Chicago Teachers Uprising Takes on a 1 Percent Mayor, and the Labor Establishment to Boot | Alternet
"Chicago teachers could hardly be more united in their disgust at Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s assault on public education. More than 98 percent voted to authorize a strike, which union activists say is as much about defending students and parents as it is about the economics of their contract. "
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Romney and Ryan’s Dangerous Tax Roadmap | Common Dreams
Romney and Ryan’s Dangerous Tax Roadmap | Common Dreams
"Together Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have put human faces on how the super-rich game the tax system to pay less, pay later and sometimes not pay at all. Both want to expand tax favors for the already rich, like themselves."
"Together Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have put human faces on how the super-rich game the tax system to pay less, pay later and sometimes not pay at all. Both want to expand tax favors for the already rich, like themselves."
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Walker's New Capitol Police Chief Cracks Down on the First Amendment
Walker's New Capitol Police Chief Cracks Down on the First Amendment
"On September 5, 2012, eight people were arrested, handcuffed, and ultimately given citations for simply holding signs in the Wisconsin State Capitol. This may come as a surprise to the hundreds of thousands of people who marched through the Capitol in February and March of 2011 proudly holding home-made signs that denounced Governor Scott Walker’s attack on collective bargaining rights, but there’s a new sheriff in town -- a new Capitol Police chief to be exact."
"On September 5, 2012, eight people were arrested, handcuffed, and ultimately given citations for simply holding signs in the Wisconsin State Capitol. This may come as a surprise to the hundreds of thousands of people who marched through the Capitol in February and March of 2011 proudly holding home-made signs that denounced Governor Scott Walker’s attack on collective bargaining rights, but there’s a new sheriff in town -- a new Capitol Police chief to be exact."
ALEC Member "American Chemistry Council" Drops $649K on Wisconsin U.S. Senate Race
ALEC Member "American Chemistry Council" Drops $649K on Wisconsin U.S. Senate Race
"The chemical industry trade group American Chemistry Council, a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), has spent $648,600 on ads supporting Tommy Thompson, a former ALEC member and the Republican candidate for Wisconsin's open U.S. Senate seat."
"The chemical industry trade group American Chemistry Council, a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), has spent $648,600 on ads supporting Tommy Thompson, a former ALEC member and the Republican candidate for Wisconsin's open U.S. Senate seat."
Friday, September 7, 2012
Romney once again claims credit for saving auto industry, says Obama did 'exactly as I proposed'
Romney once again claims credit for saving auto industry, says Obama did 'exactly as I proposed'
"Romney wanted to let the companies go through bankruptcy on their own, but if that had happened, the entire industry would have been devastated. We were in the middle of a financial crisis, and there simply wasn't any private financing to be had. In order to protect the companies from simply collapsing, the question was whether the government would step in, as it had with Wall Street, to keep a bad situation from getting worse.
"Romney wanted to let the companies go through bankruptcy on their own, but if that had happened, the entire industry would have been devastated. We were in the middle of a financial crisis, and there simply wasn't any private financing to be had. In order to protect the companies from simply collapsing, the question was whether the government would step in, as it had with Wall Street, to keep a bad situation from getting worse.
President Obama made a tough call—and took a huge political risk—when he put the weight of the U.S. government behind the auto industry, but his decision has paid off. Mitt Romney would have done the exact opposite, and the results would have been disastrous. In fact, Romney said that if the U.S. took the path followed by President Obama, "you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye."
Well, President Obama didn't follow his advice, and now the auto industry is now once again number one in the world (update: although GM was number one in the world for 2011, the last full year of data, Toyota regained the lead for the first half of 2012). And as President Clinton would say, it takes some serious brass for Mitt Romney to try to claim credit for that."
Unhappy Anniversary: Republicans Have Blocked The American Jobs Act For One Year
Unhappy Anniversary: Republicans Have Blocked The American Jobs Act For One Year: On September 8, 2011 — one year ago tomorrow — President Obama laid out a series of policy proposals known collectively as the American Jobs Act. The plan included stimulus spending in the form of immediate infrastructure investments, tax credits for working Americans and employers to encourage consumer spending and job growth, and efforts to [...]/p
President Obama Acceptance Speech at 2012 Democratic National Convention
President Barack Obama accepts the Democratic Presidential nomination at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC.
How the Big Banks Are Trying to Destroy Our Justice System | Alternet
How the Big Banks Are Trying to Destroy Our Justice System | Alternet
"It’s one of the few things predictable on Wall Street; an immutable signature on the reply briefs whenever Citigroup is charged with fraud – and that is quite often."
"It’s one of the few things predictable on Wall Street; an immutable signature on the reply briefs whenever Citigroup is charged with fraud – and that is quite often."
Thursday, September 6, 2012
The Romney-Koch Handshake: Network TV Censors Revealing Moment
The Romney-Koch Handshake: Network TV Censors Revealing Moment
"When Mitt Romney walked down the aisle toward the stage at the Republican National Convention, among the people whose hands he shook was the conservative billionaire and major political donor David Koch. But it was a moment missed by the tens of millions of viewers at home. While Democracy Now! was there on the floor and captured the handshake on video, the networks cut away just before the handshake to show footage of two enthusiastic young women supporters and then an overhead shot of the convention center. Then, the shot came back to Romney shaking hands further down the aisle as he ascended the stage. Groups in the network of David Koch, and his brother Charles, intend to spend nearly $400 million ahead of the 2012 election."
