Occupy Sandy: A Human Response to the New Realities of Climate Change

Occupy Sandy: A Human Response to the New Realities of Climate Change
"Call Bloomberg and urge him to protect public health by halting construction of the Spectra Pipeline! Tell him the not to allow the Rockaway Pipeline to be built! The People want to RebuildGreen. Call NYCHA, show up to pressure board meeting at NYCHA HQ on Dec 5th, 10am, 250 broadway (interoccupy.net/blog/november-27th-first-post-sandy-housing-action-citywide-call-from-nycha-residents/)"

Meet Four Conservative State Supreme Court Justices Thankful For Citizens United

Meet Four Conservative State Supreme Court Justices Thankful For Citizens United: Despite spending nearly half a billion dollars to buy the White House for Mitt Romney, rich conservatives were not able to leverage the Supreme Court’s election-buying decision in Citizens United into a bought-and-paid-for presidency. Yet, in state-level races, where candidates are far [...]/p

Santelli Throws a Tantrum and Storms Off Air Because Pro-Obama CEO Paying Dividends Before Tax Hikes

Santelli Throws a Tantrum and Storms Off Air Because Pro-Obama CEO Paying Dividends Before Tax Hikes
"CNBC on-air editor Rick Santelli, who is credited with helping to launch the tea party movement, flew into a rage and stomped off camera on Friday because a supporter of President Obama plans to pay shareholders a dividend before taxes are scheduled to go up at the end of the year."

Global Movement Needed to Change 'The Rules' of Inequality | Common Dreams

Global Movement Needed to Change 'The Rules' of Inequality | Common Dreams
"The rules as they stand today have created a world in which inequality is vast and growing. The world's 1,226 billionaires have more combined wealth than 3.5 billion people - half the entire planet's population. The richest 10 per cent of the world's population takes 90 per cent of the world's income. 

The scale of inequality and poverty can appear overwhelming and unchangeable. Yet it is not inevitable. It is the outcome of active choices by people who make and enforce the rules we all live by: rules about global trade, banking, loans, investment, taxes, working conditions, land, food, health and education. These rules are made by people and people can change them."

Costco Looks Out For Middle Class Workers

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Costco invests in its workers by paying higher wages as well as health benefits.

In Fiscal Cliff Talks, Republicans Recycle Ryan Budget Plan That Voters Rejected

In Fiscal Cliff Talks, Republicans Recycle Ryan Budget Plan That Voters Rejected: Congressional Republicans yesterday leaked the details of President Obama’s initial outline of a deal to avert the so-called “fiscal cliff.” Obama’s proposed package includes $1.6 trillion in revenue, new measures to boost the economy, an extension of both the current payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits, and $400 billion in entitlement cuts. Those cuts are [...]/p

Lloyd Blankfein is the Face of Class Warfare

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders took to the Senate floor Thursday to call out the audacity of corporate-minded millionaires and billionaires, calling them the new "face of class warfare" in the United States.

Sen. Sanders: Wall Street CEOs are the 'Faces of Class Warfare' | Common Dreams

Sen. Sanders: Wall Street CEOs are the 'Faces of Class Warfare' | Common Dreams
"Incredulous that Wall Street investment bankers and billionaire CEOs have descended on Washington in the midst of ongoing budget talks to tell Americans that they should "lower their expectations" when it comes to the security of their retirement and future health care, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders took to the Senate floor Thursday to call out the audacity of corporate-minded millionaires and billionaires, calling them the new "face of class warfare" in the United States."

Wall Street Executive Salaries Skyrocketed After Deregulation

Wall Street Executive Salaries Skyrocketed After Deregulation: Wall Street compensates its CEOs so well, one former executive walked off with $260 million despite crashing his company. Even Wall Street heavyweights have criticized the practice, which has helped widen the nation’s income inequality. According to a new study in Quarterly Journal of Economics, Wall Street’s generous pay began to skyrocket following deregulation. The [...]/p

As Rumors of 'Grand Bargain' Cuts to Medicare Swirl, Progressives in Congress Say No Way | Alternet

As Rumors of 'Grand Bargain' Cuts to Medicare Swirl, Progressives in Congress Say No Way | Alternet
"There will be consequences, he warned, for Democrats who support a deal that cuts entitlements. “Bottom line: Any Democrat who votes to cut Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security benefits does so at his or her own peril, and shouldn’t be in the least bit surprised to be held accountable by MoveOn members in the next primary election"."

It’s Not a Fiscal Cliff, It’s an Austerity Crisis | Common Dreams

It’s Not a Fiscal Cliff, It’s an Austerity Crisis | Common Dreams
"Here is the crux of it: Depending on what you throw into the pot, the sum of the expiring Bush tax cuts along with currently mandated spending cuts would equal somewhere between $500 billion and $700 billion in deficit reduction in 2013. That’s more than enough fiscal contraction to throw the U.S. into recession. The tax increases alone would reduce the average family’s take-home pay by more than 6 percent. Because everyone agrees that’s a bad thing, Congress could pass a law, tomorrow, preventing it. Done.

