Will Obama find those shoes?

Michael Monk over at Firedoglake found a very great video snippet. I am shamelessly copying the link from the video from his blog post here so you can look at the video in embedded style…

Obama says:

And understand this: If American workers are being denied their right to organize and collectively bargain when I’m in the White House, I will put . . . → Read More: Will Obama find those shoes?

More Firing at the Teachers

The NY Times today had a longish article by Matt Bai on Governor Christie of New Jersey which contrasted his communications strategy with that of the NJ Teachers union. It was somewhat unfavorable for the Union. Christie the stand-up comedian against the whining, ad hominem and off topic meandering of the heads of the teachers. I, for one, would wish that the teachers . . . → Read More: More Firing at the Teachers

Providence fires all its teachers

Apparently there is a widespread anti-union movement among local governments. The Providence Journal reports that in that city in Rhode Island ALL of the teachers are being terminated… not laid off. This seems to be a blatant ploy by the School Board to break the union, and to restructure radically the teaching profession in that state.

PROVIDENCE — After two hours of contentious . . . → Read More: Providence fires all its teachers

Income inequality

The Nation has an article by Robert C. Lieberman on Why the Rich are Getting Richer. I particularly like this quote:

Income inequality in the United States is higher than in any other advanced industrial democracy and by conventional measures comparable to that in countries such as Ghana, Nicaragua, and Turkmenistan.

Fannie and Freddie Execs take home millions

While Foreclosuregate grinds on and homeowners are put out of their homes its good to know that the Execs at Fannie and Freddie have more big paychecks coming at them.

Fannie (FNMA) CEO Michael Williams and Freddie (FMCC) chief Charles Haldeman each stand to make some $6 million this year, going by company filings that broadly outline 2009 pay and 2010 guidelines.

Using . . . → Read More: Fannie and Freddie Execs take home millions

What’s happened to wages?

Measured in 2009 dollars, total wages fell to just above $5.9 trillion, down $215 billion from the previous year. Compared with 2007, when the economy peaked, total wages were down $313 billion or 5 percent in real terms. The number of Americans with any wages in 2009 fell by more than 4.5 million compared with the previous year. Because the population grew by about 1 percent, the number of idle hands and minds grew by 6 million. This means a real under- and unemployment rate of more than 22 percent. . . . → Read More: What’s happened to wages?