"When Mitt Romney walked down the aisle toward the stage at the Republican National Convention, among the people whose hands he shook was the conservative billionaire and major political donor David Koch. But it was a moment missed by the tens of millions of viewers at home. While Democracy Now! was there on the floor and captured the handshake on video, the networks cut away just before the handshake to show footage of two enthusiastic young women supporters and then an overhead shot of the convention center. Then, the shot came back to Romney shaking hands further down the aisle as he ascended the stage. Groups in the network of David Koch, and his brother Charles, intend to spend nearly $400 million ahead of the 2012 election."
Major Bank Destroy’s Couple’s Home Due To Mistaken Foreclosure Filing
Major Bank Destroy’s Couple’s Home Due To Mistaken Foreclosure Filing: Wells Fargo, one of the biggest banks in the U.S., has been at the epicenter of Wall Street malfeasance over the last several years, with its fingerprints all over the housing crisis and the subsequent foreclosure fraud scandal. As Naked Capitalism’s Yves Smith put it, Wells Fargo “has an annoying habit of piously claiming it [...]/p
How A Republican Appeals Court Just Made Citizens United Even Worse
How A Republican Appeals Court Just Made Citizens United Even Worse: One of the few silver linings on the Supreme Court’s election-buying decision in Citizens United was its holding that — although corporations are now free to spend as much money as they want to elect their preferred candidates — such spending could still be subject to disclosure laws so long as those laws bear a [...]/p
North Dakota Senate Candidate Loudly Booed For Promise To Privatize Social Security
North Dakota Senate Candidate Loudly Booed For Promise To Privatize Social Security: Rep. Rick Berg (R-ND) defended his plan to privatize Social Security at a Senate debate yesterday, prompting loud and sustained boos from audience members. During the North Dakota Broadcasters debate in Bismarck, Berg’s opponent in the Senate race, Heidi Heitkamp, attacked the congressman for supporting privatizing Social Security. “When you say ‘I’m going to fix [...]/p
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Elizabeth Warren: 'Americans Are Fighters'
Elizabeth Warren, candidate for U.S. Senate, spoke to the Democratic National Convention Wednesday night, speaking about the middle class and the struggles to find the American dream.
7 Ways to End the Deficit (without Throwing Grandma under the Bus) | Common Dreams
7 Ways to End the Deficit (without Throwing Grandma under the Bus) | Common Dreams
"The Right is already launching new coalitions to push for an austerity budget, calling for cuts in “wasteful government spending,” including key safety-net programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and food stamps. America has overspent, they say. America is broke. But at the same time, they are calling for an extension of the Bush tax cuts and ruling out cuts in military spending—both policies that will increase the deficit.
"The Right is already launching new coalitions to push for an austerity budget, calling for cuts in “wasteful government spending,” including key safety-net programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and food stamps. America has overspent, they say. America is broke. But at the same time, they are calling for an extension of the Bush tax cuts and ruling out cuts in military spending—both policies that will increase the deficit.
It doesn’t have to be this way. My colleagues at the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) have identified seven steps that, together, more than eliminate the deficit while making the country more equitable, green, and secure."
Paul Ryan requested Obamacare funding for his district
Paul Ryan requested Obamacare funding for his district
"Remember how a couple of weeks ago Paul Ryan had egg on his face after being forced to admit that he had indeed requested funds from the stimulus bill that he so vehemently opposed and has continued to vilify? His excuse then was that, when he wrote those letters of support for all that federal funding, he didn't know it was stimulus money he was asking for.
"Remember how a couple of weeks ago Paul Ryan had egg on his face after being forced to admit that he had indeed requested funds from the stimulus bill that he so vehemently opposed and has continued to vilify? His excuse then was that, when he wrote those letters of support for all that federal funding, he didn't know it was stimulus money he was asking for.
So what's his excuse going to be this time?"
Maine Sues For Right To Drop Low-Income Residents From Medicaid
Maine Sues For Right To Drop Low-Income Residents From Medicaid: As Republican governors across the country refuse to expand Medicaid under an Obamacare provision that would extend the program to cover an additional 9.2 million low-income Americans, Gov. Paul LePage (R-ME) is going a step further. Although the Obama administration maintains the Supreme Court ruling on the health care law — which requires states to [...]/p
Food Insecurity Stays High As Republicans Demagogue Food Stamps
Food Insecurity Stays High As Republicans Demagogue Food Stamps: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 14.9 percent of American households were “food insecure” last year, meaning they had trouble at some point during the year providing enough food for all of the household’s members. 6.8 million households, meanwhile, had very low food security: – In 2011, 85.1 percent of U.S. households were food [...]/p
CHART: The Comeback Of The U.S. Auto Industry
CHART: The Comeback Of The U.S. Auto Industry: A recent report from the St. Louis Federal Reserve highlights that automotive sales continue to be one of the most encouraging aspects of an otherwise sluggish economic recovery. The report notes that “most analysts regard increases in automobile and light truck sales as an important component of an economic recovery.” And ever since the recession [...]/p
World’s Richest Woman Suggests Workers Should Make $2 Per Day
World’s Richest Woman Suggests Workers Should Make $2 Per Day: The world’s richest woman has equated Australia’s minimum wage to “class warfare,” following her controversial article last week where she called poor workers coddled, lazy drunks. Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart, who inherited her $30 billion fortune and mining empire, pointed to workers who make less than $2 as a model for economic competitiveness in mining: [...]/p
Gov. Deval Patrick Speaks At The Democratic Convention
Deval Patrick, governor of Mitt Romney's state of Massachusetts, called for Democrats to rally to re-elect President Obama.
