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The Augusta News-Review - April 28, 1977 -
Walking With Dignity
By AL IRBY
Black Leader Making Good
in South America
Most of the former English colonies are ruling themselves very
satisfactorialy. If all the bad things sard about Idr Amin and hrs
Ugandan country is true, then the big man stands on the negative
end of the spectrum with mighty Nigeria on the positive end. Last
week this column talked about little Gambia, so this week we will
b» exploring our Black cousin in South America, Guyana, whtch
e, the only Black republic on the South American continent. It
has been just over a decade since Guyana gained independence
from Britain, and seven years since F orbes Bumham, a Black man
wrestled the government from Cheddi Jagan, a self-sty led Marxist
Bumham has established a rather controversial type of
democratic socialism, a term now made popular by Michael
Manley, Prime Minister of Jamacia. Bumham had promised that
his brand of socialism would not be a carbon copy of any
country, but rather a system adapted to Guyana’s needs. Now he
is charting a new course for his country and has become a
prominent Third World leader. He has stuck to his avowed
policies in defiance of hints that the United States was not about
to tolerate another Cuba in its backyard. Under Bumham s
socialism, unemployment has been drastically reduced from its
high of 22 percent to less than seven percent, primarily because
of various government programs to find jobs for all able-bodied
men and women.
One such program is self-help whereby people build their own
schools, houses, health and community centers, police stations
and sea defenses with government providing food, materials and
technical assistance. In 1972 Bumham set an ambitious program
to feed, clothe and house all Guyanese by 1976, after banning
importation of several hundred items. The outflow of currency
and gold was also restricted and licenses were needed for purchase
of many items ranging from newsprint to automobiles. The golas
were not totally accomplished but poultry, meat and vegetable
production was doubled during this period. Cotton production
got into swing again for the first time since Guyanese labored as
slaves on cotton plantations. Construction of textile mills have
begun. Similar gains were made in housing and manufactured
goods.
RASH OF NATIONALIZATIONS
The biggest setback to the program was double digit inflation
aggravated by increase in oil prices. Usually heavy rainfall in 1975
"GOING
PLACES"
By Philip Waring
Frank Yerby’s Visit Home
Offers Wonderful Opportunity
For Fellowship And Image Expansion
The forthcoming visit to Augusta by internationally famous
novelist, Frank Yerby, offers a wonderful opportunity for both
Paine College and the Augusta community for fellowship and
expansion of image. This would be based on his rr nL, r< cts and
early educational training at Haines and Paine, coupled with his
many laudable achievements since his 1937 graduation from
Paine College.
This visit should be utilized by the entire community - Paine
Benjtintin
lioitlis
FC<
CoMMtSStO Mil
The Gruesome Past
Exact details are lost in the hazy distance of the past that is so
littered with similar gruesome incidents that memory is simply
boggled.
But it was, 1 recall, one of those tense moments when the
sheriffs police joined the FBI in dragging one of Mississippi’s
muddy ponds for the body of a Black whom it was believed had
been trussed, weighted and tossed into the water by his Ku Klux
Klan lynchers.
A crowd of local hayseed stood around as the TV panned the
scene. ” Y Gawd," crackled a local character straight out of
Erskine Caldwell’s God's Little Acre or Tobacco Road, slapping
his thigh. “Ya wanna nr >d that nigger? Jes' throw a welfare check
out there. He’ll shore raise right up." the crowd guffawed.
He was typical example of the poor inequitable economy -- he
was thin, an adam’s apple bobbing his turkey neck, and obviously
suffering from hookworm and malnutrition.
It was a small cruel vignette, set in a crudely grim context of
bitter battle for civil rights waged in the south in the 1960 s in
general and in Mississippi in particular.
But it illuminates a mistaken notion held by too many of
the nation’s white majority and curiously, by a large number of
Blacks, themselves: that Black people are the chief (some folks
believe, the only) recipients of welfare in this country.
More, it Connotes a character flaw peculiar to this benighted
race, and not at all the fault of a system that for more than 300
years systematically held them in physical, social and economic
bondage. But the latter is another story.
I want to deal at this point purely in figures and percentages in
respect to who receives welfare. And the figures and percentages
are not mine. They are noted financial columnist Sylvia Porter’s,
whose column, Your Money ’s Horth is widely syndicated in this
country.
