Connecticut

On Imperfection, Or, How Do You Choose A New Bank?

October 3, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Like a lot of people these days, we have come to the conclusion that it’s time to change our lousy bank.

And it wasn’t even like we chose badly, either – we were customers of Washington Mutual for almost two decades, and we loved ‘em: they were nice people to deal with, they didn’t constantly hammer you every time you came in to the branch with desperate sales pitches, and they didn’t even charge you for using another bank’s cash machines.

It turns out, however, that all that beneficence came at a cost: WaMu made a lot of money making sketchy mortgage loans, and when it all came crashing down, we found ourselves customers of JPMorgan Chase, who we now hate with the fire of a thousand suns.

But it turns out choosing a new bank ain’t all that easy – and that’s where you come into today’s conversation.

When you get sick, should you risk losing your job? Milwaukee: Yes, Seattle: No

September 17, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Job may get sick, tooThe problem with representative democracy in America is that, too often, it's home sick in bed. Example:

About 70 percent of City of Milwaukee voters decided in 2008 via binding referendum to create an ordinance mandating sick pay for virtually all workers in the city, and not just the well-compensated ones. The Metropolitan Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce (MMAC) fought a losing battle against the measure in court until, finally, the Republican-controlled Wisconsin legislature enacted a statewide law tailored to un-do the Milwaukee ordinance.

That's right. When more than two-thirds of Milwaukee voters not only wanted something but took formal action at the ballot to enact a law making it happen, elites both public and private fought them on the basis that it would be bad for business. Now there's your definition of sickly, right there.