Wall Street On Pace To Set New Election Spending Record
Wall Street On Pace To Set New Election Spending Record: 60 percent of Wall Street’s donations thus far have gone to Republicans, including the vast majority of money flowing from the financial sector to Super PACs.
The US Chamber of Commerce's Multimillion-Dollar Attack Plan | Common Dreams
The US Chamber of Commerce's Multimillion-Dollar Attack Plan | Common Dreams
"The 2012 elections in many ways represent a crossing-the-Rubicon moment. Can the democratic system survive being swamped by hundreds of millions of dollars of Super PAC money? Can it endure the rise of superfunders like Sheldon Adelson (Newt Gingrich’s backer in the primaries, who has since thrown his financial muscle behind Romney’s campaign), Foster Friess (Rick Santorum’s sugar daddy), Texas billionaire Harold Simmons and the powerful Koch brothers, as well as the overwhelming clout of organizations like the Chamber of Commerce? Will citizens rally around investigations such as the one launched by Schneiderman, and will they demand limits to independent expenditures during elections as well as the disclosure of those who seek to buy the country’s elections and legislative process? Or will ever more politicians who oppose the Chamber’s values simply suffer the fate that befell Alan Grayson in 2010?"
"The 2012 elections in many ways represent a crossing-the-Rubicon moment. Can the democratic system survive being swamped by hundreds of millions of dollars of Super PAC money? Can it endure the rise of superfunders like Sheldon Adelson (Newt Gingrich’s backer in the primaries, who has since thrown his financial muscle behind Romney’s campaign), Foster Friess (Rick Santorum’s sugar daddy), Texas billionaire Harold Simmons and the powerful Koch brothers, as well as the overwhelming clout of organizations like the Chamber of Commerce? Will citizens rally around investigations such as the one launched by Schneiderman, and will they demand limits to independent expenditures during elections as well as the disclosure of those who seek to buy the country’s elections and legislative process? Or will ever more politicians who oppose the Chamber’s values simply suffer the fate that befell Alan Grayson in 2010?"
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Echoing ALEC's Playbook, the Real Story of Walker's Tort "Reform"
Echoing ALEC's Playbook, the Real Story of Walker's Tort "Reform"
"In Walker’s first year, Wisconsin frequently ranked last or near the bottom in job creation out of all 50 states in monthly jobs figures.
"In Walker’s first year, Wisconsin frequently ranked last or near the bottom in job creation out of all 50 states in monthly jobs figures.
But the fact that changing the rights of citizens injured by corporations has not been shown to create jobs anywhere in the U.S. did not stop Walker and his allies from making such claims. Nor did it deter ALEC from putting out such spin in order to advance the desires of its corporate members to limit their legal liability even when they harm people -- here in Wisconsin and in other states across the country -- through one-size-fits-all legislation from the ALEC corporate bill mill."
A tale of two party platforms—a choice of the future or the past
A tale of two party platforms—a choice of the future or the past
"It's often said that party platforms don't matter, that nobody reads them and after they are approved every four years at the national conventions, everybody ignores them. While probably not more than one in 100 Americans can explain the details of each party's platform, and while the implicit promises within them are often broken or take years if not decades to come true, they aren't mere textual kabuki. They do indicate a path, a direction. And set against each other, some of the differences can be stark."
"It's often said that party platforms don't matter, that nobody reads them and after they are approved every four years at the national conventions, everybody ignores them. While probably not more than one in 100 Americans can explain the details of each party's platform, and while the implicit promises within them are often broken or take years if not decades to come true, they aren't mere textual kabuki. They do indicate a path, a direction. And set against each other, some of the differences can be stark."
How Union Membership Benefits African American And Latino Workers
How Union Membership Benefits African American And Latino Workers: Workers across the country experience a “union premium” — an increase in wages for workers who belong to a labor union compared to workers who are not organized. That premium amounted to $1.24 per hour last year, a 17.3 percent premium. And according to a new study from the Economic Policy Institute, union membership is [...]/p
Mayors Protest Maine Governor’s Plan To Cut Medicaid
Mayors Protest Maine Governor’s Plan To Cut Medicaid: Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) will wait until after the November election to decide if his state will expand its Medicaid program under Obamacare, but in the meantime, mayors of six cities in Maine are protesting LePage’s Medicaid cuts that will eliminate coverage for about 26,000 people in the state. The legislature passed the $20 [...]/p
CHARTS: Yes, We’re Better Off Than We Were Four Years Ago
CHARTS: Yes, We’re Better Off Than We Were Four Years Ago: The Romney campaign this week is basing its message off of former President Reagan’s “are you better off?” question from his 1980 campaign, even though Romney himself admitted in an interview earlier this year that “of course [the economy is] getting better” under President Obama. And the numbers don’t lie. While the economy is only [...]/p
Ohio Secretary of State Refuses To Comply With Early Voting Court Order
Ohio Secretary of State Refuses To Comply With Early Voting Court Order: Jon Husted, Republican Secretary of State in Ohio, is refusing to change his restrictive early voting schedule even after a federal court restored in-person early voting to all Ohioans during the three day period before the general election. Husted claims expanding hours before an appeals court hears his case will “only serve to confuse voters.” [...]/p
A Brief History of American Labor
A Brief History of American Labor
This interactive timeline is adopted from Harold Meyerson's piece, "If Labor Dies, What's Next?"
