Accomplishments of the National Youth Administration (part 4 of 10): Conservation and Environmental Work

 

(WPA poster, by artist Stanley Thomas Clough. Clough created this poster in Ohio, 1938. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.)

From 1935 to 1943 the National Youth Administration planted 19 million trees and shrubs. They also engaged in other conservation and environmental projects, such as building firebreaks, eradication of insect pests, building levees & retaining walls, stocking fish, and much more (Final Report of the National Youth Administration, pp. 141-143).

Considering the environmental challenges today, and the high rate of youth unemployment, do you think a new National Youth Administration would be useful?  

***See recent, interesting articles about the environment, "U.S. Bishops Call For Carbon Reduction," and "(Republican-controlled) House Directs Pentagon to Ignore Climate Change."

Accomplishments of the National Youth Administration (part 3 of 10): Museums

(A WPA poster by artist Angelo Tartaglia. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.)

Participants in the National Youth Administration worked in museums as "guides, assistants in mounting and casing exhibits, and catalogers. NYA youth cataloged 1,123,000 museum articles in the fiscal years 1937 through 1942, and prepared or renovated 361,000 museum articles. NYA youth assisted in organizing museums for grade and high schools. These were usually nature exhibits of local flora, fauna, and historical items." (Final Report of the National Youth Administration, p. 175).

On the grounds of the Witte Museum in San Antonio, Texas, National Youth Administration workers constructed a cabin that represents the the type of dwelling used by Texas pioneers ("Log Cabins and Historical Homes: Old San Antonio in the backyard").

Wouldn't it be nice to have a National Youth Administration today, to offer work, training, and recreational opportunities for unemployed young Americans? It would be a great service to them, and to us. 

***See recent op-ed by Gene Budig and Alan Heap, "Unemployment a Crisis for Youth: Good news for the economy doesn't translate to good news for young Americans" (USA Today, May 4, 2014).

Accomplishments of the National Youth Administration (part 2 of 10): Toys

(WPA poster, image courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.)

According to the Final Report of the National Youth Administration, "Every State reported toy making and repair. In many instances, it was a pre-Christmas activity in woodworking shops. Charitable agencies collected broken and discarded toys for NYA youth to repair and paint. Much new equipment such as blocks, doll beds, and small pieces of furniture was made for WPA nursery schools. In some localities, toy-lending libraries for underprivileged children were NYA-furnished and maintained" (p. 173). 

Accomplishments of the National Youth Administration (part 1 of 10): Cancer Research

 

(A WPA poster urging early medical care. Compare the spirit of this poster--as well as the spirit of the WPA health clinics for low-income Americans--with the scatterbrained philosophy of President George W. Bush: "People have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room." Image courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.)

According to the Final Report of the National Youth Administration: Fiscal Years 1936-1943, "NYA students at the Medical School of the University of Wisconsin have done unusual work in cancer research. Through centrifugation these young medical students have advanced the knowledge available on cancer by determining the substances in normal tissue which regulate cell growth, either inhibiting or stimulating such growth" (p. 61).

Interestingly, at least one participant of the National Youth Administration went on to become a world renown cancer researcher at the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, at the University of Wisconsin--Madison. See "Memorial Resolution of the Faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Madison on the Death of Professor Emeritus James A. Miller." 

Wouldn't it be nice if we had a National Youth Administration today, to tap into the wasted potential of America's unemployed young adults? See John Hooper's op-ed "Ten Reasons for a National Youth Service" on the website of the Living New Deal. Hooper writes "A NYS would have long-term benefits for both the individual and society."

Living New Deal Map and Newsletter

Above: The Living New Deal (LND) has mapped over 6,000 still-existing sites, structures, and works of art from the New Deal era--and there are many more thousands to add. LND argues that "government can work for all the people by creating useful infrastructure, jobs for the unemployed, and things of beauty like public murals and elegant buildings." Isn't that a more positive philosophy than "tax cuts for the rich" and "trickle-down economics" which result in wealth for the already-wealthy and stagnant wages & shrinking job opportunities for everyone else? See LND's latest newsletter here. Also, consider supporting LND by volunteering, submitting a site to map, donating funds, or spreading the word.

Our veterans need a New Deal, not hypocrisy, not free market fantasies, and not tax evasion

 (Seal of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.)

On Friday, May 23rd, Republican U.S. Senator John McCain wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, "The Scandal That Shadows Memorial Day: The government has failed in its responsibility to veterans. Where is the administration's sense of urgency?"

Republican McCain writes about the recent deaths of veterans, as they languished on alleged secret wait lists at VA medical facilities: "It is...the height of shame and tragedy that on this Memorial Day the nation is seized with the unfolding scandal of the government's failure to meet its highest responsibility to veterans and wounded warriors...This is more than a government failure. It is a violation of a solemn vow. And the buck stops with the president of the United States."

