Troubles in Small town, USA

[CPA]

Unemployment rate nationwide is just a little over 6%. Whippty-fricken doo.

There are plenty of jobs out there. Maybe it's time to stop being so picky or braoden your skills or quit waiting for someone to hand a job to you and instead start beating the pavement.

 

[SuperTool]

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: Ornery
Priorities for the Federal government should start with stable national security. Everything else is in jeopardy if that is shaky. Bottom line: We're on the right track! The economy WILL pick up under GWB's watch, though he doesn't really have any control over it. Tax breaks are a good idea to promote businesses and jobs, so I'd stay the course there too. Revenues will ultimately increase after the market takes off again... and it WILL!

That's all well and good as far as it goes, but I seriously doubt tax revenues will increase enough to cover expenditures, especially given the coming burdens on Social Security and Medicare. Deficits will likely continue until the country decides to get serious about this problem.

Yeah, with people only paying 4% of their pay in federal taxes, the deficits aren't going anywhere soon.
I am single renter, and I pay 20% in fed taxes at least.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: sMiLeYz

Originally posted by: CADkindaGUY

Originally posted by: sMiLeYz
While we're discussing the issues of Iraq, the middle east, and the world. I think we've lost focus on whats going on in our country.

While American troops are fighting overseas and money is pouring into rebuilding Iraq, our economy is faltering, unemployment is rampant and most people still cant afford the outrageous price of Health Care. We have a ineffective taxcut plan that lives out the middle and poor class, and a the biggest deficit in our Nation's history... normal people are starting to question President Bush's policies.

Whats going on in Peoria, Ohio...

The sky is falling, The sky is falling, The sky is falling!

<--runs around screaming and flailing his arms



CkG

Apparently the point flew right over your head

No it didn't I was merely mocking those that believe our economy is on the verge or collapse. Ofcourse the economy needs attention, and you can bet your ass that Bush and Congress are giving proper attention to it.

CPA said:

Unemployment rate nationwide is just a little over 6%. Whippty-fricken doo.

There are plenty of jobs out there. Maybe it's time to stop being so picky or braoden your skills or quit waiting for someone to hand a job to you and instead start beating the pavement.

EXACTLY!!!
If I lost my job - I doubt i could find a job that pays the same or more than I make now - but you can bet your ass that I'm atleast going to get "a" job until I find the one I want. If that means tossing feed bags or scooping pig dung part-time - i'd do it.

CkG

 

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: SuperTool

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: Ornery
Priorities for the Federal government should start with stable national security. Everything else is in jeopardy if that is shaky. Bottom line: We're on the right track! The economy WILL pick up under GWB's watch, though he doesn't really have any control over it. Tax breaks are a good idea to promote businesses and jobs, so I'd stay the course there too. Revenues will ultimately increase after the market takes off again... and it WILL!

That's all well and good as far as it goes, but I seriously doubt tax revenues will increase enough to cover expenditures, especially given the coming burdens on Social Security and Medicare. Deficits will likely continue until the country decides to get serious about this problem.

Yeah, with people only paying 4% of their pay in federal taxes, the deficits aren't going anywhere soon.
I am single renter, and I pay 20% in fed taxes at least.

Then you're dumb.
5 people live off of my salary, so maybe you should pay more. My rate is low because of dependent and mortgage interest exemptions. It's not as if either party is looking to eliminate those.

 

[SuperTool]

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: SuperTool

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: Ornery
Priorities for the Federal government should start with stable national security. Everything else is in jeopardy if that is shaky. Bottom line: We're on the right track! The economy WILL pick up under GWB's watch, though he doesn't really have any control over it. Tax breaks are a good idea to promote businesses and jobs, so I'd stay the course there too. Revenues will ultimately increase after the market takes off again... and it WILL!

That's all well and good as far as it goes, but I seriously doubt tax revenues will increase enough to cover expenditures, especially given the coming burdens on Social Security and Medicare. Deficits will likely continue until the country decides to get serious about this problem.

Yeah, with people only paying 4% of their pay in federal taxes, the deficits aren't going anywhere soon.
I am single renter, and I pay 20% in fed taxes at least.

Then you're dumb.
5 people live off of my salary, so maybe you should pay more. My rate is low because of dependent and mortgage interest exemptions. It's not as if either party is looking to eliminate those.

That's cus your leeching off my taxes. You have dependents who use government services like education, you should pay more in taxes, not less.
And they should get rid of mortgage deduction too. I don't see why renters shouldn't be entitled to a deduction if owners are.
Clearly 4% of salary in fed taxes is not paying your family's share of federal taxes.

