14 THE CAROLINA TIMES
SAT.. AUGUST 29, 1981
, MOW HM OKQAMZB
ARB WE GOING TO HIT AND LET BLA CK
cotwiimrm crumble around us?
GRASS ROOTS AND COMflMTY ORGAN,
ZATIONS, USTEMERGETOVRGEA
UNITED EPFORT AGAINST CRIMJIAN-
COTIC TRAFFICKING, BLIGHT AND DECAY. '
NNPA Editorial
Coca-Cola Settlement Does
More Than Avert
Mass Protest
As blacks across this country
were preparing to engage in their
first mass activity in protest of
inequities in the marketplace,
Operation PUSH and the Coca
Cola Company announced a
in which
over $30
million to black business and the
'moral covenant"
Coke will channel
Lowery, president of Dr, King's
organization; the Southern
Christian Leadership .Con
ference; Andrew Young, and
others. At the press conference
announcing the settlement were
Mrs. King, .Rev. Lowery, Hosea
Williams, ' Andrew Young,
Mayor Maynard Jackson, Rev.
tions among those who were
chief lieutenants of Dr. King.
Howeverin. the Coke settle
ment, Rev.. Jackson was. in
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Born in south
CAROLINA. HE WAS THE
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ARTISTfe CONCEPTION ABOVE.
', Spectacles: A Closer Look
Social Security Reform, A Must!-
VslV-".'-.t ';. "' By AdaM. Fisher, M.D., M.P.H.
In a breech of trust with the American
people, Mr. Reagan violated t campaign
pledge in attacking the Social Security
System. Though (he public's outrage has
caused a softening on some points,
nonetheless on one point, Reagan is right
as presently funded, theoretically and
' logically, Social Security funds will not be
able to provide sufficiently for the elderly.
Given this country's ; demography
(population composition) with the elderly
threatening to soar beyond their present
17ft of the total population; the number
of newborns at slightly above replacement
numbers; and three workers now suppor
ting one retiree as opposed to seven sup
porting one thirty years ago, Social
Security Reform Is A Most! f '
No matter how sympathetic we may be
to the plight of the elderly, many have not
understood what Social Security is and
how it functions. Juanita Kreps (previous
Secretary of Commerce) has noted in her
works on the economic plight of the elder
ly, "Social Security is a Pay As You Go
System." This means - that money col
lected from this generation pays the elder-. .
ly of this generation. The money withheld
for social security is neither saved nor in
vested for future retirees. Many of
today's elderly are withdrawing far more
from the system than they paid into the
system. Many are withdrawing from the
system who paid nothing into the system.
And there are also more elderly to draw
from the system than there are working
adults to finance it at its present level. . , . .
For the feneration in the 30-50 age
group, our practice of family planning
has meant there will be fewer workers in
the future to support us in our old age.
Declining school enrollments bear witness
to this' phenomenon. Realistically, taxing
or withholding monies at the present rates
with annual s escalationsmeans : that
workers (taxpayers) are having to sacrifice
the comfort of their own families to con
tinue our increasing support of the elder
ly. More tax payer revolts will follow if
these trends continue unabated.
Proposed Solutions: Tile Reagan Ad
ministration's solutions are both imprac
tical and severely punitive to those af
fected by this system. DUpping the retire
ment age to 70 is the most discriminatory
tactic the young, worker and black worker
black community. TWCir;iV::Martin Luther; Kitm; Sr., Jesse
We applaud thelea&jrs This
itiative taken by Rev. Jesse was a?- "wonderful reunion
Jackson, president of Operation fellowship", in the words of
PUSH, in pressing Coke of- Mrs. King.
ficials to the wall, until they . So, if Dr. King was looking
reconsidered and abandoned through the heavenly clouds on
their previously adamant . posi- the historic setting in his
tion of not moving beyond what hometown of Atlanta, we are
they were presently doing. And , certain he was overjoyed and
that was not acceptable to , proud of those who are follow
PUSH officials who had been in;,' tag in his footsteps to make real
negotiations, with Coke for - that dream he had of a better life
several months. " for all black America,
The settlement was more than We also salute Coca-Cola of
a victory for black i leadership, ficials for coming to tjieir good
but it produced a "mini senses and giving us "a clear in
miracle" in bringing together dicatitjn on the part of a major
the scattered civil rights family American company that
of the late Spr. Martin Luther business can listen and respond
King, Jr. For years, there has to presidential and congressional
notbeenthe:bestofcommunica- actions for tax cut relief, to
regular touch with Mrs. Coretta all elements of society," in the
Scott King, -widow of the slain words of Coca-Cola president
civil rights leader; Rev. Joseph Donald R. Keough.
