Saturday, February 26, 2011

Support for Workers/ Economists Who Deserve Love

New Yorkers Show Support
As concerned folks gather in state capitals and urban centers across the country gather to support the last bastion of the rapidly disappearing middle class, ie: workers right to organize and bargain collectively, another huge rally is taking place in Madison. Today police are throwing out protesters with sleeping bags, tomorrow, Sunday, they are going to clear the building of people who have been camped out there for eleven days. At that point the protesters will have three options: 1. To walk out willingly when requested. 2. Make it clear that they are leaving against their will and leave in handcuffs. 3.Resist and be carried out. Options 2 and 3 may result in a misdemeanor arrest and fines.

Since the not-so-great economic collapse and recession this queer and aging hippie has become a bit of an armchair economist following a few leftward bound stars of the profession. Let's hear a shoutout for Paul Krugman, in spite of the fact that he works for the NYTimes, his pithy insights into the recent crash have given encouragement to all of us lowly working stiffs. In that linked article he gives tribute to another of my favorites, Naomi Klein, militant and erudite author of "The Shock Doctrine." Another Marxist of note is Richard Wolff, star of the video, "Capitalism Hits the Fan," which explains in laywoman's language the events which led to our present predicament. Now local Berkeley guy Robert Reich has spoken up eloquently about income inequality and support for public sector workers. My significant other (sig-o?) and I even ran into him in a local chain pharmacy I will not name. At about four-feet, nine inches tall, he's hard to miss. She tapped him on the shoulder and said, "keep up the good work!" Here's a recent piece of his defending social security. And last, but not least, the ever-informative, The Economic Collapse Blog by Michael Snyder.