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Subscribe to RSSWhen the Labor Department releases the monthly jobs report on Friday morning, employment numbers among Americans over the age of 50 will be worth a look– for both the long and short term implications.
Must-Read Op-Eds: Mika Brzezinski reads from a Steve Rattner NYT column on why "it's appropriate" to question Mitt Romney on his ability to create jobs. Brzezinski also reads from a Washington Post editorial on the president's relationship with private equity.
In the jobs report for April, more than 2.5 million of the nation’s 12.5 million unemployed were between the ages of 50 and 64. Those born in the mid-1950s would ordinarily be in their lifetime peak earnings and taxpaying years. The decline in the percentage of people in their 50s who are employed creates problems not only for them -- inadequate retirement savings, for one -- but also for the Treasury: a worrisome loss not only of current tax revenues but expected future revenues -- due to workers’ skills becoming rusty and outmoded.
“People who lose their jobs often take jobs that pay less than the job they had,” said Jason Fichtner, the former chief economist for the Social Security Administration who is now a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. “The lower wage tends to result in a level downward shift in lifetime wages … the longer it takes them to find a job, the greater their lifetime wage gap is likely to be. This not only has implications for financing Social Security, but also for financing all government spending. If wages are lower, then taxes collected will be lower too (all else being equal).”
You can get some idea of the revenue that’s being lost by looking at the most recent available tax return data from the Internal Revenue Service on income, broken out by age groups.
That data from 2007 shows that taxpayers aged 45 to 55 were the highest earning age group with average salary and wage income reported on their tax returns of $69,559. Tax filers in the 55 to 65 age group reported salary and age income of $63,567 in 2007. A year out of work for a person who was earning $65,000 would mean a loss to the Treasury of $9,425 in federal tax revenue, assuming an effective tax rate of 14.5 percent.
Although there are signs of economic recovery, it is striking that federal individual income tax revenues so far in the current fiscal year -- $664 billion -- are still 11 percent below where they were at the same point in 2008.
Polling data from the most recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll reveals a higher level of pessimism among older Americans than among the population at large: among all poll respondents, 58 percent said the nation is “off on the wrong track,” but among people aged 50 to 64, 63 percent said the country was on the wrong track.
When poll respondents were asked whether what they had seen, heard or read in recent weeks had made them more optimistic or less so about the direction of the economy, 53 percent said they were less optimistic. But among people aged 50 to 64, 57 percent were less optimistic.
And older people tend to give Obama a lower rating on his handling of the economy. Among all poll respondents, 52 percent said they disapproved of Obama’s handling of economic policy. But among those aged 50 to 64, 56 percent disapproved of the president’s handling of the economy.
A big unknown for November is whether this segment of the population -- unemployed, over age 50, and generally not happy with Obama’s handling of the economy, will vote or will be so disaffected that they won’t bother to turn out.
Political scientist Matthew Incantalupo at Princeton University points out that it is not enough to simply compare voter turnout among the employed and the unemployed -- since the unemployed usually include large numbers of younger, less educated and lower income Americans -- groups which traditionally have relatively low voter turnout.
Incantalupo’s research delves deeper into the data and finds that in prosperous times, as during the 1996 and 2000 elections, job loss had a negative impact on voter turnout. If you were unemployed you were less apt to vote in those years.
But in 2008 and 2010 job loss had a positive effect on voter turnout. "Job loss has a mobilizing effect on turnout during periods of high unemployment, such as the one brought about by the most recent economic recession," he said.
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Get used to it.
With the way technology is expanding, and the way our schools are flailing, this will be the new norm.
Of course we'll vote, and we'll vote out any politician we're disgusted with. In my case, that will be any one I can get my hands on that has not voted to balance the budget. I don't know of a single democrat that is not a target to vote against. Many republicans are also on my target list.
My House Rep (Bachmann) will not receive my vote. I don't care who the DFL chooses to run against her, they have my vote right now.
I don't think any of my Senators are up for reelection yet.
@ Scott XXXX
Well put, my thoughts exactly, along with other beliefs and values.
"Older, unemployed and pssimistic - will they vote ? " YOU BETCHA !!!
President Harry Truman in 1948: "The Republicans … will try
to make people believe that everything the Government has done for the country
is socialism. They will go to the people and say: "Did you see that social
security check you received the other day—you thought that was good for you,
didn't you? That's just too bad! That's nothing in the world but socialism. Did
you see that new flood control dam the Government is building over there for the
protection of your property? Sorry—that's awful socialism! That new hospital
that they are building is socialism. Price supports, more socialism for the
farmers! Minimum wage laws? Socialism for labor! Socialism is bad for you, my
friend. Everybody knows that. And here you are, with your new car, and your
home, and better opportunities for the kids, and a television set—you are just
surrounded by socialism! Now the Republicans say, 'That's a terrible thing, my
friend, and the only way out of this sinkhole of socialism is to
vote for the
Republican ticket.'" And that was 64 Years Ago!!!, the republicanCrimeCartel is still doing the same exploitation of people THEY ARE NOTORIUS FOR. Now, according to KingGeorgeTheVacuumBrained, it is called "free market" capitalism; with families in the streets and 21% Unemployment.......
Remember Fellow and Sister Americans: A vote for ANY republicanCrimeCartelSoldier, Rommel, is a vote Against Yours and Your Family's WellBeing
I'm a 53 year old, college educated female and I am so frustrated that everyone blames President Obama's administration for the economy when it's the congress that should receive the blame, especially the Tea Partiers. Why would we want to return to the Republican policies that got us into this mess in the first place? The Republicans have said over and over that if we lower taxes on the rich, then they will create more jobs. Ok, we lowered taxes, but jobs haven't been created because of it.
Please explain to me why we would want to vote Republicans into office so we can go back 20 plus years? Why is being progressive so bad - we need to keep ahead of the global economy. What will happen is that voters will vote the Republicans in (because we have no patience and don't understand there are so many factors that influence our economy) and then we will be dissatisfied with the Republicans in four years and vote them out. I'm begging voters to give the Obama administration four more years and vote out the conservative, non-compromising Republican extremists so this country can get back on track!
I will, and nothing national with a D beside it.
It is democratic policies pushed through since 2007 that are causing Business not to take lower profit risks.
Ruken, your response and comment has absolutely nothing to do with the quote referred to thereby, you are proving the point of piss-poor schooling.
I have a Teabagger brother who has had chronic unemployment since the recession and who has been forced to accept work at lower wages, and a sister who is a teacher who oddly enough hates the government that is her employer. But both accept their situation of being ripped off, I guess in part because they are Teabaggers.
This is the problem -- American workers who accept this crap, who are against unions, against minimum wage, etc. WTF is wrong with people? Both of my siblings are in their 50s and have college education -- My sister has a Masters and earns below poverty wages as a teacher in a rural right-to-work state. NO, this is NOT okay. This is what plutocrats like Romney loves for her to accept and even believe in.
Fellow Americans, stand up to the companies out there who are paying their CEO's at your expense. Stand up to the companies out there who are not willing to train employees, not willing to hire the unemployed, not willing to part with any of the piles of cash they are sitting on for the betterment of our country. Stand up!
This is typical stereotype about workers over 50!
I went back to school and got a new $75,000 degree. Graduated Magna Cum Laude. I still can't find a good job because many HR departments refuse to hire people over 50.
Yes, I'm going to vote. I'm voting against the 1% that control this country for their own interest. They want to continue to squeeze ever last bit of profits out of the GDP at the expense of the majority. You can't have companies that privatize their big profits, but are allowed to take big risks because of reduced regulation, and then require the resulting big losses to be socialized because they are too-big-to-fail. I guess Adam Smith's "invisible hand" doesn't slap them, only the 'little people" who's money they gamble with.
"Trickle down" economics is for suckers. An eyedropper for you, a gallon for them. Money has to flow freely for the economy to prosper. Companies are making record profits and yet they are still laying off or outsourcing. 70% of the GDP is small business that keep money circulating locally and that's being strangled by big money interests that wants to horde it all.
Companies aren't people. They don't vote, but they do unduly influence the election with all that Superpac money and lobbyist manipulation of Congress . They are desperate to keep from losing the upper hand and will do whatever it takes to not let that happen. Ever notice all the Hired Shills and Swiftboating Sockpuppets that abound on the news comments pages? Paid for by SuperPac money.
Shame on them. Instead of working to get the country back on track, they are working to undermine the President in order to maintain a stranglehold on the country. The trouble is that stranglehold is going to doom us all.
Face it, the middle class has been effectively disenfranchised. The Republicans want to dismantle Social Security and Medicaid, the Democrats do everything they can to make it insolvent. I sure don't want to vote for the guys who bailed out the banks, and I do not want to vote for the guys who deregulated them and allowed them to destroy the economy in the first place. So...voila... the middle class goes completely unrepresented.
The thing is, 80% really don't give a hoot whether people own an assault rifle, or whether someone else's trampy daughter gets an abortion, or whether gays call it a marriage or civil union. The politicians just keep rehashing this crap every election cycle to stay in power and keep the old special interest money rolling in.
Why even bother voting.
This is precisely what is wrong with the American electorate. Too stupid to vote out the right people. If you took a minute to look at the facts, you would see those "balanced budget" Nazi's are actually the one's holding back this recovery. You can't cut your way out of a recession, but you sure as hell can cut your way into one. LOOK AT EUROPE, MORON!!
True Patriot - Anyone who calls their own sibling a derogatory term on a blog simply because of their political beliefs automatically loses all of my respect. No wonder they don't listen to you.
ohmyohmy - I understand your frustration but simply blaming one party for this mess is not the answer. I would think your frustration would be better represented by voting out all incumbents.
You mention how lowering taxes did not work but they were originally lowered in 2001. We then averaged an unemployment rate below 5.5% for 7 years through most of 2008. Of course everything fell of the cliff in late 2008 but surely you aren't blaming the crash of 2008 on a change in tax rates that took place 7 years before that? Even Democrats admitted raising taxes in 2010 would have damaged the economy, that's why they were kept in place. Additionally, the current tax hike proposed for the 1% will only reduce our deficit by about 5%. While I do think taxes need to be eventually raised on the top tier and some middle class, right now is just not the time. Our biggest problem though is spending. Both parties are to blame but we need to get a handle on that before we ask any hard working Americans to pay more.
As for giving Obama 4 more years - I gave him 4 already and have been utterly dissatisfied. Despite the media hype, we still have thousands of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan is a Vietnam-type disaster. Obama has added more to our national debt than GWB did in 8 years and I thought it was treasonous what GWB was doing to our children's economic future.
Some hope "yes". Some hope "no". "Unemployed Voters Over 50" will be on every Loser's list of excuses.
Goodbye Obama, and good riddance !
