The Neo-Confederate Supreme Court Gearing Up to Restore White Rule Over America | Alternet
"GOP desperation over U.S. demographic changes has spread to the U.S. Supreme Court -- a majority is ready to tear up the most important part of the Voting Rights Act."
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Contrary To GOP Rhetoric, Low-Tax States Have Worse Economic Growth
Contrary To GOP Rhetoric, Low-Tax States Have Worse Economic Growth: Republicans love to claim that low-tax states such as Texas enjoy a disproportionate amount of economic success, while higher-tax states like California are economic basket cases. Republican governors in several states are using that rationale to propose gutting their state income taxes (and, in many instances, replacing them with regressive sales taxes). But a new [...]/p
Why Scalia’s ‘Racial Entitlement’ Quote Is Even Scarier Than You Think
Why Scalia’s ‘Racial Entitlement’ Quote Is Even Scarier Than You Think: Justice Antonin Scalia quite deservedly came under fire yesterday for his claim that a key provision of the Voting Rights Act is a “perpetuation of racial entitlement.” If the justice were looking to confirm every suspicion that conservative opposition to the law that broke the back of Jim Crow voter exclusions is rooted in white [...]/p
GOP Economic Sabotage Strikes Again with Sequestration | Economic Policy Institute
GOP Economic Sabotage Strikes Again with Sequestration | Economic Policy Institute
"And should sequestration take effect, this would not be an isolated case of economic policy malpractice: Congressional Republicans have consistently hamstrung efforts that economists overwhelmingly agree would have meaningfully helped lower the unemployment rate and instead advanced policies projected to decelerate near-term growth."
"And should sequestration take effect, this would not be an isolated case of economic policy malpractice: Congressional Republicans have consistently hamstrung efforts that economists overwhelmingly agree would have meaningfully helped lower the unemployment rate and instead advanced policies projected to decelerate near-term growth."
Since 2011, 105 Wage Supression Bills Have Been Introduced In State Legislatures
Since 2011, 105 Wage Supression Bills Have Been Introduced In State Legislatures: During his State of the Union address, President Obama called for raising the minimum wage to $9 per hour. Some Congressional Democrats have called to increase it all the way up to $10.10 (getting it close to the buying power it had in the 1960s). But at the state level, conservative lawmakers are trying to [...]/p
Bill Blum: The Political Forces Behind the Attack on the Voting Rights Act - Truthdig
Bill Blum: The Political Forces Behind the Attack on the Voting Rights Act - Truthdig
"Those organizations—whose ranks range from well-known right-wing think tanks such as the Federalist Society and the American Enterprise and Cato institutes to relatively obscure nonprofits such as the Virginia-based DonorsTrust foundation and the Project on Fair Representation—form a de facto alliance that aims at nothing less than a wholesale transformation of constitutional law to limit, if not altogether prohibit, the use of federal power on behalf of historically oppressed minorities. The Voting Rights Act is simply the target of the day."
"Those organizations—whose ranks range from well-known right-wing think tanks such as the Federalist Society and the American Enterprise and Cato institutes to relatively obscure nonprofits such as the Virginia-based DonorsTrust foundation and the Project on Fair Representation—form a de facto alliance that aims at nothing less than a wholesale transformation of constitutional law to limit, if not altogether prohibit, the use of federal power on behalf of historically oppressed minorities. The Voting Rights Act is simply the target of the day."
Trio Of Democrats Introduce Legislation To Tax Financial Transactions
Trio Of Democrats Introduce Legislation To Tax Financial Transactions: A trio of Democratic lawmakers today introduced legislation to institute a small tax on financial transactions, a proposal that would reduce volatility in financial markets and raise substantial revenue for the federal government. Under the plan from Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), financial trades would be subject [...]/p
Bob Woodward Embodies US Political Culture in a Single Outburst | Common Dreams
Bob Woodward Embodies US Political Culture in a Single Outburst | Common Dreams
"Bob Woodward fulfills an important function. Just as Tim Russert was long held up as the scary bulldog questioner who proved the existence of an adversarial TV press while the reality was that, as Harper's Lewis Lapham famously put it, he maintained "the on-air persona of an attentive and accommodating headwaiter", the decades-old Woodward lore plays a critical role in maintaining the fiction of a watchdog press corps even though he is one of the most faithful servants of the war machine and the national security and surveillance states. Every once and awhile, the mask falls, and it's a good thing when it does."
"Bob Woodward fulfills an important function. Just as Tim Russert was long held up as the scary bulldog questioner who proved the existence of an adversarial TV press while the reality was that, as Harper's Lewis Lapham famously put it, he maintained "the on-air persona of an attentive and accommodating headwaiter", the decades-old Woodward lore plays a critical role in maintaining the fiction of a watchdog press corps even though he is one of the most faithful servants of the war machine and the national security and surveillance states. Every once and awhile, the mask falls, and it's a good thing when it does."
1,000 Gallons of Radioactive Sludge May Be Leaking a Year From Hanford: Governor | Common Dreams
1,000 Gallons of Radioactive Sludge May Be Leaking a Year From Hanford: Governor | Common Dreams
"Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee said Wednesday that as much as 1,000 gallons of radioactive sludge may be leaking a year at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, theAssociated Press reports."
"Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee said Wednesday that as much as 1,000 gallons of radioactive sludge may be leaking a year at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, theAssociated Press reports."
Racial Politics In The Republican Party
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Wall Street’s Bonus Pool Has Quintupled Since 1985
Wall Street’s Bonus Pool Has Quintupled Since 1985: 2012 was the second most profitable year in Wall Street’s history, with banks making north of $140 billion. Wall Street’s bonus pool, while not yet back to the heights it achieved before the financial crisis, is growing again, and the average cash bonus hit $121,900. This is part and parcel of a longer trend on [...]/p
SCOTUS Conservatives Signal Intention To Dismantle Voting Rights Act
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
The Politics of Disimagination and the Pathologies of Power
The Politics of Disimagination and the Pathologies of Power
"We live in a time of deep foreboding, one that haunts any discourse about justice, democracy and the future. Not only have the points of reference that provided a sense of certainty and collective hope in the past largely evaporated, but the only referents available are increasingly supplied by a hyper-market-driven society, megacorporations and a corrupt financial service industry."
