An Ode to Labor Day
Wedged in between the Olympics, and the Democratic and Republican conventions, is a holiday we still call Labor Day, along with Labor Day Weekend, although don't expect much media attention to it or its meaning.
In truth, as a young man I never thought much about unions, or even about labor protections -- at least until my first job.
I told my friends I'd landed a job in the advertising business. But that was an exaggeration. It was what today we'd call a summer "internship" -- a kind of foot-in-the-door that might someday lead to a real job.
In truth, it wasn't even a foot in the door. More like a big toe. I was a "go-fer" -- someone who's told to "go-fer" coffee, "go-fer" sandwiches, "go-fer" this or that package. I go-ferred for weeks, running around New York City on errands.
But even though being a go-fer wasn't glamorous, I was fired with enthusiasm. I basked in the glow of the firm's worldly-wise creativity, its brand-name clients, and the important meetings I'd supply with coffee, sandwiches and packages.
After a time I got fewer go-fer assignments. I assumed this meant I was now primed for the big leagues, ready to join a full-fledged ad campaign. But the real reason was I didn't know New York well enough and got lost when I went for a package more than a few blocks away. I was so late with one of them I didn't deliver it in time for an important meeting. So they stopped asking me to go-fer.
At this point the head of the firm gave me a different assignment, but it wasn't an ad campaign. It was to take care of his dog, which he brought into the office every day. A big Irish Wolfhound named Prince, who had a bowel problem. My job was, well, you can imagine. I told myself this was a kind of promotion. After all, I was now working for the boss.
But I was actually working for Prince. And one day I was scraping Prince's bowel problem off the small terrace outside the boss's office -- for the third time that day -- in the 95-degree heat and humidity of a New York August, and I finally realized something I should have known all along. This job wasn't going anywhere.
So, I summoned the nerve to tell the boss I wouldn't take care of Prince anymore, and he summoned the indignation to tell me I had a nerve, and that was that.
I ended my first job just as I had started it -- fired ... with enthusiasm.
Labor Day should remind us how many shitty jobs still exist.
In truth, as a young man I never thought much about unions, or even about labor protections -- at least until my first job.
I told my friends I'd landed a job in the advertising business. But that was an exaggeration. It was what today we'd call a summer "internship" -- a kind of foot-in-the-door that might someday lead to a real job.
In truth, it wasn't even a foot in the door. More like a big toe. I was a "go-fer" -- someone who's told to "go-fer" coffee, "go-fer" sandwiches, "go-fer" this or that package. I go-ferred for weeks, running around New York City on errands.
But even though being a go-fer wasn't glamorous, I was fired with enthusiasm. I basked in the glow of the firm's worldly-wise creativity, its brand-name clients, and the important meetings I'd supply with coffee, sandwiches and packages.
After a time I got fewer go-fer assignments. I assumed this meant I was now primed for the big leagues, ready to join a full-fledged ad campaign. But the real reason was I didn't know New York well enough and got lost when I went for a package more than a few blocks away. I was so late with one of them I didn't deliver it in time for an important meeting. So they stopped asking me to go-fer.
At this point the head of the firm gave me a different assignment, but it wasn't an ad campaign. It was to take care of his dog, which he brought into the office every day. A big Irish Wolfhound named Prince, who had a bowel problem. My job was, well, you can imagine. I told myself this was a kind of promotion. After all, I was now working for the boss.
But I was actually working for Prince. And one day I was scraping Prince's bowel problem off the small terrace outside the boss's office -- for the third time that day -- in the 95-degree heat and humidity of a New York August, and I finally realized something I should have known all along. This job wasn't going anywhere.
So, I summoned the nerve to tell the boss I wouldn't take care of Prince anymore, and he summoned the indignation to tell me I had a nerve, and that was that.
I ended my first job just as I had started it -- fired ... with enthusiasm.
Labor Day should remind us how many shitty jobs still exist.
posted by Robert Reich | 8:50 AM
57 Comments:
Doc:
A rather inauspicious beginning to a seemingly intellectually rewarding career.
Truth be known there are many jobs in big corporations, some with decent pay, that amount to little else than cleaning up after someone or something. Probably not limited to big corporations.
For those types of positions I always preferred female bosses.
Dr. Reich,
Yes, shit-jobs are plentiful these days because we've done a good job of educating and retraining the lower-middle class in trade skills and keeping the industrial jobs from being exported to China and India. Oops, a little irony, the reality is the working class has become third class waiting in line for tid bits of the American Dream like health care, survival unemployment compensation, and above all a chance to do better than their parents, save some money for kids education is their last hope but Wall Mart's hourly rate puts this idea in flames. I hear the prospects in shoe shining are coming back? There's always hope!