MSN Please get rid of your Bull Sh!! Collapse option I beg you..There are legitimate postings that should not be exploited.
Republicans, and one will do... Please tell us what specifically President Obama has,
1. Done that has caused hiring to lag, and/or
2. Not done that would have made employers hire in such great numbers that U/E would be back to 6.3% where it had risen from 4.3% in January 2001, (peaking at 6.3% in June 2003).
Obama is TOAST!!!
Even the MSNBC spin machine cant paint a rosy picture.
Don't be too sure of that. Some of us have children in college (with student loans) and who are females of child-bearing age. Romney's stand in those areas is unpalatable. Additionally, based on his past history, why should I believe that he will do anything for my childrens' future other than send their jobs to China or India? So far all I have seen is that he knows how to line his own pockets and avoid paying his share of taxes.
Then Vote INDEPENDANT... This is you RIGHT and will show the powers that be that WE THE PEOPLE are sick if there games... or B... S...
Betty, what do you think Obama will do for those same children? Thus far, his policies have ensured they stay unemployed. And if your children are studying a hard science, they will be just fine...
In manufacturing, jobs are returning yet at lower wages. I have younger children and the deficit and lack of budget are my main concerns. Many circumstances go into what is making the deficit and the debt so high, the unemployment being one of the key issues, it seems like our representatives could come up with an answer by now, instead we just keep sinking in this quicksand...
Paul W 396258 and just where do you think Mitt's position is.....in favor of the 99%?
"The 99%" is Soros propaganda. I believe Romney cares as much about America as any other politician (and yes, I say that with tongue in cheek). The difference between him and Obummer is that he isn't out to change this country into a third world junk pile full of entitled whiners. He doesn't actually believe that everyone gets a trophy; he likely thinks you should earn one.
Will the unemployed and elderly who do not like Obama vote? What else are they going to do that day?
Obama loses this election because of the economy. The MSNBC super pac for Obama can spin and make up false claims that Romney is against women, which totally false, all they want. It is going to be jobs and the economy.
ROMNEY 2012
I love how republicans make the mess and blame it on Obama. I wonder why the republicans think that destroying a house for 8 years can be rebuilt in 4. Good ol' republican logic.
Damn right we will vote. BoBo has done so many negative things to this country.
I saw a bumper sticker today; It read, Wakeup, its halftime, go out and fix the screwed up first half.
I'm 55 and got laid off back in 2010. I'm very well aware that it took a village idiot the likes of which this country's never seen before to wreck the economy so badly. Trickle down, eh? I'll thank you Fox-ers not to speak for me; I'll speak for myself this November.
Romney will further turn the U.S. into Mexico. Mexico, where the corrupt government is run by big oil and industry. Where there is a very small middle class with little to no union representation. America was great when unions were strong, like Germany is today. But no, vote republican, keep stripping away workers rights, paying @!$%# wages and watch America crumble toward 3rd world status even further.
any American who doesn't bother to voe in this election is beyond mofronic. If you DONT' have a job, you are older youdamn well better vote because if a Repug gets elec ted (i.e. Romney and his Siamese twin, Paul Ryan )get elected say good by to Social Security and Medicare as we know it. Then where will you be? Sleeping under a bridge in a cardboard box?Romney doesn't give a @!$%# about anybody but his rich buddies and he's done nothing except show his contempt for ordinary Americans, including those deluced enough to still be faithful GOPers. For your own self-preservation, and not that of the rich chiselers who will be just fine anyway, vote Democratic for President, Congress, and U.S. Sentate. Kick out the ignorant, sly, greedy and downright evil Teapublicans. Think things are bad now? Wait until you get your greatist wish, you idiots. That would be Romney inthe White House and the Teapublicans running everything....all the way into the ground. If you do't vote you get what you deserve, but then again, I don't want to be in the losing majority who are too lazyto cast a ballot even to save themselves!!!I refuse to go down with the stupid ship that if America elects Romney Americans will prove once and for all they are incabable of governing themselves. The great mass of stupidity and ignorance will speak.
I think you SERIOUSLY underestimate how many bridges the conservatives have burned with women in the last few months. You don't see them here mouthing off, that's the province of men, but when it comes time to get out to vote, you may find a surprise.
Women, especially women with families who work outside the home, don't take kindly to the Republican's primitive idea of how a society should run. Women don't take kindly to being subjugated and ignored when they pay as many taxes as a man and shoulder twice the responsibility.
The last dying gasp of an extinct monster or as Michael Moore so cleverly put it, stupid white men, has been an entertaining watch over the last 10 years but I'm over it. I don't want to give them heart transplants so they can spew their bile or liver transplants so they can drink more and harass the waitress. I'm ready for them to meet their beloved blonde blue-eyed Christ--to head off the their personal Elysium and leave the rest of us alone to live in peace.
Progressive is not a dirty word unless you have the education of the 5 year old troglodyte.
Paul W-396258 -- Your comment about the 99% (Occupy) and Soros just shows how tinfoil hat ignoramuses like the Birthers are destroying our country. The only websites on this topic are obscure rightwing conspiracy sites -- none that are credible.
This country has suffered a Lost Decade (2001-2011) thanks to failed GOP voodoo economics of "trickle down" tax cuts for the rich, deregulation that allows "too big to fail," deficit spending on unnecessary wars, and general superstitions like the "invisible hand" and the market that does NOT correct itself, and tax cuts that do NOT pay for themselves, and any other ridiculous notions.
This article points out the same ripple effect as the Lilly Lebetter equal pay act, in which even now "pink collar" jobs like grade school teachers and nurses where males are paid more than females, and the men are promoted more as well. The ripple effect is not just the lost pay, but the lower Social Security they will receive, or as this article points out, the loss in tax revenue needed to run the country. More and more, women are bread winners, but they are getting the shaft now as well as in their retirement. And Romeny/Paul Ryan Teapublicans want to abolish Social Security and Medicare as we know it.
The same goes for the folks laid off by Romeny/Bain Capital, in which the community is affected because of lost business, or worse Mom & Pop shops put out of business -- worst of all is destroying good paying jobs and replacing these with low-paying jobs. Or the auto industry in which suppliers, dealerships, etc. are affected, or infrastructure construction that creates engineering jobs, and IT to support the engineering companies, and so forth. The damage caused by the GOP/TP is HUGE.
The Republican Party and supply-side over the last 30-40 years starting with Reagan, along with the S&L crisis, and a slew of crap they are incapable of learning from (though some in the 1% create poverty on purpose) is to blame. The Lost Decade that will forever damage boomers can never be forgiven. I am actually very bitter about Bush-era policies, and find the Tea Party version of it with "starve the beast" and "eating the corn seed" extremism the most deplorable mentality I've seen in my lifetime.
How anyone can believe a Race to the Bottom, with every man, woman, and child for his/herself is a positive and good philosophy is mind-bending. We can thank gerrymandering, 24/7 FOX State News and Hate Radio, and money in politics for this. State commissions for drawing districts, some kind of Fairness Doctrine, and an end to Citizen's United along with campaign reform need to be done ASAP, then ending the filibuster. Throwing the Teapublicans out is the first order of business.
Obama/Biden plus Pelosi and Reid -- 2012!
MSH-1048531 - So you got laid off with a Democratically-controlled government. Bummer. I knew bad things would happen when the Democrats took over Congress in 2007. I was so sure of it I pulled all my retirement money out of the stock market. I hope you did the same.
Liberals had better wake up and recognize that Romney is not relying on the 1% to vote him into office. Many of the 1% support Obama - think Buffett and his proposed rule. Then go read about how he has already put 50% of his wealth into the Gates Foundation and where the Foundation is doing their great works.
""
I'm in that age bracket 55-65..and was laid-off a good job and got a lower wage job after two years of seeking new employment..but I was laid off when the big boom hit employment...early 2007..forgot who was president then that lead the USA down the drains to lay people off by the millions back then..took time for companies to lose money they just didn't lay off right away..but waited until the start of 2007!!!
MSNBC can try to put a "spin" on the next election, when the count is done, Obama is done!
Separate the pessimists from their like-minded peers that drag each other down, then give these individuals some hope ...and they will eventually decide it's worthwhile to go out to the ballot box, and vote.
The "trick," is to get them to choose to separate themselves from their negative-minded peers that believe that everything you try to do will lead to a dead end.
So what's that trick?
There are various ways to get them to become less pessimistic or less apathetic. Here's one potent example: Make them face death, and live. After surviving a brush with death, everything else they choose to do in their life from then on, seems to become more desirable.
"because if a Repug gets elected (i.e. Romney and his Siamese twin, Paul Ryan )get elected say good by to Social Security and Medicare as we know it."
Of course, the other option is to vote Dumbocratic and just ignore the SS and Medicare problems and then get your government cardboard box when those programs go broke. Ever watch Pelosi when someone asks her about Ryan's proposals? Her eyes just glaze over and she starts mumbling something about not breaking our contract with seniors. That is one stupid woman.
"Obama/Biden plus Pelosi and Reid -- 2012!"
We tried that in 2009-2010.....what a mess that was. That was the most lost two years in the "lost decade".
Goodbye Obama, and good riddance !
We lost our jobs because of repubs. Repubs then voted against every unemployment help given until they got more and more tax breaks for the rich......We are voting, we have not forgotten who ruined so many lives.
Protect Soc sec, medicare, the Post Office from repubs who tell everyone they want to privatize it to get your money.
If you do not make a million dollars every year you should not be voting for repubs, because you would be voting againts yourself. Why vote repub for the rich 1% and then you end up paying the taxes they should be paying?....insane. Even Reagans top economic advisor Bruce Bartlett says it is insane for middle class to vote republicon.
Protect the middle class and poor, vote PRESIDENT OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
True Patriot...right wing conspiracy...not very likely...maybe you should adjust your tinhat...the left has been in control of Congress since 2006 and have held the White House for over 3 years...so much of what goes on in Washington is nothing more then pure partisian BS and you are buying into it, lock stock and barrel. If you were to take an objective look at the role of government in the economy, you will clearly see that the White House sets the agenda and Congress by its legislative activity or grid lock sets that agenda in motion. Obama is the caretaker of the economy and had an opportunity to reverse the direction Congress had moved the economy, instead he made it worse with restrictions (to protect ourselves from ourselves) with rules that bind up existing and start up companies, with requirements that are designed to shut down industries. Companies are relocating overseas, not because they have a better labor force, but because the conditions for operating are less repressive, risk takers are rewarded for the risks they take.
Well Rob Scan, if I'd been allowed to take that 6.5% that I contributed into SS for years plus the matching contribution from my employer and invest it, I'd be retired by now. Instead, it was sucked into the govt maw... spent on people who never contributed anything into the system, and now the fund is full of Democrat IOUs.... so yes, I'll take a privatized retirement over the tax and steal Dems' plan anytime... and a child could lower health care costs... it's called tort reform. Take "lawyers hitting the lottery" out of health care costs, and malpractice rates and consumer costs will drop like a stone. You Liberals don't want real solutions... just solutions that give you something you didn't work for... lazy deadbeats...