But Congress won’t pass that law. Although the problem may be too much austerity too quickly, most everyone in Washington is insisting that the solution should encompass much, much more. In theory, this crisis should be easily resolved: If you have too much austerity, lighten the load. The reason the austerity crisis has become so messy is that the connection between the problem and its solution has been severed."

Donald Trump Partnership Ruins Macy’s Popularity

Donald Trump Partnership Ruins Macy’s Popularity: The old adage that “all press is good press” might not ring true with department store chain Macy’s. Their recent partnership with conservative billionaire oddball Donald Trump is causing a sudden drop in the brand’s popularity, particularly among women. According to a YouGov Brandindex survey, immediately after the Macy’s-Trump partnership, women steadily became far less [...]/p

Boehner Refuses To Give Specifics About The Entitlement Cuts He’s Demanding

Boehner Refuses To Give Specifics About The Entitlement Cuts He’s Demanding: House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) called on President Obama and Democrats to specify entitlement cuts that could balance their desires for tax increases in a hypothetical deal to avert the so-called “fiscal cliff,” even though only Republicans have demanded spending cuts to programs like Medicare and Social Security. Despite their support for putting entitlement programs [...]/p

Party of Entitled Rich Threatens Economy - In These Times

Party of Entitled Rich Threatens Economy - In These Times
"Republicans, the party of the nation's entitled rich, are holding a knife to the throat of America's frail recovery."

The Privatization of US Foreign Policy: An Interview with the Author of The Foreign Policy Auction

The Privatization of US Foreign Policy: An Interview with the Author of The Foreign Policy Auction
"The opening paragraph of Ben Freeman'sThe Foreign Policy Auction launches the reader on a fierce exposé of the massive yet relatively unknown foreign-influence industry, whose explicit goal is to bend US foreign policy to the will of foreign powers. Many of these lobbyists work for the type of rulers you don't want associating with your elected officials. More often than not, Freeman finds that the most money flows from the most repressive regimes, and it flows right into the pockets of our politicians."

Meet Corey Stewart, Virginia’s Mitt Romney

Meet Corey Stewart, Virginia’s Mitt Romney: Stewart, like Romney, has been a strong advocate of the idea tax cuts magically leadto balanced budgets. Like Romney, he advocates deregulating business, wants to pursue anti-LGBT and anti-women social policies, and believes Arizona’s anti-immigrant laws are the ideal model.

Fix The Debt CEOs Shorting Their Employees' Retirement Funds

Fix The Debt CEOs Shorting Their Employees' Retirement Funds
"No wonder conservatives hate public education. It makes it so damn easy to see what they're up to when you know how to do simple arithmetic. Imagine having the audacity to say Social Security is too generous when you're pillaging your own employee pension fund. They're pretty consistent that way! With Pete Peterson behind them, all they have to do is show up and say their lines, and in exchange, Peterson will fund ALEC's legislative wish list. Corporate synergy!"

No, Low Capital Gains Taxes Don’t Boost The Economy

No, Low Capital Gains Taxes Don’t Boost The Economy: If the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire on schedule at the end of the year, the capital gains tax will increase from 15 percent to 20 percent. President Obama has called for allowing the capital gains tax, as well as the tax for dividends, to increase only on income in excess of $250,000. [...]/p

Ron Paul's Farewell Speech in Congress Lays Bare His Hatred for "Pure Democracy," and Love of Oligarchy | Alternet

Ron Paul's Farewell Speech in Congress Lays Bare His Hatred for "Pure Democracy," and Love of Oligarchy | Alternet
"Rep. Ron Paul, an icon to the libertarian Right and to some on the anti-war Left, gave a farewell address to Congress that expressed his neo-Confederate interpretation of the Constitution and his anti-historical view of the supposedly good old days of laissez-faire capitalism.

In a near-hour-longrambling speech on Nov. 14, Paul also revealed himself to be an opponent of “pure democracy” because government by the people and for the people tends to infringe on the “liberty” of businessmen who, in Paul’s ideal world, should be allowed to do pretty much whatever they want to the less privileged."

ALEC's Economic Policies Do More Harm Than Good, New Report Shows

ALEC's Economic Policies Do More Harm Than Good, New Report Shows
"ALEC's economic policies are largely the brainchild of the "father of supply-side economics," Arthur Laffer, promulgated with the release of the annual Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index (RSPS) report. The most recent (fifth) edition was published in July 2012. ALEC's and Laffer's recommendations to promote economic growth include the reduction or abolition of progressive taxes, fewer investments in education and other public services, a smaller social safety net, and weaker or non-existent unions."

