November 13, 2000
A bill making it a felony to disclose information about government “secrets” to “unauthorized” persons has been approved by the House and Senate, with little debate and no open hearings, and sent to President Clinton for approval.
The measure calls for criminal penalties for anyone who “knowingly and willfully discloses or attempts to disclose any classified information.” Government employees convicted would face a three-year prison sentence. This so-called anti-leak measure was requested by the CIA and drafted with assistance from the Justice Department.
The executive branch has unilateral authority to define what information should be classified. The government currently classifies about 8 million documents each year. This includes nearly all cables from U.S. embassies, even when they contain just summaries of the local newspapers.
November 14, 1975
People across the country overwhelmingly reject President Ford’s vindictive “hands off” attitude toward the New York crisis. Workers are well aware that the problems in New York could soon hit their own communities. Attacks are being carried out in virtually every city and state.
U.S. House and Senate bills agree that a federally appointed board should be given superpowers to run the city. The board could end all rent controls, lay off workers, impose new taxes, and void union contracts in order to cut wages and pensions. Capitalist politicians also all agree that the federal government must come to the aid of the banks if New York cannot pay them.
For working people the crucial question is how to protect their standard of living whether or not New York defaults. In this they will get no help from the Democrats and Republicans.
November 13, 1950
First returns on the Nov. 7 elections, incomplete in most cases, point to the highest vote ever given to the candidates of the Socialist Workers Party.
In New York State, where the SWP ran for five statewide offices, returns have been released only on the vote in New York City. Joseph Hansen, candidate for U.S. Senator, headed the list with 13,135 votes there. Michael Bartell, for Governor, was credited with 12,065, Harry Ring, for Comptroller got 9,692.
These figures represent heavy increases over the SWP vote in 1948 and 1949. In 1948 the Dobbs-Carlson ticket got 2,249 votes in New York City.
Surpassing the 1948 vote this year is all the more significant for two reasons: 1. The witch-hunt atmosphere in American political life has grown greatly in the last two years. 2. In 1948, the SWP was on the ballot in 11 statewide contests, but only 4 this year.