Monday, June 17, 2013
Florida’s Governor Signs Business-Backed Bill Banning Paid Sick Leave
Florida’s Governor Signs Business-Backed Bill Banning Paid Sick Leave: Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) signed a bill on Friday that blocks local governments from implementing paid sick leave legislation, the Orlando Sentinel reports. He made his decision quickly, only taking four of the 15 days he legally had to review the bill before he signed it. In signing the bill, Scott sided with big [...]/p
Sunday, June 16, 2013
How The Few Choose Inequality For The Many
How The Few Choose Inequality For The Many
"The U.S has become a less equal society over the past 30 years, but it didn’t just happen. Inequality in the U.S. happened by design, not by chance. It is the direct result of government policy. David Cay Johnston writes that the top 1 percent had just 10 percent of all reported national income. By 1999 the top 1 percent claimed 20 percent of national income. Since 2000, they have claimed about 1 fifth of national income. During the recovery, from 2009 to 2011, 121 percent of gains in income went to the top 1 percent."
"The U.S has become a less equal society over the past 30 years, but it didn’t just happen. Inequality in the U.S. happened by design, not by chance. It is the direct result of government policy. David Cay Johnston writes that the top 1 percent had just 10 percent of all reported national income. By 1999 the top 1 percent claimed 20 percent of national income. Since 2000, they have claimed about 1 fifth of national income. During the recovery, from 2009 to 2011, 121 percent of gains in income went to the top 1 percent."
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Republicans And Some Democrats Are Quietly Rolling Back Obama’s Wall St. Regulations
www.politicususa.com/2013/06/15/republicans-democrats-quietly-rolling-obamas-wall-st-regulations.html
"There is no other way to describe what Republican intentions are in repeating the same deregulation frenzy except to deliberately destroy the American economy once and for all to allow their wealthy supporters the opportunity to step in and buy the United States lock, stock, and barrel."
"There is no other way to describe what Republican intentions are in repeating the same deregulation frenzy except to deliberately destroy the American economy once and for all to allow their wealthy supporters the opportunity to step in and buy the United States lock, stock, and barrel."
Elizabeth Warren Warns of Corporate Capture of U.S. Courts
Elizabeth Warren Warns of Corporate Capture of U.S. Courts
"Warren, a former Harvard Law professor, also criticized the “increasingly brazen and ideological pro-corporate tilt” of the Supreme Court and the D.C. Circuit. “Follow this pro-business trend to its logical conclusion, and sooner or later you’ll end up with a Supreme Court that functions as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chamber of Commerce"."
"Warren, a former Harvard Law professor, also criticized the “increasingly brazen and ideological pro-corporate tilt” of the Supreme Court and the D.C. Circuit. “Follow this pro-business trend to its logical conclusion, and sooner or later you’ll end up with a Supreme Court that functions as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chamber of Commerce"."
Friday, June 14, 2013
New "Pirates" Report on Corporate Tax Havens
New "Pirates" Report on Corporate Tax Havens
"The Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) has just released a report on tax havens, Corporate Pirates of the Caribbean. The report shows that the corporations engaged in the “Fix the Debt” austerity push would gain up to $173 billion in tax breaks from their proposal for a “territorial tax system.” So under the guise of cutting deficits (because the public thinks they want that), these companies are actually pushing a plan to line their pockets while adding to deficits."
"The Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) has just released a report on tax havens, Corporate Pirates of the Caribbean. The report shows that the corporations engaged in the “Fix the Debt” austerity push would gain up to $173 billion in tax breaks from their proposal for a “territorial tax system.” So under the guise of cutting deficits (because the public thinks they want that), these companies are actually pushing a plan to line their pockets while adding to deficits."
Global Power Project, Part 1: Exposing the Transnational Capitalist Class
Global Power Project, Part 1: Exposing the Transnational Capitalist Class
"A 2005 report from Citigroup coined the term “plutonomy” to describe countries “where economic growth is powered by and largely consumed by the wealthy few.” The report specifically identified the U.K., Canada, Australia and the United States as four plutonomies. Published three years before the onset of the financial crisis in 2008, the Citigroup report stated: “Asset booms, a rising profit share and favorable treatment by market-friendly governments have allowed the rich to prosper and become a greater share of the economy in the plutonomy countries.”
"A 2005 report from Citigroup coined the term “plutonomy” to describe countries “where economic growth is powered by and largely consumed by the wealthy few.” The report specifically identified the U.K., Canada, Australia and the United States as four plutonomies. Published three years before the onset of the financial crisis in 2008, the Citigroup report stated: “Asset booms, a rising profit share and favorable treatment by market-friendly governments have allowed the rich to prosper and become a greater share of the economy in the plutonomy countries.”
"The rich," said the report, "are in great shape, financially."
