Working Life

    I’ve reached my max on the convention grind. What happens at conventions really is about relationship building, along with the content. But, hey, there is some SEIU-related stuff out there today that’s worth mentioning.     Quick. Snap question: after Wal-Mart, who is the second-largest employer in the country? Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, […]

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It doesn’t astound me that people are angry and bitter. What astounds me is that somehow the goodness of most people keeps them from taking to the streets in mass rioting. To wit:    A whole bunch of very powerful and wealthy financiers create an economic disaster and who suffers? Citigroup, caught in the midst […]

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To paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen, you haven’t met a real elitist until you consider the life of John Paulson. His salary last year: $3.7 billion. That is not a misprint: three billion, seven hundred million dollars. Now that’s doing elitism in a big way. Welcome to the new Gilded Age.   Today, Institutional Investor Magazine releases […]

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The Wall Street Journal has an interview today with George Bush that gives great insight into the disinformation, lies and, charitably, cognitive dissonance that underpins the Administration’s economic policy. "We have lost sight of what it means to be a nation willing to be aggressive in the world, and spread freedom or deal with disease," […]

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   While they are quivering and wavering on the Iraq War, let me suggest that there is another issue Democrats cannot capitulate on: economic fairness. It’s been said, repeatedly, that the Democrats took control of Congress in 2006 because of the anger over the Iraq War. I don’t disagree that the war was, and should […]

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    Recently, including yesterday, I’ve been on the case of Sen. Chuck Schumer who seemed to be coddling the private equity and hedge fund industry by opposing legislation that would require that these guys–who are raking in obscene profits–pay taxes like the rest…of the rich people in America (yeah, hard to cry for them, either). […]

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    The hedge fund industry–those very close friends of Sen. Chuck Schumer–are apparently finding other ways to avoid paying taxes. Today’s The Wall Street Journal has this story: U.S. lawmakers are examining yet another tax perk enjoyed by hedge funds: Many of these funds lend money like banks, but unlike traditional lenders, often don’t pay […]

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Can we get some New York senators who aren’t totally beholden to the Wall Street bankers? I mean, geez…A piece today in The New York Times explores why Chuck Schumer is running interference for the private equity fund and hedge fund managers who are trying to block a bill that would hike their taxes. June […]

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    I promise I won’t keep writing every day about the UAW–it might seem like favoritism–but, if you’re interested, there is a transcript of an on-line chat that UAW prez Ron Gettelfinger had with members.     One thing I found interesting was this little snippet: Ludington, Mich.: Gentlemen, as a Chrysler retiree and former chief […]

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The folks that are going to buy Chrysler–the private equity firm of Cerberus Capital Management–are working hard to reassure the UAW and rank-and-file workers that a bunch of workers are not heading for the unemployment line. I’m skeptical–mainly for the long haul. The Wall Street Journal has this today (subscription only):   Leaders of the […]

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