Saturday, February 23, 2019
Weekend Reading
The Tax-The-Rich Movement Keeps Growing
The Hypocrisy Of Trump's Job Claims
California High-Speed Rail And The American Infrastructure Tragedy, Explained
The Global Con Hidden In Trump's Tax Reform Law, Revealed
Lots Of Presidential Candidates Talk A Good Talk. Look At Their Records Instead.
Bill And Melinda Gates And The Problem Of The "Good Billionaire"
How Republicans Bought Their Own Tax Cut Snake Oil
Trump's War On California
The CIA's Masterful Use Of Fake News
The Hypocrisy Of Trump's Job Claims
California High-Speed Rail And The American Infrastructure Tragedy, Explained
The Global Con Hidden In Trump's Tax Reform Law, Revealed
Lots Of Presidential Candidates Talk A Good Talk. Look At Their Records Instead.
Bill And Melinda Gates And The Problem Of The "Good Billionaire"
How Republicans Bought Their Own Tax Cut Snake Oil
Trump's War On California
The CIA's Masterful Use Of Fake News
Wisconsin Reading
Inside Wisconsin's Disastrous $4.5 Billion Deal With Foxconn
Wisconsin's High-Subsidy Foxconn Project Seen As 'Pawn' In U.S.-China Trade War
Robin Vos And Scott Fitzgerald Are Contemptible Liars
MMSD Plans $1.4 Billion Of Improvements
A Data Portrait Of The Walker Years
The Big Giveaway Is Getting Bigger
Let's Curb The Manufacturing Tax Credit
Six Reasons To Eliminate Wisconsin's Costly, Ineffective Manufacturing Tax Credit
Wisconsin's High-Subsidy Foxconn Project Seen As 'Pawn' In U.S.-China Trade War
Robin Vos And Scott Fitzgerald Are Contemptible Liars
MMSD Plans $1.4 Billion Of Improvements
A Data Portrait Of The Walker Years
The Big Giveaway Is Getting Bigger
Let's Curb The Manufacturing Tax Credit
Six Reasons To Eliminate Wisconsin's Costly, Ineffective Manufacturing Tax Credit
Weekend Reading: Amazon Edition
The Backers Of New York's Giveaway To Amazon Still Don't Understand Why It Was Wrong
End The Subsidy Wars: Amazon Took Advantage Of A System That's Baked Into America's Economy. We Must Finally Fix It.
Amazon's Pullout From New York Shows That It Misplayed A Bad, And Expensive, Hand
New York Did Us All A Favor By Standing Up To Amazon
Amazon HQ2 Was An 'Unfortunate Distraction' From 'Needy Communities'
Amazon's Decision To Pull Out Of NYC Is A Massive Blow To Corporate Welfare
Amazon And The End Of The Growth Machine
Amazon Got Exactly What It Deserved - And So Did New York
How Amazon's Booming NYC Neighborhood Got Tax Perks Meant For The Poor
End The Subsidy Wars: Amazon Took Advantage Of A System That's Baked Into America's Economy. We Must Finally Fix It.
Amazon's Pullout From New York Shows That It Misplayed A Bad, And Expensive, Hand
New York Did Us All A Favor By Standing Up To Amazon
Amazon HQ2 Was An 'Unfortunate Distraction' From 'Needy Communities'
Amazon's Decision To Pull Out Of NYC Is A Massive Blow To Corporate Welfare
Amazon And The End Of The Growth Machine
Amazon Got Exactly What It Deserved - And So Did New York
How Amazon's Booming NYC Neighborhood Got Tax Perks Meant For The Poor
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
A Few Words On Socialism
So·cial·ism /ˈsōSHəˌlizəm/ (noun)
A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.
Massive Spending Cuts: The Tax Act's Hidden Costs
A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.
Republicans and conservatives, and even some moderates and Democrats, have been demonizing the idea of socialism in the media as of late. (All while bitching about billionaires not being given billions in corporate welfare - socialism for the rich.)
Some of the Democratic 2020 presidential candidates have been talking of taxing the rich, fighting climate change, getting off of fossil fuels, providing Medicare for all and providing free college tuition.
The status quo, pro-business, free marketeers are up in arms over this.
Earth to douchebags - America is already a socialist country. And conservatives are more than happy with socialism for the rich. This is the predominant socialism (for the rich) in the U.S., hence rising income inequality over the past few decades.
But let's take a look at some examples of all the "socialist" policies America has:
Health Care (Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration)
Police and Fire Fighters
Public Education
Public Transportation (Buses, Air Traffic Control, Roads, Etc.)
Water & Sewer
Corporate Welfare (Farm and Oil Subsidies, Etc.)
The crux of the recent call for higher taxes and re-investment in our public goods is not some wacko commie scheme, it's the same plan of action the United States took after World War II, with high marginal tax rates, which led to our greatest period of growth and prosperity. A rising tide lifted all boats. Our infrastructure was world class. People who worked were able to pay their bills and save for retirement.
Republicans always reminisce about the great days of yesteryear. But they forget to mention the fact that taxes on the rich were much, much higher then, too.
For Further Reading:
Taxpayers — not Big Pharma — have funded the research behind every new drug since 2010Massive Spending Cuts: The Tax Act's Hidden Costs
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Friday, February 15, 2019
Talking Heads Upset Billionaire Isn't Given Billions In Corporate Welfare
Boo-fucking-hoo, you babies. Sorry your usual status-quo shakedown didn't work.
‘Morning Joe’ Rips Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Over Amazon Pull-Out: ‘She Only Cares About Herself’
The set of “Morning Joe” was not happy about the decision by Amazon to pull out of their new planned headquarters in New York City yesterday, laying the blame for the decision at the feet of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and fellow recalcitrant progressive lawmakers.
On set there was near unanimity that Ocasio-Cortez did not understand the broader situation and was unfamiliar with basic economics.
“The protests that we saw were to get on AOC’s bandwagon. And what’s shocking to me is yet once again she shows how little she understands, about not just economics, but even unemployment,” show mainstay Susan Del Percio said. “Just because she has a progressive agenda, which some people like, does not mean she has the city’s best interests. What she showed me today, or yesterday, is that she only cares about herself.”Um, actually she understands the economics better than the Morning Joe corporate welfare shills.
How much was New York giving Amazon? What was the cost-per-job? If you're not going to discuss the details of the giveaway and actually analyze it in comparison to other possible investments, maybe you're the one who needs to shut the fuck up.
I guess, according to the Morning Joe crew, giving billions to a billionaire is good use of public dollars. Oh, but all these rich pricks hate socialism. Yeah, unless it's for them.
For Further Reading:
Amazon To Pay $0 In Federal Taxes In 2019
Economic Development, Tax Incentives and The Plutocracy It's Creating
Matt Kuchar, You're A Cheap Fuck
Matt Kuchar defends paying caddie $5K on $1.3M win: I 'don't lose sleep over this'
So maybe Matt Kuchar isn't losing any sleep over this, but a $44,000 difference in payment is a lot of money for most people. With Kuchar's $46 million in career earnings, and the fact that this caddie just helped him add another $1.3 million, he should have done the right thing and at least paid the caddie the typical minimum 5%. Kuchar would have still had $1,231,200 for himself.
It's no wonder most people view golfers as elitist and out of touch. Matt Kuchar is another prime example.
