Thanks to outsourcing and corporate consolidation, and especially because of increasing technology, productivity per worker has increased dramatically over the past century, while (real) wages have stagnated for several decades. This is the primary reason why income inequality is increasing, unemployment has gotten so high, the rich have grown super rich, and the poor and middle class are hurting - when productivity is raised, the labor supply increases, and companies lay people off while keeping the same output. When jobs are scarce, companies can offer lower wages, because competition is high. We need to lower hours now for the same reason we needed to after the industrial revolution - and all the same excuses for why it wouldn't work were said then, and they all proved to be wrong. More here: http://biodieselhauling.blogspot.com/2011/10/dramatically-reduce-unemployment-by.html

Millions of Americans have been unable to realise their potential as a result of greed. When approximately 90% of the wealth is in the hands of less than 10% of the population the system has broken down. Consider a cap if only as a temporary measure. If not, what is your solution? More of the same? It is time to talk!

Congress has 9 days scheduled before the Sep. 30 budget deadline to avoid a government shutdown. But some Republicans won't even negotiate unless Obamacare is defunded — and they're using the deadline to gain leverage. We need Rep. Rodney Davis to prioritize expanding the middle class during the budget debate. Unless we act quickly, he may join with Republicans like Rep. Paul Ryan and support more cuts to education, healthcare, and other vital services.

The Jersey City City Council is set to consider legislation that would make it the first city in New Jersey – and the 6th city nationwide – to guarantee earned sick days for its residents. This is a chance for Jersey City to take a lead role in the nationwide fight for what should be a fundamental right – the right of workers to take time off when they or their family members gets sick. Tell the City Council to pass the earned sick days ordinance!

The home loan interest rate is the most important to families. Keeping it low and constant will provide afforability, comfort and future home owners able to make the payments. Keeping home interest rates below 3% will give families more cash to spend and improve the economy.

The New Deal worked and has now been trashed. The Old Deal is back and is no deal at all. It disproportionately rewards people at the upper income levels.

It is foolish to pay other countries to do things that we can do ourselves at a time when our economy needs the growth.

Treasury should act as soon as possible to protect America’s good credit by using Platinum Coin Seigniorage (PCS) well before any risk of default becomes imminent. Protecting the full faith and credit of the United States is not the sole responsibility of Congress, but the responsibility of the Secretary of the Treasury too, because the Secretary has the authority under the law to order the US Mint to use PCS to fill the Mint's Public Enterprise Fund (PEF) account, and ultimately the Treasury General Account with enough reserves to make the debt limit a dead letter, by paying down the debt subject to the limit to zero gradually, as it falls due, and to use additional seigniorage to fund current and future deficit spending appropriated by Congress.

Deeply slashing income taxes could become a priority during Georgia’s 2014 legislative session. State lawmakers have already introduced two proposals meant to accomplish that goal during the upcoming assembly and some state leaders speak approvingly of the idea. A shift from income taxes to sales taxes would raise total state taxes for as many as four in five Georgia taxpayers. Conservative lawmakers are pushing for a plan that would do exactly that and are calling it ‘tax reform.’ North Carolina recently passed tax shift legislation and raised taxes on an estimated 80 percent of the state’s families. This is just wrong. This tax shift proposal would hurt families, businesses, communities and the economy.

In 2009 Yuengling Brewing busted its employees union, but apparently that wasn’t enough. On August 26, 2013 Yuengling Brewery owner Dick Yuengling Jr. spoke at the Pennsylvania Press Club about his desire to see so-called “right-to-work” policies implemented in Pennsylvania. Apparently Yuengling wants to deny workers the right to earn a good income and benefits for their families, while padding his bottom line. Just last year Yuengling was named on a list of the richest people in America, yet he wants to get richer. Along with advocating for right-to-work policies, he wants to cut the taxes his business pays. Corporations need to pay their fair share to help the economy, not find ways to pay less. Tell Yuengling to respect the working class.

These two companies are among the biggest employers of low-wage workers in America, and they can easily afford to give their workers a raise -- a perfect way to celebrate Labor Day week. McDonald's posted strong results during the recession by attracting cash-strapped customers, and its sales have continued to rise. Between 2010 and 2012, its annual return to investors was 15.7 percent, far better than the Dow Jones industrial average. McDonald's CEO, Steve Easterbrook, gets a big-whopper of a compensation package, valued at $7.9 million—about 400 times the earnings of a typical McDonald's worker, who earns roughly $10 an hour or less. Walmart, the nation's largest employer, also continues to do well—so well, it's hiking shareholder dividends 18 percent this year. It also pays its executives handsomely. Total compensation of Walmart's CEO, Doug McMillon, is now $25.6 million—more than 1,300 times the earnings of a typical Walmart worker, who earns $22,591 per year. Not incidentally, the wealth of the Walton family—which still owns the lion's share of Walmart stock—now exceeds the wealth of the bottom 40 percent of American families combined, according to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute. So please join me in asking McDonald's Steve Easterbrook and Walmart's Doug McMillon to pay their workers at least $15 an hour.

Petition to increase minimum wage in Florida will help raise families and individuals out of poverty. Reduce public assistance.Save taxpayers dollars. Increase consumer spending.Create jobs and restore the dignity of work.