Category Archives: Unemployment

Open Letter To Harry Reid

Dear  Leader,

Hey, did you see the Pew Research Center poll? The one just out? Showing voter rage at congressional incumbents stronger than the majority-changing years of 1994 and 2006?

Now think back to when I ran for the Senate, also in an anti-incumbent year (’92). Remember the funny thing that happened to me along the way? Where the guy who’d never been dogcatcherthat was his proud credential–came within 330 votes of me in the Democratic primary and doomed my general election candidacy right there? It didn’t matter that I was “influential” [1] or had a bunch of accomplishments. Voters despised an out-of-touch Congress so much they voted for “outsiders.”

Yeah, I do have some bona-fides to be frank here. So allow me to say this: you and your Senate Ds are in deep shit! Continue reading


I’ll Say It Again: It’s About Jobs, Stupid!*

Article in Mother Jones says what I’ve been saying (and–considering Krugman, Reich and others, I certainly haven’t been alone): Democrats will either make a serious dent on joblessness or bite it in 2010. Official unemployment rate — out today: 10 percent. Overall rate (factoring in discouraged workers left out of official rate, 17.5 percent–highest since the Great Depression.

*(Not that Ds can afford to fail on health care reform)


The Cloakroom Meaning Of New Jersey & Virginia

What do the GOP triumphs in New Jersey and Virginia mean for Obama, mainstream Democrats and their agenda?

Ignore the palaver of the punditry; there’s no “megatrend” here. But the important micro question is: in the Democratic cloakroom, what will be the gut assessment of Obama’s power to punish or reward foes and friends–already an Obama weakness.

(Cloakroom calculations are no small thing; Reagan’s congressional successes rested on fear of reprisal and hunger for reward, which, as I saw again and again in the 80s, were powerful enough to buckle the knees of even stalwart Democrats. Conversely, Carter carried all the sock-’em of a ball of lint, and look where that got him and the Ds’ 50-year congressional majority.)  Continue reading


Where Are You On The Economic Stress Map?

The Associated Press has a national county-by-county map showing economic conditions like unemployment, home foreclosures, etc. The terrain isn’t pretty. Click here to see where you are. (Give it a sec to load.)

Former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich writes (in Slate) that for Obama, giving life support to the catatonic jobs sector may be more important than health care reform.

Meanwhile, Bill Maher   Continue reading


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