"We live in a time of deep foreboding, one that haunts any discourse about justice, democracy and the future. Not only have the points of reference that provided a sense of certainty and collective hope in the past largely evaporated, but the only referents available are increasingly supplied by a hyper-market-driven society, megacorporations and a corrupt financial service industry."
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Scalia: Voting Rights Act Is 'Racial Entitlement'
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Rights Of Minority Voters Are Under Attack
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
In Blind Poll, Republicans Choose Progressive Budget Solutions Over Their Own Party's | Common Dreams
In Blind Poll, Republicans Choose Progressive Budget Solutions Over Their Own Party's | Common Dreams
"When the Business Insider polled registered voters and asked for their preferences among three Congressional plans floated to avoid the looming "sequestration" cuts in Washington, they found that when stripped of their partisan labels, the policies most favorable to the majority were those offered by the progressive wing of the Democratic caucus."
"When the Business Insider polled registered voters and asked for their preferences among three Congressional plans floated to avoid the looming "sequestration" cuts in Washington, they found that when stripped of their partisan labels, the policies most favorable to the majority were those offered by the progressive wing of the Democratic caucus."
The Nine Republican Men Who Won’t Consider Any Version Of The Violence Against Women Act
The Nine Republican Men Who Won’t Consider Any Version Of The Violence Against Women Act: Nine Congressmen — all male Republicans — voted Wednesday against a resolution to allow the U.S. House to consider re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The vast majority of House Republicans (214) and all 200 House Democrats voted for rule, which will allow votes Thursday on the watered-down GOP version of the bill [...]/p
The US Healthcare System - Government Sanctioned Extortion
The US Healthcare System - Government Sanctioned Extortion
"I've been calling the for-profit health insurance industry "government sanctioned extortion" for a few years now. It wasn't until I read Time magazine's cover story this week, "Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills are Killing Us" that I realized that the whole medical industrial complex is complicit in the crime! And some of the worst offenders are the so-called "non-profit" hospitals that are raking in billions of dollars in profits and their obscenely paid executives."
"I've been calling the for-profit health insurance industry "government sanctioned extortion" for a few years now. It wasn't until I read Time magazine's cover story this week, "Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills are Killing Us" that I realized that the whole medical industrial complex is complicit in the crime! And some of the worst offenders are the so-called "non-profit" hospitals that are raking in billions of dollars in profits and their obscenely paid executives."
GOP Senators: We’ll Hold Up Treasury Nominee Unless Obama Makes Medicare Cuts That He’s Already Made
GOP Senators: We’ll Hold Up Treasury Nominee Unless Obama Makes Medicare Cuts That He’s Already Made: In a letter sent to the White House on Tuesday, 22 Republican senators are demanding that President Obama propose Medicare cuts before the chamber considers Treasury Secretary nominee Jack Lew. The letter is part of an ongoing GOP smear campaign against Lew alleging that, during his tenure as director of the Office of Management and [...]/p
How Hospital Bills Are Killing Americans
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Scalia Calls Voting Rights Act 'Perpetual Racial Entitlement'
Scalia Calls Voting Rights Act 'Perpetual Racial Entitlement'
"Today was the day that the Republican challenge to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act was argued before the Supreme Court. Arguments were fiery, but this particular quote from Justice Scalia was one worthy of Jim Crow. If ever there was a reason to preserve Section 5, Scalia articulated it." - See more at: http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/scalia-voting-rights-act-perpetual-racial#sthash.2YFbcj6U.dpuf
"Today was the day that the Republican challenge to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act was argued before the Supreme Court. Arguments were fiery, but this particular quote from Justice Scalia was one worthy of Jim Crow. If ever there was a reason to preserve Section 5, Scalia articulated it." - See more at: http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/scalia-voting-rights-act-perpetual-racial#sthash.2YFbcj6U.dpuf
PERRspectives: As Sequester Looms, GOP Governors Lament America's Incredible Shrinking Government
PERRspectives: As Sequester Looms, GOP Governors Lament America's Incredible Shrinking Government
"While Republicans in Congress seem increasingly committed to the sequester now less than 48 hours away, GOP governors are beginning to squeal. As Pew Research revealed (above), the impact of the sequester will hit some states harder than others. Many of them, like Virginia, are governed by Republicans. That's why its Governor Bob McConnell is pleading with Washington to find a way out its self-imposed sequester."
"While Republicans in Congress seem increasingly committed to the sequester now less than 48 hours away, GOP governors are beginning to squeal. As Pew Research revealed (above), the impact of the sequester will hit some states harder than others. Many of them, like Virginia, are governed by Republicans. That's why its Governor Bob McConnell is pleading with Washington to find a way out its self-imposed sequester."
Study: Over 100 Million Americans Drinking 'Toxic Trash' Water | Common Dreams
Study: Over 100 Million Americans Drinking 'Toxic Trash' Water | Common Dreams
"When you pour yourself a glass of tap water or even take a shower, you may be among over 100 million Americans exposing yourself to carcinogenic, "toxic trash"."
"When you pour yourself a glass of tap water or even take a shower, you may be among over 100 million Americans exposing yourself to carcinogenic, "toxic trash"."
