The president does matter

There are two significant stories that have received very little attention from the media. They are worth examining.

Several weeks ago about 48,000 unionized academic workers across the University of California’s ten campuses, who perform much of the teaching and research, walked off the job for better pay and benefits.

These teaching assistants, post-doctoral scholars and researchers took to the picket line, which prompted cancelled classes, shuttered labs and other academic disruptions.

The workers are demanding pay increases, child care subsidies, better healthcare and longer family leave. These proposals seem justified when most administrators make more than $200,000 a year.

One student worker stated, “We teach the majority of the classes, grade more tests and papers than any faculty member, and do research that brings in large amounts of funding to the UC system.”

Faculty have supported the protestors. They have held “teach-ins” and have cancelled classes.

It will be interesting to see what develops.

In another story which has received very little air time, a few weeks ago Brazil had an election. The far-right incumbent and friend of Donald Trump, was defeated. A progressive, Lula da Silva, was elected and quickly announced that he would do surveillance of the Amazon

and reverse the deforestation of the jungle caused by the prior president.

The former leader put most of the environmental agencies under the corrupt agri-business sector, which opposes the creation of protected areas. On the international front, Lula’s efforts to preserve the rain forest have found supporters. The Norwegian government will resume multimillion dollar donations to finance anti-deforestation policies.

Yes, it does matter who the president is.

Ralph S. Brax

Lancaster