Saturday, November 24, 2012
Insightful observation
in the larger context of Occupy Wall Street. It says some interesting things about our values, in the context of Citizens United, that free speech in the form of big, corrupt money is acceptable and protected, but free assembly and in-person speech is less protected and less approved (at least by some sectors of our nation). Camping to shop - check, ok. Camping to buy tickets to a performance event - check, ok. Camping and peaceful protest to express legitimate objection to corruption, greed and bad politics? Take them away!!!!!!!!!! Pepper Spray them!!! Beat them, arrest them, take their things away from them, deny them access!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would argue that the real campers for consumerism were the Occupy Wall Street campers, seeking to protect and defend consumers, the average, ordinary people. Corporations are NOT people.
I would argue that the real campers for consumerism were the Occupy Wall Street campers, seeking to protect and defend consumers, the average, ordinary people. Corporations are NOT people.
Vicious UnAmerican Hatred and Bigotry
One nation, indivisible? This is right wing insanity, this is ideology poisoning.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Where I am NOT going today is shopping at WalMart
It appears Minnesota will be part of the larger national effort to gain social justice and a living wage from WalMart. I'm not sure for whom I have the greater sympathy - those who spent long hours in single-digit wind chill weather for cheap stuff, crowding into stores with other combative shoppers, or the people who have to assist them in those stores, or who are standing outside to protest.
The most worthwhile effort seems to be those opposing greed, not acting on it.
For an estimated $0.15 per each shopping trip annually, it is estimated in a recent study by Demos that we could simultaneously improve the economy, pay retail workers a living wage so that the government would not need to subsidize the profits that go to the Walton family as just one more example of extracting wealth from the 99% for the 1%. AND requiring a living wage, along with the provisions of the ACA / 'Obamacare' would also ultimately benefit business as well.
However because of the focus by business on short term maximum gain that extracts every possible profit, at the expense of long term benefit and sustainability, that is something that will have to be brought about by regulation, rather than voluntary participation. I am not optimistic that protests alone, no matter how widely supported, will overcome that short term greed driven thinking.
Here is the link to the Demos report; I expect I will write more about it, but for now, I'm still intellectually digesting it all. Here is the intro:
With more than 15 million workers in the sector, and leverage over workplace standards across the supply chain, retail wields enormous influence on Americans’ standard of living and the nation’s economic outlook. It connects producers and consumers, workers and jobs, and local social and economic development to the larger US economy. And over the next decade, retail will be the second largest source of new jobs in the United States.1
Given the vital role retail plays in our economy, the question of whether employees in the sector are compensated at a level that promotes American prosperity is of national importance. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical retail sales person earns just $21,000 per year. Cashiers earn even less, bringing home an annual income of just $18,500.2
The continued dominance of low wages in this sector weakens our nation’s capacity to boost living standards and economic growth. Retail’s low-wage employment means that even Americans who work full-time fail to make ends meet, and growth slows because too few families have enough remaining in each paycheck to contribute to the broader economy.
************
And here is a report about the protest support in MN; it is nice to see 'fly-over land' so well represented:
From the St. Cloud Times:
Twin Cities work group backs Walmart protest
Cleaning workers are joining striking Walmart workers in the Twin Cities to protest the big-box giant on Black Friday, the year’s biggest retail shopping day.
Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha, or CTUL, a group that works for improved conditions and better wages for retail cleaning workers, is spearheading the move. They’re joining Walmart workers this morning at a Walmart store in St. Paul, according to the group’s Facebook page.
Some Walmart workers nationally, including some in Minnesota, have said they plan to walk off the job today to protest wages and working conditions. Some workers also are upset about Walmart’s plans to begin Black Friday shopping on Thursday night while the Thanksgiving holiday is still under way.
The most worthwhile effort seems to be those opposing greed, not acting on it.
For an estimated $0.15 per each shopping trip annually, it is estimated in a recent study by Demos that we could simultaneously improve the economy, pay retail workers a living wage so that the government would not need to subsidize the profits that go to the Walton family as just one more example of extracting wealth from the 99% for the 1%. AND requiring a living wage, along with the provisions of the ACA / 'Obamacare' would also ultimately benefit business as well.