Poll: The Most Popular Plan To Avert Looming Budget Cuts Is The Progressive Caucus’
Poll: The Most Popular Plan To Avert Looming Budget Cuts Is The Progressive Caucus’: There are several plans floating around to replace the so-called “sequester” spending cuts scheduled to kick in on Friday. Senate Democrats and the Congressional Progressive Caucus have both released their own plans, while House Republicans have not released a new plan, but point to one passed in the last Congress. According to a new poll [...]/p
Why We Still Need The Voting Rights Act: Perspectives From Supreme Court Spectators
Why We Still Need The Voting Rights Act: Perspectives From Supreme Court Spectators: The US Supreme Court heard a challenge to the 1965 Voting Rights Act today, attracting hoards of voting rights advocates, speakers, and a massive line of people vying for a spot in the courtroom. Today’s argument could lead to the elimination of Section 5, which protects minority voting rights in states with historically discriminatory election [...]/p
The Attack On Voting Rights
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
How The Looming Sequester Will Have A Disproportionate Impact On Women And Children
How The Looming Sequester Will Have A Disproportionate Impact On Women And Children: In constructing the sequester — a series of automatic, across-the-board spending cuts that will go into effect unless Democrats and Republicans can come to an agreement on the federal budget — lawmakers intended to design cuts that would be equally painful for Democrats and Republicans, by mandating cuts to both social programs and defense spending. [...]/p
Deficit Reduction Equals Recession | Common Dreams
Deficit Reduction Equals Recession | Common Dreams
"The math is not difficult. The US has an annual GDP of $14 trillion, and the nation’s current $1 trillion in annual deficit spending is seven percent of its GDP. Growth in GDP has recently been running at about two percent annually (though in the last quarter of 2012 the economy actually contracted slightly). The relationship between deficit spending and GDP growth may not be exactly 1:1 but it’s probably quite close. The conclusion is therefore inescapable: doing away with a substantial portion of deficit spending would reduce GDP by a roughly corresponding amount, almost certainly causing the economy to tip over into recession."
"The math is not difficult. The US has an annual GDP of $14 trillion, and the nation’s current $1 trillion in annual deficit spending is seven percent of its GDP. Growth in GDP has recently been running at about two percent annually (though in the last quarter of 2012 the economy actually contracted slightly). The relationship between deficit spending and GDP growth may not be exactly 1:1 but it’s probably quite close. The conclusion is therefore inescapable: doing away with a substantial portion of deficit spending would reduce GDP by a roughly corresponding amount, almost certainly causing the economy to tip over into recession."
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Everybody Listen Up! The Deficit Is Actually Shrinking, Despite the Beltway Propaganda | Alternet
Everybody Listen Up! The Deficit Is Actually Shrinking, Despite the Beltway Propaganda | Alternet
"There is no deficit problem. The deficit is down 50 percent as a share of gross domestic product just since President Bush’s fiscal year 2009 deficit and is falling at the fastest rate since the end of World War II. Yet the Washington debate is about how and where to cut us back into recession. Why?
"There is no deficit problem. The deficit is down 50 percent as a share of gross domestic product just since President Bush’s fiscal year 2009 deficit and is falling at the fastest rate since the end of World War II. Yet the Washington debate is about how and where to cut us back into recession. Why?
Congress should just repeal the sequester – we don’t need it. We have 10 years to fix the long-term deficit situation. We should not be stampeded by deficit-scare propaganda and instead take the time to carefully consider the right approach. That way we won’t make the mistakes that Europe is making."
John Boehner Talks Tough, Does Nothing
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
2012 Was Wall Street’s Most Profitable Year Since The Financial Crisis
2012 Was Wall Street’s Most Profitable Year Since The Financial Crisis: According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., banks in 2012 had their most profitable year since 2006 and their second most profitable year ever. Banks made nearly $35 billion in the fourth quarter of last year, bringing their yearly total to more than $141 billion: Commercial banks and savings institutions insured by the Federal Deposit [...]/p
Barbara and John Ehrenreich: The Real Story Behind the Crash and Burn of America's Managerial Class | Alternet
Barbara and John Ehrenreich: The Real Story Behind the Crash and Burn of America's Managerial Class | Alternet
"How the rise and fall of the professional-managerial class has impacted the last hundred years."
"How the rise and fall of the professional-managerial class has impacted the last hundred years."
McKibben Must-Read: The Case For Fossil-Fuel Divestment
McKibben Must-Read: The Case For Fossil-Fuel Divestment: How Long Will Colleges Keep Investing in Companies Whose Stock Price Is Based on the Destruction of a Livable Climate? CO2 emissions by fossil fuels [1 ppm CO2 ~ 2.12 GtC, where ppm is parts per million of CO2 in air and GtC is gigatons of carbon (via Hansen). Significantly exceeding 450 ppm risks several severe [...]/p
The State Impact Of The Sequester
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Senator Warren: Why Isn’t Wall Street Paying Back Taxpayers For Being ‘Too Big To Fail’?
Senator Warren: Why Isn’t Wall Street Paying Back Taxpayers For Being ‘Too Big To Fail’?: During a Senate Banking committee hearing today, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) grilled Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on whether Wall Street banks should have to pay back U.S. taxpayers for the implicit funding advantage those banks receive by virtue of being viewed as “too big to fail.” According to a Bloomberg News study, big banks [...]/p
Why Everything Republicans Are Saying About The Sequester Is Wrong
Why Everything Republicans Are Saying About The Sequester Is Wrong: Barring a last minute Congressional compromise, $85 billion in automatic across-the-board cuts will go into effect in the next 72 hours as a result of the sequester mechanism included in the 2011 Budget Control Act. Republicans — many of whom voted for the BCA and have for years championed deep spending reductions — are hoping [...]/p
Looming Budget Cuts Are Bad News For Wall Street Reform
Looming Budget Cuts Are Bad News For Wall Street Reform: Congressional Republicans have taken every opportunity to gum up the implementation of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law. They have denied regulators the funds needed to finalize the law’s rules, leading to huge delays. And the GOP is about to receive a hand from the so-called “sequester,” budge cuts scheduled to take effect at the end [...]/p
Pennsylvania GOP Trying To Rig The Vote
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Meet the Wall Street Billionaire Obsessed With Looting Social Security | Alternet
Meet the Wall Street Billionaire Obsessed With Looting Social Security | Alternet
"Now Peterson wants to loot Social Security. For decades he has warned of a “Pearl Harbor scenario” in which spending on Social Security and Medicare causes an epic economic meltdown. Fix the Debt is only his latest project pushing the message that the deficit poses a “catastrophic threat,” and the media have been content to echo his warnings. But people should know better than to be frightened by this chorus of calamity. Peterson is no master of prediction when it comes to economic crises. When an actual threat to the economy—the $8 trillion housing bubble—loomed ominously overhead, Peterson said nothing, even as credit markets froze, subprime lenders filed for bankruptcy and economists like Dean Baker shouted from the rooftops."