Republican Economic Lies Exposed

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Rich CEOs aim to shift $134 billion in tax payments onto poor and middle-class Americans

Tax the Rich, Take Your Hands Off Medicare: Overwhelming US Majority | Common Dreams

Tax the Rich, Take Your Hands Off Medicare: Overwhelming US Majority | Common Dreams
"A large majority of US citizens would like to see higher taxes on the rich and oppose cuts to Medicare as an answer to the US deficit, according to a poll released Wednesday by theWashington Post and ABC News."

Goldman Sachs' Global Coup d'e tat

Thom Hartmann takes a look at the enormous power Goldman Sachs has amassed around the world.

What Happens If Labor Dies? | Alternet

What Happens If Labor Dies? | Alternet
"When unions vanish, ordinary Americans lose their right to bargain collectively for their pay and benefits. Even those who have never bargained collectively will feel the loss. Some years ago, when unions were big enough that their effect on the larger economy could be measured, Princeton economist Henry Farber concluded that the wages of nonunion workers in industries that were 25 percent unionized were 7.5 percent higher than they’d be if their industry were union-free. When unionized companies were common, firms that were nonunion had to mimic the wages and benefits of their unionized counterparts for fear that their employees would leave or, worse, organize. That was certainly the practice at General Electric and other largely nonunion giants."

Sen. Dick Durbin Says Social Security Should Not Be Part of Any Fiscal Deal

Sen. Dick Durbin Says Social Security Should Not Be Part of Any Fiscal Deal
"Anyone who's paying attention knows that Social Security DOES NOT add one red cent to the federal deficit. So it's nice to finally some Democrats are speaking out against including Social Security in any talks for a fiscal cliff solution."

Grayson: Walmart is ‘the largest recipient of public aid in the country’

CEOs Try to Shred the Safety Net While Pigging Out on Corporate Welfare

CEOs Try to Shred the Safety Net While Pigging Out on Corporate Welfare
"A gang of brazen CEOs has joined forces to promote economically disastrous and socially irresponsible austerity policies. Many of those same CEOs were bailed out by the American taxpayer after a Wall Street-driven financial crash. Instead of a thank-you, they are showing their appreciation in the form of a coordinated effort to rob Americans of hard-earned retirements, decent medical care and relief for the poorest."

Exclusive: Since Election Day, Big Oil Lobby Dropped $3 Million On Ads To Protect Its Tax Loopholes

Exclusive: Since Election Day, Big Oil Lobby Dropped $3 Million On Ads To Protect Its Tax Loopholes: On election night, polluter-backed candidates lost in some of the most expensive races targeted by polluters, despite outside ad spending that tallied to $270 million. The American Petroleum Institute already has 2014 in its sights, and it is spending aggressively to protect the oil industry’s multi-billion-dollar tax breaks. Three weeks since election day, API has [...]/p

Poll: Strong support for Obama's tax plan, opposition to GOP plan to cap deductions and cut Medicare

Poll: Strong support for Obama's tax plan, opposition to GOP plan to cap deductions and cut Medicare
"These numbers once again show that the path forward is abundantly clear: let the Bush tax cuts on income over $250,000 expire, keep major cuts to Medicare benefits off the table, and don't use tax reform as an excuse to take away middle-class tax benefits. In other words, Americans support President Obama's approach—not Mitt Romney's and certainly not the Republican Party's. Given that President Obama won the election, that's not exactly a shock. The key thing to remember is that Congress doesn't need to do anything in order for Bush's upper-income tax cuts to expire—under current law, they end on December 31, 2012."

Boehner slams door on proposal to stop holding middle-class tax cuts hostage

Boehner slams door on proposal to stop holding middle-class tax cuts hostage
"The key thing that this reveals is that Republican rhetoric about revenue is nothing but hot air. They can talk until they are blue in the face about being willing to accept revenue, but unless they stop holding everything hostage for Bush's high-income tax cuts, they haven't actually done anything meaningful. Remember, under current law, Bush's tax cuts on income above $250,000 per year will expire on December 31. Extending them past that point would represent a new tax cut."

Corrections Corporation of America Used in Drug Sweeps of Public School Students

Corrections Corporation of America Used in Drug Sweeps of Public School Students
"An unsettling trend appears to be underway in Arizona: the use of private prison employees in law enforcement operations."

Fox Business host: Bangladeshi fire victims needed those jobs, let's not victimize poor Walmart

Fox Business host: Bangladeshi fire victims needed those jobs, let's not victimize poor Walmart
"Fox Business host and self-evidently despicable person Charles Payne:"

The Top 4 Whoppers Norquist Tells To Keep Republicans From Defecting

The Top 4 Whoppers Norquist Tells To Keep Republicans From Defecting: The anti-tax zealot uses his ubiquitous presence on cable TV, radio, and in print to publicly pressure Republicans from compromising on a balanced measure that includes increased revenue and spending cuts, using various scare tactics to keep the GOP in line. But his claims — which he dutifully reiterates in every media appearance — are often divorced from reality.