This interactive timeline is adopted from Harold Meyerson's piece, "If Labor Dies, What's Next?"
Pelosi: 'Our country is better off than where we were' four years ago
Pelosi: 'Our country is better off than where we were' four years ago
"There's no question that the country is better off than the day George W. Bush left office. There's also no question that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan would take us right back there, with even more tax cuts for the wealthy and even less oversight of the financial system that brought the economy crashing down."
"There's no question that the country is better off than the day George W. Bush left office. There's also no question that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan would take us right back there, with even more tax cuts for the wealthy and even less oversight of the financial system that brought the economy crashing down."
Watch A Democratic Mayor Expose The Tea Party’s Deficit Hypocrisy
Watch A Democratic Mayor Expose The Tea Party’s Deficit Hypocrisy: "During an appearance on CNN’s Starting Point on Tuesday, Tea Party Express Chairwoman Amy Kremer refused to condemn the deficit increase that would result from Mitt Romney’s proposed tax cuts, suggesting that the group is more concerned about acting as a surrogate for the Republican candidate than promoting fiscal responsibility.
Romney would extend all of the Bush tax cuts, reduce all individual income tax rates by an additional 20 percent, lower the corporate rate from the current 35 percent to 25 percent, eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax, the estate tax, Obamacare’s Medicare taxes on high-income individuals, and taxes on investment income for households under certain income levels. The former governor claims that he could recoup the lost revenue by closing unspecified “tax expenditures,” though economists predict that he would have to dramatically slash spending to pay for his tax cuts or add trillions to the national deficit."
GOP Rep. Burgess Suggests Medicare Is Unconstitutional
GOP Rep. Burgess Suggests Medicare Is Unconstitutional: At a panel during last week’s Republican National Convention, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) strongly suggested that he believes Medicare is unconstitutional — before going on to say that its constitutionality doesn’t matter so long as it is used to achieve conservative ends. Burgess’ comment arose during a discussion of whether the Constitution permits the federal [...]/p
26 States Cut Their Education Budgets For This School Year
26 States Cut Their Education Budgets For This School Year: States have made deep cuts to their education budgets in the years since the Great Recession, and as their budgets remained crunched by lower levels of tax revenues, more than half are spending less on education this school year than they did last year, a new analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities [...]/p
Playing Patent Games -- And Cashing In Big | Common Dreams
Playing Patent Games -- And Cashing In Big | Common Dreams
"Take our current patent and copyright system, for instance. We've let CEOs and their corporations claim as their private "intellectual property" ideas and ways of doing things that have their roots in our common human heritage. One food company, Smucker's, has even claimed a patent for a "method of making crustless peanut butter sandwiches"."
"Take our current patent and copyright system, for instance. We've let CEOs and their corporations claim as their private "intellectual property" ideas and ways of doing things that have their roots in our common human heritage. One food company, Smucker's, has even claimed a patent for a "method of making crustless peanut butter sandwiches"."
Romney On Whether We’re Better Off: ‘Of Course It’s Getting Better’
Romney On Whether We’re Better Off: ‘Of Course It’s Getting Better’: "But if it’s an insult to say that the economy is better off, then Mitt Romney has been slinging some insults of his own, considering how he answered a question from conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham back in January"
GOP Targets African-American Women in Voter Suppression Efforts | Alternet
GOP Targets African-American Women in Voter Suppression Efforts | Alternet
"How will the American Presidential election be won in November 2012? By the Republicans buying the election? Perhaps. But money cannot always buy an election. That is why Republicans have spent the last 4-6 years passing a spate of voter suppression laws in “swing states” that will make it more difficult and costly for the young, the elderly, minorities, union members and single and elderly women to cast a vote for Barack Obama.
"How will the American Presidential election be won in November 2012? By the Republicans buying the election? Perhaps. But money cannot always buy an election. That is why Republicans have spent the last 4-6 years passing a spate of voter suppression laws in “swing states” that will make it more difficult and costly for the young, the elderly, minorities, union members and single and elderly women to cast a vote for Barack Obama.
Although the Republican effort is not exactly a secret, few Americans are discussing it with the urgency it deserves."
Romney-Ryan Lies Won't Win the White House
Romney-Ryan Lies Won't Win the White House
"Now with approximately 150,000 new jobs per month and GDP growth of 1.7 percent, there’s no question that "yes," we’re better off today than when Barack Obama took office. It’s also true that current conditions are on the bad side of "meh." So, Romney-Ryan are going to have to not just ask "Are you better off?" they're going to have to convince voters that they would do better. And remember, Moody's has reported that regardless of who has the keys to the White House in November, economists expect 12 million new jobs in the next four years.
"Now with approximately 150,000 new jobs per month and GDP growth of 1.7 percent, there’s no question that "yes," we’re better off today than when Barack Obama took office. It’s also true that current conditions are on the bad side of "meh." So, Romney-Ryan are going to have to not just ask "Are you better off?" they're going to have to convince voters that they would do better. And remember, Moody's has reported that regardless of who has the keys to the White House in November, economists expect 12 million new jobs in the next four years.
Lies and damned lies are not going to win the White House for Romney-Ryan. Not that they won't continue to go that route."
Monday, September 3, 2012
The Nation: How Trade Associations Are Buying Our Elections
The Nation: How Trade Associations Are Buying Our Elections
"Before the advent of the Roberts Court, Saudi Aramco would have been prohibited from using corporate money to influence an American election. The company’s only option would have been to ask its US-based employees to make small donations to a transparent political action committee."
