Working Life

For all the bemoaning about the the lack of bi-partisanship and abundant political rancor, there is one thing both political parties just revel in: the rah-rah cheering over the notion that the United States is Number One in the world and leading the pack. Well, facts are a bitch, especially when it comes to the reality: globally, the U.S. is leading the way in charting a path of harshness, austerity, and poverty for millions.

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This is just a renegade company that can’t help itself. Greed is endemic.

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I am sort of used to the foolishness spewed by the transcribers of press releases (formerly known as “journalists) when it comes to Social Security. “The sky is falling, the sky is falling” is roughly the hysteria pouring out of their mouths. But, well, it’s important to keep after them because, well, ten people still listen to Fred Hiatt at the Washington Post

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This was almost predictable: the traditional media, and too many bloggers who regurgitate what they read in the traditional media, are buying into the “rebound” in the economy because of today’s Labor Department report; the stock market goes up; and, I’m certain, pretty soon, the White House will be taking credit for all this and, subtly or not so subtly, arguing that, see, aren’t we great, vote for us. It’s nonsense.

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For Corporate America, it’s “Morning in America”, babe. Time to party, break out the champagne, lock in a little trip on the Gulfstream to the South of France. For the rest of the people, oh, well, nose to the grindstone–it’s as dark as can be.

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In case you didn’t notice, your taxes went up at the beginning of 2013–and you probably didn’t notice. Nor did most of the country. And that’s a good thing for Social Security

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Numbers sometimes tell a story. Today, it’s 63 million. 63 million is the only number you can remember to explain to the dim politicians and “analysts” who just don’t understand why the global economy is stumbling along. It’s simple math.

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A billion here, a billion there…all of a sudden…yeah, you’re talking real money. And one assumes that’s what the accountants at banks figure when they smile about the latest scam to pad the bottom line for banks. It’s called “dividend arbitrage”–and that “arbitrage” already gives a hint.

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I’m not really shocked by this. But, still worth spreading the word.

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That Amazon is a very ugly company to work for is no secret. And it’s doing so not just in the U.S. but all over the world. Germany is the latest battleground.

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