No they aren't....
Despite the best antics on the conservative side of the aisle, unions are an essential part of the overwhelming majority of Americans. If you're working your 40 hour a week job, most of the labor protections came as a result of unions. You can try to deny it - but if you work 40 hours and get paid overtime for working over 40 hours ... you can thank unions for that. Grateful to have weekends off? Thank the unions. Benefits? Health care? Vacation time? Pensions? Unions paved the way for all of us.
"But do we still need them?"
Yes we do. Think about it for a moment. Do CEOs have a responsibility to shareholders or their employees? Let me rephrase the question better - what do CEOs have a higher level of responsibility to?
Ahhh yes - the power of the mighty shareholder.
It's the fall back answer for nearly 90 percent of conservatives who believe that unions are the bad guy ... while major corporations continue to reel off profits every quarter. The shareholder has a vested interest - but so does the American worker. The problem is - the shareholder has a vote - a say - in what happens with the company. The employee doesn't. If you don't like it - there's the door.
Unions level the playing field for the American worker.
Furthermore there's legislative action that want to roll back employment protections for workers. Make it easier to hire children because their labor is cheaper. Make it easier to force workers to work over 40 hours a week without compensation ... and even slashing benefits and vacation time because "the company needs this sacrifice."
"But unions milk money and cost companies a lot of money."
So do CEOs, CFOs, boards and other executives who continually line their golden parachutes ... for themselves ... rather than the much SMALLER piece of the pie that unions "milk" from their members or from companies. It's hard to call the kettle black when watching a $400 million payout with stock and other benefits being laid out for someone who drove a company into the ground.
Sorry - you're not going to get much sympathy from me.
"But it's socialism!"
The ever infamous last resort of conservatives who really don't understand exactly what socialism is. We are as close to socialism as I am from dancing as a ballerina in Swan Lake. "But it's the start of the slope!" .... no it's not. Everything in life can't be run on a purely capitalist, anti-union system.
But instead of being satisfied with something in the middle, unions are crumbling right and left. If you look at the amount of unions around today ... in comparison to the last 50-100 years ... you'd understand that it's a fallacy that "unions are destroying America!"
The greed-fest and Corporatocracy this nation has been enduring since the Reagan years is the lone culprit. Even as unions continue to represent less of the American work force, companies and corporations continue to exploit agreements that take jobs out of the country. That's why there are shoe plants in Taiwan that employ young kids in sweat shops. The Republican party has become whores for corporations and companies ... thoroughly unable or unwilling to do the right thing for their constituents because they believe their constituents are companies and corporations .... not American people.
"Obama is just as bad as Republicans when it comes to this."
Could actually be a fair point - but Obama knows that no matter how idealistic he was when he took office ... the Republicans were going to drag their heels on every single piece of legislation. So Obama knows he has imperfect legislation - but it's better than no legislation at all.
Look in the details. Look who benefits. Look who gains. Look who wins.
It's not the union you should worry about. It's that corporate fat cat dolling out hundred dollar bills to the whores he pays for. That's who's destroying America...
Showing posts with label Economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Economy. Show all posts
Friday, February 24, 2012
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Evaluating Palin's Economic knowledge & more...
From Couric's interview:
COURIC: Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?
PALIN: That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, were ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the—it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.
Link
---------
huh?
You know what -- I'd love to give Sarah the benefit of a doubt here -- but there's no more benefit to be given unfortunately. So assuming she was trying to articulate the common GOP/Republican mantra here: "we gotta give it to the rich so that it can filter down to the middle and lower class..."
Trickle down economics would be fine if it worked ... except that it doesn't. Moreover, if a full-blown Republican government couldn't make it work -- what makes us think that John McCain is selling anything different? But let's take a look at the tale of the tape for proof that McCain/Palin's economic policy is nothing more than a farce. Because when we look at when things were supposed to be at their "best" (dare we even utter that) -- things were still *WORSE* than they were under the Bush regime:
a.) Unemployment has never gotten close to what Bush inherited
b.) Salaries have actually DROPPED to what Bush inherited
c.) GDP may have risen, but the dollar has tanked thanks to the Bush presidency
d.) Our debt has DOUBLED in eight years after Clinton managed to score a budget surplus towards the end of his Presidency
e.) The cost of energy, the rising cost of our goods and services continue to out pace our salaries and wages
By Sarah's measure -- the economy should've been robust, exciting and lots of jobs, raising salaries and a lot of growth confidence..... oh, but it hasn't been like that for the middle and lower class, has it? It was great for the upper class with their fancy schmancy golden parachutes, obscene profits to shareholders while forgetting about the employee who watched their job go 'bye bye' overseas. Oh -- life was purdy for those folks. But it's evident that the Republican mantra simply sides with big business so that they can squeeze the average person out of the equation. Trickle down economics -- clearly only works if you're at the top of the heap and not shoveling it up from the bottom. It simply doesn't work and yet this ticket seems to think that all we need to do is hand over $700 BILLION and all smile for the camera.
The $700 BILLION also isn't going to change a damn thing. Not unless there's a drastic change in how we regulate and oversee the markets. This is why Republicans are adamant against closing provisions like the Enron Loophole. It's why the likes of McCain's adviser Lindsey Gramm (and his wife) slipped in the measure to remove the regulation processes that were installed after the Great Depression.
Why is the American taxpayer being asked to bail out those that have made it their practice to greedily take their money and run when they've failed to self-govern, self-report, and self-regulate as McCain wants them to do? Why is the American taxpayer responsible for those who continue to exploit every loophole and continually shrug off any attempt at self-responsibility or accountability so they can secure their hefty profits that inevitably screw the the rest of us? Why is it that the Republican nominee has surrounded himself with the corrupt folks responsible for this mess to begin with?