Without Labor Protections, Domestic Workers Earn Low Wages And Receive No Benefits

Without Labor Protections, Domestic Workers Earn Low Wages And Receive No Benefits: America’s domestic home help workers, most of them female minorities, earn low wages and often receive no retirement or health benefits because they lack basic labor protections, according to a first-of-its-kind survey of more than 2,000 domestic workers in 14 American cities. The report from the National Domestic Workers Alliance and affiliated groups found that [...]/p

9 Greedy CEOs Trying to Shred the Safety Net While Pigging Out on Corporate Welfare | Alternet

9 Greedy CEOs Trying to Shred the Safety Net While Pigging Out on Corporate Welfare | Alternet
"A gang of brazen CEOs has joined forces to promote economically disastrous and socially irresponsible austerity policies. Many of those same CEOs were bailed out by the American taxpayer after a Wall Street-driven financial crash. Instead of a thank-you, they are showing their appreciation in the form of a coordinated effort to rob Americans of hard-earned retirements, decent medical care and relief for the poorest."

Hey Donald Trump: You're Fired

If you’re wondering why half a million people have signed the petition urging Macy’s to stop spending the holidays with Donald Trump, this clip clears it up.

Grover Norquist, Enemy of the State? | Alternet

Grover Norquist, Enemy of the State? | Alternet
"Is it possible that Grover Norquist, the multi-millionaire K-Street lobbyist long funded by billionaires, is an enemy of the state? Pretty strong language, but consider that he has connived over the years to get hundreds of members of Congress to violate their own oath of office by pledging a higher oath to keep billionaires' taxes low than their pledge to the Constitution itself."

Why Even a Deal on the Budget is Bad for the American Economy | Alternet

Why Even a Deal on the Budget is Bad for the American Economy | Alternet
"Looking at the latest US data, business sentiment and capital spending have been eroding, and given the lagged impact of capital expenditure, that trend looks set to continue for the next few months. Against that, a number of consumer sentiment indicators remain upbeat and housing looks like it is in a firmly established uptrend, after a 5 year bear market.  In fact, the existing home inventory to sales ratio is as low as it ever gets, and that is with still very depressed sales. If sales pick up further, given low inventories and with new housing starts still below the replacement rate, home prices could lurch forward.

That said, the markets have been fairly upbeat given the rising perception of a deal to avert the US falling off the ‘fiscal cliff’."

Ousted Florida Republicans, including ex-Gov. Crist, say voter suppression was state GOP's goal

Ousted Florida Republicans, including ex-Gov. Crist, say voter suppression was state GOP's goal
"The former chairman of the Florida Republican Party and former Gov. Charlie Crist, along with two of the party's consultants, say the Grand Old Party curtailed early voting in the state for the express purpose of reducing turnout by Democrats."

Employers Want Highly-Trained Workers At Manual Labor Wages

Employers Want Highly-Trained Workers At Manual Labor Wages
"You may wonder if it was always this way, that it was the job of the taxpayers to provide job-ready employees for the sainted job creators. Let me tell you a little story."

How Increasing Infrastructure Spending Provides A Major Boost To Our Economy

How Increasing Infrastructure Spending Provides A Major Boost To Our Economy: The United States has a massive infrastructure deficit, with independent analysts finding that the country could need as much as $2 trillion in immediate investments just to bring its infrastructure up to date. With the economy recovering slowly and our nation’s roads and bridges crumbling, a new paper from the San Francisco Federal Reserve found [...]/p

5 Obscenely Rich People Who Should Stop Whining About Taxes (and Listen to Warren Buffett) | Alternet

5 Obscenely Rich People Who Should Stop Whining About Taxes (and Listen to Warren Buffett) | Alternet
" Buffett slams the notion that the wealthy would stop investing if taxes went up on them, writing that we should “forget about the rich and ultrarich going on strike and stuffing their ample funds under their mattresses if — gasp — capital gains rates and ordinary income rates are increased"."

Romney's 47 Percent Chickens Come Home to Roost

Romney's 47 Percent Chickens Come Home to Roost
"As the final 2012 vote tallies come in from all over the country, it's clear that Barack Obama didn't just squeak by, but will win by over three percentage points, leaving Mitt Romney with 47 percent of the popular vote."

To boost the economy and the retail industry, raise retail wages

To boost the economy and the retail industry, raise retail wages
"Low-wage employers and Republican politicians would share an objection to this: They'd claim it would hurt businesses, causing them to hire fewer workers or even lay people off. But that doesn't take account of the fact that poor people don't have money to spend; if retail workers at or near the poverty line get a raise, that money will go toward meeting basic needs they haven't been able to cover. That means a boost to the economy in general and the retail industry in particular."

Why Isn't Austerity For The Greedy CEOs of Fix The Debt?