Another great post and story.
I love the last line.
It's sad what's happened to Labor in the U.S. and the fact, that most people voted for it.
As usual, voting against their own best interest.
Gotta give it to conservatives, they do what they do so well.
An fellow work mate whose mother worked on the New York stock exchange had an internship. One go-fer task was delivering her boss's sapphire earrings to the diamond district for cleaning.
Seemingly no faculty member was supervising your internship, and you weren't paying tuition, correct? Reminds me of the time medical students were placed in private physicians' office for field experience. The medical school dreamed up putting ringers or sociology observers in the waiting rooms or close by, ostensibly to watch mothers interact with their children before their appointments, or some such cover story. In reality, the observers were there to measure how much face time the hosting physicians really spent with the medical students. The physicians were none the wiser, of course. However, physicians who did not spend adequate time were never selected again.
That Labor Day holiday is next Monday caught me by surprise.
I've been taken horrible advantage of by employers. sometimes i did not recognise it for a long time.most people are too nice, and do not have the wherewithal, nor the desire to try to take advantage of people. but people who do learn and ruthlessly apply the tricks to getting people to do their bidding get ahead in the world. i don't know if this is capitalism, survival of the fittest, or what. i do know that the behaviour will continue forever, that good governance can mitigat it, but it will never go away.
Union. Let's see. In his book Age of Turbulence, Alan Greenspan completely dismisses labor. I can't remember the page number, but to him labor is interchangeable and expendable. Certainly we've seen that in the US with lay-offs, especially in the fourth quarter to enhance earnings for Wall Street, and in offshoring.
Short term, if Obama rolls back the Bush tax cuts for the upper 1%, that will take the place of the unions the US has been without in the past xx years. Wilbur Ross was on the cover of Business Week about three years ago; he's a union buster.
In the long term, students who finish a degree or a technical community college certificate should go right into union membership. Take the union decision out of the hands of CEOs and Wall Street. Equate union membership and military service/veterans benefits. Make unions the cost of doing business in the United States. If we have Coke/McDonalds/Maytag and only Pepsi/Burger King/Sears, so be it. That's still competition for driving costs down. Union members/military verterans have the same life-long benefits.
Then if you change careers, just like a military double-dipper, your benefits go up.
My dad didn't make me go to church, but on Labor Day Picnics I had to listen to the speeches the Union leaders gave. But then again, all the soft beverages, hot dogs we wanted, three legged races and what have you. Why is it so many Americans, and not rich ones think that unions ought to die because of some error they made back .........., but employers, etc can about kill you and its OK. Rob
What is great about America is that someone could go from such a job to Secretary of Labor.
Actually, what is great about America is that a Secretary of Labor could even admit to having had such a job!
I never understood Labor Unions or their management. I recognize they were in a hell-uv-a-fix when it came to getting what they wanted from management who didn't want them to attend to the Prince's Doo or Poo. But, to me, labor unions were like pit bulls and when they fought, there was no ryme nor reason. They often times struck just to flex their muscles. Many times, they did things without the best interest of the Union members. And when it came to managing anything, it seemed they managed things for Leadership rather than for the members. A rising tide lifted all boats but the managements of many unions were corrupt to the bone. And the same motive force that lifted everyone also buried everyone. They appeared to have the same disease as our congress...easily influenced by the lobbies that had their ear.
Today, I am ambivalent about any Union because I am ambivalent about their form of management. I don't like Wall Street and the bosses that run the companies and I don't like Unions. They seem to have let too many people down.
I agree with the comments of Stalin that Unions were an obstacle to real solidarity.
a union is a microcosm of a country. it's democratic, has elected leaders and makes policy based on the will of its membership... ideally.
a union is like a country in other ways: it (ideally) tries to protect the weakest of its membership, it (ideally) presents a united front to its enemies and it (ideally) welcomes the poor and downtrodden.
of course, it's also like a country in that it tends to be led by people who have a hunger for power and are sustained by voters who are easily hoodwinked into supporting counterproductive policies or corrupt leaders.
if it's no surprise that americans fail to properly manage their country, it should come as no surprise that they fail to properly manage their unions.
as for whether unions are still necessary, well, if things continue to degenerate as they have been, you will find out. the days of the 19th century robber-baron are bound to return along with the rule of the truncheon wielding thug. right-to-work (puh-leeze) legislation, long work days and miserable pay have already returned. you're just a few steps away!
