Pensioner excursion tickets
Thousands of senior citizens, pensioners, because they live in areas not serviced by government transport, i.e., trains, buses or ferries, don't have the benefit of the $1 pensioner excursion ticket. The 17-seat majority victory of the NSW Labor Party in the recent elections would, one thinks, strengthen their hand to end this geographical injustice.
The increasing problem of so many cars clogging up the roads, combined with the cost maintaining the roads must be very costly. Surely now is the time to get on with expanding the public transport system.
Meanwhile, subsidise privately owned transport so that senior citizens, pensioners, in these areas should no longer be so disadvantaged.
Balmain NSW
[Abridged.]
Monkey and organ-grinder
Comments on and protests against the escalating East Timor tragedy almost invariably focus on the roles played by successive Australian Tweedledum Tweedledee governments and on their identical and often incomprehensible stances in relation to East Timor.
However, rarely, if ever are any conclusions drawn as to the originators and coordinators of the oppression inflicted on our northern neighbours. Yet the history of the 1975 invasion shows US involvement ranging from presidential approval for the invasion to military and financial aid to the corrupt Suharto government. The US ambassador to the UN expressed his satisfaction at the success of the invasion.
To those who study US foreign policy, the guiding hand of the CIA is plainly visible. The arming of local death squads, currently under way, is a classic CIA destabilisation technique once political control has proved ineffective.
Next time we parade the streets hurling abuse at our local Pacific monkeys, let's spare a thought or two for the US organ-grinder.
Blackburn Vic
Congratulations
I would like to congratulate Doug Lorimer on his article "Kosova's long struggle for independence" (GLW #356). It is the first article I have seen that gives the full history of the region and the origin of the problem — a group of elderly politicians and war-mongers in 1913.
This brings me to my second congratulations — to Keara Courtney. Don't ever, ever, ever let anyone tell you that you are too young to understand politics. We older ones (I'm 71) have been stuffing up everything for centuries, so it is time you younger ones had a go.
As for your 14-year-old comrade, I, and tens of thousands like me, was considered capable of holding down a job for 48 hours a week at the age of 14. If you are capable of holding down a job you are certainly capable of handing out how-to-vote forms and of having worthwhile political opinions.
Yass NSW
El Salvador
As a CISLAC delegation member of the International Mission of Independent Electoral Observers at the March 7 presidential elections in El Salvador, I feel it important to emphasise a central point made by Allen Jennings in his report on those elections (Venceremos #60 in GLW #356).
A key factor in the FMLN's electoral failure was its selection of a presidential ticket designed to appeal to the centre. This was quite apart from the inherent problems in the electoral code, bankrolling by capitalist interests of the governing right-wing ARENA party, and ARENA's control of the electoral machinery.
It was apparent in the CISLAC delegation's dialogue with various grassroots organisations and social movements that the FMLN's electoral strength lies precisely in its promotion of a leftist platform. Sharing ARENA's embrace of neo-liberalism will merely strengthen the FMLN's grip on opposition.
The tragedy of its error of judgement is that the centre-left Democratic Centre Union won the crucial third place with its attendant entitlement to appoint a magistrate to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. An FMLN victory would have strengthened the likelihood of the reform of El Salvador's electoral code, which was a central commitment by ARENA when the FMLN pressed it into the 1992 Peace Accord.
Two of the CISLAC delegation met with advisers at the US embassy in San Salvador before the elections. We were reminded that the US administration has no particular interest in seeing the agreed electoral reforms take place.
The dilemma increasingly confronting the FMLN is the diminishing likelihood of electoral victory under a highly inequitable electoral system, exacerbated by a rapid pace of capital formation by national elites and foreign interests. The FMLN's return to armed struggle would be understandable, but unfortunate after the enormous personal sacrifices already made.
The West has seemed willing to ensure continuation of an electoral system which denies justice to the majority of El Salvadorans, as well as being of growing irrelevance to them, as was evident in the further decline in voter turnout. As Allen Jennings infers, too many El Salvadorans have made too many sacrifices to permit them to easily surrender the just reforms that were promised to them.
Hobart
[Abridged.]
Socialists in elections
Marxists have always attached importance to election campaigns. The electronic and printed media are at the disposal of the parties who serve big business. The working-class parties are disadvantaged.
In every electorate you are contesting, each subdivision should have an adequate supply and distribution of leaflets. Advertisements should be inserted in the local press to ensure that the candidate is known.
Stephanie Roper, who contested the seat of Strathfield, was a good candidate. Unfortunately, she was unknown to most of the electors, through no fault of her own.
Fred Paterson, Communist Party member for Bowen in the Queensland parliament in 1944-50, worked in the electorate for many years and gave considerable attention to local issues. That is why he won the support of the majority of the electorate.
The greatest obstacle for any socialist candidate is the culpability of the millionaire-controlled media, who deliberately identify socialism with the crimes and autocratic rule of Stalin and those who followed his evil example. We must explain and interpret the history of this period from a Marxist, that is, a working-class standpoint.
GLW performs a valuable service to the community. A considerable increase in its circulation is needed. A leaflet should be prepared and widely distributed for this purpose, and it could be worth requesting that newsagents include GLW among the papers they sell.
Strathfield NSW
[Abridged.]
Unemployment
How much longer is the Howard Government going to get away with cynical propaganda to divert attention from its failure to solve the problem of unemployment. Each time serious flaws in Centrelink and the Job Network are exposed the government announces a crackdown on "bludgers" and "dole cheats".
A more rational and pragmatic approach would address the real problem, which is a lack of jobs. Unemployment is never likely to fall below 5%, therefore there will always be around a half a million people out of work at any given time.
Today's problem is that a large percentage of those unemployed are remaining jobless for long periods, not by choice. Instead of putting more money and resources into chasing up a small fraction of the unemployed, why not improve the services and support to the 745,000 genuinely jobless?
Get these people into work and they'll pay taxes and increase consumer spending, and reduce the welfare bill. The extra Treasury revenue will far exceed any savings from investigating people suspected of abusing the system. Existing methods of investigating benefits ought to be sufficient.
The government uses this to generate negative media which vilifies all unemployed people and prejudices public opinion. The unemployed have no formal voice to provide a response. We are limited to individual letters and talk-back radio, no match for the media access enjoyed by politicians.
Perhaps the government or journalists would be willing to send undercover operatives to Centrelink offices as job seekers and publicly report their experiences. The follow up should include a crackdown on incompetence and cover-ups by politicians and government, and privatised agencies.
Eight Mile Plains Qld
[Abridged.]
Violence
I have just listened to President Clinton on Channel 7, commenting on the Denver school massacre, saying that we must teach children to settle their differences and vent their anger with words, not weapons.
Thinking of the war against Yugoslavia, can I suggest that NATO follow the United States' leader's advice and settle their differences and vent their anger with words, not weapons?
War is never a permanent solution for any problem.
Adelaide