Mike Konczal has an excellent post up on the three-pronged approach Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is taking in his stealth budget. In fact, he’s charted the whole thing out: The assault on unions is currently the most obvious and contested part of this plan (despite the health of the public pension system in Wisconsin), but …
Organized Labor in America
Briefly: I am running a series on organized labor in America over at The League. A number of guest authors are contributing (though I am looking for more). The first post in the series is live today. It’s by mutualist writer, Kevin Carson, author of Homebrew Revolution. He talks about the ways the government has …
Soak the Super-Rich
I like big colorful pictures and graphs that throw things into perspective. This one goes well with that pie-chart I had the other day: Lots more here. And don’t forget to read Kevin Drum’s article (which these charts accompany) on the decline of unions, it’s well-worth the read.
Three Decades of Union-Busting
Andrew Sullivan has two more posts up on Wisconsin, and both are remarkably even-keeled. In the first, he looks at Walker’s campaign promises and notes that Walker did campaign on cutting public sector wages and benefits: But not end their collective bargaining rights on everything but wages. There’s no reference to any such bid in …
US Intervention in Libya
After decades of botched meddling in other nations’ domestic affairs, American foreign policy reached fever pitch during the Bush administration. More often than not, our meddling has resulted in backlash or terrible unintended consequences, from the installation of right-wing dictators in South America, to the Iranian Islamic Revolution. This doesn’t even take into account the …
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Part Deux
Ed at Gin and Tacos gets into the less-discussed weeds of Scott Walker’s budget [pdf]. Apparently, governor Walker likes his union-busting to come with a side of crony-capitalism: 16.896 Sale or contractual operation of state−owned heating, cooling, and power plants. (1) Notwithstanding ss. 13.48 (14) (am) and 16.705 (1), the department may sell any state−owned …
The Death and Life of the Great American Middle Class
I don’t agree with Andrew on the issue of public sector unions at all but at least this post is a good deal more measured than many of his recent efforts. It’s also revealing of a certain mindset that I think a lot of Americans share. I will try to explain how I see the situation. …
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