Sunday, May 18, 2014

"It's A Big Club"

If anyone knows what congress has done since March, please enlighten me. According to what I've read this was the last piece of legislation; "National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2014" To reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information System."
I know, it's boring. What they did was amend a law already in place from 2006. Other than fighting to shut down the government. WTF have they done? Oh right Benghazi....
I also was reading about Bernie Sanders maybe, sort of, running for president in 2016, and Hillary Clinton maybe, sort of, running for President in 2016.
This led me to look back to the 2012 National Platform.
"Rebuilding the middle class" and "putting America back to work" seemed like the priority. Fair enough, 
Here's what's happening in reality, buried in this NYT article after all the happy 6.3%  BS unemployment rate, comes this kernel of truth;
"Thomas E. Perez, the labor secretary, suggested the big drop in the number of workers in the household survey was caused by fewer new entrants coming into the job market, rather than a sudden exodus out of it."
Ok, So if there are "fewer entrants" and no "sudden exodus" and there's a "big drop in the number of workers" wouldn't supply and demand in this free market economy suggest that workers are scarce and there are jobs that aren't being filled? According to this article there's "a new sense of optimism" which reminds me of the whole "it's coming back" trope people tell me. I want to know, who's optimistic?
Maybe it's just me, but I think the NSA is the big employer, this is the reason we don't have an unemployment problem. Because "putting America back to work" was part of the 2012 National Platform. So I'm curious about any legislation introduced about employment. List of bills in the 113th United States Congress - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Does anyone remember "The Middle Class Bargain"? That was on the platform too.  
 Also "access to higher education" College Costs Surge 500% in U.S. Since 1985: Chart of the Day - Bloomberg
You can have access as long as you can pay or be willing to be a debt slave, IF you can find a job that pays enough to get out of your parents house. 
The biggest victory for the Democrats had been the Affordable Care Act, that is, if you can afford it. "Standing Up For Workers" was also on the platform. I'm not sure who stood up for these workers. The White House Say's it wants a $10.10 minimum wage, but nothing has been done by anyone. Nope.
 My favorite thing on the platform is this;
21st Century Government: Transparent and Accountable
Yeah, ask Edward Snowden about it. 
 Maybe we should be grateful for the do nothing government we have. I guess they have the potential to screw things up even more. Most people think this is about political gridlock or party politics, but that's all entertainment. What this is really about is the status quo, corporate profits, and keeping things the same by doing nothing. This is purposeful. Very few want to believe it. That's why people keep voting. It doesn't matter what party you like. They are all in it together, and they don't give a damn.
                                        11 Things That Suck About America - PolicyMic
 


2 comments:

  1. Some of this comes right back to the doorstep of our B-minus president, and he earns the B-minus only because he did deliver on some version of Affordable Care, although not with the "public option" he promised us. Otherwise he'd be a C-minus. Not as bad as the F I'd give Dubya, but not exactly stellar, either.

    I believe the problem goes back to the early days of his presidency, whenObama failed to take action against the war criminals in the previous administration. Had Bush-Cheney been called out for lying to the American public, causing the loss of thousands of lives, water boarding, etcetera...and hadMr. Obama taken a strong stance on his program rather than expecting that if he played nice-nice, the Republicans would sing Kumbaya, he might have had a more successful presidency. Politicos don't bite people they fear Nor do they bark.

    Alas, I'm not confident that Hillary will be significantly better. She owes too much to the one percent. Which leaves the majority of Americans dying by inches. I suppose that's better than having the trap door opened beneath us, but even so....

    Crankily yours,
    The New York Crank

    ReplyDelete
  2. Crank, thank you for the thoughtful response. I agree with you, I never understood why we "can't look back." (BTW, you were too generous w/"W") I desperately wish there was someone we could believe in and Elizabeth Warren would be that person, IMHO. Look out for the trap door.....

    ReplyDelete