Thursday, September 30, 2010

Not Business as Usual?

Two nuggets in the news that add to the increasing pile of evidence that we are doomed:

  1. A UAW chapter has nixed a deal to sell an Indianapolis parts plant that would have kept its doors open, albeit with lower wages and benefits. The opponents' rationale was that when the plant closes, many of the union workers will be able to transfer to other plants, keeping their current higher rates of pay. The unlucky workers at the plant who cannot transfer, all of the support workers at the Indy plant, and local merchants are, of course, left holding the bag.
  2. It seems that majority taxpayer-owned General Motors has made over $90K in contributions to congressional campaigns, including those of Democrats John Dingell, Debbie Stabenow, and Republican Eric Cantor. To say that this reeks of "moral hazard" is to be polite.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Scooting to Insolvency.

An often-encountered TV commercial: offers for senior mobility scooters with where Medicare picks up the cost...

Scooters for seniors are a good thing, as is any medical technology or treatment that helps people lead more comfortable and productive lives. As health care becomes more entwined with politics, one can forsee the pressure for Medicare and Medicaid to pick up the tab for many, many good things like scooters. Ultimately someone must pay for all of these good things.
Taking the High Road.

Democrats will stick to the issues for the rest of the campaign, the NYT reports. Critical issues like their opponents' divorces, drinking, bankruptcies, philandery, lawsuits, kids' bad grades, and fashion sense.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

So Much for Free Trade.

China is trying to bully Japan to give up control of some of her fishing waters by halting exports to Japan of technologically critical rare-earth elements.