incidentally, if stalin really said that, then you have completely failed to apprehend his point. unions create a cohesive resistance to exploitative corporations (or governments, in stalin's case). stalin opposed unions because they inhibited his ability to do precisely the things we hate him for.
hahahah!! love the way you told that story...
on another note, im guessing that the democrats will be pushing the "McCain is Bush" message much more forcefully now that we're almost into september (if they can push this idea, i believe the election will tilt in their favour). Bush beat out McCain a few years ago. The word 'irony' comes to mind considering that Bush might be the reason McCain loses again, and Bush isn't even running!
Strategically, Romney is McCain's best choice (I believe). But when they're on stage together, I'm certain that McCain fantasizes about slapping Romney on the face (if you want proof, look at McCain's face when he's with Romney; McCain's a great guy, but bad actor).
and Biden was chosen?? I'm a HUGE fan!!!! I've seen him a million times in fr. hearings (via cspan), and I can't imagine how anyone could have anything but the utmost respect for the man (extremely well respected amongst the republicans as well, except for His Majesty King Sbvor). Talk about character!!
The republicans are shitting their pants right now. This election will get VERY VERY bitter, because we all know what happens when fear takes a grip of our fellow republican machine...
aly k
i almost forgot... BECAUSE McCain doesn't like Romney on a personal level so much, I don't think he'll choose him, even if his advisers suggest it. And from what I've heard, McCain is releasing commercials about Biden's "he's [Obama] isn't ready yet" (in the primaries debate). I don't think they would make this move if Romney was the choice, cause he (Romney) released harsh attack adds on McCain. Just a thought...
I see your shitty job and raise you my first job of working on an egg laying farm where the chickens eat, lay and shit 24/7 so you could eat your 2 over easy. Americans have zero idea of how their food gets to their tables and don't care either. The Ag industry fails without migrant workers and field hands. Your job was a pushover. You blew it.
From the financial blogs, a great article by Karl Denninger. It does the best job of putting middle class American numbers in context. You can also find the article by Googling Financial Ninja and looking for it in the links: Why the 2009 Consumer Crash is Understated
http://market-ticker.denninger.net/archives/550-The-2009-Consumer-Crash-Call-is-UNDERSTATED.html
Another indirect case for unions, from the blog Naked Capitalism. Willem Buiter, London School of Economics and former banker from England takes on Bernanke's close ties to Wall Street.
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/
From this vantage point, it's obvious that the Fed has become far too dependent on current Wall Street incumbents and thus can be manipulated by them (and in fairness, the people who are doing the persuading may be completely sincere in their views). There were ways to compensate: cultivate contacts with former executives who no longer have close ties, find independent analysts who have useful data and perspectives. No doubt Fed officials have extensive contacts, but it appears they have not been used in a deliberate, orchestrated fashion to test and validate information provided by those currently employed by major financial firms.
The second issue is that even if the Fed is too close to the financial services industry, it still may have made the right policy decisions. The jury is still out. Many people (probably including the Fed officials) hope the crisis has passed, while readers of this blog know there is good reason to think the worst has not arrived in earnest.
Buiter has taken a bold position, The Fed needs to be able to explain why what is good for Wall Street is also good for the economy as a whole. The sort of questions that Buiter is raising are notably absent from the media and US-based first rank economists. The Bloomberg story may not give a full enough account to be certain, but the responses to Buiter's charges do not seem persuasive. They amount to disputes over analytical methods and assertions that everything is working fine (after providing a $400 billion fix with no withdrawal plan and getting support from foreign investors equivalent to $1000 a person. So what's your next act?).
It will take some time to see if events prove Buiter right. And as Cassandras like Nouriel Roubini know, it can sometimes take longer than you anticipate for bad policies to finally yield the expected dismal harvest.
Dr. Reich, Readers
cc: Art Layman
All I want to say is that with the selection of Joe Biden as Obama's VP candidate, and likely selection by McCain of Matt Romney as his VP candidate, you will see Romney immediately puppet the old propaganda LIES that the Democrats are the party of BIG SPENDING, BIG GOVERNMENT, and HIGHER TAXES ... all of which is complete BALONEY when you examine the historical financial performance facts of our economy ... which I have documented in TABLES 1-22 on prior posts to your blog.
