Economic Parasites 101, or “CEO castigates AFL-CIO

[Joanne98]

I love the fact that MSNBC has a new program, "Morning Meeting", which regularly unpacks the fiction that 'too big to fail' or 'Wall Street traders' are so sacred that nothing should mess with them. I love the criticisms of a corrupt marketplace and I relish the comments about how AIG has been economically irresponsible.

Imagine my horror in watching a segment today that basically makes economic parasites out to be 'economic heroes' and castigates labor, the AFL-CIO, and Trumka as a pack of deceitful, unproductive, economic parasites. (can't find it on youtube, so here's a link):

The clip starts with a replay of AFL-CIO's Richard Trumka, speaking in favor of single payer health care on Rachel Maddow last night (in the same segment with FDL's founder Jane Hamsher). Then, we are introduced to the 'msnbc analysts':

Welcome to 'Inside Baseball 101: Health Care Episode', and get ready to delegitimize and marginalize 'labor'.

The summary of points made in the clip goes like this:

First, AFL-CIO has 'drawn a line in the sand', on single payer.
Second, single payer would 'damage' the 'union brand' - because if everyone can get health care without going through a union, then what's the point of a union?
Third, since #2 above is true, then Trumka could not possibly mean what he says; he must surely be lying.
Fourth' unions are strong-arming Obama'. (Because unions must be thugs, right...?)
Fifth, ' unions are not competitive, and are 'holding American back from winning'. Nevermind about AIG, Citigroup, or Goldman Sachs; always blame laid off automakers and people who work for a living for all economic problems.
Sixth, 'American competitiveness is damaged' by labor's economic demands. TARP? Never heard of it. Ignore the failure of a GOP President and a GOP Congress to hire mortgage fraud investigators in 2005, 2006, and 2007 -- instead, just blame unions and employees!
Seventh, " a bargaining position.

I almost expected Bernard and Allen to tell viewers that HealthCo$ are the true 'creators of wealth', or 'creators of value' in the US Economy.

How creating hundreds of plans and using monopolistic practices ever 'creates value' and generates economic innovation escapes me, but Bernard and Allen seem to think that healthCo$ are a natural part of the way the world works.

Continued>>>
http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/7361

I wish they'd FIRE Dr. Nancy. She soooooo far to the right I have to change the channel to Fox to get the liberal opinion!

[Deja Q]

1. A union isn't supposed to be a "brand".

It's a service, a non-profit service, made for and composed of employees to protect themselves from unreasonable conditions.

A union is still likely to be needed if good medical conditions were to come into place. Something is wrong with this picture...

Unions do go over the line as well, and "union brand" is one mighty fine example.

[Tsar_Bomba]

2. The greatest threat to democracy

is not militias or right wing politicians. The greatest threat are for profit corporations.