Links for Sept. 30, 2015 (Excluding Syria, Russia and the Pope)

The former Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Bill Clinton, who became president and CEO of the Clinton Foundation earlier this year, recently suffered a stroke.

Jeb Admits Tax Plan will make Richer Richer

More proof that Jeb Bush may care not so much for this country as he does for the very rich. Besides gutting government regulations, he also wants to cut taxes — the standard Republican mantra, (just like his brother George), so no surprises there. But why would Jeb lie about his tax plan on a Sunday when the Pope was still in town?

US Corporations Stashed $3.8 Trillion!

Wasn't more economic growth, higher profits and less taxes supposed to create more jobs and raise wages — instead of just producing huge and wasteful huge cash hoards?

Jeb's Plan is BAD and Government is GOOD

[* Editor's note: This post includes content from Mark Thoma's blog that was edited for length from the post Jeb Bush's Claims and Reality — with excerpts and paraphrased comments from readers — along with my own content and links. The following was not meant to compliment Obama, but only make a comparison been "the better of the two evils" — the only choice we've had for generations — and why Senator Bernie Sanders says we need a "political revolution".]

Bernie Sanders Speech Crashed Senate Website

Many people are blaming the Great Recession for the current economy, where CEOs are raking in millions as stocks and profits soar, while everyone else is struggling. But the decline of the working-class has been going on for decades.

Not All "Pope News" Today

[* Editor's note: CNN, Fox News and MSNBC have been simultaneously covering the Pope's visit (almost 24/7) — which has become hyper-redundant as these cable news channels compete for ratings. And everybody has already heard about House Speaker John Boehner’s early retirement, and what that could mean. That news alone used up 100% of the Washington Post's newsletter today. So I'm posting a hodgepodge collection of other tid-bits today.]

Jeb Bush's War on Government Regulation

Here's a post about Jeb Bush's war on government regulation by Paul Krugman via Mark Thoma's blog. And here's an article at the Next New Deal: The Faulty Logic of Jeb Bush's Anti-Regulation Argument.

Unions Vote with GOP and Hillary Clinton on TPP

America’s Collapsing Trade Initiatives (by Robert Kuttner)

Obama's trade policy is in tatters. The grand design, created by Obama's old friend and former Wall Street deal-maker, trade chief Mike Froman, comes in two parts:

The Democratic Debate Schedule and Updated Polls for 2016 Election

UPDATE: According to a new CNN/WMUR poll (9/24/15) for New Hampshire:

Newest News: Headlines, Blurbs and Opinions for 9/24/15

Hillary Clinton Following in Bernie Sanders Footsteps

In 2009 President Obama made a bargain with the devil to get Obamacare™ passed if Big Pharma agreed to mark down certain prescription drug prices for seniors. In return the White House would agree to spare the drug companies from having to negotiate lower drug prices.

Bad Trade Deals Don't Matter: Labor Unions Still Back Hillary

Hillary Clinton recently secured her sixth union endorsement in her bid to be the Democratic nominee for president. The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America has more than half a million members.

Hillary Clinton Flip-Flops on Keystone Pipeline . . .

...that and more about TransCanada's Keystone XL Pipeline below.

Yes, Bernie Sanders Can Laugh . . .

...with others, at others, and at himself.

How DNC Rigs Process to Beat Insurgents like Bernie Sanders

The latest Gallop Poll shows:

The GOP Mantra: Less Taxes, Less Regulation, Less Government

The GOP likes to say they are for getting the government jack boots off our necks, as if American citizens are being oppressed by a tyrannical government every day in their daily lives. But yet, for over 200 years, people from all over the world continue to come here — and by any means possible, sometimes risking their lives. Why?

Everything you wanted to know about Bernie Sanders...

... but were afraid to ask.

Tax cuts don't mean more jobs, and "growth" doesn't mean higher wages

Since the stock market bottomed out on March 6, 2009 (during the Great Recession) corporate profits have soared (Source: St. Louis Federal Reserve).

The GOP Debate was a Big Waste of Time

The 2016 Republican presidential debate last night drew an estimated average of 22.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched program in CNN's 35-year history — but did not top the Fox News GOP debate last month, which brought in an estimated 24 million viewers (who also wasted our time).

Biden isn't Progressive? Say it ain't so Joe!

