This week, a federal investigation found that three Kentucky-based McDonald’s franchises illegally employed at least 305 children, including some as young as 10 years old.
Great report as always, Judd. We need another Frances Perkins to shake things up. These are the anti-abortionists who haven’t got a clue about how to care for a child.
I love your reference to Frances Perkins- she is my hero. It’s a shame school children don’t learn about her when they learn about the New Deal. (At least I nor my children did when in school.)
I literally learned who Frances Perkins was when Johnny asks Baby her real name (in Dirty Dancing, obviously), and she says her name is Frances, after the first woman in a Presidential cabinet.
And they say you don't learn things at the movies ;)
Speaking of movies, I’ve come to the conclusion that someone should make a biopic - or even a miniseries - about the life & accomplishments of Frances Perkins!
From what I’ve come to learn about her, I guarantee you that if written & promoted properly it would be fascinating & inspiring.
Actually her very accomplished career lasted so long that Meryl could easily share the role with one of her lookalike daughters, Grace or Mamie, as the younger Frances!
Wow, we're going back to the 1800s... the GOP always wants their cake and to eat it too. With fewer immigrants, (legal and illegal), they are resorting to hiring children. While making state-sanctioned pregnancy mandatory in many of these states. Disgusting.
It is hard to ignore the bigger, less talked-about issue with abortion. Yes, the children that are born under such ancient abortion laws will be skewed toward lower socioeconomic classes. Middle- and upper-class people can afford to leave their state, or even the country to obtain medical care. Conservatives know all this, and know that the laws are absolutely targeted toward the economically disadvantaged. This is absolutely a way to keep a steady supply of non-educated, unskilled workers in the economy.
This is a sad commentary on America, that it is better to exploit child labor than to pay a living wage. Poverty is the primary reason children are sent to work. Between 1975 and 2018, roughly $50 TRILLION of wealth was funneled from middle-class and working-class Americans to the top 1% and since 1978 CEO pay went up 1,460%. Unless you are uber rich, most people are working harder and longer for less pay. Our income inequality is now the highest of G7 nations. I am hoping reports like yours, Judd, will help us identify the problem so we can quit blaming each other and look at thoughtful ways to redistribute wealth back down to middle and working class (I know, I know--everyone will scream socialism, but where were all the screamers when we pushed all that wealth uphill with failed trickle down theories such as tax cuts, wage suppression, and stock market deregulation?) Already you see GOP and Biden squaring off over budget proposals with GOP favoring more trickle down for the elite and Biden favoring the first budget in a long time that invests in the "demand side" of the economy. Fingers crossed. Sending 10 year-olds to work is not an answer.
Servitude takes many forms. Exploitation of minorities, women and children are key parts of the GOP and the 1% who are funding this type of legislation. Eventually they will be key parts of GOP Minority Rule when Democracy collapses. We are teetering on the brink.
It's a created form of chaos that they appear to be seeking. Like with that mope McCarthy and the debt ceiling, they think they can control the outcome. They can't. Everyone knows this but them. Imagine MTG in charge of major projects.
And when it all comes down, their sticky little fingers are quick to point at the demz. Too many of the citizenry fall for that ploy every damn time.
Kids don't have to be paid even minimum wage, so when these abject assh-les cause the US to default on its debts and millions of Americans lose their jobs, they can fill some of them with children, pay them next to nothing, and pocket the difference.
Kicking ass, not taking any names. Just getting things done mister. LIke most days, been working since 5 and feeling pretty damn good considering the chaos I see all the hell over.
I want to like your comment but don’t want to press the heart. We should have a choice; all indicating that we agree but also indicating our emotional state at agreeing. So at this moment I’d choose 🤬
The first question that comes to mind is why are these children being abused in such ways? I expect wages are meager and likely off Book or explanations to authorities would have arisen before now. These children should be going to school, taking their time after school to socialize and study for the next day’s assignments. Their parents must be absent, compromised mentally or physically to allow their children to participate in activities near equipment that is so dangerous. Do the children willingly do this work or are they trying to provide food or income for themselves or their families where our social net has let them down in some way? Federal regulations are required to reverse this trend and protect our children but I see a need for intensive investigation as to the “why” this is occurring before any bills could find their way to our legislative bodies so busy at present investigating ethics and corruption in their own employment. This is very disturbing and I have hope that this report will generate investigations by appropriate persons so that these practices are regulated as they must be for the safety and welfare of our nation’s children.