"Now Peterson wants to loot Social Security. For decades he has warned of a “Pearl Harbor scenario” in which spending on Social Security and Medicare causes an epic economic meltdown. Fix the Debt is only his latest project pushing the message that the deficit poses a “catastrophic threat,” and the media have been content to echo his warnings. But people should know better than to be frightened by this chorus of calamity. Peterson is no master of prediction when it comes to economic crises. When an actual threat to the economy—the $8 trillion housing bubble—loomed ominously overhead, Peterson said nothing, even as credit markets froze, subprime lenders filed for bankruptcy and economists like Dean Baker shouted from the rooftops."
House Republicans Won't Take 'Yes' For An Answer
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
1 Day Late on Rent Can Land You in Jail? A Shockingly Draconian Renters Law (Hard Times USA) | Alternet
1 Day Late on Rent Can Land You in Jail? A Shockingly Draconian Renters Law (Hard Times USA) | Alternet
"Arkansas is the only U.S. state where tenants can wind up with a criminal record if they can’t afford to pay their rent on time. The state’s “failure to vacate" laws allow landlords, without independent investigation, to charge tenants with a misdemeanor offense and have them arrested if they fail to move out after receiving a 10-day eviction notice. Landlords can give tenants the notice after they are only one day late with their payment."
"Arkansas is the only U.S. state where tenants can wind up with a criminal record if they can’t afford to pay their rent on time. The state’s “failure to vacate" laws allow landlords, without independent investigation, to charge tenants with a misdemeanor offense and have them arrested if they fail to move out after receiving a 10-day eviction notice. Landlords can give tenants the notice after they are only one day late with their payment."
Monday, February 25, 2013
Americans Become Inured To Republican Self-Imposed Crises
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
The 'Land of 10,000 Lakes' Is Running Dry | Common Dreams
The 'Land of 10,000 Lakes' Is Running Dry | Common Dreams
"The entire state has been covered drought for months, and its water supplies are being sucked away."
"The entire state has been covered drought for months, and its water supplies are being sucked away."
CNN Host Schools Bobby Jindal For Spouting ‘Misleading’ Economic ‘Nonsense’
CNN Host Schools Bobby Jindal For Spouting ‘Misleading’ Economic ‘Nonsense’: CNN business correspondent Ali Velshi slammed Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) for likening the federal budget to family spending and suggesting that the Obama administration should not spend more than the government takes in. “Every family has to balance their budget, isn’t allowed to spend more than they need, every business is more efficient, tighten their [...]/p
Bank Profits Are 'Almost Entirely' Taxpayer Money
Bank Profits Are 'Almost Entirely' Taxpayer Money
"I'm not surprised to learn that Wall Street and their wealthy investors are "too big" to earn their own profits, too. I just had no idea we were being fleeced on such a grand scale.
"I'm not surprised to learn that Wall Street and their wealthy investors are "too big" to earn their own profits, too. I just had no idea we were being fleeced on such a grand scale.
Full Bloomberg editorial here."
Breakthrough In Breast Cancer Treatment Could Increase Life Expectancy, Reduce Side Effects
Breakthrough In Breast Cancer Treatment Could Increase Life Expectancy, Reduce Side Effects: A breakthrough in cancer treatment could potentially have a big impact on the 1 in 8 women who are diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives. The New York Times reports that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug that, when used in conjunction with the popular breast [...]/p
Top Republican Senator Repeats Debunked Nonsense About Paid Sick Days
Top Republican Senator Repeats Debunked Nonsense About Paid Sick Days: Nearly three million Americans missed work last month, and many of them did so without having access to paid sick leave. About 40 percent of private sector workers and 80 percent of low-income workers don’t receive a single paid sick day from their employers, forcing them into choosing between their health (or the health of [...]/p
Federal Election Commission Republicans Block Enforcement Against GOP Donor
Federal Election Commission Republicans Block Enforcement Against GOP Donor: The Federal Election Commission deadlocked along party lines on whether to hold accountable a Republican contractor who blatantly circumvented campaign finance limits. While the three Democratic commissioners agreed that William A. “Aaron” Bennett had willfully violated federal election law by offering to reimburse friends if they donated to Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), the three FEC [...]/p
Guess What? The Debt Everyone Is Freaking Out About Does Not Exist | Alternet
Guess What? The Debt Everyone Is Freaking Out About Does Not Exist | Alternet
"Refusing to tackle that all-too-real crisis with the full range of economic resources at our disposal is a shameful moral and political failure. Especially when the reason we’re refusing is fear of shadows cast on the wall."
"Refusing to tackle that all-too-real crisis with the full range of economic resources at our disposal is a shameful moral and political failure. Especially when the reason we’re refusing is fear of shadows cast on the wall."
Putting Some Real Pop in Populism
Putting Some Real Pop in Populism
"While super-rich corporations are hoarding trillions of dollars in offshore accounts and refusing to invest in America, minimum-wage workers invest every extra dollar they get in America — spending it right where they live on clothing, food, health care, and other basic needs.This isn’t merely about extending a badly needed helping hand to people struggling to work their way out of poverty, but about letting them give a jolt of new energy to our economy, which it desperately needs."
"While super-rich corporations are hoarding trillions of dollars in offshore accounts and refusing to invest in America, minimum-wage workers invest every extra dollar they get in America — spending it right where they live on clothing, food, health care, and other basic needs.This isn’t merely about extending a badly needed helping hand to people struggling to work their way out of poverty, but about letting them give a jolt of new energy to our economy, which it desperately needs."
