RTW as a false alarm

With nods, winks and nudges, Republicans in Michigan assaulted their union member constituents Tuesday.louis vuitton parisIt is hard to see the process failure of the right-to-work laws signed by Gov. Rick Snyder as any different. The bills were pushed through the Legislature in six days, without a public hearing. Lame-duck lawmakers with some of the more imaginative explanations uttered in a state capital voted yes.lv handbag A furtive governor thought it best not to sign the bills with a public ceremony "because this isn't us versus them," which means he didn't look out his window to notice 12,000 angry protesters and police in full riot gear. And, incidentally, police and firefighters were exempted from the right-to-work legislation with explanations The Detroit News called "murky." That ensured there wasn't an additional 2,000 protesters in the state capital Tuesday and those holding batons would clunk the right heads if it came down to that.But much of the process of passing a right-to-work law in a state such as Michigan has to be done with small smirks and suppressed giggles while looking at one's shoes.louis vuitton bags for sale While a cohort speaks bravely to reporters, the cohorts in the background gathered around to block the wind and make it look like the speaker is surrounded by tweed. The speaker, however, must be talking in code or a prescribed double-talk that means nothing but sounds quite important.Firefighters and police were left out of the legislation because their unions "behave more like value-adding trade associations than unions," said state Rep. Mike Shirkey.louis vuitton purse for sale Apparently, this means something. Unfortunately, the vote was taken before cryptographers could break the code."These are men and women who must respond and rely on each other in ways no other union must," said Republican Rep. John Walsh, failing to explain why electricians and corrections officers were not also exempted from the legislation.louis vuitton belt It is also possible Walsh was attempting to say that division among workers in other jobs was the point of the legislation. He didn't say it that clearly, however.A study at Ball State University in Indiana completed this year found right-to-work would not increase manufacturing jobs, nor does it affect wages. The Economic Policy Institute, however, found annual wages in right-to-work states for union and non-union workers averaged $1,500 less than in states without such legislation and that access to healthcare was affected, as well.new louis vuitton bags Bill Cosby said "intern" was French for "slavery." President Obama said Monday that right-to-work was about the right to work "for less money." Perhaps the point is becoming clearer now.The Economic Policy Institute labeled right-to-work a "failed policy," but it must have its points or Republicans wouldn't embrace it so enthusiastically.louis vuitton handbag Pure and simple, if it's about money, how does this break down?On a personal level, the News reported, union members on average pay 1.5 percent of their pay into union dues, or about $750 per year for someone earning $50,000 per year.That doesn't add up to more spending money, however, when you take away $1,500 in wages. It doesn't contribute much to the state's tax revenue or discretionary spending.louis vuitton bags for sale Relatively speaking, $750 subtracts plenty from a union's budget and puts $1,500 in the employer's pocket. That has some impact.The long-term ability of unions to attract members to have an impact on workplace rules and wages, pension plans and healthcare is where the real difference lies, and this could put some unions right out of work.Imagine a situation in which a company is doing poorly.louis vuitton handbags Labor contracts are due or get tossed out in a bankruptcy court and unions workers, temporarily, have to take a hit with wages and benefits put on hold and the cessation of pension plans. Then, when the contract is renegotiated, union members take a bigger hit, vote on the contract and sign it.At this point, the union has an array of its own members who are dissatisfied. The union wasn't quite as magical as previously thought.louis vuitton monogram vernis More members stop paying dues.Right-to-work doesn't dismantle unions, it only makes it possible to do so. It unlocks the door. It's like yelling fire in a theater with locked doors watching patrons trample themselves to death, then going up to a podium and explaining it wasn't your fault, because there was never a fire in the first place.louis vuitton speedyIn international markets Wednesday, the Nikkei 225 index in Japan rose 0.59 percent, while the Shanghai composite index in China gained 0.39 percent. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong added 0.louis vuitton purse8 percent, while the Sensex in India slipped 0.16 percent.The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia climbed 0.17 percent.louis vuitton epiIn midday trading in Europe, the FTSE 100 index in Britain gained 0.23 percent, while the DAX 30 in Germany rose 0.34 percent. The CAC 40 in France shed 0.louis vuitton online store06 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 600 was up 0.08 percent.
