Sunday, February 28, 2010

Capitalism: A Love Story Opens in Great Britain and Ireland

Visit MichaelMoore.com for the Full Story:

Andrew O'Hagan, London Evening Standard:
He never loses his touch as a speller-out of double standards, and no drama of the past year — no fiction — has come this close to naming names, calling out the guilty parties or asking the big questions.
Wendy Ide, London Times:
The film is brilliantly researched, both with regard to the labyrinthine web of connections between the world of finance and the corridors of power and the wittily used archive footage.
Lisa Mullen, New Statesman:
If American big business has not been noticeably dented by his efforts, he has certainly transformed the art of documentary-making in the process.
John Walsh, The Independent:
The story of how Congress was forced to vote for a $700bn bailout of the banks (without any explanation of how the money might be spent) is re-told, to jaw-dropping effect.
Donald Clark, The Irish Times:
Michael Moore’s latest documentary is both moving and blackly comical, and his best since Roger and Me.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian:
In his typically punchy, enthralling and entertaining new picture, Michael Moore takes aim at what Milton Friedman famously called socialism for the rich and free enterprise for the poor.
Alison Rowat, Herald Scotland:
The boy who wanted to be a priest is never far from the surface of Moore.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Why do the Poor Protect the Ultra Rich from Taxes?

It's inexplicable.

Why would any thinking entity do that? Do you really think that the majority of the people in the top 1%, 2%, 5%, 10% are sitting around thinking:
"Gee, I wonder how I could create new jobs for my fellow patriots in the bottom 90%?"
Really? Do you really believe that? Because, with every Tea Party you attend, you are voting to keep things exactly like this:

Image: UCSC


Quick poll: Raise your hand if you think this situation has improved, since 2007. Let's see, I count ... um ... let's look way back to the back for the room ... yeah ... there ... I count exactly ZERO hands.

One volley on Digg put it this way:

sleepwalker:
"Without extended unemployment, I guarantee that a hard worker like yourself would have a job right now. You would move into a smaller place (bunk beds if necessary), work two crappy jobs, do whatever it takes to put food on the table. I know I would to save my family."
That's exactly what the pie bakers above want you to believe.

seeker:
"That's what most people outside the situation believe dude but it's a lot fuzzier when you're in it up to your neck. Fact is, I've said the same thing myself, but have never seen this rate of unemployment nor have I ever been this directly affected."
More and more Americans are finding similar wage-slave capitalist repentance.

How many more have to be so directly affected -- directly destroyed -- before we wake from the Job Trance, and move into the next evolution of the greatest experiment in democracy that the world has ever seen?

Sunday, February 21, 2010

The New Normal for Employment: A Con Job

You see? They can be taught!
The "new normal" for employment doesn't work for anyone except employers an career coaches who are trying to sell how the recession is an opportunity for resourceful people. That's why they both want us to accept depressed salaries and bigger workloads as the new status quo. -- CIO Magazine
Remember this, do we now?

Middle Class: Our Poor and Huddled Masses

I pray for healing,” says Ms. Eisen, 57. “When you’ve got nothing, you’ve got to go with what you know.”

Yeah, that should fix it all up real quick.

"Call them the new poor: people long accustomed to the comforts of middle-class life who are now relying on public assistance for the first time in their lives — potentially for years to come."

Her counselor has a couple of possibilities — a cashier at a supermarket and a night desk job at a motel.

And even these numbers are A Complete Fiction.

“American business is about maximizing shareholder value,” said Allen Sinai, chief global economist at the research firm Decision Economics. “You basically don’t want workers. You hire less, and you try to find capital equipment to replace them.”

Welcome to the American Dream 2.0. Isn't time to make the REAL change?

IMAGE: New York Times