It's painful to constantly watch McCain talking out of both sides of his mouth because of the house he currently holds. It's painful to think that Bush saw this coming months ago and that's why they started working on a "PLAN" back then. If Bush had the audacity to craft a plan months ago -- THEY KNEW this was coming and did nothing to stop it. McCain "warned us" and yet continued to vote against regulations that would've kept the markets at bay. If he was "warning us" back then -- where is that legislation he put out there that could've nipped this all in the bud? Hell, I can predict that we'll reach $4.00 a gallon for gasoline -- but that doesn't mean I'm prophetic or anything.
It's really tough to trust anything having to do with his message.
Especially when he employs 7 top advisers who were operating in the THICK of this crisis -- who PERPETUATED this crisis -- and even LIES about their "alleged" involvement in the collapse of these markets. It's AMAZING that he just doesn't get the IMPROPRIETY that poisons his campaign. How the hell are we supposed to TRUST and BELIEVE this from someone who adamantly defended his campaign manager as having NO TIES to the failed Freddie Mac for the last 2 years .... only to reveal that not only was Rick Davis getting benefits from Freddie Mac as recently as a month ago .... come to find out he is *still* getting benefits from them for the foreseeable future!!
It's a single issue -- where we find the McCain/Palin wheels just coming off the bus -- one after another. It's indicative of someone who has played the politics of Washington for the last 25 years and who can't deliver the promise of change that over 80% of Americans demand while supporting the policies of a failed president over 90% of the time.
This is why John can't stay on point - it's why John can't debate the issues - it's why John has to make up facts and hope at least some of them stick because he has nothing else. It's tragic in a way - because it could've really brought out the "Maverick" approach to what he was back in 2000. The campaign is utterly confused what its message is because it has no viable policy to cling onto that can't hold any water.
If John was given a "do-over" for his Veep nod -- he probably should've chosen someone who has a working tub of knowledge about economics -- instead of locking in the beauty queen who has the beauty queen answers for everything locked down pat. Unfortunately, the vice president has to be able to lead the country instead of trying to muddle through it like we all expect it to "snap into place" come January.
Tune in folks ... Palin has to score large in order to re-write some of her most potent gaffes to date, but at least we know why she's been kept in the closet this entire time. She can undermine the message and even inadvertently back the message of their opponent.....
The ship is in trouble John...
COURIC: Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?
PALIN: That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, were ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the—it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.
Link
---------
huh?
You know what -- I'd love to give Sarah the benefit of a doubt here -- but there's no more benefit to be given unfortunately. So assuming she was trying to articulate the common GOP/Republican mantra here: "we gotta give it to the rich so that it can filter down to the middle and lower class..."
Trickle down economics would be fine if it worked ... except that it doesn't. Moreover, if a full-blown Republican government couldn't make it work -- what makes us think that John McCain is selling anything different? But let's take a look at the tale of the tape for proof that McCain/Palin's economic policy is nothing more than a farce. Because when we look at when things were supposed to be at their "best" (dare we even utter that) -- things were still *WORSE* than they were under the Bush regime:
a.) Unemployment has never gotten close to what Bush inherited
b.) Salaries have actually DROPPED to what Bush inherited
c.) GDP may have risen, but the dollar has tanked thanks to the Bush presidency
d.) Our debt has DOUBLED in eight years after Clinton managed to score a budget surplus towards the end of his Presidency
e.) The cost of energy, the rising cost of our goods and services continue to out pace our salaries and wages
By Sarah's measure -- the economy should've been robust, exciting and lots of jobs, raising salaries and a lot of growth confidence..... oh, but it hasn't been like that for the middle and lower class, has it? It was great for the upper class with their fancy schmancy golden parachutes, obscene profits to shareholders while forgetting about the employee who watched their job go 'bye bye' overseas. Oh -- life was purdy for those folks. But it's evident that the Republican mantra simply sides with big business so that they can squeeze the average person out of the equation. Trickle down economics -- clearly only works if you're at the top of the heap and not shoveling it up from the bottom. It simply doesn't work and yet this ticket seems to think that all we need to do is hand over $700 BILLION and all smile for the camera.
The $700 BILLION also isn't going to change a damn thing. Not unless there's a drastic change in how we regulate and oversee the markets. This is why Republicans are adamant against closing provisions like the Enron Loophole. It's why the likes of McCain's adviser Lindsey Gramm (and his wife) slipped in the measure to remove the regulation processes that were installed after the Great Depression.
Why is the American taxpayer being asked to bail out those that have made it their practice to greedily take their money and run when they've failed to self-govern, self-report, and self-regulate as McCain wants them to do? Why is the American taxpayer responsible for those who continue to exploit every loophole and continually shrug off any attempt at self-responsibility or accountability so they can secure their hefty profits that inevitably screw the the rest of us? Why is it that the Republican nominee has surrounded himself with the corrupt folks responsible for this mess to begin with?
It's painful to constantly watch McCain talking out of both sides of his mouth because of the house he currently holds. It's painful to think that Bush saw this coming months ago and that's why they started working on a "PLAN" back then. If Bush had the audacity to craft a plan months ago -- THEY KNEW this was coming and did nothing to stop it. McCain "warned us" and yet continued to vote against regulations that would've kept the markets at bay. If he was "warning us" back then -- where is that legislation he put out there that could've nipped this all in the bud? Hell, I can predict that we'll reach $4.00 a gallon for gasoline -- but that doesn't mean I'm prophetic or anything.
It's really tough to trust anything having to do with his message.
