Labor Day CBC

Labor Day by the numbers
The Economic Policy Institute gives us the lowdown on the state of the economy as of this Labor Day. Maybe you don't want to look at it. Sure there are negative things, like the fact that we've lost jobs over the past decade and out future is shaping up to be bleaker than the Road, but hey, it might be a nice day out where you are.

Stiglitz: Odds of Robust US Rebound 'Very, Very Weak'
Yeah...always gotta love it when a Nobel laureate who saw the housing crisis coming, warned about the size of the bailout not being enough, fights crime in tandem with Paul Krugman, and has generally been right every step of the way warns that there's a greater chance for a double-dip recession than a robust recovery. But what does he know, he's only a genius economist? I saw everyone on CNBC and they seemed optimistic.

New Fee on Health Insurance Companies Is Proposed to Help Expand Coverage
Max Baucus has released his last ditch plan to get Republicans who will never vote for it...to vote for it. It's an immense shit sandwich that provides no public option, taxes insurance companies, involves weaker subsidies to get health insurance which might just burden the poor even more, and costs a lot of money to not do what its supposed to do. In other words: it pisses everyone while providing the added benefit of not fixing problems. But it does cost a lot. So at least it has that going for it.

Points of Comparison
TPM looks at what Baucus proposed as a comparison to other health care systems in the world. It sort of looks like Baucus is trying to create some sort of bastardized version of the Swiss system, which is the second most expensive health care system in the world behind the good ole United States of Freedom. This totally doesn't sound like a complete catastrophe for Democrats.

The Spreading Scandal In Jai Alai
In honor of the Mad Men episode from last night, I give you Sport's Illustrated's 1979 story on a Jai Alai gambling scandal. Mobsters, Connecticut, and Jai ALai, you try to stay away. This is the biggest reason Jai Alai isn't the most popular sport in America right now, I'm sure of it.