Working Life

Robert Reich is a chameleon. He’s spent his entire career remaking himself–and yet never admitting when he was wrong and when he has changed positions. The latest example? In today’s New York Times Book Review, he reviews a new book by Joseph Stiglitz and Andrew Charlton called “Fair Trade For All.” I haven’t read the […]

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So, Delphi has done what is has threatened to do: it’s gone to court asking a judge for the right to tear up its labor agreements. This was not a surprise–the threats have been there for some time. It certainly made The New York Times’ list of important events, rating the front-page lead story: Delphi, […]

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One of perfect examples of the lack of basic democratic rights in our country is the Taylor Law. As many of you know, it prevents New York public employees in New York from striking–and imposes heavy penalties on people who try to exercise a right that is pretty basic in many other democracies. Yesterday, the […]

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I’ve been skeptical about the way the government uses data to tell us what’s really happening out there in the economy. For years, I’ve argued that the Gross Domestic Product is a flawed tool if it is used to argue how people are doing and it certainly doesn’t tell us much about the *distribution* of […]

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Yesteday, I argued that one solution to the trade deficit, particularly the deficit with China, is to let the dollar decline in value. But, there is almost no discussion on this concept within the mainstream press, not to mention the political elites. Neither The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times or the […]

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I just caught an item this morning in the Financial Times that reported that Senators Charles Schumer and Lindsey Graham had decided to postpone the bill they’ve wanted to push that would have imposed tariffs on China if it did not let its currency, the renminbi, rise faster in value. In theory, a rising renminbi […]

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We have a deadly mix in the economy: start with so-called “free trade” and globalization, add in a good helping of the disappearance of anti-trust laws, mix in the collapsing health care system and, then, for good measure, add a little dash of political parties rushing to please big corporations and, presto, you have corporations […]

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Can anyone find a Senate Democrat, outside of Russ Feingold, with a spine? As we all know, Feingold wants the Senate to censure the president because of the refusal by the president to abide by the law. Responding to Feingold, Senate Democrats are doing what seems to be natural: scurrying for cover. EVEN THOUGH BUSH […]

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It shouldn’t shock readers here that people are struggling to just keep their heads above water, pay the bills and feed their families and themselves. Despite the attempt by the Administration to paint the economy as doing just fine, it’s getting nastier by the day for millions. Check this out: our friends at the Economic […]

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Sigh. You know, it does get a bit tiring to have to repeat oneself–even when I’m wrong. On this one, I’m not wrong. It’s Tom Friedman, the messianic columnist of the grey lady of 43rd Street, who lives in another world. Anyone who reads his columns–and his books–will know that he has a fascination with […]

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