Republican hopeful, Newt Gingrich does not like union workers, he says that their wages are too high, and that they should be replaced by non-union children.

Newt Gingrich thinks that child labor laws are stupid, and that children should be forced to work at the earliest age possible.

The plan, as descibed by Newt Gingrich, would entail the laying off of adult workers, and the hiring of school children who could perform their tasks after school.

In his view, the children would have more incentive to go to school, if they were forced to work there. The child laborers would be encouraged to learn and perform general labor jobs, while learning the value of money.

The Republican does not offer when the children will find time to study, eat, and sleep, but they will learn the value of a dollar, and be prepared for a lifetime of menial labor.

Following the Republican’s logic, his supporters may decide that exotic dancers and prostitutes are overpaid, and that child sex laws…as well as child labor laws, are stupid.

The laws were created for a reason, to protect the children, and they are not stupid.

But supporters of Gingrich are stupid and immoral…

… and if they have their way, it could be your underage children who are prostituted for cash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo7ATBHhjCI

http://www.scmidnightflyer.com/newt.html

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/paul-krugman-newt-gingrich-is-a-stupid-mans-idea-of-what-a-smart-person-sounds-like/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMHLyQYMAKk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOKgxm10P-c

Let’s face it: What better time to call for a ‘loosening of the child labor laws’ than immediately before the impending and very costly holiday season.

Allowed to speak unmuzzled at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, he did not disappoint when he stated that “poor children are crippled by core policies of protecting unionization and bureaucratization that enforce child labor laws.”

In real speak what he is saying is that poor children should be allowed to be used and abused as slave labor as they once were in the good old days.

It’s absolutely perfect! While dirty and lazy parents congregate for absolutely no good reason on public property just to annoy the local businesses and force governments to leave important stuff in order to come on over and pepper spray them – their little darlings can be out earning $1.49/Hr. to help contribute to the upcoming joyful holiday festivities. And, won’t it be a great leg-up on the multitudes of other poor children who will – one day – be competing for jobs that might even pay as high as minimum wage! Believe it!

Therefore, it’s vitally important that they learn to show up on time. Never too early for them to learn to stay all day, either!

Clearly, I must have been mistaken all these years in my belief that school taught these exact skills: Show up on time. Stay all day.

I now understand that, no – laboring under the supervision of a janitor or in a factory is sure to teach them far, far more!

Oh, joy to the world! And to you, Uncle Newtie! Always thinking of the best interests of the little people!

Mr. GinGrinch doesn’t want our thanks, though. No. Someway, somehow – he feels he is deserving of our votes!

Those pesky child protection laws have long irked you, haven’t they, Mr GinGrinch? This isn’t the first time that you’ve encouraged their ‘loosening’ – as if they were nothing but a pair of pesky shoelaces. Back in the day when you represented Georgia, wasn’t there was an itsy bitsy, teeny weeny pwoblem with kiddies being used as swlave wabor in factowies? Yes, I believe there was, if I recall correctly.

Weren’t you also fined around, oh, $300,000.00 for forgetting to pay some pesky taxes concerning some silly conflict of interest, as well? Fined by your own party, no less?

And, now – you think you deserve to be president? God Bless America!

Honestly, I’d like to know how this could even become a reality, but, that’s a moot question. Clearly.

So, my next question would be: Has your narcissistic megalomania grown since then to such grandiose proportion that you believe running on a platform that includes reforming the labor child protection laws will now be warmly embraced and supported by the dirty, desperate masses?

With all due respect, Mr GinGrinch: You terrify me!

You do realize you need their votes, don’t you? Don’t YOU?

It won’t matter one iota that Big Business wipes your butt or that you, in return, wipe theirs. It won’t matter if the almighty 1% backs you with the full force of their money, power, and self serving greed.

It won’t even matter that you were brilliant enough to somehow sweep an outstanding balance of a half a million dollars to Tiffany’s – no less – into the incidental column. VERY smoothly done, may I say! Blaming the third wife was a nice touch.

In closing, while we warm ourselves in front of a crackling fire – you in your opulent library and us in front of a barrel on the corner of 5th and Broadway, as it should be – I have just one small request: When you are sitting proudly at the head of your family’s beautiful, ornately decorated dining table this coming holiday season, Mr. GinGrinch – digging the maid-made stuffing out of the ass end of your Grade A Butterball turkey – would you mind terribly doing the rest of the country a huge favor – and attempt to dig your own head out of your own ass at the same time?

Much appreciated!

Happy Holidays!

