Today's edition of quick hits:
* Plenty more on Michigan on tonight's show: "Michigan lawmakers gave final approval Tuesday to legislation that would sharply limit labor rights, passing the first of two measures over the objections of thousands of people packing the Capitol in protest, some of whom chanted 'Shame on you!' at lawmakers from the House gallery."
* On a related note, let's not overlook the striking similarities between the Michigan bill and the model bill pre-written by ALEC.
* Egypt: "Islamist supporters of President Mohamed Morsi captured, detained and beat dozens of his political opponents last week, holding them for hours with their hands bound on the pavement outside the presidential palace while pressuring them to confess that they had accepted money to use violence in protests against him."
* The Obama administration has submitted a $60.4 billion request to Congress for Hurricane Sandy aid. Congressional Republicans are already balking.
* What do Republicans think about the gay rights cases at the Supreme Court? We don't know, they apparently don't want to talk about it.
* Good for him: "Colin Powell, former Secretary of State under president George W. Bush, urged House and Senate leaders on Monday to support Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's (D-N.H.) amendment to extend the insurance coverage of abortion to military rape survivors."
* Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), the chamber's president pro tem, was hospitalized yesterday "as doctors work to manage his oxygen intake." The 88-year old chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee said in a statement, "I will be back on the Hill as soon as my doctors allow it."
* And Jon Chait has a compelling take on this disturbing Politico piece, explaining why it "offers profound insight" as "a cultural specimen." Chait added, "The piece reads as if it were written by Upton Sinclair, if he were taken prisoner and trying to smuggle messages out to the world past a particularly literal-minded group of censors." Paul Krugman also commented on the piece, lamenting the "delusions of wisdom."
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Leave a Comment:
I am enjoying the growing commentary about the conservative movement devolving into a racket where the money goes in circles to the same people who allegedly are the opinion makers of the party. The sheeple who follow the conservative dream are being fleeced by the Roves, Morrisses, Newts and Rushes who are all getting wealthier pretending to preach a vision for all. Being a kind liberal I will refrain from saying I told you so, more than a couple of times.
#1, I'm not as kind as you. If they're stupid enough to give money to these scam artists on the right, they deserve to lose it.
The Taliban/Teaparty are plutocrats (Adelson, the Kochs, Trump, etc.); theocrats (Santorum, et al); and people willing to do or say anything for money (Romney, O'reilly, Limbaugh, Coulter, Robertson, etc.). The all believe that everyone has their price. How can you trust anyone if you think like that?
Any of them who think the monster won't eventually turn on them ought to ask that slow leak McCain how he feels after his buds shot down the UN treaty last week.
I would like to know why people who know it is a misnomer still refer to them as Right to Work Bills. Please stop doing that!!
Well, absolute power corrupts absolutely and this is absolutely a perfect example of that.
Oh, right to work is such a misnomer; they should finish the sentence..right to work with no rights! Right to work for what the corporation wants to pay you!
Michigan, of all the damn places!!! These right-wingers are trying to take over this country!
That should officially end this post.
#4, LOL!
It officially ended Anita!
How much are union dues? From my research, they are somewhere around 1.5%. That seems to be a relatively inexpensive way to have someone looking out for my safety, benefits and working conditions as well as having my political voice amplified.
Nmmt, Honestly, Not enough to notice.
It's similar to the logic of someone saying I'm going to stop making money at my business, shut it down when I hit $250K so I don't have to pay a little higher tax rate.
Not exactly like that, but kind of similar.
nmmt, I pay 1% on my total Package, And my Per Capita is $120.00 a year.
My sister pays the equivalent of about two hours pay (just over $50) per month, I believe. I don't know if that includes a voluntary "sign-in" to help pay for activities other than negotiating the contract and representing the workers.
Either way, she's quite happy with what she gets in return for her dues.
Sarge...
$120 a year? As much as that?
... and I thought I was having trouble making ends meet...
David, That is $10 buck's a month, I'm not complaining, It is MY choice.
It's not really your choice. You pay $10 bucks a month of you DON'T work in this union shop. It's a requirement, not a right.
Sarge...
The definition of per capita... "to and for each person"...
You didn't say, "per capita of income"... Usually, it's in reference to GDP, ie. one's annual income...
Living on $120 a year is a little on the extreme side... As it is, if $120 is 1% of YOUR annual income, you are living on $12,000 annual income, which would STILL make my $20,000 a year in SSI seem extravagant...
Sarge...
In other words, define your terms better... Without reference to actual numbers, percentages are meaningless...