Especially when he employs 7 top advisers who were operating in the THICK of this crisis -- who PERPETUATED this crisis -- and even LIES about their "alleged" involvement in the collapse of these markets. It's AMAZING that he just doesn't get the IMPROPRIETY that poisons his campaign. How the hell are we supposed to TRUST and BELIEVE this from someone who adamantly defended his campaign manager as having NO TIES to the failed Freddie Mac for the last 2 years .... only to reveal that not only was Rick Davis getting benefits from Freddie Mac as recently as a month ago .... come to find out he is *still* getting benefits from them for the foreseeable future!!
It's a single issue -- where we find the McCain/Palin wheels just coming off the bus -- one after another. It's indicative of someone who has played the politics of Washington for the last 25 years and who can't deliver the promise of change that over 80% of Americans demand while supporting the policies of a failed president over 90% of the time.
This is why John can't stay on point - it's why John can't debate the issues - it's why John has to make up facts and hope at least some of them stick because he has nothing else. It's tragic in a way - because it could've really brought out the "Maverick" approach to what he was back in 2000. The campaign is utterly confused what its message is because it has no viable policy to cling onto that can't hold any water.
If John was given a "do-over" for his Veep nod -- he probably should've chosen someone who has a working tub of knowledge about economics -- instead of locking in the beauty queen who has the beauty queen answers for everything locked down pat. Unfortunately, the vice president has to be able to lead the country instead of trying to muddle through it like we all expect it to "snap into place" come January.
Tune in folks ... Palin has to score large in order to re-write some of her most potent gaffes to date, but at least we know why she's been kept in the closet this entire time. She can undermine the message and even inadvertently back the message of their opponent.....
The ship is in trouble John...
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Nice spin by the Treasury Secretary...
I find it ironic that Treasury Secretary comes out today and says:
"Taxpayers should be protected. This should not be a handout to Wall Street. It should be structured in a way that maximizes the ability of taxpayers to recoup their investment."
Whoa whoa whoa whoa WHOA!
The American tax payer isn't INTERESTED in "INVESTMENT" in the incredible debacle on Wall Street. I'm absolutely appalled that Paulson could have the nerve to call this an "investment" for the American taxpayer. That notion implies that all of us somehow WANTED to bail out Wall Street as opposed to being told we ARE going to bail out Wall Street to keep the market from collapsing.
That's not an "investment" -- they call that a LOAN.
The only thing is: you and I will never see any "dividends" from our "investment"... hell, we'll be lucky if that money even gets re-paid to us.
So that's why I think Obama is right here: if we're going to bail out Wall Street -- then it's time to also bail out Main Street. Bush and McCain seem comfortable letting CEOs and Big Oil score incredible profits -- hand over fist ... but when they screw up, then it's up to the American taxpayer to bail THEM out when they spent foolishly and made incredibly poor business decisions.
I don't want to see the market crash and all of us suffer -- but I'm not satisfied how the American taxpayer is going to be able to "cash in" after Paulson's comment. Let's see what the flip-flopper has to say about this....
"Taxpayers should be protected. This should not be a handout to Wall Street. It should be structured in a way that maximizes the ability of taxpayers to recoup their investment."
Whoa whoa whoa whoa WHOA!
The American tax payer isn't INTERESTED in "INVESTMENT" in the incredible debacle on Wall Street. I'm absolutely appalled that Paulson could have the nerve to call this an "investment" for the American taxpayer. That notion implies that all of us somehow WANTED to bail out Wall Street as opposed to being told we ARE going to bail out Wall Street to keep the market from collapsing.
That's not an "investment" -- they call that a LOAN.
The only thing is: you and I will never see any "dividends" from our "investment"... hell, we'll be lucky if that money even gets re-paid to us.
So that's why I think Obama is right here: if we're going to bail out Wall Street -- then it's time to also bail out Main Street. Bush and McCain seem comfortable letting CEOs and Big Oil score incredible profits -- hand over fist ... but when they screw up, then it's up to the American taxpayer to bail THEM out when they spent foolishly and made incredibly poor business decisions.
I don't want to see the market crash and all of us suffer -- but I'm not satisfied how the American taxpayer is going to be able to "cash in" after Paulson's comment. Let's see what the flip-flopper has to say about this....
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Posting a response....
(I'm posting the full response to a friend of mine who had a comment left in her Facebook about McCain and the current economic mess. Suffice to say, I think we're going to disagree...)
With all due respect -- our GDP was soaring pretty good in the 1990's. Our unemployment was lower than what this administration has accomplished. Our energy prices was significantly lower than what we face today. We had a very strong dollar and we even had a budget surplus of a true sign of things to come.
So when you're claiming that "raising taxes isn't going to help this economy" there's a surprising disconnect between what was accomplished in the 90's and today. The Democrats want to restore taxes to the levels they were in the 1990's -- which -- by the measures I've already indicated, still functioned incredibly well in a perfectly fine flourishing economy.
Yet when you compare the national spending over the last 30 years it would seem that the economy did better under Democratic leadership and not that from the Republican party. Reaganomics may have jolted the economy, but at the expense of an explosion of our national debt -- something that Bush 41 and Bush 43 has continued to pile on.
Bottom line: Trickle down economics hasn't benefited the American economy -- in fact, the spigot is looking pretty dry at the moment. Not when jobs are going overseas and our work force has to shell out more money for education so that they can support their families. Not when salaries continue to stagnate or even start to dip.. Not when the average tax-paying American family can barely keep up with the rising cost of living, cost of health insurance while enduring a substantial spike in energy prices. You can forget the entire notion of investing because most families are simply trying to make ends meet. Trickle down economics seeks to preserve the incredibly obscene profits that CEO's and stockholders who stand to benefit at the expense of the hard working American worker.