Child labor was allowed in the 1800’s. Many corporations wanted child labor because it was cheaper. People

also wanted child labor because children had features they were looking for. Some features were that they were

smaller. Some children in the 1800’s would also want to go to factories and work because they need the money

to pay off debts. In the mills it is extremely dusty and dirty. Children get coughs and colds easily because of the

bad breathing conditions. Some things people did to get better working conditions were by protesting and signing

petitions. One person who tried to get better working conditions for children is Lord Ashley.

The Industrial Revolution is a time when manual labor was replaced with machinery. Many manual

businesses ran out of business because things made with machinery were a lot quicker and cheaper. The

Industrial Revolution started in Britain. Soon the Industrial Revolution went all over the world. Some industries in

the Industrial Revolution were clock mills and steal industries. Some key members are John Rockefeller, Andrew

Carnegie, and Eugene Debs. Most of these people started industries that worked with metals and railroads.

A child is considered aperson who is below the age specified by law in general. Information contained in this article, will enlighten understanding of children’s rights as guaranteed by international declarations and how these are violated. As well, it will discuss how these violations can be minimized in the future by various legal and other means.

The  meaning of rights

Rights in general refer to the the privileges a person in society is entitled by customery belevies or moral values or it can be defined in legal terms by statutes, constitution or by international legal covenants and articles. That is, the legal meaning of rights come in to being by national and international legal means. For example, legal rights cannot be given by the law but it must not take away the rights which are given by moral and their customary or or religious means. The United Nations has 30 articles , which refer to certain human rights. They are enforceable human rights. This consists of Civil and Political rights as well Economic and Social rights. They are also applicable to children and children has specific human rights protection as they are in control or supervised by adults.

Exploitation of children

Exploitation means utilization of a person or group for selfish purposes. In the context of children it can take many different forms or types. Most exploitation happens due to the childrens dependability on adults and their physical and mental immaturity. The major forms of children human rights violations come in the form of child labor, sexual abuse, rape, child abandonment, imprisonment, kidnapping, discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity of children, involuntary separation from their families, sexual and physical abuse by teachers and peers.

The problem is that there are millions of children in the world particularly in the third world such as Afganistan and Taiwan are exploited severely and the national and international legal and other bodies are unable to combat such serious human rights violations against children. This is the harsh reality. Human rights protection of children guaranteed by UN declarations are violated seriously and they are not implemented or protected in practice by national and international bodies.

Statistics of Child exploitation

Child exploitation and absue occurs in most part of the world. It happens in developed and developing countries. For example child exploitation occurs in Romania, China, Russia, Taiwan, India, Africa and even in USA.

Children are used as soldiers in Liberia, Uganda, Burma and iin Columbia. According to Amnesty International, 300,000 children is used as soldiers in 40 countries. At least 60 governments recruit chldren as soldiers which includes Austria, Australia, Netherlands, United Kingdom and USA.  These countries legally recruit children aged betwenn 16 and 17 as soldiers.

Forced child labor as farm workers in extremely hazardous conditions, still occurs in El Salvador, Egypt, Ecuador, and USA.

Children affected by HIV?AIDS are exploited and discriminated in India and in Kenya.

Child Sex tourism is becoming a major business in Asia. This hrrofic child exploitation occurs in Sri Lanka, Burma, Taiwan, India, Bangladsh, Nepal, Cambodia and in Vietnam. In Thailand it is amajor problem. In this country over 800,000 children aged between 12 and 16 are involved in this horrific exploitation. As it is a lucrative way to make money in Tourist industry Thailand government is failing to proptect children from sexual exploitation and abuse.

Rights of Children

The specific rights of children came in to being by the folllowing sources. They are as follows:

The Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child 1924.

The Declaration of the Rights of the Child

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights

Statutues and other instruments of specilized agencies and International organization which are concerned about the welfare of children.

Rights oif Children under the UN Convention on the rights of the Child

The child has inherent right to life, right to a name, right to nationality and right to know and be cared by his or her parents.

The child has the right to freedom of expression, thought, conscience and religion as well the right to freedom of association.

The cjild has the right to protection of the law, from arbitary or unlawful interference with privacy, family home or correspondence.

The child has right to benefit from child-care services and facilities.

The child has right to social security benefits, health care services and a decent stanadard of living.

The child has right to liberty, education, to enjoy, profess and practice religion as well its culture and language.

Protection of Children human rights

Motly the protection of children comes from governments enacting statutes in accordance with UN Conventions to protect human rights and how the governments are implementing thse laws. If Governments do not implement these laws the the children rights will be continually violated. UN has only some powers but the non-governmental bodies play a crucial role exposing human rights violation and these fore put pressure on governments as UN can take action against such govenments if possible. The media and donations from public also can have a considerable effect on the protection of human rights issues by activism and exposing the violation and exploitation as well as education of the public in general regarding these issues. In addition inter governmental arrangements and inter govenmental relationships ar also crucial to punish criminals in these areas of crime.

