Obama Fails on His Minimum Wage Pledge

[ via Huffington Post ] 5 Jan

In 2008, then-President-elect Barack Obama made an ambitious pledge as part of his agenda to fight poverty, one he claimed would help "make work pay for all Americans" in an era of widening economic inequality: By the end of 2011, he would raise the federal minimum wage to $9.50 an hour and index it to inflation, "to make sure that full-time workers can earn a living wage," as his transition team's website put it.

In effect, Obama was pushing for a 31 percent pay raise for millions of the country's lowest earners. But when they collect their first paychecks for 2012, those workers will see no such raise. 

The federal minimum wage remains $7.25 an hour, the same rate it's been since 2009, when the last of a series of wage bumps signed into law by George W. Bush was implemented. The cost of living continues to climb although the wage floor remains the same.

Read more: Huffington Post 

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Guess Which Country Has The Best Paid Politicians In Europe

[ via Business Insider ] 4 Jan

Europe as of day is plunged into unfathomable monetary and fiscal crises. People are out there on the streets to protest against the 1% who have made their lives miserable and unlivable.

Can you rearrange these flags according to highest to lowest salary scale?

But many wouldn't know how much their politicians are being paid from the taxes that are collected form them. Business Insider has published an interesting survey of almost all European countries and rated the salaries of their politicians and members parliament.

The resulting study reveals the base salaries that each EU country's politicians earned along with a look at the perks and expenses that politicians can also claim as part of their living.

View the slide show here and know the politicians of which country rank the highest in take home salary scale - you will be surprised.


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Britain faces mass strike over pension reform

Yahoo News 30 Nov

Britain's first mass strike for more than 30 years is expected Wednesday, which may add up pressure on a coalition facing a weakening economy. Airlines said on Monday they were cutting flights into London Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, because of fears of long delays and overcrowding due to the passport control strike.

While the government says reform is needed as people are living longer and public service pensions are unaffordable, up to 2 million public sector workers are protesting over reforms that unions say will force them to pay more for their pensions and work for longer before they can retire.

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