- Listening to many of the speeches by union folks, I can't tell if this is Labor Day or Class Warfare Day.
- Teamster Prez, Jimmy Hoffa, while warming up the union crowd for Pres. Obama, said it's time to "take the son-of-bitches out," referring to the Republicans. Sounds like a threat to me. Thug son like thug father. Some things never change with the Teamster thugs.
- Speaking of Labor Day, some interesting facts: The highest percentage of people in unions was 1965 at 28%. Now: 12% overall. Between 2009 and 2010, the number of union workers declined by over 600,000.
- The average income of the top 1% of earners: $1.3 million.
- Average middle class income about $55k.
- Amount GE invested in lobbying and political campaigns (largely to Dems) $41 million. Salary earned by Pres. Obama's buddy, GE CEO Jeff Immelt in 2010: $15 million and change.
- Average U.S. worker salary in 2010: $44k and change. Average of CEO's: $173k and change. Average compensation for Fortune 500 executives: $9 million.
- Top 1% of U.S. earners pay almost 39% of all taxes. Top 5% pay almost 59%. Top 10% pay almost 70%. Top 50% pay 97% of all taxes. Bottom 50% pay just under 3%.
- Proportion of workers who say they are satisfied with their job: 84%. And 5% say they can't stand their boss.
And it should come as no surprise why Western European countries are in the bad shape they are in:
- Germany is mandated to give workers 34 vacation and sick days a year. 25 in UK. 10 in Japan. Zero in U.S.
- Average number of vacation days Americans take a year: 13. UK workers take 26. French take 38.
- U.S. workers average working 1,778 hours a year. Germans, 1,419. Dutch, 1,377.
Some disturbing facts about the jobs situation today (Source: Business Insider):
- If you've been unemployed for a year, there is a 91% chance you won't find a job in the next month.
- Two million people have exhausted 99 weeks of unemployment. Another four million will do so by the end of this year.
- One in four jobs added last year were temporary.
- The average length of unemployment is now 22 weeks. For those over 55, it's 43 weeks.
- When you count the unemployed, underemployed and discouraged workers, only 47% of the work force is fully employed.
- In Vegas, there are 9 applicants for every job opening.
And now some news you can use:
- 25 people were shot over the Labor Day weekend in NYC, one fatality.
- From the Toronto Star: "President Obama's Labor Secretary, Hilda Solis, wanted to show her support for American auto workers by swapping her standard government-issues limo for a crossover Chevy Equinox. There's just one problem: The Equinox is built in Ontario. I guess they didn't teach geography in the White House."
- The International Studies School in NYC wants to lure more students to its school. There's only one slight problem---the school sucks. Only 20% of its students are proficient in math and less than 40% are at grade level in math. Only 18% of seniors are rated "college-ready." So the NY Post gave the school some ideas how to market itself with some slogans the school could use: "The best six years of your life." "Having trouble with English? So is we." "Making kids smarter since 2011." "Why settle for second-rate when you can have third-rate."
- Of all newspapers, The NY Times wrote last week the president's grand plan for green jobs has turned into a "pipe dream." For example, in Seattle, a $20 million weatherization plan ended up employing 14 after one year. And how much did each house cost to weatherize? Just a tad over $6 million.
- Last week, Qunnipiac had Perry at 24%, Romney at 18%, Palin at 11% and Bachmann at 10%. The "Dont Knows" came in at 16%.
- Gallup reported only 26% approve of the president's handling of the economy. They must have jobs. Jobless rate up-ticked again among Blacks to almost 17%, highest since 1984.
- Post Office is reporting it might shut down operations this winter.
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