Britain’s Austerity Policies Forcing Homeless People To Live In Caves
Britain’s Austerity Policies Forcing Homeless People To Live In Caves: So many people have been seeking beds at shelters in central Britain that some homeless people have been forced to live in caves on the outskirts of town. Britain’s economy continues to reel from the austerity policies enacted by the conservative government, and it is having a tragic human impact in places like Stockport. As [...]/p
Why Elizabeth Warren’s Plan For Student Debt is an Economic Breakthrough | Alternet
Why Elizabeth Warren’s Plan For Student Debt is an Economic Breakthrough | Alternet
"On July 1, interest rates will double for millions of students – from 3.4% to 6.8% – unless Congress acts; and the legislative fixes on the table are largely just compromises. Only one proposal promises real relief – Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s “Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act.” This bill has been dismissed out of hand as “shameless populist demagoguery” and “a cheap political gimmick,” but is it? Or could Warren’s outside-the-box bill represent the sort of game-changing thinking sorely needed to turn the economy around?
"On July 1, interest rates will double for millions of students – from 3.4% to 6.8% – unless Congress acts; and the legislative fixes on the table are largely just compromises. Only one proposal promises real relief – Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s “Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act.” This bill has been dismissed out of hand as “shameless populist demagoguery” and “a cheap political gimmick,” but is it? Or could Warren’s outside-the-box bill represent the sort of game-changing thinking sorely needed to turn the economy around?
Warren and her co-sponsor John Tierney propose that students be allowed to borrow directly from the government at the same rate that banks get from the Federal Reserve — 0.75 percent."
How much can tax policy curb income inequality growth? Maybe a lot | Economic Policy Institute
How much can tax policy curb income inequality growth? Maybe a lot | Economic Policy Institute
"The bottom line for policymakers: Raising top tax rates could yield large results in slowing income inequality growth without unduly hampering economic growth. This is just one more piece of evidence suggesting that Washington’s dominant framework for tax reform is divorced from economic research and needs serious reevaluation."
"The bottom line for policymakers: Raising top tax rates could yield large results in slowing income inequality growth without unduly hampering economic growth. This is just one more piece of evidence suggesting that Washington’s dominant framework for tax reform is divorced from economic research and needs serious reevaluation."
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Wisconsin’s System Increasingly Rigged Against the Unemployed
Wisconsin’s System Increasingly Rigged Against the Unemployed
"With the latest Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia index ranking Wisconsin 49th out of 50 in economic outlook, high unemployment in Wisconsin is a problem that is not likely to go away any time soon. But, instead of trying to fix the economy in Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker's Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is finding new ways to disqualify the unemployed from collecting benefits. This is unlikely to do anything but compound Wisconsin's economic woes."
"With the latest Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia index ranking Wisconsin 49th out of 50 in economic outlook, high unemployment in Wisconsin is a problem that is not likely to go away any time soon. But, instead of trying to fix the economy in Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker's Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is finding new ways to disqualify the unemployed from collecting benefits. This is unlikely to do anything but compound Wisconsin's economic woes."
Five Ways To Jumpstart The Middle Class — And The Economy
Five Ways To Jumpstart The Middle Class — And The Economy: The Center for American Progress unveiled a sweeping economic agenda on Thursday, in a report titled “300 Million Engines of Growth: A Middle-Out Plan for Jobs, Business, and a Growing Economy.” The agenda is premised on the notion that income inequality and the erosion of the middle class hamper economic growth, and that American policy [...]/p
You Wouldn't Believe Bank of America's Latest Scam | Alternet
You Wouldn't Believe Bank of America's Latest Scam | Alternet
"It appears that big bank Bank of America is up to the same old dirty tricks that helped contribute to America’s financial meltdown in the first place."
"It appears that big bank Bank of America is up to the same old dirty tricks that helped contribute to America’s financial meltdown in the first place."
The Shocking Amount of Wealth and Power Held by 0.001% of the World Population | Alternet
The Shocking Amount of Wealth and Power Held by 0.001% of the World Population | Alternet
"Many now know the rhetoric of the 1% very well: the imagery of a small elite owning most of the wealth while the 99% take the table scraps."
"Many now know the rhetoric of the 1% very well: the imagery of a small elite owning most of the wealth while the 99% take the table scraps."
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
University of Tennessee Set to Lease Forest For Fracking, Enriching Governor's Family
University of Tennessee Set to Lease Forest For Fracking, Enriching Governor's Family
"8,600 acres of the Cumberland Forest owned by University of Tennessee-Knoxville will be leased off to the oil and gas industry this August in a new form of "frackademia" - and one of the top financial beneficiaries will be the family of Republican Gov. Bill Haslam, who sits on UT-Knoxville's Board of Trustees."
"8,600 acres of the Cumberland Forest owned by University of Tennessee-Knoxville will be leased off to the oil and gas industry this August in a new form of "frackademia" - and one of the top financial beneficiaries will be the family of Republican Gov. Bill Haslam, who sits on UT-Knoxville's Board of Trustees."
