TARP Nation

How ironic that the initial bailout package from our government was called the Troubled Assets Relief Program (T.A.R.P.) High Country News reminds us that we are fast becoming the Tarp Nation with more and more people having to move into the tent cities that are growing up around the country, building their own tarp covered shanty towns along railroad tracks, near industrial parks with the hope for a possible temp job at minimum wage.. if that.

Did you know that Fresno, where the subjects of the HCN story live, has been labeled the American City with the greatest concentration of poverty? I guess we get a little conceited when we think of California as Silicon Valley, or Santa Monica / West Hollywood / Beverly Hills. In reality it is Fresno, and Sacramento, where their NBA Mayor is embarrassed enough to tear down a T.A.R.P. city since it gives the community a bad image. It is all about the image to some.

We need more voices like that of Green Cathy Deppe, whose shows us how Low-Income Single Moms Struggle to Survive in Recession with No Health Insurance and the only comments come from a Rush Limbaugh clone not embarrassed at all to blame the victims.

Greens have been on the streets protesting the Bush Wars. That time may have been better spent in the T.A.R.P. cities of this state working for economic justice.