Kuchar won the Mayakoba Golf Classic and the $1.296 million prize that came with it in November. He paid Ortiz, aka El Tucan, $5,000 for his work that week.
Ortiz is not Kuchar’s regular Tour caddie, but a club caddie from Mexico who worked Kuchar’s bag during the tournament in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. John Wood is Kuchar’s regular caddie...
Kuchar eventually offered Ortiz an additional $15,000, according to the report.
Ortiz declined the offer. He was seeking $50,000, which is the value he placed on his work that week, according to the report...
Verbal agreements between players and Tour caddies come with the understanding that a caddie is due 5 percent of a player’s winnings, a number that can increase to 10 percent in the event of a win.
Ten percent of Kuchar’s victory at Mayakoba would be approximately $130,000...
“So I certainly don’t lose sleep over this. This is something that I’m quite happy with, and I was really happy for him to have a great week and make a good sum of money. Making $5,000 is a great week.”Kuchar's initial offer of a $4,000 payment to the caddie for winning $1,296,000 is .3%. Even increasing to $5,000 is just .4%. Adding $15,000, to bring the total to $20,000, is still only 1.5%. A typical 5% minimum caddie payment, in this instance, equates to $64,800.
According to Golf.com, Kuchar is 10th on the PGA career earnings list with more than $46 million.
So maybe Matt Kuchar isn't losing any sleep over this, but a $44,000 difference in payment is a lot of money for most people. With Kuchar's $46 million in career earnings, and the fact that this caddie just helped him add another $1.3 million, he should have done the right thing and at least paid the caddie the typical minimum 5%. Kuchar would have still had $1,231,200 for himself.
It's no wonder most people view golfers as elitist and out of touch. Matt Kuchar is another prime example.
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Rules Of The Road
Clean the snow off your car. I'm sick of you morons driving around with snow on your windows, the vehicle's roof, over the tail lights and then having the snow and ice blow off your car onto other cars driving anywhere near yours. Take five minutes and brush the vehicle off before you drive on the road, you inconsiderate maniac.
Those of you living in dwellings with an alley, shovel out your space in the alley (and shovel out your sidewalks in the front of the home in a timely manner). People shouldn't be trapped in their garage because some lazy ass has decided they don't need to shovel their portion of the alley. Especially those of you owning properties at the entrances of the alley. It's your responsibility to clear that entrance. If that's too much for you, sell the house so a responsible owner can move in.
When there is an obstruction in your driving lane (a snow mound, a vehicle, etc.) don't just swerve into my oncoming lane assuming I'll move over. First, the obstruction is in your lane, you're the one that needs to wait for oncoming traffic to pass before you swerve into the other lane. Stop being a dick.
This is all really just common sense, courtesy and manners. Enough of this thoughtless, selfish behavior.
Those of you living in dwellings with an alley, shovel out your space in the alley (and shovel out your sidewalks in the front of the home in a timely manner). People shouldn't be trapped in their garage because some lazy ass has decided they don't need to shovel their portion of the alley. Especially those of you owning properties at the entrances of the alley. It's your responsibility to clear that entrance. If that's too much for you, sell the house so a responsible owner can move in.
When there is an obstruction in your driving lane (a snow mound, a vehicle, etc.) don't just swerve into my oncoming lane assuming I'll move over. First, the obstruction is in your lane, you're the one that needs to wait for oncoming traffic to pass before you swerve into the other lane. Stop being a dick.
This is all really just common sense, courtesy and manners. Enough of this thoughtless, selfish behavior.
If Only We Could All Be As Out Of Touch As The Mega-Wealthy
Bill Gates Has Some Harsh Words for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Tax Plan
High tax rates, such as those proposed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, led to a single breadwinner being able to provide for a family - a car, a home, a college education, etc.
Ever since the Reagan revolution, of tax cuts and deregulation, households with multiple workers can barely get by. Tax rates aren't a disincentive to create wealth. They are a mechanism to correct the greedy urges of those whom control the means of production.
Since we can't count on the Walmarts, Amazons, Kochs and all the other greedy oligarchs to do what's right and pay their employees a living wage, to provide retirement and health care to their employees, and to pay a fair share of taxes to help the infrastructure that their businesses and we all depend on, we need to tax them.
Trickle down doesn't work. It hasn't worked. Taxes are the only way of giving workers back income that they helped to produce and/or putting it toward more public goods.
Bill Gates says he’s fine with the idea of higher taxes for the rich, but plans like the one being championed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which target the top income brackets, are too extreme—and could encourage the wealthy to hide their money in offshore accounts.First of all, the wealthy already hide their money offshore and dodge taxes.
“I believe U.S. tax rates can be more progressive. Now, you finally have some politicians who are so extreme that I’d say, ‘No, that’s even beyond,'” Gates said. “You do start to create tax dodging and disincentives, and an incentive to have the income show up in other countries and things. But we can be more progressive without really threatening income generation—what you have left to decide how to spread around.”
High tax rates, such as those proposed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, led to a single breadwinner being able to provide for a family - a car, a home, a college education, etc.
Ever since the Reagan revolution, of tax cuts and deregulation, households with multiple workers can barely get by. Tax rates aren't a disincentive to create wealth. They are a mechanism to correct the greedy urges of those whom control the means of production.
Since we can't count on the Walmarts, Amazons, Kochs and all the other greedy oligarchs to do what's right and pay their employees a living wage, to provide retirement and health care to their employees, and to pay a fair share of taxes to help the infrastructure that their businesses and we all depend on, we need to tax them.
Trickle down doesn't work. It hasn't worked. Taxes are the only way of giving workers back income that they helped to produce and/or putting it toward more public goods.
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Weekend Reading
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Tax Hike Idea Is Not About Soaking The Rich
Unions Did Great Things For The Working Class
Economists Get Serious About Harm From Monopolies
If Only Obama Had Done The Things Obama Actually Did
Antitrust And The Financial Sector
Cory Booker's Baby Bonds Nearly Close The Racial Wealth Gap For Young Adults
All Of The Extremist Killings In The US In 2018 Had Links To Right-Wing Extremism
How Elizabeth Warren's Wealth Tax Would Remake America
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Crusher Of Sacred Cows
Progressive Labor Standards
What Do We Actually Know About The Economy?
Yes, Polarization Is Asymmetric - And Conservatives Are Worse
Should Billionaires Even Exist?
How Frigid Polar Vortex Blasts Are Connected To Global Warming
The Wealth Gap And Miller Park's Deal
Republicans Cynically Demonized Government For Decades. The Shutdown Belongs To Them.
Unions Did Great Things For The Working Class
Economists Get Serious About Harm From Monopolies
If Only Obama Had Done The Things Obama Actually Did
Antitrust And The Financial Sector
Cory Booker's Baby Bonds Nearly Close The Racial Wealth Gap For Young Adults
All Of The Extremist Killings In The US In 2018 Had Links To Right-Wing Extremism
How Elizabeth Warren's Wealth Tax Would Remake America
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Crusher Of Sacred Cows
Progressive Labor Standards
What Do We Actually Know About The Economy?
Yes, Polarization Is Asymmetric - And Conservatives Are Worse
Should Billionaires Even Exist?
