated its constitutional level obligations regarding public education and funding by enacting House Bill 2013 for the Hope scholarship fund.”

Supporters of the bill plan to appeal the decision, including the state's attorney general, whose greatest recent achievement is blocking federal action on climate change. Nuff said on that.

Still, it's a win for public education today and I'm going to savor it for as long as it lasts. Good court decisions are rare these days.

 

The Supreme Cult strikes again

 As a native and lifelong resident of West Virginia, I find it particularly galling that the disastrous Extreme Court Supreme Cult Supreme Court EPA decision bears the name of a state suffering from the impacts of climate change and urgently in need of a transition to just and sustainable economy.

 West Virginians are intimately familiar with the human and natural consequences of not adequately regulating industries that harm our people, land and rivers.

 The history of this state is punctuated by industrial disasters and the slower but potentially more devastating impacts of pollution and environmental degradation. This SCOTUS decision will only make things worse. The struggle continues...

Along those lines, here's a link to a response to the decision from the national AFSC and here's the accompanying call to action.  

And when you pray...

The US Supreme Cult is on a roll lately, privileging gun rights over public safety and local democracy, and rating reproductive rights for rapists over the same for women.. The latest one is an affirmation of the kind of religion that gets rammed down people's throats whether they want it or not.

This statement on reversing Roe from the American Friends Service Committee, previously posted here, sums up my position on that issue. As for the latest ruling on prayer, I'll defer to a higher authority.

“Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven...And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." Matthew 6:1, 5,6 New American Standard Bible

Or, if you prefer the King James version: 

 "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Matthew 6:5, 6

I can hardly wait to see what they roll out next, but I'm especially dreading the ruling on climate change in a case that embarrassingly bears the name of West Virginia, which could have devastating consequences for the environment and public health.

It looks like a long and ugly road ahead.

 

AFSC statement on US Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision

 The American Friends Service Committee issued this statement yesterday in response to the US Extreme  Supreme Court's decision:

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating federal protection of reproductive rights. This concerns us all. Reproductive rights are critical to guaranteeing many fundamental basic human rights. AFSC unequivocally supports reproductive freedom – and has for decades. In 1969, our report “Who Shall Live?” stated that no one should be forced to bear an unwanted child. 

The impact of this decision will disproportionately affect low-income, Black and Brown women and people who can become pregnant, migrants, and survivors of sexual violence and further expose them to inhumane, unsafe, and degrading treatment. 

Today’s Dobbs decision is a further erosion of rights and opens the door to criminalize access to contraception, interracial relationships, same-sex relationships, and more, as well as abortion. This is a huge setback to hard won, historic gains in promoting and preserving the rights of all people. We should all be empowered to make decisions about our own bodies, health, and sexuality. 

AFSC is committed to being an active part of movements to promote and preserve the rights of all people. With solidarity, spirit, and determination, we can work together to set our society on a better course.

AFSC is also encouraging people to sign this petition to Congress to protect reproductive rights.

 

A priest and a prophet

 When I was in junior high, I got into a war of wills with my mother. She was a hardcore Episcopalian, and was hellbent, no pun intended, on me getting confirmed in the church.

At the time, I had just emerged (mostly) from my nihilistic juvenile delinquent phase but had no interest whatsoever in religion

We butted heads but eventually struck a deal: I’d go to confirmation classes with Father Bill Kirkland, the new priest at St. Timothy’s in Hurricane, and then make my own decision.

Kirkland was one of the most remarkable people I’ve ever known, although I was slow in recognizing it. He was raised in rural Georgia as a severe fundamentalist, attending a very strict Baptist college with the original John Birch, for whom the hardcore rightwing conspiracy theory-believing John Birch Society was named.

Kirkland eventually moved on theologically but didn’t give up on religion. After serving in WW2, he studied theology at Edinburgh and at the famous Union Theological Seminary in New York. He taught philosophy at what would become the University of Charleston.

After a few classes, I began to conclude that this whole thing might not be as dumb as I thought. It apparently stuck, despite my best efforts to escape.

Kirkland was active and unafraid to speak out for social justice, but mostly he attended to priestly duties, celebrating sacraments, visiting congregants, comforting the sick, putting the dead to rest. After he retired, his ministry consisted of walking the dogs at the local animal shelter. 

