occupy . . .

E.J. Dionne Jr. explains why Paul Ryan is unhappy.

It's hard to justify more tax cuts for the wealthy in a country that is becoming more rigidly stratified by class.
. . .
Telling the truth about inequality is politically wise, and morally necessary.

the big puma . . .

Lance Berkman has a world series ring! While many of us in Houston regard the Big Puma as one of the Astro greats he is also clearly a Cardinal.

Berkman, a 36-year-old lifelong Texan who graduated from New Braunfels Canyon High and led Rice University to its first College World Series appearance in 1997, hit the historic game-tying two-out, two-strike single in the bottom of the 10th inning of Game 6 on Thursday night.

The Cardinals were twice one strike away from losing the World Series in six games, but they bounce back to win 10-9 in 11 innings and captured Game 7, 6-2.

Berkman went 1-for-3 with two runs scored in the deciding seventh game.

California blue eyes . . .

photo of the day

bird and hawk . . .

Session I Improvisation of Genius of Jazz CHARLIE PARKER alto sax and COLEMAN HAWKINS tenor sax (date 1950) with: Hank Jones - Piano,
Ray Brown - Double bass, Buddy Rich - Drums.
By Peppe Ruotolo

the blame game

While Robert Downey, Jr., a movie actor, is asking us to forgive someone, Herman Cain, an ex-CEO and president wannabe, is suggesting that we electrify anyone attempting to cross the U.S. border away from a port of entry . . .

Actually, Mr. Cain is full of ideas about who is to blame and who, like himself, are blameless . . . Heidi Shierholz of the Economic Policy Institute explains why Mr. Cain is pointing in the wrong direction . . .

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain responded to a question about the Occupy Wall Street protests by saying, “Don’t blame the big banks. If you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, blame yourself.”

Here are the facts: This morning, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released new data from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey showing that there were nearly 3.1 million job openings in August. However, we know from other BLS data that there were 14 million unemployed workers in August. In other words, there were nearly 11 million more job seekers than job openings.

The ratio of unemployed workers to job openings is now 4.6-to-1. A job seeker’s ratio of more than 4-to-1 means there are literally no jobs available for more than three out of four unemployed workers. In a given month in today’s labor market, the vast majority of the unemployed are not going to find a job no matter what they do.

string theory . . .

global crisis?

Is it really possible that the biggest political story of the coming U.S. presidential race is the Euro crisis and its global consequences - a story that few of us are probably closely following . . . ?

my main man . . .

no . . . no . . . no . . . and no . . .

A piece (Republican Gridlock Holds Consumers Hostage) from The Star-Ledger Editorial Page that hits the nail squarely on the head.

Republicans aggressively fought the appointment of Elizabeth Warren to head the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and came away with a big scalp: Warren herself, the architect of the new agency, stepped down as nominee and returned to Massachusetts to run for the U.S. Senate. With any luck, voters there will send her back to Washington to continue challenging those who would shield banks and big business at the expense of the American consumer.

You’d think, having ousted Warren, the Republicans would get down to the people’s business. Think again. Now, the Party of No is refusing to confirm President Obama’s new nominee, Richard Cordray, unless the agency is restructured — that is, essentially gutted of its powers to protect consumers. This has nothing to do with Cordray’s credentials — he’s the highly regarded former state attorney general of Ohio — and everything to do with the political gridlock that has enraged voters and engendered cynicism with government. And it lays waste to the lessons that were supposedly learned after the collapse of the mortgage industry and housing market in 2008, when consumer ignorance combined with banking’s predatory practices to create a disaster.

they are liars . . .

When Republicans (or anyone else) make a claim that they know to be untrue that is a lie . . .

After President Obama unveiled his jobs and deficit reduction plans, he took to the road to draw a contrast between himself and the Republican politicians who want to end his political career. Obama's proposes to spend money now on hiring people and cutting taxes temporarily to spur further job growth, and pay for it in just over a year, in large part by raising taxes on wealthy Americans.

The Republican vision -- phasing out safety net programs like Medicare in order to maintain low tax rates on the same group of affluent people -- is far less popular. So in their own tried and true way, Republicans recast Obama's plan for "shared sacrifice" as "the largest tax increase in history."

What a difference! But also untrue.