"Their parents must be absent, compromised mentally or physically to allow their children to participate in activities near equipment that is so dangerous."
Wow, today in white privilege, we judge and blame, which is playing into the hands of the people who consistently exploit the poor in America.
"I have hope that this report will generate investigations by appropriate persons so that these practices are regulated as they must be for the safety and welfare of our nation’s children."
The party that wants to protect children wants to have them skip school to work for minimum wage, or for free (I had read that the 10 year old was the child of the night manager, clearly brought to work by their parent. I'm betting they will say they couldn't leave the child home alone while they worked. Wonder if the kid has been attending school regularly and how their grades are?)
I can't understand how all the children who need to be 'protected' from books or learning about having periods don't need to be protected from using heavy machinery and having enough sleep to do well in school.
Perhaps...look to the reasons why these kids need or want to work? If there is a reasonable need then address this need with a safe national work program suited to meet the requirements of the law. There is an abundance of kid chore types of work available all around the country that can be accomplished by 10 to 18 year olds that's going undone. Appointment some child advocates to start a six month pilot project with a YMCA or other youth support group and the goals should be to employ at least 100 children safely while providing classes in financial budgeting and investment strategies to meet their needs. The program needs to report weekly on there scheduled progress and leadership replaced if goals are not met...run it like a business...in small business goals have to be met unlike big business bailouts small businesses fail people are unemployed and the consequences are real for those what is high risk small business leadership positions. Very important aspect of the program would be to keep greedy individuals out of any leadership our management position. This can be accomplished by a leadership committee of 3 unquestionably honest Walter Cronkite types of individuals given common sense authority over the operation. Funding would come from private sources interested in embetterment of the country's youth.
I see what you’re thinking but there is no good reason for a 10 year old to need to work in a “first” world country. The reason kids are working is because their parent(s) are making poverty wages. Or they’ve been injured and denied welfare or welfare is not sufficient to maintain support of the household. The solution is to make poverty wages illegal.
Employing kids is about GREED, pure and simple. America, we need to take a good long look at what we are doing in and to this country. Most of the kids employees in Alabama were immigrant kids, employed by the same companies that fight immigration.
You know it's wrong to hate right? But I can't help but feel some surge of negative emotion at every single one of these stories that Judd and crew disseminate. I love the reporting but hate that which is being reported on. And many of the people. Just look at the last few days of PI and you'll know what/who I mean. But we have to have them and have to know, so as to be awake and aware of the crimes being committed in all of our names.
(RW Business) So let's get these poor kids to work cheap. Convince their parent or guardian "it's for the best." "Why send your child to school where they got that grooming and CRT and all that mess when you can put they butts to work so they can make you some money now?"
I do that with me morning coffee. Step out and sip for a few moments while the few birds left sing their sweet little songs. Saw a cardinal a few days ago.
Don’t get me started on the state of the bird populations. It’s is another whole tragic story. And since your CPOCC doesn’t believe in climate change either we are evolving quickly into the chaos they want.
I wondered if anyone would comment on that aspect.
I remember hordes of birds in my youth. We lived on the south side of Chicago and we had hummingbirds visit the morning glories, all manner of birds chirping, cheeping and meeping every day, all day. Every morning we'd hear their chorus start up as they enthusiastically greeted the day.
