New Orleans     Like a modern version of the 12 days before Christmas, I think we could all start listing a daily beating we are taking from business, government, or both.

Yesterday news came out that a fair chunk of the $26 billion settlement with banks over their home mortgage scandals and abuses with the state attorney generals includes getting credits for second mortgages at some level, all of which should have been written off as total losses years ago.

Today we find that health insurance companies in the face of the changing law continue to blatantly discriminate in the charges for women compared to men for no defensible reason.

Apple, the darling of trendy and elite consumers everywhere and sweatshops throughout China is going to announce what they intend to do with their $100 Billion – yes, $100 billion!!! – cash hoard, accumulated at premium pricing in the developed world and starvation wages in the developing world.

Meanwhile in the same papers stories run quoting the growing consensus of economists that societies decline as inequities increase.  It seems that societies can only succeed economically if there is resource sharing with the poor.  These economists expressed little hope for the United States especially given the increasing impact of money in politics and the consequent control of Congress by elites.

Can we get a break or is the only race we are now able to win is the one heading for the bottom?