The older will vote and it won't be for Romney....
No matter how much the 1% spend too try and get him elected..
Everyone knows the 1% won't be happy until none of them have too pay any TAX for being in this Country..
No-Brainer unless you are a Dumb-FUX viewer....
funny how we didn't have any income tax prior to 1917 there gorilla... how did that happen?
My, what a sweet person. Do you take a**hole pills in the morning?
800 did you not read the article. 63% of the elderly do not like what Obama has done. Keep dreaming and praying at your Obama alter, but it wont help.
I'm an older voter and you can bet the store that I'll be voting. Been out of work for 31/2 years but that wasn't Obama's fault, I blame the friggin' Republican Congressmen and some of the democrats as well for holding the jobs bill hostage!!!! You better believe I'm voting and every young person I can find to carry to the polls, I will! Obama is the only choice that I see, so he gets our votes! Romney is a 1%er and will do nothing for me and my family but make us poorer....
The "1%" deal is growing very tedious, very quickly. I had figured that since the term "99%" got itself covered in vomit by the 'occupy' movement and seems to have faded away, "1%" would soon follow.
But nooooo...because we now have a Republican candidate who so horridly just had to have a brilliantly suuceessful business career and made a fortune for his efforts, Newsviners will still be boring the sane to tears with "1%", "1%", "1%"....the pet rock of terminology.
A rising tide raises all ships. Bankrupting the nation benefits the Democrat party, as they are the party of blame, government handouts and lifetime poverty. The Republican party is one of growth and free enterprise (at least those who are smart).
The federal income tax revenues are 11% lower than 2008? This after 3.5 years and TRILLIONS in additional debt / spending? Obamanomics is a failure. All the numbers are flat or declining. By November we will be in the midst of another recession, and the 4-year blamefest will end with Romney becoming President.
Grown ups don't blame, they FIX things. Leaders don't use excuses, they get the job done.
You guys voting for Romney... Really? Corporations are people my friend. Im against the minimum wage. Let GM go bankrupt etc. Romney is not your friend unless you are a 1%er. If you draw a paycheck for gods sake vote your interests.
I'm not saying Obama / Biden are the greatest thing since sliced bread, but at least look at what they're trying to do for every day Americans like us. Too bad the do-nothing congress wont let anything get through by filibustering everything otherwise our economy would be in full swing recovery.
When the middle class is gouged and the 1% control 90% of the wealth, you have a situation like the late 20's before the great depression. A vote for romney is just catering to the 1% to take even more.
GM d@mn well should have gone bankrupt!!!! It would not have been the end of car building here, MANY badly run companies have gone bankrupt and either reorganized or sold out to others who could run them right!! GM has bought other companies that failed, THEY own or have owned companies like hummer, saturn, pontiac, buick, cadillac, and gmc. there are many companies that are n longer around yet that has not ended the making of cars here. Unfortuntly much of your "american" made vehicles parts are made in other area's ( mexico) for one and shipped here for final assembly.
Withdrawn
Most people in that age category are frustrated enough with the voting PROCESS that they will probably skip it.
See Thru Gloss, respectfully all those in "that age category," specifically the organizations and people I know have decided to make it their point to vote. Be assured they have heard of the Ryan economic plan and that Rom boy has endorsed and embraced it. Hence, measured cuts to SS, Medicare and other programs has united them. You may be surprised to know "most people in that age group," do not sit on the sideline or skip voting. Older voters are engaged and very much aware of the real impact such policies will have. I suspect you will see if the trend continues a rather irate and united voting block that intends to send a strong message to the GOP. Simply, don't mess with my SS, Medicare or those programs that impact my kids and grandkids. IT's all Relative pure and simple.
ROTFLMAO!
You must be like 12.
I'd think the older, unemployed voters would still be sitting home, reading their old newspaper clippings about all those new "shovel ready jobs" that would come if only we'd cough up just under a trillion dollars to fund the President's "stimulus" plan.
They are likely scratching their heads wondering where those jobs might be ??? Are the "shovel ready jobs" simply hiding out for now ??? Seeing as the construction industry was the most heavily hit sector of our economy during the nation's economic downturn, I'd guess the term "shovel ready" had particular relevance. Or at least, it used to.
Hopefully those voters turn out in numbers to equal to the 20 year old kiddie-voters still gushing about the President's most recent visit to their college campus and the uninformed urban vote that will have to be reminded time and time again to get to the polls and allowed to 'same-day' register...without photo ID, of course.
Here is how the math works now. 1% are filthy rich and just want to fleece the middle class. 51% do not work and just want to fleece the middle class for handouts (called 'entitlements' in the 'hood). So a total of 52% will vote for the status quo of raping the working class (48%) to support those above and below them. At least until the 48% wakes up. Have a nice election...
Your off topic your and stats are way off...
Will the older, unemployed, pessimistic vote? Damn straight they will. When you have a candidate promise to keep the campaign promises he hasn't kept yet, and a candidate promising to keep the campaign promises the other candidate hasn't kept, then one way or the other someone should be able to get a job. Right?
Republicons blocked every jobs bill and unemployment help until they got more tax breaks for the rich. You lose your job then have to pay the taxes for the rich....brought to you by Grover Norquist and Karl Rove. Romney is hiring many of Bush's asvisors to crash the economy again.
Romney say corporations are people too. Tell that to the families of dead soldiers, tell that to the wounded and dying soldiers and their familes. Soldiers (people) bleed red blood. Corporation bleed red ink.
President Obama/Biden 2012
Corporations take the blood and turn it into money.
I don't think that there is any doubt that they will show up to vote. The shock for msnbc and the rest of the state run media is that the election will probably be a landslide for Romney. These are the people that don't show up in the stats and know that any claim of an unemployment rate below 20% is just an out and out lie. It takes a little bit of intelligence to look through the stats to discover that the only reason the unemployment rate is reported as low as it is is because there are a lot of long term unemployed who aren't reported as unemployed and the fact that the actual number of employed is way down.
The unemployed will show up to vote. Got plenty of time and don't have to beg the boss for the time off. The Conservative propaganda machines from Fox to the paid pulpits have worked long and hard for this event trying to convince everyone how good it is that there was massive job losses, lower wages, no homes, no unemployment checks just as long as their trickle down economy kept us all subservient. Remember when Republicans all stood in the middle of the start of this conflagration and said those who started the fire deserved the bonuses they received. It was at that moment everyone should have realized these events were arranged and Republicans helped to create this mess.
Tony... et al .... Wasn't the reason why those shovel ready project were not addressed or done was because the republicondino govenors either refused the stimulus funds, while some took the stimulus funds used it to balance their state budgets while others did use the stimulus funds to do projects but presented it as if it was not stimulus funding rather the work was being financed by some state funds that they miraculously found etc?
So when folks start with their mis-information and other rubbishing of the administration's stimulus funding, there are still some folks who can still see through that sort of crap.
By the way even some or many or most of the republicondino and some democratic govs did give additional tax breaks to the rich/corporations on purpose, even as they raised taxes on the middle class and the poor. Some states actually raised their state tax rate - even as they actually gave the corresponding or higher tax rate break to the rich/corps. Raising the state tax rate affects the purchasing power of the people in the middle class and the poor as they spend their income on things that they use every day. The state tax is an additional cost on clothes for school etc and all the everyday items that the masses and the poor purchases. The only exception would be for maybe some foods and pharma. Snack items and fast foods are also subject to state tax too.
The present administration did not raise the taxes on anyone. They did not cause the mess that we have now. That was caused by the tax breaks that was given to the rich and corporations and declaring that was not funded or was even in the country's budget. It was not until 2009 when the present admin took over that the costs of both wars were added up and added to the nations budget, and since that time the ongoing cost of these wars have always been declared in the nations budget.
So when there is this talk that the large deficit was caused by President Obama and the present administration, you know that that is not true. He did not create the bank/ financial/ housing/ economy crash that simply came to a head in 2008 and was declared in the summer of 2008 just before the elections. So he did not create the crap, he simply inherited it on Jan, 2009 from the past administration.
We could be well ahead of the game at this point if the republicondinos had not decided to undermine their own country, just because they wanted to get their own way and because if the black man should succeed the believe it will make them look bad. So as McConnell decided and stated publicly was that he was going to make it his mission to make the P. Obama a one term president and that set in motion the rest of the crap that happened, including fillibustering all jobs bills that the democrats brought to the floor, not because the were bad but to simply undermine the President and they have never stopped doing so instead holding our country hostage with their do nothing attitude and inactions.
Our county's infrastructure is falling apart and needs rebuilding yet they the republicondinos will not vote on any budget that would raise the monies to get these jobs done.... they refuse to see the reality of the situation that we are in, rather instead are only in it for their own profit and the profit of their donors etc. There idea of helping the country is to turn it into a rubbish dump by getting rid of necessary rules, regulations and oversight and by defunding the departments that provide this.
Look I cannot bother to state the obvious because most folks posting here is aware of what happened and continue to happen and chose to look the other way. Perhaps these folks think that infrastructure rebuilding means rebuilding/refurbishing and repurposing the cities... probably because they assume that blacks and other minorities live in the cities and thus would be helping those poor people, not realizing that infrastucture rebuilding would also be be reaching into even the rural areas.
If people do not want to vote that is their choice. They will have to accept the responsibility for their inaction and stupidity. Slash and cut , cut both ways... so when the budget for schools for example is slashed it affects you republicondinos' poor and their children too. They also will also be impacted by the defunding of the social safety nets even if they are not a minority. The only people who are and will continue to be the losers here in the attempt at continuation of 'trickle down' stupidity is the middle class and the poor immaterial of ethnicity or colour, or creed, or religion, or republicondino or democrat, liberal or conservative, progressive or regressive.
The billions of dollars that are being spent by the superpacs on these primaries and elections could have been better spent rebuilding our own infrastructure... like bridges, roads, schools, continuing and retraining education, high speed rail, dams, the electric grid, wireless and internet service to rural areas, affordable housing, not for profit healthcare plan, nuclear energy plants and the mirad of things that need addressing in the country.
The republicondinos whether teaparty or not can pat themselves on back if they can reach back that far or give them a one handed clap/applause even as they believe the lies their party spins out there. Pity is that they are trying to take the rest of the American populace - who do not believe the lies that these repcondinoteaparty types accept as truths- to perdition with them into serfdomination.