 

[Bleep]

The Bush tax plan is a great plan. Bill Gates will not have to pay a nickle in taxis now that MSOft has started paying dividens.

Bleep

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Bleep
The Bush tax plan is a great plan. Bill Gates will not have to pay a nickle in taxis now that MSOft has started paying dividens.

Bleep

Actually you are wrong on several accounts.

1. Dividends will still be taxed.
2. Corperate profits will still be taxed.
3. MS will still pay huge amounts of payroll and property tax
4. This is currently only a proposal and not law.

 

[BarneyFife]

Originally posted by: CPA
Unemployment rate nationwide is just a little over 6%. Whippty-fricken doo.

There are plenty of jobs out there. Maybe it's time to stop being so picky or braoden your skills or quit waiting for someone to hand a job to you and instead start beating the pavement.

You're living in a dream world.

 

[konichiwa]

Originally posted by: Ornery
Priorities for the Federal government should start with stable national security. Everything else is in jeopardy if that is shaky. Bottom line: We're on the right track! The economy WILL pick up under GWB's watch, though he doesn't really have any control over it. Tax breaks are a good idea to promote businesses and jobs, so I'd stay the course there too. Revenues will ultimately increase after the market takes off again... and it WILL!

Peace? Tax cut. War? Tax cut. Faltering economy? Tax cut. Booming economy? Tax cut.

GW, Economist extraordinaire...

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: BarneyFife

Originally posted by: CPA
Unemployment rate nationwide is just a little over 6%. Whippty-fricken doo.

There are plenty of jobs out there. Maybe it's time to stop being so picky or braoden your skills or quit waiting for someone to hand a job to you and instead start beating the pavement.

You're living in a dream world.

The real world. Why dont you take a look at historical unemployment stats for the past 100 years. You will find that 6% unemployment is not nearly as bad as it has been. 5% unemployment is theoretican full employment. Even during the dotcom boom, we barely dipped below 5% unemployment nationwide.

 

[LunarRay]

There is ample reason the Fed is separate and not under political control... there is ample reason that the actions taken by the Fed are by vote of its board... because no one trusts the actions of Congress or the Executive to act in the interest of the Nation when politics controls... especially the creators of the Fed. IF the administration tells you "this budget will create X and reduce Y by Z in the out years.... blah, blah, blah.." Do you take if to the bank as gospel because your party controls and the executive is decent.. don't you apply a bit of look see to it?
I think I know a bit about some things and know I know a bit about others... but, reading the budget, and I have, cannot yield information when the basis is obscure or unrealizable. It is beyond incomprehensible unless you agree to insanity as the intellectual parallel of the assumptions... I am being kind here.. It is all we have so we the few build our own models and try what ifs... and define what is is and suggest if this means that then what is may be is not ...... Mooooooonie....

 

[BarneyFife]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: BarneyFife

Originally posted by: CPA
Unemployment rate nationwide is just a little over 6%. Whippty-fricken doo.

There are plenty of jobs out there. Maybe it's time to stop being so picky or braoden your skills or quit waiting for someone to hand a job to you and instead start beating the pavement.

You're living in a dream world.

The real world. Why dont you take a look at historical unemployment stats for the past 100 years. You will find that 6% unemployment is not nearly as bad as it has been. 5% unemployment is theoretican full employment. Even during the dotcom boom, we barely dipped below 5% unemployment nationwide.

You obviously aren't living in the real world as you spend most of your time justifying your points with pointless statistics. The unemployment rate is determined by surveying less than 75000 people. It is impossible to grasp the true unemployment rate of the country when you have such a minute sample. My point was that it is difficult finding a job today. How do I know? I talked to someone that runs an employment agency and they told me how bad it is right now. My mother lost her job before 9/11 and she found a job right before 9/11, well she got laid off a couple months later, and it took her about 10 months to find another job. This is based on real world experience not on some pointless statistics you conjured up from whitehouse.gov

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: BarneyFife

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: BarneyFife

Originally posted by: CPA
Unemployment rate nationwide is just a little over 6%. Whippty-fricken doo.

There are plenty of jobs out there. Maybe it's time to stop being so picky or braoden your skills or quit waiting for someone to hand a job to you and instead start beating the pavement.

You're living in a dream world.

The real world. Why dont you take a look at historical unemployment stats for the past 100 years. You will find that 6% unemployment is not nearly as bad as it has been. 5% unemployment is theoretican full employment. Even during the dotcom boom, we barely dipped below 5% unemployment nationwide.