Meet The Foreclosed Grandmas Facing Federal Charges For Protesting ‘Too Big To Jail’
Meet The Foreclosed Grandmas Facing Federal Charges For Protesting ‘Too Big To Jail’: Seven women were arraigned Tuesday in Washington, D.C., on federal charges of “unlawful entry” stemming from last month’s homeowner sit-ins at the Department of Justice and a lawfirm called Covington and Burling. Protesters targeted Covington for its revolving-door relationship with a government that’s failed to prosecute Wall Street. When Lanny Breuer stepped down as head [...]/p
Yet Another Big Money Financial Scandal: Five Traders Say Foreign Currency Exchange Rates Rigged
Yet Another Big Money Financial Scandal: Five Traders Say Foreign Currency Exchange Rates Rigged
"Yes, Bloomberg reports that five big-time currency traders (as in converting dollars to yen for example) say that they have engaged in or witnessed the fixing of exchange rates for greater profit.
"Yes, Bloomberg reports that five big-time currency traders (as in converting dollars to yen for example) say that they have engaged in or witnessed the fixing of exchange rates for greater profit.
In a rather complicated scheme that involves split-second timing, foreign currency traders, executing orders on behalf of clients, game the system to make larger profits at the expense of those who have retained them to convert currencies.
That's a wordy way of saying clients get cheated by some of the foreign currency traders, because the traders are driving up exchange rates and making money on the increased margin."
North Carolina Is the New Wisconsin | The Nation
North Carolina Is the New Wisconsin | The Nation
"Just like the Koch brothers backed Scott Walker, the Koch’s billionaire ally and close associate Art Pope funded North Carolina’s Republican takeover in 2010 and 2012."
"Just like the Koch brothers backed Scott Walker, the Koch’s billionaire ally and close associate Art Pope funded North Carolina’s Republican takeover in 2010 and 2012."
Small Businesses Declare Their Support For Paid Sick And Family Leave
Small Businesses Declare Their Support For Paid Sick And Family Leave: On Tuesday, a coalition of businesses launched a website in support of earned sick leave and family leave insurance called “Better Workplaces, Better Businesses.” The site is a partnership of the American Sustainable Business Council, the Main Street Alliance, and Social Venture Network and includes a comprehensive list of businesses that support campaigns for these [...]/p
Financial Totalitarianism: The Economic, Political, Social and Cultural Rule of Speculative Capital
Financial Totalitarianism: The Economic, Political, Social and Cultural Rule of Speculative Capital
"At the end of May, it was revealed that a new bill for the regulation of the banking and financial sector was, for all intents and purposes, drafted by Citigroup. This is only the latest in a long list of what can only be called legalized corruption at the highest levels of American power, which has ultimately led to no meaningful policy or legal change in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis."
"At the end of May, it was revealed that a new bill for the regulation of the banking and financial sector was, for all intents and purposes, drafted by Citigroup. This is only the latest in a long list of what can only be called legalized corruption at the highest levels of American power, which has ultimately led to no meaningful policy or legal change in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis."
Austerity Is Dead – So Can We Fix The Infrastructure NOW?
Austerity Is Dead – So Can We Fix The Infrastructure NOW?
"You might have heard that “austerity is dead.” You’ll certainly be hearing it, and with good reason: the U.S. deficit is down more than 50 percent from what President Bush left behind, projections of the rise in medical costs that drove future deficits are way down, the “intellectual foundation” that justified the push for cutting government has collapsed (as if it ever existed), and the European experiment has shown that budget cuts really just make things worse – much, much worse – and cause misery and suffering to boot. Meanwhile we have two real problems to worry about: unemployment and crumbling infrastructure. So can we hire people to fix the infrastructure now?"
"You might have heard that “austerity is dead.” You’ll certainly be hearing it, and with good reason: the U.S. deficit is down more than 50 percent from what President Bush left behind, projections of the rise in medical costs that drove future deficits are way down, the “intellectual foundation” that justified the push for cutting government has collapsed (as if it ever existed), and the European experiment has shown that budget cuts really just make things worse – much, much worse – and cause misery and suffering to boot. Meanwhile we have two real problems to worry about: unemployment and crumbling infrastructure. So can we hire people to fix the infrastructure now?"
The GOP Talking Point On Obamacare’s Medicare ‘Cuts’ Bites The Dust
The GOP Talking Point On Obamacare’s Medicare ‘Cuts’ Bites The Dust: Conservatives regularly claim that Obamacare “cuts” Medicare, and will cause less seniors to enroll in private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans while forcing insurers to cut benefits. Now, the exact opposite of those dire predictions is occurring, as record numbers of seniors have enrolled in Medicare Advantage, according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family [...]/p
Are Bank Insiders Manipulating Foreign Exchange Rates, Too?
