Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

cal04

(41,505 posts)
Wed Apr 15, 2015, 09:00 PM Apr 2015

Mandatory Wednesday Malloy Truthseeker Check In! Church Night!! Crying Uncle



http://www.themic921.com/main.html <12-3am central
http://www.mikemalloy.com
http://stream.am950ktnf.com:8000/listen.pls
http://tunein.com/radio/Progressive-Voices-s189055/

(Video stream link)
http://new.livestream.com/mikemalloyshow/live

For a more low key Chatroom try- http://headonradionetwork.com/chatroom / Here's the HORN Chatroom link- http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=137054

Mike's Blog Picks
http://www.fairywoodland.com / http://candorcandy.vox.com / http://www.unknownnews.org/ http://www.pbsblog.com/ http://www.americanfilms.com / http://www.officialwire.com / http://www.justcoffeeart.com / http://www.democraticwarrior.com http://www.markmarshall.com / http://www.democracyinteractive.com / http://www.redpill8.blogspot.com/ http://www.switch2green.org http://www.superbeans.com /

Malloy You Tube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/hschulein
http://tunein.com/radio/Progressive-Voices-s189055/

Crying Uncle
http://www.mikemalloy.com/shows/crying-uncle/

Tax Day. The day that Grover Norquist and the insane Libertarians hate the most. It’s no picnic for most Americans, either – unless you’re among the lucky 1% who have so much money our lawmakers figure they’re too rich to pay taxes. The Leona Helmsley class who know that only “little people” pay taxes. Oh, and it’s a happy day for the corporations, the Neocons in Congress decided they didn’t have to pay their fair share, either. Funny that, since the Supreme Court declared that corporations were people. Guess they’re also part of America’s 1% Fortunate Sons.

We of the 99% are carrying the burden of funding the workings of the Federal government by ourselves, while there are hundreds of billions of dollars that American corporations are concealing from Uncle Sam in overseas accounts. Recently, to avoid prosecution, a swiss bank agreed to pay $211 in fines for helping a small fragment of these corporate felons hide their billions. But the IRS is too disorganized, the tax code too complicated, and staff too poorly trained to go after these crooks in a meaningful way.

Have you ever wondered why the decades-old congressional promise to simplify the tax code has never been legislated? The current tax code is a nightmare, it exceeds 70,000 pages and there have been 15,000 changes in tax laws since the last major rewrite in 1986. And the Devil, indeed, is in these tangled details. Clearly, there is safety in that massive mess of papers for our corporate criminals and, obviously, for their congressional cronies.

Of course, even if – by some miracle – the the current system was reformed to perfection and a sensible tax code enacted – the Capitol Hill gang would likely allocate most of the new influx of cash to those programs devoted to death and destruction, rather than to education, infrastructure repair, scientific research, sustainable energy programs, environmental protection, or any human service that would keep people alive and healthy, rather than destroy cities and make people dead.

But I digress . . . .

The wage gap in America is disturbing. According to the NY Times: The United States has one of the world’s largest pay gaps, with chief executives earning nearly 300 times what the average worker makes, according to some economists’ estimates. That is much higher than the 20-to-1 ratio recommended by Gilded Age magnates like J. Pierpont Morgan and the 20th century management visionary Peter Drucker.

Today thousands of Americans in 230 cities are fighting to change that shameful statistic. As we have discussed on previous programs, many full-time fast food employees earning minimum wage (or a tad more) are forced to accept public assistance, as in food stamps, to scrape by. You may remember McDonald’s infamous helpful “tips”page on their website, full of helpful advice for their poor workers, such as chewing their food slowly to make it last longer, or using smaller plates to make it appear they have enough to eat. Or, my favorite, supplementing their income by selling their belongings on ebay – like unopened Christmas gifts.

How many McDonald’s corporate officers are on food stamps, you reckon? Or are selling their Rolex’s on ebay to buy Ramen noodles and peanut butter?

These employees aren’t slackers, looking for handouts. They are hardworking Americans who would jump at the chance to earn enough to pay their fair share of taxes. NBC News has more on this Big Mac attack:

Fast-food workers rallied on Wednesday for higher pay, using the April 15 tax deadline to publicize their claims that they cannot survive on the hourly wages paid by many U.S. corporations.

The protests for pay increases to $15 an hour, planned to spread nationwide, kicked off at dawn outside a McDonald’s in New York with several hundred demonstrators. Marching behind a banner reading “Raise wages, Raise the city,” protesters carried placards that read “Fight for $15 on 4/15.”

Organizers said they chose to mobilize on April 15, the U.S. deadline for filing federal income tax returns, to highlight their complaint that many workers must rely on public assistance. Plans called for rallies to be held in 230 cities across the nation.

The campaign by low-paid workers for a living wage has been building on their position that the U.S. federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is not enough to lift them from poverty. Fast-food and retail chains are starting to respond, but their wage increases are generally less than organizers demand.