I actually have hordes of birds in my yard daily. Four kinds of woodpeckers, cardinals, bluejays, mockingbirds, titmouse, carolina chickadees, wrens, hummingbirds and more doves than I want to see because I have groups of feeders in three areas of my yard. I also plant bird friendly plants and shrubs. I leave certain areas a little unkept just for the birds. I spend a small fortune on bird seed weekly but will continue as long as I can. I actually have visiting indigo buntings and rose breasted grosbeak right now. The woods around where I live are being clearcut little by little. I receive more pleasure and calm from the birds than I could ever repay. They are my constant reminder that life goes on without human interference.
I know this was off topic but I look for sanity wherever I can find it.
Between thousands of birds running into sky scrapers, getting confused at night due to over lighting in cities and towns alone the flyways, large populations of feral and and domestic cats killing more thousands and I have t even mentioned loss of habitat. Instead of infilling and aggregating land in cities and towns, developers are pushing to get agricultural and woodlands and in many cases preserved lands for development. The Commissioners and Councils are under relentless pressure from wealthy, experienced developers to take this type of land. They put lipstick on the pig by offering a few workforce housing and a library but we just can’t afford this type of development any longer. We have to get smart environmentally or we and the wildlife we love are doomed. They also offer up other tracks of land in exchange but this is not a good deal. Wildlife needs large tracks of contiguous land to survive.
You have to move outside of big cities and into the small towns. Chicago is an over 2 hour drive from me. I haven't been there since I don't when. My sister needed a ride to O'Hare, and lucky me. Ha Coming back was a lot better, less traffic. Anyway, my hometown only has 7900 people. That's it. Surrounded by corn and beans. We moved into this house 4+ years ago. I yanked all the plants and have spent the last 4+ years replanting with native. Monee is my favorite place to go, great native nursery there. We're getting more and more varieties of birds. Hummingbirds and Baltimore Orioles haven't shown up quite yet. They both should be here any day! We get a lot of woodpeckers, but we get a special bird. A Northern Flicker! A friend of mine says they're not supposed to be town, instead they should be out by the creek. Well well! I must be doing something right...lol I have a new sparrow, but I've yet to ID. I love the Cardinal and Blue Jay, and I really love when a Cooper's Hawk decides to land on one of my feeding stations! If that's not cool! The other day, there was 1 up in the sky, just down from me, swirling around in the sky. S/he was joined by another, I continued to watch, amazed as they flew closer. Finally, a 3rd hawk joined! There were 3 hawks, swooping, sailing, flying across the sky above me. If that wasn't cool! No skyscrapers anywhere near me. Maybe a 2 story house...lol
This is what isolationist countries do. They crack down on even legal immigration, and make their own children work in those unskilled labor jobs. Of course, these kids are not likely to get good grades if they're forced to work at all hours. I cannot believe that this deliberate form of child abuse has the approval of anyone, but these ignorant rednecks (here's looking at you, Sarah Huckabee Sanders) and their ignorant redneck voters. It's as though being stupid is a point of pride.
The usual states and suspects always pop up in these situations. Sarah Huckabee Sanders et al are only concerned with the rights of the fetus, not the child. This is just a logical extension of their fraud and hypocrisy.
Great report as always, Judd. We need another Frances Perkins to shake things up. These are the anti-abortionists who haven’t got a clue about how to care for a child.
I love your reference to Frances Perkins- she is my hero. It’s a shame school children don’t learn about her when they learn about the New Deal. (At least I nor my children did when in school.)
I literally learned who Frances Perkins was when Johnny asks Baby her real name (in Dirty Dancing, obviously), and she says her name is Frances, after the first woman in a Presidential cabinet.
And they say you don't learn things at the movies ;)
Speaking of movies, I’ve come to the conclusion that someone should make a biopic - or even a miniseries - about the life & accomplishments of Frances Perkins!
From what I’ve come to learn about her, I guarantee you that if written & promoted properly it would be fascinating & inspiring.
Yes! And Meryl Streep should play her!
Actually her very accomplished career lasted so long that Meryl could easily share the role with one of her lookalike daughters, Grace or Mamie, as the younger Frances!
Wow, we're going back to the 1800s... the GOP always wants their cake and to eat it too. With fewer immigrants, (legal and illegal), they are resorting to hiring children. While making state-sanctioned pregnancy mandatory in many of these states. Disgusting.
