Are you better off?

tarheel · 07-29-2010, 08:45 AM

Four years ago, the Democrats took over Congress. Two years ago, they added the Presidency. I think it is fair to ask, are you better off? I know I'm not.

The Democrats answer? "We know you're worse off, but it's not our fault!"

tonigking · 07-29-2010, 08:52 AM

You are spot on Tarheel!

clanmaddern · 07-30-2010, 08:08 AM

So, just what is it you were expecting from your federal government that makes you worse off? Or was it your state government? Or was it your local government?

How can you have a rational discussion when all you want to do is whine and say "poor me"? Maybe you should express your displeasure with the "Just say no" group in the congress!

Pure Texan · 07-30-2010, 01:24 PM

I made a good living in the construction business for many years. I haven't worked in a year.I need to buy school clothes and stuff
Thanks to the yes yes yes yes yes crap of the chicago thugs I can't do anything and no hope in site.
Are you just totally blind to whats happening to the working man or woman. There is no work.

unless you got no papers, then you can work.

carvet44 · 07-30-2010, 10:08 PM

If they would take away the tax credits for these big corporations for outsourcing and bring back the jobs they've shipped overseas, there would be plenty of jobs for Americans instead of in Mexico, India, China, etc., etc., etc. But no, we have to keep the tax cuts for the wealthy 1% so they can keep sticking it to the workers by taking the jobs away from the middle class, then crying foul!! Wake up, people!!!

Nomos · 07-31-2010, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carvet44

If they would take away the tax credits for these big corporations for outsourcing and bring back the jobs they've shipped overseas, there would be plenty of jobs for Americans instead of in Mexico, India, China, etc., etc., etc. But no, we have to keep the tax cuts for the wealthy 1% so they can keep sticking it to the workers by taking the jobs away from the middle class, then crying foul!! Wake up, people!!!

Carvet, you are ignoring some important facts.
- You and I and everyone else wants cheap goods. We're willing to sacrifice quality to get a truly "cheap" price.
- Labor unions (once very essential in America) have pushed the cost of labor through the roof while reducing the quality of output.
- Therefore, in order to give you your cheap goods, labor cost has to be reduced.
- And overseas the jobs go.

As far as the wealthy 1%, "they" created most of the jobs you ever had and (I think this is the right number) the top 2% earners still pay something like 90% of the taxes that run the government that gives the hand outs, and a (few) deserved hand ups.

We are near the point of the "takers" in the economy outnumbering the "givers" and if the spending spree in Congress continues, there won't be enough of that 1% bunch to sustain the handouts and foolish spending.

JakRussll · 07-31-2010, 08:05 AM

I agree Nomos.

There are two types of economies. The one that pushes and the one that pulls.

We have transitioned into a "pull" economy because it requires less effort. When times were good, things like work were just to easy, and jobs to easy to find. It was a workers market. If you didn't like your job, you could get another one tomorrow. Employers were forced to become accomodaters to the changing demands of the labor pool. New benefits popped up like flex-time scheduling and child-care at work programs. Programs that would have been laughed at during the producing years, but were created later for the sole purpose of recruiting and retaining employees.

The 1980's and (especially) the 1990's that were rift with good times - low inflation - budget surpluses - transitioned us from a producer market into a consumer market. We grew soft bellies and not only liked it, but started feeling like we deserved it. Look around now. We are reaping from the seeds that we sowed for a generation. If you think inflation is bad. Try deflation. Nothing will sink this economy faster than a fire-sale wholesale consumer price index that is due to happen when as a populance we can no longer sustain a consumer-driven economy. Our leaders know this, and now you know the motovating stem of the bailout agenda.

As pointed out elsewhere, at some point the handouts have to stop. Either we stop them or they will stop themselves. If the latter happens, we will have driven past the last "Danger Ahead" sign. Our economy simply can't carry the financial burden and keep selling our soul (bonds) to foreign nations that effectively will own us. We are at the point now that we are selling Billions worth of bonds weekly at increasingly high yields (because of risk). Effectively, junk bond status. And this is secured debt, by the full faith of the United States Government. The bonds we are selling to China have the same call rights as the one in your grandchilds college savings account. Think about that for a minute.