How Frigid Polar Vortex Blasts Are Connected To Global Warming
The Wealth Gap And Miller Park's Deal
Republicans Cynically Demonized Government For Decades. The Shutdown Belongs To Them.
Friday, February 1, 2019
Scott Walker Screwed Wisconsin ... Again
Scott Walker and Wisconsin Republicans are just terrible, stupid, selfish, greedy and soulless people. Their policies (along with all other Republican policies) continue to waste taxpayers' dollars. Who are these people voting for Republicans that take citizens' tax dollars and give it to rich plutocrats? Why do people continue to support such an obvious transfer of wealth from the majority of citizens to the richest?
The failure of Republicans policies has been persistent. What type of delusion or cognitive dissonance makes people continue to hope these Republican policy lies will finally help them? All of the empirical evidence from the last 50 years shows that the policies the Republicans are spouting hurt all but the richest Americans.
And now we have another example from Scott Walker. Another failure in a long line of Scott Walker failures.
As most everyone looking into the boondoggle that is Foxconn concluded, the chances of this corporate welfare working were slim to none. And now, Foxconn is changing their plans. The promised LCD manufacturing plant is now morphing into a smaller R&D technology hub. Yet another great example of Republican governance - funneling public dollars to private paymasters with no accountability or concern for the outcome. As opposed to the typical Democratic governance, whereby public investment actually generates public benefits - think schools, roads, airports, trains, health care, etc.
The failure of Republicans policies has been persistent. What type of delusion or cognitive dissonance makes people continue to hope these Republican policy lies will finally help them? All of the empirical evidence from the last 50 years shows that the policies the Republicans are spouting hurt all but the richest Americans.
And now we have another example from Scott Walker. Another failure in a long line of Scott Walker failures.
As most everyone looking into the boondoggle that is Foxconn concluded, the chances of this corporate welfare working were slim to none. And now, Foxconn is changing their plans. The promised LCD manufacturing plant is now morphing into a smaller R&D technology hub. Yet another great example of Republican governance - funneling public dollars to private paymasters with no accountability or concern for the outcome. As opposed to the typical Democratic governance, whereby public investment actually generates public benefits - think schools, roads, airports, trains, health care, etc.
For Further Reading:
Foxconn reconsidering plans to make LCD panels at Wisconsin plantFoxconn Shifts Focus From Wisconsin Manufacturing Plan
Foxconn changes focus of massive Wisconsin project
Foxconn scraps plan to build $10 billion Wisconsin factory Trump bragged about
Ruinous Walker's Downfall
Blasts From The (Deceptive) Past: Scott Walker Edition
For a more in-depth reading of all that was wrong with the Foxconn giveaway, see The Con That Is Foxconn or How Republicans Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Socialism For The Rich.
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Weekend Reading
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Wants To Raise Taxes On The Rich - And Americans Agree
Economists Get Serious About Harm From Monopolies
Declining Birth Rates: Are We In Danger Of Running Out Of People?
The House Democrats' Colossal Election Reform Bill Could Save American Democracy
Why You're Wrong About Communism: Here Are 7 Huge Misconceptions About It - And Capitalism
Why Scott Walker's Welfare Legacy Will Outlast Him
The Future Of The Great Lakes
Anticompetitive Mergers In Labor Markets
Labor Market Concentration
Beware of Consultants Bearing Rosy News About Mergers
Economists Get Serious About Harm From Monopolies
Declining Birth Rates: Are We In Danger Of Running Out Of People?
The House Democrats' Colossal Election Reform Bill Could Save American Democracy
Why You're Wrong About Communism: Here Are 7 Huge Misconceptions About It - And Capitalism
Why Scott Walker's Welfare Legacy Will Outlast Him
The Future Of The Great Lakes
Anticompetitive Mergers In Labor Markets
Labor Market Concentration
Beware of Consultants Bearing Rosy News About Mergers
Thursday, January 17, 2019
The Economic Impact Mythology Of Convention Centers
Milwaukee's Boondoggle Twofer
How Can Convention Centers Be So Dumb?
The Convention Center Shell Game
Convention Center Follies
It's A Race To The Bottom
Is It Time To Stop Building Convention Centers?
Case For Bigger Convention Hall Has Familiar Ring
The Realities Of Convention Centers As Economic Development Strategy
Debunking The Conventional Wisdom About Conventions
The Dubious Economics Of Convention Centers
Do We Really Need To Keep Building Convention Centers?
A Critical Review Of Convention Center Feasibility Studies
The Skeptical Study No One Ever Talks About
Convention Centers
Economic Impact Studies: Instruments For Political Shenanigans?
How Can Convention Centers Be So Dumb?
The Convention Center Shell Game
Convention Center Follies
It's A Race To The Bottom
Is It Time To Stop Building Convention Centers?
Case For Bigger Convention Hall Has Familiar Ring
The Realities Of Convention Centers As Economic Development Strategy
Debunking The Conventional Wisdom About Conventions
The Dubious Economics Of Convention Centers
Do We Really Need To Keep Building Convention Centers?
A Critical Review Of Convention Center Feasibility Studies
The Skeptical Study No One Ever Talks About
Convention Centers
Economic Impact Studies: Instruments For Political Shenanigans?
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Weekend Reading
Fed's Evans Questions March Toward Higher Interest Rates
America's Middle Class Is Vanishing. Nearly Half Of Workers Earn Less Than $30,000
A Historian Makes The Case Against Billionaires
Scientists Have Established A Link Between Brain Damage And Religious Fundamentalism
How Past Income Tax Rate Cuts On The Wealthy Affected The Economy
The Economics Of Soaking The Rich
How Marginal Tax Rates Actually Work, Explained With A Cartoon
The "Skills Gap" Was A Lie
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is Floating A 70 Percent Top Tax Rate - Here's The Research That Backs Her Up
America's Middle Class Is Vanishing. Nearly Half Of Workers Earn Less Than $30,000
A Historian Makes The Case Against Billionaires
Scientists Have Established A Link Between Brain Damage And Religious Fundamentalism
How Past Income Tax Rate Cuts On The Wealthy Affected The Economy
The Economics Of Soaking The Rich
How Marginal Tax Rates Actually Work, Explained With A Cartoon
The "Skills Gap" Was A Lie
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is Floating A 70 Percent Top Tax Rate - Here's The Research That Backs Her Up
Monday, December 24, 2018
Holiday Reading
The Shrinking Middle Class
Good Dogs
The Rise And Fall Of Scott Walker
The Corruption Of The Republican Party
You're Worth $1 Trillion. Why Do You Need Our $3 Billion?
GE Powered The American Century - Then It Burned Out
How The IRS Was Gutted
Sins Of The Fathers
Progressive Labor Standards
Kimberly-Clark To Receive $28 Million In Taxpayer Funds From Scott Walker
Foxconn & The Village: The $10 Billion Factory Deal That Turned One Small Wisconsin Town Upside Down
New Election Data Highlights The Ongoing Impact Of 2011 GOP Redistricting In Wisconsin
Good Dogs
The Rise And Fall Of Scott Walker
The Corruption Of The Republican Party
You're Worth $1 Trillion. Why Do You Need Our $3 Billion?
