The August unemployment data are out. The unemployment rate was “about unchanged” at 9.6 percent,” says the BLS press release. Teenagers (26.3 percent), African Americans (16.3 percent), and Hispanics (12.0 percent) “showed little change.” You can feel the boredom in the release. No change, no news, nothing to report.

But...

This Labor Day feels gloomy. It’s a celebration of work when there is not enough of it, a day off when too many desperately seek a day on.

America has commemorated two Labor Days since this brutal recession began near the end of George Bush’s presidency in December of 2007. Now...

Each morning, Bill Scher and Terrance Heath serve up what progressives need to affect change on the kitchen-table issues families face: jobs, health care, green energy, financial reform, affordable education and retirement security.

White House (Finally) Considering Emergency Stimulus

Politico Reports that the...

State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, the Democratic and Republican candidates for U.S. Senate, are essentially tied, with each garnering 34 percent in support in a new Tribune poll of 600 likely voters across the state....

GOP gubernatorial nominee Bill Brady has made clear school won't be exempt from his budget ax if he's elected governor. To make up for the lost revenue, the Republican mentioned to supporters yesterday that "school districts could absorb that by maybe not offering the pay raises that they put in place."

While it may seem intuitive and reasonable at first glance to ask teachers to forgo pay bumps , Brady's line of argument contains a few flaws. For starters, each district has its own contract that contains different terms, meaning there is...