She writes: “Q. Is the typical familv that’s receiving welfare
today, and thereby placing such a burden on all taxpayers, white
or Black”? “If you’re one of America’s millions of middle-income
taxpayers, you probably immediately thought ‘Black’.
You’re wrong. The typical family on welfare is white, not
Black, with 2.8 million white families receiving public assistance
at the latest reporting date, 1974, as against 15 million Black
families.
Ms. Porter acknowledges that “the error is common. In a
recent issue of Business Week Magazine, the cover story- was titled
The S6O Billion Welfare Failure’. The covet picture introducing
Page 4
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by a drought in 1976 also adversely affected tire country’s main
agricultural crops-sugar and rice-and caused exports to fall.
Government subsidy keeps prices of many essentials to the
minimum. For example, flour sells for 16*/2 cents per pound in
Guyana, 64 cents in Trinidad and 94 cents in Barbados; cooking
oil, 89 cents per pint in Guyana, $1.23 in Trinidad and 99 cents
in Barbados; rice, 13 cents per pound in Guyana, 32 cents in
Trinidad and 52 cents in Barbados; mixed fish, 35 cents a pound
in Guyana, 80 cents in Trinidad and $1.90 in Barbados according
to recent surveys. Over 80 percent of the economy is controlled
by government following a rash of nationalization of business
ranging from gas stations to foreign-based multi-national
companies. It started with a Canadian owned bauxite company in
1971 and culminated in 1976 with British-based Bookers with
over 25 subsidiaries in Guyana. These companies engaged in
almost every activity except running funeral homes dated back to
the origin of British colonialism. Bookers will receive $102.5
million for its assets.
MINI-SOCIALIST
Bumham has engineered CARICOM, an economic Caribbean
community which gave land to Afro-Americans and financial and
moral support to freedom fighters in Southern Africa, even when
there was no sign that the Portuguese stranglehold would break.
Bumham has close ties with socialist as well as Western countries.
Opposition leaders, Cheddi Jagan, a self-styled Marxist--has
resolved to “critical support” for Bumham’s government as
Bumham continues to make him look like a counterfeit socialist.
Under Bumham, Guyanese are not going to the moon, but they
aren’t starving either. If the present trend in economic
development continues, Guyana which has been upgraded to
middle income status by the United Nations, will be on the road
to real success. Most Blacks in America know very little of this
thriving English-speaking country headed by a knowledgeable
Black statesnan
THE ONE CENT LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX SAG A
This was an unnecessary piece of subtle Pork Barrel
referendum disguised to confuse. It only hurt the poor, the
disadvantaged and the aged, and believe it or not, we heard not a
word from Black elected officials, and it is their constituents that
hurt most.
College Family, civic and religious organizations. Chamber of
Commerce coupled with the communications media -- in saluting
a returned native son who has wrought history-making
contributions in literature. He is a world figure and let’s use it to
Augusta’s advantage.
One question raised is “How will the communications media
treat Frank Yerby?”. During his last visit Frank indicated to Dr.
Ike Washington, his classmate and friend, elation at advances
made in physical and human advances in Augusta. He also
expressed concern at lack of progress, especially in the area of
inner-city housing, as noted by the conditions of Eighth Street
where he was bom and his relatives still live. This one remark was
taken out of context and highlighted raising negative waves where
none should have been. (As I type this column 1 have before me
several editorials from both the Chronicle and Herald complaining
of the lack of progress in Augusta.) This is a nation of First
Amendment and free speech where everyone should be able to
give the pro and con on any issue.
Here in the News-Review we plan several features including a
historic picture of the Yerby Family made years ago and a
“Blacks Who Helped Build Augusta” column on the contributions
of the Smythe and Yerby Families.
EXCELLENT VOTER REGISTRATION PLANS BY NAACP
Last week I was delighted to read NAACP President Joe Jones’
article stating that his organization would launch a timely Voter
Registration campaign during May. Mr. Jones, one of the
progressive young leaders of Augusta, has brought forward a
useful idea which should aid Augusta in may ways.
ANDY YOUNG PRAISED
Note the praise gven Ambassador Young by a group of
professionals recently.
the story showed a collage of food stamps, ragged blue jeans,
medicine -- and a painting of a Black mother with two children
accompanied by a silhouette of a man. ...
