100,000 Protest for Union Rights in Wisconsin

AlJazeeraEnglish--February 20, 2011--Budget problems are forcing state governors across the US to propose drastic measures to balance the books. In the state of Wisconsin, roughly 100,000 people turned up for a fifth straight day of protests. Public sector workers accuse the state's Republican governor of using the crisis as a reason to attack their union rights. Roger Wilkison reports.


None of these public sector employees could figure out that it was in large part the private sector manufacturing jobs that payed thier wages. As those jobs where being destroyed by the tens of millions the public sector didn't think for one minute that the financing for thier wages was being shipped out of the country. The only thing they could see was what foreign made crap was on sale at Walmart? Class War 101, divide and conquer

Wisconsin Budget Battle

Feb. 18 2011 | Protests roll in Wisconsin, with Zac Schultz, WMTV reporter; Robert Reich, UC Berkeley; and Rep. Scott Suder, (R-WI).

Initial Jobless Claims Higher Than Expected

410,000 people filed for unemployment benefits during the week of February 12th. That's an uptick from the prior week's 383,000 filings, which was the lowest level in 2.5 years. Economists were spot-on in their projection of the latest claim number. Analysts attribute the latest rise to winter weather, which delayed the filing and processing of many claims.

The U.S. unemployment rate stands at 9.8%.

World Bank: Global Food Prices at Dangerous Levels

The World Bank says that global food prices are at dangerous levels with food prices hiking security issues.

Economic Data Reports: February 15th, 2010

U.S. January Import Prices are up 1.5% for the month of January. That number is up from December's revised increase of 1.2%. Inflation worries continue to be in the realm of food and energy where price rates increases are in the mid-teens. Higher energy and food costs particularly pressure consumer spending.

The February Empire State Factory Index also yielded a rise for the month of January. The index came in at 15.4, up from the prior month's 11.92. Analysts were expecting a reading of 15 even. A jump in new orders is a sign of further improvement in the economy.

Also out early this morning, retail sales which rose by 0.3% in January. A dip from February's revised 0.5% rise. The gain in January sales is attributed to higher gasoline prices. Economists on average expected a rise of 0.5% for the first month of 2011.