However because of the focus by business on short term maximum gain that extracts every possible profit, at the expense of long term benefit and sustainability, that is something that will have to be brought about by regulation, rather than voluntary participation. I am not optimistic that protests alone, no matter how widely supported, will overcome that short term greed driven thinking.
Here is the link to the Demos report; I expect I will write more about it, but for now, I'm still intellectually digesting it all. Here is the intro:
With more than 15 million workers in the sector, and leverage over workplace standards across the supply chain, retail wields enormous influence on Americans’ standard of living and the nation’s economic outlook. It connects producers and consumers, workers and jobs, and local social and economic development to the larger US economy. And over the next decade, retail will be the second largest source of new jobs in the United States.1
Given the vital role retail plays in our economy, the question of whether employees in the sector are compensated at a level that promotes American prosperity is of national importance. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical retail sales person earns just $21,000 per year. Cashiers earn even less, bringing home an annual income of just $18,500.2
The continued dominance of low wages in this sector weakens our nation’s capacity to boost living standards and economic growth. Retail’s low-wage employment means that even Americans who work full-time fail to make ends meet, and growth slows because too few families have enough remaining in each paycheck to contribute to the broader economy.
************
And here is a report about the protest support in MN; it is nice to see 'fly-over land' so well represented:
From the St. Cloud Times:
Twin Cities work group backs Walmart protest
Cleaning workers are joining striking Walmart workers in the Twin Cities to protest the big-box giant on Black Friday, the year’s biggest retail shopping day.
Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha, or CTUL, a group that works for improved conditions and better wages for retail cleaning workers, is spearheading the move. They’re joining Walmart workers this morning at a Walmart store in St. Paul, according to the group’s Facebook page.
Some Walmart workers nationally, including some in Minnesota, have said they plan to walk off the job today to protest wages and working conditions. Some workers also are upset about Walmart’s plans to begin Black Friday shopping on Thursday night while the Thanksgiving holiday is still under way.
News and Views and Credentials
The Fox News nuts and idiots who are grossly and consistently misinformed are notorious for making factually inaccurate appeals to the basest emotions of their viewers and listeners.
Benghazi, John?
John McCain has backed away from his accusations about Benghazi.....sort of; that needs a much better clarification, followed by a genuine, unambiguous apology (not one of those non-apology apologies).
What seems more the case than John McCain having a legitimate beef with Ambassador Rice is that Rice is a surrogate for McCain to go after, when the reality is that Obama just won AGAIN, reminding McCain that he did not. Rice does not deserve this, nor does Obama; it is one more example of factually unfounded and unjustified obstruction, and witch hunting to vent petty grievance rather than address legitimate wrongdoing.
I think Senator McCain should resign and retire; he is obviously exceeded his shelf life.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Friday - what will YOU do?
There are things I do not like about President Obama's administration, but his efforts in renewing manufacturing has my praise.
![As you tuck in with your family and friends today, don't forget the people who brought you the food on your table.
Thanks to @[186457858051439:274:Latino Rebels] for the image!](https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/556805_483117348395795_689851162_n.jpg)
No Second Gilded Age for America!
A little economic and art history lesson combined, as an intellectual alternative to football, institutionalized gluttony, and glorified shopping greed promoted under the guise of Christian capitalism.
Mitt's on R-money represented the policies of those who would accelerate the redistribution aka class warfare that extracts money from the 99% and relocates it to the 1%. This is evidenced by the grotesque excessive compensation without corresponding merit or accomplishment, that has been paid to the 'C-class' (CEOs CFOs COOs etc.) and other executives in contrast to increased labor productivity that has gone unrewarded, replaced with stagnating or declining compensation. Add in taxation and other policies which create an unequal playing field, and billionaires who try to buy elections, effectively owning politicians at all levels of government. Add in the vulture capitalism of political wannabes like Mitt Romney, and you have a recipe for a repetition of an era of our history that was exemplified by destructive and destabilizing boom and bust cycles, brutal attempts at union busting, and the conspicuous consumption of a few in contrast to the widespread and increasing impoverishment of the majority, in place of the American Dream and the possibility for upward mobility.
