The Union Makes Us Strong, and Fox’s Corporate Backers Can’t Stand That

My friend and mentor Big Stu provides a succinct answer to the question, “Are unions still relevant?“ The story itself is classic Fox: feigned objectivity while implicitly slanting the story in favor of the corporate narrative. Yes, “the numbers don’t lie”. But the numbers have a history, one that Fox and other corporate outlets persistently [...]

Capitalism explained

(From David Ruccio’s Occasional Notes & Commentary)

Survey reveals little faith in “free market capitalism”, widespread support for regulation and redistribution

A BBC survey finds a high degree of skepticism about “free market capitalism” across 27 countries. Even in the U.S., fewer than one-quarter of respondents agreed that it “works well and increased regulation will make it less efficient”. Overall, “free market capitalism” garnered uncritical support from only 11% of respondents, while nearly a quarter agreed [...]

Corporate medicine is hazardous to your health

I’ve read several criticisms of universal health care (a.k.a. “government-run medicine”) on the grounds of “you get what you pay for.” As stories like this remind us, that would be a vast improvement over the current insurance corporation-run system.

Easterbrookian claptrap

In my Employment Law class today, I am covering intentional interference with the employment relationship, for which the students are reading Judge Frank Easterbrook’s opinion in Kumpf v. Steinhaus, 779 F.2d 1323 (7th Cir. 1985). The opinion is noteworthy, not so much for its treatment of the intentional tort issue, as for the tortured logic [...]

It’s good to be the King; it sucks to be his peasant

Don’t throw out the lifeline ’til they’re clean out of reach

I made this myself. I’m very proud.

Capital, it fails us now!

Even though I’m sure it will end badly, I can’t help but regard this as good news.

Nice work if you can get it

Speaking of unjustifiable executive pay: Mr. Fishman [deposed CEO of failed bank Washington Mutual], who has been on the job for less than three weeks, is eligible for $11.6 million in cash severance and will get to keep his $7.5 million signing bonus

And another one gone, and another one gone

Another one bites the dust.