You obviously aren't living in the real world as you spend most of your time justifying your points with pointless statistics. The unemployment rate is determined by surveying less than 75000 people. It is impossible to grasp the true unemployment rate of the country when you have such a minute sample. My point was that it is difficult finding a job today. How do I know? I talked to someone that runs an employment agency and they told me how bad it is right now. My mother lost her job before 9/11 and she found a job right before 9/11, well she got laid off a couple months later, and it took her about 10 months to find another job. This is based on real world experience not on some pointless statistics you conjured up from whitehouse.gov

I have been unemployed 2x(laid off from a dotcom followed by a short contract gig) in the past 2 years, both times it took me only about 4 weeks to get a new job. I collected not a single unemployment check during these times. Had it it gone longer I would have taken a job flipping burgers, bagging grocerys or delivering pizzas. A job is better than no job.

Unemployment stats are generated from all the unemployment offices, not a survery of 75000 people. If you file for unemployment and continue to with the unemployment office, you are part of the statistics.

 

[MadRat]

I don't know where Barney got his 75000 number from, must have been his big imagination.

Having no job isn't always better than a job. Sometimes it doesn't pay to work as unemployment is meant to bide you time to beat the street in search of a job. If you are working a new, lower paying job, you'd kill your time to search.

 

[MadRat]

Originally posted by: HJD1
There is ample reason the Fed is separate and not under political control... there is ample reason that the actions taken by the Fed are by vote of its board... because no one trusts the actions of Congress or the Executive to act in the interest of the Nation when politics controls... especially the creators of the Fed.

"The Fed" is a private company. Its not controlled by politics and is protected from them, true, but it also acts on its own interests.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: MadRat
I don't know where Barney got his 75000 number from, must have been his big imagination.

Having no job isn't always better than a job. Sometimes it doesn't pay to work as unemployment is meant to bide you time to beat the street in search of a job. If you are working a new, lower paying job, you'd kill your time to search.

I disagree as it is not difficult to earn more than unemployment pays.

 

[Tiger]

our economy is faltering, unemployment is rampant and most people still cant afford the outrageous price of Health Care.

Not even close to true.
Our economy is growing at 1.5% per year over the last quarter.
Unemployment is at 5.6%. Used to be back in the bad old days of Billy Bob Clinton full employment was considered anything below 6%. What's changed other than presidents?
Most people do have health care. Only 12-15% of the population are without health insurance and those people are covered under medicaid or medicare.
Get your facts straight before posting more of this FUD.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Looks like todays unemployment figures differ from Tigers "FACTS"

'Uninsured' number floats depending on who just lost their jobs (see above) but it's too damn high

Dosen't like the ECONOMY growth is anything like it used to be since Dubya took over, more like 0.3 % in report

 

[BarneyFife]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: BarneyFife

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: BarneyFife

Originally posted by: CPA
Unemployment rate nationwide is just a little over 6%. Whippty-fricken doo.

There are plenty of jobs out there. Maybe it's time to stop being so picky or braoden your skills or quit waiting for someone to hand a job to you and instead start beating the pavement.

You're living in a dream world.

The real world. Why dont you take a look at historical unemployment stats for the past 100 years. You will find that 6% unemployment is not nearly as bad as it has been. 5% unemployment is theoretican full employment. Even during the dotcom boom, we barely dipped below 5% unemployment nationwide.

You obviously aren't living in the real world as you spend most of your time justifying your points with pointless statistics. The unemployment rate is determined by surveying less than 75000 people. It is impossible to grasp the true unemployment rate of the country when you have such a minute sample. My point was that it is difficult finding a job today. How do I know? I talked to someone that runs an employment agency and they told me how bad it is right now. My mother lost her job before 9/11 and she found a job right before 9/11, well she got laid off a couple months later, and it took her about 10 months to find another job. This is based on real world experience not on some pointless statistics you conjured up from whitehouse.gov

I have been unemployed 2x(laid off from a dotcom followed by a short contract gig) in the past 2 years, both times it took me only about 4 weeks to get a new job. I collected not a single unemployment check during these times. Had it it gone longer I would have taken a job flipping burgers, bagging grocerys or delivering pizzas. A job is better than no job.

Unemployment stats are generated from all the unemployment offices, not a survery of 75000 people. If you file for unemployment and continue to with the unemployment office, you are part of the statistics.