Since I've tried to dispel with facts the utter phoniness of such historical assertions and dogma repeated OVER and OVER in past years, I hope that the multi-millionaries McCain and Romney have the guts and honesty to DEBATE THE ISSUES (i.e., health care, social-infrastructiure investments, energy independence, unemployment compensation, Social Security ("being secure"),etc., based on genuine debate rather than the false, insulting political smears of the last 20 years that have done extreme DAMAGE TO OUR COUNTRY.
In other words, like when I and others were once college debators, let's make the debate one of pragmatic brains and a dose of imagination against pragmatic brains and a dose of imagination ... void of the ideological nonsense or arrogance so poisoning our political culture. Then we'll all know that a sensible semblance of our fair, interactive democracy is back based on commense sense and rational discourse!!
The Media, including CNN, is too damn stupid and flash impression oriented to understand a word of what I just said. Their only interest is one-liners, soap and the latest superficial biting remark or rhetoric. Ordinary Americans want Obama and McCain forces to talk with integrity SIMPLY but not SIMPLISTICALLY to JOE DOE America about serious problems affecting ALL of us ... which includes me.
Frank Thomas, The Netherlands
Dr. Reich,
You see the CNN soap nonsense beginning already today (Sunday, August 24) with the CNN FLASH point of discussion: "Will the Clinton Supporters Disrupt the Convention?"
Why? Because of innuendo Obama´s team appears not to have consulted sufficiently with Hillary about the Biden choice. WHAT MELODRAMATIC MEDIOCRITY of MIND attention by the Media! When will we ever learn to engage in more serious discussion of serious matters?
Damn Straight.
I heard this post on NPR as well, with the exception of the last line, but its the last line that rings true. The really sad thing is that you had to get a college degree just to get that shitty job.
The Reeps spew the crap about retraining the workforce, but for what? To pick up dog crap? One of the biggest pluses of having strong unions and a social safety net is the acceptance of the fact that in our post industrial society, the amount of highly qualified labor will greatly exceed the demand for that labor, and the only way for the laboring class to succeed whether it be in white collar or blue collar jobs, is to collectively set the price of their labor.
Aly K,
Last time I checked, Jonathan Chait, of the Los Angeles Times, was not a Republican.
Even so, Mr. Chait described Biden this way (emphasis mine):
“Biden looks as if he’s the product of a laboratory experiment designed to create the world’s worst presidential candidate.”
If Biden was the “world’s worst presidential candidate”, how will The Left reinvent him as the best choice for V.P.?
Can Biden even deliver the whopping 3 electoral votes from his home state?
Like NRO, I think Biden will be a giant negative. His first gaffe as Obama’s #2 didn’t take long. There will be many, many more to come.
This will be FUN!
“Recreate ‘68” will NOT be fun! I think Denver will rue the day the Dems descended on them.
Wind Grieved Ghost,
Your point Labor has to collectivize because: "The amount of qualified labor will greatly exceed the demand for that labor" contains an element of absolute poignant truth and a slight element of fallacy.
The truth relates to the "survival of the fittest and shareholders first culture" in our society that inhumanly destroys qualified labor's opportunities with Outsourcing, Downsizing, Redundancies, etc. This is really BIG insidious problem.
The fallacy is that part of the oversupply of qualified vs. demand for laborers may be that they are NOT given a chance or supported to be trained in latest trade and technical service specialties that are relevant to the high tech product-service age we are in now and for the forseeable future.
This is simply an education FAILURE in our social-economic system that lies at the feet of our Government and Corporate America! The issue is in short: Do we care about first our own taxpaying people or not?
Frank:
My! My! Get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? ;)
Understand your frustration, in fact, share it. In case I haven't mentioned it before, "Told you so!".
Cannot but applaud your vehemence regarding the media. The Fourth Estate has become the tail that's wagging the dog. David Brooks article, on Tuesday I believe, points out how the media is controlling the message by making campaigns compete for coverage to stay on the front pages.
I am struck, not surprised, by the constant harangue about the Biden selection being contrary to Obama's message of change. It is, at best, a lame observation but one that grabs audiences.
As you know, one of my biggest concerns for Obama's vision for change in our political dialogue, was my view that he was naive in believing that he could pull it off. I felt he didn't have the experience with national politics to grasp the complexity of his dream. Though he may not have checkmated me, he certainly has my King in jeopardy by selecting Biden.