As discussed above, if the rights of children to be protected concerted action by governments and non-government agencies and the general publlic awareness and activism is necessary if in the future to minimize the improve the child exploitation in the world. Economic development and also poverty reduction is also necessary to combat these hrrific human rights violations in ther world.

Two countries that continually prevail in the mistreatment of workers and child labor are Nepal and Kazakhstan.  In both of these countries forced labor as well as child labor is utilized in all their main exports, which help fuel both countries economy, making them extremely dependent on their current labor processes (U.S Department of Labor, 2009).

Nepal’s main exports are bricks, carpets, embroidered textiles, and stones and do in fact have a law that was instated to protect child laborers that unfortunately is rarely enforced.  The law states that the minimum working age is 14 years old; the maximum amount of hours a minor between 14-16 years old can work is six with a thirty-minute break after three hours and should never be forced to work.  However, because education is not mandatory mix with the amount of poverty in the country, children do not have to attend school and are normally put to work at home, their families businesses or even aid their household income by working at coalmines, textile factories, quarries, house servants, and so forth.  This young working class can be as young as ten years old and even though it is against Nepalese law, it is ignored due to the countries conditions, poverty, war and other environmental factors.  Currently the civil war between the Nepalese Royal Army and the Maoist Guerillas continues to increase casualty rates, this includes the death of children and adults alike.  Many children have lost one or more of their parents from the war, where they become orphans or than depended on to make ends meet.  (Real Nepal Child Labor, 2010).

Kazakhstan has two main exports, which are cotton and tobacco, some of the workers in the mills and fields age range start as early as 10 years of age.  The Republic of Kazakhstan Constitution states in Section 46 – 1 That fourteen is the minimal age and is limited to a 24 hour work week and those 16 – 18 years old can only work 36 hours a week, additionally it also states that heavy manual labor or harmful conditions cannot exceed 36 hours per week (Nazarbayev, 1999).  Although, these laws exists they are rarely enforced, especially in the tobacco fields, with one of the big business being Phillip Morris a lot of families and workers alike depend on the businesses presence even though forced labor and child labor laws are ignored due to poverty and the country’s weak economy (Solash, 2010).

The ramifications of conducting business in the two mentioned countries before they mature into a stronger nation is just aiding in the already prevalent corruption.  As money made through exporting will not be absorbed by the workers but the agencies and organizations, which will either pocket the profit or use it to hire more laborers instead of build on the ones they have.  The laborers are in a hopeless paradox, if they do not work, they do not make ends meet, and they as well as their family will starve.  If they rally up, they will most likely be shot, leaving a position open for a new worker.  The bus company that transport the workers four times a month, bully and threaten anyone that has tried to introduce personal vehicles, where the issue was dropped.  Due to cartels, organized corrupted agencies and government officials who are paid a tax as well as other fees by the foreign companies operating there, where it has become more lucrative to keep the poor, poor (Jha, 2011).  Another main ramification is the horrible press a company can receive for condoning labor violations, causing legal issues on the home front as well as a decrease in revenue due to consumer boycotting.

If the business community could, in some way operate in these foreign countries, where they can practice and enforce human rights as they do in their home countries.  By isolating workers from the rest of the countries, corruption by building a base that had all the facilities that a community needed as well as supply school, figure in ways to retain employees and build loyalty.  The people can in time, pull themselves away from poverty by putting an end to corruption.  As a large portion of the workforce in the countries will be more apt to obtaining a job through the foreign conglomerates, which in time will suck the profits from the cartels and deteriorate their power.  This can help shift the power to the people of these countries and hopefully a new and just government through education.  In the end, this will also help in eliminating over-charged tariffs and exporting fees.

 In conclusion, child and forced labor violations is a worldwide issue, in some way or another when dealing with a foreign country their economy and political stability can ultimately cost a company a lot of money by having to pay the price of corruption, or from the results of revolt and war.  By either boycotting the countries altogether or by aiding the people the legal standards will eventually be raised as the lower class raises up either from help or from just having enough.

