It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
New research by the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group finds that Americans are more optimistic than they were in December 2016, right after Trump won the election. The portion saying their family is better off financially than it was a year ago rose from 17% to 24%. Those saying the economy is getting better rose from 24% to 33%. Most of the nearly 7,000 respondents participated in prior surveys, allowing comparisons over time among a similar group of voters.
The improvements in sentiment since Trump got elected might seem small, but they should contribute to an improvement in Trump’s overall approval rating. Yet they don’t. In the Voter Study Group surveys, Trump’s favorability rating rose from 43% in December 2016 to just 44% in the latest survey. And his unfavorability rating remained at 55%. Those numbers suggest voters feel better off, but they’re not giving Trump credit for that.
Weakness in key electoral states
The breakdown by party is unsurprising. Trump remains extremely popular among Republicans and extremely unpopular among Democrats. The biggest change in the Voter Study Group data comes among people who voted for Barack Obama in 2012 and Trump in 2016. Approval for Trump among these Obama-Trump voters fell from 85% in 2016 to 66% in 2019. “Even small movement among these voters may prove significant heading into the 2020 presidential election,” the latest Voter Study Group analysis says.
Trump’s weak approval in key electoral states seems to be an opportunity for Democrats to take him down in 2020, despite a strong economy. Trump’s approval in Pennsylvania, for instance, has fallen 17 points since he took office, according to Morning Consult. His approval has fallen 18 points in Ohio and Michigan, 19 points in Wisconsin and 24 points in Florida. Trump won all of those states in 2016, putting him over the top.
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CRIMINAL CAPITALISM
Hackers have stolen more than $40 million worth of bitcoin from the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange.
Government and conservation groups are in a tug of war over sage grouse protection. It's just an old war Not even a cold war (Broken English, Marianne Faithfull)
Four years after the United States hailed reduced threats to the greater sage grouse in the West as the largest land conservation effort in U.S. history, government and conservation groups are in a tug of war.
DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD TELL THEM THAT BUDDHISM HAS NO BELIEF IN GOD
A national trend to introduce "mindfulness" into school curriculum is being challenged by a conservative legal group that contends the practice is based on Buddhism and forces children to participate in meditation.
A national trend to introduce "mindfulness" into school curriculum is being challenged by a conservative legal group that contends the practice is based on Buddhism and forces children to participate in meditation.
While water levels will fluctuate, flooding is likely to continue along a portion of the Mississippi River and perhaps others over the central United States into June as rounds of excessive rain continue.
While water levels will fluctuate, flooding is likely to continue along a portion of the Mississippi River and perhaps others over the central United States into June as rounds of excessive rain continue.
Researchers have found a way to measure the carbon released into Arctic rivers by thawing permafrost.
More than 34,000 people in Europe have been infected with measles during the first two months of this year and the outbreak will persist if authorities don't implement measures to vaccinate vulnerable populations, the Wo
Scientists have found a highly-mobile gene that helps superbugs resist colistin, one of the most effective last-resort antibiotics.
Scientists have found a highly-mobile gene that helps superbugs resist colistin, one of the most effective last-resort antibiotics.
Walmart says it pays an average hourly wage that's double the federal minimum EVEN IF TRUE THAT IS $14 PER HOUR WHILE #FIGHTFOR15 PR HR IS THE #NAFTA MINIMUM WAGE
In this Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, photo, Walmart employee Kenneth White, left, is coached by Shabazz Bonner while using an inventory app during a class at the Walmart Academy at the store in North Bergen, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Walmart, the largest U.S. employer, promoted hundreds of thousands of its workers to higher-paying jobs last year — and the average earnings of full-time associates are nearly double the federal minimum wage.
In a 94-page document released late Tuesday, the retail giant for the first time shared compensation details for its hourly workers.
Walmart’s inaugural Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report pulled back the curtain on the inner workings of how it pays, trains and retains its workers. It also showed results from environmental initiatives such as recycling and emission reduction programs.
In fiscal 2019, Walmart said it promoted 215,000 associates in the U.S. to jobs with "more responsibility and higher pay." The average hourly wage of a full-time, hourly associate in Walmart U.S. stores is $14.26.
Breaking that down further, a starting associate makes $11 per hour, up more than 50% from three years ago. The federal minimum wage sits at $7.25 per hour.
While a key department manager at Walmart can earn up to $24.70 per hour, the report said the average total compensation, including wages, benefits, and bonuses, for an hourly field associate at Walmart is $19.31.
Meanwhile, a store manager earns an average of $175,000 per year. About 75% of the store operations management team started as hourly associates.
Like many retailers that employ lots of part-time and seasonal workers, Walmart has grappled with high turnover rates. Yet the report noted that employee departures have dropped by 10%, to their lowest level in five years.
"We’re investing in our associates through wages along with better educational opportunities, benefits and training," wrote Walmart (WMT) CEO Doug McMillon, in the preface of the report.
“Trust seems in short supply" among big businesses and it needs to “be earned,” he added.
Amidst a heated national debate about income inequality — and the role employers should play in mitigating its effects — McMillon said that “people want to see companies doing good in the world, and people want to work for companies they believe in.”
He added: "Business should serve more than just one stakeholder group. It’s not enough to just serve shareholders or just serve customers; rather, the opportunity for businesses and their leadership is to add value for all stakeholders.
Walmart has “felt that way for a long time and we’ve been taking action, but we’re challenging ourselves to make even better choices and do more."
Walmart released its first-ever ESG report providing specifics on compensation.
The impact of technology
Under McMillon's leadership, Walmart launched its in-house training program called the Walmart Academy.
The free academies, located in the back of more than 200 stores, teach associates customer service skills, retail math, and how to use new technology, among other things. Since inception in 2016, around 800,000 associates have completed training at the Academy.
"One of society’s greatest challenges is helping workers gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the jobs of today and prepare for the jobs of tomorrow," the report said.
"Today, millions of jobs are left unfilled as employers struggle to find workers with the skills needed to fill open positions,” Walmart said.
“In the coming decades, growth in automation will likely exacerbate the skill development challenge as technology drives rapid change in the types of jobs available for workers and the capabilities they need to fulfill those roles,” it added.
2 hours ago
The kicker is - the $14 / hr is the whole package, and it's not full time. Maybe 30 hours a week, so $420 a week before taxes. Try paying rent/utilities/food and buying health insurance and finding daycare so you can work, on that amount.
Jan 12, 2018 - When Walmart announced that it was giving all employees raises, bonuses—or both—thanks to the new tax cut, it didn't take long for the ...