If there is one sitting Senator who has perhaps a better record of working across the aisle than McCain, it is Joe Biden, Kennedy notwithstanding. Much is being made of Biden's foreign policy experience being the plum here. I dismiss that. We have had few, if any, Presidents who walked into office with strong foreign policy experience, only a few others with commander in chief credentials. This was not a major void in Obama's background. I believe that Biden becomes the "salesman", the ambassador par excellance, of leading Obama's bipartisan message to the Senate and indirectly to the House. He will offer sage advice in foreign policy but his ability to deal with both parties in the Congress will be his primary calling card.
At the same time it does give him the "attack dog" he will need to win the election. Like it or not that is still a requirement to winning the election. Once elected, should they be successful, I believe that the Biden selection may turn out to be a stroke of genius. One necessary to begin his "hope and change".
Obama does exhibit a free and open mind to various critical improvements to our culture. You often mention combining the best of political ideologies to create optimal solutions. Not being very enamored of conservatives or any of their ideas, I always doubt that approach but listening to Obama does open one's mind to denying the premise that conservative = bad.
The NYT article about his economic ideas clearly exemplifies that this is not your typical "liberal" politician with a myopic view of "liberal" economic solutions as the only answer.
Back to the media; 24/7 cable news (entertainment) may be the latest of nails in our coffin. They have so much time to fill, and to sell, that they have to focus on the vitriolic; on those aspects that rile the public and yet keep them tuned in. They are the vehicle but their knowledge of their viewers actually drives the bus. Can you imagine what viewership numbers would be if MSNBC were to broadcast a speech akin to Lincoln's Cooper Union Address?
The real elephant in the room is us, we the American public. Even many of us with higher educations get bored with the details. We've come to relish soundbites because they allow us to move on to more important things; ballgames, "real" TV programs, shopping, even blogging or any other mindless activity that saves our "real thinking" for working hours.
We have become Pogo, in spades!
sbvor:
One would think you might want to go lightly on the gaffe remarks unless your candidate is Bob Barr. So far McCain has a commanding lead in that department.
That might be insensitive given notsofast's concerns over McCain's health.
Art,
Before Biden was selected, believe me on the Bible, he was my first choice for all the reasons you resonate. Based on my ocassional embarassments with our nine year old grandson in chess, your King is definitely Checked! A very wise decision by Obama!
For European journalists, the more interesting question is why did Obama dare to pick someone who was critical of his preparedness for the Presidency? You occasionally like to applaud your own "I told you so's", but I told Dr. Reich long ago I admired Obama's ... "Emotional IQ!
So, checkmated, my friend until the next SMEAR from the right!
Frank:
I'll see your prescient Biden vision and raise you; Biden was my first choice for President.
Art,
I don't hold your lapse of good judgement against you. Am happy with my first choice.
Frank:
One could presume, based on his selection, that had he not been running, Biden might have been his first choice for Prez. Great minds do often run in tandem.
Given the jobs lost from the US, what about unions and savings account interest rates that are double the person's credit card debt interest rates.
A fine sketch, Robert. Somewhere, Charles Bukowski is smiling.
You at least demonstrated a core value of optimism in that position.
And as an Irish Wolfhound owner, you have to admit despite the output-issue, they are nice dogs. Nicer than the boss, it seems.
Art,
Put it to rest, Art. It's quite rehabilitating to get behind something uplifting for once!
People who reason on "IFS" fulfill a rational, productive second-guessing contribution in philosophy, theology, and metaphysics, but seldom in politics ... where the ruin of man comes down to three things: Power, Money, and Women. As President Harry Truman said: "I never wanted power, I never had money, and the only woman I have is at the house right now."
Few pass this test in the Amoral world of politics as well as in the program of Time's fickle calling ... except when promising talents like, OBAMA enter the scene. Then, all `IF´ bets are off.
Great story and funny. There are tons of shitty jobs in corporations as well as in the public non profit sectors. Corporations no longer offer retirement benefits nor a health care plan worth a dog's pile. As far as I am concern, a job without good benefits is a shitty job no matter if you have a manager's title. Trust me talk to the managers at the big retail outlets they hate their jobs.
Most public sector jobs pay is so shitty that its embarrassing to tell people that you work as a Social worker or a public school teacher. I know many Social workers and school teachers that keep their jobs secret.
We need unions to make a strong comeback so that labor day has meaning.
To his excellency King Sbvor,
I've learned so much from you. Before running into you, Your Highness, I never knew that EVERY SINGLE problem on the planet was authored by the democratic party of the U.S. Thank you for your revelations (in the form of way too much hyperlinking).
Recently though, I came across a question that was truly puzzling. It was posed by Mr. Colbert on various occasions, and I was wondering if you could give this blog community your divinely guidance: George Bush - great President... or THE greatest?...
