The N30 rally and march last Saturday at Westlake Mall was largely peaceful, in spite of the overwhelming police presence, which included lines of cop cars circling Westlake, paddy wagons, a double phalanx of bicycle cops that rode on either side of the march, ranks of night-stick wielding cops posted at every freeway entrance, cops in riot gear standing elbow-to-elbow in front of NikeTown and Old Navy, and a waist-high bull-pen erected around the entire Westlake Mall south of the carousel. It was overkill, disgusting in the amount of waste involved in paying overtime to cops with nothing to do, who looked positively comical in their earnestness. The 300 or so demonstrators were in a good mood, laughing, waving signs and banners, beating home-made drums, and, thank goodness, shouting some new chants. And they made all the connections between globalization, poverty, and exploitation clear, from "No more sweatshops!" to "Stop the US war machine, from Palestine to the Philippines." Even the Seattle Times got the message this time.--Maria Tomchick

Among the hoopla over passage of the bill to create a new Homeland Security Department, the media overlooked another bill passed a couple of weeks ago. The Terrorism Insurance bill is a $100 billion subsidy to the insurance industry which guarantees to pay, over the course of the next three years, 90% of future terrorism-related claims with taxpayer funds. Backers of the bill claimed that large construction projects all over the country ground to a halt because builders couldn't get access to cheap terrorism insurance. Of course, they gave no specific examples of projects stalled for lack of insurance coverage. And, naturally, no one pointed out that the sinking economy and high office vacancy rates are the most likely cause for the slowing pace of commercial construction. But in the wake of September 11 the insurance industry (which is, itself, a form of legalized extortion) has been jacking up rates on everything from malpractice insurance to earthquake insurance to professional liability insurance--none of which have even a remote connection to terrorism. Instead of sanctioning the insurance industry for milking profits from a disaster, the Senate gave them a rich reward. And, yes, both Murray and Cantwell voted for it.--M.T.

The Bush administration has the outward appearance of a do-nothing regime. Mostly that's because they conduct their business in secret and release announcements during times when the public and media are distracted. On the day before Thanksgiving, for example, President Bush signed the bill authorizing a new panel to investigate September 11--a bill that Bush had ardently opposed, mostly because he was afraid he'd be called to testify before the panel. And then he announced his pick to head the panel: Henry Kissinger. The irony is as thick as the oil slick washing ashore in Spain. Kissinger's been dodging attempts by Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon (the guy who went after Augosto Pinochet) to call him to testify before a hearing examining the US's role in Operation Condor; therefore, Kissinger is the last man who'll ever approve a Bush subpoena. Kissinger is also on record saying that, regarding September 11, he thinks the FBI and CIA did the best job they could have under the circumstances. Case closed.

In addition, the 79-year-old Kissinger is tottering on the edge of the grave. After the appointment (and subsequent resignation) of the aging William Webster to head the new accounting oversight board, I'm beginning to see a pattern here. The Bush administration resembles a horror movie, complete with zombies, re-animated corpses, vampires spitting blood-flecked foam, deals made with the devil in the middle of the night, and horrors appearing in broad daylight just in time to ruin our holidays. The only question is: what monster will they resurrect next?--M.T.

Last week the City Council approved a little something extra to add to the city budget: $27 million to finish the new McCaw Hall Opera House. This money is needed because private donations have fallen short by $12 million, and King County and the State of Washington have only paid $2 million each on their pledges of $5 million and $12 million respectively. So add that $27 million to the $29 million bond levy passed by Seattle residents in 1999, and the city is funding close to 50% of the construction costs. The hall ought to be renamed the Seattle People's Opera House. To pacify critics, the city council noted that the $27 million would be a loan that will be paid back by raising the ticket prices for attendees and the lease fees for groups using the hall. Hhm. That means many Seattle residents won't be able to afford to see a show in the new Taxpayer's Hall. It figures.--M.T.

The Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador has been reporting on a two-month strike by health care workers opposing privatization. On November 15, Salvadoran health care unions announced a "historic victory" and called it a turning point in the war between the neoliberal model of human poverty and environmental destruction. "Through struggle, the Salvadoran people have stopped the privatization of health care and struck a decisive blow against the neoliberal model which strips us of our humanity," said Ricardo Monge, Secretary-General of the STISS healthcare workers' union to a jubilant crowd of thousands.

The cause for celebration was a new law outlawing the privatization of health care. The law was pushed by the FMLN and supported by all the other opposition parties in the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly. The legislators of President Francisco Flores' ARENA party were alone in opposing the bill which overturned Flores' recent changes to the "State Guarantee of Health and Social Security." The changes were intended to privatize El Salvador's health care system.

The new law emphasizes accessible, quality health care to every Salvadoran near their home, regardless of their ability to pay. It also prohibits the privatization, concession, or transfer of any health care or support service to private companies, and calls for all current concessions to be canceled by the end of the year.

The unions say the strike will continue until the law is signed by the President and agreements are reached on rehiring illegally fired workers, payment of withheld salaries, and a guarantee of no reprisals against striking workers. They are also mindful that ongoing privatization initiatives threaten nearly every other aspect of public well being. The STISS health care union is calling on the people of El Salvador to follow up on this victory by organizing to prevent the privatization of electricity.

Also, the new law is threatened by the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), the USA's extension of NAFTA to Central America. CAFTA would supersede national laws and require that health care, among other things, be opened to privatization. More information can be found at www.cispes.org or Seattle CISPES 206-325-5494.--Troy Skeels