If you inject the American tax-payer more money -- they will spend more. Look at the comparison of rising salaries and consumer spending. So why not put MORE money in the hands of the consumer while re-instating our taxes back to a period of time that actually worked.
However, I am in agreement that borrowing from other nations is an exceptionally horrid problem -- but when we have Republicans cutting taxes and willfully spending to their fingers break off -- then I'm dumbfounded how you can support the likes of John McCain.
Especially after his chief adviser is Phil Graham -- who orchestrated the extensive deregulation process when he was Senator. Especially after McCain has come out completely in favor of deregulation that we currently have -- as well as FUTURE deregulation when it comes to his health care plan. He wants to make the deregulation efforts of the banking industry to become the template for his plan for health care!
We also can't forget that McCain's own association and portrayal during the entire Keating-Five scandal should lay a pretty significant precedent to his thoughts on deregulating the markets and letting them crumble as they have. Taking a laissez faire approach to the economy -- letting them sort things out -- is the kind of inaction that got us in this financial mess in the FIRST PLACE!
I'm also a little shell-shocked of the apparent approval of our foreign policy. Why do you think other nations look at the United States with a sense of scorn and dis-taste? Why do you think the world doesn't really take us seriously right now? When you thumb you nose at the world, do whatever you want to do (invade whatever country you want to invade), and then sit and stay quiet like some petulant child who didn't get their way ... that's not a well established foreign policy.
Iraq will falter - because this administration has refused to address the Shia problem. Our agreement with North Korea appears to be falling apart. We stoked the incursion of Russia into Georgia by calling for the deployment of a missile shield in Turkey. We are currently in a stand-off with our "ally" after trying to go after Al Qaeda and the insurgents in the mountain ranges between Afghanistan and Pakistan. All the while we've let Al Qaeda grow back to pre-9/11 levels by not addressing the existence of their camps in northern Africa and Southeast Asia. Oh - and we continue to sit idle and let the genocide to continue in the Sudan.
And for someone (McCain) who has continually supported the decisions of this administration -- foreign and domestic -- if you're absolutely sold on the idea that we need another 4 years of the last 8 years -- then that makes absolutely no sense. If you believe that we don't need any change -- if you believe we don't need to regulate our markets or to continue this perverse approach to being a world leader by unilaterally bombing countries who had no linkage to 9/11 .... and if you think we don't need change .... then .... then .... what else can I say, but I'm shocked.
With all due respect -- our GDP was soaring pretty good in the 1990's. Our unemployment was lower than what this administration has accomplished. Our energy prices was significantly lower than what we face today. We had a very strong dollar and we even had a budget surplus of a true sign of things to come.
So when you're claiming that "raising taxes isn't going to help this economy" there's a surprising disconnect between what was accomplished in the 90's and today. The Democrats want to restore taxes to the levels they were in the 1990's -- which -- by the measures I've already indicated, still functioned incredibly well in a perfectly fine flourishing economy.
Yet when you compare the national spending over the last 30 years it would seem that the economy did better under Democratic leadership and not that from the Republican party. Reaganomics may have jolted the economy, but at the expense of an explosion of our national debt -- something that Bush 41 and Bush 43 has continued to pile on.
Bottom line: Trickle down economics hasn't benefited the American economy -- in fact, the spigot is looking pretty dry at the moment. Not when jobs are going overseas and our work force has to shell out more money for education so that they can support their families. Not when salaries continue to stagnate or even start to dip.. Not when the average tax-paying American family can barely keep up with the rising cost of living, cost of health insurance while enduring a substantial spike in energy prices. You can forget the entire notion of investing because most families are simply trying to make ends meet. Trickle down economics seeks to preserve the incredibly obscene profits that CEO's and stockholders who stand to benefit at the expense of the hard working American worker.
If you inject the American tax-payer more money -- they will spend more. Look at the comparison of rising salaries and consumer spending. So why not put MORE money in the hands of the consumer while re-instating our taxes back to a period of time that actually worked.
However, I am in agreement that borrowing from other nations is an exceptionally horrid problem -- but when we have Republicans cutting taxes and willfully spending to their fingers break off -- then I'm dumbfounded how you can support the likes of John McCain.
Especially after his chief adviser is Phil Graham -- who orchestrated the extensive deregulation process when he was Senator. Especially after McCain has come out completely in favor of deregulation that we currently have -- as well as FUTURE deregulation when it comes to his health care plan. He wants to make the deregulation efforts of the banking industry to become the template for his plan for health care!
We also can't forget that McCain's own association and portrayal during the entire Keating-Five scandal should lay a pretty significant precedent to his thoughts on deregulating the markets and letting them crumble as they have. Taking a laissez faire approach to the economy -- letting them sort things out -- is the kind of inaction that got us in this financial mess in the FIRST PLACE!
I'm also a little shell-shocked of the apparent approval of our foreign policy. Why do you think other nations look at the United States with a sense of scorn and dis-taste? Why do you think the world doesn't really take us seriously right now? When you thumb you nose at the world, do whatever you want to do (invade whatever country you want to invade), and then sit and stay quiet like some petulant child who didn't get their way ... that's not a well established foreign policy.
Iraq will falter - because this administration has refused to address the Shia problem. Our agreement with North Korea appears to be falling apart. We stoked the incursion of Russia into Georgia by calling for the deployment of a missile shield in Turkey. We are currently in a stand-off with our "ally" after trying to go after Al Qaeda and the insurgents in the mountain ranges between Afghanistan and Pakistan. All the while we've let Al Qaeda grow back to pre-9/11 levels by not addressing the existence of their camps in northern Africa and Southeast Asia. Oh - and we continue to sit idle and let the genocide to continue in the Sudan.