2010 should be a reminder. The rich got to keep their Bush era tax breaks, loopholes, subsidies, corporate welfare that the country cannot afford.... yet these folks did not crate any jobs here in the USA like they promised they would do if they got to keep their tax break. The jobs the rich created was created overseas by continued outsourcing etc even as they now have trillions of dollars stached in banks here where now these banks are charging them a fee to keep their money instead of paying them interest on it.
HP is now pink slipping 27 thousand employees here brought to us by the republicon CEO.
Enough already.... Whatevva....
Tony268... I promise if you live to be older than you are right now and vote with the GOP, you too will be one of those unemployed. older person reading clippings about the promises the GOP will carry out. Hope you're independently wealthy like Romney, or else in your near future you'll be sitting at home "reading newspaper clippings" asking WTFH? You're obviously uninformed and you don't read or study politics. If you have parents, grandparents, children, or just yourself, the economic future of America will have either a positive or negative on the quality of their lives. If older workers are without employmemt, how will Bohner and Ryan balance the budget without older worker's contribution to the coffers of US Treasury i.e. Internal Revenue, Social Security, Medicare/Medicade. Hope you have excellent insurance, a well-paying job, own your home, and have more than 2 million in your 401(k). Otherwise, you'll be an older working seeking employment, food stamps to feed yourself and your family, and hoping the mortgage lender doesn't foreclose. In reality, the fact that the color of our President's skin is the only thing that opponents see. They don't see the poor, unemployed, uninsured sick men, women, and children. The only thing the GOP see is Black, not Green.
YES...YES...YES....does that answer the dad gum article's question.
And these folks know better than to vote for Mr. Obama for re-election even though he said "He deserves to be re-elected" and he cannot defend his FAILED policies.
End of a ONE TERM President.
BZe1.....you might consider publishing a book the next time instead of posting such a lengthy essay.
Age 60 and will be voting for Obama. Many others I know will do the same.
We been watching the GOP ( NO ) show in Congress after Obama was elected and we want compromise on solving the problems of the country. One party only represents about half the population so without compromise the other half is not represented.
ldo,
Obama's "failed policies" echo those of the 1936 election. FDR had taken strong intial action, and then been bogged down by an uncooperative Congress and Supreme Court in 1934. This deepened the depression to its lowest points in 1937-8. But those who FDR had helped remembered him in 1936.
I want to know what failed policies Obama has. You cite them, but don't list them. Do you mean the failure of the US dollar to collapse, as Glenn Beck made millions pushing? Do you mean the total moral collapse of "American" society as Rush Limbaugh suggested regarding gay marriage, which actually would have strengthened family ties? Do you mean the anti-tax polilcies of Grover Norquist (a man never elected to anything) designed to choke the beast of revenue to fund Social Security and Medicare? Or do you mean the potion mixed into "Obamacare" to give insurance companies free range on rates over three years, as demanded by the Republicans, for a proposal first brought forth by Richard Nixon (and EVERY President since, including Ronald Reagan)?
Joe Biden put it best: "Obama is dead, GM and Chysler still live."
And children and people with pre-existing conditions finally have insurance. And when all is sorted, and maybe some bad old cost controls, just like all inner-city and rural utility customers must live with, we might all have some sort of insurance. Since "Obamacare" won't be fully inked in until 2013-14, we won't know until then.
You want to know the real truth. GW passed out $800billion to a few banks -- no questions, no records. Obama passed out $837billion across the board, recorded, expected the money back, and got most of ot back. Obama financed the GM and Chrysler refinance. Yes it hurt bondholders, vendors and shareholders. But tens of thousands of 50+ employees have jobs in states like Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. Others had at least honorable buy-outs. Unlike some of us in Republican Indiana, who lost our job while on sick-leave for sugery to counterparts in Mexico. I personnally don't feel mistreated, but check how many OLDER factory employees are now unemployed or under-employed in red states.
My parents are 2 prime examples of baby boomers that Obama has thrown under the bus and they are seething for an opportunity to go to the polls. As a matter of fact even the Dems in my family are done with him. For the 1st time ever they are going to vote republican. These are people who have had to pay the highest interest rates and taxes all there lives. They will be the largest voting block come this November. They make up the highest demographic in this country and are not in favor of Obama's policies.
You're damn skippy they're going to vote! It doesn't take a genius to figure out who's going to crash and burn either! Enough said!
If Mr Obama, his administration, and the Democrats were serious about jobs for America's unemployed they would support and fast track mandatory E-Verify legislation. The Legal Workforce Act (H.R.2885) would open up more than 7 million non-agricultural jobs filled by illegal aliens to unemployed Americans and legal immigrants.
I am over 75yrs'of age ,but still have enough sense to know that the Republicans and their masters,the Tea Party members, on orders of their masters, the greedy rich 1% have no thought for the rest of us. We have many problems ,in this country,like all of the industrial countries, and we can only solve them by punishing the gross expansion of out sourcing of jobs .The super rich know,as most of us should know, that most of a country's taxes come from the working class and that the 1% must pay their fair share,but they have enough money to survive this destroyed economy.The rest of us don't. The countries never can survive economically with large numbers of un-employed and tax-dodging super rich. The Republican party has been bought,in the main,by the greedy super rich.Any ordinary voter,who doesn't understand the direction in which they are taking us will pay,like the rest of us,in the long haul . Think well and vote in 2012.
This country hemorrhaged jobs after Bill Clinton signed NAFTA into law. The US lost millions of jobs that have never returned. As jobs shrink so does the tax base. As the tax base shrinks so does the revenue for Washington. Public sector spending is not the answer, private sector jobs is what this country needs. Washington needs to get out of the way and create a business friendly environment as the headaches this country faces all go away if the jobs return. Although Washington will still be wasting our money.
Obama has not put one single solution on the table that amounts to anything more then smoke and mirrors. The Obama mantra of hatred, division, partisanship and blame has done nothing to help this country. This country is being bound and restrained by a Washington that is certainly not working for the people. Yes we can has been replaced by why we couldn't. All the excuses for all the failures has gotten us nowhere, and when this nation desperately needed a leader, we were suckered by Obama.
Rick:
Re:
"private sector jobs is what this country needs"
EXACTLY!
I live in Portland, OR, which is the capital of the US in government unions, huge
government and tax measures on every single ballot to take more money from
those working in the private sector to support bigger and bigger government.
Oregon is dark navy blue and we are sucking dirt because of it. And I do not exaggerate
one bit when I say there have been a constant flood of tax increases on EVERY
SINGLE BALLOT- PEOPLE ARE BEING TAXED FROM THEIR HOMES.
I would recommend to any young person to go anywhere but here; the Oregon Democratic stronghold has driven business away in droves; but what we have imported to this very poor state is 450,000 illegal aliens, and a huge young crowd that move here to be "creative" apparently, and live off food
stamps and all the government aid that is flowing freely.
Oregon is number 1 in food stamp distribution of all 50 states. The privileged class
here is all who have government jobs, all that are retired at age 50-55 from
government jobs, and those that live on government assistance. The shrinking
class, and it is getting hammered, is the working class in the private sector.
The last thing we need is more government jobs. We can't pay for the ones we have
now. Oregon is now Greece. And it is very serious. We also don't have any
government leaders that even acknowledge that there has been a world-wide
recession. Every single government union has voted in raises for themselves
EVERY SINGLE CONTRACT DURING THIS RECESSION, like they have every contract before that. The government class does not givea damn about anyone other than themselves.
I would vote for anyone other than Obama, who I DID vote for, but I will be proud
to vote for Romney.
And to some of the other imbeciles commenting; do they even have a clue what equity
investors do? Do they know that companies like Bain Capital buy very sick
companies, companies that are doomed to fail without huge cash infusions, and
turn them around? And they are successful 98% of the time in turning them around and SAVING jobs.
I was a lifelong voting Democrat, but I doubt I will ever vote Democratic again.
The Democratic Party has trashed Oregon. We are now a welfare state, and awash
in such a steep sense of entitlement we read letters to the editor complaining
that the food stamps payment of $200 a month for a single person is not near
enough to make it so they can shop at New Seasons (like Whole Foods). We are
steeped in stupid in Oregon.
I can't wait to vote for Romney!
Rick just nailed it. This goes back further than Bush. Thanks for saying what I've thought. NAFTA was a major mistake. No job?? Thank NAFTA and Clinton. That's why your job disappeared.
Who "owns" this country? China. Everytime a corporation, a major building is bought, China's name is attached. Where do the crappy goods come from - China, who pays their 'employees' little more than slave wages. Lead in the toys your kids play with and now I have to check any snacks I give my dog to make sure they weren't made in China - some are poisonous yet the FDA fails to take them off the shelfs.
Per the beginning of the article - people my age ARE taking low-paying jobs. Supposedly we have laws against age-discrimination - the company may not be able to ask your age but let's face it - we don't look like 20 somethings !!! Yes, we have life experience, work experience, education and have even kept up!!!!
Why is my friend, a computer expert, still on the ball, working janitorial for $8 an hr. & living in a single room? Why is my brother-in-law, an IT expert laid off not long ago, sitting at home, sending out resumes with no response?
Cash for Clunkers - well, it helped the auto industry. Now people have new cars, gotten laid off, have families to support, mortgages to pay and scrape by as they go to file for unemployment in their "new" cars with a payment due and no money. That worked!!!!
We have a sitting Congress that has done nothing - they can't agree on a single thing for the POTUS to veto!!!
It will be interesting to see how this plays out - who will be the next POTUS and who will be the new players in Congress and how will they mesh???
Yes, I fully expect my generation to vote. We have a different set of values. We know the privilege involved. Now if some of us can get away from voting the straight party ticket as our grandparents did, perhaps we'll see something positive.
Vote the person, not the party. Stay informed & educated. Write/call your reps on the State & Federal level. Express your opinion, be polite but firm. Nasty gets you nowhere. If you need to vent, that's what the blogs are for! Just make sure you vote and wisely.
To Portland - Sorry to disillusion you lol.....I'm from R.I. and we've already had dibs on the name the "Greece of the U.S."
Seriously, I tend to focus on my State or the Fed. election. I had no idea that Oregon (and probably others) are facing the exact same problems.
Reading your comment was like looking in a mirror. I know other states have similiar problems - maybe it's because we're the smallest state, the problems seem more magnified.
The new budget is to be voted on next week - still no cuts. More of the same tax and spending. How can they justify it??? Our unemployment rate is still at 11.2% !! These are just people still able to collect - how many have fallen off the figures? Those figures are pretty bad since we're 2nd on the list behind Nevada!!! We've never come out of the recession of 2008 - we still in it and it's getting worse.
Illegals and public unions are two of the biggest drains in this state. Business won't come here or has died so there is no stable tax base.
A very sad situation. I know I've never voted a straight ticket nor will I ever!