Why Isn't Austerity For The Greedy CEOs of Fix The Debt?
"So the one-time-only Bush repatriation tax holiday (2004) is back again, again. A year ago, NC Democrat Sen. Kay Hagan partnered with Sen. John McCain in an attempt to resurrect the one-time-only scheme one more time. It went nowhere. But their corporate sponsors are persistent little devils. So now repatriation is back re-branded as Fix the Debt’s “territorial tax system.” In addition to the profits mentioned above, the territorial tax system “give companies additional incentives to disguise U.S. profits as income earned in tax havens in order to avoid paying U.S. income taxes"."

The $250,000 Question: Poll Shows Obama’s Tax Plan Is Widely Misunderstood | Common Dreams

The $250,000 Question: Poll Shows Obama’s Tax Plan Is Widely Misunderstood | Common Dreams
"Here’s the Obama plan in brief. The Bush tax cuts would be extended for households with an annual income under $250,000 (or $200,000 for individuals), but the tax cuts would expire on any income above $250,000. That means, for example, if you make $300,000, your tax rate would rise a few percentage points, to the Clinton-era rates, but only on the portion above $250,000; in this case, only on $50,000. Bottom line: no one—not a billionaire, not someone making $251,000—would have to pay more taxes on that first $250,000.

There’s a widespread misconception, however, and it’s causing a lot of unnecessary fear. It’s the faulty belief that if your income is above $250,000, you’d have to pay the higher rates on all your income, as if you were suddenly being moved entirely into a higher tax bracket. That is wrong."

Republican Leader Wants Deficit-Reducing Obamacare ‘On The Table’ In Debt Talks

Republican Leader Wants Deficit-Reducing Obamacare ‘On The Table’ In Debt Talks: During an appearance on Fox News on Monday, House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) asserted that Obamacare “ought to be on the table” for cuts during ongoing budget and deficit-reduction negotiations between President Obama and Congressional leaders. Echoing House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-OH) recent op-ed calling for a repeal of Obamacare through “oversight,” Cantor [...]/p

3 Right-Wing Lies About Rich People and Taxes -- Debunked | Alternet

3 Right-Wing Lies About Rich People and Taxes -- Debunked | Alternet
"In an effort to discredit President Obama's plan to increase taxes on the wealthy, conservative media outlets have pushed a number of myths to suggest that a large number of Americans will be negatively affected. In reality, only a small percentage of taxpayers would be affected by Obama's proposals."

Media Present GOP’s Romney-Like Proposal On Revenue Increases As ‘Big Concession’

Media Present GOP’s Romney-Like Proposal On Revenue Increases As ‘Big Concession’: Since voters rejected Mitt Romney’s $5 trillion tax plan and President Obama won re-election earlier this month, Republicans have expressed interest in raising revenue to avert the coming fiscal cliff. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) immediately signaled that they are open to raising revenue and prominent Senators Lindsey Graham [...]/p

Will the FCC Give Rupert Murdoch the Powerful Gift of Media Consolidation?

Will the FCC Give Rupert Murdoch the Powerful Gift of Media Consolidation?
"Just in time for the holidays, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering changes to media cross-ownership rules that watchdogs say could good give Rupert Murdoch's massive conglomerate News Corporation the go-ahead to acquire more big media outlets.

The proposal could also keep women and minorities out of the media market, according to civil rights groups.

Reports suggest Murdoch has recovered from the British phone hacking scandal and is ready to jump back into the media consolidation game."

Walmart is downplaying it, but Black Friday protests were historic

Walmart is downplaying it, but Black Friday protests were historic
"Context matters. Walmart wants us to think of the context of its vast numbers of employees who didn't strike. That's a real context. But so is the fact that history was made in Octoberwhen Walmart workers staged a rolling series of one-day strikes, the first such strikes in Walmart's 50-year history. The Black Friday actions made history again, and they made it bigger. The question is whether this is the peak of worker activism at Walmart, or just the beginning."

Tax Rates For America’s Wealthiest Fell In 2010

Tax Rates For America’s Wealthiest Fell In 2010: With debate in Washington focused on the taxes paid by the wealthiest Americans, new data from the Internal Revenue Service shows that the effective tax rates for America’s top earners fell even lower in 2010. The average effective tax rate fell for all income groups above $500,000, continuing a drop that has occurred for years. [...]/p

Drones Will Be The New Normal in The U.S. If We Let Them

Drones Will Be The New Normal in The U.S. If We Let Them
"Here's how it happens: The defense contractors see dollar signs, buy themselves a bouquet of Congress critters, and then suddenly we have an "urgent" civilian need for military equipment. It will keep us "safe". Sure, there'll be a few major collisions and "accidents," but it will become generally accepted as the New Normal. And once that's firmly ensconced in the public mind as necessary, we'll then develop an urgent need for armed drones.

Maybe voters need to rise up against this nonsense:"

The lessons of 1937

The lessons of 1937
"In the current climate, with the threat of the austerity bomb, it is important to remember and reiterate the lessons of 1937. I certainly hope the president remembers. This is no time for the federal government to cut spending."