GE Powered The American Century - Then It Burned Out
How The IRS Was Gutted
Sins Of The Fathers
Progressive Labor Standards
Kimberly-Clark To Receive $28 Million In Taxpayer Funds From Scott Walker
Foxconn & The Village: The $10 Billion Factory Deal That Turned One Small Wisconsin Town Upside Down
New Election Data Highlights The Ongoing Impact Of 2011 GOP Redistricting In Wisconsin
Monday, December 10, 2018
Best Metal Albums 2018
Jesus Piece - Only Self
Behemoth - I Loved You At Your Darkest
Archgoat - The Luciferian Crown
Necrophobic - Mark Of The Necrogram
Harakiri For The Sky - Arson
High On Fire - Electric Messiah
Sleep - The Sciences
Tribulation - Down Below
Ministry - AmericaKKKant
Pig Destroyer - Head Cage
Horrendous - Idol
Windhand - Eternal Return
Rivers Of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name
Panopticon - The Scars Of Man On The Once Nameless Wilderness
Amorphis - Queen Of Time
The Ocean - Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic
Zeal & Ardor - Stranger Fruit
Primordial - Exile Amongst The Ruins
Between The Buried And Me - Automata I, Automata II
Skeletonwitch - Devouring Radiant Light
Nekrogoblikon - Welcome To Bonkers
Rebel Wizard - Voluptuous Worship Of Rapture And Response
Tomb Mold - Manner Of Infinite Forms
Jungle Rot - Jungle Rot
Anaal Nathrakh - A New Kind Of Horror
Gorod - Aethra
Ghost - Prequelle
Behemoth - I Loved You At Your Darkest
Archgoat - The Luciferian Crown
Necrophobic - Mark Of The Necrogram
Harakiri For The Sky - Arson
High On Fire - Electric Messiah
Sleep - The Sciences
Tribulation - Down Below
Ministry - AmericaKKKant
Pig Destroyer - Head Cage
Horrendous - Idol
Windhand - Eternal Return
Rivers Of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name
Panopticon - The Scars Of Man On The Once Nameless Wilderness
Amorphis - Queen Of Time
The Ocean - Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic
Zeal & Ardor - Stranger Fruit
Primordial - Exile Amongst The Ruins
Between The Buried And Me - Automata I, Automata II
Skeletonwitch - Devouring Radiant Light
Nekrogoblikon - Welcome To Bonkers
Rebel Wizard - Voluptuous Worship Of Rapture And Response
Tomb Mold - Manner Of Infinite Forms
Jungle Rot - Jungle Rot
Anaal Nathrakh - A New Kind Of Horror
Gorod - Aethra
Ghost - Prequelle
Saturday, December 8, 2018
Weekend Reading
Is Trump Country Really Better Off Under Trump? No. It's Falling Further Behind
The Scandinavian Style Of Capitalism
What Do We Actually Know About The Economy? (Wonkish)
How The Koch Brothers Are Killing Public Transit Projects Around The Country
A Stats-Based Look Behind The Venture Capital Curtain
Working Class People Are Underrepresented In Politics. The Problem isn't Voters.
P/E Ratios Are Misleading...Especially Right Now
America's Monopoly Problem In One Chart
America Has A Monopoly Problem - And It's Huge
The Scandinavian Style Of Capitalism
What Do We Actually Know About The Economy? (Wonkish)
How The Koch Brothers Are Killing Public Transit Projects Around The Country
A Stats-Based Look Behind The Venture Capital Curtain
Working Class People Are Underrepresented In Politics. The Problem isn't Voters.
P/E Ratios Are Misleading...Especially Right Now
America's Monopoly Problem In One Chart
America Has A Monopoly Problem - And It's Huge
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Hypocrisy, Cronyism, Scott Walker, Police & Firefighters, And Budget Gimmicks
Jeramey Jannene in a recent article, 10 Curious Details In City's 2019 Budget, made an interesting point, one that I've made here often, regarding Wisconsin Republicans' cronyism and hypocrisy.
The Failure of Act 10
Outgoing Governor Scott Walker‘s defining policy achievement will likely be the implementation of Act 10. The act, which decimated public unions and reduced take-home pay for most government employees, had one carveout that is still hammering the city. The act exempted “public safety” employees including police officers and firefighters, whose unions had endorsed Walker’s gubernatorial run.
The police and fire departments are two of the biggest aspects of Milwaukee’s budget. The police department’s $295 million budget is larger than the city’s $281 million levy. The fire department has a $111 million budget in 2019. The city, which contributed $83 million to pensions last year, saw 77 percent of the annual cost of pension benefits accrue to retired police officers and firefighters.
If Walker was really interested in saving cities money, instead of decimating his political foes, he wouldn’t have exempted public safety employees.
Midweek Reading: Wisconsin Republicans Are Horrible, Lying, Cheating Douchebags Edition
Republicans To Hold Lame-Duck Session To Limit Tony Evers And Advance GOP Priorities
Eric Holder Says Wisconsin Republicans Risk Lawsuit Over Lame-Duck Plan
Scott Walker Decried Lame-Duck Session And Permanent Political Appointments In 2010
Wisconsin Republicans Are Bending Over Backward To Make Sure The Midterm Election Doesn't Count
Republicans Worked All Night To Limit Power Of Democratic Governor Elect Tony Evers
Lame-Duck Power Grabs Aren't New, But Republicans In Wisconsin And Michigan Are 'More Aggressive'
Wisconsin Gerrymandering Was Awesome
In Stunning Power Grab, Wisconsin Republicans Pass Bill Weakening Governor
Are Lame-Duck Sessions Undemocratic
'Democracy Dies...In The Early Morning Light' As Wisconsin GOP Rams Through 'Lame Duck Legislative Coup'
Wisconsin GOP Scheme To Keep Scott Walker As Zombie Governor
After Raucous Hearing, Bills To Restrict Early Voting, Curtail Evers' Powers Move To Full Legislature
Wisconsin Lawmakers Reject Bill To Protect Pre-Existing Conditions, Scale Back Democrats' Power
For Further Reading:
Paul Ryan Departing Washington In A Blaze Of Fraudulence
Let's Pour One Out For Paul Ryan, The Biggest. Fake. Ever.
Republican Gerrymandering Has Basically Destroyed Representative Democracy In Wisconsin
Eric Holder Says Wisconsin Republicans Risk Lawsuit Over Lame-Duck Plan
Scott Walker Decried Lame-Duck Session And Permanent Political Appointments In 2010
Wisconsin Republicans Are Bending Over Backward To Make Sure The Midterm Election Doesn't Count
Republicans Worked All Night To Limit Power Of Democratic Governor Elect Tony Evers
Lame-Duck Power Grabs Aren't New, But Republicans In Wisconsin And Michigan Are 'More Aggressive'
Wisconsin Gerrymandering Was Awesome
In Stunning Power Grab, Wisconsin Republicans Pass Bill Weakening Governor
Are Lame-Duck Sessions Undemocratic
'Democracy Dies...In The Early Morning Light' As Wisconsin GOP Rams Through 'Lame Duck Legislative Coup'
Wisconsin GOP Scheme To Keep Scott Walker As Zombie Governor
After Raucous Hearing, Bills To Restrict Early Voting, Curtail Evers' Powers Move To Full Legislature
Wisconsin Lawmakers Reject Bill To Protect Pre-Existing Conditions, Scale Back Democrats' Power
For Further Reading:
Paul Ryan Departing Washington In A Blaze Of Fraudulence
Let's Pour One Out For Paul Ryan, The Biggest. Fake. Ever.
