Discuss this quote.

[Anonymous]

“It shows a hopelessness,” he said. “It used to be, ‘You have something I don’t have; I’ll go to my employer to get it, too. Now I don’t see any chance of getting it. I don’t want to be the lowest one on the totem pole, so I don’t want you to have it either.’ ” -- Richard Freeman, Harvard economist, on labor in America (in NY Times)

This comment, to me, is the essence of the debate we are seeing replayed all over the country (Wisconsin labor issue, cutting lazy Federal workers, illegal immigration, etc). It is really disheartening to see what we've become. Why are we focusing on tearing each other down and not on finding positive solutions?? Why don't we demand more of our employers instead of attacking each other? Private companies, many of whom don't offer great benefits, make billions and billions in profits each year. And pay virtually no taxes. Yet we are going after each other like dogs? I wish we'd just stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“It shows a hopelessness,” he said. “It used to be, ‘You have something I don’t have; I’ll go to my employer to get it, too. Now I don’t see any chance of getting it. I don’t want to be the lowest one on the totem pole, so I don’t want you to have it either.’ ” -- Richard Freeman, Harvard economist, on labor in America (in NY Times)

This comment, to me, is the essence of the debate we are seeing replayed all over the country (Wisconsin labor issue, cutting lazy Federal workers, illegal immigration, etc). It is really disheartening to see what we've become. Why are we focusing on tearing each other down and not on finding positive solutions?? Why don't we demand more of our employers instead of attacking each other? Private companies, many of whom don't offer great benefits, make billions and billions in profits each year. And pay virtually no taxes. Yet we are going after each other like dogs? I wish we'd just stop.

Human nature, the law of the jungle, only the strongest survive. Plus, some people are inherently just selfish and mean. It is sad.

[Anonymous]

Misery loves company. It's like crabs in a bucket and I agree--very sad.

[Anonymous]

Don't people realize what they are doing?

[Anonymous]

Yeee-hi! It's a race to the bottom! Let's see how quickly we can become a third world country!

It's now IMMORAL to want pension benefits and health insurance like workers had in the 1950's. Not just expensive -- immoral!

[Anonymous]

Yeah, where are all the shovel ready jobs that were going to take off with the speed of light?

Are all the positions filled for the boatload of jobs that came as a result of the India/China trip? I mean we were talking major impact!

What was his name, Van Jones, the creator of yet more green jobs was it.....what happened there?

Well at least we increased Federal jobs by 200,000.....we better get taxes up or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, where are all the shovel ready jobs that were going to take off with the speed of light?

Are all the positions filled for the boatload of jobs that came as a result of the India/China trip? I mean we were talking major impact!

What was his name, Van Jones, the creator of yet more green jobs was it.....what happened there?

Well at least we increased Federal jobs by 200,000.....we better get taxes up or something.

I see a lot of posts from you. They are a series of disjointed Fox talking points.

It is like some senile republican has gone into a coma and somehow his stream of consciousness is finding its way onto this message board.

I really think you should stop for a minute before posting and try to marshall your thoughts into some kind of logical and coherent structure. Please, for all our sakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“It shows a hopelessness,” he said. “It used to be, ‘You have something I don’t have; I’ll go to my employer to get it, too. Now I don’t see any chance of getting it. I don’t want to be the lowest one on the totem pole, so I don’t want you to have it either.’ ” -- Richard Freeman, Harvard economist, on labor in America (in NY Times)

This comment, to me, is the essence of the debate we are seeing replayed all over the country (Wisconsin labor issue, cutting lazy Federal workers, illegal immigration, etc). It is really disheartening to see what we've become. Why are we focusing on tearing each other down and not on finding positive solutions?? Why don't we demand more of our employers instead of attacking each other? Private companies, many of whom don't offer great benefits, make billions and billions in profits each year. And pay virtually no taxes. Yet we are going after each other like dogs? I wish we'd just stop.

