“Conservatives have declared a new class war, but it’s not on bankers earning seven-figure bonuses,” even though “[a] recent study [finds] that when such factors as education and work experience are accounted for, state and local employees earn 11 to 12 percent less than comparable private sector workers…By attacking public workers, they can demonize “big labor” and “big government” at the same time, while deflecting attention from the more logical target of Middle America’s rage: the irresponsible Wall Street traders, whose risky, high-profit business practices brought down the economy, and the lax regulators who let them get away with it.” (The Nation) If GOP senators are saying this, maybe they should volunteer to have their salaries cut first?

“It’s as if the Earth has been smoking two packs a day,” say the authors of a new Australian report on the decline of our oceans. (Scientific American)

The Guardian interviews Story of Stuff‘s Annie Leonard (with whom we collaborated on the Story of Cap and Trade) on her new book:”If you’re going to vote with your dollar that’s fine,” Leonard says. “But you need to remember that Exxon has a lot more dollars than you. We need to vote with our votes; re-engage with the political process and change the balance of power so that those who are looking out for the wellbeing of the planet dominate, instead of those who are just looking out for the bottom line.”

Anger at the BP oil disaster is turning into action. Yes! Magazine shows how. (You could also take a page from Rep. Barton’s book and apologize to BP. Via OpenLeft.)

But if you think the situation in the Gulf is bad, take a look at the Niger Delta. By IPS board member Ethelbert Miller, in the FPIF Focal Points blog. You can also go to Niger Delta Rising for more background.

Unemployed? Laid off and left out? The National Employment Law Project wants to hear your story, because America’s workers deserve better.