Republican Gerrymandering Has Basically Destroyed Representative Democracy In Wisconsin
Saturday, November 10, 2018
Wisconsin Reading
What A New Governor Means For Wisconsin's Controversial Foxconn Factory
As Soon As Scott Walker Lost, His Pet Legislators Started Stripping The Governor's Powers
GOP Assembly Speaker Robin Vos Threatens To Take Power Away From Tony Evers Before January
Will Republicans Steal Power From New Democratic Governors?
The States That Elected Trump Have Turned Against Him
How Labor Helped Bring Down Scott Walker And Bruce Rauner
Racism And The Wisconsin Idea
Court Strips Workers Of $10 Million Award
Did Scott Walker & Donald Trump Deal Away The Wisconsin Governor's Race To Foxconn?
As Soon As Scott Walker Lost, His Pet Legislators Started Stripping The Governor's Powers
GOP Assembly Speaker Robin Vos Threatens To Take Power Away From Tony Evers Before January
Will Republicans Steal Power From New Democratic Governors?
The States That Elected Trump Have Turned Against Him
How Labor Helped Bring Down Scott Walker And Bruce Rauner
Racism And The Wisconsin Idea
Court Strips Workers Of $10 Million Award
Did Scott Walker & Donald Trump Deal Away The Wisconsin Governor's Race To Foxconn?
Weekend Reading
Federal Judge Blasts Fish & Wildlife Service, Says Endangered Wolves Cannot Be Shot
Trump Suffered The Worst Midterm Loss In A Century, Says JP Morgan
Thousand Oaks Makes 307 Mass Shootings In 311 Days
Trump's Appointment Of The Acting Attorney General Is Unconstitutional
Blame Fox, Not Facebook, For Fake News
America's Problem Isn't Tribalism - It's Racism
Republicans Lost The Suburbs
Why Democrats' Gain Was More Impressive Than It Appears
In Superstar Cities, The Rich Get Richer, And They Get Amazon
When Economists Took Socialism Seriously
The Wall Street Math Hustle
Laws And Disorder
Working-Class People Are Underrepresented In Politics. The Problem Isn't Voters.
Trump Suffered The Worst Midterm Loss In A Century, Says JP Morgan
Thousand Oaks Makes 307 Mass Shootings In 311 Days
Trump's Appointment Of The Acting Attorney General Is Unconstitutional
Blame Fox, Not Facebook, For Fake News
America's Problem Isn't Tribalism - It's Racism
Republicans Lost The Suburbs
Why Democrats' Gain Was More Impressive Than It Appears
In Superstar Cities, The Rich Get Richer, And They Get Amazon
When Economists Took Socialism Seriously
The Wall Street Math Hustle
Laws And Disorder
Working-Class People Are Underrepresented In Politics. The Problem Isn't Voters.
Republicans Are Shameless, Petulant Obstructionists
Just a few examples of the post-election hypocritical, whiny and brazen cowardice of Republicans:
After Judge Glenn Devlin of Houston lost his reelection bid, he released nearly all of the juvenile defendants who appeared before him, as long as they answered no when he asked if they planned to kill anyone. Devlin, one of the 59 Republican jurists in Harris County who was replaced by Democrats, allegedly said: “This is obviously what the voters wanted.”
You know, because Democrats are thugs and they want (allegedly) dangerous criminals roaming the streets. It has nothing to do with the fact that people are actually waking up to the fact that the Republicans only care about their corporate paymasters.
Ted Nugent isn’t happy about the way the midterm elections turned out in his home state of Michigan. The 69-year-old rocker known for his conservative views shared his frustration on Facebook Wednesday. “Real God country family Michiganiacs are heartbroke that more of us want the once great state of Michigan to turn into a California s***hole,” he wrote. “Downright insane cultural suicide. Thanks for nothing a**holes.”
Yes, California, what a shithole. The 5th largest economy in the world with year-round desirable weather. It's the most populous state in the country for a reason. What's that reason? Because it's a shithole, says Ted Nugent.
Less than 24 hours after Tony Evers was elected governor, the Republican leader of the state Assembly threatened to take power away from him even before he is sworn in. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said Wednesday he would discuss whether to look at limiting Evers' power with Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau). Fitzgerald is open to the idea, according to an aide. "If there are areas where we could look and say, 'Geez — have we made mistakes where we granted too much power to the executive,' I'd be open to taking a look to say what can we do to change that to try to re-balance it," Vos told reporters. "Maybe we made some mistakes giving too much power to Gov. (Scott) Walker and I'd be open to looking at that to see if there are areas we should change that, but it's far too early to do that before I talk to Scott Fitzgerald."
And this encapsulates exactly what the Republicans are all about. The want power to do whatever they want whenever they want. And what they wanted yesterday might not be what they want today. Those are quite some (malleable) principles. When a Republican is in power he/she should be a dictator. When Democrats are in power ... even then Republicans feel they should still call the shots. That's just their good old obstructionist nature. The only things that can get done are the things Republicans want done, or the things their corporate paymasters are telling them to get done.
The Republican party is a worldwide embarrassment. Any so-called conservative still siding with the current Republican party is a useful idiot at best.
For Further Reading:
'Most Dysfunctional Thing I've Ever Seen in My Life': Kansas GOP Blames Kobach's Incompetence For His Stunning Loss
For Further Reading:
'Most Dysfunctional Thing I've Ever Seen in My Life': Kansas GOP Blames Kobach's Incompetence For His Stunning Loss
File Under Conflict of Interest:
Brian Kemp finally steps down from administering the election he ran in
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Good Riddance, Scott Walker
It was a good night for Democrats. Not a great night, but a good one.
Sad so many in Wisconsin (and around the country) are still voting Republican after all we know and at this point in time. Those of you clinging to your sexism, racism, parochialism, or whatever other pet cause makes you still vote Republican, you truly are the worst of us.
For those of you (that normally vote Republican) that put country before party to help elect Democrats, kudos to you. Well done.
Remember, though, this is just the start. Keep talking, keep campaigning, keep pushing Democratic policies. We need to carry this momentum into the 2020 election.
Even though this was a record-breaking turnout for Wisconsin, it was still only 60 percent of the voting-age population. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Based on state population estimates from earlier this year, turnout was equal to almost 60 percent of the voting-age population, though that number is likely to change when the official count is complete."
It's just ridiculous to think that 40 percent of the voting-age population is just sitting on the sidelines. If Democrats could get these people to the polls, Republicans would never win another election.
Good riddance, Scott Walker. Now you can lick the boots of your paymasters full-time. Burn in hell, you selfish and corrupt tool.
Sad so many in Wisconsin (and around the country) are still voting Republican after all we know and at this point in time. Those of you clinging to your sexism, racism, parochialism, or whatever other pet cause makes you still vote Republican, you truly are the worst of us.
For those of you (that normally vote Republican) that put country before party to help elect Democrats, kudos to you. Well done.
Remember, though, this is just the start. Keep talking, keep campaigning, keep pushing Democratic policies. We need to carry this momentum into the 2020 election.