I'm still weighing this out - is Romney the answer? I know Obama isn't - his Hope & Change didn't work for me!!!
lesmax:
I've been reading about Rhode Island. Didn't the city, Central Falls, go bankrupt
because of crippling pensions? They got more lavish over time, bigger payouts with earlier retirement ages- JUST LIKE OREGON. Rhode Island as a comparison for Oregon; Rhode Island is smaller in population than Oregon, but Oregon has a number of retirees that is way out of proportion to the population size! Oregon has a population of about 3.4 million; RI about 1.5 million and RI has 21,000+ retirees. Oregon has over 117,000 currently!
Way too many retirees 300-400% of what their final salary was; PERS Tier 1 have been allowed to bank overtime, sick pay, vacation and thereby get a huge residual of well between 10-15% over what
their pensions should have been; add in the DOUBLE YOUR MONEY OPTION AND ADD
ANOTHER HUGE PERCENTAGE; there are currently 117,005 retirees, of which 86% are PERS Tier1 and those are the ones that have screwed us blind. The Dems voted in abuse after abuse which now makes
it one of the richest programs in the country and Oregonians make 9% under the
national average in income, and that includes percentage includes government pay which is grossly
inflated over the private sector pay, by at least 33% above market.
There are another 74,000 PERS Tier 1 set to retire very soon, and that will bring the pool to over 90% Tier 1. This huge, crushing debt is busting every single budget, but no Oregon politician (Dems rule), or Democratic governor, will touch it. Their game plan is just to keep raising our taxes.
What we do have here is huge new taxes on business, on personal income and on property, all to support a huge government labor force that has ballooned beyond anything reasonable. Most retirees get at least 75% of their final salary; many in education double dip, meaning they collect huge PERS pensions
AND continue working. Corruption is rampant in Oregon. The privileged class is the government and the government unions. And there is a great divide here between private and public sector.
No one will ever convince me that the Democrats are the good guys. They have scewed us blind here in Oregon. The private sector has no future here and what the Dems don't seem to realize IS THAT IS WHO PAYS FOR GVOERNMENT.
We just had ANOTHER teachers union go on strike they all threaten to and several have; there are 197 school disticts in this small state; all paying very good wages, well above the average income; all with early retirements that start ten years before the private sector and lifetime job protection. The unions will have yet another tax increase on the Nov ballot taking more taxes from the private sector, saying it's to build a rainy day fund. But witht he recent strike the first thing the unions did was confiscate the rainy day fund that Reynolds school district tried to keep in reserves.
Oregon is in a huge downward spiral and has the reputation of making it very hard to do business here, so we have no new businesses even wanting to come here.
Ido.... surely you are not having one of those short attention span moments that the mainstream media talking head types keeps stating the American masses seem to suffer from... are you?
Oh well...it is either you do or you don't......
A mind is such a terrible thing to waste..... if one has a mind to do that of course.... LOL
On the other hand, thanks for giving me props for my writing and communication skills, by suggesting I should write a book....
I will cherish your encouragement for evva, and if I should do so I will mention your encouragement to all and sundry.... ad nauseum...
Peace.... etc etc etc...... etc etc etc
The top 1% are generally speaking, the providers of jobs. Either they are owners of businesses who pay salaries, or they are people who are wealthy enough to need the services that pay to keep our economy alive. While they feel threatened with higher taxes, why would they buy anything here? The demand is down. The middle class is paying the lions share of the taxes, and we think we have enough money in the coffers to allow state and federal workers to take taxpayer dollars for free pensions, free medical, and free vacations? I don't think so. Unemployment is at 8.2% and this President has yet to grow any jobs. Instead, the ones he promised, kicked back the loans given to them under the stimulus bills. But we're all supposed to forget that, and to not be nervous that the White House appears to be undermining the war efforts and informing our enemies of when drone attacks will happen. Isn't that treason?
All of you decrying NAFTA do realize that its true history dates to LB Johnson and has been supported by every President since? The treaty as we know it today was spearheaded and negotiated by George HW Bush, and finally approved by the Senate in 1994 to be signed by Bill Clinton. So NAFTA is as Republican as much as it is Democratic party.
What we are seeing today is NOT NAFTA, but "most favored nation" trade and unrestricted greed by "Americans" importing Chinese goods in preference to US goods. Witness Walmart, Sears, or other major retailers. Meanwhile, US manufactures also climbed onto the China-bound boat. Mexican industrial job costs might amount to 1.5-2million, but Chinese losses to US jobs probably start at 3million. And by shopping at Walmart, Dollar General, Family Dollar, K-Mart or Sears, or BigLots. we all reward that betrayal.
What do any of you think romeny will do for the everyday, working man? If you are not rich, white, male or morman, you are screwed!
I sticking with the human being this time around - AGAIN!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012! we got it straight in 08
Obama didn't get it right, He GAVE 500 MILLION dollars to his bigest campaign doners(That Green company Soladaz, I think thats the name). Wall street screwing the small investor, Citibank, JP Morgan for example, mind youthis group tends to support the Demoractic candidates more the the Republicans.
I believe its time for a good indepentant party so show up.
well, I already know what Obama did for the everyday working man.... enough said there bud!
If only there was a third choice that wasn't a waste of a vote...
Obama has made everything worse.
It's time for him to go back to Chicago, and 'organize the community'.
romney has no plan for America; except to get richer for himself and his scum "friends"(trump and other assorted screwballs). pathetic excuse for a pressidential contender. his backers...are going to ask for a refund.
romney will NEVER make it to be President. May romeny and his fake news get bumped off the airwaves (limbaugh and fake news LIARS) how many years has he been professionally campaigning?
he hasn't done too well as gov of mass. he is behind in his Home State of Mass by 25%...lol maybe coming in 47th in job growth while he was gov has something to do with in...What do You think?
Can't wait for the DEBATES!!!!!!!!!!!!lololololilololo
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012!
red...
Easy on the hatred, dude. By the way...what's Mr. Obama's plan ???
@redshoes4
So, I take it that Obama has no rich donators in his corner? Does George Soros, a billionaire, who has consistently given to Democrat campaigns, not count? Funny how the Democrats have been saying forever, that they're for the poor, and yet, till this day, they haven't done anything to rectify the issue. Are your Democrat political buddies poor? I seriously doubt it. A lot of them have millions, if not billions. Why not ask them to "share their wealth", and see how far that gets you. Joe Biden is a prime example. He donated all of $368 to charity. Hell, I was laid off for 2 years, and donated more than that to the Salvation Army, and any program that supported the troops. To act like the Democrats are "poor" is asinine at best. I actually do a paper route to support my family at this point. Does that make me a "rich" Conservative?????
You guys voting for Romney... Really? Corporations are people my friend. Im against the minimum wage. Let GM go bankrupt etc. Romney is not your friend unless you are a 1%er. If you draw a paycheck for gods sake vote your interests.
I'm not saying Obama / Biden are the greatest thing since sliced bread, but at least look at what they're trying to do for every day Americans like us. Too bad the do-nothing congress wont let anything get through by filibustering everything otherwise our economy would be in full swing recovery.
When the middle class is gouged and the 1% control 90% of the wealth, you have a situation like the late 20's before the great depression. A vote for romney is just catering to the 1% to take even more.
Steven B
Please give specifics on how "Obama has made everything worse." Ask those who work in the auto industry and the related auto companies if Obama has made everything worse. Sounds like you watch too much Fox news.
Sorry RTypo - a vote for Obama is just more taxes for the middle class to pay. The 1%er's don't have enough money to pay for everything you want. So they'll just have to continue raising the taxes right down the line. Take a look at the national debt clock that shows income tax, corporate tax and payroll tax revenues coming in and then at how fast it's being spent and the borrowing to pay for it.
You'll also see that both Social Security and Medicare aren't bringing in enough to cover their current costs so the government is having to borrow the money to pay that excess. The government never invested the excess payroll revenue, never put it in a lockbox - they spent the money and put in IOUs and now they can't pay those IOUs back!
Obama has made everything worse.
How did Obama make things worse. Sources please!
Here's some of mine:
...the numbers for Bush's last three months. Between October and November, 597,000 jobs were lost; between November and December, 681,000 were lost; and between December and January, 741,000 were lost.
April 2012 marks the 26th straight month of gains in private-sector employment, for a total of 4.2 million private-sector jobs.
DJIA Dec 1, 2008 = 8149
DJIA May 19, 2012 = 12369
Dec 29, 2008 U.S. corporate earnings probably fell for a sixth-straight quarter, the longest streak in at least 20 years, as consumer spending on automobiles, homes and retailers collapsed.
May 11, 2012 Fortune magazine released its ranking of the 500 biggest US corporations Monday, which showed that they received a record-breaking $824 billion in combined profits in 2011, up 16 percent from 2010.
That doesn't look worse to me!
The last Republican administration left one helluva mess for Obama to clean up. George W. Bush was, arguably, the worst president that this country has ever seen. History will not be kind.
But what are Romney's plans for the economic recovery of the US? Well, he has been deliberately vague about any specifics. But many in the press have noted these facts:
Romney’s campaign staff is thick with Bush administration veterans. Two of his economic advisers — N. Greg Mankiw and Glenn Hubbard — served as chief economist for Bush.
Romney's platform calls for extending all the Bush tax cuts and then adding more. It calls for repealing many of the new financial regulations but says nothing about what it would put in their place. There’s nothing in his campaign platform that couldn’t have been in Bush’s platform. In fact, most of it was.
So, in short, Romney is promoting the same economic policies that Bush did with the same economic advisors that Bush used. We have already seen how that worked out. Why would we want to repeat that?
uh huh. And Obama is not rich? Yes, he is. And he doesn't care what happens to us either. But we had all better begin sticking up for ourselves. We need jobs...not promises while the coffers are continuously raided. I'll bet he's alot richer now.
De2... WHAT human being? The idiot in charge? What, exactly, has he accomplished in the last four years? All I recall is seeing my 401(k) sink like a rock, my house value go to almost worthless, and my hair turning grey faster than it should worrying about whether it'll ever change.
If you want more of that, then hell yeah, vote for Odumbo and his sidekick. If not, vote for some REAL change.
PaulW-
Obama saved your and America's financial ass after the mess Bush left YE 2008. It was Bush who passed all the funny laws that allowed jobs to be shipped overseas and tax breaks for doing that. It was Bush who approved more than 700 BILLION of TARP to prop up the banks after they screwed Americans by promoting funny mortgages. If Obama did not do what he has done - Banking system would have collapsed taking the country down . Today Auto industry is humming again, manufacturing is returning (slowly of course) to America, jobs are being created ( not as fast as you may like), one of the wars started by the dummy from Texas has been stopped and troops are home. Should I go on......???? The Republicans have been the greatest obstacle since 2010. What have they done? What policies they have implemented to create job, control banks from fleecing the public. They are only after enriching the top 1 % by further giving them tax breaks that BUSH started. So you see Republicans have screwed you and you even do not know it because you are enjoying the pain inflicted by Teabaggers. Have a good day.