Fix the Economy, Not the Deficit | Common Dreams
Fix the Economy, Not the Deficit | Common Dreams
"Whether they know it or not, those pushing for smaller deficits are promoting less growth and more unemployment. It would be the best possible outcome of the sequester debate if this simple point could be made in polite circles in Washington again. Until we have a reality based discussion of the budget and the economy, the only question will be how much we lose from the latest deal."
"Whether they know it or not, those pushing for smaller deficits are promoting less growth and more unemployment. It would be the best possible outcome of the sequester debate if this simple point could be made in polite circles in Washington again. Until we have a reality based discussion of the budget and the economy, the only question will be how much we lose from the latest deal."
Sequestration: Washington’s Stupid, Destructive Game | Common Dreams
Sequestration: Washington’s Stupid, Destructive Game | Common Dreams
"The “sequester” debate is the latest stage of an ongoing hostage crisis that’s forcing austerity economics on an unwilling population – cloaking it in a false debate about how to do it, not about why we shouldn’t do it at all."
"The “sequester” debate is the latest stage of an ongoing hostage crisis that’s forcing austerity economics on an unwilling population – cloaking it in a false debate about how to do it, not about why we shouldn’t do it at all."
40% Of Us Make Less Than 1968 Min Wage -- Who Got The Rest?
40% Of Us Make Less Than 1968 Min Wage -- Who Got The Rest?
"This means the gains went ... somewhere else. See if you can guess who got them? (Hint: it's the 1%; this is one driver of the terrible income and wealth inequality.) This breakoff of wages from productivity growth is partly (largely?) the result of trade agreements that pit Americans against exploited workers in non-democracies. This weakened the bargaining power of unions, moved factories and industries out of the country, devastated entire regions of our country -- and gave the giant multinational corporations, Wall Street and the billionaires the leverage they needed"
"This means the gains went ... somewhere else. See if you can guess who got them? (Hint: it's the 1%; this is one driver of the terrible income and wealth inequality.) This breakoff of wages from productivity growth is partly (largely?) the result of trade agreements that pit Americans against exploited workers in non-democracies. This weakened the bargaining power of unions, moved factories and industries out of the country, devastated entire regions of our country -- and gave the giant multinational corporations, Wall Street and the billionaires the leverage they needed"
5 Reasons Why The U.S. Needs A Financial Transactions Tax
5 Reasons Why The U.S. Needs A Financial Transactions Tax: A duo of Democratic lawmakers have spent the years since the financial crisis calling for a financial transactions tax, a small fee on individual trades that would slow down markets and make them safer for investors and the country as a whole. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) introduced legislation that would [...]/p
Michigan GOP Overwhelmingly Backs Election Rigging Plan
Michigan GOP Overwhelmingly Backs Election Rigging Plan: On Saturday, Republicans at the Michigan GOP’s convention in Lansing voted by an overwhelming 1,370-132 margin to back a plan that would “divvy-up 14 of the state’s 16 electoral votes according to which candidate got the most votes in each congressional district.” This is one of two election-rigging plans favored by Republicans in several key [...]/p
After Ruining America, the Era of Giant Chain Stores Is Over | Alternet
After Ruining America, the Era of Giant Chain Stores Is Over | Alternet
"The coming implosion of big box retail implies tremendous opportunities for young people to make a livelihood in the imperative rebuilding of local economies."
"The coming implosion of big box retail implies tremendous opportunities for young people to make a livelihood in the imperative rebuilding of local economies."
GOP Plan to Torpedo Economy With Sequester Could Backfire in 2014 | Alternet
GOP Plan to Torpedo Economy With Sequester Could Backfire in 2014 | Alternet
"It appears increasingly likely that congressional Republicans will allow the “sequester” of automatic, indiscriminate spending cuts to take effect on March 1. If so, they will cause a major economic and political crisis for the country."
"It appears increasingly likely that congressional Republicans will allow the “sequester” of automatic, indiscriminate spending cuts to take effect on March 1. If so, they will cause a major economic and political crisis for the country."
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Crying Crocodile Tears for Standard & Poor’s | Common Dreams
Crying Crocodile Tears for Standard & Poor’s | Common Dreams
"S&P earlier this month was named in a Justice Department suit for its role during the financial crisis of 2008-09. The feds say the credit ratings company caused some banks and credit unions to lose $5 billion after they relied on its ratings of mortgage-linked securities. S&P gave those securities top ratings when, in fact, they were so risky that when they melted down a few months later they brought the country’s economy to its knees and lost billions for both institutional and individual investors who had trusted the firm’s ratings."
"S&P earlier this month was named in a Justice Department suit for its role during the financial crisis of 2008-09. The feds say the credit ratings company caused some banks and credit unions to lose $5 billion after they relied on its ratings of mortgage-linked securities. S&P gave those securities top ratings when, in fact, they were so risky that when they melted down a few months later they brought the country’s economy to its knees and lost billions for both institutional and individual investors who had trusted the firm’s ratings."
Billionaires Pouring Millions into LAUSD School Board Race
Billionaires Pouring Millions into LAUSD School Board Race
"Campaign disclosures for the last month have just been filed for the current elections to the Los Angeles Unified School District board and the numbers are obscene. Worse yet, the donors have no vested interest in Los Angeles schools, but they're ponying up the money anyway."
"Campaign disclosures for the last month have just been filed for the current elections to the Los Angeles Unified School District board and the numbers are obscene. Worse yet, the donors have no vested interest in Los Angeles schools, but they're ponying up the money anyway."
VIEWPOINT: The Debt Everyone Is Freaking Out About Does Not Exist
VIEWPOINT: The Debt Everyone Is Freaking Out About Does Not Exist: Between the new-and-improved Simpson-Bowles plan, Joe Scarborough’s feud with Paul Krugman, the relentless drumbeat of the entire Republican Party, and the media blitzkrieg launched by the billionaire-driven “Fix the Debt” campaign, one might think no serious and responsible American can ignore the unassailable truth: America faces a debt crisis, which we must act on immediately [...]/p
The Financial Instrument That Could Save the Economy - and Why It Hasn't
The Financial Instrument That Could Save the Economy - and Why It Hasn't
"Quantitative easing as practiced today is not designed to serve the real economy. It is designed to serve bankers who create money as debt and rent it out for a fee. The money power needs to be restored to the people and the government, but we need an executive and legislature willing to stand up to the banks. A popular movement could give them the backbone. In the meantime, states could set up their own banks, which could leverage the state's massive capital and revenue base into credit for the local economy."
