The nearest exit may be behind you.
Accuracy: The government continues to report decreasing unemployment and increasing employment. But temporary and low paying jobs make up almost 70% of reported job growth. Without “seasonal adjustments” the economy has lost 1.8 million jobs in the first two months of the year. But that's just what really happened.
...Not As I Do: Germany has embraced austerity with far less enthusiasm than even the Greek Parliament. It did not accomplish even half of the savings promised in the 2011 budget, and is woefully behind in making 2012's planned cuts.
Varying Degrees: The seasonally adjusted temperature in New York on Tuesday was 84º.
Innumeracy: Illustrating why the shoemaker should stick to his last, the Annals of Family Medicine reports that the cost of health care in the US will surpass the average household's income by 2033, if current trends continue. If current trends continue, in 2033 my dad will be 127 years old.
Water/Wet: Is the NYPD also spying on Occupy Wall Street? Of course, why wouldn't they be?
Unclear On The Concept: Rick Santorum thinks that more carbon dioxide is a good thing... for plants. And it is. Deadly to humans, but you can't have everything. He also noted that "Those living on or near the Gulf Coast in particular know the impact these extreme environmental positions can have on the region's economy." Like BP's, I suppose.
I'm Loving It: A hamburger a day increases the risk of death by 13% over a diet of chicken, tofu and such. That's without the pink slime.
Law And Orders: The current excuse for not throwing the top executives from MFGlobal in jail is that federal prosecutors doubt that they “intentionally misused” (the technical term is 'stole') $1.6 billion of their customers' money – it was all just a big accident. As was getting caught.
Free Fire Zone: The reason we've turned on teachers, blaming them for our kids' indifference in the classroom is mostly because we're certainly not responsible for anything the little darlings do.
Undisclosed: Dick Cheney says it is "too dangerous" for him to go to Canada. Maybe he could go to Spain instead.
Herding Cats: Americans think government is too big and too expensive and too intrusive, but should enforce stronger food safety regulations, enforce environmental laws, really come down hard on the banksters, cut all spending except for Social Security, Medicare and the tax breaks they personally benefit from. Next question.
PT Barnum It Is: Given the short term memory and general ignorance of the public, the smart political bet is to accuse the other side of fiscal irresponsibility while being as irresponsible as possible yourself.
Reality Show – Survivors: The inflation-adjusted weekly income of private non-agricultural, non-supervisory production workers (that's about 60% of us, 80% of the non-government workforce) is 14% lower today than it was in 1972. Productivity (and thus profits and such for the 1%) have doubled during that time.
Porn O'Graph: Or Peek-a-boo.
3 comments:
Good for Dick: It is a good thing for Dick Chaney that the Vietnam War ended before he ran out of deferment options, else he would have to be eating crow right now.
Thanks for the mention of my Middle Class Political Economist Post.
RE "Herding Cats": Yes, but as famously reported, many of our fellow citizens also don't realize that things like Medicare ARE government services. OR they think that, somehow, all of these programs, would be better accomplished by a private business. Yes, even environmental laws. My mechanic tried explaining this to me once but his logic was even more convoluted than the printed circuits he needed to replace! I think he styled his thinking as "Libertarian".
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