And for someone (McCain) who has continually supported the decisions of this administration -- foreign and domestic -- if you're absolutely sold on the idea that we need another 4 years of the last 8 years -- then that makes absolutely no sense. If you believe that we don't need any change -- if you believe we don't need to regulate our markets or to continue this perverse approach to being a world leader by unilaterally bombing countries who had no linkage to 9/11 .... and if you think we don't need change .... then .... then .... what else can I say, but I'm shocked.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
McCain's Economy...
Headlines from The Huffington Post says it all:
"ECONOMICS IS NOT SOMETHING I'VE UNDERSTOOD AS WELL AS I SHOULD"
'AMERICANS ARE BETTER OFF NOW THAN THEY WERE EIGHT YEARS AGO'... "WE'RE WORSE OFF THAN WE WERE FOUR YEARS AGO"... "THE FUNDAMENTALS OF OUR ECONOMY ARE STRONG"...
WE'RE IN A "TOTAL CRISIS" CREATED BY WALL STREET "GREED"...
MAJOR SUPPORTER: MCCAIN COULDN'T RUN A COMPANY...
Coming from the guy who just the other day said: "our economy is fundamentally sound...."
Banks going bankrupt...
Housing mortgage crisis...
Unemployment on the rise...
Gas prices TRIPLED in the last 8 years...
Energy prices skyrocketed...
Wages down...
Commodities, goods and services steadily rising...
Dollar suffering...
Stocks collapsing...
Trillion dollar budget deficits...
Doubling the national debt...
Sucked into an 6-year war spending BILLIONS each month...
Fundamentally WHAT?!?!?
Exactly what planet is he from!?!?
"ECONOMICS IS NOT SOMETHING I'VE UNDERSTOOD AS WELL AS I SHOULD"
'AMERICANS ARE BETTER OFF NOW THAN THEY WERE EIGHT YEARS AGO'... "WE'RE WORSE OFF THAN WE WERE FOUR YEARS AGO"... "THE FUNDAMENTALS OF OUR ECONOMY ARE STRONG"...
WE'RE IN A "TOTAL CRISIS" CREATED BY WALL STREET "GREED"...
MAJOR SUPPORTER: MCCAIN COULDN'T RUN A COMPANY...
Coming from the guy who just the other day said: "our economy is fundamentally sound...."
Banks going bankrupt...
Housing mortgage crisis...
Unemployment on the rise...
Gas prices TRIPLED in the last 8 years...
Energy prices skyrocketed...
Wages down...
Commodities, goods and services steadily rising...
Dollar suffering...
Stocks collapsing...
Trillion dollar budget deficits...
Doubling the national debt...
Sucked into an 6-year war spending BILLIONS each month...
Fundamentally WHAT?!?!?
Exactly what planet is he from!?!?
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Biden goes after McCain and his sudden shift on the economy
""It seems like John's had an epiphany. Nine o'clock yesterday morning, John thought the economy was going great guns and the Bush administration was doing well, and today he thinks it's in crisis," Biden said on CBS' "The Early Show."
Biden said the Democratic presidential campaign's solutions for the economic crisis include giving middle-class taxpayers a substantial tax break, putting an end to Bush administration tax cuts that favor the wealthy, investing in infrastructure, and changing bankruptcy laws to help people facing foreclosure.
"My lord, take a look at what — who got us in this hole, whose policies," Biden said. "This has been a Republican philosophy of letting Wall Street do what they want and the middle class be damned. It's about time we change it. If I sound like I'm angry, I am fighting mad for middle-class people who have been the scapegoat of this economy because of the policies of the McCains and the Bushes.""
more here
Biden said the Democratic presidential campaign's solutions for the economic crisis include giving middle-class taxpayers a substantial tax break, putting an end to Bush administration tax cuts that favor the wealthy, investing in infrastructure, and changing bankruptcy laws to help people facing foreclosure.
"My lord, take a look at what — who got us in this hole, whose policies," Biden said. "This has been a Republican philosophy of letting Wall Street do what they want and the middle class be damned. It's about time we change it. If I sound like I'm angry, I am fighting mad for middle-class people who have been the scapegoat of this economy because of the policies of the McCains and the Bushes.""
more here
Monday, September 15, 2008
Market in Chaos...
Two major brokerage firms are on the verge of collapse at a time when numerous banks have been bailed out by the government ... why??
It seems that when you continually protect the likes of "Big Oil" -- and turn your attention completely away at the notion that a constant spike in energy prices is going to affect the health of the economy....
Oh - NOW the Republicans get it.....
No matter how much you try to reason with them, when it's THEIR portfolio suddenly in danger -- oh, they're going to start paying attention...
....and they want to privatize social security with investments handled with the likes of these brokerage firms....
Yeah -- I'd have to say the R's don't have much to stand on anymore.. I'm sure if they can spin this towards Clinton -- they soon will...
It seems that when you continually protect the likes of "Big Oil" -- and turn your attention completely away at the notion that a constant spike in energy prices is going to affect the health of the economy....
Oh - NOW the Republicans get it.....
No matter how much you try to reason with them, when it's THEIR portfolio suddenly in danger -- oh, they're going to start paying attention...
....and they want to privatize social security with investments handled with the likes of these brokerage firms....
Yeah -- I'd have to say the R's don't have much to stand on anymore.. I'm sure if they can spin this towards Clinton -- they soon will...
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Cause and Effect....
The "R's" just flip when this happens: government intervention that actually positively affects the stock market....
