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- Sep 3
- 2 min
Organized Labor is Finally Making a Comeback in the United States
Organized labor saw deep declines in membership and popularity starting in the late 1970s and continuing into the 1980s, 90s and early 2000s caused by the offshoring of manufacturing jobs, automation, and changes in labor laws that favored management. At the peak of the union movement in the 1950s, more than a third of American workers belonged to one, but by 2020 only about 6% of workers in the private sector held a union card. However, this year may mark the beginning of a
- Aug 30
- 2 min
The GOP's Hypocritical & Childish Attacks on College Graduates After Loan Forgiveness
After President Joe Biden announced his student loan forgiveness plan, writing off $10,000 to $20,000 in loan balances, Republicans began an unprecedented and increasingly bizarre attack on college students. Sen Ted Cruz of Texas, the master of weird political hyperbole, had this to say: Cruz, Business Insider: "If you are that slacker barista who wasted seven years in college studying completely useless things, now has loans and can't get a job, Joe Biden just gave you 20 gr
- Aug 21
- 3 min
Iran Hawks in the US Like John Bolton Have No Viable Alternative to Rejoining the JCPOA
The Biden administration is in the final stages of negotiating a deal with Iran to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA] and offer sanctions relief if Tehran agrees to halt enrichment activities and allows renewed oversight of all their nuclear facilities. Former President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement despite Iran's compliance. Trump's decision to withdraw from the JCPOA was widely panned because he had no effective plan to stop Iran from renewing
- Aug 16
- 2 min
Virginia Gov. Youngkin Wants Teachers to "Out" Gay Kids to Their Parents
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has formulated a monumentally stupid public policy idea in order to pacify the GOP's evangelical base; he wants teachers to "out" LGBTQ kids to their parents. Virginia Pilot: "During an interview this week, Youngkin was asked for his thoughts regarding schools that withhold information from parents about a student’s gender identity or sexual orientation, and whether he believes the Virginia Board of Education should pass new guidance on the issue.
- Aug 14
- 2 min
GOP Fund-Raising & Rabble-Rousing on Mar-a-Lago Raid is Irresponsible & Dangerous.
Like many others, I've been inundated with irresponsible Republican emails this week attempting to raise money and gin-up the GOP base by portraying the raid on Mar-a-Lago as a "Deep State" disinformation campaign. The obscenely juvenile narrative in each is about the same; the "Deep State's" jackbooted thugs [better known as the FBI] illegally raid the completely innocent former President's home and rifle through his safe and Melania's wardrobe, planting evidence along the
- Aug 12
- 2 min
New Reports: Wholesale Prices Decline & Retail Inflation Drops to Zero in July as Gas Prices Tumble
According to three new reports this week, inflation at the wholesale and retail levels both declined in July as gas prices tumbled and retailers cut prices to move backlogged inventory. Axios: "Consumer prices were unchanged in July [compared to June], as plunging prices for gasoline dragged the Consumer Price Index [CPI] down to zero. Core inflation, which excludes energy and food, rose only 0.3%, below what analysts expected." The July figures lowered the annual rate of inf