Even though this was a record-breaking turnout for Wisconsin, it was still only 60 percent of the voting-age population. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Based on state population estimates from earlier this year, turnout was equal to almost 60 percent of the voting-age population, though that number is likely to change when the official count is complete."
It's just ridiculous to think that 40 percent of the voting-age population is just sitting on the sidelines. If Democrats could get these people to the polls, Republicans would never win another election.
Good riddance, Scott Walker. Now you can lick the boots of your paymasters full-time. Burn in hell, you selfish and corrupt tool.
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Wisconsin Reading
The Incoherence Of Scott Walker
Milwaukee County On A Crash Course
Scott Walker's Economic Record In Wisconsin: Nothing To Brag About
New Development Plans For Streetcar
Who Pays In Wisconsin? Not The Rich, Unlike Minnesota
For Some Wisconsin Voters, Road Quality Is A Major Concern
State Jobs Agency Still A Failure
Schimel Suit Cost Workers $23 Million
Rewarding Corporations That Cut Jobs
WEDC, Foxconn And The Need For The Return Of Good Government In Wisconsin
New Memo On "Big Giveaway" To Rich Makes Evers Plans Look Even Better
Milwaukee County On A Crash Course
Scott Walker's Economic Record In Wisconsin: Nothing To Brag About
New Development Plans For Streetcar
Who Pays In Wisconsin? Not The Rich, Unlike Minnesota
For Some Wisconsin Voters, Road Quality Is A Major Concern
State Jobs Agency Still A Failure
Schimel Suit Cost Workers $23 Million
Rewarding Corporations That Cut Jobs
WEDC, Foxconn And The Need For The Return Of Good Government In Wisconsin
New Memo On "Big Giveaway" To Rich Makes Evers Plans Look Even Better
Midweek Reading
Nobel Committee Honors The Economics Of Failure
Democrats Pounce On Mitch McConnell For Blaming Debt On Social Security, Medicare
Another Big Democratic Loss. And Yet More Complaints About A 'Rigged' System
The Republican Tax Cut Is A Big, Fat Failure
Are The Danes Melancholy? Are The Swedes Sad?
Major League Baseball Teams Lost $93 Million This Season Because No One Is Going To Games
Trump's New Opportunity Zones Look Great For Investors
Old People Are Worse Than Young People At Telling Fact From Opinion
Democrats Pounce On Mitch McConnell For Blaming Debt On Social Security, Medicare
Another Big Democratic Loss. And Yet More Complaints About A 'Rigged' System
The Republican Tax Cut Is A Big, Fat Failure
Are The Danes Melancholy? Are The Swedes Sad?
Major League Baseball Teams Lost $93 Million This Season Because No One Is Going To Games
Trump's New Opportunity Zones Look Great For Investors
Old People Are Worse Than Young People At Telling Fact From Opinion
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Scott Walker Is A Creep
Scott Walker says Wisconsin needs a break from 'massive new interchanges in Milwaukee'
Isn't it odd how Wisconsin has $5 billion for Foxconn, but we can't find any money to fix our roads? We have millions for sport stadiums, but there's not money available for our transportation needs. We have corporate welfare for any business that comes along with their hand out. But when basic infrastructure needs to be upgraded or repaired, Scott Walker can't find the money or the project just isn't a priority for him.
The Republican party has been the party of road building (over other forms of transportation) for decades. They have to learn there are ongoing expenses with any investment - roads are no different. To love the ribbon-cutting for new roads (or any project, for that matter), but to then skip town when repairs are needed is irresponsible and a dereliction of duty. Also, Republicans shouldn't continue to support sprawl and the roads needed to get there, if they don't want to pay to keep those roads in working condition.
Scott Walker isn't a leader. He's a crony. A crony who continually funnels public dollars to his contributors, whilst short-changing the state and the needs of the citizens. His contradictory opinion of the Affordable Care Act, preexisting conditions and his involvement in the lawsuit regarding such perfectly illustrates this. Cost of Wisconsin's stance on the Affordable Care Act: $1.1 billion through this fiscal year.
Aside: Funny how an article supposedly about Scott Walker not wanting to fix Wisconsin roads turns into a hit piece on Tony Evers wanting immigrants to have drivers licenses.
Scott Walker isn't a leader. He's a crony. A crony who continually funnels public dollars to his contributors, whilst short-changing the state and the needs of the citizens. His contradictory opinion of the Affordable Care Act, preexisting conditions and his involvement in the lawsuit regarding such perfectly illustrates this. Cost of Wisconsin's stance on the Affordable Care Act: $1.1 billion through this fiscal year.
Aside: Funny how an article supposedly about Scott Walker not wanting to fix Wisconsin roads turns into a hit piece on Tony Evers wanting immigrants to have drivers licenses.
Monday, October 8, 2018
Saturday, October 6, 2018
What Will The Female Republican Senators Say To Their Daughters And Granddaughters?
Remember the female senators who betrayed every wife, grandmother, mother, sister and daughter for the sake of Donald Trump and the Republicans' endless pursuit of power over everything honorable and decent when they are up for reelection.
Joni Ernst - Iowa
Susan Collins - Maine
Cindy Hyde-Smith - Mississippi
Deb Fischer - Nebraska
Shelley Moore Capito - West Virginia
Power is all they care about. Again, as all Republicans seem to do, choosing party over country. Or, in this case, party over sexism, sexual assault, women's rights and general human decency.
[Aside: Obviously the male Republican senators are also douchebags. Probably, in general, even bigger douchebags than the female Republican senators. But when it's your own gender and you fold under to benefit Donald Trump (pussy grabber in chief), there's no excuse.]
Joni Ernst - Iowa
Susan Collins - Maine
Cindy Hyde-Smith - Mississippi
Deb Fischer - Nebraska
Shelley Moore Capito - West Virginia
Power is all they care about. Again, as all Republicans seem to do, choosing party over country. Or, in this case, party over sexism, sexual assault, women's rights and general human decency.
[Aside: Obviously the male Republican senators are also douchebags. Probably, in general, even bigger douchebags than the female Republican senators. But when it's your own gender and you fold under to benefit Donald Trump (pussy grabber in chief), there's no excuse.]
Susan Collins: Just Another Republican Partisan Hack
Susan Collins's Kavanaugh speech diagnoses America's deepening division
History, and hopefully voters, will remember Susan Collins's betrayal of her duties as a senator and as a human. Although, one has to question what kind of human Susan Collins is. After hearing Ford's testimony and all the corroborating accounts from others who know Kavanaugh, to claim the testimony did not rise above the threshold of being “more likely than not” is completely unfathomable.
Shame on you, Susan Collins. You're a disgrace.
[Aside: All Republicans who voted to confirm Kavanaugh are a disgrace to truth and human decency.]
For Further Reading:
Brett Kavanaugh Is Proof Republicans Will Never Hold The Elite Accountable
The Maine Republican said that while she found the woman who accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault at a high school party in 1982, Christine Blasey Ford, to be “sincere” and “compelling,” she did not feel Ford’s testimony rose above the threshold of being “more likely than not.”So, Susan Collins decided that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford was just making things up. She concluded that it was more likely that Dr. Ford was mistaken, confused or just fabricating her story.
History, and hopefully voters, will remember Susan Collins's betrayal of her duties as a senator and as a human. Although, one has to question what kind of human Susan Collins is. After hearing Ford's testimony and all the corroborating accounts from others who know Kavanaugh, to claim the testimony did not rise above the threshold of being “more likely than not” is completely unfathomable.