References

Jha, A. (2011, May 22). The Cost of Doing Business in Nepal. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from My Republica Web site: http://archives.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=31543

Solash, R. (2010, July 16). Tobacco Workers In Kazakhstan Face Exploitation, Child Labor. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty Web site: http://www.rferl.org/content/Exploited_Tobacco_Workers_Child_Laborers_In_Kazakhstan_/2101903.html

Child Labor in U.S. History. (2010). Retrieved July 18, 2011, from Child Labor Public Education Project Web site: http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/laborctr/child_labor/about/us_history.html

Nazarbayev, N. (1999, December 10). The Republic of Kazakhstan Constitution. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from International Labour Organization: NATLEX Database Web site: http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/WEBTEXT/55770/65190/E99KAZ01.htm#c4

Real Nepal Child Labor. (2010). Retrieved July 18, 2011, from Nepal Vista Web site: http://www.nepalvista.com/realnepal/child.php

‘U.S. (2009). The Dept. of Labor’s list of goods produced by child labor or forced labor: Report required by the trafficking victims protection reauthorization acts of 2005 and 2008. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from Department of Labor Web site: http://www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/ocft/PDF/2009TVPRA.pdf

                                Protecting the natural abundances of resources should be of huge concern to developing nations. One of the greatest assets developing nations hold is the fact that they are undeveloped and still have access to a vast amount of their natural resources and agricultural lands. But as a result of being in debt from unreturned aid, developing nations are encouraged to produce cash crops, the two major ones being coffee and cocoa. Many farmers of developing countries will only mono-crop their chosen cash crop which often is not a subsistence crop; this forces many farmers to spend money on food that they could have been farming. In order for a developing nation to break away from the dependency they have on Multinational Corporations, farmers must begin producing a large range of different crops. By not putting all of their eggs in one basket farmers can begin to independently support themselves. Furthermore, by setting up bartering deals to trade crops and goods with other farmers, citizens of developing countries can begin to contribute to the economy independent of money and independent of the MNC’s. In order to break apart even more LLD’s need to begin producing manufactured goods and limiting the amount of raw resource exportation.

                                In general Least Developed Countries operate under the first level of industry; this being fishing farming forestry and mining. The first level of industry however provides the smallest amount of income. Instead of exporting large quantities of natural resources for relatively small amounts of income developing nations should focus on keeping their resources in the country and converting them into manufactured goods. Manufacturing is the second level of industry and produce much higher profits. With a limitation on raw resource exportation and a more focused approach towards manufacturing products, undeveloped nations will benefit their economy dramatically. By creating initiative towards manufacturing self generated resources small businesses and enhanced trading opportunities will be presented over time and this could eventually lead these nations into the tertiary and quaternary levels of industry being sales and services and research and development respectively. Not happening over night of course but over time this could reduce and eventually diminish the dependency for job opportunities from the MNC’s that undeveloped nations currently depend on. Despite these economical developments without a fundamental educational background people will continue to manipulate ignorant individuals.

                Child Labour is one of the major issues that set back developing countries. By emitting children early on to the work force a nation is preventing children from receiving proper education. Moreover children are being robbed of their childhood and necessary leisure. Despite the obvious lack of formal education children may begin to mentally deteriorate from being over worked; this does not nurture a child into a healthy adult. With improperly educated youth LLD’s suffer from uneducated adults which limit advancements into higher level industies and make a society more susceptible to dependency. By removing child labour and gradually introducing mandatory education programs for children there will be a reduction in the amount of labour intensive jobs and an increase in jobs centered on healthcare, waste management, water facilities and trading relations. Beyond conventional educational methods children in LLD’s need to be educated in cultural aspects of their heritage. These include learning how to grow food for themselves and how to preserve the land they live on. With a properly educated youth future generations will see change in old lifestyles; one free from MNC’s destroying land and plundering resources.

                There are definitely alternatives for the Least Developed Countries to avoid being plundered by Multinational Corporations. It is most certainly not a simple endeavour but to state that developing countries have no other choice is wrong. For many people giving up instant gratification to look into the betterment of the future is something very difficult for most people. When this expectation is purposed to citizens of an underdeveloped nation where having food on the table every night would be a luxury, looking into the future becomes quite difficult. If an underdeveloped nation were to do its best in following the reduction of mono-cropping cash crops, limiting the export of raw materials, promoting the manufacturing of products and abolishing child labour the results would be impeccable. Idealistic as it seems, if you asked any individual living in an impoverished nation if they would want their child to live the same life that they have; I can personally guarantee you that they would say…no.

    Your Republican based State Government has put forth radical proposals that will make college education unaffordable and inaccessible to many of your peers. To make matters worse, your Republican dominated State Government has colluded with leaders of other states to lower the minimum wage, increase the out sourcing of domestic jobs, break the unions, and privatize public service jobs, therefore raising the cost of living while lowering the  standard of living.

     Your Republican Government promises to cut taxes by laying off police, and firefighters, who are supposedly overpaid for their efforts. Your Republican leaders wish to privatize your public school system, to the purpose of replacing it with expensive charter schools.