"NEW YORK — Stocks rallied Monday as investors placed bets that a recovery in the financial and housing sectors is more likely to occur following the U.S. government's move to bail out mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Dow Jones industrials gained nearly 300 points."
Link here
So to all the nay-sayers that believe that government intervention is bad -- now is time for you to take your medicine..
"NEW YORK — Stocks rallied Monday as investors placed bets that a recovery in the financial and housing sectors is more likely to occur following the U.S. government's move to bail out mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Dow Jones industrials gained nearly 300 points."
Link here
So to all the nay-sayers that believe that government intervention is bad -- now is time for you to take your medicine..
Sunday, August 17, 2008
The REAL price for oil...
We keep hearing over and over how much we have to drill drill drill so that we can get the price of oil under control.. I've long since been of the belief that the supply and the price has been relatively unchanged during the last 7 years ... but before you think I need to be bopped over the head with a 2 x 4 or something -- let's postulate that the value of the dollar has been the leading cause for the high cost of energy..
So this afternoon when I came across this article that actually talks about the reality that a sinking dollar is largely to blame for our current energy prices..
To put it even more succinctly: no matter how much we drill and find tomorrow -- the cost for oil is going to be the same because the market decides how much oil is going to sell for.. Until the value of the dollar improves -- we can drill in every nook-and-cranny and squeeze every droplet of oil from the ground -- it's not going to make one iota's bit of difference if our dollar value continues to tank..
The "drill drill drill" mindset is nothing more than one giant red herring set out by those who have a concealed interested in the profitability of drilling in ANWR or on the outer continental shelf.. At its absolutely optimistic *PEAK* we may get as much as one fifth of our daily consumption.. With little or no change in the value of the dollar -- the only ones that clearly benefit from this are the ones setting record breaking profits at the moment..
We need to make a considerable investment in the exploration of hydrogen energy, we need to build more nuclear energy plants and take control of the sun, the wind and the water as much as we can.. We can't base our "energy strategy" to be loosely conceived by a couple of guys running to Vegas and hope they break the bank..
It has to be more solid and realistic..
It needs to happen soon..
So this afternoon when I came across this article that actually talks about the reality that a sinking dollar is largely to blame for our current energy prices..
To put it even more succinctly: no matter how much we drill and find tomorrow -- the cost for oil is going to be the same because the market decides how much oil is going to sell for.. Until the value of the dollar improves -- we can drill in every nook-and-cranny and squeeze every droplet of oil from the ground -- it's not going to make one iota's bit of difference if our dollar value continues to tank..
The "drill drill drill" mindset is nothing more than one giant red herring set out by those who have a concealed interested in the profitability of drilling in ANWR or on the outer continental shelf.. At its absolutely optimistic *PEAK* we may get as much as one fifth of our daily consumption.. With little or no change in the value of the dollar -- the only ones that clearly benefit from this are the ones setting record breaking profits at the moment..
We need to make a considerable investment in the exploration of hydrogen energy, we need to build more nuclear energy plants and take control of the sun, the wind and the water as much as we can.. We can't base our "energy strategy" to be loosely conceived by a couple of guys running to Vegas and hope they break the bank..
It has to be more solid and realistic..
It needs to happen soon..
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
A Collection of Blog Thoughts
I have a bookmark file in my Firefox browser that is overflowing with things to blog about.. I don't think I'll ever get to all of them, but it's truly sad to see the state of our country dwindling like this..
No one seems that concerned about the fact that the Dollar continues to fade against other currencies -- a really bad sign that your government is taking on more water than it can pump back out.. Couple that with a sagging economy and a "no end in sight" foreign policy -- it's quite clear that Bush has been thinking for a very long time: all I need to do is not screw up and I can make it to the end..
A really sad and sorry piece of how to handle your "legacy.." But I guess that's why he has Karl Rove showing up on Fox, Newsweek and other News Corp. companies so that they can "preserve" the legacy from getting a black eye..
-----
I haven't blogged in awhile, but I must say that I've become impressed with Obama.. Darby and I watched this guy several months ago in an interview -- he had great ideas, but his delivery was really off.. The guy didn't know what a period was.. Oh - how times have changed.. He's gotten his Presidential voice and it's clearly convincing others that a man of change like this is a right thing..
-----
Hillary meanwhile continues to play the really sorry sport -- mocking Obama's speeches, getting riled up on plagiarism allegations when it's pretty apparent that everyone who has ever given a speech before -- has borrowed thoughts, ideas and muses from a wide range of sources.. How many times has JFK's "ask not what your country can do for you" speech has been borrowed, improvised, re-written and repeated?? I've lost a lot of respect for the Clintons out of all of this..
I think it's hypocritical to have your daughter campaigning for you -- but become upset at a "pimping" reference -- when clearly anyone who takes the stage in support of ANY candidate is doing the exact same thing.. It's politics.. She was raised in it.. She's 27 years old.. If she can't figure it out - then maybe she shouldn't have been up on the podium in the first place..
-----
There's problems in the GOP camp these days.. McCain is not reaching far enough to the right -- and that has many people thinking of not voting for him.. Which is pretty silly in a way because McCain would be trying to bridge between the differences in America without being a beacon like Bush has been or that Huckabee yearns to be.. I will say this: if Huckabee gets the nomination AND gets elected, we're in really deep crap.. This is a man who wants to re-write the Constitution to fit the biblical ideals.. Huh?? Didn't Jefferson make overtures that a policy like that wouldn't be good for the nation?? Wasn't he right??
