Hard Times http://www.altnewsring.com How real people are getting through these times Wed, 28 Dec 2011 09:42:17 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Occupy is on the Move http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/28/occupy-is-on-the-move/ http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/28/occupy-is-on-the-move/#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 09:32:04 +0000 admin http://www.altnewsring.com/?p=104 Continue reading →]]> While the MSM reports on the presidential horserace and the gaffes and scandals in its wake, the Occupy movement is staying focused on the issues by occupying the Iowa Caucuses:

http://www.truth-out.org/occupy-caucus-occupy-iowa-be-first-nation-take-action/1325014726

In many other actions all over the country, the Occupy movement is supporting workers and victims of foreclosure and acting as the lobbyist the 99% can’t afford to hire:

http://www.truth-out.org/small-occupy-movements-across-country-accumulate-victories/1324565239

 

]]> http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/28/occupy-is-on-the-move/feed/ 0 What if Prosperity Were Based on Quality of Life Instead of Quantity of Goods Consumed? http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/26/what-if-properity-were-based-on-quality-of-life-instead-of-quantity-of-goods-consumed/ http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/26/what-if-properity-were-based-on-quality-of-life-instead-of-quantity-of-goods-consumed/#comments Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:45:58 +0000 admin http://www.altnewsring.com/?p=100 I’ve been thinking this for years, but there is a new school of economists who think our prosperity should not be fueled by ever-expanding consumption:

http://www.truth-out.org/goodbye-shop-til-you-drop-mentality-renegade-band-economists-call-degrowth-economy/1324836174

]]> http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/26/what-if-properity-were-based-on-quality-of-life-instead-of-quantity-of-goods-consumed/feed/ 0 The Big Lie About Fannie and Freddie http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/24/the-big-lie-about-fannie-and-freddie/ http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/24/the-big-lie-about-fannie-and-freddie/#comments Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:39:37 +0000 admin http://www.altnewsring.com/?p=97 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/24/opinion/nocera-the-big-lie.html?_r=1&src=tp&smid=fb-share

Yes, Fannie and Freddie share some of the blame for the subprime mortgage crisis, but their role has been greatly distorted for ideological reasons.

 

]]> http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/24/the-big-lie-about-fannie-and-freddie/feed/ 0 “God Bless Us Everyone!” http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/24/god-bless-us-everyone/ http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/24/god-bless-us-everyone/#comments Sat, 24 Dec 2011 12:42:22 +0000 admin http://www.altnewsring.com/?p=89 Merry Christmas!

Picture by The Other 98%

]]> http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/24/god-bless-us-everyone/feed/ 0 We are working almost 3 times longer to pay rent http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/22/we-are-working-almost-3-times-longer-to-pay-rent/ http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/22/we-are-working-almost-3-times-longer-to-pay-rent/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:52:45 +0000 admin http://www.altnewsring.com/?p=87 From the Maddow Blog:

http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/21/9612512-chart-the-sweat-of-your-brow

]]> http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/22/we-are-working-almost-3-times-longer-to-pay-rent/feed/ 3 Things the Tea Party, the Occupy Movement, and the 99% Can Agree On http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/21/things-the-tea-party-the-occupy-movement-and-the-99-can-agree-on/ http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/21/things-the-tea-party-the-occupy-movement-and-the-99-can-agree-on/#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:45:36 +0000 admin http://www.altnewsring.com/?p=85 Robert Reich always nails it. The problem is not big government, it’s big money’s influence on goverment, period. He gives example after example of this in this article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/the-defining-issue-not-go_b_1159294.html

]]> http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/21/things-the-tea-party-the-occupy-movement-and-the-99-can-agree-on/feed/ 2 Occupy Atlanta Saves a Vet from Foreclosure http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/19/occupy-atlanta-saves-a-vet-from-foreclosure/ http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/19/occupy-atlanta-saves-a-vet-from-foreclosure/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:15:33 +0000 admin http://www.altnewsring.com/?p=83 Yet another reason I support the Occupy movement. Let’s keep doing this!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/19/occupy-atlanta-saves-iraq-veterans-home-from-foreclosure_n_1158097.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

]]> http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/19/occupy-atlanta-saves-a-vet-from-foreclosure/feed/ 2 RIP Labor Unions http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/19/rip-labor-unions/ http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/19/rip-labor-unions/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:10:20 +0000 admin http://www.altnewsring.com/?p=81 Unless there is a dramatic intervention, labor unions in America will lose what remains of their power on 1/1/2012

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/17/opinion/crippling-the-right-to-organize.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

]]> http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/19/rip-labor-unions/feed/ 2 Book Review: FDR The First Hundred Days http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/18/book-review-fdr-the-first-hundred-days/ http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/18/book-review-fdr-the-first-hundred-days/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:08:00 +0000 admin http://www.altnewsring.com/?p=76 Continue reading →]]> This is a really good Introduction to the legislation passed in the first hundred days of the FDR administration. First up was the banking crisis. The day after he was inaugurated, FDR declared a banking holiday to stop the run on the banks that was threatening the collapse of the entire US banking system. Four days later, congress passed the Emergency Banking Act.  Three days after that, FDR gave his first fireside chat on the radio, explaining the banking crisis and the newly passed legislation and persuading people to put their money back in the banks. The next day, the first of the banks were successfully re-opened.

I got it  for a few dollars on Amazon.

From Chapter 1:

“On March 4, 1933, the nation’s banks had been closed. At least a quarter, but more likely a third of American workers were unenployed. Those fortunate enough to have work had seen their incomes fall by a third in three years. Farmers had been crushed by catastrophic price falls, drought and debt. A thousand homeowners a day were losing their homes.”

- Anthony J. Badger, FDR The First Hundred Days

]]> http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/18/book-review-fdr-the-first-hundred-days/feed/ 2 Ground Zero of the Housing Crisis http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/18/ground-zero-of-the-housing-crisis/ http://www.altnewsring.com/2011/12/18/ground-zero-of-the-housing-crisis/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:37:07 +0000 admin http://www.altnewsring.com/?p=73 Continue reading →]]> 60 Minutes will air a segment tonight on how the housing crisis decimated whole  neighborhoods in Cleveland. There is plenty of blame to go around – Wall Street greed, lax regulation, ill-conceived goverment policies  and middle class house flippers, to mention a few.

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2011/12/the_rot_of_decomposing_housing.html

 

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