CEO Council Demands Cuts To Poor, Elderly While Reaping Billions In Government Contracts, Tax Breaks | Common Dreams

CEO Council Demands Cuts To Poor, Elderly While Reaping Billions In Government Contracts, Tax Breaks | Common Dreams
"CEOs belonging to what the campaign calls its CEO Fiscal Leadership Council -- most visibly, Goldman Sachs' Lloyd Blankfein and Honeywell's David Cote -- have barnstormed the media, making the case that the only way to cut the deficit is to severely scale back social safety-net programs -- Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security -- which would disproportionately impact the poor and the elderly."

Hostess Employee Tells All About CEO Gutting Pensions, Pay Scales

Hostess Employee Tells All About CEO Gutting Pensions, Pay Scales
"This is only the tip of the iceberg. As equity funds have taken more and more control of companies, they have also robbed more and more employees of a living wage, their pensions, and more. One need only point to how bankruptcy laws were rewritten to understand how Hostess investors managed to make a killing and protecttheir investment at the expense of their employees, who paid for it with their hard-earned dollars.

There ought to be a law against that."

Only 3.6% Of 1% Are Entrepreneurs, And Other Useful Info

Only 3.6% Of 1% Are Entrepreneurs, And Other Useful Info
"According to both Marketwatch and economist Edward Wolff, over 90 percent of the assets owned by millionaires are held in a combination of low-risk investments (bonds and cash), personal business accounts, the stock market, and real estate. Only 3.6 percent of taxpayers in the top .1% were classified as entrepreneurs based on 2004 tax returns. A 2009 Kauffman Foundation study found that the great majority of entrepreneurs come from middle-class backgrounds, with less than 1 percent of all entrepreneurs coming from very rich or very poor backgrounds."

After the $6 Billion Election, Calls for Subpoenas and Amendments

After the $6 Billion Election, Calls for Subpoenas and Amendments
"Now that the most expensive election in history is over, an increasing number of Americans are demanding action to reduce the influence of money and corporations in our political system -- and reformers are offering solutions."

With Biggest Strike Against Biggest Employer, Walmart Workers Make History Again | Common Dreams

With Biggest Strike Against Biggest Employer, Walmart Workers Make History Again | Common Dreams
"For about twenty-four hours, Walmart workers, union members and a slew of other activists pulled off the largest-ever US strike against the largest employer in the world."

Taming the Walmart Bully | Common Dreams

Taming the Walmart Bully | Common Dreams
"Walmart is notorious for forcing small retailers out of business, pushing suppliers to bankruptcy, depressing labor conditions and paying employees the barest minimum wage. And Walmart is a committed union buster – when workers in the USA and Canada tried to organize, Walmart closed entire stores to avoid setting a precedent. Now . . . finally . . . there's some blowback across the country, inspired by the workers at Walmart warehouses in southern California."

Walmart Workers Protest For Better Wages And Benefits On Black Friday

Walmart Workers Protest For Better Wages And Benefits On Black Friday: Workers at Walmart stores across the country are protesting the national retailer’s low wages and poor working conditions in an effort to raise public awareness about how the company treats its employees on the busiest shopping day of the year. The strikes, which began earlier this month, are the first in the 50 year history [...]/p

Walmart Retaliates Against Black Friday Activists | Alternet

Walmart Retaliates Against Black Friday Activists | Alternet
"With its own workers standing up against poverty wages and exploitation, Walmart is siccing the cops on past and present employees, allegedly on false pretenses."

6 Reasons the Fiscal Cliff is a Scam | Alternet

6 Reasons the Fiscal Cliff is a Scam | Alternet
"Stripped to essentials, the fiscal cliff is a device constructed to force a rollback of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, as the price of avoiding tax increases and disruptive cuts in federal civilian programs and in the military.  It was policy-making by hostage-taking, timed for the lame duck session, a contrived crisis, the plain idea now unfolding was to force a stampede."

Walkout on Wal-Mart: Black Friday. Boycott Wal-Mart. Support Workers.

Walkout on Wal-Mart: Black Friday. Boycott Wal-Mart. Support Workers.
"Please consider supporting the Wal-Mart Strikers Food Fund"

ThankProgress: 10 Things Progressives Can Be Thankful For

ThankProgress: 10 Things Progressives Can Be Thankful For: Following a long presidential campaign full of policy battles and disagreements, progressives have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. Here are 10 things we can all celebrate: We are thankful for the millions of Americans serving our country at home and abroad. This includes 1.4 million Armed Services members, 80,000 AmeriCorps members, [...]/p

Why Does The Working Class Have To Pick Up The Pieces Caused By Wall Street & Tea Party Deficit Hawks?