Republicans will argue that raising the minimum wage would destroy small businesses and discourage start-ups, ultimately hurting our economy. But one small business owner in Seattle believes otherwise, and his business model is making headlines today. From the NY Times again:

The idea began percolating, said Dan Price, the founder of Gravity Payments, after he read an article on happiness. It showed that, for people who earn less than about $70,000, extra money makes a big difference in their lives.

His idea bubbled into reality on Monday afternoon, when Mr. Price surprised his 120-person staff by announcing that he planned over the next three years to raise the salary of even the lowest-paid clerk, customer service representative and salesman to a minimum of $70,000.

If it’s a publicity stunt, it’s a costly one. Mr. Price, who started the Seattle-based credit-card payment processing firm in 2004 at the age of 19, said he would pay for the wage increases by cutting his own salary from nearly $1 million to $70,000 and using 75 to 80 percent of the company’s anticipated $2.2 million in profit this year.

“The market rate for me as a C.E.O. compared to a regular person is ridiculous, it’s absurd,” said Mr. Price, who said his main extravagances were snowboarding and picking up the bar bill. He drives a 12-year-old Audi, which he received in a barter for service from the local dealer.

“As much as I’m a capitalist, there is nothing in the market that is making me do it,” he said, referring to paying wages that make it possible for his employees to go after the American dream, buy a house and pay for their children’s education.

Mr. Price said he wanted to do something to address the issue of inequality, although his proposal “made me really nervous” because he wanted to do it without raising prices for his customers or cutting back on service.

Of all the social issues that he felt he was in a position to do something about as a business leader, “that one seemed like a more worthy issue to go after.”

He said he planned to keep his own salary low until the company earned back the profit it had before the new wage scale went into effect.

Hayley Vogt, a 24-year-old communications coordinator at Gravity who earns $45,000, said, “I’m completely blown away right now.” She said she has worried about covering rent increases and a recent emergency room bill.

“Everyone is talking about this $15 minimum wage in Seattle and it’s nice to work someplace where someone is actually doing something about it and not just talking about it,” she said.


What will be the right-wing reaction to Price’s plan? Will he be called a communist? Accused of being a tool of that evil bastard George Soros? The “morans” over at that bastion blog of conservative philosophy – Free Republic . com – are calling him a sleazy “money launderer” and are already predicting his company’s bankruptcy and demise. Looking forward to it, actually. Because, y’know, loyal Republicans believe American workers should be paid less and receive no benefits. Or something. This logic escapes me.

And the question remains, will candidate Clinton take on the income inequality issue while she is campaigning on the populist “Everyday American” platform? Wouldn’t that be sweet?

-KBM




http://lovemeow.com/2014/09/palmer-kitty-journey-forever-home/





18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Mandatory Wednesday Malloy Truthseeker Check In! Church Night!! Crying Uncle (Original Post) cal04 Apr 2015 OP
Greetings From The Bluegrass State Liberal_Dog Apr 2015 #1
Hi Liberal_Dog! You're 1st cal04 Apr 2015 #2
Hi Liberal_Dog! ralps Apr 2015 #5
Hi cal04! Hi Everyone! Crook & I are doing good, How are you all doing? & Here's a new Kitteh gif ralps Apr 2015 #3
Hi ralps Liberal_Dog Apr 2015 #4
Hi ralps cal04 Apr 2015 #6
Thanks cal04! Crook says thanks. ralps Apr 2015 #8
Here's tonight's LOL Kittehs! ralps Apr 2015 #7
Photos too squee shenmue Apr 2015 #9
Hi shenmue Liberal_Dog Apr 2015 #10
Hi shenmue! ralps Apr 2015 #11
Hi shenmue cal04 Apr 2015 #12
Kick! ralps Apr 2015 #13
Well I tried looking for this guy on youtube & couldn't find him. was his name James Webb? ralps Apr 2015 #14
I'm here but spiderpig Apr 2015 #15
Hi spiderpig! Crook & I are doing good. How are you all doing? Hugs & Hi Phyllis & Darth ralps Apr 2015 #16
IMO This 3rd hour is a repeat of Monday's & Tuesday's 3rd hour. ralps Apr 2015 #17
Good Night Everyone, Have a great day tomorrow, Take Care & Keep It Lit!! ralps Apr 2015 #18

ralps

(77,603 posts)
3. Hi cal04! Hi Everyone! Crook & I are doing good, How are you all doing? & Here's a new Kitteh gif
Wed Apr 15, 2015, 09:08 PM
Apr 2015

& Thanks for the kitteh photos & The story about Palmer!

ralps

(77,603 posts)
16. Hi spiderpig! Crook & I are doing good. How are you all doing? Hugs & Hi Phyllis & Darth
Wed Apr 15, 2015, 11:08 PM
Apr 2015

Oh No!!

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Mandatory Wednesday Mallo...