The course of my life would probably have been very different without his influence. He reminds me of a cryptic line from Psalm 110 about a mysterious holy man who blessed Abraham in Genesis: “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

I didn’t realize for years that he was a direct student of one of the greatest and most influential theologians of the 20th century, Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971), who left his mark in the halls of congress and on the picket lines of the labor and Civil Rights Movement.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of Niebuhr’s “unswerving devotion to the ideals of freedom and justice”

I’d heard about Niebuhr for years, but my interest peaked years ago after reading Parting the Waters, the first volume of Taylor Branch’s powerful study of America in the King years. By then, I’d been working for the American Friends Service Committee for a few years, an organization that had close ties to Dr. King and others in the movement. I learned from Branch that Niebuhr was a major influence on King and many others. He has been claimed by people across the political spectrum—even people who weren’t religious.

Naturally, Kirkland was glad to share his memories of Niebuhr. I also took a l deep dive into his writings.

Niebuhr took the concept of sin seriously, but not the way we often use the term. He thought of it less as this or that misdeed but rather the all-too-human tendency to put ourselves and especially the groups we identify with (ethnic, racial, religious, national, political, etc.) at the center of the universe. If we all have this tendency as individuals, it is multiplied when we come to group behavior and social systems. Most individuals have consciences, but often the closest thing to the conscience of a group is its persecuted and despised minority. 

He was fond of quoting St. Augustine (354-430) as saying that “Without justice what are kingdoms but great bands of robbers? And what is a band of robbers but such a kingdom in miniature?”

He also reminded us that we are often most dangerous when we think we’re the most righteous. You can call it human weakness, original sin, or evolutionary baggage, but ignore it at your peril. Many of the worst atrocities in history have been committed by true believers of one stripe or another who were sure they were right.

In Niebuhr’s view, there is no such thing as absolute purity. Human motivations are always ambiguous, and the conflicts of the world are between sinners, not between the totally evil and the totally righteous. That view may seem grim, but it’s a pretty good antidote for self-righteousness.

But if all are sinners, all haven’t done the same amount of damage. He called this “the equality of sin and the inequality of guilt.” There is a huge difference between the Roosevelts and the Hitlers of the world, one that matters.

This assessment of human nature challenges the ideas of inevitable progress or utopias, but the news about human nature wasn’t all bad. In addition to original sin, we’re also gifted with “original justice.” These views have profound political implications: to paraphrase a famous Niebuhr quote, our capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but our capacity for injustice makes it necessary.

For Dr. King, his theology was an antidote to “the false optimism characteristic of a great segment of Protestant liberalism” and “a persistent reminder of the reality of sin on every level of man’s [sic] existence.” According to Branch, King “came to describe Niebuhr as a prime influence on his life, and sometimes referred to Gandhian nonviolence as “a Niebuhrian stratagem of power.’”

In 1965, King invited Niebuhr, then 73, to participate in the famous march on Selma. He replied with regret that “Only a severe stroke prevents me from accepting … I hope there will be a massive demonstration of all the citizens with conscience in favor of the elemental human rights of voting and freedom of assembly.”

I’m grateful that, thanks to Kirkland, Niebuhr is part of my lineage. I learned this from him: a good society or group is one that is structured in such a way as to limit the amount of damage we can do to each other.

(This appeared as a column in the Charleston Gazette-Mail.)

Crossroads

 One person who has influenced my thinking and living across the board is the Jewish philosopher and theologian Martin Buber (1878-1965), whose work was cited by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his famous Letter from a Birmingham Jail (which was itself first published and widely distributed by the American Friends Service Committee).

I first came across Buber in an intro philosophy class at Marshall University, although that was only from secondary sources. The basic idea of his most famous book, I and  Thou, is that the world is twofold to people depending on whether we relate to other beings in an I/Thou or I/it mode. The latter is instrumental and transactional, while the former involves real meeting and dialogue. 

(He also acknowledged that in real life you can't stay in I/thou mode all the time with everybody you meet, say at a drive through window or toll both or in a serious struggle...but you could remember it.)

I started thinking more and more about Buber in my first year of working for AFSC on economic justice issues in WV. It struck me at the time--and still--that the line between organizers and exploiters could be very thin and often crossed in that both try to get other people to do what they want them to. 

At one point, when I was driving down to Logan County in the midst of the Pittston Coal Strike (1989-1990), I had an intense experience that was almost visual. An image of a crossroads passed through my mind, probably when I was crossing a railroad track on Route 10. 