Why Does The Working Class Have To Pick Up The Pieces Caused By Wall Street & Tea Party Deficit Hawks?
"Are you sick and tired of listening to the Beltway villagers frame our economic plight as the end of the year looms? Whenever a Democratic politician comes out and says that we should let things play out until after January 1, and then start bargaining, they freak out. They have completely surrendered to the disaster-capital Republicans and are trying to help them force major cuts in the social safety net for all working class Americans, all in the name of a greedy Wall Street along with much-needed backup from the Tea Party Birchers."

Five Obamacare Provisions To Be Thankful For

Five Obamacare Provisions To Be Thankful For: After clearing significant hurdles over the past year — including repeated repeal votes in Congress, a Supreme Court challenge, and a presidential election — the future of President Obama’s landmark health reform law is finally secure. Now that it’s here to stay, Americans can expect to reap significant benefits as the Affordable Care Act continues [...]/p

The Truth About Raising The Social Security Retirement Age

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Ezra Klein, filling in for MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell this Tuesday evening, ended this segment responding to Goldman Sachs CEO, Lloyd Blankfein's assertion that the Social Security retirement age should be raised with a question that we all already know the answer to

A Thanksgiving Reminder That America Alone Doesn’t Guarantee Time Off For Vacations Or Holidays

A Thanksgiving Reminder That America Alone Doesn’t Guarantee Time Off For Vacations Or Holidays: Today, many workers at the nation’s largest retail stores, including Walmart and Target, will have to go to work instead of spending the entirety of the Thanksgiving holiday with their families. Many retailers have decided that Black Friday, the biggest retail day of the year, now needs to start on Thursday, despite workers complaints. Having [...]/p

Walmart and Black Friday protests | Common Dreams

Walmart and Black Friday protests | Common Dreams
"hey've finally had enough. After years of financial and emotional exploitation, Walmart workers, for the first time in the corporation's 50-year history, are striking on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year in the United States. Workers will make history tomorrow by taking part in over 1,000 protests and civil disobedience actions across the country, from Richmond, California, to Miami, Florida."

Why You Shouldn’t Shop at Walmart on Friday (and Why the Strike is Good for the Economy) | Common Dreams

Why You Shouldn’t Shop at Walmart on Friday (and Why the Strike is Good for the Economy) | Common Dreams
"A half century ago America’s largest private-sector employer was General Motors, whose full-time workers earned an average hourly wage of around $50, in today’s dollars, including health and pension benefits"

PERRspectives: Walmart Owners Look to Slash Federal Tax Payments

PERRspectives: Walmart Owners Look to Slash Federal Tax Payments
"Black Friday is the single biggest shopping day of the year. And this Friday, all eyes will be on Walmart, the nation's single biggest retailer and employer. But while the planned protests at 1,000 of the chain's 4,000 locations will keep the focus on Walmart's below-industry standard pay to its 1.3 million associates, the company's owners are actively working to reduce their tax bill as well."

Ingredients for a union-made Thanksgiving

Ingredients for a union-made Thanksgiving
"You can also use the UFCW's smartphone app to locate a nearby union grocery store. Drinking beer? There's a list for that, too."

Macy’s CEO to American People: Drop Dead | Alternet

Macy’s CEO to American People: Drop Dead | Alternet
"Macy’s is a powerful symbol of Thanksgiving, with its festive parade and freakishly large floats. But Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren is part of a group of greedy, unpatriotic CEOs who would like to seize this moment of American hardship and tear the rug out from under hard-working families. Moms, dads, grandparents, kids—he’d like to take a little something from each of you. Especially if you're poor: he’d really like to get into your purses.

Lundgren and a coalition of other big-time CEOs are lobbying Congress to cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits so that they can enjoy tax breaks."

The truth about Walmart wages

The truth about Walmart wages
"Everything Walmart does around wages—from its low starting wages to its huge part-time workforce to its tightly restricted system of raises and promotions to its very claims to being a good employer—is about taking the next step in the race to the bottom, breaking down its workers and making them desperate, driving down the public's understanding of what exactly a good job is. It's time to fight back. Find a Black Friday event near you in the widget at the right."

It's Simple: Cutting the Deficit Will Kill Jobs and Hurt Growth; Taxing the Rich Won't | Alternet

It's Simple: Cutting the Deficit Will Kill Jobs and Hurt Growth; Taxing the Rich Won't | Alternet
"Deficit reduction leads us in the opposite direction — away from jobs and growth. The reason the “fiscal cliff” is dangerous (and, yes, I know – it’s not really a “cliff” but more like a hill) is because it’s too much deficit reduction, too quickly. It would suck too much demand out of the economy."

