Are things really that bad?

[Seabeejason]

I am not recommending completely discrediting the Chinese influence on our economy, but am just saying that all of the press reports are extremely exaggerated. If you look at the trends, Japan will actually hold more US debt than China in the next 18-24 months than China.

I agree. Our politicians like to demonize other countries to deflect the blame. Our "leaders" are the ones that have gotten us into this mess. They are currently our biggest threat due to their inability to come up with some sort of solution. They only want to get reelected. That's their only concern.

As for Japan, I do not see them as any kind of a threat. They are one of our strongest allies and the are dependent upon the United States for defense from countries like China.

[quietguy]

It is too late for balanced budgets, too many parasites would get upset and there isn't a viable political party willing to risk the parasites wrath, the end is near, prepare yourselves and your families for the inevetable is the best advice I can give.

We could balance the budget tomorrow, but we don't have the political courage to do it. God forbid you offend a voting block.

[quietguy]

As for Japan, I do not see them as any kind of a threat. They are one of our strongest allies and the are dependent upon the United States for defense from countries like China.

While I agree, why should we be beholden to anyone in the international community? If we had responsible political leadership, we should be able to buy and sell any other country in the world. We have squandered our success

Edited September 9, 2012 by quietguy

[Seabeejason]

While I agree, why should we be beholden to anyone in the international community? If we had responsible political leadership, we should be able to buy and sell any other country in the world. We have squandered our success

I agree. It's a real shame.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Kinda gives an added meaning to "the borrower is slave to the lender", doesn't it?

The US government borrowed all of that money in our name. You better never forget that when you see

our government turn on us. Doesn't matter which political party did what. The end result does.

Our government will turn on us when that credit card is rejected at the ATM. I am not looking forward to it.

[Mike.357]

the answer to "are things really that bad" is easy.

Yes it is that bad!

If the crappy economy does not personally effect someone they tend to think that everything is ok, Maybe not great but not as bad as whats being made out. If someone's lot in life has shifted on account of job loss and or under-employment then things ain't quite so rosy.

The job market sucks and prices on items people must have are spiraling. So we catch hell from both ends, income loss and increased expenses.

I consider myself lucky, I lost a job and got a new one in less than an hour, pay loss of course, benefits gone, but at least I can cover my nut every month.

There are hundreds of thousands out there who are nowhere near so lucky.

Things are pretty bad. What's worse is there is no way to fix it.

[hornett22]

Things are pretty bad. I'm having trouble finding a job. I'm a hard worker with many talents. I have no criminal or driving record, I don't do drugs or drink much,I don't lie or steal, I have transportation, I'm rarely sick. I can't find work.

Only thing I can figure is I won't work for minimum wage.

[strickj]

To read some folks, tomorrow the US will look like Somolia.

The reality is most of us understand economics at an extremely macro level at best, and I'm not certain even the most educated of economists can see en economy as large and complex as the United States' other than very generally...

That said, it's not nearly as bad as the repubs would have you believe, nor nearly as good as the dems would have you believe.

I agree.

Just three years ago every repub said the recession was a mind trick from liberals. If I cared enough to search, I'm sure I could find most here saying the same.

New they're saying everything is collapsing

The job market is bad. People do not want to hire.

The economy is good. Screw all of the left and right wing political propaganda, a 5 minute trip to Wally will show you people are still buying flat screens and driving new Suburbans.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

"Just three years ago every repub said the recession was a mind trick from liberals."

Do you really now, strickj? Every? A bit pompous there. Feeling like asserting your moral superiority on us?

Since you don't care enough to search, why bother being such a smartass?

I do recall quite well my concerns about our country and its economy decades before I met

you or this forum's acquaintance and since we don't know each other, maybe I should just stop there.

I don't recall that set of events, but go for it.

[strickj]

"Just three years ago every repub said the recession was a mind trick from liberals."

Do you really now, strickj? Every? A bit pompous there. Feeling like asserting your moral superiority on us?

Since you don't care enough to search, why bother being such a smartass?

I do recall quite well my concerns about our country and its economy decades before I met

you or this forum's acquaintance and since we don't know each other, maybe I should just stop there.

I don't recall that set of events, but go for it.

Sheesh. That time of the month, Cupcake?

Not being pompous, a smartass or trying to be superior to anyone. hyperbole maybe.

I,m just stating an opinion like everyone else. One that you shouldn't take personally.

Now if we can just get the rest of America to understand this and that our "economy" isn't as bad as the Dem's want to make it out to be.

Let's just hope jackdog that AIG makes good on the loan. As long as they pull themselves out of this mess and don't default, I can see where this would be a positive move on the Fed's part.