Are Bank Insiders Manipulating Foreign Exchange Rates, Too?: Foreign currency traders are rigging the market in which they trade in order to bilk clients and maximize profits, five sources familiar with the practice told Bloomberg. The news extends an industry pattern of insider manipulation that includes oil markets and a key global interest rate. Traders collude with one another to move exchange rates [...]/p
The Third Koch ‘Brother’ Hits North Carolina | Common Dreams
The Third Koch ‘Brother’ Hits North Carolina | Common Dreams
"There’s something rotten in the state of North Carolina — and it smells like money. Specifically, Art Pope’s money.
"There’s something rotten in the state of North Carolina — and it smells like money. Specifically, Art Pope’s money.
In fact, Pope and his cash are responsible for North Carolina’s recent meteoric rise as the poster child for regressive, conservative politics.
As the head of Variety Wholesalers (a family-run discount store holding company) and the$150 million Pope Family Foundation, he has invested in an array of think tanks and advocacy groups dedicated to aggressively aligning the state’s political terrain with his business interests. Gov. Pat McCrory, whose campaign he bankrolled, recently named Pope to the powerful post of state budget director.
Pope is, for all intents and purposes, North Carolina’s third, lesser known, Koch brother. In fact, he’s attended the Koch Brothers’ planning summits and considers himself their close ally."
Last Week in Poverty: Denying a Head Start in Washington State | Alternet
Last Week in Poverty: Denying a Head Start in Washington State | Alternet
"To get a sense of just how foolish and shortsighted the $85 billion across-the-board sequester cuts are, you don’t have to look any further than Washington's Head Start program."
"To get a sense of just how foolish and shortsighted the $85 billion across-the-board sequester cuts are, you don’t have to look any further than Washington's Head Start program."
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
How Big Pharma Drives Up Medicare Spending Without Improving Seniors’ Health
How Big Pharma Drives Up Medicare Spending Without Improving Seniors’ Health: The Medicare Part D prescription drug program for seniors wasted $1.4 billion paying for brand name drugs that were no more effective than their cheaper, generic counterparts, according to a new study by the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System. That excess spending was driven in large part by pharmaceutical companies’ efforts to delay generic drug [...]/p
Employers: Pay your interns. Labor Department: Bust them if they don’t! | Economic Policy Institute
Employers: Pay your interns. Labor Department: Bust them if they don’t! | Economic Policy Institute
"If the government doesn’t enforce the law, all employers will eventually think they can hire employees without paying them, simply by calling it an “internship.” As long as the labor market is weak, desperate young people will take these jobs, believing they have no choice, persuaded that the only way to get a paying job is to suffer through a period—or multiple, serial periods—of exploitation."
"If the government doesn’t enforce the law, all employers will eventually think they can hire employees without paying them, simply by calling it an “internship.” As long as the labor market is weak, desperate young people will take these jobs, believing they have no choice, persuaded that the only way to get a paying job is to suffer through a period—or multiple, serial periods—of exploitation."
‘FrackNation’ The Infomercial: Koch Industries Ties That Bind
‘FrackNation’ The Infomercial: Koch Industries Ties That Bind: The fracking industry really doesn’t want you to see “Gasland 2.” The industry has brought in anti-science film-maker Phelim McAleer to produce an industry informercial, “FrackNation.” McAleer has a long track record of trying to disrupt and disinform. Here’s Part 2 of DeSmogBlog’s exposé of this oil and gas industry PR campaign — JR. By [...]/p
It’s Time to Hit the Reset Button on the Fiscal Debate
www.americanprogress.org/issues/budget/report/2013/06/06/65497/its-time-to-hit-the-reset-button-on-the-fiscal-debate/
"Few policymakers or pundits have adjusted to the current reality. We have already made enormous progress toward debt reduction, and the long-term problems are not nearly as dangerous as previously thought. Furthermore, the push for debt reduction has, at best, made it harder to boost economic growth; at worst, it has actively dragged the economy down. The time has come to recognize and respond to the new reality: It’s time to hit the reset button on the entire fiscal debate."
"Few policymakers or pundits have adjusted to the current reality. We have already made enormous progress toward debt reduction, and the long-term problems are not nearly as dangerous as previously thought. Furthermore, the push for debt reduction has, at best, made it harder to boost economic growth; at worst, it has actively dragged the economy down. The time has come to recognize and respond to the new reality: It’s time to hit the reset button on the entire fiscal debate."
The Big Momentum Against Citizens United Rolls On: Delaware Is 15th State to Call for Its Reversal
The Big Momentum Against Citizens United Rolls On: Delaware Is 15th State to Call for Its Reversal
"Momentum to free elections from corporate influence is growing by the month."
"Momentum to free elections from corporate influence is growing by the month."