I have a real big problem with those that want to blend religion in our government.. The two should remain apart because I adamantly do not believe that our government should favor one religion or belief over another.. It's not the foundation or intent of our forefathers -- despite the desperate attempts of the Christian Right to say that it *was* their intent.. Hogwash.. The framers would've made very easy references to a Christian God and that would've been the end of it.. Nope - they didn't do that way.. And when you chart the original reason why a lot of people came scurrying over here in the 1600-1700's -- we understand that it was mostly because of religious persecution.. So - while Huckabee wants to revert us back to the age of King Henry..
All the while we're faced by "balancing" our education structures to include the concept of "intelligent design" that ultimately is not very intelligent.. Even if science can't prove or disprove an element of the world around us, let the parents decide what is best to teach their children about faith and where those cracks are filled or explained by way of religion..
-----
Ultimately, I hope this country can make the changes necessary to turn America around.. We wallow in Iraq by ourselves because Britain, Spain, Japan and now Australia have all gone home.. Yet if you spend any amount of attention listening to the banging of the drums -- the conservative right wants to march into Iran, Syria and Lord knows where else.. Our economy is a mess because our President refuses to acknowledge that tax cuts ultimately hurt the value of the dollar when he continues to spend money faster than I could ever do with a no-limit Best Buy credit card.. He's isolated us from the rest of the world who really believes that we're even more pompous and arrogant.. All the while he's depleted our armed forces, we've heard cries from our Air Force that our planes are slowly failing us because they haven't been replaced.. They are virtually flying on nuts and bolts and need to be replaced, not overhauled, not reconditioned, replaced..
So when Clinton comes out and says that Obama doesn't have experience -- I think that's a star in his column.. Clearly she doesn't get the fact that America wants change -- and I'm solely convinced she's anything resembling an advocate for change..
Change is good..
No one seems that concerned about the fact that the Dollar continues to fade against other currencies -- a really bad sign that your government is taking on more water than it can pump back out.. Couple that with a sagging economy and a "no end in sight" foreign policy -- it's quite clear that Bush has been thinking for a very long time: all I need to do is not screw up and I can make it to the end..
A really sad and sorry piece of how to handle your "legacy.." But I guess that's why he has Karl Rove showing up on Fox, Newsweek and other News Corp. companies so that they can "preserve" the legacy from getting a black eye..
-----
I haven't blogged in awhile, but I must say that I've become impressed with Obama.. Darby and I watched this guy several months ago in an interview -- he had great ideas, but his delivery was really off.. The guy didn't know what a period was.. Oh - how times have changed.. He's gotten his Presidential voice and it's clearly convincing others that a man of change like this is a right thing..
-----
Hillary meanwhile continues to play the really sorry sport -- mocking Obama's speeches, getting riled up on plagiarism allegations when it's pretty apparent that everyone who has ever given a speech before -- has borrowed thoughts, ideas and muses from a wide range of sources.. How many times has JFK's "ask not what your country can do for you" speech has been borrowed, improvised, re-written and repeated?? I've lost a lot of respect for the Clintons out of all of this..
I think it's hypocritical to have your daughter campaigning for you -- but become upset at a "pimping" reference -- when clearly anyone who takes the stage in support of ANY candidate is doing the exact same thing.. It's politics.. She was raised in it.. She's 27 years old.. If she can't figure it out - then maybe she shouldn't have been up on the podium in the first place..
-----
There's problems in the GOP camp these days.. McCain is not reaching far enough to the right -- and that has many people thinking of not voting for him.. Which is pretty silly in a way because McCain would be trying to bridge between the differences in America without being a beacon like Bush has been or that Huckabee yearns to be.. I will say this: if Huckabee gets the nomination AND gets elected, we're in really deep crap.. This is a man who wants to re-write the Constitution to fit the biblical ideals.. Huh?? Didn't Jefferson make overtures that a policy like that wouldn't be good for the nation?? Wasn't he right??
I have a real big problem with those that want to blend religion in our government.. The two should remain apart because I adamantly do not believe that our government should favor one religion or belief over another.. It's not the foundation or intent of our forefathers -- despite the desperate attempts of the Christian Right to say that it *was* their intent.. Hogwash.. The framers would've made very easy references to a Christian God and that would've been the end of it.. Nope - they didn't do that way.. And when you chart the original reason why a lot of people came scurrying over here in the 1600-1700's -- we understand that it was mostly because of religious persecution.. So - while Huckabee wants to revert us back to the age of King Henry..
All the while we're faced by "balancing" our education structures to include the concept of "intelligent design" that ultimately is not very intelligent.. Even if science can't prove or disprove an element of the world around us, let the parents decide what is best to teach their children about faith and where those cracks are filled or explained by way of religion..
-----
Ultimately, I hope this country can make the changes necessary to turn America around.. We wallow in Iraq by ourselves because Britain, Spain, Japan and now Australia have all gone home.. Yet if you spend any amount of attention listening to the banging of the drums -- the conservative right wants to march into Iran, Syria and Lord knows where else.. Our economy is a mess because our President refuses to acknowledge that tax cuts ultimately hurt the value of the dollar when he continues to spend money faster than I could ever do with a no-limit Best Buy credit card.. He's isolated us from the rest of the world who really believes that we're even more pompous and arrogant.. All the while he's depleted our armed forces, we've heard cries from our Air Force that our planes are slowly failing us because they haven't been replaced.. They are virtually flying on nuts and bolts and need to be replaced, not overhauled, not reconditioned, replaced..
So when Clinton comes out and says that Obama doesn't have experience -- I think that's a star in his column.. Clearly she doesn't get the fact that America wants change -- and I'm solely convinced she's anything resembling an advocate for change..
Change is good..
Sunday, February 27, 2005
This is what happens when I wait to blog...