"Before the advent of the Roberts Court, Saudi Aramco would have been prohibited from using corporate money to influence an American election. The company’s only option would have been to ask its US-based employees to make small donations to a transparent political action committee."
The Real Welfare Problem: Government Giveaways to the Corporate 1% | Common Dreams
The Real Welfare Problem: Government Giveaways to the Corporate 1% | Common Dreams
"it’s not about welfare queens vs hard working whites; its not about race or ethnic divisions; it’s not about any of the standard Republican bait and switch, divide and conquer BS.
"it’s not about welfare queens vs hard working whites; its not about race or ethnic divisions; it’s not about any of the standard Republican bait and switch, divide and conquer BS.
It’s about handouts to the uber-rich and the corporations.
Bottom line: if you’re a Fortune 500 company or a member of the wealthiest 1%, you’re getting welfare, and a hell of a lot of it."
Speculating Banks Profit as World's Poorest Go Hungry | Common Dreams
Speculating Banks Profit as World's Poorest Go Hungry | Common Dreams
"Reports over the weekend saw some of the world's most powerful financial institutions accused of profiteering on the backs of the world's poorest people and those most vulnerable to the wild price fluctuations caused by over-rampant speculation on the price of food commodities like wheat, soy beans, and corn."
"Reports over the weekend saw some of the world's most powerful financial institutions accused of profiteering on the backs of the world's poorest people and those most vulnerable to the wild price fluctuations caused by over-rampant speculation on the price of food commodities like wheat, soy beans, and corn."
Republicans promise to roll back everything Labor Day honors
Republicans promise to roll back everything Labor Day honors
"What the Republicans are planning, what their platform promises, is to bring to the federal level the assault on workers that Scott Walker, John Kasich and Mitch Daniels have been carrying out in Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana. They announced that plan the week before Labor Day. They have nine more weeks to win the power to implement it. And we have nine weeks to stop them."
"What the Republicans are planning, what their platform promises, is to bring to the federal level the assault on workers that Scott Walker, John Kasich and Mitch Daniels have been carrying out in Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana. They announced that plan the week before Labor Day. They have nine more weeks to win the power to implement it. And we have nine weeks to stop them."
Four Reasons Everyone Should Thank Unions On Labor Day
Four Reasons Everyone Should Thank Unions On Labor Day: Labor day is a welcome, and well-deserved, day off for millions of Americans. But it’s worth remembering that Labor day is more than just a three-day weekend. Labor Day “is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.” Here are four important accomplishments of the [...]/p
Mitt Romney's Tax Avoidance Weakens Bonds of American Society | Common Dreams
Mitt Romney's Tax Avoidance Weakens Bonds of American Society | Common Dreams
"A major theme of the underlying political debate in the United States is the role of the state and the need for collective action. The private sector, while central in a modern economy, cannot ensure its success alone. For example, the financial crisis that began in 2008 demonstrated the need for adequate regulation.
"A major theme of the underlying political debate in the United States is the role of the state and the need for collective action. The private sector, while central in a modern economy, cannot ensure its success alone. For example, the financial crisis that began in 2008 demonstrated the need for adequate regulation.
Moreover, beyond effective regulation (including ensuring a level playing field for competition), modern economies are founded on technological innovation, which in turn presupposes basic research funded by government. This is an example of a public good – things from which we all benefit, but that would be under-supplied (or not supplied at all) were we to rely on the private sector.
Conservative politicians in the US underestimate the importance of publicly provided education, technology, and infrastructure. Economies in which government provides these public goods perform far better than those in which it does not."
Labor Day Without Jobs: Exposing the "Job Creator" Fraud | Common Dreams
Labor Day Without Jobs: Exposing the "Job Creator" Fraud | Common Dreams
"With cunning and contempt and catechismal fervor the super-rich have argued that all money should move to the top, where it will be used to stimulate the economy and create jobs. But they ignore the facts that prove them wrong. And it doesn't take much to prove them wrong."
"With cunning and contempt and catechismal fervor the super-rich have argued that all money should move to the top, where it will be used to stimulate the economy and create jobs. But they ignore the facts that prove them wrong. And it doesn't take much to prove them wrong."
The US Chamber of Commerce's Multimillion-Dollar Attack Plan | The Nation
The US Chamber of Commerce's Multimillion-Dollar Attack Plan | The Nation
"If you live in a state where a competitive race could help tip the balance in the Senate this fall, you’ve almost certainly seen ads like these, laden with menacing theme music, light on the facts and funded by the US Chamber of Commerce. The nation’s largest business lobby is showcasing bold ambitions this year in an effort to build on gains made in the 2010 midterms, when at least $33 million of Chamber advertising helped push the nation dramatically rightward. The group began placing ads in swing districts as early as November 2011. Since then, it has rolled out a campaign aimed at influencing at least fifty House and eight Senate races, and according toPolitico it has set a goal of $100 million in spending for this electoral cycle."
"If you live in a state where a competitive race could help tip the balance in the Senate this fall, you’ve almost certainly seen ads like these, laden with menacing theme music, light on the facts and funded by the US Chamber of Commerce. The nation’s largest business lobby is showcasing bold ambitions this year in an effort to build on gains made in the 2010 midterms, when at least $33 million of Chamber advertising helped push the nation dramatically rightward. The group began placing ads in swing districts as early as November 2011. Since then, it has rolled out a campaign aimed at influencing at least fifty House and eight Senate races, and according toPolitico it has set a goal of $100 million in spending for this electoral cycle."