Senators Warren and Sanders are for re-instituting Glass-Steagall; while Hillary Clinton is not because it was her husband who passed the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act that deregulated the banks and gutted Glass-Steagall in 1999 (with Joe Biden on board) — which contributed to the Great Recession.

Clinton: Student Loans, Bankruptcy Reform and Social Security Garnishment

In 1978 Congress passed a bankruptcy reform bill that limited borrowers' ability to relieve their federal student loan obligations. Over time, lawmakers tightened the rules to make it even tougher.

Fox News Ambushes Senator Bernie Sanders

The O’Reilly Factor recently sent its usual ambush reporter Jesse Watters down to Washington to harass Senator Bernie Sanders with silly and frivolous questions.

Bernie Sanders delivers at Liberty University (Fascinating!)

The brave Jewish Independent Senator from the small State of Vermont stepped into the Christian lion's den — and survived with respect and dignity. Business Insider wrote: "America's most liberal candidate just took his message to a hub of conservative politics — and it was fascinating."

Clinton vs Sanders without Joe Biden in the Polls

Joe Biden (a moderate Democrat who supports the TPP trade agreement), by refusing to acknowledge whether he'll run for President or not, continues to be included in the polls. In contrast, Elizabeth Warren (who is more progressive and supports expanding Social Security) has flatly said she would not run for president, and so therefore, is never included in the polls.

Jeb's Tax Plan: His Brother's Tax Cuts on Steroids?

His tax plan does not make him a very nice man...

Bernie Sanders would fix Social Security, "moderate" Democrats wouldn't

Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced the Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act (S.500), legislation that would keep the Social Security Trust Fund solvent for at least 75 years by asking the wealthiest Americans to contribute their fair share.

Are Today's Socialists Yesterday's Progressives?

What are the biggest differences between FDR, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton?

Hillary email Scandal more than just a "Scandal"

It's only a "scandal" for pro-Hillary media pundits, Hillary's voters, and politicians who support Hillary Clinton. For everyone else, it's ...

Elizabeth Warren wooed on Air Force One

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) snapped a selfie with Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) on Air Force One after President Obama’s recent trip to Boston. Why were they on Air Force One and why were they in Boston?

Why do we Celebrate Labor Day?

Do we celebrate for just being lucky enough to have a job — any job at all?

Can the DNC hijack Elizabeth Warren to best Bernie Sanders?

That is what Bold Progressives, liberal Democrats, progressive members of Congress, Republicans for Bernie, labor union members (including the CIO-AFL), and pro-Bernie Independents have been very concerned about lately. The Democratic Party Machine has been playing hardball to marginalize Bernie Sanders, to depict him as a non-candidate (despite what polls are showing).

How CEOs get Rich on their Worker's Backs

• Bureau Labor Statistics: Of the 2.9 million youth who graduated from high school last year, about 2.0 million were enrolled in college (575,000 young people dropped out of high school).
• Bureau Labor Statistics: 173,000 jobs were created in August 2015 (X 12 months = 2.07 million jobs).
• Bureau Labor Statistics: Last month another 261,000 working-age Americans dropped out of labor force (up from 93,770,000 in July to 94,031,000 in August). But yet, the unemployment rate went down again.

There aren't enough jobs being created in the U.S. — and the ones that are being created (by American companies in America) pay very little compared to what the CEOs and their board of directors have been paying themselves (using stock buybacks and stock options).

Hillary Clinton email tech to Plead the Fifth

(Washington Post) A former State Department staffer who worked on Hillary Clinton’s private e-mail server tried this week to fend off a subpoena to testify before Congress, saying he would assert his constitutional right not to answer questions to avoid incriminating himself [and/or Hillary Clinton].

Bernie Sanders "News" not on Cable News

[* Editor's note: Updates to this post are in the "comments' below. There's a reason Bernie's not mentioned much on cable news —

CEO Greed at a Glance

Since 2004, top U.S. executives have had their companies spend nearly $7 trillion buying up their own corporate stock, an outlay that equals around half of all corporate profits. Buybacks artificially raise corporate share prices and trigger, in the process, performance-based windfalls for top execs.

Donald Trump on Hedge Fund Whiners

Donald Trump was speaking at Ernie Boch Jr's mansion in Norwood, Massachusetts (August 28, 2015) when he said he wants to raise taxes on hedge fund managers because they don't pay their fair share of taxes. (And he's right.)