In all honesty - I for one maintained that I would never see a dime of Social Security.. After all, that's what every financial planner would tell me whenever I applied at a new job, or joined a bank.. I've been told several times in the late 80's, early 90's that Social Security won't be around when it gets to be my retirement age.. So, I for one was actually planning on not having any benefit reach me in my "golden years.."
And if this President has his way -- it's all but certain that prophesy will come true..
I hear what the democrat side of the radio dial is saying.. I hear what the republican side of the radio dial is saying..
Bottom line: I don't trust either side..
I do know that if Social Security would be solvent by the time I reached my retirement age as it stands *today* -- then I don't want Bush to touch it.. Why mess with something that has worked for the last half century??
Oh wait - we're trying to leave a legacy..
Oh, okay.. I guess having 1,500 deaths on your resume, billions of dollars seemingly fleeing the boundaries of our nation.. We're a nation that is far more vulnerable now than before 9/11..... and I'm not even talking about the prostitute reporter that got pretty significant clearance in the ONE PLACE in the nation where we would EXPECT the BEST in security..... Oh wait, terrorists are only Islamic, but a male prostitute fits nicely in this administ.......
Hold on a second - the visual isn't pretty, but I must admit my ass is feeling a little sore.. Yup, Bush still must be in office..
So if I understand the little man, let's just go right ahead an tinker with a proven system and let's screw that up too!!
*sighs*
Now I know I've been out of the blogging realm for the last few weeks, because how else can I reiterate that which I've already said?? Bush is an idiot.. He's messing with the security of this nation on every single thing he can get his hands on.. For those that truly want to follow him blindly, I can only pray that we don't suffer needlessly at the hands of someone this incompetent..
We've suffered enough..
Bring our troops home..
Going to Europe was a nice gesture, but there doesn't seem to be a huge outpouring of support -- in name only it would seem.. Nice photo-ops don't help the tens of thousands affected by Bush's inadequate plans..
North Korea was to be legitimate..
Who knows what's going to happen with Iran, Syria, the Congo, among other hot spots..
Assistance programs are being cut right and left..
As we figured, no medical benefits help.. Must've forgotten that little platform nugget..
We've been asked to sacrifice, nip, tuck - unless you're earning over $200k in that case nip & tuck is actually something you may look forward to the next time you see your plastic surgeon.. After all, the first 10 injections didn't work for your wrinkles, why not go for 11??
Yet - where exactly is this sacrifice and justice for those execs at ChoicePoint who learned that their system was vulnerable back in 2004, sold their stock - yet remain protected by some obscure SEC rule?? Millions in profit - pocketed.. Future secured.. Shareholders screwed.. Millions of identities exposed and "picked for the ripin'..." MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Oh yes - we protect those that screw endlessly, but my god if they happen to be homosexual, we simply will pretend they don't exist..
Oh yeah -- we're advancing right along, thank you very much..
I think it's safer where I've been over the last few weeks -- maybe I best stay there and hope the next 2-4 years pass by quickly..
And if this President has his way -- it's all but certain that prophesy will come true..
I hear what the democrat side of the radio dial is saying.. I hear what the republican side of the radio dial is saying..
Bottom line: I don't trust either side..
I do know that if Social Security would be solvent by the time I reached my retirement age as it stands *today* -- then I don't want Bush to touch it.. Why mess with something that has worked for the last half century??
Oh wait - we're trying to leave a legacy..
Oh, okay.. I guess having 1,500 deaths on your resume, billions of dollars seemingly fleeing the boundaries of our nation.. We're a nation that is far more vulnerable now than before 9/11..... and I'm not even talking about the prostitute reporter that got pretty significant clearance in the ONE PLACE in the nation where we would EXPECT the BEST in security..... Oh wait, terrorists are only Islamic, but a male prostitute fits nicely in this administ.......
Hold on a second - the visual isn't pretty, but I must admit my ass is feeling a little sore.. Yup, Bush still must be in office..
So if I understand the little man, let's just go right ahead an tinker with a proven system and let's screw that up too!!
*sighs*
Now I know I've been out of the blogging realm for the last few weeks, because how else can I reiterate that which I've already said?? Bush is an idiot.. He's messing with the security of this nation on every single thing he can get his hands on.. For those that truly want to follow him blindly, I can only pray that we don't suffer needlessly at the hands of someone this incompetent..
We've suffered enough..
Bring our troops home..
Going to Europe was a nice gesture, but there doesn't seem to be a huge outpouring of support -- in name only it would seem.. Nice photo-ops don't help the tens of thousands affected by Bush's inadequate plans..
North Korea was to be legitimate..
Who knows what's going to happen with Iran, Syria, the Congo, among other hot spots..
Assistance programs are being cut right and left..
As we figured, no medical benefits help.. Must've forgotten that little platform nugget..
We've been asked to sacrifice, nip, tuck - unless you're earning over $200k in that case nip & tuck is actually something you may look forward to the next time you see your plastic surgeon.. After all, the first 10 injections didn't work for your wrinkles, why not go for 11??
Yet - where exactly is this sacrifice and justice for those execs at ChoicePoint who learned that their system was vulnerable back in 2004, sold their stock - yet remain protected by some obscure SEC rule?? Millions in profit - pocketed.. Future secured.. Shareholders screwed.. Millions of identities exposed and "picked for the ripin'..." MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Oh yes - we protect those that screw endlessly, but my god if they happen to be homosexual, we simply will pretend they don't exist..
Oh yeah -- we're advancing right along, thank you very much..
I think it's safer where I've been over the last few weeks -- maybe I best stay there and hope the next 2-4 years pass by quickly..
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