Ahead of DNC, Protesters Put Spotlight on 'Corporate Greed' | Common Dreams
Ahead of DNC, Protesters Put Spotlight on 'Corporate Greed' | Common Dreams
"Hundreds of people in Charlotte took to the streets on Sunday to voice their discontent with corporate dominion over US politics and called for a renewed challenge to the Democrats ahead of their National Convention this week to pay attention to the challenges and demands of those still struggling amid a continuing housing crisis and deep recession."
"Hundreds of people in Charlotte took to the streets on Sunday to voice their discontent with corporate dominion over US politics and called for a renewed challenge to the Democrats ahead of their National Convention this week to pay attention to the challenges and demands of those still struggling amid a continuing housing crisis and deep recession."
Minimum Wage Raise Is the Least We Can Do to Civilize America
Minimum Wage Raise Is the Least We Can Do to Civilize America
"The federal minimum wage is just $7.25 an hour and hasn’t been raised in three years. But a raise is much more overdue than that. If we look at the minimum wage 44 years ago, and simply adjust it for inflation, it would be more than $10 today."
"The federal minimum wage is just $7.25 an hour and hasn’t been raised in three years. But a raise is much more overdue than that. If we look at the minimum wage 44 years ago, and simply adjust it for inflation, it would be more than $10 today."
Ten Big Lies Paul Ryan Keeps Repeating That the Corporate Media Refuses to Push Back On | Alternet
Ten Big Lies Paul Ryan Keeps Repeating That the Corporate Media Refuses to Push Back On | Alternet
"This year’s Republican campaign may be the most dishonest in history. "
"This year’s Republican campaign may be the most dishonest in history. "
Why Chris Hedges Believes That Serious Revolt Is the Only Option People Have Left | Alternet
Why Chris Hedges Believes That Serious Revolt Is the Only Option People Have Left | Alternet
"Chris Hedges, a former New York Times reporter, has become perhaps the foremost media scribe and most prolific advocate of a need for revolutionary change in our current institutional oppression and control of the government by the oligarchical and political elite. Hedges writes with a reporter's detail, a prophet's eloquence and a compelling sense of urgency. This is evident in his latest book, which visits the "sacrifice zones" of America."
"Chris Hedges, a former New York Times reporter, has become perhaps the foremost media scribe and most prolific advocate of a need for revolutionary change in our current institutional oppression and control of the government by the oligarchical and political elite. Hedges writes with a reporter's detail, a prophet's eloquence and a compelling sense of urgency. This is evident in his latest book, which visits the "sacrifice zones" of America."
Life Is Sacred | Common Dreams
Life Is Sacred | Common Dreams
"Our political leaders, Democrat and Republican, are complicit in our demise. Our political system, like that in the declining days of ancient Rome, is one of legalized bribery. Politicians, including Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, serve the demented ends of corporations that will, until the final flicker of life, attempt to profit from our death spiral. Civil disobedience, including the recent decision by Greenpeace activists to chain themselves to a Gazprom supply vessel and obstruct a Russian oil rig, is the only meaningful form of resistance. Voting is useless. But while I support these heroic acts of resistance I increasingly fear they may have little effect. This does not mean we should not resist. Resistance is a moral imperative. We cannot use the word “hope” if we do not fight back. But the corporations will employ deadly force to protect their drive to extract the last bit of profit from life. We can expect only mounting hostility from the corporate state. Its internal and external security apparatus, as the heedless exploitation and its fatal consequences become more apparent, will seek to silence and crush all dissidents. Corporations care nothing for democracy, the rule of law, human rights or the sanctity of life. They are determined to be the last predator standing. And then they too will be snuffed out. Unrestrained hubris always leads to self-immolation."
"Our political leaders, Democrat and Republican, are complicit in our demise. Our political system, like that in the declining days of ancient Rome, is one of legalized bribery. Politicians, including Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, serve the demented ends of corporations that will, until the final flicker of life, attempt to profit from our death spiral. Civil disobedience, including the recent decision by Greenpeace activists to chain themselves to a Gazprom supply vessel and obstruct a Russian oil rig, is the only meaningful form of resistance. Voting is useless. But while I support these heroic acts of resistance I increasingly fear they may have little effect. This does not mean we should not resist. Resistance is a moral imperative. We cannot use the word “hope” if we do not fight back. But the corporations will employ deadly force to protect their drive to extract the last bit of profit from life. We can expect only mounting hostility from the corporate state. Its internal and external security apparatus, as the heedless exploitation and its fatal consequences become more apparent, will seek to silence and crush all dissidents. Corporations care nothing for democracy, the rule of law, human rights or the sanctity of life. They are determined to be the last predator standing. And then they too will be snuffed out. Unrestrained hubris always leads to self-immolation."
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Taibbi: Mitt Romney Was The Guy Who Fired You From Your Job
Taibbi: Mitt Romney Was The Guy Who Fired You From Your Job
"Are you kidding? Mitt Romney was the guy that fired you from that $22.50 an hour job, and helped you replace it with two $9 an hour jobs! He was a pioneer in the area of eliminating the well-paying job with benefits and replacing it with the McJob that offered no benefits at all. One of the things that killed him in the Senate race against Ted Kennedy were Kennedy ads that reminded voters that Mitt’s takeovers resulted in slashed wages and lost benefits. He was exactly the guy that eliminated that classic $22.50 manufacturing job, like in the case of GST Steel, where Bain took over with an initial investment of $8 million, paid itself a $36 million dividend, ended up walking away with $50 million, and left GST saddled with over $500 million in debt. 750 of those well-paying jobs were lost.