"Quantitative easing as practiced today is not designed to serve the real economy. It is designed to serve bankers who create money as debt and rent it out for a fee. The money power needs to be restored to the people and the government, but we need an executive and legislature willing to stand up to the banks. A popular movement could give them the backbone. In the meantime, states could set up their own banks, which could leverage the state's massive capital and revenue base into credit for the local economy."
John Nichols: 'Fix the Debt' Run by Billionaires Who Really Want Lower Taxes
John Nichols: 'Fix the Debt' Run by Billionaires Who Really Want Lower Taxes
"I hope everyone checks out the entire article and the rest of the resources at PRWatch and I wanted to share just one more item from there. From their SourceWatch page: Fix the Debt Leaders and Conflicts of Interest:"
"I hope everyone checks out the entire article and the rest of the resources at PRWatch and I wanted to share just one more item from there. From their SourceWatch page: Fix the Debt Leaders and Conflicts of Interest:"
Bobby Jindal: Republicans Can Continue Discriminating Against Gays And Still Win Elections
Bobby Jindal: Republicans Can Continue Discriminating Against Gays And Still Win Elections: Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) — a possible Republican candidate for president in 2016 — rejected former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman’s argument that conservatives must embrace marriage equality for gays and lesbians if they want to survive as a party and reiterated his support for “traditional marriage.” “Look, I believe in the traditional definition of marriage,” [...]/p
4 Bogus Right-Wing Theories About Poverty, and the Real Reason Americans Can’t Make Ends Meet | Alternet
4 Bogus Right-Wing Theories About Poverty, and the Real Reason Americans Can’t Make Ends Meet | Alternet
"But one part of the equation is the existence of a long-standing and ideologically informed project by the right to portray the burden of living in or near poverty as a liberal delusion. In these narratives, which come in a variety of forms, the poor have it pretty darn good – good enough that we really shouldn't spend much time thinking about them.
"But one part of the equation is the existence of a long-standing and ideologically informed project by the right to portray the burden of living in or near poverty as a liberal delusion. In these narratives, which come in a variety of forms, the poor have it pretty darn good – good enough that we really shouldn't spend much time thinking about them.
For these conservative think-tankers, pundits and politicians, obscuring America's grinding poverty and spiraling inequality is an exercise in service of a status quo that works pretty well for them, but not for most families."
Saturday, February 23, 2013
The Sequester And The Failure Of Google Searching
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Right-Wing Smear Machine Kicks Into Overdrive
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Ted Cruz, Radical McCarthy Conservative, Accuses Harvard Law Of Harboring Communists On Faculty
Ted Cruz, Radical McCarthy Conservative, Accuses Harvard Law Of Harboring Communists On Faculty
"A Reagan Conservative refutes everything he says. Hah! But that's inconsequential. To the extreme right, reality means nothing. The fact that Cruz is willing to act like McCarthy in a Senate hearing is music to their ears. And he's framing every incendiary thing he says as an attack on liberals. The Tea Party revels in that kind of behavior."
"A Reagan Conservative refutes everything he says. Hah! But that's inconsequential. To the extreme right, reality means nothing. The fact that Cruz is willing to act like McCarthy in a Senate hearing is music to their ears. And he's framing every incendiary thing he says as an attack on liberals. The Tea Party revels in that kind of behavior."
Facts And Fiction Are Blurred On Sequestration
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Now Six - Not One - Hanford Tanks Leaking Radioactive Waste | Common Dreams
Now Six - Not One - Hanford Tanks Leaking Radioactive Waste | Common Dreams
"The seeping waste adds to decades of soil contamination caused by leaking storage tanks at Hanford in the past and threatens to further taint groundwater below the Columbia River, officials said."
"The seeping waste adds to decades of soil contamination caused by leaking storage tanks at Hanford in the past and threatens to further taint groundwater below the Columbia River, officials said."
13 GOP Pennsylvania Senators Introduce New Plan To Rig The Electoral College For Republicans
13 GOP Pennsylvania Senators Introduce New Plan To Rig The Electoral College For Republicans: Earlier this year, Republican National Committee Chair urged Republican lawmakers in states “that have been consistently blue that are fully controlled red” — i.e. blue states with Republican legislatures and governors — to enact a plan rigging the Electoral College so that it would be almost impossible for a Democrat to win the White House. [...]/p
Friday, February 22, 2013
No Stigma For Cruz Among Right For McCarthy Similarities
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Billionaires 'Losing Hope' For Lower Taxes. Waaaahmbulance Alert!
Billionaires 'Losing Hope' For Lower Taxes. Waaaahmbulance Alert!
"As for the corporate hissy fits, wait them out. They're just trying to scare people into pressuring Congress to do their bidding. There are millions -- even billions -- of reasons not to."
"As for the corporate hissy fits, wait them out. They're just trying to scare people into pressuring Congress to do their bidding. There are millions -- even billions -- of reasons not to."
