Are we in a recession, and if we are, does anybody care?
Read Barbara Ehrenreich's opinion here. And why is Barbara talking about economic stimulation in a whole new way? Read more...
The Jobless Jihad
What are the characteristics of recent terrorists? "Desperation...Occupational opportunities are extremely limited...Come from upper and middle-class families...Have some college education...either professional or semi-professionals...solidly anchored in family responsibilities...married and...have children." Does this sound like today's long-term unemployed or desperately underemployed white collar professionals? This phenomenon has been studied, and some of those studies are a dry read, but they're enlightening.
Read more... Is AARP on Our Side? or, With Friends Like These, Do We Really Need Enemies?
What exactly is AARP's stand on universal healthcare? If you sell insurance, can you be an advocate for reform, or are you suffering from a pre-existing condition called conflict of interest? Trude Diamond, UP board member, persistent researcher and champion for justice, recently put together this in-depth collection of articles regarding AARP. Here's a sample: "AARP is not a league of the elderly, but a marketing agency with a shady past." "AARP...is teaming up with California Governor Schwarzenegger's campaign to cover the uninsured by forcing them to buy private health insurance." "AARP, which earned $379 million in royalties in 2005, mostly from health insurance sales..." " [in 2008] AARP will be the largest provider of private insurance to Medicare recipients." Read more... | 
Issue #5 02/05/2008