It is hard to ignore the bigger, less talked-about issue with abortion. Yes, the children that are born under such ancient abortion laws will be skewed toward lower socioeconomic classes. Middle- and upper-class people can afford to leave their state, or even the country to obtain medical care. Conservatives know all this, and know that the laws are absolutely targeted toward the economically disadvantaged. This is absolutely a way to keep a steady supply of non-educated, unskilled workers in the economy.
You are so right.
Yes, disgusting! At the same time perhaps this is why they don’t want any abortion so they can feed their labor market🥲
Duh! Yuh think! They weren't feeding the labor market - they were selling slave children. It's UGLIER than you think!
https://www.aclu.org/news/racial-justice/the-racist-history-of-abortion-and-midwifery-bans
I thought that too.
As always, the party of Greed-Obstruction-Political corruption is at the center of exploitation.
I like your acronym. I just call them the Party of Constant Criminals or of Criminality.
This is a sad commentary on America, that it is better to exploit child labor than to pay a living wage. Poverty is the primary reason children are sent to work. Between 1975 and 2018, roughly $50 TRILLION of wealth was funneled from middle-class and working-class Americans to the top 1% and since 1978 CEO pay went up 1,460%. Unless you are uber rich, most people are working harder and longer for less pay. Our income inequality is now the highest of G7 nations. I am hoping reports like yours, Judd, will help us identify the problem so we can quit blaming each other and look at thoughtful ways to redistribute wealth back down to middle and working class (I know, I know--everyone will scream socialism, but where were all the screamers when we pushed all that wealth uphill with failed trickle down theories such as tax cuts, wage suppression, and stock market deregulation?) Already you see GOP and Biden squaring off over budget proposals with GOP favoring more trickle down for the elite and Biden favoring the first budget in a long time that invests in the "demand side" of the economy. Fingers crossed. Sending 10 year-olds to work is not an answer.
Tax the rich!
Servitude takes many forms. Exploitation of minorities, women and children are key parts of the GOP and the 1% who are funding this type of legislation. Eventually they will be key parts of GOP Minority Rule when Democracy collapses. We are teetering on the brink.
It's a created form of chaos that they appear to be seeking. Like with that mope McCarthy and the debt ceiling, they think they can control the outcome. They can't. Everyone knows this but them. Imagine MTG in charge of major projects.
And when it all comes down, their sticky little fingers are quick to point at the demz. Too many of the citizenry fall for that ploy every damn time.
Kids don't have to be paid even minimum wage, so when these abject assh-les cause the US to default on its debts and millions of Americans lose their jobs, they can fill some of them with children, pay them next to nothing, and pocket the difference.
Hey there Randy. Happy Friday my man. How've you been?
Good Morning, Adam! Happy Friday to you. I’m doing great! Thank you for asking. How are you doing?
Kicking ass, not taking any names. Just getting things done mister. LIke most days, been working since 5 and feeling pretty damn good considering the chaos I see all the hell over.
They can't get adults to work for their shitty wages, so they'll exploit poor immigrant children instead. Brought to you by the party of "Pro-life".
America! Land of the Fee, Home of the Dead! Now featuring minor workers, women dead from failed childbirth (no abortion), and dead trans kids!
I want to like your comment but don’t want to press the heart. We should have a choice; all indicating that we agree but also indicating our emotional state at agreeing. So at this moment I’d choose 🤬
... what?
The first question that comes to mind is why are these children being abused in such ways? I expect wages are meager and likely off Book or explanations to authorities would have arisen before now. These children should be going to school, taking their time after school to socialize and study for the next day’s assignments. Their parents must be absent, compromised mentally or physically to allow their children to participate in activities near equipment that is so dangerous. Do the children willingly do this work or are they trying to provide food or income for themselves or their families where our social net has let them down in some way? Federal regulations are required to reverse this trend and protect our children but I see a need for intensive investigation as to the “why” this is occurring before any bills could find their way to our legislative bodies so busy at present investigating ethics and corruption in their own employment. This is very disturbing and I have hope that this report will generate investigations by appropriate persons so that these practices are regulated as they must be for the safety and welfare of our nation’s children.