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Flirting with gifts

CHICAGO, Dec.louis vuitton paris 16 (UPI) -- There is no shortage of holiday shoppers in U.S. stores but retailers say many consumers are just flirting with the merchandise under the glow of the holiday lights with no intention of taking it home.The Harris Poll says "showrooming" -- the industry nickname for a new trend in which shoppers try out a product up close in a store but then choose to buy it online -- is on the rise.louis vuitton monogram vernisAn online survey of 2,249 adults last month suggests 43 percent of U.S. adults have showroomed.Best Buy and WalMart are the stores most often targeted by showroomers, followed by Target, Home Depot, Lowes and Barnes & Noble.louis vuitton purseThirty percent of men said Best Buy was their top showrooming location, while 27 percent of women said they examined products at WalMart before buying online.Not surprisingly, online retail giant Amazon is cashing in on the trend. The majority of showroomers said they generally made their online purchases at Amazon (57 percent). Walmart.handbags newcom and Ebay were distant seconds at 5 percent each.The survey found showroomers spent an average of $211.80 the last time they purchased a product online after examining it in a brick and mortar store.Whether its online or in person, cash registers continue to ring up a happy tune for retailers this year.gucci messenger bag The National Retail Federation says holiday promotions are fostering a consumer "propensity to shop early and often."The NRF's latest holiday survey, conducted by BIGinsight, found the average person has completed 56.5 percent of his/her shopping, up from the 46.5 percent this time last year and the highest percentage in the survey's 10-year history.chanel handbags"Having made a list and checked it twice, holiday shoppers have been out in full force these last few weeks, leaving only a few stones unturned," NRF President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Shay said Thursday in a statement. Holiday procrastinators take heart: You are not alone. A survey conducted on behalf of Lands' End finds 30 percent of this season's gift buyers had yet to make a single purchase as of early last week. Of those who have begun to tackle holiday shopping, 79 percent still have gifts to purchase and 51 percent say they have five gifts left on the shopping list.handbags new And, thanks to savvy marketers who've decided every Monday during the holiday deserves its own shopping designation, retailers such as Lands' End are offering extra incentives on Dec. 17 -- now known as National Free Shipping Day. Despite the offer of free shipping, some people say they'll wait a little longer to hit the Internet and aren't likely to be at the local mall either. The Lands' End survey said 10 percent of respondents confessed they will be shopping for holiday gifts on Christmas Eve.louis vuitton bags for saleFifty-nine percent of the last minute shoppers say they're "natural procrastinators" and a quarter of respondents said they enjoy the last minute shopping experience. The survey of 604 men and women was conducted by SurveyMonkey Dec. 7-10.Some shoppers take procrastination to the extreme -- with 8.louis vuitton belt2 percent of shoppers in the NRF survey suggesting they plan to shop online on Christmas Day and 4.1 percent of shoppers admitting they will actually wait until the day after Christmas to do their holiday shopping."Budget-conscious consumers have taken advantage of retailers' deals all season long, even after a strong showing Thanksgiving weekend, and could even look to the days after Christmas to find treasures in the clearance bins or new spring items that arrive that week," BIGinsight Consumer Insights Director Pam Goodfellow said. The NRF survey of 8,333 consumers was conducted Dec.louis vuitton shop online 4-10. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.0 percent.
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Big changes? Not quite.

