USA Today reports: Private pay shrinks to historic lows

Paychecks from private business shrank to their smallest share of personal income in U.S. history during the first quarter of this year, a USA TODAY analysis of government data finds.

At the same time, government-provided benefits — from Social Security, unemployment insurance, food stamps and other programs — rose to a record high during the first three months of 2010.

Those records reflect a long-term trend accelerated by the recession and the federal stimulus program to counteract the downturn. The result is a major shift in the source of personal income from private wages to government programs.

The trend is not sustainable, says University of Michigan economist Donald Grimes. {…}

Wonderful . . . no wonder the Dow is tanking today, or that World stocks continue to sink on renewed European fears. What to do, what to do?

Well, out here in good ol’ La La Land, our state legislature’s Democrats are proposing “raising California’s vehicle registration fee, suspending corporate tax breaks scheduled to begin next year and boosting the state’s tax on alcoholic beverages.” The Governator is opposed, the Republicans, too. Maybe we’ll duck that bullet.

Meanwhile, our Vacationer-in-Chief has decided to . . . go on vacation!

Again — The 2nd time since the BP oil spill.

Guess that first little weekend getaway worked out so well he decided that another would fit the bill just fine . . . thank you very much!

Probably needs to take the edge off that 42% approval rating — tough bein’ a Lightworker an’ all, don’t ya know?

As an ol’ Okie woman used to tell us, “Kwitch yer bitchen” — time to get back to work!

Ain’t nobody given’ this ol’ Okie nothin’ — we’re part of the private pay sector here, not that o’ the gimme, gimme, gimme Obama’s entitlements’ recipients!

Shoulda been a rock star . . .