Maybe someone should remind you it was clinton who gave away our jobs to nafta long before the bush got in, single biggest stupid mistake made, by the in case you forgot he was a dumbass to, I mean democrat.
So true John, so true.
George W. Bush destroyed the economy, left huge deficits, failed to pay for two wars, tax cuts for the rich and did not pay for Medicare Part D. Republicans destroy the economy, they then conspire to say no to anything Obama wants to enact so the American economy can recover. I think it's time Republicans are charged with treason folks. The Republican Taliban does not have the right to deny a President the opportunity to enact their agenda. Isn't time real Americans demand that Republicans pay the price for the economy they destroyed, the deficits they racked up and for openly, knowingly and deliberately blocking recovery? These folks are not patriots - they are Nazis. Get out the vote and block Republicans from winning. Save America from Republican Fascism. Reward the GOP Taliban with a long walk on the unemployment line with no benefits, no unemployment insurance. The GOP has embarrassed America long enough. Take a stand people and take America back for the real Americas. The GOP is unpatriotic, unAmerican and racist, racist, racist.
It was Clinton who left a record surplus that republicons destroyed. Nafta laws created by republicon controlled house and senate. Repubs said "deficits don't matter"...until Dems are in office.
Paul W-Your 401(k) sank because of greed and lack of oversight of your investments on Wall Street. Be for real. You speak as if Mr. Obama is some sort of magician. You need to educate yourself about politics and how public policies affect your life. Laws that are passed during a previous administration are implemented years AFTER a president leaves office. But, you know this right? So any negative impact you've suffered financially is not President Obama's doing. The hate simply oozes through your posting. Get over the fact that an African-American was elected president. You may witness another one take office if you don't go broke and die from a heart attack because of your obvious contempt for the millions of White Americans who voted for him. Get a part-time job to supplement the losses in your retirement plan. There's plenty of jobs out there now, right? Bohner and Ryan got a bigger and better plan for those who think and speak like you. they don't give a damn about people like you. they simply want your vote. OOOOOOOHHHHHH!!!
(Bush screwed your 401(k),
For all you idiots who keep thinking George Bush had anything to do with the economic problems of 08 need to stop watching PMSNBC and find out exactly what happened in 08 to cause the economic collapse. 2 of the biggest Democrat crooks Barney Frank, Chris Dodd and there pet project Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are the sole reason for the collapse. The sub-prime mortgage industry aka sh!t backed loans made to people without the ability to repay foreclosed in mass in late 07-09 destroyed the real estate markets which in turned cut the Dow at the knees. The Bush admin. tried to get involved because the bubble was huge and of course the Democrats told him to F-off will crucify you as a racist in the press if you mess with our slush fund I mean housing project for the poor. Both of these crooks will be notoriously absent from the ballots in there states because the truth is now out and they couldn't beat John Edwards in an election this fall. The banks were threatened that there license's would be revoked if they didn't buy up the loans. To further hide there crooked wrong doing they bundled this crap with legitimate investments which IAG then insured which is why it almost destroyed the entire market economy. That is why socialism which is gov't. meddling in the private sector doesn't work. Unintended consequences by the democrats has done more to hurt the middle class than anything else. Like my father said they claim to go after the rich and smash the middle class in the teeth every time. He has been right in his assessment without fail for the last 40 years.
Russell:
Re: "Democrat crooks Barney Frank, Chris Dodd and there pet project Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are the sole reason for the collapse.
Maybe those uninformed should see how many millions Obama got in campaign funds from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and also see the millions and millions made by the supposed good guys- Freddie and Fannie- Franklin Rains etc. Funny thing is, Democrats have just the same propensity to steal and make millions as anyone on the Republican side. It's called human nature.
22 million unemployed and CNN reports another 86 million are no longer looking. People of ALL ages need job just to get by and survive. Who's the President? Who's our nations leader? Pointing fingers and blaming others solves nothing at all. Grow up, be a man, hold yourself accountable already.
dahly I assume you are speaking directly to the tpeople/Republicans* who vowed from day 1 to make sure that Obama would fail. AMERICA is on to "them"*
Guess it's going to backfire of the t people and republicans.. see you in NOVEMBER!!!!!
Obama/Biden 2012
No kidding. 86 million not looking and 22 million unemployed. Do you have any idea that you are talking about 35% of the population without a job? That would be 35% of the population including children, seniors, stay at home mothers/dads and the disabled, not just the working population.
I believe you have your numbers crossed.
It amazes me that senior citizens are considering voting for Corporate Raider Willard Romney. Especially since he did indeed say at Iowa, when he thought he had won (Ron Paul Won Iowa) "I am not the Benefits President. If you want a President who will defend Benefits (Social Security) I am not your man."
Corporate Raider Willard Romney will end Social Security. and all this business about free enterprise only helps the 1%. I know quite a few businessmen who have had to declare bankruptcy because the Republican'ts with-held needed grants for their businesses.
Seniors, remember, a Vote for Corporate Raider Willard Romney is a vote to kill your income, Social Security, A vote for President Obama, is a vote to defend seniors from Corporate Raiders like Willard Romney.
And thats my opinion
800...
I'm about a "4 percenter"...when will it be my turn to be despised too ???
And "too" means also...you should learn that prior to trying to label others as stupid.
I can despise you right now if you like.
I'm just sayin... :)
just sayin'=but, if you get mad, then I'm just kiddin'---What a cop out!
Tony,
I despise neither the 1% nor the 4%. But like Ike, I expect that those who can afford and who have benefitted from this country's place in the world to pony up. And if you think that you haven't benefitted, try going somewhere else and stay. See how that works out.
The sooner Obama is out of office, the sooner we can try to revocer from the damage he's done.
steven; apparently you have consumed too much lsd.
the damage was done by the EXCESSIVE GREED of the republicans need to be EXCESSIVELY rich.
the wars, the reduction of tax revenue for top 1%.
In Math 101 the rule is if you DECREASE (tax cuts for the rich donors) your income and INCREASE
spending (Wars that were started under FALSE information BUSH, cheney) you create a negative..
get your head out of your **s!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Steven - Do you have selective memory or are you another village idiot. What the he$$ made you think our President Obama could fix in 4 years what you fools took 8 years + to mess up. We didn't have a deficit when Clinton left. President Obama hands were tied from the beginning and it was no secret that your REPUKES were going to get Obama, the economy will have to wait. OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
I recall the GOP filibustering every attempt the President did to try to improve the economy that his predecessor wrecked. So who's fault is that?
...Ours, for voting into power, the regressive right.
November, 2012, is our chance to correct that error, at the ballot box. Vote out the Tea Party and the conservative Republicans that support them.
-----------------------------
Obama / Biden, 2012.
RBurns,
The small town a little ways from here put out an alert that their idiot was missing. Suppose 'Steven' is him?
anddon'callmeShirley,
There's also a clip of Romney promising to cut unemployment to 5%. Odd since Massachusetts lost jobs like hell while Mitt was Governor. In fact, Bain Capital denies all claims of job creation. It says that it only provides capital and guidance, employment is NOT its concern. I don't condemn Bain per se, it does what it does. But for Mitt to claim great credit for being a job creator at Bain for Staples is like saying I'll bet Walmart can outsell the mom/pop store. Meanwhile, he wrecked 90% of the companies he bought and profitted from each.
Damn right the Older ones will vote, hopefully we can send Obama back to KENYA.
dobi Obama was not born in kenya.. could you really be that uninformed?>?>
Redshoes --
How embarrassing!! Did he say that Obama was born in Kenya? Who is
the uninformed one here?
Dobi,
Yes, we old ones will vote. Trust me because, I have a lot of time being unemployed for two years. Damn right I vote and not for Dumbama.
By the way, he was not born in Kenya - he says - but it's agood place for him to go to with his illegal bunch of jerks he surrounds himself with here.
dobi..subliminal -
The biggest problem with this country that no politican, Democrat or Republican can fix is ignorance. Telling Obama he can go back to Kenya is the shows your bigotry and ignorance. Even a touch of jealousy.
If by "back to KENYA" you mean the White House, I'm with ya. Not because he's the finest POTUS ever, but because the alternative is unthinkable. Romney, not only No but helllllllll NO.
Obama has turn his back on baby boomers, over 10,000 people turn 65 everyday of the week.
That number heads north from there for the next 10 years.
The liberals better wake up.
stupidita...really? have you heard about romney and his cronnies want to get rid of Medicare, social security and give seniors a voucher for their Insurance...
Does that work for you? Or anyone other than the insurance companies backing ronmey..
guess your name reveals alot....
stop watching fake news and limbaugh fake facts. Pay attention to the facts, not to what you hear on these phony advertisements...
I am worried for you..
Obama/Biden 2012
Hey redshoes4, since you appear to be confused, let me help you with a little thing here. There is a spell check thingy (abc) on this fine page. Use it!!!! It makes the postings a whee bit less embarrassing.
Must have a liberal mantra/instruction sheet sent out to the zombies
End all your comments with Obama/Biden 2012 Like we would forget the head clowns name.
Not likely people, WE will vote this socialist out
Subliminal, you are to subliminal for redshoes4 or should that be "RedShirt!" Speel chick, he hasn't a clue but he has a keyboard and unfortunately votes. Hopefully, no children.
How so exactly?
*crickets*
thought so...
Stupida....so protecting Soc sec, medicare, credit card reform, fixing the hole in Medicare D, unemployment help etc, is not helping the baby boomers huh?....Ryan plan kills everything we worked for.
Vote President Obama/Biden, protect the baby boomers, middle class and poor. Protect the voting rights of the elderly that repubs want to end.
Being someone in the group most affected, let me speak on this issue. All I have seen is a full, unmasked attack on any labor union by the Republican Party.
Obama has turned his back on seniors?
NO, the Republicans and the Tea Party are standing ready to literally rob and rape seniors, covering it all in the Flag and Word of God. They say that Social Security is illegal, despite almost 80 years of court decisions to the contrary. Income tax is illegal, despite 90 years of court decisions to the contrary. The Post Office is illegal, despite the fact that it was mandated by the Constitution. And now labor unions are illegal? It is alright for a group of employers to set wages, but wrong for employees, enmasse, to ask for more? It is fine for employers 100's of miles away to have company health insurance, but the miners, the mill operators, the steelworkers are all too expensive (since they carry all the health risks). And school administrators can carry home 6-7 figure salaries, but plead poverty based on $60-70k retirements (w/o Social Security benefits) of a few teachers. I know a retired teacher, she wishes her benefits amounted to that. Very few really do.
