ON March 30, the National Labor Relations Board’s New York office delivered a stinging accusation against one of the city’s — and the nation’s — most popular retail outlets. The labor board charged that Starbucks, the ubiquitous coffee chain, committed 30 violations of law in the process of trying to ward off union activity at… Continue reading Latte Laborers Take on a Latte-Liberal Business
Pelosi’s Delegation Presses Syrian Leader on Militants
Delegation members said that they sought to persuade Mr. Assad to distance himself from Iran, and its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iran has become Syria’s ally in the growing confrontation with the so-called quartet of moderate Arab states, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. From NYT This is one of those moments where… Continue reading Pelosi’s Delegation Presses Syrian Leader on Militants
Qaeda Is Seen as Restoring Leadership
American, European and Pakistani authorities have for months been piecing together a picture of the new leadership, based in part on evidence-gathering during terrorism investigations in the past two years. Particularly important have been interrogations of suspects and material evidence connected to a plot British and American investigators said they averted last summer to destroy… Continue reading Qaeda Is Seen as Restoring Leadership
Bob Barr explains the conservative crack-up
So the conservative movement in recent years has suffered from allowing itself to become captured by the Republican Party, and it has lost, in many respects, its independence, the power that comes from being a true independent, principled movement, the conservative movement. These issues have become very complex because of that. So, for example, when… Continue reading Bob Barr explains the conservative crack-up
Sub-prime Lender Files for Bankruptcy
Once a highflier in the booming market for making risky mortgage loans, the New Century Financial Corporation filed for bankruptcy court protection today. From NYT Not sure how I feel about this news from the mortgage industry. Normally, I think home ownership is a net-good for society. But that shouldn’t be an excuse for lenders… Continue reading Sub-prime Lender Files for Bankruptcy
Income inequality grew significantly in 2005
Income inequality grew significantly in 2005, with the top 1 percent of Americans — those with incomes that year of more than $348,000 — receiving their largest share of national income since 1928, analysis of newly released tax data shows. The top 10 percent, roughly those earning more than $100,000, also reached a level of… Continue reading Income inequality grew significantly in 2005
the meaning of good and bad
A nod to TPM for pointing out an absurd GOP talking point that has made it into the Washington Post. Backed by a unified party and fresh from a slew of legislative victories, Democratic leaders appear to believe there is hardly any territory they cannot stray onto, a development that has Republican political operatives gleeful… Continue reading the meaning of good and bad
proof that we are stuck in someone else’s war
Ms. Saadoun was a Sunni Arab living in a Shiite enclave of western Baghdad. A widowed mother of seven, she and her family had been chased out once before. This time, she called American and Kurdish soldiers at a base less than a mile to the east…. The next morning, Ms. Saadoun was shot dead… Continue reading proof that we are stuck in someone else’s war
Greenwald on Brooks
David Brooks’ column in The New York Times this morning contains several important observations. It would maximize clarity in our political discussions if journalists could just ingest Brooks’ central point: the dominant right-wing political movement in this country that has spawned and driven the Bush presidency has nothing to do with – it is in… Continue reading Greenwald on Brooks
Ex-Aide Says Gonzales Was Involved in Firings
“I don’t think the attorney general’s statement that he was not involved in any discussions about U.S. attorney removals is accurate,” the former Gonzales aide, D. Kyle Sampson, said under questioning at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. From New York Times Looks like Sampson wasn’t willing to be the next Scooter Libby.