Bank Of America Revives Deceptive Loan Advertising Practices
Bank Of America Revives Deceptive Loan Advertising Practices: About six months after the government warned lenders against deceptive mortgage advertising, Bank of America is using a misleading pitch and copious fine print to sell borrowers on refinancing plans. The American Banker reported Monday that a mailer from the bank in New Jersey “sounds eerily like a sales pitch from the bubble days of [...]/p
Red States Get More Extreme -- How America Is Splitting Apart Without Bothering With Civil War | Alternet
Red States Get More Extreme -- How America Is Splitting Apart Without Bothering With Civil War | Alternet
"Conservative Republicans in our nation's capital have managed to accomplish something they only dreamed of when Tea Partiers streamed into Congress at the start of 2011: They've basically shut Congress down. Their refusal to compromise is working just as they hoped: No jobs agenda. No budget. No grand bargain on the deficit. No background checks on guns. Nothing on climate change. No tax reform. No hike in the minimum wage. Nothing so far on immigration reform."
"Conservative Republicans in our nation's capital have managed to accomplish something they only dreamed of when Tea Partiers streamed into Congress at the start of 2011: They've basically shut Congress down. Their refusal to compromise is working just as they hoped: No jobs agenda. No budget. No grand bargain on the deficit. No background checks on guns. Nothing on climate change. No tax reform. No hike in the minimum wage. Nothing so far on immigration reform."
Monday, June 10, 2013
Hyatt Hotel Workers Protest At Its Shareholder Meeting
Hyatt Hotel Workers Protest At Its Shareholder Meeting: On Monday, Hyatt hotel workers will protest at the company’s annual shareholder meeting against what they claim are abusive workplace practices and in support of a worker campaigning to be added to the board. Given that Hyatt board member Penny Pritzker has been tapped by President Obama to be Commerce Secretary and is stepping down, [...]/p
REPORT: Child Hunger Is Concentrated In Rural America
REPORT: Child Hunger Is Concentrated In Rural America: Over one in five American children lack steady access to sufficient food, and over 50 million total Americans are food insecure. Those figures come from Map the Meal Gap, an annual report from the anti-hunger charity Feeding America that tracks food security down to the county level. Feeding America’s interactive map is based on national [...]/p
Sixth Wave of 'Moral Mondays' Continue to 'Shine a Light' | Common Dreams
Sixth Wave of 'Moral Mondays' Continue to 'Shine a Light' | Common Dreams
"In the sixth wave of actions against "extreme and immoral" far right policies, North Carolinians Monday are marching on the Governor's office to draw attention to the state's attack on teachers and public education."
"In the sixth wave of actions against "extreme and immoral" far right policies, North Carolinians Monday are marching on the Governor's office to draw attention to the state's attack on teachers and public education."
U.S. Workers Struggling Under Biggest Pay Drop On Record
U.S. Workers Struggling Under Biggest Pay Drop On Record
"If only politicians would stop blathering about the middle class and do something for those who are now poorer than ever. If only people could get full-time jobs. Feel all that freedom trickling down"
"If only politicians would stop blathering about the middle class and do something for those who are now poorer than ever. If only people could get full-time jobs. Feel all that freedom trickling down"
You Pay Walmart's Workers as Company Keeps Its Money
You Pay Walmart's Workers as Company Keeps Its Money
"You are paying Wal-Mart employees’ wages. Yep, you.
"You are paying Wal-Mart employees’ wages. Yep, you.
The notoriously stingy company cuts every corner to keep prices low, and one of those corners is the payroll. It pays employees peanuts (and then cheats them of their overtime peanuts, but that is another story). By “peanuts” I mean an average of$8.81 per hour.
Many of these workers need welfare to survive. Thus you, the taxpayer, are paying part of Wal-Mart employees’ incomes, to the tune of between $900,000 and $1.75 million per store, and about $5,815 per employee."
Chicago Takes Center Stage In Fight Against Wage Slavery And Corporate Greed
www.addictinginfo.org/2013/06/10/chicago-takes-center-stage-in-fight-against-wage-slavery-and-corporate-greed/
"Corporations aren’t in to make the lives of their workers better. Their main goal is to record a profit. Corporations have down played their earnings in order to maintain the same narrative, “raise the minimum wage and we will have to lay off workers.” This is becoming an out dated fear tactic which only seems to affect those on the Right."
Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/06/10/chicago-takes-center-stage-in-fight-against-wage-slavery-and-corporate-greed/#ixzz2Vp9LC8Us
"Corporations aren’t in to make the lives of their workers better. Their main goal is to record a profit. Corporations have down played their earnings in order to maintain the same narrative, “raise the minimum wage and we will have to lay off workers.” This is becoming an out dated fear tactic which only seems to affect those on the Right."
Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/06/10/chicago-takes-center-stage-in-fight-against-wage-slavery-and-corporate-greed/#ixzz2Vp9LC8Us
Over the past Month State Level Republicans Have Taken Steps To Privatize Schools
www.politicususa.com/2013/06/10/month-state-level-republicans-steps-privatize-schools.html
"There is nothing as terrifying, and threatening, to fascists as an educated populace that is unlikely to fall victim to lies and misinformation meant to sway an ignorant population’s opinion that being set upon by tyrants is in their best interest. One tactic to control a population is prohibiting education for the masses by either restricting access to education altogether, or devising a means of controlling curriculum and instruction through private and religious institutions paid for with public funds that, in America, has long been a goal of conservative-movement fascists and actively pursued by corporate Republicans and their legislative arm the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)."
"There is nothing as terrifying, and threatening, to fascists as an educated populace that is unlikely to fall victim to lies and misinformation meant to sway an ignorant population’s opinion that being set upon by tyrants is in their best interest. One tactic to control a population is prohibiting education for the masses by either restricting access to education altogether, or devising a means of controlling curriculum and instruction through private and religious institutions paid for with public funds that, in America, has long been a goal of conservative-movement fascists and actively pursued by corporate Republicans and their legislative arm the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)."
Saturday, June 8, 2013
This week in the War on Workers: Michigan Republicans pushing ALEC-backed anti-sick leave bill
www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/08/1214224/-This-week-in-the-War-on-Workers-Michigan-Republicans-pushing-ALEC-backed-anti-sick-leave-bill
"No local government in Michigan has passed a paid sick leave law. None of them appear to be thinking about it. Just in case, though, Republicans in the Michigan Senate passed a preemption bill preventing them from doing so."
"No local government in Michigan has passed a paid sick leave law. None of them appear to be thinking about it. Just in case, though, Republicans in the Michigan Senate passed a preemption bill preventing them from doing so."
"This Is Morally Wrong": Watch Elizabeth Warren on GOP and Student Loans
www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/06/elizabeth-warren-student-loan-debt-senate-reed-harkin
"Student loan interest rates are set to double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1 unless Congress acts."
"Student loan interest rates are set to double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1 unless Congress acts."
Walmart Files Restraining Order on Protesters as Shareholder Meeting Boasts 'Glitz, Songs, Stock Buyback' | Common Dreams
Walmart Files Restraining Order on Protesters as Shareholder Meeting Boasts 'Glitz, Songs, Stock Buyback' | Common Dreams
"As striking Walmart workers and supporters headed from around the country to protest the retail giant's annual stockholder meeting in Fayetteville, Ark., the corporation issued a restraining order on several Walmart labor groups and banned protesters from going near the meeting."
"As striking Walmart workers and supporters headed from around the country to protest the retail giant's annual stockholder meeting in Fayetteville, Ark., the corporation issued a restraining order on several Walmart labor groups and banned protesters from going near the meeting."
The Most Dishonest Words in American Politics: 'Right to Work' | Alternet
The Most Dishonest Words in American Politics: 'Right to Work' | Alternet
"“Right to work” is the most dishonest phrase in American political discourse. It sounds like it’s defending people’s right to earn a living. But as used by its supporters, it means making it impossible for workers to form an effective union, couched in the language of “freedom” and “choice"."
"“Right to work” is the most dishonest phrase in American political discourse. It sounds like it’s defending people’s right to earn a living. But as used by its supporters, it means making it impossible for workers to form an effective union, couched in the language of “freedom” and “choice"."
Friday, June 7, 2013
Rich Entrepreneur: The Wealthy Aren’t Job Creators, Middle-Class Workers Are
Rich Entrepreneur: The Wealthy Aren’t Job Creators, Middle-Class Workers Are: On Thursday, entrepreneur and self-described one percenter Nick Hanauer warned Congress that rich people like him aren’t the engines of the economy. In a testimony before the Senate Banking Committee, he explained why, in fact, middle-class workers are the economy’s real job creators: In the same way that it’s a fact that the sun, not [...]/p
First Quarter Of 2013 Saw Largest Wage Drop Ever
First Quarter Of 2013 Saw Largest Wage Drop Ever: The first three months of 2013 saw wages fall 3.8 percent – the largest drop in hourly pay in the 65-year history of that statistic – despite an increase in worker productivity. With high unemployment freeing employers from fears that their employees will turn elsewhere, the U.S. recovery has been marked by a decoupling of [...]/p
O'Donnell Calls Out GOP Rep for Using Bible to Justify Cutting Food Stamps
O'Donnell Calls Out GOP Rep for Using Bible to Justify Cutting Food Stamps
"MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell took Tennessee Rep. Stephen Fincher to task for using the bible to justify making billions in cuts to the food stamp program, while, as a member of the House Agriculture Committee, attempting to justify the millions of dollars he receives in federal farm subsidies."
"MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell took Tennessee Rep. Stephen Fincher to task for using the bible to justify making billions in cuts to the food stamp program, while, as a member of the House Agriculture Committee, attempting to justify the millions of dollars he receives in federal farm subsidies."
