Happy Labor Day 2023 A.D.!!!

[ConfederateSS]

-----------Happy Labor Day 2023 A.D. ...Hot Dogs , parties, a last day of real Summer Fun...Stay Safe... ... ConfederateSS.out!(The Blue and Silver Rebellion)...

[Pack Rat]

Happy Labor Day!

Thank you Corporate Republicans and some of you Corporate Democrats for keeping the federal minimum wage astronomically low and frozen since July 24th, 2009 at $7.25.

Congress has no problem giving themselves raises each and every year with incredible benefits.

The top 1.0% saw their wages grow by 160.3%; and
wages for the top 0.1% grew more than twice as fast, up a spectacular 345.2%.

Our appreciation for those who work with their hands and do the dirty work that keeps America moving forward.

[KoolBak]

Such a wonderful addition to the site.

Sigh.

[keyborn]

Happy Labor Day!

Thank you Corporate Republicans and some of you Corporate Democrats for keeping the federal minimum wage astronomically low and frozen since July 24th, 2009 at $7.25.

Congress has no problem giving themselves raises each and every year with incredible benefits.

The top 1.0% saw their wages grow by 160.3%; and
wages for the top 0.1% grew more than twice as fast, up a spectacular 345.2%.

Our appreciation for those who work with their hands and do the dirty work that keeps America moving forward.

Take a holiday...

[Pack Rat]

Such a wonderful addition to the site.

Sigh.

Thank you KoolBak! This compliment coming from someone with your stature, means absolutely nothing to me.

[GaryDenton]

A smart remark gets the usual derision from the not-very-informed gang.

A report from the CBO finds that American families in the top 10% held 72% of the country's wealth in 2019.

Wealth growth has been uneven, with the richest getting richer faster — and the poorest falling behind.

The top ten percent of households hold a majority of the wealth, and the bottom half own next to nothing.

And it is rapidly getting worse. No change is expected as the conservative Catholic Supreme Court will likely hold unrealized capital gains and wealth taxes unconstitutional as the wealth transfer now is skyrocketing.

The ridiculous frozen minimum wage is just part of it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/14/business/economy/wealth-generations.html

[GaryDenton]

Hungry?

Eat the Rich!

[bigtoughralf]

You have to admit, having some pro-Obama trolls does at least mean a bit of a change of tune for this forum. Historically OT's been the sort of place where Clint Eastwood would count as a bit of a hippy.

I mean granted, people like GD and Pack Rat are still enthusiastically endorsing a President who's stood behind thousands of drone assassinations and multiple US invasions of sovereign states, but baby steps.

[ConfederateSS]

--------Actually ...Does everyone have to have "THE MOON"...???
--------- UNIONS...FORCED ALL AMERICAN JOBS OVER SEAS....
--------Back when coal miners sucking dust for nothing...FORD was whipping his employees on the line....Unions served a purpose...
-------- America doesn't need them anymore...
-------- Americans today think they are entitled to everything....
-------- Do you need to run to the doctor when you skin your knee???...Americans do...Can't get enough , run to the doctor..So the doctor can give them drugs...Keep them hooked on BIG PHARMA...THE INSURANCE COMPANIES...
-------- Americans make $1.00, but spend $1.01...on crap the don't need...Do you need car doors that open by themselves???..Can't do it yourself...POWER BLOWERS...What is wrong with a broom???...Brooms have been around for 4/5000 years...Use a broom...keeps you from being a fat a**...GOING TO THE DOCTOR FOR DRUGS, BECAUSE YOU ARE FAT AND HAVE HEATH ISSUES...WHY???...GOT TO DO THINGS FAST, NO EFFORT...IN reality...you lose out in the long run...AS you chose...The easy way...
-------- The Politicians take money from both sides...Keep Jobs over seas...Make sure you pay up the nose for crap here at home...While UNIONS GET RICH ALONG WITH THE POLITICIANS THE GET ELECTED .... ConfederateSS.out!(The Blue and Silver Rebellion)...

[Pack Rat]

--------Actually ...Does everyone have to have "THE MOON"...???
--------- UNIONS...FORCED ALL AMERICAN JOBS OVER SEAS....
--------Back when coal miners sucking dust for nothing...FORD was whipping his employees on the line....Unions served a purpose...
-------- America doesn't need them anymore...
-------- Americans today think they are entitled to everything....
-------- Do you need to run to the doctor when you skin your knee???...Americans do...Can't get enough , run to the doctor..So the doctor can give them drugs...Keep them hooked on BIG PHARMA...THE INSURANCE COMPANIES...
-------- Americans make $1.00, but spend $1.01...on crap the don't need...Do you need car doors that open by themselves???..Can't do it yourself...POWER BLOWERS...What is wrong with a broom???...Brooms have been around for 4/5000 years...Use a broom...keeps you from being a fat a**...GOING TO THE DOCTOR FOR DRUGS, BECAUSE YOU ARE FAT AND HAVE HEATH ISSUES...WHY???...GOT TO DO THINGS FAST, NO EFFORT...IN reality...you lose out in the long run...AS you chose...The easy way...
-------- The Politicians take money from both sides...Keep Jobs over seas...Make sure you pay up the nose for crap here at home...While UNIONS GET RICH ALONG WITH THE POLITICIANS THE GET ELECTED .... ConfederateSS.out!(The Blue and Silver Rebellion)...

