Trickle Down

Richard Reeves had a good one yesterday, "What trickles down today: underpaid, no-benefits jobs". Here's a taste:

"Investment now, at least in the reign of Bush, is about cutting taxes on the rich, who will, presumably, then hire us as wrappers, trainers, secretaries, drivers, nannies and dog-washers and -walkers. The money to pay us -- which we must spend immediately -- will come from eliminating or cutting the taxes on high incomes, investments, dividends, and the estates of what the president's father liked to call the ``investing classes.''

The rest of us can be a nation of servants. Actually, in this new age, we will be less than servants. The code of old-time servitude meant that the more marginal classes were sort of adopted by the rich, provided with some security in terms of medical care and old age. That has changed. You're on your own, buddy! The new servers are, more often than not, independent contractors -- ``independent contractors'' is usually a euphemism for ``no benefits'' -- who are, more often than not, paid in cash. Many in the investing classes hate government interference in the workplace, but demand government responsibility for the health and maintenance of the serving class."

Personal responsibility, meaning you're on your own after they've chewed you up and spat you out.

A question to ponder - Who is our economy for?

More Clipper

Thomas Leavitt has posted a couple of responses on his weblog along with some e-mail discussion we've been having, to my Clipper Chip piece of the other day. (Here, as well as the entry following it.) I'll post my replies in his comments section. Go take a look and join the discussion.

SURE They'll Surrender II

As I wrote the other day in my entry, SURE They'll Surrender,

So the Iraqi soldiers have pretty good reasons to be afraid to surrender to Americans. Gosh, I KNEW there was a reason we shouldn't have denied all rights to Afghan prisoners.

Now there are reports of mistreatment of prisoners.

So the Iraqi soldiers have MORE pretty good reasons to be afraid to surrender to Americans. Gosh, I KNEW there was a reason we shouldn't torture prisoners or hand them over to those that do.

(Also posted at Stand Down.)

That Secret Poll

If you've been reading a few weblogs today you might already know about the secret poll (Liberal Oasis) - also here (Thinking it Through). Skippy has a few things to say about it.

I just don't understand this. I've never seen them miss announcing a poll before - polls aren't cheap and this is truly newsworthy. The spin on the wording - people think Bush's advisors, not Bush, are behind what credit they give him becomes "Bush advisers get favorable marks". Wow.

Is it a cover-up? Is it a conspiracy? Is it the smoking gun demonstrating conclusively that the media is under control of the right? Leave a comment.

Update - Atrios links to a page-scan of the poll.

Getting Rolled

I came across a piece that I wrote in September, called "Getting Rolled", and it's still relevant (maybe even more so), so I'm sort-of reposting and hoping you'll read it.

Update - At the end of Getting Rolled I point to several articles. Now there is a collection of these articles, and more, available at the Commonweal Institute.

How Far to the Right is Bush?

PFAW - People For the American Way, has a report available, The Right-Wing Affiliations of Bush Administration Officials.

Also, over at Cursor's Media Transparency there's a report titled, Conservative Movement Moves In. From the preface,

"Since the selection of Republican George W. Bush as president by the US Supreme Court, the sponsored conservative movement, holed up in think tanks, universities, and sponsored media institutions across the country have appeared like Jackals at a fresh kill to pounce on our bloodied democracy and are now populating the new administration."

When Cursor says "sponsored" they mean funded by the usual crowd.

A Great One

There's a new one up at Take Back The Media.

Drudge is LYING

The Drudge Report has this headline, "TAXING: $314.9 million Powerball win turns into $111 million lump sum payout for W. Virginia man..."

This sure makes it seem like TAXES took away $214 million! But anyone who buys lottery tickets knows that you choose "payments," where the money is paid in full over a period of years, or "cash," where you get the present value of those payments which usually comes to a little more than half. The winner had chosen the cash option and received $170 million.

This is how they stir up anti-government sentiments. Are Drudge's Republican readers stupid enough to be tricked by this?

MyDD

MyDD joins the Essential Links.

Military

Anyone reading from the military? Read this.

(Thanks, Two Tears in a Bucket.)

Korea

Korea.

Serious stuff.

Wednesday

Here is a Holiday card for you, made by my wife.

And a day can't pass without a political message, so here's a good one about the imbalance of AM radio.

Corporation not a "Person"

Here's an interesting article. Porter Township, Pennsylvania declared

"Corporations shall not be considered to be 'persons' protected by the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania within the Second Class Township of Porter, Clarion County, Pennsylvania."

The article gets into the implications of this. It is worth reading and it is certainly worth getting active locally to get similar legislation passed in your area! (Thanks, Michael!)

An Important Weblog at an Important Time

Webloggers - I've noticed that Stand Down: The Left-Right Blog Opposing and Invasion of Iraq has been a bit slow recently. (I'm at fault, too.) Yet this seems the very time to become more active.

I recommend all readers take a look at this important weblog. I recommend all webloggers renew your efforts to contribute to this important weblog.

Webloggers, reporters, editors, and columnists - I recommend recommending this important weblog to your readers.

(It ain't me - blogspot is acting up again. I do not have any HTML for making characters bold anywhere in this message. Or maybe blogspot is emphasizing my recommending all webloggers renew your efforts... It's really strange how just this line is hilited by the bug at blogspot.)

SURE They'll Surrender!

The Bush Administration is counting on Iraqi soldiers surrendering as soon as the war starts. But maybe not, if they've been told about this.

"The documentary alleges that U.S. troops watched as opposition Northern Alliance troops killed between 1,500 and 3,000 Taliban prisoners in November last year - an allegation flatly rejected by the U.S. government."

As well as the problem of the prisoners that will be held indefinitely at Guantanamo Bay, while we claim they are not POWs.

So the Iraqi soldiers have pretty good reasons to be afraid to surrender to Americans. Gosh, I KNEW there was a reason we shouldn't have denied all rights to Afghan prisoners.

(Thanks to Take Back the Media for the link.)

The New Bush America

Read this if you want to know what to expect in your own future in the new Bush version of America. It's only going to get worse, and worse. (Thanks to Bartcop).

Unemployed Webloggers

Yesterday, while I was out having a life, Slashdot had a discussion Are Blogging and Unemployment Related?

I think yes.