Walmart’s Low Wages Cost Taxpayers Millions Each Year
Walmart’s Low Wages Cost Taxpayers Millions Each Year: Due to low wages and few benefits, Walmart workers at a single 300-person Supercenter store rely on anywhere from $904,542 to $1,744,590 in public benefits per year, costing taxpayers, according to a new report from the Democratic staff of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The report focused its analysis on Wisconsin, because [...]/p
Thursday, June 6, 2013
WI Legislature Fast-Tracking "War on Democracy" Bill, Business Lobby Misleads on Disclosure Provisions
WI Legislature Fast-Tracking "War on Democracy" Bill, Business Lobby Misleads on Disclosure Provisions
"Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin are fast-tracking a controversial bill to keep political donors secret, enact voter ID, and limit early voting, among other measures, with a vote scheduled for next week. The only public hearing on the bill was held Tuesday, where a representative of the business lobby made several misleading assertions about the bill's disclosure provisions."
"Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin are fast-tracking a controversial bill to keep political donors secret, enact voter ID, and limit early voting, among other measures, with a vote scheduled for next week. The only public hearing on the bill was held Tuesday, where a representative of the business lobby made several misleading assertions about the bill's disclosure provisions."
Walmart Workers Need a Raise and a Voice
Walmart Workers Need a Raise and a Voice
"Walmart’s “low-road” competitive practices hurt not only the company’s 1.3 million employees - who suffer from lost income, poor working conditions and economic insecurity - but it also hurt all American taxpayers. The nation’s largest private-sector employer is also the largest employer of workers - who according to a Bloomberg study earn an average of $8.81 an hour - dependent on food stamps, subsidized housing and child care, government health insurance for low-income individuals, and other forms of public assistance."
"Walmart’s “low-road” competitive practices hurt not only the company’s 1.3 million employees - who suffer from lost income, poor working conditions and economic insecurity - but it also hurt all American taxpayers. The nation’s largest private-sector employer is also the largest employer of workers - who according to a Bloomberg study earn an average of $8.81 an hour - dependent on food stamps, subsidized housing and child care, government health insurance for low-income individuals, and other forms of public assistance."
Extra! Extra! Rich Corp Execs Shut Down the NLRB! Then and Now
Extra! Extra! Rich Corp Execs Shut Down the NLRB! Then and Now
"For the right-wing, maximum obstructionism to the enforcement of laws that protect employees is the answer to its prayers."
"For the right-wing, maximum obstructionism to the enforcement of laws that protect employees is the answer to its prayers."
The Minimum Wage: Putting Some Myths to Rest | Common Dreams
The Minimum Wage: Putting Some Myths to Rest | Common Dreams
"The idea that raising the wage would harm the most disadvantaged workers is a fig leaf to justify anti-worker policymaking. In fact, increasing the minimum wage raises the bargaining power of all workers, and has the effect of raising wages across the board."
"The idea that raising the wage would harm the most disadvantaged workers is a fig leaf to justify anti-worker policymaking. In fact, increasing the minimum wage raises the bargaining power of all workers, and has the effect of raising wages across the board."
Senate GOP Puts Corporate Tax Loopholes Over Student Loans
Senate GOP Puts Corporate Tax Loopholes Over Student Loans: After their own proposal on student loan interest rates failed Thursday morning, Republican senators blocked a Democratic proposal to forestall the doubling of rates for the poorest students for two years. Republicans object to the way Democrats would pay for the extension – by closing tax loopholes for oil companies, wealthy pensioners, and multinational corporations. [...]/p
Protesters Shake Up North Carolina Legislature with Moral Monday Demonstrations | Common Dreams
Protesters Shake Up North Carolina Legislature with Moral Monday Demonstrations | Common Dreams
"In 2010, Republicans took control of the state house and senate for the first time since Reconstruction. With their firm majority, the GOP redrew district lines for state senate and house seats, securing an even more solid majority in the 2012 election. Voters also elected a Republican governor, the former mayor of Charlotte, Pat McCrory. Many assumed that his big-city background would make him a moderate, but McCrory quickly appointed Art Pope, the money behind many of the state’s Tea Party candidates, as budget director, and the legislature went to work."
"In 2010, Republicans took control of the state house and senate for the first time since Reconstruction. With their firm majority, the GOP redrew district lines for state senate and house seats, securing an even more solid majority in the 2012 election. Voters also elected a Republican governor, the former mayor of Charlotte, Pat McCrory. Many assumed that his big-city background would make him a moderate, but McCrory quickly appointed Art Pope, the money behind many of the state’s Tea Party candidates, as budget director, and the legislature went to work."