Free Market Utopian Larry Kudlow--former host of CNBC's The Kudlow Report--goes further, writing "The VA problem is not Shinseki; it's socialism." "Market competition" Kudlow evangelizes, "will control costs and more efficiently distribute services. Profit motive, not run-amok bureaucrats, will discipline the system." Kudlow implores us to "Stop the job-destroying tax and regulatory provisions." Kudlow's piece is a humorous and rich amalgam of right-wing talking points.

 ("Here comes the bogeyman," by Goya. Larry Kudlow, and others, always invoke the bogeyman of "Socialism!" when government falters; and then they try to convince us that the "profit motive" and the billionaire "captains of industry" will save us, if we would only surrender our bodies and minds to them. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.)

And what about that profit motive? Hmmm, somehow I recall that playing a role in the tidal wave of white-collar crime that gripped the nation. Mortgage & securities fraud, money-laundering for drug cartels, interest rate rigging, insider trading, cooking the books, illegal tax evasion...all brought about by the holy "profit motive." And Kudlow and other Free Market Utopians want us to trust our veterans to that? Wow.

In any event... 

All across the country, Republicans are pointing their fingers at President Obama, "big government," and Eric Shinseki, the Secretary of U.S. Veterans Affairs--a man they are still very angry with because, back in the day, as a Four-Star General, he wouldn't agree with them that the aftermath of the Iraq War would be a cake walk, requiring a minimal number of troops (see an excellent discussion on this by MSNBC political commentator Rachel Maddow here).

So, are the VA's problems the fault of Obama and Shinseki? Well, the scandal is still unfolding, so we don't know the full story. Perhaps Obama and/or Shinseki have made some mistakes. But there is a deeper problem here, which is this: Republicans, while not reluctant to send our troops into battle, are extremely reluctant to help them when they return. Let's look back at the past 10 years or so, to see how Republican lawmakers have treated veterans, with respect to health care and other issues:

2004

 "Bush plan eyes cuts for schools, veterans" 

(USA Today, 5-27-2004)

2005

"GOP Rejects Added VA Hospital Funds" 

(Los Angeles Times, April 13, 2005)

2006

Republicans vote against legislation that would improve veterans' medical care by closing corporate tax loopholes 

(United States Senate, 3-14-2006)

2007

"The Bush administration plans to cut funding for veterans’ health care two years from now — even as severely wounded troops returning from Iraq could overwhelm the system" 

(Washington Times, Associated Press, 2-12-2007)

2008

"Vets group slams (Republican) McCain on voting record" 

(Army Times, 10-7-2008)

2009

"(Republican Tom) Coburn named as senator holding up vets bill" 

(Marine Corps Times, 11-3-2009)

2010

"Senate Republicans block measure to provide additional benefits to homeless veterans" 

(ThinkProgress, 6-29-2010)

2011

"Republicans plan to end benefits to homeless veterans" 

(Tri-City Herald, 3-11-2011)

2012

"Senate GOP blocks veterans jobs bill" 

(CBS News, 9-20-2012)

2013

"Paul Ryan (R-Wis) Doubles Down On Cutting Veteran Pensions"

(Breitbart, 12-22-2013) (Note: This was a budget deal brokered with Democratic Senator Patty Murray. Senator Murray, like other Democrats, has made bad decisions from time-to-time, in an effort to compromise with Republican and Tea Party politicians.)

2014

"U.S. Senate Republicans block veterans' health bill on budget worry" 

(Reuters, 2-27-2014)

Meanwhile, as all this has gone on, Republicans have continuously pushed for more tax cuts for the rich (see, e.g., "Paul Ryan's Budget Plan: More Big Tax Cuts for the Rich"). Also, thousands of wealthy Americans have engaged in wide-scale tax evasion, depriving the U.S. government of $300 billion in revenue, annually (see "Tax Evasion: The Real Costs" and "Credit Suisse bank charged in helping (22,000) wealthy Americans avoid taxes"). This money could have been used to improve medical care for our veterans but, instead, was illegally hidden away so that thousands of wealthy Americans could enjoy more luxurious lives. To add insult to injury, wealthy Americans are already enjoying historically low tax rates, as pointed out by former top adviser to Ronald Reagan, Bruce Bartlett ("Are Taxes in the U.S. High or Low?").

What does it say about a society when, on the one hand, thousands of wealthy Americans evade taxes while, on the other hand, the soldiers & veterans who served them in uniform are having problems getting proper medical care due to lack of funding (and for those who say, "It's not a money problem!! It's a management problem!!" I would point to the first whistle-blower of this VA scandal who said that underfunding is the main problem). 

