Long-Term Unemployment Proves Economic Austerity Folly

The Bureau of Labor Statistics showed little change in long-term unemployment in March, with 4.6 million Americans being tossed away like garbage. These are people who want a job but cannot find one, and their elected representatives are doing nothing about it. Republicans, particularly congressional Republicans, have shown very little concern for the unemployed. They reject any attempts to stimulate the economy, and when the long-term unemployed try to get by on unemployment benefits, Republicans try to snatch that from them as well.

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Senator Johanns Says You ‘Literally’ Shoot People In Video Games

Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE) - photo by USDAgovThis week Republican Senator Mike Johanns (NE) said, “I find it so incredibly ironic…” Wait! Wait! I gotta stop you there Senator. “Ironic”? I’m not sure what’s the word you wanted to use. But OK, go on… “That its [background check legislation] proponents think these weapons are a problem in the hands of law-abiding citizens,” said Johanns. “But apparently see no problem with the same weapons being glorified in Hollywood movies and video games.”

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Gun Control: Senate Votes 54-46 On Extended Background Checks

Today the Senate voted 54-46 on gun legislation that would extend background checks to include gun shows and online purchases. For those who are aware the bill did not pass, I purposely refrained from saying the Senate voted to defeat the bill. That’s because the bill would have passed if not for Republican filibuster. But as usual the media is lazy. If you search Google for “gun legislation filibuster,” most of the results are from 6 days ago, when Republicans threatened to filibuster debate of the legislation. Well today Republicans filibustered the actual Senate bill. Remove the filibuster and the bill passes by 8 votes.

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Fact of the Day: In 2012, Corporate Profits Hit Record 11.1 Percent Of GDP

Corporate Profits - Percent of GDP - Quarter 3, 2012It might only be four years and change since the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, but you wouldn’t know it if you looked at corporate profits of late. In the 3rd quarter of 2012, corporate profits hit an all-time high of 11.1% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is at the same time that the unemployment rate is still nearly 8%, and wages are stagnant or worse.

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