Also associated with the era were rampant swindles that eventually gave rise to the term we now know as a Ponzi scheme in the 1920s, named for Charles Ponzi, although similar scams and swindles using the same blueprint occurred in the era between the Civil War and WW II. American financial regulation arose to curb the excesses and outright swindles of the era that contributed tremendously to the financial collapse that resulted in the Great Depression. Those who seek a new gilded age want to abolish such regulation in the name of being 'business friendly', a euphemism for unfettered class warfare. Those who want to avert such disasters consistently seek regulation that keeps business honest, maintains a fair and equitable even playing field for competition, and tend to protect equally the consumer, the investor, and the small innovator from corporate greed, unfair practices and unfair competition.
In this Gilded Age as it was called, a term coined by Mark Twain to represent gaudy wealth as represented by gold leaf and gold plate, overlaying the social problems rotting underneath, an illustrator who worked mainly in pen and ink became internationally famous, Charles Dana Gibson, creator of the Gibson Girl(s), a series of iconic illustrations over several decades of American women who were both beautiful and intelligent, idealized among other things, for marrying into European aristocracy. Real life examples of these beautiful women of wealth include the mother of Sir Winston Churchill, Lady Randolph Churchill (nee Jeanette Jerome) and the model for my blogging icon, Virginie Gautreau (nee Avegno) who posed for famous artists, including the portrait of Madame X by expat American painter John Singer Sargent.
I recognized the illustration in the image below as a particularly well-known Gibson illustration, circa 1900. Now women have the right to vote, and while still paid less than men, we have more opportunity to aspire to success than we did in the Gibson Girl era -- although the right wing war on women would send us back to those bad old days where all women could aspire to was to be the arm candy / trophy wife of powerful and wealthy men, not powerful in their own right. I am truly thankful as a woman that I will not ever have to say 'President Romney' OR Vice President Ryan.
Mitt's on R-money represented the policies of those who would accelerate the redistribution aka class warfare that extracts money from the 99% and relocates it to the 1%. This is evidenced by the grotesque excessive compensation without corresponding merit or accomplishment, that has been paid to the 'C-class' (CEOs CFOs COOs etc.) and other executives in contrast to increased labor productivity that has gone unrewarded, replaced with stagnating or declining compensation. Add in taxation and other policies which create an unequal playing field, and billionaires who try to buy elections, effectively owning politicians at all levels of government. Add in the vulture capitalism of political wannabes like Mitt Romney, and you have a recipe for a repetition of an era of our history that was exemplified by destructive and destabilizing boom and bust cycles, brutal attempts at union busting, and the conspicuous consumption of a few in contrast to the widespread and increasing impoverishment of the majority, in place of the American Dream and the possibility for upward mobility.
Also associated with the era were rampant swindles that eventually gave rise to the term we now know as a Ponzi scheme in the 1920s, named for Charles Ponzi, although similar scams and swindles using the same blueprint occurred in the era between the Civil War and WW II. American financial regulation arose to curb the excesses and outright swindles of the era that contributed tremendously to the financial collapse that resulted in the Great Depression. Those who seek a new gilded age want to abolish such regulation in the name of being 'business friendly', a euphemism for unfettered class warfare. Those who want to avert such disasters consistently seek regulation that keeps business honest, maintains a fair and equitable even playing field for competition, and tend to protect equally the consumer, the investor, and the small innovator from corporate greed, unfair practices and unfair competition.
