The long hard slog of economic recovery continues, as the Labor Department announced that "just 112,000 new jobs" were created – "far fewer than expected" and "a disappointing report" on the whole. Although there was a modest job increase, "job gains were well short of the pace economists say is necessary to revive the battered labor market." Since the most recent recession 33 months ago, jobs have been created at the slowest rate since World War II. This is just part of a larger economic picture, including (according to the Economic Policy Institute) "the extended duration of the job slump, the slowing of wage growth to less than the rate of inflation, the fall of income for the lowest-paid Americans compared to the rise in income for top earners, the ‘missing labor force' excluded from unemployment counts, and the skewing of President Bush's policies toward higher-income tax relief and high federal deficits." The issue of deficits and deficit prediction isn't covered appropriately in the mainstream press, either, according to Berkeley economics professor and American Progress guest columnist Brad deLong.
Halliburton, the oil company who has reaped billions of no-bid contracts since its CEO Dick Cheney became Vice President, has launched its second television ad in as many months attempting to whitewash its record. The ad features Halliburton CEO David Lesar leading off the commerical saying, "We're serving the troops because of what we know, not who we know." It was an incredible assertion, considering the company has received $2 billion in no-bid contracts (despite a history of repeatedly overcharging the federal government), and has not been punished for a "$6 million kickback scheme" or for allegedly overcharging the government while in Iraq – all while its former CEO (who has a financial interest in the company) just happens to be Vice President of the United States, and all while the company happens to be a major benefactor of the Administration in charge. See American Progress's backgrounder on Halliburton's dealings with the government.
In the ad, the Halliburton CEO says, "Our employees are doing a great job. We're feeding the soldiers." It was a comment that echoed a previous Halliburton ad with images of soldiers being fed. Unfortunately, the portrayal overlooks a report that showed the Pentagon repeatedly admonished the company for feeding soldiers "dirty" food. The report said Halliburton's kitchens in Iraq had "blood all over the floor," "dirty pans," "dirty grills," "dirty salad bars" and "rotting meats ... and vegetables." And even while scrimping on the most basic sanitation, Halliburton still may be trying to pocket some extra cash. As the LA Times reports, the company "has potentially overcharged $27.4 million for meals served to troops." And while Lesar said Halliburton's privileged position in Iraq is not because of "who we know" – the fact is there has yet to be any serious punishment of Halliburton doled out by the Administration in the face of its behavior.
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