Working Life

There’s a new political alliance being announced today, linking unions and more “Republican” leaning groups. The Washington Post reports that: In a first-of-its-kind alliance that could fundamentally reshape the environmental movement, 20 labor unions with nearly 5 million members are joining forces with a Republican-leaning umbrella group of conservationists — the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership […]

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I spent a number of hours at a commeration today for Martin Luther King, Jr. A number of speakers reminded the audience of King’s anti-Vietnam War speech and how, if he were alive today, King would no doubt be leading the opposition to the Iraq War (yes, he would be a very senior statesman by […]

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So far, I’m two for two on this weekend’s games–though since I didn’t post anything, why would you believe me? So, to rectify that and get on record: San Diego 24, Patriots 17: sorry, Pats fans, it’s over. Seattle, 17, Chicago 10: It’s awful weather in Chicago and I see the Bears, with Rex Grossman […]

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I have seen two statements–one by John Sweeney and one by Gerry McEntee, opposing the insane escalation of the war. Post in the comments section any other such statements. Here’s McEntee’s: “The President’s decision to escalate the war in Iraq is reckless and wrong. It’s bad foreign policy and takes away the resources we need […]

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A reader sent this along. Turns out that Rep. Ed Towns (NY-11) has caught religion when it comes to trade. Well, sort of. He has called for the cutting off of trade to India to protest discrimination against Sikhs. Apparently, Towns thinks trade should be conditioned on a country abiding by certain minimum standards. Rep. […]

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Not surprisingly, the minimum wage passed the House yesterday with an overwhelming vote: 315-116. Joining all Democrats were 82 Republicans who were smart enough, even if they detest the idea of giving the working poor even a smidgen more money, to understand that voting against the hike would probably mean losing more House seats in […]

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It just snowed in New York. Seriously. Wild flurries. Nothing will stick but, hey, it was amazing–first time this winter and it’s January 10th. I thought Mark McGwire would be in the Hall of Fame before it snowed. I gather this will be the reaction of future generations unless we get this global warming thing […]

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Or so says Fortune magazine in its current issue. The tidbit that is probably of interest to readers here is in the section where the magazine puts forth recommendations on what the Beast of Bentonville needs to do in 2007: Extend an olive branch to the haters. HSBC retail analyst Mark Husson’s suggestion was the […]

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I can’t tell whether there is a rift here but Democrats seem to be giving mixed messages–shocking!–on what the party’s plans are regarding the immoral Bush tax cuts. In today’s New York Times, Charlie Rangel, the new chair of the House Ways and Means Committee (and, as an aside, my congressperson) seems to say that […]

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From time to time, as readers know, I’ve tended to praise Ben Stein, a columnist for The New York Times (among his endeavors), because he is one of those market-loving capitalists who is appalled by the absolute greed exhibited by the captains of industry. Today, he has another lament about the disgusting self-enrichment of people […]

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