WRONG AGAIN. Please take an economics class before you speak about the economy. Here is a link to prove that I'm right
Link

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
Looks like todays unemployment figures differ from Tigers "FACTS"

'Uninsured' number floats depending on who just lost their jobs (see above) but it's too damn high

Dosen't like the ECONOMY growth is anything like it used to be since Dubya took over, more like 0.3 % in report

First link - doesn't contradict anything that Tiger posted

Second link - tripod.com? propaganda? Opinion? I think so

Third link - I pulled this out of the first paragraph: "Economic growth resumed in the fourth quarter of 2001, accelerated sharply in the first quarter of 2002, and continued in the second quarter, albeit at a slower pace."

ALSO - your .3% is growth of government spending and has nada to do with "economic growth". Here is the quote you took the .3% from: "Government spending increased dramatically in 2001, driven by security and defense expenditures. In 2001, real federal government spending increased at a 4.8 percent annual rate, compared to a 0.3 percent average growth rate from 1995-2000. In the first half of 2002, federal government spending hit a growth rate of 7.6 percent at an annual rate. Defense spending increased by 5.0 percent in 2001-the largest increase since 1986-whereas non-defense spending increased by 4.5 percent. State and local government spending increased by 3.1 percent."

I'm not sure what you were trying to achieve with those links but I suggest you go find something that actually might support your claims.

CkG

 

[Tiger]

Whooops! Looks like I was off by .2%. 5.8% instead of 5.6% My Bad.
Link
Them's the FACTS

 

[alchemize]

1) its Peoria Illinois, not Ohio.
I live 7 minutes outside of Peoria, so I can declare myself an "expert".

This is a stupid article.

Once there were plenty of jobs in Peoria. An industrial giant in the heart of the nation's farm belt, the city of 113,000 is situated on the Illinois River, linking Chicago to the Mississippi River. The location made it a perfect spot for heavy-machine manufacturers, distillers and stockyards.

There are no jobs in Peoria, because Peoria is a crappily run city, and because Cat has laid everyone off. But it's been that way for 15 years. It isn't anything new. Its because Cat basically has stopped growing and is slowly breaking its union. So there are no blue collar jobs. I'm sorry, the days you can get a job out of high school on an assembly line making $30 an hour are over. Stockyards? River Traffic? Heavy Machine manufacturers? Hello it isn't 1975 anymore. Those factories haven't been used in 20 years. Ever heard of JIT? Nobody uses the river for anything but coal and grain. The few tech companies that were riding the .com bubble went bankrupt in 2001.

The airport sucks, everyone goes to Bloomington where the rates are lower and parking is free and the terminal is new. More jobs. Peoria has had several chances to improve things. About 10 years ago they put in a riverboat. Peoria didn't want it, so its across the river in East Peoria. No tax revenue for you! East Peoria is booming. Peoria is trying to revitalize its riverfront over the last 5 years. Hooters wants to move in. "No way!" Peoria cries. It goes to East Peoria.

The unemployment in Bloomington (45 minutes away, where I work) is next to nothing. There are high tech jobs, white collar jobs (state farm, illinois state university), blue collar (non-union, or at least non $30 an hour uber-union) jobs (Mitsubishi plant). It is a fairly well run city.

Various economic indicators prove the point, but Wood has a simple measure:

Tazewell County (includes Peoria): 5.6 % in March (which is down .5% from Feb's 6.1%!)
McClean County (includes Bloomington): 3.3%
source


So I repeat, This is a stupid, irrelevant article.

I won't argue that the economy isn't a big deal to voters, but that is more ignorance on the voter's part to think that the any branch of the government has any kind of power. It is all about business cycles and monetary policy. And a reaction to 9/11.

 

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: MadRat

Originally posted by: HJD1
There is ample reason the Fed is separate and not under political control... there is ample reason that the actions taken by the Fed are by vote of its board... because no one trusts the actions of Congress or the Executive to act in the interest of the Nation when politics controls... especially the creators of the Fed.

"The Fed" is a private company. Its not controlled by politics and is protected from them, true, but it also acts on its own interests.

Well.. the Fed operates in four basic areas... the nations monetary policy, regulating banks, provides financial services to the US Govt., the public, financial inst. and some foreign entities and maintaing financial stability. Since... about 1913.
I'm not sure what you mean by "its own interests"

 

[308nato]

Originally posted by: alchemize
1) its Peoria Illinois, not Ohio.
I live 7 minutes outside of Peoria, so I can declare myself an "expert".

This is a stupid article.

We live in the same neck of the woods. Good post, I was to lazy to point all that out...

Around here we call it PISSORIA for reasons that have nothing to do with any presidential administration.

 

[MadRat]

Originally posted by: charrison

I disagree as it is not difficult to earn more than unemployment pays.

It varies from state to state. Your state must be pretty tight on its unemployment insurance payouts.