The Rabbi, on 11 May 2008 - 12:29 PM, said:

The economy? The economy is in very good shape. Unemployment is still around 5%, historically excellent.

And if you think the Dems are going to do a better job reining in gov't spending or reducing taxes, have I got a deal for you....

How 'bout I say;

Three years ago most repubs were saying the economy was good while the dems claimed doom.

Now it's the other way around.

I still see people carrying big flat screens to their new Suburbans though. Couldn't have changed that much.

Edited September 9, 2012 by strickj

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Sweetheart, when you say "all", you lost me, because I don't even remember it like that. But if you want to say something like "it was said that repubs claimed it this way", might be more plausible, still quite skinny.

I didn't take anything personally. I just wondered the purpose of such a statement, since quite a few Republicans, yes even Bush, even McCain, quite a few Republican Senators and Congressmen and women mentioned the problems in the housing market back to before 06, probably before 04, just it seemed to not get reported much. That stuff like the Community Reinvestment Act was finally coming to fruition and destroying the housing market. I do remember the left defending acts to which you say were the ones silent. Does Barney Frank come to mind?

We Tennesseans didn't get the problems with the housing collapse but the stock market landslide in 07,08, did cause several to actually lose close to half of their wealth. Actually the most money lost in this fine state was probably due to the wealth destroyed in the stock market. Ask someone in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, etc. about the losses in the housing market.

As usual, I appreciate your opinions/ hyperbole.

Edited September 9, 2012 by 6.8 AR

[Guest 6.8 AR]

The problem with situations like the person who thinks everything is fine around him, while there are people around

him talking about problems that he hasn't experienced, yet, is that he might not be looking too far away from himself.

A perverted way of saying what: microeconomics? I don't know the right term, but the sampling is too small to draw

much of a conclusion.

I remember on a trip to South Clinton years ago, it was raining on the south side of I-40 and snowing on the north.

[Seabeejason]

I have a very good job right now, but I had to move 400 miles to take it. There are literally no good paying jobs back where I'm from. I sent out resumes to dozens of resumes and couldn't even get a phone call returned from 99% of them. Those that did offered me a starting wage that I considered insulting. I worked odd jobs for an entire year before I was finally hired by my current employer. It's a good example of how the economy may be doing decent in some parts of the country while it is not doing so well in others.

I could have stayed in southeast Missouri and worked a much lower paying job, but I didn't spend 10 years in the military and 5 years in college to work for a wage I could have achieved without it. Heck, even in East Tennessee the job market is not great for those without some sort of advanced degree (engineering, etc). Lots of factories are hiring, but the pay is terrible and the ones that do pay well are hiring at a sluggish pace. If I was to do things over again I would have gotten a degree in some sort of medical profession. That seems to be the only field that you can find a job just about anywhere. Of course, with ObamaCare kicking in I am not sure how good the outlook is for that.

Judging from the latest reports our economy is slowing yet again. So, I would have to say that things are getting worse. We're not at that point of it being absolutely terrible, but we're getting there pretty darn quick.

Edited September 10, 2012 by Seabeejason

[Guest ThePunisher]

The median income is down $4,00.00 the last four years. Gasoline prices have more than doubled since the commie's inauguration. People have lost 40% of their wealth the last 4 years; so I would definitely say things are worse than they were 4 years ago. The commie can't run on his economic record.

[Oh Shoot]

Bad as the economy is, I don't even necessarily have faith that 4, or even 8 years of a Romney admin will help.

But it's not the main reason I want Hussein out. There probably aren't 5% of voters that feel this way, though.

- OS

[Guest ThePunisher]

Bad as the economy is, I don't even necessarily have faith that 4, or even 8 years of a Romney admin will help.

But it's not the main reason I want Hussein out. There probably aren't 5% of voters that feel this way, though.

- OS

I'm not sure I can list all the reasons I want Hussein out.

[xRUSTYx]

Bad as the economy is, I don't even necessarily have faith that 4, or even 8 years of a Romney admin will help.

This sum's up my EXACT thoughts on the subject as well

[strickj]

The problem with situations like the person who thinks everything is fine around him, while there are people around

him talking about problems that he hasn't experienced, yet, is that he might not be looking too far away from himself.

A perverted way of saying what: microeconomics? I don't know the right term, but the sampling is too small to draw

much of a conclusion.

I remember on a trip to South Clinton years ago, it was raining on the south side of I-40 and snowing on the north.

I didn't say the economy is great or couldn't use improvement. Just said it's good compared to the right's gloom and doom predictions. Also not saying it's as good as the left claims either.

Seems all one hears now is four more years of O and we'll look like Mexico. Yeah, I'm not convinced.