The takeaway was that there were two roads to choose from. In one, people were seen as ends in themselves. In the other, they were things to be manipulated and one had to decide which way to go. I had the sense that the choice was fundamental, but one was free to change directions at any time. 

Eventually, I went to the source and read I and Thou. It took three readings and a commentary by Maurice Friedman for much of it to sink in, but it felt like a shock of recognition, as in yeah, this is what I've been clumsily trying to realize.

I read further and came  across another very practical idea that stuck with me in an essay called "Education" that I often try to apply when writing, speaking, or choosing or evaluating social action. The idea was "inclusion," which he described as "experiencing the other side."

As he put it, "Its elements are, first, a relation, of no matter what kind, between two persons, second, an event experienced by them in common, in which at least one of them actively participates, and, third, the fact that this one person, without forfeiting anything of the felt reality of his activity, at the same time lives through the common event from the standpoint of the other."

My takeaway there is the idea that one should try to experience or anticipate how something we say or do would be experienced by others. He didn't go there in the essay, but I think it's a very important practice and even a needed strategy for people interested in social change. Too often, groups do their thing  or drop their cargo without thinking through how that would land in the experience of others, including especially those whom they want to influence. Like one way radios. This could wind up alienating people rather than moving things along.

The great radical Brazilian educator Paulo Freire (1921-1997), best known for his Pedagogy of the Oppressed, was also influenced by Buber. He spoke about the vast difference between issuing directives or communiques versus engaging in dialogue and relation. 

I think it goes back to the crossroads.

The funnel from hate to violence

Ever since I became interested in social justice issues as a young adult, I've been haunted by the idea (the fact?) that it often seems much harder to bring people together in solidarity than to divide them with fear, resentment, hate and the worse angels of our nature. 

Today, we're living in times when hate speech has become normalized and what were once fringe ideas are now spewed in broad daylight. It kind of reminds me of the old story that a frog won't notice when water heats up until it's too late.

 (Please don't try that at home--I love frogs!)

This isn't an original idea by any means, but I think the process by which some people become radicalized into committing acts of violence against targeted groups is like a funnel. In the old days, this was done by hate groups themselves via print, the internet, social media, etc. These would put out a message that a few would pick up on and follow through with violent action, while the groups that prompted it could deny involvement.

That was then and this is now. The process has gone mainstream with major politicians and media outlets casting a wide net using code words  designed to fuel resentment, anger and, yes, hate from people already on edge...then shed crocodile tears or issue angry denials when the violence happens. 

Here's a good analysis of how the process works. Unfortunately, at this point not much progress has been made on how to reverse the process, while the drum beat of resentment keeps getting louder and what were once dog whistles have become sirens.

AFSC statement on Buffalo mass murder and racist violence

The American Friends Service Committee issued this statement today in the wake of the hate-driven mass killing in Buffalo:

This weekend, 10 people were killed and three were injured by a white supremacist at a grocery store in a majority Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and the communities in Buffalo during this time. We are holding you in the Light.

These horrifying acts of racist violence compound the ongoing trauma caused by relentless anti-Blackness espoused not only by individuals like the man who carried out this attack, but also in all sectors of the country. We are holding in the Light our staff, volunteers, and community members who are particularly impacted by these attacks and the ideology behind them, and we deepen our commitments to work for a world without racism and violence.

The suspected shooter is an 18-year-old white man whose actions were motivated by his belief in “great replacement theory,” also referred to as “white replacement theory,” a deeply racist belief that is growing in popularity and is amplified by right-wing media and political leaders. This ideology not only incites violence in the present but is used to justify and even celebrate centuries of violence. It is also intensely anti-immigrant, antisemitic, anti-Muslim, and misogynistic. We stand in community and solidarity with those also named in the manifesto reported to have been written by the killer, which targeted Muslims, Jewish communities, trans people, and immigrants. 

AFSC is committed to eliminating white supremacy and violence wherever they are found. This means being honest and accountable to our history and our present. This means we must embrace a trauma informed approach to community care; believe and support victims and survivors; and above all, make every effort to prevent such violence by eradicating its very root.

All talk?

 It's been a long and disappointing struggle over the last year to try to get WV Senator Joe Manchin to take positive action on human needs and climate. Now we're getting down to the wire. So many people have been let down, perhaps especially kids and parents who at least so far seem to have lost out on help with child care, paid leave, the refundable Child Tax Credit and more.

