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(Sources: Dollars and Sense, no. 252, March/April 2004, http://www.dollarsandsense.org/0304court.html; Democracy Now!, February 4, 2005) 13. Rich Countries Fail to Live up to Global Pledges (Sources: Dollars and Sense, no. 252, March/April 2004, Foie million children will needlessly die between now and http://www.dollarsandsense.org/0304court.html; Democracy Now!, the year 2015, reveals the Oxfam report, "Poor Are Paying the February 4, 2005) Price of Rich Countries’ Failure". For Third World countries, economic growth is undermined by unfair trade rules. Without 15. Conservative Plan to Override Academic Freedom finance and support, these countries will not be able to take [ his article "The New PC" in The Nation, Russell Jacoby advantage of global trade and investment opportunities or protect addresses a new extremist conservative movement to bring what basic human rights. they say is "political balance" to higher education. These conser- By offering 0.7 per cent of their gross national income, wealthy vatives see academia as a hotbed of liberal activity that is working countries such as the USA, Germany, Japan and the UK could reduce _to indoctrinate America's youth with left-wing ideology; they cite poverty and end the burden of debt that makes low income countries _ studies that conclude that the faculty of most universities are over- pay up to US$100 million per day to creditors. In the years 1960-65, whelmingly liberal. They fear that these liberal faculty members wealthy countries spent on average 0.48 per cent of their combined _are abusing students who profess conservative belief systems, and national incomes on official development assistance, but by 2003 the —_ to remedy this they are pushing for regulation of the academic proportion had dropped to 0.24 per cent. world to monitor professors’ expression of theory and opinion. For the US to spend merely 0.7 per cent of gross national income At the forefront of this movement is David Horowitz and his acad- on humanitarian aid, this would be equivalent to emic watchdog, Students for Academic Freedom one-fifth of its expenditure on defence and half (SAF). SAF counsels its student members that, of what it spends on domestic farm subsidies. when they come across an "abuse" such as con- The US, at just 0.14 per cent, is the least gener- ous provider of aid in proportion to national troversial material in a course, they are to write down the date, class and name of the professor. The new class-action income of any developed country. By compare restrictions give a They are aise’ to accumulate uv st ° incidents son, Norway is the most generous provider at . or quotes, obtain witnesses and lodge a com- 0.92 per cent. The US is spending more than virtual guarantee plaint. Many in the academic world see these twice as much on the war in Iraq as it would cost to banks, insu rers, actions as a new McCarthyism—an effort to sniff to increase its aid budget to 0.7 per cent, and six out those who do not subscribe to the "dominant" times more on its military program. drug-makers and belief structure of the nation. (Sources: Oxfam press release, December 6, other big industries Horowitz is also championing a "Student Bill 2004; IPS, One World US, December 6, 2004, http://us.oneworld.net) of Rights". Ironically, this bill claims to protect academic freedom. But Jacoby warns that academic freedoms extended to students easily turn into the end of freedom for teach- ers. In Horowitz's society of rights, students would have the right to hear all sides of all subjects all the time. Principle no. 4 of Horowitz's bill states that curricula and read- ing lists "should reflect the uncertainty and unsettled character of all human knowledge" and provide "students with dissenting sources and viewpoints where appropriate". The bill does not, however, distinguish when sumer and worker protections, denying or where dissenting viewpoints are, or are due process of law in civil cases to all not, appropriate. but the wealthiest in our society. The act will move many civil (Source: The Nation, April 4, 2005, http://www.thenation.com) lawsuits from state to federal courts in an attempt to end so-called "forum shopping" by trial lawyers seeking districts most hos- 16. United States Plans for Hemispheric Integration pitable to multi-party suits against companies. lhe USA and Canada have been sharing national information What has been lost in all the partisan rhetoric is the fact that class- since the creation of NORAD (North American Aerospace action suits are most often lawsuits brought by people who have been = Defense Command) in 1958. This bi-national agreement to pro- hurt by HMO (HealthMaintenance Organization) abuses, civil rights vide aerospace warning and control for North America is sched- violations or workplace injuries and violations. These are the suits uled to expire in May 2006. that allow for compensation when large numbers of people are hurt In preparation for the renewal, the American and Canadian com- by companies in the pursuit of profit. Critics claim that the real manders are proposing to expand the integration of the two countries, intention of this law is to make sure these cases get buried quickly including cooperation in the "Star Wars" program, cross-national and are ultimately dismissed. integration of military command structures, immigration, law Attached to this bill is a mass-tort section that will severely restrict | enforcement and intelligence gathering and sharing under the new large class-action suits against pharmaceutical companies and paves title "NORTHCOM, US Northern Command". the way for medical malpractice reform, effectively immunising abu- Former Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien refused to join sive or negligent corporations from liability. NORTHCOM. To circumvent his decision, this "illusive transitional The new class-action restrictions give a virtual guarantee to banks, _ military body" (aka NORAD/NORTHCOM) formed an interim mili- insurers, drug-makers and other big industries that, no matter how tary authority in December 2002, called the Bi-national Planning egregious their conduct, the penalty will always be financially Group (BPG). The command structure is fully integrated between manageable. NORAD, NORTHCOM and the BPG. The BPG is accountable to that, no matter how egregious their conduct, the penalty will always be financially manageable. 14. Corporations Win on Tort Reform; Justice Suffers oO: February 18, 2005, President Bush signed into law the most sweeping federal tort reform measure in more than a decade. The Class Action Fairness Act puts into effect a tort reform that will take away people's access to the courts, undermining the constitutional right to trial by jury. These reforms weaken con- restrictions give a virtual guarantee to banks, insurers, drug-makers and other big! industries aaa Le egregious their conduct, the penalty will always be financially manageable. 16. United States Plans for Hemispheric Integration lhe USA and Canada have been sharing national information since the creation of NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) in 1958. This bi-national agreement to pro- vide aerospace warning and control for North America is sched- uled to expire in May 2006. In preparation for the renewal, the American and Canadian com- manders are proposing to expand the integration of the two countries, including cooperation in the "Star Wars" program, cross-national integration of military command structures, immigration, law enforcement and intelligence gathering and sharing under the new title "NORTHCOM, US Northern Command". Former Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien refused to join NORTHCOM. To circumvent his decision, this "illusive transitional military body" (aka NORAD/NORTHCOM) formed an interim mili- tary authority in December 2002, called the Bi-national Planning Group (BPG). The command structure is fully integrated between NORAD, NORTHCOM and the BPG. The BPG is accountable to 18 = NEXUS The new class-action that, no matter how www.nexusmagazine.com DECEMBER 2005 — JANUARY 2006