So who is really turning their back on seniors? Or maybe, they just don't think we can remember...
I lost my job in 2009 due to company closing after 28 years. My background is Human Resources and Staffing. I have over 15 years experience but due to no college degree (which in my days college degree was not necessary)I have been unable to find a position in my field. I am nearing retirement age and feel I will not find any position. I do know from experience when working with various companies and trying to help people my age find work; companies were not willing to hire older workers, which I never understood...too risky they said and no college degree...whatever happened to experience verses degree???? Anyway I do not blame President Obama, I do blame the GOP for not helping him by signing the American Job Act...this would help so many people...not me but so many others. So in answer to this article, I will vote and I will vote straight Democratic ticket....the GOP friends to not have your best interest at heart.....take care.
When I see someone post that they are voting "straight ticket" I am amazed...
To me, voting straight ticket is EXACTLY what is wrong with this country. Think about it, if you were guaranteed a job because your daddy was boss, no matter what little work or little you did to better the company, why would you bother to try?? SAME THING that these congressmen do because of people voting straight ticket BLINDLY!
well said getthefacts straight!
The Job Act would have passed if all the Democrats were on board. It is so convenient to blame the Republicans but their vote was not needed to pass it. Funny how the Medical Insurance was passed without broad Republican support.
Getfacts....I am in the same exact situation. Experience at making millions for several employers, no degree. Made corrections to top world Metrology experts who write international laws in that field, no degree. Teach historians with masters and double masters yet I have no degree. Yet they just hired people to get my history info from me on the national park I got created. Maybe if like...I like...use the word...like ..like enough...like I could get ...like my old job like back. Experience........people with degrees are afraid of people who know more than them without degrees because it make them feel inferior.
getfactstraight: You're very noble to stand by our President, be prepared then for 4 more years of what you've been experiencing since 2009. You seem to forget President Obama had two years to address the needs of the unemployed like you and millions of Americans who lost their jobs and are still unemployed but instead chose to push affordable care act. The Democrats didn't care then about the millions losing jobs and will NOT care in the next 4 years.
And you think Romney the job "destroyer" is going to do anything for the working class, hell no, he is all about the rich and only the rich. Just look at his record when he was Gov. he went from 37th to 47th in job loss in this country. He can't run on jobs because he destroys them, not creates them.
If he wins, I guarantee that the Ryans bill will pass, and everyone will pay through the nose on medicare, and once again this bill is all about privatizing and will only benefit the rich, while you and I get poorer.
Then we have a Gov from Florida who is trying to purge the votes, which is totally illegal, and (I hope the DOJ press charges on him) the Hispanic community, poor, elder better wake up and see what these republican & teaparty Gov's are trying to do, because they don't want to vote because they know if they make it harder for to vote, you won't, so don't let them get away with it, go and vote its your right! This is the only way they know how to win, by cheating you out of your right to vote.
When Romney left office, Massachusetts had a 4.7% unemployment rate which generally is thought of as full employment.
Sirie,
Thank you. Neither party has a patent on genius or correctness. Some of us in Indiana feel disgraced that we will not be able to vote for Richard Lugar. I don't agree with many of his stances, but I did know that I could depend on the fact they wouldn't change easily. On the other hand, I now have a Democrat with almost no record, or a Republican former state treasurer who managed to lose over $1/2billion in state revenue; while we were laying off cops and teachers. But we shrank the size of Indiana government, by all the people who actually worked. And yes, I frequently vote split tickets, but maybe not this year.
I am quite sure people over 50 will vote. I have seen a lot of people out of work and they want a government that works for them, not the other way around.
This is me; 55 years old, been out of work for almost a year and I cashed out my meager 401K so that my kid and I would not be homeless. I am look at starting from scratch and starter all over again like 25 years have not past; minimum wage, with absolutely no perks. I just love being some statistic!!!!!!!!
I never made much money but I at least had perks; insurance, some retirement, PTO, etc. I made enough to raise my kid (very single mom) but never enough to buy a house or save for college, but I managed to save a little in my 401K. If did not have my 401K we would be homeless.
Kim.
Think about this... George W and Mitt both proposed doing away with Social Security for anyone 55 or younger, and replacing it with a savings or investment account. You can request a statement of your defined earnings and estimated payment from Social Security. You may have already received one, as they are sent on an age-based system.
Add all the defined earnings and multiply by about 4.5% (maybe generous). That would be your Republican private account. Now divide that sum by 360 (months from 55 to 85years). Compare that to your estimated benefit. (Interest rates are currently running at less than 1% and become negible.) Which do you want? Keep in mind that Social Security will pay you when you are 95, the private account died 10 years ago.
Will the elderly and unemployed vote? Uhmmmmm? What else are they gong to do that day. They either don't have a job or are retired and do not like Obama.
They will vote. Obama loses.
ROMNEY 2012
devdoc nice try...
when the seniors understand what romney and his cooky clan of job gutters have in store for them - they will run to the voting booth to VOTE for OBAMA/BIDEN.
Hello?? the reason why we don't have jobs is that the "job creators" so say the repubs, needed the tax cuts so that they could CREATE jobs...after 10years where are the jobs?? oh that's right bain capital and the like created jobs ..just in foreign countries
Also interesting is how certain republicans; cheney and his band of theives benefitted from the war. Most Americans did not. Hope cheney gets arrested for war crimes he deserves too. he is a romney advocate. if you like bush you'll love romeny!
and then there is the Plan to cut social security, cut medicare, cut police jobs, teacher jobs...those are the FACTS!!
Hope you are able to listen to the debates, it will be very educational for all.
Unfortunately, the pay to play negative ads are being paid for by superpacs; maybe from the cayman islands...ask romenys former gop rivals...
OBAMA/Biden 2012
I will hold my nose and vote for Obama, and any other national democrat and here in Wisconsin I will vote for Walker. Maybe once the Republicans get rid of their Christian Taliban nuts and their tea party trailer trash I could vote for them again. I know I did NOT vote for grover norquist and I will never vote for anybody who wants to represent him and not the voters of their district or state. You are stupid if you think we can fix the budget without dealing with entitlements, health care, will have to stop "nation building" and raise taxes. I am a 10% and I pay taxes and I want everybody to pay at least a little so everybody has a stake in this country. EIC has to be scaled way back and capital gains and dividends over a certain amount should be taxed as income. Instead of 15,000 pages our tax code should be on about 5 pages.
And yet you're voting for Obama? I don't get it.... but then I'm one of those tea party trailer trash, whatever that means.
What the hell is a "Christian Taliban"??? Last I checked, the Taliban were Muslim loons.
What's a, "Christian Taliban"? It's a term that is used interchangeably with, "American Taliban."
---------------------------------------------
The American Taliban is a derogatory an often accurate term for American Christian fundamentalists. It was coined after the invasion of Afghanistan, when the term Taliban became a household word. It is used to draw parallels between Islamic fundamentalism and Christian fundamentalism.
The point of the phrase is to compare those who would make the United States into a country with a state religion, or inflict their religious views on others through government decree, to the Taliban government in Afghanistan, which was also a repressive theocracy.
A website dedicated to this phenomenon[1] has many illustrative quotes. Here are some examples:
Or you could just go to the video
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/American_Taliban
13bvet -
Liberals get confused very easily. They seem to think that conservatives are radical like the Taliban, whereas the Taliban can much more easily be compared to the anarchists and OWS crowd who feel that the end justifies the means - regardless of the ethics or criminality involved.
They are genuinely afraid of the TEA party individuals because they want to reduce all of the freebies that the government gives away and force the country to live within its financial means.
Tammy.......teabaggers say leave my Social sec alone, leave my Medicare alone, ,leave my Post Office alone, the repubs openly say they will end all of those. Then Teabaggers vote repub, who not only kill what the teabaggers want, but they vote against ending tax breaks for bringing companies overseas, they vote against stopping big oil subsidies that even the CEO says they don't need anymore, they voted against giving tax breaks to companies who bring back jobs and keep jobs in the U.S.
Teabaggers you do not make a million a year, why vote against your own self interests? The repubs laugh at you for voting against yourself....The banksters just blew 5 billion away just 2 weeks ago and they want to crash the economy all over again to get the rest of your money. GREED =Republicons. Grover Norquist wants you to pay the taxes of the billionaires .
Senator Byrd(D) W. Va., ex-klan, nuf said.
Actually, no the Taliban are ultra-right wing conservatives, and more in line with very conservative religious groups like the Tea Party and GOP. The similarities are more along the line of having religion (ISLAM right-wing Christianity) as the meter stick on how life is lived directing their actions, and I'm proud to say that I'm a Christian too. Just not rabid. The problem for them is that in our country because of our laws is a bit more tempered because the US Constitution will allow any one religion to interfere with the government or take over and that's a good thing.
Might want to do some reading on history, and the Constitution to broaden your knowledge instead of living with blinders next time.
Think about it...
Starsailing . . who are all these players you are always talking about? . . . "teabaggers", repubs, etc. They help keep the world black and white, like catholic or protestant, "repubs" and the dark side or Democrats and the good force, etc. You seem too smart to need these entities make the world and the political landscape understandable!!
If your characterizations were true then the simple solution presents itself . . just pull straight Democratic when you step into the booth in November and stop the madness, yes??! Then the world will be perfect and everything will fall into place?? Like it has under Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama. If you believe that, I have a sunset sail that I'd like to sell you with Nancy Pelosi!!
Can't we try something new??
starsailing,
My wife has term for what you said; " Now there you go, using that logic thing again."
I swear, with $150million in advertising you could persuade the majority of Americans that a rosy red sky at noon was a good thing, and the higher temperature was just a new energy source. -- tape would be supplied from deep within an Antartic base established by the RNC in 1988.
Every year thousands of young people leave school or college to look for a job. Every year hundreds of businesses import products that could be made here. Millions of dollars are made from the imports that could be made here.Young people are leaving with all kinds of degrees that should net them a good job. Those who do not go to college can't find jobs because foreigners come here and take the jobs. They will work for minimum and send most of the money back home. Its time to close the open door and look out for the home folks. Charity begins at home. Look out for the home folks first. If more help is needed then open the door a little. I worked for a company for 39 fears. It was sold to a man from Texas. Within months some of the work was sent to Texas.Then the amount started to grow and people started to loose their jobs. After seeing the way the wind was blowing I left that job on my own.
anddon'tcallmeShirley,
Actually, in state vs. state job competition, each state is on its own and should be considered foreign. Typically the competing areas will set up barriers to out-of-state, or even out-of-area, employment. You can get a job, but not a place to live, no social life, not even an accepting church. Further states often overstate the abilities of their workforce within a paygrade (/yes, we had alot of welders until the pipeline opened LAST year.). State vs. state competion is just as dirty as foreign competition, including using taxpayer dollars as a payoff to potential employers.