If there's any chance of salvaging anything in the federal budget reconciliation process, it might come down to coal miners. The federal Black Lung excise tax provides modest benefits for people struggling with that terrible disease--and it expired last year, leaving the long-term stability of the program in question. Extending it was part of the Build Back Better bill that got tanked by Manchin in December.

In West Virginia, politicians traditionally pretend to care about coal miners, although it seems like most of the real love goes to coal companies. Given all that rhetoric and theater, it seems like this is one thing that has to get across the line, which could open the way for more.

Yesterday, the National Black Lung Association held a press conference at the statue honoring miners at the state capitol calling on Manchin to come through for miners and their families via the reconciliation process. Fortunately, the press showed up, including the Charleston Gazette-Mail, WV Public Broadcasting, WV MetroNews, and even The Hill. More national stories may be in the works.

It seems like there is real pressure now for actions to match words. But I've been wrong before.

More not all bad

 I've been making it a practice lately to notice good things that happen, especially in a year when there have been so many disappointments, when truly historic opportunities to make big  and positive changes slip away.

So here's my latest:

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an easing of income eligibility requirements for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC) food assistance. The program can assist women who are pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding and cover kids up to five years of age. This means more and better nutrition in a period critical to the health of mothers, infants and young children.

Under the new policy, states have the option of raising WIC eligibility to to 185 percent of the federal policy level. While all bets are off about most things West Virginian these days, I was glad to learn that WV decided to go for the more generous level of benefits. 

The WIC announcement is just one example of many federal efforts, often related to the pandemic, to promote food security. These range from increased SNAP benefits to expanded school meals to pandemic electronic benefits cards to kids when they are out of school. Read more on that here. Unfortunately, some of these are temporary unless further action is taken, which means staying on the case.

Not all bad

 Whenever there's a bit of good news on the economic justice front, admittedly not an everyday occurrence, I try to notice it. Here's the latest:

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS for short) a record number of Americans now receive health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA)...and what a fight it was to enact and protect it all these years. Specifically, more than 35 million people are either covered through the health exchange or marketplace, expanded Medicaid (21 million in states that expanded Medicaid as WV did in 2013), or basic coverage.

That's more than one out of ten Americans in a total population of around 332+ million. It's an even bigger achievement when we factor in who got that coverage. The US health care system does a pretty good job of covering the elderly via Medicare. Close to 95 percent of children are covered via CHIP, traditional Medicaid or their parents' insurance. Low income people with disabilities are likewise often covered by traditional Medicaid. Those covered by the ACA, on the other hand, are working age adults not eligible for other kinds of insurance--and those most likely to lack coverage before the ACA. 

The percent of uninsured Americans is now at an all time low of around 8.8 percent. Still too many by far, but it shows the benefits of this signature legislation of the Obama administration. And a lot of people in West Virginia worked hard to make that happen here. I hope the 12 holdout states--Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming--see the light and expand Medicaid soon (did anyone else notice that eight of those were also part of the Confederacy?). I know lots of people in those states are working on it. 

This may not last forever the way things are going, but I'll celebrate this for now anyway.

A crime to be poor?

 I'm not sure how I managed to miss this quote by Kurt Vonnegut from Slaughterhouse Five...

“America is the wealthiest nation on Earth, but its people are mainly poor, and poor Americans are urged to hate themselves. To quote the American humorist Kin Hubbard, 'It ain’t no disgrace to be poor, but it might as well be.' It is in fact a crime for an American to be poor, even though America is a nation of poor. Every other nation has folk traditions of men who were poor but extremely wise and virtuous, and therefore more estimable than anyone with power and gold. No such tales are told by the American poor. They mock themselves and glorify their betters. The meanest eating or drinking establishment, owned by a man who is himself poor, is very likely to have a sign on its wall asking this cruel question: 'if you’re so smart, why ain’t you rich?' There will also be an American flag no larger than a child’s hand – glued to a lollipop stick and flying from the cash register.

Americans, like human beings everywhere, believe many things that are obviously untrue. Their most destructive untruth is that it is very easy for any American to make money. They will not acknowledge how in fact hard money is to come by, and, therefore, those who have no money blame and blame and blame themselves. This inward blame has been a treasure for the rich and powerful, who have had to do less for their poor, publicly and privately, than any other ruling class since, say Napoleonic times. Many novelties have come from America. The most startling of these, a thing without precedent, is a mass of undignified poor. They do not love one another because they do not love themselves.”

