“Today I saw a bumper sticker that said, ‘Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.’ I think that’s right, but it’s also only part of the story. I think that the judicial system is also what keeps the poor from murdering the rich. And the police. And what we are taught in school keeps the poor from murdering the rich. The stories we are taught at home from infancy are what keeps the poor from murdering the rich. The belief that it is acceptable to be rich is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich. The desire to be like them keeps the poor from murdering the rich. None of this, of course, keeps the rich from murdering the poor.”

— Derrick Jensen, The Culture of Make Believe
Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1% | Society | Vanity Fair
Are members of Congress paid enough?

A member of Congress makes $174,000 a year, yet they say they, “can’t pay their bills.”  And we wonder why they can’t keep a budget?

The Maddow Blog - Chart: Bush tax cuts still the problem
whiporwill:

Lower taxes on the rich do not lead to job growth

In theory, the GOP is so committed to resisting tax hikes because it’s so committed to creating jobs. “The fact is you can’t tax the very people that we expect to invest in the economy and create jobs,” says Speaker John Boehner. But Michael Linden’s chart comparing average annual job creation at different marginal tax rates begs to differ.

Now that the USA is no longer a AAA country, all countries with AAA ratings have socialized medicine.

mommapolitico:

erinnn:

via stfuconservatives:

AAA countries according to Standard & Poor’s

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_credit_rating

-Joe

Wow. Powerful.