Our national morality is rotting away, fueled by greed, political campaign bribes contributions, and a political movement (the right) that associates the common good with "evil socialism!" and fantasizes about a Free Market Utopia where there are no regulations and people will do the right thing because, well, they just will. (In 2009, Free Market Utopian Alan Greenspan said he was in a "state of shocked disbelief" that the big financial institutions misbehaved and did not self-regulate themselves: "A critical pillar to market competition and free markets did break down. I still do not fully understand why it happened." Because, Mr. Greenspan, as James Madison said, "If men were angels, no government would be necessary." (See "Greenspan admits 'mistake' that helped crisis")  

Amidst all this foolishness, it is clear that we need a new and stronger New Deal. Not only for our soldiers & veterans, but also for our national soul.

The Reverse New Deal: Scolding science, embracing ignorance

 

(Congressman David McKinley, R-WV. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.)

On Thursday, May 22, 2014, Republicans in the House of Representatives voted "yes" on a legislative amendment that "would bar the Department of Defense from using funds to assess climate change and its implications for national security." 

The author of the amendment--Congressman David McKinley (R-WV)--wrote: "This amendment will prohibit the costs of the President's climate change policies being forced on the Department of Defense by the Obama Administration. The climate is obviously changing; it has always been changing. With all the unrest around the [world], why should Congress divert funds from the mission of our military and national security to support a political ideology?" 

This is the latest astounding display of ignorance by right-wing politicians. It seems that they are trying to take us back to the days when mankind thought the Earth was flat. To them, science is a "political ideology." 

 

(Image courtesy of Wikipedia.)

According to NASA, "Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree that climate-warming trends over the past century are very likely due to human activities, and most of the leading scientific organizations worldwide have issued public statements endorsing this position." 

(See interesting op-ed by CNN's Carol Costello, "Why are we still debating climate change?")

The Department of Defense--who Republicans are now trying to silence on this issue--recently highlighted the climate change problem in their 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review, writing: "Climate change poses another significant challenge for the United States and the world at large. As greenhouse gas emissions increase, sea levels are rising, average global temperatures are increasing, and severe weather patterns are accelerating. These changes, coupled with other global dynamics, including growing, urbanizing, more affluent populations, and substantial economic growth in India, China, Brazil, and other nations, will devastate homes, land, and infrastructure. Climate change may exacerbate water scarcity and lead to sharp increases in food costs. The pressures caused by climate change will influence resource competition while placing additional burdens on economies, societies, and governance institutions around the world. These effects are threat multipliers that will aggravate stressors abroad such as poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and social tensions – conditions that can enable terrorist activity and other forms of violence."

 

(A WPA poster promoting the study of science. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.)

New Deal policy-makers were not hostile to science and research--indeed, they encouraged it. For example, WPA workers built scientific facilities and assisted in scientific research. But, of course, we're no longer living in the New Deal era. Instead, an era of ignorance has taken hold. One of our two federal legislative bodies has, essentially, told the science community to "shut up." Why? Because Republican and Tea Party politicians are beholden to right-wing millionaires and billionaires who make their fortunes from high-pollution industries. These super-wealthy Americans give gargantuan sums of money to any conservative politician who is willing to protect them from pollution-curbing regulations (see, e.g., "Koch Industries: Still Fueling Climate Denial"). And, sure enough, Congressman McKinley's top industrial campaign contributor is the mining industry. 

Let's not beat around the bush--these conservative climate-change-denying politicians are putting the world in grave danger in return for campaign cash. We are paying a high price now, and our children and grandchildren are going to pay a much higher price in the future.

 Above: The description for this photograph reads, "Atom Smasher (Cyclotron) being constructed at Ohio State University with WPA assistance. Photo shows WPA work on the atom-smasher at Ohio State University." Cyclotrons have been used in physics research and are still used today by the medical community. Photo courtesy of the National Archives and New Deal Network.

 

Above: The description for this photo reads, "California Institute of Technology - The Soil Conservation Service is operating a project, using WPA labor for the purpose of studying erosion and problems bearing on the sedimentation of flowing water. Final results will be of great value in the design of reservoirs and dams to prevent their being filled with silt and which will eventually effect the prosperity of the entire West. The building used for experiments was constructed by WPA. Special apparatus for experiments is made by WPA. The machine shop and material for equipment is supplied by the Department of Agriculture. Photo shows a model constructed by WPA workers for studying the erosion caused by falling water, which occurs at base of gulley control dam." Photo courtesy of the National Archives and New Deal Network.

Above: The description for this photo reads, "WPA Ocean Climate Survey Project at New Orleans. LA - Sponsored by the US Weather Bureau." Photo courtesy of the National Archives and New Deal Network.

 Above: Merriam Laboratory, one of many structures built at Patuxent Research Refuge by WPA workers. Scientists at Patuxent Research Refuge have made important discoveries, such as the effect of DDT on bird eggs and the effect of lead shot on waterfowl. This research has led to important regulations that have protected wildlife and, thus, ensured a healthy game population for outdoor sportsmen. Photo by Brent McKee, 2011.