Vote all Incumbents out of office!!!
I agreed all rupubs tbagger people MUST GO!!!!!!
Over 50, lost my job not quite a year ago and as I have done since 1972, I will vote. I'm still waiting to see what Gov. Romney's positions on various things are before I make my decision on the Presidential race.
But I will be voting for whoever the candidate is that runs against Congressman Tom Reed. He sold his soul to Grover Norquist and I just can't bring myself to vote for him.
According to socionomic theory, bear markets come with a downturn in crowd psychology. Social mood is declining since 2000. When the crowd turns from optimism to pessimism, it is first seen in stocks, and then the rest of the economy, politics, culture. A president who is in the office during a bear market gets the blame. The aggragate anger turns against those at the helm. Economy suffers because pessimistic people do not expand economic activities. They contract. Obama's hands are tied. There is nothing he can do if the stock market declines and foretells his election loss. Google for "social mood trading stocks" to understand how the aggregate crowd psychology writes history.
All repubs obey Goober Norquist. They pretty much all signed the pledge to make the richer not have to pay taxes. They want YOU middle class Americans to pay the taxes for the 1% TOP MILLIONAIRES. Repubs create voter suppresion laws to keep the older folks from voting.
President Obama/Biden 2012 Protect all voters.
Top 1%, many are Democrats, don't see Edwards or Obama giving away their millions. And as for the
% 1 percent, nice how they on Wall St are serving time, wait, the Obama Administration has not gotten around to that. I guess too busy spending the 1% percenters hush, I mean, campaign contributions and employing a lot of them in the Administration.
For unemployed voters over 50... if they voted for Bush, they got what they deserved.
we gave obama the large stemula in history and he is still keep this county down when he came into office he had the run of the country and the republican party had no way or vote to stop him he just a one @!$%# president
While every bodt is throwing brick bats at Obama lets not forget the house Majority Repubicans. They have tried to and succeeded in most cases to block everything Obama has tried to do. Who was president before the Great Depression. I lived through that mess and it took a Democrat to clean it up.
Fred, you drank too much of the tribal Kool-Aid. Take your meds and go back to sleep. The last thing Democrats cleaned out was everything of any value in the White House at the end of the Clinton reign.
Bill........great comeback nothing but insults....can't handle the fact Fred is correct! Apparantly Bill you watch fox news. Do search...fox news dumber ...and se studies that prove you are dumber for watching fox news because of lies and false info........that's fox news dumber.....
Yeah the know how to clean out a wallet/purse. They are good at spending others money besides their own.
Remember the Jobs Act would have passed if all Democrats had supported it. Who know how many bill were stopped because fellow Democrats resisted. But Dems like to blame other for their problems.
guess you are refering to Roosevelt, most people who went through the Depression believe that Demcratic President Roosevelt saved our country..... what history actually shows is that because of Roosevelt's socialist Democratic policies, he prolonged the Depression by many, many years. We got out of the Depression because of World War II , not Roosevelt's or the Democrats' policies.
Nice, well-reasoned response. Who needs meds?
When George W. Bush was elected, the national debt was $5.8T. After George W. Bush's last budget expired, the national debt was $11.9T! Republicans sure know how to spend money we don't even have!
That's not quite the way most historians see it but since you are such a fan of history, let's look at a little recent history:
...the numbers for Bush's last three months. Between October and November, 597,000 jobs were lost; between November and December, 681,000 were lost; and between December and January, 741,000 were lost.
April 2012 marks the 26th straight month of gains in private-sector employment, for a total of 4.2 million private-sector jobs.
DJIA Dec 1, 2008 = 8149
DJIA May 19, 2012 = 12369
Dec 29, 2008 U.S. corporate earnings probably fell for a sixth-straight quarter, the longest streak in at least 20 years, as consumer spending on automobiles, homes and retailers collapsed.
May 11, 2012 Fortune magazine released its ranking of the 500 biggest US corporations Monday, which showed that they received a record-breaking $824 billion in combined profits in 2011, up 16 percent from 2010.
We tried Republican policies for 8 years under Bush with disastrous results! Now Romney is set to repeat those same policies with the same economic advisors that Bush used. Why would anyone want to repeat that?
Obama's policies are working. They will work even better when we clean out some of the obstructionist Republican trash in Congress this Fall.
You bet I'm going to vote. I'm going to vote out the party that deregulated business mergers that caused the company I worked for to close and it sure as hell wasn't the Obama admin. It was the big business working hard for the democrats to fail just say no and committing treason (imo) republicans. And before repugs start yelling at me consider this.....a person or group of people who actively work to bring down a government are what? Many elected and non elected repugs stated from the day after the election they would work to cause the current administration to fail.......ie: to bring down the current government....that folks is treason!!!!
So you're saying that Democrats have no big business dealings? That's bullsh!t! As for outsourcing, if that's what you're referring to, NAFTA certainly rings a bell on that one! Care to take a guess who signed that one?
A couple of democrats that have big business dealings: Warren Buffett, Bill Gates.
When Bush and cabinet outed the cia agent and all her contacts, Bush Sr. when he first heard the news, called the person who outed the agant a..............traitor!
starsailing
Are you related to the ex Gov. of Illinois, you know, the one who is doing time for lying? Your pic looks familiar, could be the doo....
All hail Caesar Obomus...
13BVET,
Clinton signed what George HW Bush negotiated and signed and the US Senate later affirmed. The treaty was HW Bush all the way, but start with LBJ's 'Maquiladora' program in the 1960's. Automotive management (almost exclusively Republican) were great fans. Within years, almost all brake and electrical components were sourced in Mexico.
The idea was that giving jobs to Mexicans in Mexico would cement them there and drive up Mexican wages. But Mexican wage brokers had financial incentives to constrain Mexican wages. So skilled and unskilled Mexicans have flooded our border (which NAFTA was supposed to prevent). Only our economic downturn, and our dependence on cheap imported goods, have sucked back some of these emigres. And yes, I personally asked a Monterrey factory manager about offering bonuses or raises; I got told the labor rate for the industrial park was 20pesos (about $2/hr). That was almost 10 years ago, the best I know that is still the going wage,
Oh they are going to vote all right. And they will not be voting for Mr. Obama. He can kiss that segment off.
I am 61 years old and have been unemployed for 18 months. I will be sure to vote FOR President Obama in November! "Mittens" Romney has no idea on how to govern. He's just another rich guy who put becoming President on his bucket list.
We need a majority of Democrats in the House and the Senate to get things done properly!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012!!!!
Oh, and Obama's poor? Take a look at how "poor" Mr. Obama is!
http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-politicians/presidents/barack-obama-net-worth/
You call this "poor"?!
That's still around 10% of "Silver Spoon" Romney's vast fortune. I'd be rich too if everything in life was stacked in my favor like Romney. Obama *is* self made, Romney, not so much.
How is obama self made.
He has never received a pay check that was not issued by the government
Get a clue people
Where the money comes from is irrelevant. Obama made a name for himself from obscurity. Romney was born with his name and connections already in place. That was my point.
For Romney, being POTUS would be a hobby, a status symbol, nothing more.
It don't take much to be a self made idiot, just drink the red cool aide.
Excuses, excuses. Its ok for Obama to be rich because he is self-made. Anyone can basically write a book. Talk about things being handed down from your parent, if Obama actually looked like his dad and not a mulatto he would not have been elected. Democrats have a recent history of having, perceived, good looking candidates who run for office- on their looks. They won slim first term victories, Clinton and Obama, which one could say their looks made the difference. Even President Kennedy might have won based on his looks.
When people were polled about a debate they , he and Nixon, had the ones who heard it on the radio said Nixon won, the ones who watched it on the tv said Kennedy won.
If being rich is evil, then it shouldn't matter who it is. Makes you look like haters unless its you or someone you like that has the money. Puhleeeze.
Being rich isn't the problem. Look at George W., do you think that idiot would ever amount to.. well anything if not for his father's name and connections? Romney is pretty much in the same boat although I don't consider him as dumb as dubya and the fact he has two degrees is impressive even if they may have been bought or bribed.
Just becuase sombody is born into the "ruling class" doesn't nessicarily mean they're perfect for the job.
Obama might not be perfect either but at least he worked his way to where he is from basicly nothing. That's far more impressive in my book. People just don't appreciate what they have when daddy hands them everything that they will need to succeed.
ilitt1: Then be prepared to never work again because if our President actually knew how economies worked you would have a job right now. Romney is the man to get this country back on track, we've already had Obama for 4 years and their are still millions and millions of people unemployed.
You have obviously never reviewed Romney's record:
Kansas City's GST Steel was a successful company that had been making steel rods for 105 years when Mitt Romney and his partners took control in 1993. They cut corners and extracted profit from the business at every turn, placing it deeply in debt. When the company eventually declared bankruptcy, workers were denied their full pensions and health insurance, and the federal government was forced to step in and bail out the pension fund.
According to the Los Angeles Times, "What Romney doesn't mention is that Steel Dynamics also received generous tax breaks and other subsidies provided by the state of Indiana and the residents of DeKalb County, where the company's first mill was built. The story of Bain and Steel Dynamics illustrates how Romney, during his business career, made avid use of public-private partnerships, something that many conservatives consider to be "corporate welfare."" The Cato Institute said the story of the Romney-linked companies is "an example of the government stepping into the marketplace, picking winners and losers, providing profits to business owners and leaving taxpayers stuck with the bill."
According to the Boston Globe, "Romney basically negotiated about a $10 million reduction in the $38 million the firm owed the failed Bank of New England, which had been taken over by the FDIC, a federal agency funded by insurance premiums paid by banks. The $4 million represented interest the firm did not have to pay as a result of the loan forgiveness, the Globe reported."
From Republican Rick Santorum: "He heroically bailed out the Salt Lake City Olympic Games by heroically going to Congress and asking them for tens of millions of dollars to bail out the Salt Lake Games -- in an earmark, in an earmark for the Salt Lake Olympic Games."
Naw, face it: a lot of Romney's success and money comes from tax dollars through his political connections!
EE:
Re: "Kansas City's GST Steel was a successful company that had been making steel rods for 105 years when Mitt Romney and his partners took control in 1993."
And what your statement does NOT mention is that entire steel industry was in a steep downward spiral during this period.
Portland, OR
Tell that to Gallatin Steel, just up the river from me, who now has rolling mills covering square miles. Nor do you admit that most 1980-1990 foreign steel was undocumented or specified. I hope you are confident with any old scrap in the front axle of your car. (Steel rod is trade talk for rounds for either rolling into wire or forging into shafts and axles.) BTW, I drove by a steel rounds plant in central Illinois from 1985 to 2009, and I never saw a decrease in activity. And that plant was featured in "How It's Made" on TV.