Fish of April

 I think I've found the special purpose of my life. It will be to attempt to plant in West Virginia the French custom of "poisson d'Avril" or Fish of April. It is an April Fools Day prank which today involves sneaking a paper fish somewhere onto the body of unsuspecting people. 

I think that back in the proverbial day that would have involved sneaking real anchovies or sardines into the pockets, clothing, purses or other possessions of unsuspecting people.  Certain olfactory signals sooner or later would give away the prank sooner or later.

I probably wouldn't go that far...necessarily.

I wish I was surprised

 The United Health Foundation recently released it's 2021 report on American Health Rankings. And, well, it's kind of what you'd expect. West Virginia ranks at or near the bottom on several indicators, including:

*49th in occupation fatalities (the legislature tried and failed to gut the state mine safety agency this year, which may knock us out of 50);

*47th in economic hardship (who could have guessed that years of anti-labor legislation, automation and corporate driven-globalization might not have brought prosperity?);

*48th in per capita income (see above);

*47th in poverty (see above); 

*49th in unemployment (the legislature also tried to cut unemployment insurance eligibility from 26 to 12 weeks this session);

*49th in food insecurity (in 2018, the legislature passed a bill that made it harder for low income adults without children to access SNAP benefits);

*49th in social support and engagement;

*50th in drinking water violations (lowering water standards to benefit extractive industries being an annual legislative ritual);

*49th in nutrition and physical activity;

*50th in depression;

*50th in drug deaths (not surprising given how WV was bombed with opioids by pharmaceutical companies in recent years);

*48th in frequent mental distress;

*50th in premature deaths; and

*50th in asthma, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, COPD, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. I'm guessing that being a mineral extraction sacrifice zone didn't help here. Thank God and former governor Earl Ray Tomblin for expanding Medicaid--otherwise we'd be dropping like flies. No doubt the social determinants of health have a lot to do with this.

This is just a partial list. The rest is here. Meanwhile, instead of dealing with these issues, the legislature spent a lot of time this year going after what's left of public education; failing to pass caps on diabetes-related expenses; the bogey man of "critical race theory;" trying to make it harder for workers and their survivors injured or killed on the job to get compensation; trying to repeal the state income tax; and such.

It's nice to have good priorities. That's what I hear anyway

Anywhere but here and now

I just finished listening to the Pensees or Thoughts on Religion by the French thinker and mathematician Blaise Pascal (1623-1662). Among other things, he designed a calculating machine, arguably a distant forerunner of the computer. 

He also apparently had a mystical experience of which he wrote 

"From about half-past ten in the evening until about half-past twelve … FIRE … God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, and not of the philosophers and savants. Certitude. Certitude. Feeling. Joy. Peace."

For those of us out of the math world, he's best known for nuggets from the Pensees, such as "the heart has reasons which reason knows nothing of."

This time around, I found his insights on the human condition to be brilliant and his theological musings a bit dogmatic, which is probably what he was going for.

He was a devout Catholic, although one accused of being a Jansenist heretic, (Jansenism was an almost Calvinistic tendency in the Church), but sometimes he sounds downright Buddhist. Example: "All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone."

Here's a great passage from the Pensees about our chronic tendency to be anywhere but where and when we are that could have come out of an old school dharma talk:

“We never keep to the present. We recall the past; we anticipate the future as if we found it too slow in coming and were trying to hurry it up, or we recall the past as if to stay its too rapid flight. We are so unwise that we wander about in times that do not belong to us, and do not think of the only one that does; so vain that we dream of times that are not and blindly flee the only one that is. The fact is that the present usually hurts. We thrust it out of sight because it distresses us, and if we find it enjoyable, we are sorry to see it slip away. We try to give it the support of the future, and think how we are going to arrange things over which we have no control for a time we can never be sure of reaching.

Let each of us examine his thoughts; he will find them wholly concerned with the past or the future. We almost never think of the present, and if we do think of it, it is only to see what light it throws on our plans for the future. The present is never our end. The past and the present are our means, the future alone our end. Thus we never actually live, but hope to live, and since we are always planning how to be happy, it is inevitable that we should never be so.”

Ouch. That hit close to home.