    As your work hours disappear, and your wages fall, the price of your food, fuel, education, and public services will increase. As your firemen and police become scarce, the crime in your community will increase.

   There is not much that you or your peers can do to stop your Republican government from stealing your education, your wages, and possibly your life, but there is one way you can send a strong message.

    For the last few years your rivers have flooded. You and your friends have been asked to sandbag the banks. The youth of North Dakota have responded, valiantly, without hesitation. You are well known, and your charitable work is well documented. You do it for your community. You do it for your family and your state. You do it for the elderly, and the infirm. You do it for the wealthy Republican bastards who sit in their houses and watch you save their homes, free of charge.

    The flood is coming, and with it follow desperate pleas from people who are stealing your future.

    How will you respond?

    They are relying on your good nature, your valor, your sense of community, while they are keeping everything they can for themselves.

    How will you respond?

   They want YOU to protect THEIR investments.

     How will you respond?

    They want to lower your wages, limit your education, and exploit your good will.

    How will you respond?

    The flood is coming, and you will be asked to work for free. You will be asked to donate YOUR time and YOUR muscle to defend and protect those who are stealing from you. You will be asked to work for free (again) for people who will pay you next to nothing.

    The flood is coming, the call will follow. When you get the call, name your price. Charge them for your work. Make them pay for your services. If they don’t want to pay, let the flood have its way. Let the cheap elitist freeloaders drown in their own greed and treachery.

   That is just a suggestion. Your conscience will dictate your actions, or lack thereof.

I was observing him while I was waiting for my bus. He was offering fruits to passers by shouting in his child’s voice “Orange, orange.. Apple, apple!”.  A woman approached him and offered him a box of donuts. He looked surprised. He looked up to that person with wide eyes, shifting his look to that of shyness. She prodded him to get the box of donuts. He asked with eyes wide, almost in disbelief, “for me?” The person smiled saying “Yes!”  He got the box from her, ran away and was gone from sight.

As I was sitting inside the bus, I saw him sitting on a chair. He was talking to one of his friends. He was smiling and was looking around. He was apparently looking for the person who gave him the box of donuts and smilingly pointing her to his friend. 

Sometimes we do not realize that our act of kindness can bring immense joy to others even if we do not think of it as something extraordinary. We might give away our excesses for our own comfort. The recipients of it, however, treat it is as a happy moment for them. A happy memory anchors one’s ability to face life’s challenges or pursue a dream.

On the other hand, some people show act of kindness for publicity stunts. They want to be seen in a good light. The result might be the same for those who received it but it might lead one to become egoistic about their charitable actions. In the end, they are just fooling themselves.

Note:

 The author saw the boy in the bus terminal in one of her travels in May 2008.

THE employer of 17-year old Kevin Mabunga, one of the 10 construction workers who heartbreakingly died at the tragic accident at Eton Greenbelt Residences in Makati City in January 27, 2011, could be held legally responsible once found violating the law concerning the eradication of the worst forms of child labor, also known as R.A. 9231 according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

DOLE spokesperson and Labor Communications Office (LCO) director Nicon Fameronag, “The employer of Kevin would be liable, if found guilty, under Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9231, and not under R.A. No. 7610 as earlier reported.”

The initial investigation conducted by the DOLE disclosed that Kevin was still a minor who should not be working at the Eton Greenbelt Residences construction site where he and nine co-workers passed away, according to Fameronag.

He said, “R.A. No. 9231, which amended R.A. 7610 to provide for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor and afford stronger protection for the working children, prohibits the employment of youth below 18 years old in hazardous workplaces like construction sites.”

Labor official mentioned the earlier order of DOLE secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz regarding the task force that has been created to investigate the Eton tragedy which is preparing action plans on how to make concerned establishments and employers be accountable, comprising raising public consciousness about occupational health and safety standards and general labor standards.

DOLE cited that it is clearly stipulated in Section 12-D of R.A. 9231 that no child must be engaged in the worst forms of child labor referring to work that is hazardous and harmful to the health, safety or morals of children. This constitutes work which is done underground, underwater, or at dangerous heights; or work that exposes the child to physical danger; or which requires the manual transport of heavy loads; or is performed in an unhealthy environment, thereby exposing the child to hazardous working conditions, elements, substances, extreme temperatures, noise, or vibrations.

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Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr

The said law also indicated that any individual who violates the aforementioned provision shall be penalized of a fine not less than P100,000 but not more than P1 million, or imprisonment, or both.

It is, likewise, specified in the abovementioned law that an establishment found to have violated it shall be right away closed if the violation resulted in the death, insanity or severe physical injury of a child employed in such firm.