The term "reform" is now constantly misused to describe reactionary changes that in no way make something better. It is a misuse of the word but in the service of reactionary ideologies. What seems to make something a reform nowadays is that it advances the interests of capital usually against the interests of the general public.
--- "Steven L. Robinson" <srobin21 at comcast.net> wrote:
> Protests Held Against Hungary Reforms
>
> By Pablo Gorondi
> Associated Press Writer
> Wednesday, November 21, 2007
>
> Budapest, Hungary -- Several trade unions and civic
> groups held a series of
> strikes and protests Wednesday against the
> Socialist-led government's plans
> to privatize health insurance and close some railway
> lines.
>
> Clashes erupted briefly at one rally near Budapest's
> Kossuth Square outside
> parliament after protesters refused a police order
> to disperse, but there
> were no immediate reports of injury or arrests.
>
> All train services in Budapest, the capital, were
> canceled Wednesday
> morning, as were numerous train and bus lines across
> the country. The rail
> strike lasted six hours before services began to
> return to normal. Work
> stoppages were also held at some schools,
> electricity plants and Budapest's
> Ferihegy airport.
>
> The government said the strike had caused only
> minimal disruptions, claiming
> that most of the members of the different unions
> which supported the work
> stoppage showed up at work.
>
> Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany and his governing
> coalition have began
> introducing plans for major reforms in the health
> and pension sectors and
> already have shut down dozens of unprofitable
> railway lines.
>
> The planned switch from a state-administered health
> insurance system to
> private insurers has drawn the biggest opposition
> although final details of
> the plan are still being discussed in parliament.
>
> Opponents, including the Hungarian Chamber of
> Doctors, say private health
> insurers, by seeking to make profits in the sector,
> would break with a
> long-standing tradition of "social solidarity" and
> would leave the poor and
> those already suffering from health problems without
> adequate coverage.
>
>
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/11/21/international/i1
> 84833S95.DTL
>
> This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available
> for free from
> http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm
>
> ___________________________________
>
http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>
Blog: http://kenthink7.blogspot.com/index.html Blog: http://kencan7.blogspot.com/index.html