Daily Archives: Dec. 10, 2008

Claims about autoworker salaries are misleading

Dec. 10, 200812:49 p.m.

The House is set to vote today on a $15 billion loan and restructuring plan for the Detroit auto industry. Democratic leaders and the White House have reached an agreement, but it is unclear whether it has the votes to pass. Commentator Joe Conason contends that one reason there isn’t more support for the loan is that the media coverage has been biased against it. He thinks the worst example has been media reports that autoworker compensation exceeds $70 per hour. “That $70-plus figure, which actually includes pensions and health benefits to retirees, grossly distorted what Detroit’s assembly mechanics receive in their weekly paychecks,” he wrote. “And it most certainly stoked hostility to those workers and the industry among Americans who listened to the crude propaganda.”
Conason noted that comparisons between U.S. and foreign autoworkers also are misleading, as some foreign governments provide health care, child care, pensions and a host of other benefits.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Congress, Economy | Comments (65)

Get your Senate seat on eBay

Dec. 10, 200812:46 p.m.

The sad tale of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has inspired more than a dozen fake eBay listings for the state’s vacant U.S. Senate seat. Associated Press reported that nearly 80 bidders for one listing – “Used Illinois Senate seat, all wood and leather, willing to deal on this one! Please be advised I will be away from my office for a while” – had the “price” up to nearly $100 million this morning.

By Rhonda Holman | Filed under Congress | Comments (23)

Hard to fake Obama’s birth announcement

Dec. 10, 20089:02 a.m.

The biggest impediment to the conspiracy theory that Barack Obama is foreign-born would seem to be his birth announcement in the Honolulu Advertiser on Aug. 13, 1961. “Of course, it’s distantly possible that Obama’s grandparents may have planted the announcement just in case their grandson needed to prove his U.S. citizenship in order to run for president someday. We suggest that those who choose to go down that path should first equip themselves with a high-quality tinfoil hat,” concluded the Web site FactCheck.org, which examined his Honolulu birth certificate and declared it authentic. Hawaiian officials also have checked the records and determined there is no doubt that Obama was born in Hawaii.

By Rhonda Holman | Filed under President Obama | Comments (182)

Open thread 12/10

Dec. 10, 20086:01 a.m.

By The Editors | Filed under Open thread | Comments (163)

Kline has weird definition of victory

Dec. 10, 20086:00 a.m.

“If Phill Kline came up a winner in the Kansas Supreme Court this past week, as he suggested, then congratulations are long overdue to Chiefs running back Larry Johnson for being a role model and Kansas lawmakers for doing such a terrific job of preparing for the economic downturn.” – Topeka Capital-Journal columnist Ric Anderson, on the spin former Attorney General Kline put on a high court ruling that concluded Kline’s “attitude and behavior are inexcusable”

By Rhonda Holman | Filed under Kansas courts | Comments (34)