Category Archives: The destruction of the middle class

Gaius Publius: Obama Harvests His Presidency

Obama signs up to collect fat speaking fees from Wall Street for services rendered to the 1% during his presidency.

Mark Ames: Credit Suisse Decries Russian Inequality After Playing Leading Role in Creating It

Credit Suisse criticizes Russian inequality after having profited handsomely from playing a big role in creating it.

Former Workers at Elon Musk’s SolarCity Allege Employment Abuses, Improper Installations

Over 2000 former SolarCity workers allege labor violations, like denying overtime pay and bathroom breaks, as well as shoddy installations.

The Automation Grift: From Flying Cars to Ordering Cat Food on the Internet – Part 2

Why claims for automation getting rid of workers are greatly exaggerated.

America is Regressing into a Developing Nation for Most People

Like developing countries, America is becoming more stratified, with the economic and physical distance between rich and poor widening.

Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) Suits Become Favored Hedge Fund Investment

ISDS suits are increasingly getting financial backing from speculators like hedge funds.

Mexico’s Economy Is Being Plundered Dry

Some vignettes of Mexico as a failed state.

Health Care “Reform” by Insiders Who Benefit from the Status Quo: Media Fails to Report Conflicts of Interest

Quelle surprise! The press regularly presents highly paid, well-connected health care insiders as independent voices on “reform”.

13 Questions That Expose Charter School Falsehoods

The sales pitch made by charter school boosters does not hold up to scrutiny.

It’s Time to Regulate the Gig Economy

Depicting the gig economy as ‘sharing favours’ creates a parallel dimension, where chores are form of leisure, with no relation to ‘work’.

Reading the Fine Print in Cuomo’s “Tuition-Free College” Plan

Cuomo’s plan Is means-tested, doesn’t cover fees, covers full-time students only, and has a residency requirement, clawbacks, and “crapshoot” clause

Globalization and the End of the Labor Aristocracy, Part 2

How the the new international economic architecture for trade, investment, & property rights hurt workers in advanced and developing economies

“I’m Back in the USSR / You Don’t Know How Lucky You Are”

Parallels at ground level between the USSR and the US of A.

Why You Can’t Have a Shorter Workweek

A recap of the numerous, internally inconsistent arguments as to why workers can’t have a shorter workweek.