"Their parents must be absent, compromised mentally or physically to allow their children to participate in activities near equipment that is so dangerous."
Wow, today in white privilege, we judge and blame, which is playing into the hands of the people who consistently exploit the poor in America.
Thank you for calling my attention to the inappropriate “blame, shame”. Sorry, you are correct. Please accept my apologies for inadequate thought.
"I have hope that this report will generate investigations by appropriate persons so that these practices are regulated as they must be for the safety and welfare of our nation’s children."
One can only hope!
LOL in states with GOP supermajorities?
Yeah, I know. But HOPE springs eternal although at times, superfluously.
In these times, what would we have without hope? 🕊️
In many o these rethuglican states, there are no more safety nets. In Arkansas, where I live, they have cut
Medicaid, SNAP, public school funding/LEARNS bill,
and more. As Judd pointed out, children under 16 here
no longer need a parent's
permission/signed authorization to work. And
here's a new one. Advertising
$10,000 to come work in Central Arkansas. This is where I live, in the mountains
outside of Hot Springs. This is one of the wealthiest places in Arkansas. It's also
becoming overpopulated.
The party that wants to protect children wants to have them skip school to work for minimum wage, or for free (I had read that the 10 year old was the child of the night manager, clearly brought to work by their parent. I'm betting they will say they couldn't leave the child home alone while they worked. Wonder if the kid has been attending school regularly and how their grades are?)
I can't understand how all the children who need to be 'protected' from books or learning about having periods don't need to be protected from using heavy machinery and having enough sleep to do well in school.
Would love to see one of the morning shows take this up! The report is really shocking.
Perhaps...look to the reasons why these kids need or want to work? If there is a reasonable need then address this need with a safe national work program suited to meet the requirements of the law. There is an abundance of kid chore types of work available all around the country that can be accomplished by 10 to 18 year olds that's going undone. Appointment some child advocates to start a six month pilot project with a YMCA or other youth support group and the goals should be to employ at least 100 children safely while providing classes in financial budgeting and investment strategies to meet their needs. The program needs to report weekly on there scheduled progress and leadership replaced if goals are not met...run it like a business...in small business goals have to be met unlike big business bailouts small businesses fail people are unemployed and the consequences are real for those what is high risk small business leadership positions. Very important aspect of the program would be to keep greedy individuals out of any leadership our management position. This can be accomplished by a leadership committee of 3 unquestionably honest Walter Cronkite types of individuals given common sense authority over the operation. Funding would come from private sources interested in embetterment of the country's youth.
I see what you’re thinking but there is no good reason for a 10 year old to need to work in a “first” world country. The reason kids are working is because their parent(s) are making poverty wages. Or they’ve been injured and denied welfare or welfare is not sufficient to maintain support of the household. The solution is to make poverty wages illegal.
Employing kids is about GREED, pure and simple. America, we need to take a good long look at what we are doing in and to this country. Most of the kids employees in Alabama were immigrant kids, employed by the same companies that fight immigration.
The Constant Party of Criminal creates Chaos!
You know it's wrong to hate right? But I can't help but feel some surge of negative emotion at every single one of these stories that Judd and crew disseminate. I love the reporting but hate that which is being reported on. And many of the people. Just look at the last few days of PI and you'll know what/who I mean. But we have to have them and have to know, so as to be awake and aware of the crimes being committed in all of our names.
(RW Business) So let's get these poor kids to work cheap. Convince their parent or guardian "it's for the best." "Why send your child to school where they got that grooming and CRT and all that mess when you can put they butts to work so they can make you some money now?"
I feel the same way, after catching up the great reporting, I have to go outside and listen to the birds to feel better.
I do that with me morning coffee. Step out and sip for a few moments while the few birds left sing their sweet little songs. Saw a cardinal a few days ago.