will face. For workers h means that power 4
in private and public industry can be re
tained by a few for longer periods of time
with a resultant limitation to qualified in
dividuals on their upward job mobility. In
my first "Spectacles' column for The
Carolina Tunes, I detailed how increasing
the retirement age would "railroad" an '
aging black individual who will most like
ly not live long enough to reach retirement
or to collect the benefits heshe paid into
the system. 2) Decreasing the benefits of
those who take an early retirement from
80 to 55 '3) .Coupled with this
decrease in benefits for early retirement,
the current administration : wants to
restrict disability benefits for those who
might retire due to disability. This
blatantly neglects an interpretation of
data showing that many of the workers
who take the early retirement route, do so
because they are disabled. The disability
system, presently in existence almost re
quires that one be blind, crippled, and
crazy simultaneously before they'll rule
one eligible. To restrict it further is to
threaten the public's health by inflicting
cruel and inhumane judgements upon
those who most need our compassion.
Workable Solutions: The only true
equitable economic solution for this na
tion's problems is a proportionate taxing
system which the rich and politically
powerful vigorously oppose. A reform of
the Internal Revenue System (IRS) with
107 federal, 5 state and 5 retirement
and disability (FICA) taxes should be im
posed umformly on all employed in
dividuals without exemptions. This
system would a) be fair for all citizens
without placing the burden on the middle
income group; b) would generate suffi
cient revenues for our expensive tastes by
having all workers the rich, the poor,
and the in-between -r pay taxes uniform
ly, eliminating time consuming accoun
tants, tax lawyers, etc.; and c) would save
billions of dollars annually, by paring
down the size of our' tax collection agen
cies, simplify tax forms, and simplify fil
ing procedures.
Secondly, it is time to eliminate the
preferential retirement system given to
civil servants and military personnel. You
can't say you're opposed to the
bureaucracy without looking at the plush
' benefits civil servants and military person
nel can take that aren't available to those
same citizens who pay for them.. In the
military's need for an expanded budget,
'' over one-third of the people to retire at up
: to two-thirds of their maximum salary for
thirty years of service. This income is
minimally taxed and can be supplemented
through ''double-dipping" jobs which
pay equally as well; ;
Thirdly, all retirement income over
$10,000 or over a basic subsistence level
up to this amount should be taxed except
that derived directly from support.
Fourth, children might be allowed and
encouraged to support their elderly family
members, particularly 1 their parents,
through deductions for amounts given up
to $2,000 per year. Additional allowances
should be given for those who care for the
elderly at home.
Fifth, industry needs to be encouraged
in the development of part-time positions
and "shift" jobs which the elderly,
mothers with small children, the disabled,
and teenagers might perform. This would
allow the elderly to supplement their in
comes and provide employment for those
who need a second income.
Lastly, the disability system needs to be
reviewed. It is not realistic to think that
garbage men can lift those cans 'til they're
70, that assembly line people will continue
to see with the "eagle-eyes" or en
thusiasm of youth, that the seamstress'
fingers will be forever nimble or that the
majority of people will be able to continue
in labor intensive jobs much beyond 60.
Raising the retirement age without look
ing at other job options available to this
group denies the physical realities of ag
ing. Black people wake up! More than any
other group, we as those who will most
likely fill the most labor intensive (back
breaking) jobs, have a stake in all propos
ed changes in retirement legislation. Plan
for the future. Make politicians accoun
table to you and representative of a future
in which we can all participate and do so
while remaining able, Vote, write letters,
and support reforms which distribute the
retirement issue equitably without neglec
ting our elderly who need our support or
without punishing further those already
over-burdened with taxes.
Votings Rights Act Extension:
:hat Can We Dot
By (Congressman Augustus F, Hawkins
I
business, and also to the
message and the promise that
the free enterprise system caii do
more to develop opportunity for
The Voting Rights Act f 1965 has gone
a long way toward achieving the promise
of the 15th Amendment that the right
to vote shall not be denied to any man or
woman because of the color of their skin
or national heritage; Nevertheless, racism
in voting is a problem which racial and
languuage minorities still face when they
endeavor to exercise their right to vote in
this country. . ' . , ,
Yet to hear critics tell it; because of the
success of the Act, its key enforcement
provision could be eliminated or substan-.