Thus, scapegoatism with Blacks as the object, is aided and
abetted consciously or unconsciously by the media. Ms. Porter
quotes an expert Carolyn Shaw Bell, professor of economics at
Wellesley College, who gives two reasons as to why so many
Americans believe there are far more Black welfare recipients
than whites: , ,
(1) Percentages, “most people simply do not understand them,
so as a result from erroneous pictures and conclusions m their
own minds based on figures they read but do not fully
understand”, and ...
(2) racism. “There is a lot of unexpressed racism in this
country,” she says.
But the figures: Poor white families outnumber Blacks by more
than two to one. Among poor families headed by women, more
Black mothers (22 percent) work and earn income than do white
mothers (6 percent.) It follows, Ms. Porter quotes Ms. Bell, that
the bulk of aid to dependent children recipients is white.
Many people, Black as well as white, read for instance, that a
far larger percentage of Blacks are poor in this county man
whites (the evidence is there to see. as well). In 1975, 27.1
percent of Black families had incomes that fell below the poverty
line compared to only 7.7 percent of white families. If you're
Black, no doubt about it, your chances of being poor are far
greater in this country.
However, the total number of poor white families in 1975 was
far greater (3.8 million) than that of poor Black families (1.5
million), Ms. Porter points out. In July, 1975, 4.4 million
households participated in the food stamp program - 62 percent
white households and only 36 percent Black.
White families outnumbered Blacks as recipients of Aid To
Families with Dependent Children, according to an HEW, May,
1975 study: three million families received this assistance -- 1.7
million whites; 1.5 million Black.
In other family type transfer income: unemployment
compensation, government employee pensions, veterans benefits
-- more whites than Blacks were recipients. In 1974, almost 10
million white families received payments of this type. Ms. Porter
reveals, against fewer than one million Blacks. Black family
income was $1,721 as against $2,113 white family income gained
from these forms of income maintenance benefits.
Welfare reform debates will be, as she correctly points out,
“bitter and prolonged” on Capitol Hill and across the country.
But the debates won’t be helped by continuing the phony myth
that Blacks are the principal recipients of the weighty welfare
burden shouldered by a disgruntled middle-class taxpayer.
A save
/g\ AUGUSTA
SCLC
Time For Community Action.... Now
THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOTPROTECTUS ANO
IP THE POLICE CANNOT, IT FOLLOWS THAT EL AC If u
CITIZENS MUST PROTECT THEMSELVES.
CANNOT WAIT UNTIL
DISCRIMINATION ENDS te'
BEFORE WE RID OUR
COMMUNITIES OF CRIME. ju W >
WE CAN NO LONGER M ■
EXCUSE CRIME BECAUSE yjjrf B >
OF SOCIETY*! INEQUITIES,. ]
WE STAND MENACED BY A
OUR OWN KITH AND RIN-
IT IS INCONCEIVABLE
TOME THA T WE WHO HAVE & fl
PREVAILED IN SPITE OF 1
THE BARBARISM OF WHITE flfcjg. ■
PEOPLE SHOULD IN THE
LAST QUARTER OF THE
CENTURY STAND AS WM 9
MUTE SPECTA TORS i fIHHf
TO OUR DOOM!' Z flft Ts Igl
ORDE COOMBS I ■/-/. IB
-sEf Hv r » K> '**
TO BE EQUAL
By Vernon E. Jordon Jr.
Tax Credits Help Poor
There’s a little known feature of the current tax law that
provides for federal cash payments to supplement the income of
low-income wage-earners, but many don't take full advantage of
it.
The earned income credit provides for a special payment, or
credit, of up to S4OO for families whose earnings are below
SB,OOO. The credit applies even to those whose income is so low
they aren’t required to file a tax return. That’s why many of the
families whose earnings are very low haven’t filed for the credit.
It’s not automatic -- the government won’t mail out checks
unless a return is filed and the credit claimed. And even if the
April 15 tax deadline has passed, late returns can be filed and the
credit applied for.
Many families on welfare are eligible, and under the law, the
credit must be disregarded in determining the cash grant for
recipients of Aid to Dependent Children. A regular tax refund
might affect ADC eligibility for one semi-monthly period, but the
credit does not.
If your income was under SB,OOO last year and you haven’t
already filed for your earned income credit, do so now. Call the
Internal Revenue Service office nearest you for
information. The earned income credit is more than a welcome
extra assistance to low income families. It establishes a basic
principle that should be at the core of future federal efforts to
provide a restructured income maintenance system to replace the
fragmented welfare system. That principle is the use of the tax
system to provide income maintenance assistance. By providing
for an earned income credit, the Congress has determined a
national responsibility to assist low income families through a
direct cash payment, and has identified the tax system as the
most efficient means to do so.
