SandBox Comments: Pueblo Chieftain "Suddenly a lot more Americans in poverty "

"U.S. Census Bureau's new assessment of poverty:

- For all groups, poverty would have jumped to 18 percent — or 6 million more people — if it weren’t for the earned income tax credit,

- Without food stamps, the poverty rate would have risen to 17.7 percent, which translates to about 5 million more people.

- Poverty for Asians increased to 16.7 percent from 12.1 percent under the official measure. Among non-Hispanic whites, it rose to 11.1 percent from about 10 percent.

- Children's poverty rate declined to 18.2 percent from 22 percent — largely a reflection of families receiving food stamps.

- By region, the West had the highest poverty rate at 19.4 percent. Then comes the South at 16.3 percent; the Northeast at 14.5 percent; and the Midwest at 13.1 percent...."
(via Pueblo Chieftain)

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"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."

SandBox Comments: Snowmass Sun/Johnny Boyd "When it comes to profit people are shameless'"

Probably inevitable that the Snowmass Sun will fall on the chopping block as Swift Communications continues to decline.

Columns like this one from Johnny will never make it into the Aspen Times.

Not unless the little guys out here keep raising voices.

A very special thank-you goes out to Johnny Boyd for this one today.

Up on the Snowmass Sun.

"...Jim Crown might be a great philanthropist, but his businesses and the way he conducts them are the cause of misery to thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people. Low-ball pay is way down on the list.

WHILE ORDINARY AMERICANS fret mightily over undocumented workers entering the country and taking jobs, using services and all kinds of other happy horse hockey to keep them distracted, men like Klug and Crown and many others are doing everything they can to get the cheap labor they prefer.

It has been that way since time began, but the employees of the past weren't quite as brainwashed into believing that big business had their best interests at heart.

Senator Mark Udall is now reviewing the various visa programs that ski areas have used in order to understand whether the program is harming American workers.

Considering the Skico hasn't raised its wages in 15 years and its lift ticket prices have skyrocketed during that same period it isn't difficult to figure out that the visa program has kept the entire valley down.

Write Mr. Udall and let him know that he doesn't have to look far for a company using the visa program to harm American workers.

Obama's policy of fining employers for hiring undocumented workers is the only viable solution to ending the stream of immigrants entering the United States looking for work.

If any employer is hiring the undocumented, a fine and perhaps some jail time are in order.

Throwing a few wealthy businessmen in prison will send a message that won't soon be forgotten. When employers quit hiring undocumented workers, undocumented workers will stop coming.

To tell the truth, I personally don't mind immigrants coming to town and gaining work.

What I object to is the hypocrisy of the employers exploiting these workers at low pay and not supporting a path to citizenship for them if they want it.

Or worse, paying a pittance and then complaining no Americans will do the job.

When it comes to profit people are shameless..."(Johnny Boyd)

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