In this Gilded Age as it was called, a term coined by Mark Twain to represent gaudy wealth as represented by gold leaf and gold plate, overlaying the social problems rotting underneath, an illustrator who worked mainly in pen and ink became internationally famous, Charles Dana Gibson, creator of the Gibson Girl(s), a series of iconic illustrations over several decades of American women who were both beautiful and intelligent, idealized among other things, for marrying into European aristocracy. Real life examples of these beautiful women of wealth include the mother of Sir Winston Churchill, Lady Randolph Churchill (nee Jeanette Jerome) and the model for my blogging icon, Virginie Gautreau (nee Avegno) who posed for famous artists, including the portrait of Madame X by expat American painter John Singer Sargent.
I recognized the illustration in the image below as a particularly well-known Gibson illustration, circa 1900. Now women have the right to vote, and while still paid less than men, we have more opportunity to aspire to success than we did in the Gibson Girl era -- although the right wing war on women would send us back to those bad old days where all women could aspire to was to be the arm candy / trophy wife of powerful and wealthy men, not powerful in their own right. I am truly thankful as a woman that I will not ever have to say 'President Romney' OR Vice President Ryan.
A Promise Made for Thanksgiving
My co-blogger and friend Laci has donated a couple of times now to the Rolling Jubilee; I made a promise to him that I would write a post here today about it. It is representative, in my humble opinion, of what is best about this nation, and about people in general.
On a day dedicated to thankfulness, giving and giving thanks, it is more worthy of attention than Black shopping greediness. Appropriately, the dictionary word of the day is agape, unselfish love of one person for another without sexual implications.
This appeared a few hours ago, for a little bit of insight into the ongoing progress of a remarkable initiative from a remarkable group of people. We are these people, these people represent the best of each of us. Please join them in what they are doing, however much or little you might be able to contribute -- whatever that amount is, please support them. The video below refers to the launch of this effort roughly a week ago.
We are the 99%, not the 47%, not lone or isolated individuals indifferent to each other.
If you are interested in learning more about the rolling jubilee, if you are at least considering makig a donation, here is the web site:
http://rollingjubilee.org/
from their FAQ:
What is Strike Debt?
Strike Debt is an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street. First started in New York City, but inspired by movements around the globe, Strike Debt now has affiliates across the country. We believe people should not go into debt for basic necessities like education, healthcare and housing. Strike Debt initiatives like the Debt Resistors’ Operations Manual offer advice to all kinds of debtors about how to escape debt and how to join a growing collective resistance to the debt system. Our network has the goal of building a broad movement, with more effective ways of resisting debt, and with the ultimate goal of creating an alternative economy that benefits us all and not just the 1%.
What is a jubilee?
Jubilee comes from many faith traditions including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. A jubilee is an event in which all debts are cancelled and all those in bondage are set free. It worked in Biblical times and it can still work today. For example, a kind of jubilee happened in Iceland after the 2008 economic crisis: instead of bailing out their banks, Iceland canceled a percentage of mortgage debt. What these examples show is that debts are just a promise which can - and should - be renegotiated or cancelled when the circumstances warrant. Strike Debt believes that now is the time for a jubilee for the 99%.
How Does Rolling Jubilee Work?
Banks sell debt for pennies on the dollar on a shadowy speculative market of debt buyers who then turn around and try to collect the full amount from debtors. The Rolling Jubilee intervenes by buying debt, keeping it out of the hands of collectors, and then abolishing it. We’re going into this market not to make a profit but to help each other out and highlight how the predatory debt system affects our families and communities. Think of it as a bailout of the 99% by the 99%. 1099-C Cancellation of Debt form with the IRS?
What is your mailing address?
The Rolling Jubilee Fund c/o Occupy Wall Street Radio WBAI, 10th floor 120 Wall St New York, NY 10005
Is this legal?
Yes! What should actually surprise everyone is the fact that it is legal to trade in people’s misfortune. As part of the deregulation of the finance industry, the government made it legal to buy and sell charged-off debt.
On a day dedicated to thankfulness, giving and giving thanks, it is more worthy of attention than Black shopping greediness. Appropriately, the dictionary word of the day is agape, unselfish love of one person for another without sexual implications.