What is your "package"? Per Capita of What?
Hey Mr Dave, Sorry for not being specific, I will explain further. The $120 a year is What we refer to as a Per Capita Tax or fee that goes directly to My Local. WE are required to keep our Card up to date, That Money stay's in My Local. The Total Package, That I refer to goes like this, I have x amount going to Health, Pension, Annuity, vacation etc. Now then, If you where to add up my Hourly wage, plus the dollar amount of what is contributed to each of those item's that is what we call Total Package, or total Dollar amount.
Gotcha... The Per Capita refers to your Union Dues... The Total Package refers to what you make at an hourly wage, plus the cost of contributions to benefits...
But, you said, "I pay 1% on my total Package, And my Per Capita is $120.00 a year." If this is true, your Total Package (wages + benefits contribution) = Per Capita * 100 (Definition of percentage) = $12, 000 per year... Or, am I still confused? I used to teach college Algebra, so this should be pretty elementary to me... What am I missing?
Could you be paying 0.1%, instead of 1%? That would make your Total Package $120,000 a year, which is a much more realistic number...
Or, your Per Capita is actually $100 a month... Either way, same result... It's a heftier bite out of your paycheck, but making $10,000 a month in your Total Package, you'd barely miss it...
BTW.., my explanation of GDP per capita was wrong...
The Per Capita Income for the USA in 2010 was $46,546 per person...
The Per Capita
Incomeof GDP for the USA in 2010 was $46,546 per person...The Per Capita Income in 2011 was $48,890...
I wonder if there will be anything on tonights show of how the union thugs tore down a right to work groups tent, threaten them, tried to cover up cameras recording the event...? This is a great analogy for what the right to work law is attempting to correct. The unions do not want you to have a choice, they want to force their view only. IMHO
RobDon,
I wonder if Republicans will ever acknowledge that this country is not just for wealthy to keep lining their own pockets and those of the chosen businesses.
Do they care anything about wrecking democratic process to create a oligarchy or plutocracy?
Do they think that is what is best for America, taking people out of middle class and have them clamoring for minimum wage and let family slide down, instead of rise up from their hard work?
Can we be proud of advancing wages and recovering economy? This will take another toll on economy.
I have often wondered why someone who knowingly applies to a unionized employers, takes the larger paycheck and benefits, then feels oppressed by union.
These people are feeling threatened by a lame duck session rammed through at the last minute. It looks like they are feeling like they are going to lose their livelihood.
The RTW law is for politics and ALEC pushed these things in order to increase political clout, perhaps a bonus to lower wages for business folks, which hurts revenue and economy.
MI is one of the States that build our vehicles. How many want low paid, disgruntled workers building something your family has to ride/drive in? Remember, everybody's safety is involved.
Larry 74, Exactly!
But what is that creature on your avatar? Could it be.................Eddie? LOL
I thought it looked more like Jack.
Robdon, The Union's don't want you to have a choice and Force their view? And what exactly is that?
Larry 74, #6.4
I just know you too well. I knew you'd say that! LOL
It does resemble Jack at 7:00AM!
how the union thugs tore down a right to work groups tent, threaten them
Leave it to the gop Robdon voters to fall for a reality tv Americans for Prosperity-Tea Party, bretbart hit piece that only the most gullible would fall for , the gop will buy any hook and line their handlers tell them too
Citation, please.
The unions give the working people voice
When those who'd keep them silent, keep them down,
Have the money, have the power, have the choice
To give the governors means to push them around.
With Super-pacs to hide how much they're giving,
They have no reins to keep their wealth at bay.
They have the means to keep us all from living
With government that listens to what we say.
We have to battle back with those who'd fight
Those men who want to rule with iron fist.
They'd buy our government and steal our right
To choose our future, to struggle, to resist.
If we don't fight to keep the right to choose,
Then wealthy men will determine who will lose.
India, Larry...
To be honest, Larry's avatar looks more like the Angel of Death...
OK, OK. I changed it.
Evening David.
Doug, I usually provide sources in most of my posts. This one was so evident (to me) I didn't think one was needed but here are to videos and a very small reference in Detroit news. You can hear people cheering for the tents destruction. No one has a right to destroy property of someone with whom they just disagree. Voilence has no place in civil discourse.
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtbWbw66KrI&feature=player_embedded#!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1oXOwHmX0E
News article with reference to tents destruction
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121211/POLITICS02/212110362/Capitol-protests-marked-by-swings-sprays-3-arrests?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE
#6 Perhaps your opinion is too humble.
