NY Times asks: Why so glum America? The economy is looking good.

[Kreskin]

I did not say it was his fault. He promised to fix this. The Democrats promised to fix this.

And?

All politicians promise to fix things. They may have fixed an absolute collapse but that is not measurable.

I`m listening to Palin talk right now and she`s quite arrogant in her claims that she knows everything and is the answer to every problem. We all know that`s bs too but plenty will buy it.

 

[Tonington]

I did not say it was his fault. He promised to fix this. The Democrats promised to fix this.

And?

They are. Take a look at other historic recoveries from recessions of the same magnitude. They don't happen overnight.

Jobs are no longer net loss, consumer spending is up, after all the stimulus packages only were meant to make up some of the difference in slumping demand. Now consumers are pulling their own weight.

It takes time but signs are all around that things are improving. The housing market will take some time to recover obviously. It was ground zero afterall...

 

[darkbeaver]

What things are improving? It certainly isn't industrial capacity. It certainly isn't exports and it certainly isn't employment nor is it real income nor retail sales nor etc etc. It's commonly understood to require two decades to rebuild western economies if we are not lucky enough to have global war which is the historical fix to terminal economies. And that means the economies not the nations nor the people which ,if you'll review a bit of history, regularly become history.

 

[Tonington]

Industrial production as measured by U.S. Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization was up 0.1 per cent in February, following a rise of 0.9 per cent in January. March numbers will be released this coming Thursday.

I know one thing that isn't improving, the substance of your assertions.

 

[ironsides]

Florida's unemployment rate at its highest point on record, 12.2% No things are not looking good, only looks good for those with rose colored glasses.

 

[Tonington]

This economist seems to think things will improve.

If you're the glass is half empty type I guess it never looks good, even if you're given the means to fill yourself another half pint...

 

[Kreskin]

How bad would the unemployment rate be in Florida if the banking and insurance systems had collapsed?

 

[gopher]

There have been improvements in the economy. It certainly looks a lot better than it did under Bush. But like all else, I just wish there would be a bigger improvement. Hopefully, that will arise, soon.

 

[theconqueror]

There have been improvements in the economy. It certainly looks a lot better than it did under Bush. But like all else, I just wish there would be a bigger improvement. Hopefully, that will arise, soon.

I agree, that Cash For Clunkers program was the greatest stimulus package ever seen invloving the true realities of what the public really got...

 

[gopher]

Interestingly, Bush's three stimulus packages were dismal failures and not one person criticized them.

 

[Kreskin]

What would make the economy grow faster than it is now? Or more precisely, what would stimulate job growth better under Sarah Palin's plan (if she has one)?

 

[ironsides]

What would make the economy grow faster than it is now? Or more precisely, what would stimulate job growth better under Sarah Palin's plan (if she has one)?

One thing would be to stop outsourcing all our manufacturing jobs. Get the blue collar worker back working here in the states.. Florida lost construction jobs, not as many snow birds coming down, service jobs, cooks, waiters etc. are in short supply and if you can get a job it is minimum, wage. I have no idea what Sarah Palin or any candidate has planed. Nobody, not even the democrats are doing anything.

Probably getting more tourist down here to fill the hotels and theme parks would do wonder to help the economy.

 

[Tonington]

One thing would be to stop outsourcing all our manufacturing jobs.

How? It's nice to say that, but corporations will do what they wish.

The energy and climate legislation will ensure domestic manufacturing grows. But that will be fought hard by many who complain about the outsourcing of manufacturing in the first place.

 

[YukonJack]

If you think that the economy is looking up, ask the 19-24 age group, which has an unemployment rate of 27%.

Perhaps if they gave up on immediately becoming Vice Presidents of companies where they applied for a job for the first time in their lives, that rate would be somewhat lower.

And then they could move out of their parents' basement.

 

[Tonington]

What's with all of these specific groups? If we want to know what the economy looks like, why would we focus on one state, or one narrow age group? That's just foolish.

We have positive movement now in numerous indicators in consecutive months. That's far better than what was happening for most of 2009.

 

[ironsides]

Lets see what happens by next December.

 

[Walter]

What would make the economy grow faster than it is now? Or more precisely, what would stimulate job growth better under Sarah Palin's plan (if she has one)?

Reagan did it by cutting taxes and liberating the property of the populace from the clutches of the govmint. The Bamster is raising taxes to make the populace subservient to the govmint.

 

[Tonington]

Obama's corporate tax rates will be lower than Reagan's under the proposed changes.

In Ronald Reagan’s heyday, capital gains were never taxed at less than 20%, and dividends were never taxed at less than 28%. Under the Democrats’ current proposal, the president aims to raise the capital gains tax to a maximum of 20% on long-term gains (from 15% at present). And in an even more pleasant surprise, the top tax on dividends will also go to just 20% as well.

 

[ironsides]

If you can believe him, Obama will be cutting taxes, but of course has any goverment ever really given anything back to the people. They will just take money from someplace else.
Under the Obama Plan:

• Middle class families will see their taxes cut – and no family making less than $250,000 will see their taxes increase. The typical middle class family will receive well over $1,000 in tax relief under the Obama plan, and will pay tax rates that are 20% lower than they faced under President Reagan. According to the Tax Policy Center, the Obama plan provides three times as much tax relief for middle class families as the McCain plan.
• Families making more than $250,000 will pay either the same or lower tax rates than they paid in the 1990s. Obama will ask the wealthiest 2% of families to give back a portion of the tax cuts they have received over the past eight years to ensure we are restoring fairness and returning to fiscal responsibility. But no family will pay higher tax rates than they would have paid in the 1990s. In fact, dividend rates would be 39 percent lower than what President Bush proposed in his 2001 tax cut.
• Obama’s plan will cut taxes overall, reducing revenues to below the levels that prevailed under Ronald Reagan (less than 18.2 percent of GDP). The Obama tax plan is a net tax cut – his tax relief for middle class families is larger than the revenue raised by his tax changes for families over $250,000. Coupled with his commitment to cut unnecessary spending, Obama will pay for this tax relief while bringing down the budget deficit.

This is right from Presodent Obama's site.
Organizing for America | BarackObama.com | Taxes

 

[Kreskin]

Reagan did it by cutting taxes and liberating the property of the populace from the clutches of the govmint. The Bamster is raising taxes to make the populace subservient to the govmint.

He started the modern day never-never plan trend.

Debt as a % of GDP looks ugly. 8O