Don’t get me started on the state of the bird populations. It’s is another whole tragic story. And since your CPOCC doesn’t believe in climate change either we are evolving quickly into the chaos they want.
I wondered if anyone would comment on that aspect.
I remember hordes of birds in my youth. We lived on the south side of Chicago and we had hummingbirds visit the morning glories, all manner of birds chirping, cheeping and meeping every day, all day. Every morning we'd hear their chorus start up as they enthusiastically greeted the day.
Ain't nothing like that nowadays.
I actually have hordes of birds in my yard daily. Four kinds of woodpeckers, cardinals, bluejays, mockingbirds, titmouse, carolina chickadees, wrens, hummingbirds and more doves than I want to see because I have groups of feeders in three areas of my yard. I also plant bird friendly plants and shrubs. I leave certain areas a little unkept just for the birds. I spend a small fortune on bird seed weekly but will continue as long as I can. I actually have visiting indigo buntings and rose breasted grosbeak right now. The woods around where I live are being clearcut little by little. I receive more pleasure and calm from the birds than I could ever repay. They are my constant reminder that life goes on without human interference.
I know this was off topic but I look for sanity wherever I can find it.
Thank you Judd and team for your great reporting.
Between thousands of birds running into sky scrapers, getting confused at night due to over lighting in cities and towns alone the flyways, large populations of feral and and domestic cats killing more thousands and I have t even mentioned loss of habitat. Instead of infilling and aggregating land in cities and towns, developers are pushing to get agricultural and woodlands and in many cases preserved lands for development. The Commissioners and Councils are under relentless pressure from wealthy, experienced developers to take this type of land. They put lipstick on the pig by offering a few workforce housing and a library but we just can’t afford this type of development any longer. We have to get smart environmentally or we and the wildlife we love are doomed. They also offer up other tracks of land in exchange but this is not a good deal. Wildlife needs large tracks of contiguous land to survive.
You have to move outside of big cities and into the small towns. Chicago is an over 2 hour drive from me. I haven't been there since I don't when. My sister needed a ride to O'Hare, and lucky me. Ha Coming back was a lot better, less traffic. Anyway, my hometown only has 7900 people. That's it. Surrounded by corn and beans. We moved into this house 4+ years ago. I yanked all the plants and have spent the last 4+ years replanting with native. Monee is my favorite place to go, great native nursery there. We're getting more and more varieties of birds. Hummingbirds and Baltimore Orioles haven't shown up quite yet. They both should be here any day! We get a lot of woodpeckers, but we get a special bird. A Northern Flicker! A friend of mine says they're not supposed to be town, instead they should be out by the creek. Well well! I must be doing something right...lol I have a new sparrow, but I've yet to ID. I love the Cardinal and Blue Jay, and I really love when a Cooper's Hawk decides to land on one of my feeding stations! If that's not cool! The other day, there was 1 up in the sky, just down from me, swirling around in the sky. S/he was joined by another, I continued to watch, amazed as they flew closer. Finally, a 3rd hawk joined! There were 3 hawks, swooping, sailing, flying across the sky above me. If that wasn't cool! No skyscrapers anywhere near me. Maybe a 2 story house...lol
Me too. I have cardinals nesting in my yard, little wrens too, I enjoy watching them, they are very busy right now. :)
This is what isolationist countries do. They crack down on even legal immigration, and make their own children work in those unskilled labor jobs. Of course, these kids are not likely to get good grades if they're forced to work at all hours. I cannot believe that this deliberate form of child abuse has the approval of anyone, but these ignorant rednecks (here's looking at you, Sarah Huckabee Sanders) and their ignorant redneck voters. It's as though being stupid is a point of pride.
Willful ignorance!
The usual states and suspects always pop up in these situations. Sarah Huckabee Sanders et al are only concerned with the rights of the fetus, not the child. This is just a logical extension of their fraud and hypocrisy.
Not too much difference between the US and third world countries. How far we've fallen!