And is that the best attack you can come up about Biden? May I remind you that your candidate couldn't identify the number of houses he owns. Let me repeat that with some context...
The US is facing its roughest financial crisis since the second world war (according to larry summers), gas prices are through the roof, people are losing jobs, and even though there is a HOUSING nightmare, your candidate says that he doesn't know how many Houses he owns? I respect McCain's history, but what a moron!
And he's got that ebay girl as an economic adviser? I have nothing against her, but CMON!! Youre in a country where you have some of the brightest minds in the universe, and youre going to forgo a bright economist or intellectual for some ebay chick?? and Lieberman is one of your top foreign policy advisers?!?!? and you don't know how to use email (its 2008 for crying out loud!)?
One more thing...
McCain is Bush, pass it on
McCain is Bush, pass it on
McCain is Bush, pass it on
McCain is Bush, pass it on
McCain is Bush, pass it on
McCain is Bush, pass it on
McCain is Bush, pass it on...
The irony is that these chants are much more powerful than the most the dirtyest republican machine attack-lies...
News Alert! Mr. McCain's campaign is shitting in their pants, and we can now smell it from Canada...
Biden was a complete surprise, and they must now change their game plan. Though ruthless unethical tactics can be extremely imaginative, and one wonders what trivial garbage we'll see in the next little while...
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
You still have no clus as to what is going on beyond a couple of blocks. And you are still cleanniing up the crap laid on the floor--this time laid by your liberal friends.
Can anyone explain Joe Biden's actions or inactions concerning the recently (2006?) changed bankruptcy laws and relationship or non-relationship to MSMB (or whatever the credit card bank in Delaware calls itself)?
What does sbvor have to say about this?
If there's dirt, the Rethugs are sure to fill us in, after a few days. But I would rather read it where I can believe what is written.
Barack and Joe in 2008!
Anonymous,
I'm responding to your question of Biden's 2005 support for a controversial bankruptcy law regarding debtors and credit card issuers ... with no pretension I know all the details.
In brief, employees of a major Deleware located huge credit card company, called MBNA and recently bought by the Bank of America, were strong donors to Biden's political campaigns going back to 1989. In 2005, Biden (whose son also got a top executive job with MBNA) backed a bankruptcy law that made it more problematic for consumers to escape their debt obligations, including credit card debt. McCAIN also voted in favor of the law which some experts say has contributed to recent serious risein sub-prime home mortgage foreclosures.
Obama voted against law (which was passed in 2005) saying it favored the banks and credit card firms over the bodies of working class Americans. In July, Obama announced a plan to revise the law inequities by giving it more protection for those in debt.
Obviously, Obama and team of aware of Biden's being on the opposite side of this debatable legislation ... and didn't hold it against him. McCain has been vilified by many as being in the hands of banking and credit card lobbyists for suppoting this law.
Biden was not "ultra-liberal" on this one nor perfect clean. On the other hand, holding people responsible for their debts was the thrust of Biden's arguments ... a position we could all differ on but one I would probably favor in order to encourage responsible consumer borrowing.
On the other hand, it's much about peanuts as the donations to Biden campaign chest since 1989 averaged less than $13,000 a year. I'm sure he's received some guidance about this aberration from Obama's independence from the lobby world that continues to undermine our democracy. Obama has set a good standard in this regard with his largely "bottoms up" campaign financing.
In other parts of the world a go fer will remain go fer all his life. This should make you proud of being American. This country truly offers the opportunity to get what you want if you can work hard enough.
The way America is going, I suspect we will see more s___ jobs then ever before.
We have serious social-economic problems in this country that has led to drugs, crime, and hopelessness for many.
A young person today can expect a drop in life-style, opportunity, and health compared to their parents.
Where have morality, ethics, and compassion gone in this country???
The ultra-capitalism and wealth, health, and digital divide in this country will further reduce our nation from maintaining a world leadership position.
We need to remove corporations (lobbies) and Christianity from skewing our government decision making.
We need a change in Washington that will bring better jobs and opportunities for a better America.
I'm a go-fer for an NYC firm too. I think I'll enjoy my labor day by promptly excercising my American right to complain about my shitty job, all the while being paid on my day off to sit inside my home and drink alcohol from the bottles made and manufactured by the working class.
It's a reciprocal pattern people.
Anonymous said...
