Working Life

  Let’s deal with some facts. The richest one percent of Americans are paying taxes that are too low–and Republicans are pushing budget proposals that would shovel even more money into the hands of the wealthiest Americans. Here are the facts.   Citizens for Tax Justice has released a series of studies in the past […]

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   Here are some poll questions that I’d like you to consider: 1. If you knew that taking a deep breathe would kill you, would you inhale? 2. If picking your nose caused cancer, would you allow you child to ever go digging for that gold? 3. If George Steinbrenner was a left-wing Democrat, would […]

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   While we are distracted by the minor problem of the financial crisis, and shoveling mountains of cash into the hands of private investors who will enrich themselves (again), there is the small matter of the so-called "free trade" deal with Panama that keeps poking its nose above ground. There are murmurings that there will […]

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   Look, I think it’s outrageous that these AIG guys are raking in huge bonuses. But, I thought that a year ago and ten years ago–as I’m sure a lot of you did. So, I’m a bit less impressed by the outrage expressed from the White House all the way down the food chain.    […]

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   Change has to begin with the transformation of the economy: a rejection of the marketing phrase of the "free market". The president has made some very strong proposals in this area. A large group of Members of Congress is now pushing him to declare a new era in trade.   I just received the […]

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  When many people voted for "change", they embraced the idea that the parameters and language of our policy debate had to be altered. Nowhere is that more evident than on the topic of trade. Now, there is legitimate concern that the president may not live up to his rhetoric when it comes to so-called […]

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I’m all for a little rhetoric and bashing CEOs who, as a class, have lined their pockets while pillaging the country. But, if the point is to stop the legal looting of corporate treasuries and leave some money in the till for regular workers, when you get right down to it, the CEO pay caps […]

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    I would have put a "BREAKING" on this title but, in some ways, this is not a new story–just another twist to the same-old political as usual. I’m all for the cap on executive compensation announced by the president. But, the culture of Washington is not changing–and it’s getting worse.   Today, the Center […]

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   I know this would be a tough one for most everyone because, let’s face it, half a million dollars a year is not what it once was. Pity those poor executives who may have their pay capped if they come to taxpayers for a bailout: “That is pretty draconian — $500,000 is not a […]

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  Perhaps only the prospect of hanging at dawn focuses the mind more than money. And now that we have the attention of all those banks and other folks who salivate at getting OUR (taxpayer) money through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), why not get something real out of them: write into new legislation […]

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