9.5% Unemployment. Well Done, Obama.

[Hugh Conway]

why did I ever post in this shithole?

[murraysovereign]

Ummm, FW, you realize, don't you, that the employment rate is what is called a "trailing" indicator, because it tends to "trail" behind the overall economy by some time. For instance, when the overall economy starts to improve, employment figures will be among the last indicators to reflect that improvement. Even if the economy was improving right now, we wouldn't see a rise in employment until later this year or early next year.

 

In other words, this month's jump in the unemployment rate is due to economic events that occurred anywhere from 6 months to as much as a year ago.

 

You do the math...

[Fairweather]

I find it interesting how people who complain about deficit spending never seem to complain about defense spending.

 

You wring your hands about how "irresponsible" it is for Obama to borrow money for economic stimulus, but we spend more on "defense" than the next ten nations combined (maybe the entire rest of the world). Not only that, but our military escapades have by all accounts been generally ill-conceived since WWII. Where's the call for responsibility?

 

You do understand that even under GWB we spent far more on social services and entitlements than we did on defense? And, right or wrong, we have long footed the bill for the bulk of the defense of our allies in western Europe and Japan. The post WWII/Cold War "escapades" you speak of ultimately exhausted a communist political and economic system that was inherently wrong in every aspect of its design and its implementation. I don't hear too many South Koreans I know lamenting. Honestly, Matt, if Obama came out with new taxes that were designed retire a portion of the national debt, I'd be in favor. But all he is seemingly doing is paying off public employee unions with make-work and political allies with promissory notes. He has added a couple more floors to our economic house of cards.

 

[Fairweather]

Ummm, FW, you realize, don't you, that the employment rate is what is called a "trailing" indicator, because it tends to "trail" behind the overall economy by some time. For instance, when the overall economy starts to improve, employment figures will be among the last indicators to reflect that improvement. Even if the economy was improving right now, we wouldn't see a rise in employment until later this year or early next year.

 

In other words, this month's jump in the unemployment rate is due to economic events that occurred anywhere from 6 months to as much as a year ago.

 

You do the math...

 

[snoboy]

Are you implying that your numbers are imaginary?

[glassgowkiss]

He really doesn't have a clue, does he.

like you do? better go and fuck a pig.

[Hugh Conway]

Are you implying that your numbers are imaginary?

 

No, Fairweather, like D-503 has had his beliefs in the purity of the state challenged by i.

[mattp]

Fairweather, I think you may be using a chart that is misleading. Whether purposely or not I don't know, but misleading. There is a similar one for the 2009 budget:

 

 

Below the chart it specifically indicates that it does not include any accounting for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. In addition, it does not show payment on debt for past wars as part of military spending. What else is concealed in this presentation if these items are "off budget" -- do you think it might include secret funding for early childhood education? I doubt it.

 

In addition, Social Security is paid for (presently though this is not sustainable) NOT by taxes that are part of the broader Federal budget. Look at your paycheck next week: it is a separate line item. The money is managed separately and I don’t know how the budget works but I don’t think either Obama or Congress have the same options to tinker with Social Security.

 

Obama has no power to change or to draw upon the Social Security funding for other purposes - that is purely a Congressional matter and it will not be an easy task to take funds from that program. Another way to look at it is to consider only "discretionary spending" as in that which there is actually room to adjust the spending in an annual budget. Here's another chart, from a couple of years ago:

 

2006 budget, info from National Priorities Project.

 

Lastly, with your smug and smarm, take any pie chart you wish and tell us how you think it is better to spend our tax dollars on military endeavors that are killing hundreds of thousands of people and accomplishing little or nothing the benefits us or the inhabitants of those lands where all this killing is taking place than it would be to spend the same money on health care or education or housing or, for that matter, paying down the National debt.

 

I understand the concern for deficit spending, but how is it that you never express any concern for the misdirected spending on the US military? Do we need 200 military bases all around the world? Weapons programs we will never use and we know are already outdated? Ill conceived invasions and take-downs of petty screw-ups that do not threaten the U.S.? Seriously?

 

[Fairweather]

Lastly, with your smug and smarm

 

Not sure why you've chosen to go personal at this point...

[mattp]

Not sure why you've chosen to go personal at this point...

 

I was a little miffed to read where you wrote "You do understand that ..." Then again, I wrote that you were "wringing your hands." Sorry about that, my good man.

[Fairweather]

No problem. All I was trying to do was escalate in-kind rather than my usual X4. I gotta go to bed. Gonna climb that spire in the rain. Up at 3am.

[mattp]

OK then, you have a full day or maybe two to think about how to answer my question: why is military spending not something to complain about with the same vigor as social or environmental programs or, for that matter, economic stimulus?

[billcoe]

OK then, you have a full day or maybe two to think about how to answer my question: why is military spending not something to complain about with the same vigor as social or environmental programs or, for that matter, economic stimulus?

 

Have you read the constitution lately?