Walmart Tells Management to Threaten Workers Against Striking

Walmart Tells Management to Threaten Workers Against Striking
"And for all their pooh-poohing of the Walmart Black Friday strike, it does look like the suits are getting nervous about how this is playing to their key customer base:"

Obama Name-Drops Nate Silver During Turkey Pardon

Obama Name-Drops Nate Silver During Turkey Pardon: At the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon, President Obama jokingly name-checked the New York Times election stats guru Nate Silver. “Once again,” Obama joked, “Nate Silver completely nailed it,” referring to the President’s decision to “pardon” both of the turkeys in question after a Facebook vote by permitting them to live out their lives rather than [...]/p

Unemployment Insurance Kept 2.3 Million Americans Out Of Poverty Last Year

Unemployment Insurance Kept 2.3 Million Americans Out Of Poverty Last Year: America’s unemployment insurance program is not as robust as those in many industrialized nations, but the program that is speeding toward massive reductions if Congress doesn’t extend it before the end of the year still kept more than 2 million Americans out of poverty in 2011. According to the National Employment Law Project, which is [...]/p

Farmers Told To Buy Insurance If They Don’t Want To Get Sued By Corporations

Farmers Told To Buy Insurance If They Don’t Want To Get Sued By Corporations: Every year for the past 13 years, biotechnology giant Monsanto Company has sued about 11 farmers per year for patent infringement of their genetically modified corn and soybean seeds. Many of these farmers have had to pay a settlement to the corporation even when their fields were accidentally contaminated with GM seeds from a neighboring [...]/p

The U.S. Does Not Have a Spending Problem, We Have a Distribution Problem - The Atlantic

The U.S. Does Not Have a Spending Problem, We Have a Distribution Problem - The Atlantic
"Forty years from now, America will be twice as rich on average as we are today. But most of that wealth will go to the very richest households. We only have a budget crisis if they refuse to pay higher taxes."

Wal-Mart: Always Low Wages

Wal-Mart: Always Low Wages
"Employees of the super company are planning a walkout on one of the biggest shopping days of the year, and that's only the beginning."

Join the Rolling Jubilee: “You Are Not a Loan”

Join the Rolling Jubilee: “You Are Not a Loan”
"This is the idea behind the "Rolling Jubilee" being organized by "Strike Debt", an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Since November 15, 2012, they have raised over $350,000, enough to abolish over $7 million in debt."

Fox Pundit Jokes Food Stamps Could Be A Diet Plan

Fox Pundit Jokes Food Stamps Could Be A Diet Plan: Fox Business kicked off Thanksgiving eve with a joke about food stamps. Discussing Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker’s challenge to live on food stamps for one week, Fox pundit Andrea Tantaros said that living on a $133 monthly allowance for food would make her look “fabulous.” Meanwhile, a record number of Americans actually rely [...]/p

Walmart does damage control as Black Friday protests approach

Walmart does damage control as Black Friday protests approach
"If Walmart is so good to its workers, what's with all the gender discrimination lawsuits? Did the union put thousands of women up to falsely claiming discrimination? What about wage theft and safety violations all up and down Walmart's supply chain? Did the union get a wide range of government agencies to fine Walmart and the contractors it tightly oversees for stuff that never happened? For that matter, at Walmart's own stores? In recent years, Walmart has paid hundreds of millions of dollars to settle wage theft charges. Stand with Walmart workers this Black Friday."

Something's Very Wrong When Only the Rich get Richer | Alternet

Something's Very Wrong When Only the Rich get Richer | Alternet
"We’ve all heard plenty of chatter over recent years about the widening gap “between rich and poor.” But what about the gap between rich and middle? This divide seldom ever gets much media play, an inattention that makes no sense. The gap between America’s high-income and middle-income households, after all, has been growing almost as fast as the gap between rich and poor.

The latest evidence: a new income inequality study from two of Washington’s most respected research groups, the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute."

Surprise! What jobs have the highest number of psychopaths?

When you hear the word psychopath - what do you think of? Probably some brutal serial killer that was out of his mind - right? But - what if I told you that psychopaths that can function at extremely high levels - and succeed in all levels of society? If you think that psychopathic tendencies and success have nothing in common - then everything you know is wrong!

Austerity: A Violation of Human Rights? | Common Dreams

Austerity: A Violation of Human Rights? | Common Dreams
"ave you ever wished there was a set of standards by which budgets could be assessed that didn’t have to do with deficit hawks and stimulus sparrows pecking each other’s eyes out in the constricted ring of corporate opinion?"

Wall Street, Coming to Your Town! (and Destroying It) | Alternet

Wall Street, Coming to Your Town! (and Destroying It) | Alternet
"Yet a closer look reveals that the future is already here. American austerity has largely taken the form of municipal budget crises precipitated by predatory Wall Street lending practices."

Strike shuts down Port of Oakland

Strike shuts down Port of Oakland
"The Port of Oakland, which was a major site for Occupy actions in late 2011, has been shut down by striking union workers—janitors, maintenance workers, and others—who are also striking and picketing at, though not shutting down, the airport."

Fox Airs Pro-Walmart Segment Attacking Black Friday Strike 'Brought to You by Walmart'

Fox Airs Pro-Walmart Segment Attacking Black Friday Strike 'Brought to You by Walmart'
"Walmart has responded to the protests by filing a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that the strikes are illegally being led by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union."