I have no idea what the answer is. It is bizarre to me that people participate so eagerly in their own impoverishment. At a time when the very banks and hedge funds that caused this crisis are now paying billions in ill-gotten gain, untaxed or lightly taxed, to a handful of individuals, the Republicans have somehow gotten all the public anger focused on teachers!

[Anonymous]

When the economy was good based on the Clinton era phoney dot com economy, then it blew up, then came 911 during the post dot com recession. The fed goosed the economy with super low rates( like today ) started and encouraged the real estate borrowing economic boom. Well 3 years ago it blew up and every family I know that Is not employed by the government has been bleeding money. The new bubble ( government borrowing ) has been keeping government workers in suspended animation for 3 years. The borrowing has come to an end and now everybody is in the same boat bleeding money. This is not partisan. Nonsense is over, reality is here and we have the capacity to rebuild our country just like after the Carter years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“It shows a hopelessness,” he said. “It used to be, ‘You have something I don’t have; I’ll go to my employer to get it, too. Now I don’t see any chance of getting it. I don’t want to be the lowest one on the totem pole, so I don’t want you to have it either.’ ” -- Richard Freeman, Harvard economist, on labor in America (in NY Times)

This comment, to me, is the essence of the debate we are seeing replayed all over the country (Wisconsin labor issue, cutting lazy Federal workers, illegal immigration, etc). It is really disheartening to see what we've become. Why are we focusing on tearing each other down and not on finding positive solutions?? Why don't we demand more of our employers instead of attacking each other? Private companies, many of whom don't offer great benefits, make billions and billions in profits each year. And pay virtually no taxes. Yet we are going after each other like dogs? I wish we'd just stop.

I have no idea what the answer is. It is bizarre to me that people participate so eagerly in their own impoverishment. At a time when the very banks and hedge funds that caused this crisis are now paying billions in ill-gotten gain, untaxed or lightly taxed, to a handful of individuals, the Republicans have somehow gotten all the public anger focused on teachers!

Yes, and before that it was the illegal immigrants. And before that, homosexuals were destroying this country. Or Muslims. Or something. Just as long as a finger is never pointed at their economic policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When the economy was good based on the Clinton era phoney dot com economy, then it blew up, then came 911 during the post dot com recession. The fed goosed the economy with super low rates( like today ) started and encouraged the real estate borrowing economic boom. Well 3 years ago it blew up and every family I know that Is not employed by the government has been bleeding money. The new bubble ( government borrowing ) has been keeping government workers in suspended animation for 3 years. The borrowing has come to an end and now everybody is in the same boat bleeding money. This is not partisan. Nonsense is over, reality is here and we have the capacity to rebuild our country just like after the Carter years.

The economy wasn't phony due to the tech bubble. Stock prices were phony. The economy was fine. The proof is that unEmployment for tech workers stayed low after the bubble burst.

[Anonymous]

It is lazy people saying I want want want for doing nothing nothing nothing and when their unions fall apart they will run to Uncle Sam saying I want want want and Uncle Sam will say Que?

[Anonymous]

A unionized public employee, a Tea Party activist, and a CEO are sitting at a table with a plate with a dozen cookies in the middle of it. The CEO takes 11 of the cookies, turns to the Tea Partier and says, "Watch out for that union guy. He wants a piece of your cookie."

[Anonymous]

"After the Carter years" that when all this started remember the l&s fraud?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A unionized public employee, a Tea Party activist, and a CEO are sitting at a table with a plate with a dozen cookies in the middle of it. The CEO takes 11 of the cookies, turns to the Tea Partier and says, "Watch out for that union guy. He wants a piece of your cookie."

This is it exactly. I think that people are starting to understand that the wealth gap is unfair (i.e. not merit based) and unsustainable. Also, the tea partiers are not bright enough to understand that their movement is being underwritten by corporate interests who know the power of a grassroots movement, yet play on the fact that their followers don't understand they are working against their own economic interests.

PS OP I am federal employee, but don't call me lazy as I worked 15 hour days for a year (and weekends too!) to help save your ass from the financial crisis. and yes, it could have been much,much worse.