"Can anyone explain Joe Biden's actions or inactions concerning the recently (2006?) changed bankruptcy laws and relationship or non-relationship to MSMB (or whatever the credit card bank in Delaware calls itself)?"
You don't need to look any further than this legislation to see whose side Joe Biden is on. He's clearly a friend of the credit card industry and not regular working folks like they want you to believe.
He's the choice of a desperate Obama campaign amid sinking poll numbers and a growing belief that Obama is too inexperienced. He also supposedly is going to be able to connect with older white working class voters in a way that has escaped Obama.
Obama's campaign is in serious trouble. Far too many of these older whites aren't supporting Obama the way they enthusiastically supported hillary. Pundits say it's because they're still miffed at hillary losing and that Obama is too aloof, etc. etc.
The real reason is because there's an underlying racism and fear of Obama. This is why he's got real problems with this group and may be unable to reach them.
If McCain picks off even a modest number of these voters he will win however narrowly.
Biden isn't the answer.
notsofast....
since you forgot the topic of this blog... I'll add some perspective to your McBush rant:
Remember the Keating Five... and McCain's involvement with the savings and loan scandals.
Also, what is McCain hiding in his POW records??? Why did he seal all access to POW records.
This old man has a questionable past.
He also ditched his first wife for a rich-B_____.
He has so much wealth he can't count his own houses?????
He is out of touch with average Americans.
He wants to stay in Iraq with no time table for leaving???? Even Iraq is setting a time table. He must be out of touch with Iraq or he can't remember what is really going on there.
Aly K,
In the unlikely event that you actually care about the facts regarding the non-issue of Cindy McCain’s homes, you can find those facts here.
There, you will find these quotes:
“Sen. McCain himself does not own any of the properties. They're all owned by Cindy McCain, her dependent children and the trusts and companies they control.”
“The reality is that Barack Obama purchased his million-dollar mansion in a shady deal involving a convicted felon, and it raises questions about his ethics and judgment”
“The real reason [Obama's campaign is in serious trouble] is because there's an underlying racism and fear of Obama.”
Geez! The race card AGAIN!
The REAL reason Obama is losing ground is because Americans are learning more about the man, his history and his character and they don’t like what they see.
Notsovast,
You demean Biden's entire 35 years in the Senate with his vote on a three year old bankruptcy law concerning debtors, where his intentions were to make those responsible for their debts more responsible? I won't bother to list all the things this decent man has done for Middle-Class Americans to someone who is fundamentally oblivious to the Republican opportunistic dirty games and morals. We all have our warts, Notsovast, and politicians especially --- some far more than others. Biden's are negliable by a long shot. As for your other broad generalizations that Obama is desperate, suggest you read more about Obama's character and success against all odds against the Clinton power machine --- see Time Magazine's latest on Obama's background and NY Times recent writeup. He's a steely pragmatist first and foremost with the overriding goal to bring us more together to solve our concrete horrible deluge of problems and conflicts. He speaks succinctly about these as Biden does also. Divide, deceive and destroy the best in our political traditions of fairness for everyone are not concepts in their vocabularies --- nor do these terms remotely refelct either's genuine concern for the downtrodden --- contrary to your Fair Weather Friend diatribe. Wouldn't want you on my side when things get tough. Need to be able to stand the heat, my friend --- which the Republicans understand cunningly well about the naively trusting and confrontation averse Democrats. You clearly want McCain elected as you ignore or deny Biden's ability of how to do tough, honest battle with a dogmatic Republican fireball, lying, political, elite money-oiled machine. Well, if McCain's victory occurs, welcome to a Do Nothing Government for the indefinite future, where Life is going to get ever more hellish for average Americans hung up with a paralyzed check and balance governing process. So much for your shortsighted, superficial remarks about Biden and Obama. Have you thought about joining the McCain campaign? The political morals are above question and the benefits are great as shown by fact he's no fool with his seven homes. Good luck with the millionaire club. Most of us will stick by Biden and Obama's relatively modest one home guest accomodation any day.
No lectures on the virtues of Edmund Burke and his phony progressivism? lol
So, yea. This post was about Labor Day...
Why are the dems showcasing Michelle Obama tonight at their convention? Did the gop do this with Laura Bush at their conventions in 2000/04?
Given her unappealing public persona this probably isn't a good idea. She just doesn't come across as warm and fuzzy. I'd keep her in the background as much as possible. Politics to most people is far more visceral than details about policy or abstract principles.
She could really hurt Obama this fall.
LOL...I am laughing so hard, I hope my boss doesn't hear me. Imagine, starting out like this, and then becoming a Cabinet member and a professor! Truly amazing and wonderful.