"Are you kidding? Mitt Romney was the guy that fired you from that $22.50 an hour job, and helped you replace it with two $9 an hour jobs! He was a pioneer in the area of eliminating the well-paying job with benefits and replacing it with the McJob that offered no benefits at all. One of the things that killed him in the Senate race against Ted Kennedy were Kennedy ads that reminded voters that Mitt’s takeovers resulted in slashed wages and lost benefits. He was exactly the guy that eliminated that classic $22.50 manufacturing job, like in the case of GST Steel, where Bain took over with an initial investment of $8 million, paid itself a $36 million dividend, ended up walking away with $50 million, and left GST saddled with over $500 million in debt. 750 of those well-paying jobs were lost.
What kinds of jobs were left for those fired workers to look for? Well, in the best-case scenario, you might have found one at Ampad, another Bain takeover target, where workers had their pay slashed from $10.22 to $7.88 an hour, tripled co-pays, and eliminated the retirement plan."
Why unions? To fight for good jobs and against inequality
Why unions? To fight for good jobs and against inequality
"Why unions? Good jobs are too hard to come by, and the Republican party is dedicated to asking not why more people don't have good jobs, but why a few people still do even though they're not the corporate executives and Wall Street bankers who Republicans believe deservethe best of everything."
"Why unions? Good jobs are too hard to come by, and the Republican party is dedicated to asking not why more people don't have good jobs, but why a few people still do even though they're not the corporate executives and Wall Street bankers who Republicans believe deservethe best of everything."
Saturday, September 1, 2012
PERRspectives: How We Built Bain Capital
PERRspectives: How We Built Bain Capital
"As it turns out, the silence about Mitt Romney's old company and the Republican sham that "you didn't build it" are related. Because when it comes to Bain Capital, in a very real sense you did build it. After all,your United States tax code doesn't merely allow the "carried interest exemption" that enables the likes of Mitt Romney to pay a lower rate than many middle class families. Without the public subsidy that is thecorporate debt interest deduction, there might not be a Bain Capital--or a private equity industry as we know it--at all."
"As it turns out, the silence about Mitt Romney's old company and the Republican sham that "you didn't build it" are related. Because when it comes to Bain Capital, in a very real sense you did build it. After all,your United States tax code doesn't merely allow the "carried interest exemption" that enables the likes of Mitt Romney to pay a lower rate than many middle class families. Without the public subsidy that is thecorporate debt interest deduction, there might not be a Bain Capital--or a private equity industry as we know it--at all."
Romney’s Former Company Under Investigation For Tax Evasion
Romney’s Former Company Under Investigation For Tax Evasion: Bain Capital, the private equity firm founded by presidential candidate Mitt Romney, is under investigation for questionable tax practices, according to the New York Times. Since July, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has been issuing subpoenas to private equity firms including Bain, which he believes intentionally changed management fees into capital gains as a [...]/p
The Romney-Koch Handshake That Network TV Missed | Alternet
The Romney-Koch Handshake That Network TV Missed | Alternet
"When Mitt Romney walked down the aisle toward the stage Thursday night, among the people whose hands he shook was the conservative billionaire and major political donor David Koch. But it was a moment missed by the tens of millions of viewers at home."
"When Mitt Romney walked down the aisle toward the stage Thursday night, among the people whose hands he shook was the conservative billionaire and major political donor David Koch. But it was a moment missed by the tens of millions of viewers at home."
Fight Rove's big money bid for a 2012 Senate takeover
Fight Rove's big money bid for a 2012 Senate takeover
"Rove motivated the attendees to cough up millions more by telling them of the millions he's raised to use against "the bad guys" not to elect Mitt Romney, but to get Barack Obama out of the White House. It's not just the White House, though, he's got his sights on the trifecta: White House, House, and critically, the Senate."
"Rove motivated the attendees to cough up millions more by telling them of the millions he's raised to use against "the bad guys" not to elect Mitt Romney, but to get Barack Obama out of the White House. It's not just the White House, though, he's got his sights on the trifecta: White House, House, and critically, the Senate."
GOP Platform Declares Medicaid Unconstitutional
GOP Platform Declares Medicaid Unconstitutional: Almost immediately after President Obama took office, many Republican politicians seized upon a distorted vision of the Constitution’s Tenth Amendment that would leave America nearly incapable of governing itself. Indeed, top Republicans — including U.S. Senators, governors and members of Congress — have claimed that everything from Social Security to Medicare to federal disaster relief [...]/p
Thank Goodness Labor is its Own Reward! | Common Dreams
Thank Goodness Labor is its Own Reward! | Common Dreams
"A living wage should be the minimum wage, and it should be constantly adjusted to meet the amount of money necessary to support oneself and a family at a decent level. A decent level simply means the wherewithal to pay a modest rent, buy healthy food and appropriate clothing, and have access to transportation to a job. A living wage does not include access to competitive and self-indulgent consumption, but it does mean a wage enabling the dignity to care for oneself and those one loves, to exist above poverty and constant financial anguish, and to have enough free time to practice good citizenship in one’s community, enjoy recreation, nature, and the arts. Who would begrudge a person that?
