"All of the progress of the last 30 years that labor fought for is gone for rot," Silver said.
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Yup. It was already turned into an almost bullshit system a few years ago when workers comp insurance companies were allowed to designate a preferred provider---but it could be argued around in many cases. Now it's locked in.
So, if and when I put a drill through my hand next time, like I did a couple of years ago, I have to call and find the preferred provider and go there, where ever that is. Last year my shop buddy put a power screw driver bit through his hand and was told to go to SF from Emeryville, a forty minute trip. He told them to get fucked and went to the ER ten minutes away from the shop.
But this is the tip of an iceberg of other cuts backs in the making, including homecare services (attendent care) and other support services for the disabled. Education has been chopped in so many ways I can't keep track, from local public schools and community colleges to the university system.
This is why the repugnants pushed the recall and put in Arnold---to force cuts to education and social welfare instead of raising taxes.
Just as it should have been obvious that Bush would be an unmitigated disaster, so to with Arnold.
So now what? Pretend that mostly white, mostly middle america is just some uninformed but benign force? Personally I am through arguing. They are the enemy. Slowly that will dawn on more and more people. And at some point, a threshold will have been quietly reached and passed.
Chuck Grimes