Corporate tax rates and economic growth since 1947 | Economic Policy Institute
Corporate tax rates and economic growth since 1947 | Economic Policy Institute
"The top statutory corporate tax rate has been falling since the early 1950s. The top corporate tax rate was 52 percent throughout the Eisenhower administration—17 percentage points higher than the current top rate of 35 percent. U.S. GDP grew by almost 4 percent annually in the 1950s compared with a 1.8 percent growth rate in the 2000s. On the surface, it would appear that more robust economic growth is associated with higher corporate tax rates. Further analysis, however, finds no evidence that either the statutory top corporate tax rate or the effective marginal tax rate on capital income is correlated with real GDP growth."
"The top statutory corporate tax rate has been falling since the early 1950s. The top corporate tax rate was 52 percent throughout the Eisenhower administration—17 percentage points higher than the current top rate of 35 percent. U.S. GDP grew by almost 4 percent annually in the 1950s compared with a 1.8 percent growth rate in the 2000s. On the surface, it would appear that more robust economic growth is associated with higher corporate tax rates. Further analysis, however, finds no evidence that either the statutory top corporate tax rate or the effective marginal tax rate on capital income is correlated with real GDP growth."
Five Essential Facts About Food Stamps
Five Essential Facts About Food Stamps: The majority of SNAP recipients are children or elderly–and many work. A report released in November 2012 by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service shows that45 percent of SNAP recipients were under 18 years of age and nearly 9 percent were age 60 or older. What’s more, more than 40 percent of SNAP recipients lived in a household with earnings.
The Lie About Job Creation Republicans Don’t Want You to Think About
www.forwardprogressives.com/the-rebublican-lie/
"It’s time we end this nonsense. Three decades, 5 recessions and one near economic depression later—it’s safe to say Trickle Down Economics has been a failure."
"It’s time we end this nonsense. Three decades, 5 recessions and one near economic depression later—it’s safe to say Trickle Down Economics has been a failure."
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
How Raising The Minimum Wage Would Help Close The Gender Wage Gap
How Raising The Minimum Wage Would Help Close The Gender Wage Gap: The gender wage gap in the United States still stands at 77 cents paid to women for every dollar a man makes, which barely budged over the past decade and actually widened last year. One way to start closing that gap would be to raise the federal minimum wage, a new report from the National [...]/p
Five Ways the US Can Have an Icelandic Revolution | Alternet
Five Ways the US Can Have an Icelandic Revolution | Alternet
"How the nation's people have achieved monumental results in a short time due to the nature of their movement building."
"How the nation's people have achieved monumental results in a short time due to the nature of their movement building."
Rep. McDermott: Why Did Tea Party Groups Want Tax Subsidies?
Rep. McDermott: Why Did Tea Party Groups Want Tax Subsidies?
"Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) on Tuesday questioned why tea party groups were seeking to be subsidized by the government."
"Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) on Tuesday questioned why tea party groups were seeking to be subsidized by the government."
I Am Bradley Manning | Common Dreams
I Am Bradley Manning | Common Dreams
"The information that Bradley gave to the public has been a catalyst for pro-democracy movements in the Arab world, exposed the unjust detainment of innocent people at Guantanamo Bay, shown us the true human cost of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and changed journalism forever.
There is no evidence that anyone died as a result of the leaked information, yet Bradley faces life in prison or possibly death. The greatest charge against him is that of “aiding the enemy,” a capital offense. As the public who benefited from this information, does that make us the enemy? What price will future whistleblowers pay?"
"The information that Bradley gave to the public has been a catalyst for pro-democracy movements in the Arab world, exposed the unjust detainment of innocent people at Guantanamo Bay, shown us the true human cost of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and changed journalism forever.
There is no evidence that anyone died as a result of the leaked information, yet Bradley faces life in prison or possibly death. The greatest charge against him is that of “aiding the enemy,” a capital offense. As the public who benefited from this information, does that make us the enemy? What price will future whistleblowers pay?"
The Moral Imperative of Bradley Manning
The Moral Imperative of Bradley Manning
"War crime? Yes, war crime. “Justifying” the killing of a dozen people, including two journalists, based on the claim that a camera was mistaken for a gun and that therefore the killing was in keeping with the “Rules of Engagement,” as Defense Secretary Robert Gates claimed at the time, is already a stretch. But killing someone trying to help the wounded stretches that “justification” well beyond the breaking point. It is a war crime."
"War crime? Yes, war crime. “Justifying” the killing of a dozen people, including two journalists, based on the claim that a camera was mistaken for a gun and that therefore the killing was in keeping with the “Rules of Engagement,” as Defense Secretary Robert Gates claimed at the time, is already a stretch. But killing someone trying to help the wounded stretches that “justification” well beyond the breaking point. It is a war crime."
Bradley Manning's Legal Duty to Expose War Crimes
Bradley Manning's Legal Duty to Expose War Crimes
"The court-martial of Bradley Manning, the most significant whistleblower case since Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers, has begun."
"The court-martial of Bradley Manning, the most significant whistleblower case since Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers, has begun."
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