It could be a few bad apples, Not being a conspiracy theory junkie, I won't mention the possibility of the right staging this to discredit the unions. It does seem reminiscent of the land barons getting their henchmen to dress as Indians to start trouble to incite the settlers to help steal more land for them. Just sayin.
There's video of the righties pulling down the tent, and James O'Keefe's little band of storm troopers was there taunting the crowd. It's "the Reichstag fire."
One of the Michigan senators commented on what happened with the tent is that the AFP people were really goading the protestors. If you watch the clip you can see the guy with the phone being taken smirking. He knew exactly what he was doing and this is what he wanted. But once again blame the union "thugs". It was over in just a few minutes. The Michigan State Police said this all in all was a very peaceful protest considering at one time there were over 10,000 people. The only thing RTW laws do is lower wages and benefits places become less safe and the company can pretty much do whatever they want. I know we still are not supporting business and the 2% enough yet. That is all that the nerd has done in Michigan since he was elected. Take from the poor and middle class to give to the business on the premise of jobs. Hasn't really helped here yet. I beg all you FOX news watchers to become informed about the American Legislative Exchange Council. Maybe this will open your eyes and see what is going on. It has taken them thirty years but they really have become in control. Welcome to Michigan brought to you by ALEC, Koch Bros, Devoss, and the republican party who does not let the people have a say. Dictatorial Control!!!
Here's a typical GOP in congress whose name we all need to remember in 2014:
JEFF SESSIONS: Wants to eliminate food stamps and is trying to put that in a bill.
"Mr. Sessions, I sincerely hope that my priest is correct in believing there's a Hell. I hope he is correct and I hope you find that out the hard way."
If Mr.Sessions wants to reduce the amount of people on food stamps, then he should direct his energy into creating good paying jobs so people won't have to ask for food stamps.
But then he wouldn't be JEFF SESSIONS, Republican T-Party idiot, would he.
I wonder how many people realize that food stamps is ALL the income some poor people receive. The GOP have also cut back the WIC program something terrible.
Again, I hope my priest is correct.
Jeff Sessions is a white man from Alabama. Need I say more?
Jeff Sessions has at least three different car makers non-union plants in his state.
THe working American is a sworn enemy of the Republican Party. You're not a millionaire or billionaire? Too bad, says the GOP. You don't matter a lick and can be beaten to death for all they care. The conservative agenda is about paying back the corporate and wealthy classes for their political cash, and sticking it to anyone that needs to work for a living and doesn't have a private jet or golden parachute from their plush executive job. Michigan will turn into the workers' hell that is any other state with this horrific law written on the books. America as we know it is being massacred by the right wing. - - pp
#10, It's starting to look alarmingly like a takeover of our government. These people are utterly ruthless, tenacious, and determined. They won't quit and the election be damned as far as they see it.
Now they are balking at sending relief money to hurricane Sandy's victims. But, Oh, do not raise the richest 2% of earners' taxes by a few little points! Oh NO, blasphemy~!
The horror...taxing the rich a few more points. But it's OK to deny relief to our fellow Americans who've suffered a disaster. I lost a home to a hurricane; trust me, it's bad!
Get these %$#@&^*out of our lives. Out of our government. Out of our country.
Activist -----Sounds to me with all your cry baby WALLERING Michigan was given a little more freedom. Now the City of Detroit needs to balance there books from all the liberal free loaders, hell they just might get some where.
T-H-E-I-R books.
I am all for it, vote them out please, for a clear message.
Midterms, we have to show up in 2014, like 2012. Vote the Rs out!
We did pretty well here in CA, they need to see they have totally lost it.
India LeCarre
Hell let Obama fix it, this is his Katrina, there all blue states anyway, Missouri Alabama and Kentucky Electrical Crews tried assist you Blue Boys and they ran them out because they weren't UNION. You Blue states deal with it. Hell Bush did more for the Katrina victims than your Holiday Boy Obama done for Sandy.
To bad for you that it is a lie.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/sandyunion.asp
Tee heeee! Snopes is so great!
Too bad some folks trust such unreliable sources of information.
"Bronze Star" probably got his "medal" as a member of the Waffen-SS Einsatzgruppen.
Sorry, bronze star, Katrina belongs to GWB and always will.
GWB isn't fit to shine President Obama's shoes. Just because you hate Obama does not give you licence to lie.