 

 

 

BTW - we/you can still complain about it, and blaming Obama for the bankruptcy spending policies of the Bush Republicans is absurd. It's like if your kid gets a credit card and spends his way into deep debt (Bush), and then you, the parent, can't eat out at nice places because the kid walked away and left YOU the obligation and you are trying to manage it.

 

 

 

[mattp]

Have you read the constitution lately?

 

Does the Constitution say we have to build the biggest stockpile of weapons in the world, invade countries and topple governments from Latin America to South Asia, and maintain 200 military bases around the world? What does the Constitution have to do with this?

 

BTW - in my opinion blaming Bush for the deficit is only slightly less absurd than blaming Obama for Bush' deficit. Yes, the President has some power over spending and I think it is more than fair to point out that the Bush who promised smaller government and avoidance of nation-building did just the opposite, but I don't think even the most hardcore balance-the-budget fanatic could turn the ship of state around.

 

There is a huge American anti-tax and entitlement sentiment and we are a militaristic nation where a large percentage of our population simply accepts the fact that we SHOULD dominate the world and that to question our military machine is to be unpatriotic. Anybody who truly wants to shake up Washington won't last ten minutes in American politics and borrowing money is the American way.

[Lucky Larry]

There is an elephant in the china shop. Face it, the only priority for the banks(the really rich and lawyers) was to steal from us twice- from our investments(our own greed) and our taxes(blood money). The true corporate Americana way is to lie like hell and blame the other guy for everything. Small business and honesty are DOA; they never had a chance. Today's Darwin is survival of the meanest. The corporate bottom line (and the usa government)does not include you the worker. Have you noticed all the corporate jingoism lately? All lies.

Edited July 6, 2009 by oldlarry

[KaskadskyjKozak]

OK then, you have a full day or maybe two to think about how to answer my question: why is military spending not something to complain about with the same vigor as social or environmental programs or, for that matter, economic stimulus?

 

Why aren't libtards complaining about Obama's military spending, which, AFAIK has not decreased one cent since Bush left office?

 

 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

OK then, you have a full day or maybe two to think about how to answer my question: why is military spending not something to complain about with the same vigor as social or environmental programs or, for that matter, economic stimulus?

 

Have you read the constitution lately?

 

 

 

BTW - we/you can still complain about it, and blaming Obama for the bankruptcy spending policies of the Bush Republicans is absurd. It's like if your kid gets a credit card and spends his way into deep debt (Bush), and then you, the parent, can't eat out at nice places because the kid walked away and left YOU the obligation and you are trying to manage it.

 

 

 

Obama's first budget deficit equals all the deficits of Bush's 2nd term combined. Don't let that stop you from Bush-bashing though.

 

 

[Bug]

Please do explain how letting the banks and other large financial institutions completely fail, will benefit us.

No one liners please.

[tvashtarkatena]

Nothin like arriving at a party on the late side. I tried to wade through a few turds here, but wound up stabbing myself in the forehead with a salad fork instead...more fun.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Please do explain how letting the banks and other large financial institutions completely fail, will benefit us.

No one liners please.

 

Explain how Obama gets a free pass from you for staying in and funding wars in Iraq and Afganistan - wars he promised to get us out of. And those banks that are too big to fail (which I don't buy), could have been funded with all that money saved from those wars. I guess it is more convenient to overlook the broken promises since "your guy" is in the white house now.

[billcoe]

IRAQ:

 

Most of the money for Iraq has been spent, why toss it down the toilet now and walk away when we should be reaping any alleged benefit? Extracting oneself from quicksand isn't ever a fast or easy process but it is happening.

 

 

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home

 

Asscrackistan: is an extension of Pakistan and that's a whole nother box of complex rotten tomatoes that I won't open, but this link will show that we are heading the direction Obama promised (there were many versions of that promise BTW, dude is a politician after all).

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/07/AR2009050704239.html

 

Looks to me that candidate Obama started out without a clue (the out of Iraq promise NOW that he later modified as he got more info) and certainly seems to have one now as President. I don't like the massive spending either, but remember that Bush was proposing $700 billion in stimulus spending and had no idea how screwed up things were at that time.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

IRAQ:

 

Most of the money for Iraq has been spent, why toss it down the toilet now and walk away when we should be reaping any alleged benefit? Extracting oneself from quicksand isn't ever a fast or easy process but it is happening.

 

 

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home

 

Asscrackistan: is an extension of Pakistan and that's a whole nother box of complex rotten tomatoes that I won't open, but this link will show that we are heading the direction Obama promised (there were many versions of that promise BTW, dude is a politician after all).

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/07/AR2009050704239.html

 

So, Obama inherited the war and will wrap it up just about the same way as McCain would have. And Obamanistas called McCain "McSame"? LOL

 

[billcoe]

So, Obama inherited the war and will wrap it up just about the same way as McCain would have.

 

That's what it appears to me too. I suspect that Obama has 2X the mental capacity and physical stamina of Grandpa Simpson though. With McCain you were one heart attack away from having a quitter in the White House.