Read a little. Learn a lot. • Tightly-written news, views and stuff • Follow us on Twitter • Be a Facebook Fan • Tumble us!

25 Jul 2011 23:09

tags

Politics: A little perspective on this whole deficit mess

  • This graph, courtesy of the New York Times, has been making the rounds today, and it’s worth examining. Note that health care reform, much-maligned by the right as deficit-killer, cost less than even the most inexpensive of George W. Bush’s policies (that policy being Medicare Part D). Note also that the Bush tax cuts alone added more to the deficit than all of President Obama’s new policies combined — and that’s including projected spending over the course of a theoretical second term.  source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Jul 2011 22:59

tags

Offbeat: Pea lobby agrees with Obama’s pro-pea statements

  • We know that if tasty and nutritious meals featuring peas are served more frequently in the White House and in the cafeterias of both Houses of Congress, it will contribute to a balanced diet, if not a balanced budget.
  • Pete Klaiber, director of marketing for the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council (which, surprisingly, exists) • Klaiber is reacting to the President’s comment this morning that we Americans need to “pull off the Band-Aid [and] eat our peas.” The President was being metaphorical, referring to harsh-but-necessary budget cuts and austerity measures, but you gotta give the DPLC creativity points for spotting this as an opportunity to push their pro-pea message. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Jun 2011 18:48

tags

World: Protests continue in Greece after austerity plan passes

  • Tumult, violence in Greece: Passions continue to run hot in Greece after the party-line vote in favor of a harsh new set of austerity measures — the new tax burden placed on minimum wage earners, in particular, has inflamed swaths of the public against the plan. Protests had been increasingly violent leading up to the vote, and have sustained after the plan’s passage — police have responded with teargas attacks on the protesting crowds. As always, we hope people find a way to keep themselves safe in all this. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Jun 2011 17:24

tags

World: Christine Lagarde named new head of IMF

  • The new face of the Fund: The International Monetary Fund’s hunt for a new managing director (in the wake of rape allegations against former leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn) has come to an end, and Christine Lagarde is the winner. Lagarde is currently a French Finance Minister (meaning the European grip on this position will continue), and will begin a five-year term as the IMF head on July 5th. Her first comments of relevance since the announcement, predictably, were about Greece: “If I have one message tonight about Greece, it is to call on the Greek political opposition to support the party that is currently in power in a spirit of national unity.” Translation: I’d really like you all to get going with this unpopular austerity plan, sooner rather than later. (photo via the World Economic Forum’s Flickr page) source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Feb 2011 22:11

tags

Offbeat: Meet the British government’s highest-ranking cat. (Seriously.)

  • Meet Britain’s new Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office: Larry the Cat has one of the most important jobs in Britain – and it’s one that the government, wisely, didn’t put on the chopping block during their recent austerity craze. See, Larry, a 4-year-old former stray, will be in charge of killing mice inside of David Cameron’s 10 Downing Street office. There are many rats in London, and Larry seems like he’s up to the job. We salute you, old chap. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Dec 2010 21:23

tags

World: Rich people caught among commoners don’t know what hit them

“These college kids ruined our nice day, Charles!” “I know, dear … driver, do we have one of those Popemobiles in our fleet? If so, we need one!” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Nov 2010 13:10

tags

Biz, World: Angry Irish people take to streets to protest tough austerity plan

  • We’ve seen this song and dance before. First in Greece, then Belgium, then France, then in Britain, but it’s still not any more frustrating to watch – especially in Ireland’s case. The Irish had a solid decade of economic growth, only to see the economy go into freefall and be forced to take upon tons of bailout money in the span of about two years. So that’s why these people are protesting in Dublin today. They’re angry because of the insane cuts they’ll be forced to swallow – the worst of any European nation so far. (Photo by Marcus Swan) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

14 Nov 2010 20:40

tags

World: Northern Ireland political icon Gerry Adams: Ireland needs my help

  • We need more voices that will stand up against the consensus for cuts – more voices that will stand up for ordinary people. We need new politics. We need a political realignment. A change of government without a change in policies will be worthless.
  • Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams • Revealing his plans to leave Northern Ireland politics to run for parliament in Ireland’s mainland. It’s ironic that he says “voices” so many times in this quote. Adams’ voice was famously banned from British television in the ’80s due to his party’s ties to the Irish Republican Army. Adams has long been an advocate of making Northern Ireland a part of Ireland proper, but his reasons for running for Irish parliament are largely economic – he plans to run largely in opposition to the deep cuts current leadership is making in the country. We covered some of the country’s problems earlier today. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Oct 2010 14:56

tags

World: French Senate ignores protesters’ cries, passes pension law anyway

  • anger For that last few days, protesters have been making life in France pretty rough, partly over an age increase for pensions, from 60 to 62. It’s not that bad, guys!
  • indifferenceDespite days of rage and problems with fuel distribution caused by the protests, the French Senate passed it anyway. Now it’s headed to President Sarkozy to sign. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Oct 2010 10:15

tags

World: The word of the day in Britain is “austerity.” Hey, budget cuts!

  • Hear that sound? That’s the sound of a bunch of Brits taking in the government’s new austerity measures, a tour that’s hit many other European nations already. (In some countries, such as France and Greece, the reaction has been harsh and violent.) They have a plan to decrease their spending within a few years, and much of the cut is going to come directly from their welfare state. They’re cutting in other places, too, but this is where the average person will feel it most:
  • 19% in overall spending cuts over the next four years
  • 2015 the year British finance minister George Osbourne says they want have the budget balanced
  • 490k the number of public sector job cuts Osbourne says they expect to make due to austerity measures source
  • 66 the new retirement age (by year 2020) – and France is bitching about retiring at 62
  • 24 the minimum number of hours that couples need to work to receive the Working Tax Credit
  • £7B the amount the government says it could save each year with new welfare cuts source
  • » Where they’re still heavily focused: The country is making great efforts towards green energy, investing in wind energy and cutting carbon. Still, it’s worth emphasizing that these are coming during a period where they’re making some of the harshest cuts since World War II.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
top tags
older >>