This should be the first step toward a national income
maintenance system based on a universal refundable credit
income tax. Such a system would extend the earned income
—| thf
O POWER
O the
<&GUORY
x ßy Dr. G E.A. Toote
New Budget Concept
Most businesses, governments and even homes use the
traditional budget formula of devising consistent spending levels
for re-occuring expenses.
Let’s assume you have been intending, and trying to stop
smoking. Yet, every week when you go to the grocery store you
carry the same basic list for purchase. Items that vary from week
to week are added, on the way to the market.
OLD RISK
Chances are when you leave the check out counter, your usual
purchase of cigarettes will be in the grocery bag. You chuckle and
remember that you forgot not to buy the cigarettes.
This happens to government and business also. They get
accustomed to standard expenses, and budgeting for them
becomes automatic.
NO RE-EVALUATION
The reason why the item appeared on the budget may be
forgotten. The continued expense need is not re-evaluated, and
new products, possibly cheaper or better are never considered.
COSTLY CONFUSION
This is an over-simplification of the growing budget problem,
that is real and costly to government. It is one of the reasons
there is a proliferation of programs for the same services
emulating from various agencies.
The public is confused and does not know which agency to
apply to for assistance. The funds are so spread out that
administration is not cost effective, and in some instances the
program no longer has merit.
ZERO BASED BUDGETING
Zero based budgeting may be a tool to reduce government
credit to all people, with die basic grant set at a figure high
enough for basic needs. Then the grant cou! ■ b> taxed away from
high income families by setting a basic i.? rate lor all and
eliminating all exemptions and dedm •
The net result would be a national ''linitimm tandard for all in
need, that is universal, without n-?a:>s test: and work
requirements that segregate the poor from the rest of the
population.
Another step on the road toward making the tax system work
better would be adoption of an idea 1- 3rd W'ith increasing
frequency in Washington substituting a tax credit for
the current exemptions in the tax code. At present, a taxpayer
can take a $750 exemption foi himself and for each dependent.
That applies to everyone, but it actually means more to upper
income people.
For example, a $750 exemption for som one in the 50 percent
tax bracket means a tax savings of $325. But for someone in a
lower income bracket, the real savings are less if you are in the
20 percent tax bracket, the exemption is worth only $l5O.
There’s no justification for that kind of favoritism for upper
income families. If, instead of an exemption, there was a tax
credit of $l5O, then everyone would get tl reatment and
derive the same benefit
The tax credit is an idea whose time has conic More and more
Americans at all income levels are frustrated by the way the tax
system works to favor high income families at the expense of the
rest. The earned income credit has opened a breach in those walls
of unfairness, and now a tax credit to replace exemptions will
widen it further. Step by step, we’re coming to the realization that
the tax system can redistribute income more efficiently and
without the red tape of the welfare svstem. And we’re also
getting to the point where national acceptance of the importance
of reforming both the tax system and the welfare system will
finally bring us adoption of the universal refundable income tax.
spending, and the hidden funded projects that only politicians
and their friends are aware
It annually requires dividing the budget into specific functions,
with program priorities ranked in terms of value and need.
EMPLOYMENT EFFECT
Consistent dropping of old programs, and the adding of new
ones will not adversely' effect government employees. A stable
number can be maintained by ‘ransfrunng pci nnel from closed
programs to new ones.
This allows an effective use of manpower, ai d may reduce the
present tendency of federal mploiees ' be bored and
complacent in job attitude. because f(• .■ :t ineffectiveness
and bureaucratic refusal to encourage • ' a r d improvement.
IMPLEMENTATION
More than 100 major coroprarions h;iv iccepted this new
budgeting concept. We can expect Prt ' arter to implement
zero based budgeting in fiscal 1979 ,: e ’ mu... .
Black Americans would do we’ to follow program
implementation closely, and be prepared to justify the
continuation of those programs that : in out best interestjand
be prepared to secure employment in this new procedure of
accounting.
£ THE AUGUSTA NEWS-REVIEW
Mallory K. Millender .Editor-Publisher
v Frank Bowman General & Advertising Manager
••• Al Irby . . .News Editor ;l
Mary Gordon . Circulation ! I
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