Shame on you, Susan Collins. You're a disgrace.
[Aside: All Republicans who voted to confirm Kavanaugh are a disgrace to truth and human decency.]
For Further Reading:
Brett Kavanaugh Is Proof Republicans Will Never Hold The Elite Accountable
Weekend Reading
Voter Impersonations Very Rare, Studies Show
Property Taxes Increase Under Walker
Support For Kavanaugh Pattern Of Ron Johnson's Horrendous Record On Issues Of Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment
Rewarding Corporations That Cut Jobs
How Liberals Could Declare War On Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court
Donald Trump And The Self-Made Sham
This Is How The Rich Steal From America
Milwaukee County Leaders Say They Will Seek A Fair Share Of State Tax Revenues
Lindsey Graham's Old Comments About Merrick Garland Come Back To Haunt Him
Wisconsin DOT Knowingly Paid Twice On Stretch Of Roadwork For Zoo Interchange
A Stats-Based Look Behind The Venture Capital Curtain
Property Taxes Increase Under Walker
Support For Kavanaugh Pattern Of Ron Johnson's Horrendous Record On Issues Of Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment
Rewarding Corporations That Cut Jobs
How Liberals Could Declare War On Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court
Donald Trump And The Self-Made Sham
This Is How The Rich Steal From America
Milwaukee County Leaders Say They Will Seek A Fair Share Of State Tax Revenues
Lindsey Graham's Old Comments About Merrick Garland Come Back To Haunt Him
Wisconsin DOT Knowingly Paid Twice On Stretch Of Roadwork For Zoo Interchange
A Stats-Based Look Behind The Venture Capital Curtain
Republicans: The Party of Traitors & Turds
With the sham that has been the latest Supreme Court Justice appointment, it's amazing that the Democrats can even look their Republican counterparts in the eyes.
The Republicans are the most hypocritical, vile, shameless, treasonous, power-hungry and corrupt bunch of douchebags America has ever seen. They don't care about justice, workers' rights, education, health care or any of the other day-to-day concerns of the majority of Americans.
How are these liars and idiots considered sensible or honorable public servants?
Don't forget to vote November 6.
For Further Reading:
Republicans blocked Garland, now show their hypocrisy
Prepare for a festival of GOP hypocrisy
Republicans are fine confirming a Supreme Court justice in a midterm year because “it’s different”
The Republicans are the most hypocritical, vile, shameless, treasonous, power-hungry and corrupt bunch of douchebags America has ever seen. They don't care about justice, workers' rights, education, health care or any of the other day-to-day concerns of the majority of Americans.
How are these liars and idiots considered sensible or honorable public servants?
Don't forget to vote November 6.
For Further Reading:
Republicans blocked Garland, now show their hypocrisy
Prepare for a festival of GOP hypocrisy
Republicans are fine confirming a Supreme Court justice in a midterm year because “it’s different”
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Weekend Reading: Republicans Are Horrible People Edition
The GOP Wants Us To Think Being Accused Is As Bad As Being Assaulted
Seth Meyers Takes The GOP To School On Christine Blasey Ford’s Testimony
The Republicans Abandoned Their Obligations to the Constitution and to the American People
Seth Meyers Takes The GOP To School On Christine Blasey Ford’s Testimony
Christine Blasey Ford Didn’t Have The Luxury Of Being Angry
Kavanaugh Turns Rage On Left-Wing Conspiracy That Destroyed "My Family And My Name"
‘Special Place In Hell’: Twitter Users Shred Lindsey Graham After Kavanaugh RantKavanaugh Turns Rage On Left-Wing Conspiracy That Destroyed "My Family And My Name"
The Republicans Abandoned Their Obligations to the Constitution and to the American People
Weekend Reading
How Walker Cost Taxpayers $2.6 Billion
Botching The Great Recession
The Bubble And The Great Recession: The Need For Denial
The Future Of Our Public Postal Service
We're Measuring The Economy All Wrong
The Bailouts For The Rich Are Why America Is So Screwed Right Now
Putting The Con In Foxconn Wisconsin
The Science Is Clear: Dirty Farm Water Is Making Us Sick
Botching The Great Recession
The Bubble And The Great Recession: The Need For Denial
The Future Of Our Public Postal Service
We're Measuring The Economy All Wrong
The Bailouts For The Rich Are Why America Is So Screwed Right Now
Putting The Con In Foxconn Wisconsin
The Science Is Clear: Dirty Farm Water Is Making Us Sick
Reality: A Bitter Pill For Republicans To Swallow
Esteemed and world-renowned commentator Tomi Lahren rightly blasted Michelle Obama for claiming her husband, Barack Obama, was a great president.
Kidding.
Tomi Lahren is a right-wing mouthpiece with the depth of a Dixie cup.
Barack Obama, indeed, was a great president and Michelle Obama a great first lady.
Here's Tomi's tweet:
Barack Obama is officially one of the most consequential presidents in American history
Labor Market Progress and the Employment Situation
Obama’s Top 50 Accomplishments, Revisited
Kidding.
Tomi Lahren is a right-wing mouthpiece with the depth of a Dixie cup.
Barack Obama, indeed, was a great president and Michelle Obama a great first lady.
Here's Tomi's tweet:
Here's Kathy Griffin's response to Tomi:
Let's take a look back at some of what was accomplished during the Obama administration. You know, as Democrats like to focus on, the facts.
He signed into law a comprehensive national health insurance bill, a goal that had eluded progressive presidents for a century — and built it strong enough to withstand assaults from the Supreme Court and avoid repeal from a Republican administration. He got surprisingly tough reforms to Wall Street passed as well, not to mention a stimulus package that both blunted the recession and transformed education and energy policy.
He's put in place the toughest climate rules in American history and signed a major international climate accord. He opened the US to Cuba for the first time in more than half a century, and reached a peaceful settlement to the nuclear standoff with Iran.Barack's Increasing Stock
The Republicans will, no doubt, continue their cognitive dissonance, but that doesn't change reality. Barack Obama's record is exemplary. He accomplished much for this country and did so with great dignity and statesmanship.
Republicans' continual denial of reality and the accomplishments of the Obama administration are the last gasps of the Republican cabal of racists, nazis, bigots, hypocrites, sexists and frauds. The Republicans have done nothing for this country. They've done only for themselves and their donors. They are partisan cranks and abject failures as public servants. Their moans and cries denying this do not change that fact.
Walker Looking To Buy Your Vote
Scott Walker offers 50 percent increase to counties to fix their roads
When your policies are horrible, when all you've done is cut taxes for and give handouts to the rich, and your administration has been a complete failure, you've got no choice but to try to buy-off voters.
Suddenly Scott Walker wants to make investments in Wisconsin infrastructure. Now he wants to fix the roads, an idea which he has previously delayed or abandoned. Yes, now he's promising the world to all the Wisconsinites he's screwed over during his time in office. He's now promising to fix all of the things that he has screwed up.