Get out of bed and rub your eyes.gucci messenger bag Pinch yourself. Call the broker. Start making bets on Wall Street again.Why? House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has proposed raising the tax rate on millionaires, setting his sights on raising $1 trillion over 10 years, which tops a previous revenue plan for raising $800 billion.louis vuitton purse Alongside the revenue, Boehner proposes $1 trillion in spending cuts.The chances of any final deal being struck looking like this one are virtually nil, but it is still a watershed concept to have Boehner sign up for raising taxes on the wealthy. The White House, true to form, quickly rejected the bulk of the proposal, which was reported by the Wall Street Journal as a private offer, which may mean it was written on a napkin and slid across the negotiating table. However it was meant, a Democratic aide called it a "breakthrough," and a Republican aide said it was a valuable template for the final agreement.louis vuitton monogram According to economists, however, the deal will not look like that at all. A National Association for Business Economics survey found 90 percent of respondents indicated they believed budget cuts will be put off -- the can will be kicked down the road. Similarly, 90 percent indicated they do not believe lawmakers will raise taxes across-the-board.Taking that a step further, however, the survey that included 48 economists ended with a prediction of economic growth for 2013 of 2.louis vuitton handbag1 percent, just slightly below what was predicted for 2012, the Journal reported.The street-level translation there is that a vast majority of economists predict not much will change and the impact of that on the economy will be very little.A second glance at the figures shows a bit more optimism, as economists in the survey indicated the gross domestic product would grow 1.8 percent in the first quarter of 2013 and that the rate would pick up to 3 percent in the fourth quarter.louis vuitton handbagThat means that 2013 will still be a year in limbo for the vast majority of those who are looking for work. The GDP is growing at a pace of about 2.5 percent currently and the number of new jobs each month remains paltry.In international markets Monday, the Nikkei 225 index in Japan rose 0.replica louis vuitton wallet94 percent, while the Shanghai composite index in China gained 0.45 percent. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong slid 0.41 percent, while the Sensex in India gave up 0.louis vuitton purse for sale38 percent.The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia dropped 0.21 percent.In midday trading in Europe, the FTSE 100 index in Britain was off 0.louis vuitton paris36 percent, while the DAX 30 in Germany was flat, rising 0.02 percent. The CAC 40 in France shed 0.18 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 600 lost 0.new louis vuitton bags19 percent.
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Throwing tax darts

They have been throwing darts against the wall in Washington and those darts have tax rates attached to them.new louis vuitton bagsIf you have ever mused silently about writing to your congressional representative, now might be the time to do so -- although likely as not the opportunity for meaningful impact is already passed.At this point, philosophical debates between Democrats and Republicans are done, The New York Times reported, and it is time for the number-crunchers to step forward. An agreement is that close, the Times declared.The differences at large are spending and taxing.louis vuitton shop online Currently, President Obama has offered to cut spending by $1.22 trillion in 10 years, which exceeds the target of $1.2 trillion proposed by Republicans. There is, in fact, a magic formula at play here.chanel handbags The bulk of the cuts involves direct spending rollbacks, but $122 billion of the cuts would be derived by changing the government's formula for inflation, which means a cut in Social Security that comes from changing the fine print.In addition, $290 billion in the spending cuts would come from lower interest costs on what will turn out to be a smaller national debt -- savings that are genuine, but completely hypothetical. This amounts to money saved by not spending money that has yet to be spent, anyway. It's like canceling an unfunded program and counting its budget as additional revenue.new louis vuitton bags The original $800 billion in spending cuts, however, is more legitimate. It includes $100 billion in defense spending, $100 billion in discretionary spending and $200 billion from programs that do not require congressional approval year after year, like farm price supports.Those aren't philosophical cuts of any kind. They're just available to be cut without stepping on any congressional toes.louis vuitton wallet for sale Categorically, they fall under the umbrella of easy come, easy go.On the tax side of the equation, it is likely that only the top tax bracket will have its rate changed, with income at $400,000 or more taxed at a 39.6 percent rate, as opposed to the current rate of 35 percent.The next tax bracket -- currently, those earning $388,350 or less per year -- would be taxed at the same rate they are taxed now, 33 percent.louis vuitton speedyThe president is also insisting on keeping additional infrastructure spending and extended unemployment benefits in the deal, the Times said.In international markets Tuesday, the Nikkei 225 index in Japan gained 0.96 percent,while the Shanghai composite index in China rose 0.1 percent.louis vuitton speedy The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong lost 0.08 percent while the Sensex in India gained 0.63 percent.The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia rose 0.louis vuitton wallet for sale48 percent.In midday trading in Europe, the FTSE 100 index in Britain added 0.35 percent, while the DAX 30 in Germany rose 0.45 percent.lv handbag The CAC 40 in France was flat, rising 0.09 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 600 gained 0.4 percent.
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