Medicare

"Wall Street" Is A Symbol - & It's Even LESS Popular Than Congress!

October 5, 2011 by Left in Alabama

A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows that 33% of Americans view the Occupy Wall Street protesters favorably.  In contrast, an ABC poll found that only 14% of Americans view Congress favorably.  Looks like the public is far ahead of the media and pundits: we know who's screwing us over - and it's not the folks camping out in NYC.

Yet still, the traditional media is having a difficult time - perhaps on purpose - articulating the issue.  Douglas Rushkoff discusses their dilemma on the CNN Web site:

Dollars, sense and the new American Resistance

October 5, 2011 by Kenneth

(Cross-posted at Saint Petersblog & Daily Kos)

 

“There’s something happening here

What it is ain’t exactly clear…”

Steven Stills wrote those opening lines of Buffalo Springfield’s classic protest song, “”, in 1966. It wasn’t just the Vietnam War tearing America apart at the time. It was the struggle for Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, and some measure of socioeconomic stability for America’s millions of poor, elderly and disabled citizens.

It’s no accident that the social unrest and political activism marking those years was accompanied by historic enactment of the Civil Rights Act, Medicare and Medicaid, by a Democratic Congress and President, Lyndon Baines Johnson, who even declared ”War On Poverty” in 1964.

Bank of America - A Unique Display of Corporate Greed

October 4, 2011 by Calitics

by Mitch Seaman, California Labor Federation

Forbes magazine as gutsy consumer advocate? Well, not really, but even the favored rag of corporate shills everywhere seemed stunned by Bank of America’s $5 debit fee announcement on Friday, accusing the banking behemoth of committing

a common mistake large corporations make: taking the customer for granted, holding the belief that whatever products or services they offer are unique and indispensible, so their customers will always be there.

While we agree that Bank of America’s incompetence runs rampant throughout the banking industry, by several measures of greed and arrogance, this troubled corporation stands alone. Allow us to present Bank of America with the following uniquely dubious titles:

Ryan's Medicare plan poses a big problem for Wisconsin GOP Senate candidates

October 3, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Paul Ryan opted out of running for Herb Kohl's Senate seat next year. But he left a little something behind. His Medicare plan -- to end Medicare as we know it and replace it with a type of voucher plan that would cost seniors more -- is very much going to be a part of the 2012 Senate race in Wisconsin.

The problem for GOP candidates, who are fighting in the primary to win the party's conservative base, is that while Republican voters tend to like Ryan's plan, most other voters don't. It will take some careful positioning to finesse the problem Ryan has created for them.

Of course, Mark Neumann doesn't need to prove his conservative bona fides. It's former governor Tommy T who's getting flak about being too liberal for 21st Century Republicanism.

Maybe to prove himself Tommy will come out to the right of Neumann on Medicare and Social Security. But that could kill him in November.

This little dance could be fun for Democrats to watch.