"A living wage should be the minimum wage, and it should be constantly adjusted to meet the amount of money necessary to support oneself and a family at a decent level. A decent level simply means the wherewithal to pay a modest rent, buy healthy food and appropriate clothing, and have access to transportation to a job. A living wage does not include access to competitive and self-indulgent consumption, but it does mean a wage enabling the dignity to care for oneself and those one loves, to exist above poverty and constant financial anguish, and to have enough free time to practice good citizenship in one’s community, enjoy recreation, nature, and the arts. Who would begrudge a person that?
Who could not see that to offer hard working people a wage that condemns them to poverty in spite of their labor, is to condemn them to wage slavery and cripple the idea of democratic community?"
Time for a little nation-building at home, Obama declares in weekly address
Time for a little nation-building at home, Obama declares in weekly address
"President Obama, riffing off his remarks at Fort Bliss, Texas, yesterday, discussed in this morning's weekly address the importance of treating our veterans right as they return home—and he also used the topic to call for an investment reminiscent of New Deal and post-World War II fiscal strategies"
"President Obama, riffing off his remarks at Fort Bliss, Texas, yesterday, discussed in this morning's weekly address the importance of treating our veterans right as they return home—and he also used the topic to call for an investment reminiscent of New Deal and post-World War II fiscal strategies"
Doctors, Patients Rally In Support Of Obamacare In Tampa On The Last Day Of The RNC
Doctors, Patients Rally In Support Of Obamacare In Tampa On The Last Day Of The RNC: Tampa, Florida — As Republicans gathered for the final day of their national convention here in Tampa, a small but vocal group of doctors, medical students and patients marched in the heat to deliver thousands of petitions in support of the Affordable Care Act. One of the marchers, Kenya Wheeler, was a grad student last [...]/p
Republicans strive to make their platform worse on workers' issues in 2012 than it was in 2008
Republicans strive to make their platform worse on workers' issues in 2012 than it was in 2008
"The horrors of the 2012 Republican platform are legion, from abortion to marriage equality to to financial reform. To that list, you can of course add labor issues, where the Republican Party's quest to have its 2012 platform be not just bad but decisively worse than previous ones continues. Josh Eidelson compares 2012 to 2008"
"The horrors of the 2012 Republican platform are legion, from abortion to marriage equality to to financial reform. To that list, you can of course add labor issues, where the Republican Party's quest to have its 2012 platform be not just bad but decisively worse than previous ones continues. Josh Eidelson compares 2012 to 2008"
Meet The Industry That Makes the Koch Brothers Look Poor (VIDEO) | Alternet
Meet The Industry That Makes the Koch Brothers Look Poor (VIDEO) | Alternet
"When will the United States start thinking beyond bars?
"When will the United States start thinking beyond bars?
This nation is now spending over $200 billion a year on a justice system that locks up more people than any country on earth . We have more prisoners than China. More than Russia. More than anyone. This colossal system is hitting our communities with staggering financial and human costs — gobbling resources that should be going to strengthening communities."
Poverty: The New Growth Industry in America | Alternet
Poverty: The New Growth Industry in America | Alternet
"Recent trends in poverty rates should have the country furious at its leaders. When we get the data for 2011 next month, we are likely to see yet another uptick in poverty rates, reversing almost 50 years of economic progress. The percentage of people in extreme poverty, with incomes less than half of the poverty level, is likely to again hit an all-time high since the data has been collected.
"Recent trends in poverty rates should have the country furious at its leaders. When we get the data for 2011 next month, we are likely to see yet another uptick in poverty rates, reversing almost 50 years of economic progress. The percentage of people in extreme poverty, with incomes less than half of the poverty level, is likely to again hit an all-time high since the data has been collected.
The situation is made even worse by the fact that so many of those in poverty are children. In 2010, 27 percent of all children in the country were reported as living below the poverty level. For African-American children, the share in poverty is approaching 40 percent. Many will blame the welfare reform law in 1996 that passed with bipartisan support. That is appropriate. This bill involved a great deal of political grandstanding and removed guarantees that could have protected millions of families in a severe downturn like what we are now seeing."
The Secret of Why Wealthy Americans Aren't Always the Most Charitable | Alternet
The Secret of Why Wealthy Americans Aren't Always the Most Charitable | Alternet
"If you encounter financial suffering on a regular basis, you may be more likely to donate money to charitable organizations. According to a new study by the Chronicle of Philanthropy , people with higher incomes who live in economically diverse areas are more likely to give to charity than those with higher incomes who live in more homogeneous areas. The study found that people who made more than $200,000 contributed an average of 4.2 percent of their discretionary income. But in areas in which more than 40 percent of residents made $200,000 or more, these wealthy residents donated only about 2.8 percent.
"If you encounter financial suffering on a regular basis, you may be more likely to donate money to charitable organizations. According to a new study by the Chronicle of Philanthropy , people with higher incomes who live in economically diverse areas are more likely to give to charity than those with higher incomes who live in more homogeneous areas. The study found that people who made more than $200,000 contributed an average of 4.2 percent of their discretionary income. But in areas in which more than 40 percent of residents made $200,000 or more, these wealthy residents donated only about 2.8 percent.
“The study suggests that wealth has this basic insulating effect. It makes people more and more insulated from others, more prioritizing of their own interests, less likely to feel compassion toward other people and feel like charity is a good thing,” said Paul Piff, a social psychologist who studies cultures of wealth and poverty."
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