Here is a clue, people live in tornado alley, so by your reasoning everyone that lives in an area that has natural disasters should pack up and move to where there aren't any disasters except the only place for them to move would be the moon because anyplace you live on earth will have a disaster sooner or later. To bad for you that you just can't grasp that it wasn't the hurricane that caused the problem in NO, it was GWB canceling repairs on the dikes around NO that were at fault. So once again home school failure.
What was that you lied about oh yeah that is right you can only repeat free republic lies.
http://mediamatters.org/research/2005/09/12/abcs-stephanopoulos-repeated-school-bus-falseho/133796
When Stephen Colbert was running his mock campaign for President of the United States of South Carolina (really... that's what he said he was running for...), I was thoroughly behind him... (Lord knows, I wouldn't want to be in front of him...)
A new face on the scene is Colbert -
I think he took this as a dare.
Stewart's running his PAC -
I'd warn Mitt to get back,
'Cause his write-in campaign's got it's share!
Now, his mock campaign for Demint's Senate seat follows that tradition... So will I...
I thoroughly endorse Colbert for Senate...
Belief in 'Truthiness' is his tenet...
'Though I think it's just rumour,
I think his sense of humour
Renders Governor Haley again' it...
I so sick of liberal whiny cry babies! Oh whah, the rich, there so badddd. whah.
You don't realize that you too have the opportunity to become rich yourselves. To aspire to more than just a factory worker wanting to be paid top dollar to become just another mindless clock in clock out sheep. Well, until you liberals actually finally vote away that opportunity anyway. I would way rather live in a free society where i can still aspire to become what ever i want, how ever rich i want. You want better wages? Then STOP buying Chinese goods, period. That is the only thing that will bring back jobs. I don't care if your jealous of someone because they got off there butt and made a name for themselves. You have no right to ridicule and punish them for it. Instead of demonizing a small buisness man that worked another 40 hrs after his already 40 hr job every week and risked everything to make a successful life for himself, maybe you should emulate him, become sucessful yourself. Self pity breeds liberilism, be proud to be in a free county and support it. "Ask yourself, Waht can i do for myself". Not, "Ask what can my Union do for me"
'jonny'...
Although I know responding to you is useless, given that you are a mindless troll repeating Republican propaganda...
Unions are important... Without them, companies can ride rough-shod over the rights of the working man...
You want a bathroom break? Sorry; you haven't met your daily quota yet...
You want 5 days a week, 40 hours a week? There's a lot of people with part-time jobs, or no job at all, willing to work without overtime pay...
Worried about getting hurt, or even killed, just doing your job? Just ask coal miners if putting food on the table isn't more important than worrying about gas explosions or cave-ins...
Vacations? Holidays? If you're not working, you're not making us money, so why should we pay you......
Complaining about how we treat you? Here's your pink slip; don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out...
If you don't have the right to negotiate, if you don't the right to organize, why should management listen to anything you have to say?
To address your argument...
If everyone in the nation becomes rich, if everyone becomes entrepreneurs, if everyone hits the 'big time'...
... who the hell is actually doing the work? Who is making your product? Who is selling your product? Who is mining the raw materials to make your product? Who is bringing in the parts to assemble your product?
If everyone was rich, who would be our servants while we were all on vacation, letting our invested money make us more money?
BTW...
So, now, you're advocating a boycott of Wal-Mart...
Sounds like you're blaming the rich for outsourcing our jobs... which is part of how they got richer...
Yeah and we know who the biggest losers are, The people of the red states.
David,
You really are just a mindless lemming aren't you? Let me explain this a
little better and see if you can keep up.
Just because the opportunity is there does not mean everybody will take
advantage of it. Take yourself for instance. You will never possess the heart, guts and
determination it would take to start your own small business. You will always be a
mindless, spineless minion servant. For that i am appreciative. But don't expect skilled trade wages
for your unskilled brainless work.
I have a great job with great benefits. Those benefits were just expanded
upon by the company i work for, why? Out of the goodness of there heart? Union
threats?
No, its because they want to draw in talented people with good work
ethics.
You complain that these greedy soulless rich people send all your jobs to China, but then
you fill your house with nothing but Walmart, IKEA and household items and
Harbor Freight Tools.
Right because everyone knows that it only takes hard work to start a business in Reagan delusion land. In the real world one needs collateral, out standing credit records and a large chunk of cash for a down payment just to talk to the loan officer who may or may not give you the loan you need to cover a business start up cost. Oh yeah and before said business will start seeing a profit it will be running in the red for 5 years or longer. BTW, internet brags mean nothing, if I had a dime for every trailer park dwelling republican who posted on the vine about their greatness I would be able to live like the Romney's.