I sure picked a bad day to quit sniffing glue.

[jonesthecurl]

That guy is so far down the rabbit hole the bunnies call him 'That guy downstairs'.

[Dukasaur]

Actually, I don't disagree with a lot of what Confed is saying.

For instance, using a leaf blower instead of a broom causes noise pollution and air pollution, and once you factor in the maintenance of the blower, it really doesn't save any time. Leaf blowers seem to be just a way to say to your neighbours, "I'm a rich asshole who can afford fancy toys, and look at this, I can keep you awake on Saturday afternoon when you're trying to take a nap!"

Most people in western society do blow a lot of money on pointless shit they don't need. A lot of financial stress is self-inflicted.

On the other hand, here's the OPPOSITE viewpoint. While most people do waste a lot of money on stupid shit, the fact is they're just trying to feel equal to the parasites at head office, who are wasting ten times more on even stupider shit. Johnny Idiotworker is dumb for wasting his money on a leaf blower instead of a broom, but what about his boss, Cedric Inheritedwealthheneverearned the VIIIth? Why does he need a fleet of Cadillac Escalades to get from his front door to his tiki bar 60 yards from his door? While Cedric is pulling down seven digits a year for doing jack shit, are you surprised that Johnny wants a cut of the action?

[bigtoughralf]

Unions aren't about ensuring everyone has money for robot butlers. They're about ensuring people's jobs pay enough to cover their rent and utilities, they don't have to work till they're 99, breaking their leg won't bankrupt them, they don't spend their while life on call to the office because they're terrified of being fired etc.

[Dukasaur]

And, in a completely different vein, here's this viewpoint. A couple years ago, just for a lark, I took one of those "what are you politically?" quizzes. They never describe me all that well, but one thing that really struck me was how much weight they put on the question:
Which would you be more likely to say?

• Unions have too much power.
• Unions have not enough power.

What really gets me about that is that it's a false dichotomy. In Canada, anyway, private sector unions have been getting steadily weaker all my life, while public sector unions have been getting steadily stronger. It's extremely rare nowadays to see a private company on strike, and on the increasingly rare occasions that it happens, almost always it results in those jobs soon being outsourced anyway. On the other hand, the teachers and janitors hold up the taxpayer for another bag of loot every two years like clockwork.

So I couldn't really say either statement. It has to be subdivided. Public sector unions nowadays have too much power. Private sector unions nowadays have not enough power.

Only by splitting the question can I have a real answer.

This week, the following has been making the rounds of the radio talk show circuit:

https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/02/18/the-first-blow-against-public-employees/fdr-warned-us-about-public-sector-unions

“It is impossible to bargain collectively with the government.”

That wasn’t Newt Gingrich, or Ron Paul, or Ronald Reagan talking. That was George Meany -- the former president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O -- in 1955. Government unions are unremarkable today, but the labor movement once thought the idea absurd.

The founders of the labor movement viewed unions as a vehicle to get workers more of the profits they help create. Government workers, however, don’t generate profits. They merely negotiate for more tax money. When government unions strike, they strike against taxpayers. F.D.R. considered this “unthinkable and intolerable.”

Government collective bargaining means voters do not have the final say on public policy. Instead their elected representatives must negotiate spending and policy decisions with unions. That is not exactly democratic – a fact that unions once recognized.

George Meany was not alone. Up through the 1950s, unions widely agreed that collective bargaining had no place in government. But starting with Wisconsin in 1959, states began to allow collective bargaining in government. The influx of dues and members quickly changed the union movement’s tune, and collective bargaining in government is now widespread. As a result unions can now insist on laws that serve their interests – at the expense of the common good.

[DirtyDishSoap]

Unions were a great idea when they were first implemented.

Fast forward to now, most of the ones i have came across so not protect you or ensure their workers are taken care of
Much like corporations, it's the contract that matters and whatever lines their pockets. Too many "Yes" men in a 3 piece suit.

[bigtoughralf]

Government collective bargaining means voters do not have the final say on public policy. Instead their elected representatives must negotiate spending and policy decisions with unions. That is not exactly democratic – a fact that unions once recognized.

...

Voters' elected representatives should decide how the government spends their taxes.

lmao. 'Senators making decisions on voters' behalf is fine unless the decision they make is to pay public sector workers more in which case they're fascists. I'm Jeff Bezos and I approve this message.'

Average crabs in a bucket mentality. He doesn't really have any logical argument against workers being paid more, he's just upset because someone else out there is doing a better job standing up for themselves than he is.