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New Labor Leader Trumka Demands Real Reform on Wall Street, Across the Economy by Seth Michaels, OurFuture.org | September 22, 2009
On Wall Street today, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka is calling for tough new regulations on the financial industry and a new approach to making the U.S. economy work for working people. read more »Steel City: Forgotten But Not Gone by Eric Lotke, OurFuture.org | September 22, 2009
In the lead up to the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh, mainstream media are telling half a story. read more »Brown Looks to Add More Money for Clean-Energy Jobs in Climate Bill by Kate Sheppard, washingtonindependent.com | September 21, 2009
As the Senate awaits the cap-and-trade bill expected to be released sometime before the end of September, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is looking for ways to get more incentives for manufacturing and clean-energy technology in the bill that might help sweeten the deal for Midwest Democrats. Brown has already introduced the Investments for Manufacturing Progress and Clean Technology Act (or, the IMPACT Act) in the Senate, which would provide $30 billion to help small and medium-sized manufacturers transition to clean energy technology through a revolving loan fund. The fund would be distributed by states to support improved energy efficiency, retooling and expansion of manufacturing for new clean-energy technology. The climate and energy bill that the House passed in June included Brown’s provision. read more »The G-20: Lessons from Pittsburgh by Eric Lotke, OurFuture.org | September 21, 2009
At the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh later this week, people will hear about the city's slump and rebirth. That's good as far as it goes, but it dodges the ultimate question. Can the United States remain the world’s consumer forever? Or will the G-20 chart the process by which the global economy after the crisis is more balanced, less dependent on U.S. consumption, and sustainable in Pittsburgh as well as Beijing? read more »A Factory Like A City by David Bacon, Truthout | September 18, 2009
Last month, Toyota announced it would close the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) plant in Fremont, California, after General Motors announced it was withdrawing from the partnership under which the plant has operated for over two decades. The plant employs 4,500 workers directly, and the jobs of another 30,000 throughout Northern California are dependent on its continued operation. Taking families into account, the threatened closure will eliminate the income of over 100,000 people. read more »Tire Tariff Aids Manufacturing by Scott Paul, detnews.com | September 18, 2009
President Barack Obama deserves credit for making a tough call on trade and imposing tariffs on consumer tires from China for the next three years, resisting the pleas of most opinion elites across the nation and one of the principal financiers of our massive public debt: China's government. read more »Myths Of Protectionism Are Spread To Exploit Workers and the Environment by Dave Johnson, OurFuture.org | September 18, 2009
“Protectionism” is a very powerful word. In fact, simply evoking the word is capable of ending debate on any subject related to trade. Invoking the magic words, “You can’t do that, it would be protectionist,” settles all arguments. read more »The Zakaria-Friedman Complex: How & Why the Establishment Media Whitewashes China by David SIrota, openleft.com | September 17, 2009
Why We Fight the Tire War With China by Marie Cocco, truthdig.com | September 17, 2009
Three decades of fundamentalist faith that markets work best when undisturbed by common-sense rules have culminated in the current Great Recession, in worsening inequality and diminished prospects for American workers. There comes a time for everything. And the right time to stand against unfair trade is now. read more »John Sweeney's Real Triumphs by Harold Meyerson, The Washington Post | September 16, 2009
How do we assess Sweeney's tenure as president? That question was actually posed to him, prospectively, at the news conference that immediately followed his initial election. The expectations for American labor were uncommonly high at that moment: Sweeney had just run the only successful insurgent campaign for the AFL-CIO's presidency in the federation's history, based on renewing labor's commitment to organizing after decades of declining membership. No surprise, then, that Sweeney said he should be judged by his record in reversing that decline. read more »
The Latest
The sweatshop price of Apple’s huge success, Marketwatch | February 3, 2012
The beautiful iPad, a technical and financial success story in the modern age. If you have bought one you probably love it, its that good. more »TARP expected to cost U.S. only $25 billion, CBO says, The Washington Post | November 30, 2010
The Troubled Assets Relief Program, which was widely reviled as a $700 billion bailout for Wall Street titans, is now expected to cost the federal government a mere $25 billion - the equivalent of less than six months of emergency jobless benefits. more »
If GOP wins, Expect More Obstruction, The Washington Post | October 19, 2010
I'm cautious about the conventional wisdom that the Democratic Party is about to get flattened by a Republican steamroller. Pollsters are less certain than they'd like you to believe about who's a "likely voter" and who isn't. more »
Banks Restart Foreclosures, The Wall Street Journal | October 19, 2010
Bank of America Corp. reopened more than 100,000 foreclosure actions, declaring that it had found no significant problems in its procedures for seizing homes. GMAC Mortgage, a lender and loan servicer, said that it also is pushing ahead with an unspecified number of foreclosures that came under intense pressure.
Geithner Weak Dollar Seen as U.S. Recovery Route Versus BRICs, bloomberg.com | October 19, 2010
Gridlock Sam: The Tea Party’s Bridge to Beyond Nowhere, pbs.org | October 19, 2010
The Tea Party has captured the imagination and spirit of many Americans and may very well turn that into a powerful voting bloc come November. But, that bloc may not have a leg or girder to stand on as our nation’s infrastructure continues to crumble. more »
Administration Assures Pelosi on Restoration of Renewables Aid, thehill.com | August 11, 2010
The Obama administration has “assured” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that $3.5 billion in renewable energy loan guarantees diverted for other policy priorities will be restored this year. more »
S. Carolina Takes Stimulus Money, The New York Times | August 11, 2010
State Aid Bill Breezes Into Law, dyn.politico.com | August 11, 2010
Included is $10 billion to preserve teaching jobs in the new school year, and $16.1 billion to help states cover their Medicaid payments for the first six months of 2011. more »
$26-Billion Aid Package for States Becomes Law, Los Angeles Times | August 11, 2010
