Category: Mike Jurney

Walmart Strikes

Walmart Strikes

I’m debating disabling comments on this, cause I’m not in the mood to deal with foolishness today.

/begin rant

I reshared a video of the Walmart employees talking about why they’re striking:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/103583939320326217147/posts/6TM5mPwi4r2

The general counter argument seems to be “get an education” or “get a better job”.

That’s not an argument. That’s bullshit.

Look people, at the end of the day, getting a “better job” isn’t a solution. There will always be Walmart employees, and farmhands, and dish washers, and . Even if they get a “better job”, someone else will need to fill those positions.

Basically, there will always be a need for unskilled labor. Not everyone can be an engineer, a scientist, a lawyer, a doctor, or some other highly trained profession.

I’m of the opinion that no matter what job a worker does, they ought to be able to earn enough to support their family, put food on the table, pay rent, and get reasonable health care if something untoward happens. Otherwise, the wage is too low, and Walmart is exploiting desperation in what is clearly an employer’s job market.

“Get a better job” is not a solution. That just means some other new replacement Walmart hire will be abused instead.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/103583939320326217147/posts/6TM5mPwi4r2

I don’t think I’ve read a better, more honest discussion of precisely how the ”fiscal cliff” and its associated…

I don’t think I’ve read a better, more honest discussion of precisely how the ”fiscal cliff” and its associated drama are, more than simply agenda-driven distractions, structurally co-opting so many of the values and impulses that make Americans great to serve an incredibly narrow, very powerful moneyed constituency – at the expence of the long-term safety and security of the vast bulk of the country.

Dear Mr. Obama, the “Grand Bargain” is neither Grand…nor a Bargain

Even better than the article I shared yesterday about the Obama tech team. Great stuff.

Even better than the article I shared yesterday about the Obama tech team. Great stuff.

I was part of the ’92 Clinton campaign’s “Internet volunteer” crew, and have been around several presidential campaigns as they’ve tried to figure out how to use technology to get their guy elected. These guys were in a league of their own.

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/11/when-the-nerds-go-marching-in/265325/