This appeared a few hours ago, for a little bit of insight into the ongoing progress of a remarkable initiative from a remarkable group of people. We are these people, these people represent the best of each of us. Please join them in what they are doing, however much or little you might be able to contribute -- whatever that amount is, please support them. The video below refers to the launch of this effort roughly a week ago.
If you are interested in learning more about the rolling jubilee, if you are at least considering makig a donation, here is the web site:
http://rollingjubilee.org/
from their FAQ:
No. The Rolling Jubilee will earn no income from the lending of money and is therefore exempt from filing a Form 1099-C under the Internal Revenue Code Section 6050P.
Join in the Jubilee
For every $1 donated, we are able to buy and abolish $20 worth of debt.
WePay
Donate
Donate
PayPal
- Got $10 to spare? We'll liberate someone from $200 of debt.
- Throw us twenty bucks and we'll obliterate $400 of a struggling American's debt.
- $100? We'll take the weight of *TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS* off someone's back.
Transparency
All contributions go to The Rolling Jubilee Fund, a non-profit 501(c) (4) organization with the exclusive mission of buying and abolishing debt. 100% of the money raised will go to the process of buying and abolishing debt (a process that includes some associated costs such as paperwork, accounting, and legal fees). The volunteers managing the fund receive no compensation. In the interest of transparency, a full accounting of funds received and spent will be reported on our website. Unfortunately, your contribution is not deductible for federal income tax purposes as a charitable contribution.
Happy Thansgiving
My wish for you -- no one person gets left to do all the work - either prep, or actual cooking, or clean up. If you're grateful this holiday -- HELP WITH THE WORK!
And because the day should also be fun:
And a last word of advice for our readers. My mother always advised us, before attendig a social event, to prepare some fall-back conversational topics for those moments that can occur at any time with a group of people. Either everyone runs out of good subjects for conversation, or the conversation becomes tense or begins to turn into a bit of conflict.........so you have a change of subject handy. I've been recommending the Texas v White / Secession post from a few days ago as one of those, if you've left it too late before celebrating.
Enjoy! Be truly grateful! Be someone else's blessing, an recognize who is your own, who makes your life better or richer.
And because the day should also be fun:
And a last word of advice for our readers. My mother always advised us, before attendig a social event, to prepare some fall-back conversational topics for those moments that can occur at any time with a group of people. Either everyone runs out of good subjects for conversation, or the conversation becomes tense or begins to turn into a bit of conflict.........so you have a change of subject handy. I've been recommending the Texas v White / Secession post from a few days ago as one of those, if you've left it too late before celebrating.
Enjoy! Be truly grateful! Be someone else's blessing, an recognize who is your own, who makes your life better or richer.
As you contemplate Black Friday...
I will not be engaging in retail insanity. I hope you don't either. I will however be supporting the shop small business initiative on Saturday.
JOHN SMITH STARTED HIS DAY EARLY, WAKING UP AFTER HIS ALARM CLOCK (MADE IN JAPAN) WENT OFF.. WHILE HIS COFFEEMAKER (MADE IN CHINA) WAS BREWING. HE SHAVED WITH ...HIS ELECTRIC RAZOR (MADE IN MEXICO), DRESSING, HE PUT ON A NEW SHIRT (MADE IN COLUMBIA) JEANS (MADE IN MALAYSIA) AND SHOES (MADE IN KOREA). AFTER MAKING BREAKFAST, ON HIS ELECTRIC SKILLET (MADE IN INDIA), HE SAT DOWN WITH THE MORNING PAPER, LOOKING AT THE WANT WONDERING WHY HE CAN'T FIND A GOOD PAYING JOB IN AMERICA.
Fox NewsNuts
As you drive to wherever you are going to celebrate this week......think of these guys who will undoubtedly be in your way at some point. Most of them will be wearing a hat, but it won't help their driving no matter how much they feel better prepared to face the world. Fake Fox Fact-turds are the same way - they give their feeble consumers worthless propaganda that give them the illusion, or delusion, of being prepared to face the world. They're not prepared, they're just confused.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
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