Wages up by smallest amount in nine years--more bad news for Bush:

[Thtwudbeme]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060131/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/economy

The Labor Department said that employee compensation was up 3.1 percent in 2005, an increase that was slower than the 3.7 percent rise in 2004. The slowdown reflected a big drop in benefit costs — items such as health insurance and pensions — which rose by 4.5 percent last year after jumping by 6.9 percent in 2004.

[chelsea0011]

1. Wait a minute. The talking point for the day is "upbeat" as the tone

of the SOTU speech is suppose to be about tonight. Upbeat! One effin bad story after another and this clown has stated he will be upbeat tonight.

[lakeguy]

2. he'll just say it went up three%

kind of like he when he says home sales have gone up every year since he's been prez.

[HereSince1628]

3. What do you mean? That's GOOD news to Bush

It's critical for him. Businesses are now successfully holding the line on over-valued American labor. There is a real possibility of vanquishing the tree-hugging, civil rights loving middle class.

[soothsayer]

4. yep, it's bad news for us

on edit: clarifying "us"

The great unwashed. The masses. The lower and middle classes. You know---America!

[applegrove]

5. Actually it is good news for Bush's base. Will fight inflation. And

allow more dumps of cash into the system. Don't you get it? Lowering wages as people turn to goods from china allows the stock market to roar.