Wisconsin, do the right thing in November. Get rid of Scott Walker.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Weekend Reading
Trump Proposes $100 Billion Gift To Richest 1%
Giving Government Workers The Shaft
We Are All Accumulating Mountains Of Things
Unions In The 21st Century: A Potent Weapon Against Inequality
Taxpayers Are Footing The Bill For Sky-High CEO Salaries
Withheld Emails Show Brett Kavanaugh May Have Perjured Himself
Where Labor Unions Aren't Going Away
Where Will The Next Crisis Come From?
The Housing Bubble And Financial Crisis Was Easy To See Coming
Bernanke, Geithner and Paulson Still Don't Have A Clue About The Housing Bubble
The Dangerous Myth We Still Believe About The Lehman Brothers Bust
Misunderstanding Credit And Housing Crises: Blaming The CRA, GSEs
He Was The Resistance Inside The Obama Administration
Many Lawmakers And Aides Who Crafted Financial Regulations After The 2008 Crisis Now Work For Wall Street
An Alternative View Of Boom And Bust Cycles
What Does The Current Slope Of The Yield Curve Tell Us?
Giving Government Workers The Shaft
We Are All Accumulating Mountains Of Things
Unions In The 21st Century: A Potent Weapon Against Inequality
Taxpayers Are Footing The Bill For Sky-High CEO Salaries
Withheld Emails Show Brett Kavanaugh May Have Perjured Himself
Where Labor Unions Aren't Going Away
Where Will The Next Crisis Come From?
The Housing Bubble And Financial Crisis Was Easy To See Coming
Bernanke, Geithner and Paulson Still Don't Have A Clue About The Housing Bubble
The Dangerous Myth We Still Believe About The Lehman Brothers Bust
Misunderstanding Credit And Housing Crises: Blaming The CRA, GSEs
He Was The Resistance Inside The Obama Administration
Many Lawmakers And Aides Who Crafted Financial Regulations After The 2008 Crisis Now Work For Wall Street
An Alternative View Of Boom And Bust Cycles
What Does The Current Slope Of The Yield Curve Tell Us?
The "Free" Market Illusion
U.S. farmers to receive $4.7 billion to offset trade-war losses
As Foxconn breaks ground on Wisconsin plant, incentives hit $4 billion
Proposed Kimberly-Clark subsidies among largest in nation for each job retained
$500 million Green Bay Packaging project receives WEDC support
U.S. dairy subsidies equal 73 percent of producer returns, says new report
Friendly policies keep US oil and coal afloat far more than we thought
The U.S. spends $4 billion a year subsidizing ‘Stalinist-style’ domestic sugar production
US Cotton Subsidies Insulate Producers from Economic Loss
The Oil Industry Needs Taxpayers To Prop Up Nearly Half Of Its New U.S. Drilling
Monday, August 13, 2018
Scott Walker Is A Creep
Scott Walker Boasts About the Sun Coming Up in the Washington Post
Politicians like to take credit for things they have little to do with it. Serious newspapers point this fact out when it happens.
The Washington Post fell down on the job in a piece that quoted Wisconsin governor Scott Walker saying, "There are more people in the workforce in Wisconsin than ever before in the history of the state."
This is an pretty empty claim since it will be true most of the time (except recessions) for most states. Since populations generally grow, unless there is a downturn, in most months the state will have more people in the workforce than ever before.
A more serious analysis would look at the percentage of the population in the workforce. This is not at an all-time high. In June, 54.6 percent of Wisconsin's population was in the workforce. This compared to more than 55.0 percent in 2000.
It is possible that this drop is explained by demographic changes (more older people and children today), but the percentage of people in the workforce would be the real question, not the number. The Post should have pointed this out to its readers so they would not be deceived by Walker's nonsense boast.
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Weekend Reading: Kimberly Clark Corporate Welfare Edition
Tax Incentives For Kimberly Clark Could Hit Roadblock In Senate Heading Into Election
Tax Incentive Package For Kimberly Clark Faces Challenges In State Senate
Kimberly Clark Ready To Consider Incentive Package From State
More Questions, A Few Answers, As Uncertainty Swirls Around Kimberly Clark's Wisconsin Mills
Kimberly Clark Says It's Open To Talks On State Incentives Package
Tax Incentive Package For Kimberly Clark Faces Challenges In State Senate
Kimberly Clark Ready To Consider Incentive Package From State
More Questions, A Few Answers, As Uncertainty Swirls Around Kimberly Clark's Wisconsin Mills
Kimberly Clark Says It's Open To Talks On State Incentives Package
Weekend Reading: The Myth Of Voter Fraud Edition
Mass Voter Fraud Is A Myth - And Kris Kobach Just Got Sanctioned Trying To Defend It
The Misleading Myth Of Voter Fraud In American Elections
Purges: A Growing Threat To The Right To Vote
Resources On Voter Fraud Claims
Debunking The Voter Fraud Myth
The Voter Fraud Myth Is Just Embarrassing At This Point
The Bogus Voter Fraud Commission Is Dead, But The Myths Aren't
A Trump Nominee's Illegal Vote Exposes The Voter Fraud Charade
The Misleading Myth Of Voter Fraud In American Elections
Purges: A Growing Threat To The Right To Vote
Resources On Voter Fraud Claims
Debunking The Voter Fraud Myth
The Voter Fraud Myth Is Just Embarrassing At This Point
The Bogus Voter Fraud Commission Is Dead, But The Myths Aren't
A Trump Nominee's Illegal Vote Exposes The Voter Fraud Charade
Weekend Reading
State Shared Revenue: Not So Much Going On
The Story of Stagnant Wage Growth
An Unlikely Group Of Billionaires And Politicians Has Created The Most Unbelievable Tax Break Ever
So Many Seats, So Many Tax Breaks
This Is Why Lawmakers Want To Gut The Endangered Species Act
White Americans Support Welfare Programs - But Only For Themselves, Says New Research
Koch-backed Study Finds Medicare For All Would Save U.S. Trillions
Much Of The U.S. Electric Grid Could Go The Way Of The Landline Phone
Most Wealthy Countries Aren't Religious. Then There's The U.S.
Billionaires Gone Wild
How Government Helps The Economy
Rulers Of The World: Read Karl Marx
A Radical Defense Of The Right To Strike
Stock Buybacks, Explained
The Trump Administration's Giant Fuck You To Working People
Chris Abele Suspending Values Tour
The Story of Stagnant Wage Growth
An Unlikely Group Of Billionaires And Politicians Has Created The Most Unbelievable Tax Break Ever
So Many Seats, So Many Tax Breaks
This Is Why Lawmakers Want To Gut The Endangered Species Act
White Americans Support Welfare Programs - But Only For Themselves, Says New Research
Koch-backed Study Finds Medicare For All Would Save U.S. Trillions
Much Of The U.S. Electric Grid Could Go The Way Of The Landline Phone
Most Wealthy Countries Aren't Religious. Then There's The U.S.
Billionaires Gone Wild
How Government Helps The Economy
Rulers Of The World: Read Karl Marx
A Radical Defense Of The Right To Strike
Stock Buybacks, Explained
The Trump Administration's Giant Fuck You To Working People
Chris Abele Suspending Values Tour
Saturday, August 4, 2018
Unemployment
The U-6 rate is the unemployment rate that includes discouraged workers who have quit looking for a job and part-time workers who are seeking full-time employment.
[source]
For Further Reading:
Total unemployed, plus all marginally attached workers plus total employed part time for economic reasons
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