Jially watered down without jeopardizing
the gains both racial :, and language
minorities have made. , ! " -
At this point, the fundamental question
we as citizens and -. particularly as
minorities must ask is: of what use is the
right to vote if that right can be sabotaged
by racial'gerrymandering, istd at-large
elections, . suspicious annexations and
other schemes developed for the sole pur
pose of nullifying the electoral strength of
minority voters. .Div"-'''-
Whatever the motivation of those who
oppose the Act's extension, the inevitable
results of such an action will be the denial
of the rights of the black brown and poor
of our nation. V ' ,
While the past sixteen years have seen
the end of the poll tax, literacy tests and
the flat denial by racist authorities of the
right to vote, those who, would deny pro
per ' representation tos blacks and
Hispanics have not been without new. tac
tics; The police dog and the billy club of
yesteryear have given way to artfuj reap
portionment , and manipulation . of
registration laws.
Of specific importance to us at this time
- of critical cutbacks In needed programs
and both rising prices and unemployment
is the right to defeat those Officials who
are responsible for these conditions.
In several southern states, for example,
Congressmen who voted against our in
terest represent Congressional districts in
which the black vote is- the balance of
power sometimes comprising as much
as forty or more per cent of the total. It is
vital that we not allow this vote to be
nullified by failure to extend the Voting
Rights Act.
. Black people in the United States must
realize that it is the responsibility of each
and every one of us to protect the right to
vote for our southern brothers and sisters
and at the same time ourselves.
The call to have the Act applied nation-
Business In The Black
Ford. JFinancing Team Training
200 Get 'Quality Upgrade Program
' By Charles E. Belle
"I was on of the lucky ones," said the
, soul brother in a cowboy .hat at the San
Francisco International Airport, But the
brother wasn't lucky at all he was
smart! Starting back about four months
ago he had joined " Ford Motor
Company's volunteer increase productivi
ty training program. Now he and some
100 other employees at Ford's San Jose,
California Assembly Plant were taking
off on a chartered plane to train for a
week side-by-side with quality upgrade
operators at Ford's Wayne, Michigan
Assembly Plant near Detroit. Doing a bet
ter assembly job in San Jose on the hot
selling Escort and Lynx cars was the goal
of this group of men, women and
minorities. ' , - ' v: "-' :
Over ten per cent of those getting on
board the plane were black Americans.
Destination: Detroit- Task; Training; Ob
jective: More money Maintaining high
quality at the outset of assembling Escort
and Lynx cars in the fall is a firm commit
ment of .these chosen few.
"Each one, teach one," is not news to
families from darkest Africa and ap
parently Ford has found this answer for
all its assembly plant workers. The lesson
learned in Detroit in assembling the extra
high quality Escort and Lynx cars will be
'donated and taught to the remaining San
, Jose plant employees. Every department
in the assembly plant from paint to trim
will be Involved in this higher quality con
trol on Ford's Escort and Lynx cars.
Competition, -mainly the Japanese
manufactured car, is behind this quality
build up at Ford. Robert McOrath, pre
delivery manager at the San Jose plant,
says the strategy has been "six to nine
months in planning" and the "Wayne
(plant) . , ' personnel more than
cooperative."
Comments Lester C. Thuron, professor
Of ; economics ' and management,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
The Japanese have become successful
' not because they have better individual
(Continued on Page 16)
wide is the not so subtle battle cry of those
who seek to warp the true intention of the
act and to so increase the paperwork
overload of the government as to
neutralize or at least severely hinder the
effectiveness of the Act. Such a situation
would not only turn back the clock on
black and minority voting rights, but the
enormous expansion in coverage would be
prohibitively costly. It is ironic and
revealing that the proposal to have every
state covered by the Act is being mouthed
by many who in the same breath call for
reductions in government spending.
The bill to extend the Voting Rights Act
will face its first hurdle in a few weeks
when the House of Representatives will
consider extension of the Act. You can
make a difference in the outcome. If you
believe as I dg that minorities must have,
unabridged access to freely exercise their
right to vote; and if you do not want the
sacrifices of thousands upon thousands of
blacks and minorities to gain the right to
vote to be in vain, then you will let your
elected officials ranging from the Presi
dent, to your t Senator, to your Con
gressman know that you want to Voting
Rights Act extended and even more im
portantly, without crippling amendments.
BRKniBSiZ&l
Edor-PublishaM927.1971 ;
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