Meet The Congressmen Who Favor A Broken Plane Over Saving The Economy
Meet The Congressmen Who Favor A Broken Plane Over Saving The Economy: As mandatory budget cuts loom, a group of Congressional Republicans has cheered the coming reductions in federal spending — so long as federal funding for a plane that is years behind schedule and doesn’t fly is protected, that is. The Department of Defense announced on Friday afternoon that it has grounded the entire fleet of [...]/p
Sequestration Cuts To Education Programs Threaten To Widen Education Gap Between Rich And Poor
Sequestration Cuts To Education Programs Threaten To Widen Education Gap Between Rich And Poor: The achievement gap between school districts in high-income neighborhoods and those in low-income ones is already more canyon than crack, and if $1.7 trillion in automatic sequestration cuts are allowed to go into effect on March 1, that gap could grow even wider. Dozens of education programs would face reduced funding, but three crucial programs [...]/p
Pete Peterson's Puppet Populists | Common Dreams
Pete Peterson's Puppet Populists | Common Dreams
"Fix the Debt is the most hypocritical corporate PR campaign in decades, an ambitious attempt to convince the country that another cataclysmic economic crisis is around the corner and that urgent action is needed. Its strategy is pure astroturf: assemble power players in business and government under an activist banner, then take the message outside the Beltway and give it the appearance of grassroots activism by manufacturing an emergency to infuse a sense of imminent crisis."
"Fix the Debt is the most hypocritical corporate PR campaign in decades, an ambitious attempt to convince the country that another cataclysmic economic crisis is around the corner and that urgent action is needed. Its strategy is pure astroturf: assemble power players in business and government under an activist banner, then take the message outside the Beltway and give it the appearance of grassroots activism by manufacturing an emergency to infuse a sense of imminent crisis."
Sequestration Sacrifices Jobs to Save Billionaire Tax Breaks | Common Dreams
Sequestration Sacrifices Jobs to Save Billionaire Tax Breaks | Common Dreams
"To hear the billionaire proponents of austerity tell it, America is teetering on the brink of economic ruin. America, we are told, is broke. And the only answer is to “Fix the Debt” with deep spending cuts followed by the radical reordering of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
But America is not broke.
"To hear the billionaire proponents of austerity tell it, America is teetering on the brink of economic ruin. America, we are told, is broke. And the only answer is to “Fix the Debt” with deep spending cuts followed by the radical reordering of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
But America is not broke.
America has broken priorities.
That's what the billionaire proponents of cuts-at-any-cost economics won’t acknowledge as the advance a "Fix the Debt" agenda that imposes austerity on everyone else while stacking the deck in their favor."
Montana Bill Would Give Corporations The Right To Vote
Montana Bill Would Give Corporations The Right To Vote: A bill introduced by Montana state Rep. Steve Lavin would give corporations the right to vote in municipal elections: Provision for vote by corporate property owner. (1) Subject to subsection (2), if a firm, partnership, company, or corporation owns real property within the municipality, the president, vice president, secretary, or other designee of the entity [...]/p
Pete Peterson’s “Fix the Debt” Astroturf Supergroup Detailed in New Online Resource from the Publishers of ALECexposed.org
Pete Peterson’s “Fix the Debt” Astroturf Supergroup Detailed in New Online Resource from the Publishers of ALECexposed.org
"One of the most hypocritical corporate PR campaigns in decades is advancing inside the beltway, attempting to convince the White House, Congress, and the American people that another cataclysmic economic crisis is around the corner that will destroy our economy unless urgent action is taken. Soon this astroturf supergroup may be coming to a state near you."
"One of the most hypocritical corporate PR campaigns in decades is advancing inside the beltway, attempting to convince the White House, Congress, and the American people that another cataclysmic economic crisis is around the corner that will destroy our economy unless urgent action is taken. Soon this astroturf supergroup may be coming to a state near you."
America Wakes Up To The Sequester
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Citizens United 2.0? Supreme Court Could Further Open Door to Money in Politics
Citizens United 2.0? Supreme Court Could Further Open Door to Money in Politics
"The U.S. Supreme Court could open the door to even more money in politics than it did in the disastrous 2010 decision Citizens United v FEC as it considers a new case challenging limits on how much wealthy donors can give directly to federal candidates and political parties."
"The U.S. Supreme Court could open the door to even more money in politics than it did in the disastrous 2010 decision Citizens United v FEC as it considers a new case challenging limits on how much wealthy donors can give directly to federal candidates and political parties."
10 Ways The Sequester Will Expose Americans To Greater Health Risks And Other Perils
10 Ways The Sequester Will Expose Americans To Greater Health Risks And Other Perils: Sequestration will have major—and negative—impacts on energy and environmental management agencies. Here’s how it will affect all Americans. By Daniel J. Weiss, Michael Conathan, and Jessica Goad. Endnotes are in PDF version. More families exposed to the cold and heat Children and seniors more vulnerable to air pollution Less investment in clean drinking water and [...]/p
On Issue After Issue, America Is A Center-Left Country
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Raising the Minimum Wage Is Good for Business (But the Corporate Lobby Doesn't Think So)
Raising the Minimum Wage Is Good for Business (But the Corporate Lobby Doesn't Think So)
"Contrary to naysayers in the business lobby, numerous studies suggest increasing the minimum wage to $9 an hour and tying it to the cost of living will lift millions of Americans out of poverty and stimulate the economy."
"Contrary to naysayers in the business lobby, numerous studies suggest increasing the minimum wage to $9 an hour and tying it to the cost of living will lift millions of Americans out of poverty and stimulate the economy."
Minimum Wage Raise Widely Supported, Won't Hurt Jobs
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Declining value of the federal minimum wage is a major factor driving inequality | Economic Policy Institute
Declining value of the federal minimum wage is a major factor driving inequality | Economic Policy Institute
"The last decade has produced no improvement in real wages of a broad range of workers, including those with either a high school or college degree. It has also produced a widening divergence between overall productivity and the wages or compensation of the typical worker. In addition, wage inequality has continued to grow between those at the top and the rest. The declining value of the minimum wage has played a key role in these trends."
"The last decade has produced no improvement in real wages of a broad range of workers, including those with either a high school or college degree. It has also produced a widening divergence between overall productivity and the wages or compensation of the typical worker. In addition, wage inequality has continued to grow between those at the top and the rest. The declining value of the minimum wage has played a key role in these trends."