Gonna take a long time to get from this

to this

[RobertNashville]

At the moment, I'm employed in a very good job and drawing retirement from my last employer...my only debt is my mortgage and my student loans and working on paying off both...for me, life is pretty damn good. However, I have a next door neighbor who did pretty much the same type of work I do who has been let go from his job and is likely going to lose his house...it's not so rosy for him.

The U.S. economy is being held up by printing money and very low interest rates...while some sectors are doing well, it's mostly a house of cards that almost any breeze could knock down...just a rise in interest rates to a normal level is likely all it would take considering the HUGE amount of debt we have accumulated and are accumulated. Normal interest rate levels would require huge sums of of the national budget just to pay interest on the debt.

Of at least equal concern is that the central banks in Europe are also now monetizing their debt by printing worthless money...I have friends in Greece from my Navy days and per them it's so bad over there I truly fear for their lives...a collapse of Greece or Spain or any other major EU country and it will plunge the world, including us, into a true depression.

Yeah...I'd say thinks really are "that bad" but so far we've been insulated from it; insulated by a little luck and in some cases by outright obscuration.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I didn't say the economy is great or couldn't use improvement. Just said it's good compared to the right's gloom and doom predictions. Also not saying it's as good as the left claims either.

Seems all one hears now is four more years of O and we'll look like Mexico. Yeah, I'm not convinced.

Gonna take a long time to get from this

to this

So you think the left is saying it's rosy and the right is predicting gloom and doom? Those two pictures you chose only

illustrate relative places on which to fall. The one thing they both have in common is they both provide very little, if any,

comfort from the fall.

Whether you choose to believe it, strickj, your misstatement about the right and the left is cynical at the very least, and

outright wrong when you consider the right is running on a campaign of attempting to put a budget back in the system

and attempting to place controls on the debt, whereas the left has given up on the budget process altogether and is

willingly spending us into oblivion. At least you might try to assume one side or another in an argument instead of some

blind assumption that things are rosy, in your own situation of course.

Yep, I'm on the right side of the argument for all of my life, and I will still maintain that we are falling off the cliff. I know

most of the problems that caused it, and I also know there were those on the right side who participated in the problem,

but I know, at least, that the left has been actively pursuing this course for close to a hundred years, and that has allowed

people like you to not notice the slide into oblivion that's been going on. It's called incrementalism. Shovel a little crap down

their throats at a time. Do it gradually and they won't even notice it, until it's too late. Throw in some touchy-feely issues

to confuse the masses even more. They'll forget what they should have focused on all along. I've been paying attention to

most of this stuff since the seventies, but that doesn't mean much when one is faced with the great internet media sources

to disprove all that I remember.

Yep, the sky is falling, but I can't find a picture to illustrate. Keep your heads in the sand. It'll be your ass that gets

hit that way.

Edited September 10, 2012 by 6.8 AR

[strickj]

So you think the left is saying it's rosy and the right is predicting gloom and doom?

Umm..... no. I do not think that.

Read some threads here. Nearly everyone is saying doom. Perhaps you need to watch more vids from Army Vet?

Watch the news. O and the left are claiming the POTUS brought us out of the repression all by his lonesome.

WH: economy continuing ro recover

from 2008

Am I wrong? Are they both full of ####?

Far as the right being Godsends to bring us out of debt goes; they're just as responsible as the left.

They both love spending. I'm not impressed by either. And that includes Romney.

Course, I'll be slammed for bringing up stuff from his governorship, but he left Massachusetts ranking the third worst state for job growth.

He left with a 4.7 unemployment rate, but the US Census says that a quarter-million folks left the state during his governorship, largely due to his 14 percent loss in manufacturing (double nat avg).

He "balanced the budget" but left the sate with the highest debt in the country.

He "turned the Pork Barrel Olympics around". Maybe if elected POTUS. he can makes a bunch of cuts and lobby for some federal funding like he did back then

[Mike.357]

right on JC

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I never said anyone was a Godsend. Since you brought it up, who has made up proposed budgets for the last

three years? How did they end up? Who killed them?

Of course Obama has said he saved us from the brink. He's been campaigning ever since he took office. I would have

expected nothing less from him.

That pic I added to the above post just took on new meaning since you think everyone is wrong and nothing is right.

Maybe nothing is.

One thing I observed from your link: You can make anything look rosy when you use a specific baseline to meet the

needs of the position.

[strickj]

Picy no worky.

I never said anyone was a Godsend. Since you brought it up, who has made up proposed budgets for the last

three years? How did they end up? Who killed them?

Libs killed Repubs' plans and vice versa.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/07/11/Harry-Reid-and-Dems-stall-Obama-plan

Maybe you think I support Libs' plan for economy?

I do not.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I know you don't . Picy worky herey!