WA State House Ways and Means Chair Ross Hunter's data on state employee compensation

Data on State Employee Compensation Despite conservative claims to the contrary the number of state workers per 1000 residents is decreasing significantly, and state employee wages are not in general higher than private sector workers. “The end result is a 13.5% drop in general government state employees per thousand residents. Total employees, not adjusting for…

99% Choir Forecloses on Bank of America!

A product of Backbone Campaign’s latest creative collaboration with The Other 98%, and our allies at Washington Community Action Network and the Seattle Labor Chorus. For related organizing tools, podcasts, action and training opportunities visit the Backbone Campaign. Our CUOrganizer.org resource page will help those interested in organizing their community to move money out of…

Great Values! I am not talking about astounding prices at big box stores…

A couple of quotes and some thoughts. “[The founding fathers] conferred, as against the Government, the right to be left alone — the right most valued by civilized men.” — Justice Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941) US Supreme Court Justice, 1928 Indeed, the right to be left alone. That’s a profound thought in a new era…

Who are the real job creators? Here's how government helps with job creation

So who are the job creators? The accepted wisdom is that the wealthy, banks and the biggest corporations are job creators. But in fact, too many are job-taker-away-ers. They suck money, our money, out of the economy and hoard it or spend it outside the country. That slows down economic activity right here in our…

Bankers' 2010 bonuses could have paid for 3.5 million jobs

If last year’s bank executive bonuses from the six biggest financial firms we bailed out went to creating jobs with middle-class jobs with benefits, the unemployment rate would plummet to 6.75% – the same as before the financial crisis. According to the latest data on year-end bank bonuses, 3.5 million jobs with benefits could’ve been…