Biden's bankruptcy legislation didn't solve any problems.
The bankruptcy law was already harsh.
He made it harder for Americans to finish bankruptcy, so they'd be thrown back into the lending shark tank.
The problem with bankruptcy from the credit card view is that it freezes balances. People pay a fixed debt off.
Without bankruptcy, debts are repaid based on Credit Card corporation fantasies. In the contract you sign when you get a credit card, they can change rates and assess penalties at any time for any reason. In essence, you borrow a fixed quantity of money, and then they decided daya to day, how much they want you to pay them back.
There is no law that limits the fees and interest rates they can charge. For a $50 debt, they can balloon you debt into thousands of dollars. and you righteously owe that if they say you do. You signed the contract.
So when people fail in bankruptcy, the credit card corporations can legally double or triple your debt, just out of spite for trying to use bankruptcy to help you pay your debts.
I went through bankruptcy after massive layoffs in my industry and my wife's expensive emergency hospital stay.
I paid 100% of the inflated debt the credit card corporations asked for. But until that filing, they kept raising the amount I owed, over and over. I had a $5,000 debt climb to over $12,000 in a few months, just because the corporation knew they could rape me. There was nothing to stop them. Had I failed in completing my bankruptcy, they could've kept the money paid and added late fees.
I'm sure there were millionaires abusing the old system, and millionaires abusing the new system. And the people who have the least, still pay the most.
But just as a thought experiment, imagine a really greed corporation.
You charge a $100 dollar pair of shoes.
They hold back your payment, so they can assess late fees, as is a common practice in the industry. not even evil, just immoral from our point of view.
Now that you've paid late according to their records, they decide to raise your rate and assess fees.
This cycle repeats a few times. You even pay off a complete bill, but because they hold it back and post it late (still common practice), they prevent you from paying it off.
Now they come back and tell you that you owe $1450.00, but you can pay it off now if you send them $750.00
You owe them, right? This is your debt. It would be immoral not to pay it, correct?
Legally they can do this. No one can stop them. we know this, so if they do, it's we that accepted the deal, right? We are responsible, right?
Opinions?
Most credit card companies are parasitic and politicians who enable their predatory activities are no better.
weaseldog:
All in all agree with your post. I have misused and abused credit cards for more years than I like to remember. I don't believe I ever got totally screwed by any of them but that may have been sheer luck.
Any of us who use credit cards knows that theirs is a business and in the business world the consumer is always at greater risk. When there was more competition in the industry one could play the game of switching to promo interest rates and do it multiple times. One could also, if smart, take advantage by paying the bill in full every month, incurring no interest charges and no fees. When the hole gets so deep that the latter option is unavailable it does portend that we have misused the process.
There are many who do not understand, nor read, all the small print, and do suffer but whose fault is that. No industry exists, for long, giving away profits to hapless consumers.
I am a strong proponent of tighter laws on credit card companies; restricting interest rates chargeable; limiting terms and conditions changes to new debt and not already incurred debt, and controlling fees to some reasonable amount. Ultimately, however, it is we who are responsible for our behaviors. Eve ate the apple knowing it was not a good idea and we are all still paying a price for that.
I agree with you Art.
The Credit Card industry is effectively unregulated.
This needs to change.
There's nothing wrong in my view in loaning money with interest.
However, a contract in which one side has free reign to rewrite it at anytime, without warning or consent of the other parties, should be illegal.
There should be clear rules on how credit card corporations operate. The current system where they loan a fixed quantity of money, then can willy nilly, change rates and balances on a whim, is an abomination.
Yeah, we have all had really bad jobs at one time or another. I realize I actually learned more about human nature and politics from the bad jobs than the good ones.
LOL. There are many shitty jobs. Organized labor is simply a FREE MARKET response to corporate hegemony. It is a normal and predictable outcome. And, that is why unions or collective bargaining or workers rights in some form are coming back. Doesn't matter to me if they do or they don't. But, they are. Corporations had their day. They had an opportunity to show us we no longer needed a counterweight. They failed.
The way for American workers to gain more power is to be in demand. If every American would just shift $20 more a month of their spending to products Made In USA, the American worker would be much better off.
Check out http://whybuymadeinusa.com/ for more about this and to find quality products that are Made In USA.
Happy Labor Day!
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"Labor was the first price, the original purchase-money that was paid for all things. It was not by gold or by silver, but by labor, that all wealth of the world was originally purchased."
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