Republicans Declare War on College | Alternet
Republicans Declare War on College | Alternet
"Bobby Jindal doesn't want the GOP to be the "stupid party," but fellow governors are plotting to wreck higher ed"
"Bobby Jindal doesn't want the GOP to be the "stupid party," but fellow governors are plotting to wreck higher ed"
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Investigation Finds High-Class, Crisis-Peddling 'Astroturf Supergroup' Behind 'Fix the Debt' Campaign | Common Dreams
Investigation Finds High-Class, Crisis-Peddling 'Astroturf Supergroup' Behind 'Fix the Debt' Campaign | Common Dreams
"A new online resource launched on Thursday aims to show that behind the scenes of the ongoing fiscal battles in Washington—including the current fight over 'sequestration'—a billionaire-funded and CEO-backed media campaign is operating as an 'astroturf supergroup,' using its outsized pocketbook and influence to peddle long-discredited policy prescriptions for the ailing economy."
"A new online resource launched on Thursday aims to show that behind the scenes of the ongoing fiscal battles in Washington—including the current fight over 'sequestration'—a billionaire-funded and CEO-backed media campaign is operating as an 'astroturf supergroup,' using its outsized pocketbook and influence to peddle long-discredited policy prescriptions for the ailing economy."
Scott Walker Proposes Budget That Cuts Taxes While Reducing Funding For Public Schools
Scott Walker Proposes Budget That Cuts Taxes While Reducing Funding For Public Schools: Governor Scott Walker (R-WI) is proposing a budget that would fund a variety of right-wing priorities by slashing support for public services and local communities, according to an outline of the plan given in Walker’s “State of the State” address Wednesday night. Walker, who had already cut taxes significantly in his first term, proposed an [...]/p
Republicans With Influence On Immigration Debate Are Top Recipients Of Private Prison Contributions
Republicans With Influence On Immigration Debate Are Top Recipients Of Private Prison Contributions: As the immigration reform debate heats up, private prison executives have made it clear that they are monitoring how it will affect their rates of incarceration. During a call with investors last week, Corrections Corporation of America CEO assured investors that there will “always be demand for beds”, reflecting concern that incarceration rates will actually go [...]/p
'Fix The Debt' and Pete Peterson's Long History of Deficit Scaremongering | Common Dreams
'Fix The Debt' and Pete Peterson's Long History of Deficit Scaremongering | Common Dreams
"Fix the Debt financier Peter G. Peterson knows a thing or two about debt: he’s an expert at creating it. Peterson founded the private equity firm Blackstone Group in 1985 with Stephen Schwarzman (who compared raising taxes to “when Hitler invaded Poland”). Private equity firms don’t contribute much to the economy; they don’t make cars or milk the cows. Too frequently, they buy firms to loot them. After a leveraged buyout, they can leave companies so loaded up with debt they are forced to immediately slash their workforce or employees’ retirement security."
"Fix the Debt financier Peter G. Peterson knows a thing or two about debt: he’s an expert at creating it. Peterson founded the private equity firm Blackstone Group in 1985 with Stephen Schwarzman (who compared raising taxes to “when Hitler invaded Poland”). Private equity firms don’t contribute much to the economy; they don’t make cars or milk the cows. Too frequently, they buy firms to loot them. After a leveraged buyout, they can leave companies so loaded up with debt they are forced to immediately slash their workforce or employees’ retirement security."
200,000 Demand House Republicans Pass Violence Against Women Act | Alternet
200,000 Demand House Republicans Pass Violence Against Women Act | Alternet
"Remember when the House Republicans blocked the passage of approximately a million pieces of legislation last session—including the renewal of the act to prevent violence against women? Remember when the U.S. public considered blocking that legislation to be so pathetic, so despicable, just so downright offensive that President Obama coasted to victory on one of the largest gender gaps in modern electoral history?
"Remember when the House Republicans blocked the passage of approximately a million pieces of legislation last session—including the renewal of the act to prevent violence against women? Remember when the U.S. public considered blocking that legislation to be so pathetic, so despicable, just so downright offensive that President Obama coasted to victory on one of the largest gender gaps in modern electoral history?
Yes, all that happened. But here’s the clincher: It’s still not over. In fact, in some ways, this whole rape-denying thing is getting even more egregious."
Wells Fargo Latest Bank Attempting To Skirt New Rules On Risky Financial Trading
Wells Fargo Latest Bank Attempting To Skirt New Rules On Risky Financial Trading: Wells Fargo is the latest bank to ramp up new forms of risky trading in advance of the Volcker Rule, a regulation included in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act meant to make banks safer by prohibiting certain types of trades that helped trigger the global financial crisis in 2009. The rule bans proprietary [...]/p
Anti-Spending GOP Rep Wants Federal Funds To Make George W. Bush’s Childhood Home A National Park
Anti-Spending GOP Rep Wants Federal Funds To Make George W. Bush’s Childhood Home A National Park: Rep. K. Michael “Mike” Conaway (R-TX) has been among the most vocal critics of federal spending, claiming that massive cuts would actually create more jobs. But as he publicly pushed to stop “wasteful government spending,” he privately lobbied the National Park Service to turn the childhood home of former President George W. Bush into a [...]/p
President Obama Wants America to Be Like Germany—What Does That Really Mean? - The Atlantic
President Obama Wants America to Be Like Germany—What Does That Really Mean? - The Atlantic
"The conventional wisdom among some observers of the U.S. economy is that manufacturing can't compete with low-cost labor in China. Germany has shown this viewpoint to be utter rubbish. One study by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics found that hourly manufacturing compensation (wages plus benefits) was $48 in Germany and only $32 in the United States (that study was for all manufacturing workers, not just those in SMEs, but Germany's manufacturing workers in SMEs make comparable wages to those working for their large corporations).
"The conventional wisdom among some observers of the U.S. economy is that manufacturing can't compete with low-cost labor in China. Germany has shown this viewpoint to be utter rubbish. One study by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics found that hourly manufacturing compensation (wages plus benefits) was $48 in Germany and only $32 in the United States (that study was for all manufacturing workers, not just those in SMEs, but Germany's manufacturing workers in SMEs make comparable wages to those working for their large corporations).
German workers in SMEs also all have quality, affordable health care."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)