Everything is ruined forever.
“In Da Club” – Ed (Gin And Tacos)
The greatest trick our collective corporate overlords ever pulled was convincing us that pay-for-performance was a good idea.
The idea is simple enough: everyone should be paid according to how they perform. The problem is, it’s impossible to fairly quantify that for every position. People’s opinions are subjective. Moreover, most companies tie pay for performance to corporate metrics, in which one failing department can wreck the whole scheme for everyone else.
In a true egalitarian system, the people that make the least get raises and bonuses first, because they need it more and it makes more of a difference.
Ultimately though, Ed’s last two paragraphs are what it’s really about: a small cadre of already wealthy people driving more wealth to themselves and their friends at the expense of everyone else.
“Alan Simpson: Paul Krugman’s Work “Borders on hysteria”.” (Huffington Post)
This would be the same Alan Simpson that chaired the Catfood Commission.
“Get ready for a rereun of debt ceiling armageddon” – Greg Sargent (Washington Post)
Oh goody. Considering the GOP isn’t even upholding their end of the LAST debt ceiling deal, this oughta be fun. Ezra Klein provides some analysis.
It’s become clear that the Republican party is no longer interested in governing. That they are fully in the thrall of individuals that even five years ago would have been dismissed as cranks and charlatans, and can no longer be given the reigns of power, as they are incapable of using them. When an elderly parent loses their eyesight, hearing, memory, etc., it’s time to take away their driver’s license and put them in a home.
Continuing with the analogy, President Obama needs to invoke the Fourteenth Amendment and permanently take the Debt Ceiling off the negotiating table, and dare Congressional Republicans to stop him. Moreover, he needs to work with Harry Reid to abolish the filibuster as it exists today, as it has become unconstitutional. The Founders clearly laid out what items required a supermajority; by abusing the filibuster, Congressional Republicans have demonstrated that they cannot be expected to act in a responsible fashion and need to be eliminated from our national political discourse as a group with any semblance of power.
Now, I’m not saying that Democrats are perfect; there are good ones and bad ones. But the modern Republican party is extremist and dangerous with behavior bordering on treason, and cannot be allowed to continue to exist in it’s present form with its present powers.
But of course, there’s no one in the media with the big brass ones to say this.
“Accidentally Released – and Incredibly Embarrassing – Documents Show How Goldman et al Engaged in ‘Naked Short Selling'” – Matt Taibbi (Rolling Stone)
And now for today’s edition of “Someone explain to me why all these fuckers aren’t in jail?”
“A textbook example of the Right’s epistemic closure.” – Conor Friedersdorf (The Atlantic)
I don’t think anyone needed more evidence that the Right exists entirely within their own bubble, but just in case, here we are.
“Batty ‘Birther’ movie divides conspiracy diehards” – Ryan J. Reilly (TPM)
So, which is it, guys? Is the President a Secret Kenyan Muslim Illegal President, or a Secret Son of a Communist Legal President?