Whether your voting card is blue, red or transparent, November 2, 2010 is national "Drain the Swamp" day. It takes courage to prune. May ye with long memories prevail.

Uncle Ted · 07-31-2010, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tarheel

Four years ago, the Democrats took over Congress. Two years ago, they added the Presidency. I think it is fair to ask, are you better off? I know I'm not.

The Democrats answer? "We know you're worse off, but it's not our fault!"

Of course not, it's Bush's fault. Everything is his fault, hell even Laura blamed him for burning the eggs and toast this morning knowing she did it!

tarheel · 08-03-2010, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Ted

Of course not, it's Bush's fault. Everything is his fault, hell even Laura blamed him for burning the eggs and toast this morning knowing she did it!

Now, I, for one, think Bush really blew it on many items. However, it really does boggle the mind the way the Obama Administration has gotten away with blaming everything, even the Gulf oil spill, on Bush in some way or another.

Like I said to start, the Democrats have held both houses of Congress and now the Presidency for a very long time. These chickens belong to them and I think the public is onto them.

Take the lies about taxes. Obama promised they would hit only those making over $250,000 per year. I will get chewed to pieces on taxes next year and I get one heck of a lot less than any quarter million a year, promise you that. It is just lie after lie after lie.

fairlyoldguy · 08-03-2010, 02:07 PM

Saw an interview on TV the other day wherein the Chairman of the House Budget Committee says that Congress is overspending, and therefore he is recommening a new commission to "study" what can be done about it. There's your problem folks...this guy is IN congress, is the CHAIRMAN of the budget committee, yet needs a new $25 million study to tell him he is overspending. AND....he wants YOU and ME to believe he is doing something about it by commissioning a "study". By the time the study is even started, he is reelected by US IDIOTS by saying that he is tackling the problem. Wake up and vote out these arrogant incumbants.

Peaches · 08-03-2010, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tarheel

Now, I, for one, think Bush really blew it on many items. However, it really does boggle the mind the way the Obama Administration has gotten away with blaming everything, even the Gulf oil spill, on Bush in some way or another.

I won't be convinced this administration has gotten away with anything until we see the results of November's election, and the 2012 election results. I'm not even convinced Obama will win the Democratic nomination next time around....

Am I better off? NO!!!

whiteorchid · 08-03-2010, 07:37 PM

I'm not worse off but I don't like living in fear of the bottom dropping out tomorrow. We don't know one day to the next which bank is going to fail, if the stock market will crash, or if the dollar is going to become worthless. We just don't know and we can't trust Geithner and Larry Summers who really seem to be the ones running the economy. I think Geithner is corrupt and for all we know this whole run on the banks could have been orchestrated on purpose so they could be bailed out with taxpayer money. Do we even know where that bailout money is? I don't trust the Fed which by the way isn't even a Government agency but they seem to be running the show up there. They are all in cahoots with Goldman Sachs and look it up - nearly everybody in the Cabinet either has worked for Goldman Sachs or some wall street firm. The whole bunch are shady.

I know we lost half our retirement in that stupid stock market crash as did everyone else in the country. Who got my money? It was real money that we had put away for retirement and now it's gone. We have not been told the truth.

clanmaddern · 08-06-2010, 01:19 PM

According to the current governor and some media, we're booming...
The Atlantic

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/07/how-texas-is-dominating-the-recession/60721/
How Texas Is Dominating the Recession

Derek Thompson -- July 31 2010, 4:00 PM ET | Comment
SAN ANTONIO -- No state is thriving in the wake of the Great Recession. But compared to the rest of the country, Texas is experiencing something like an economic boom.
Pick your category, and Texas dominates. Three of the top five most resilient major metro areas for employment are in Texas : McAllen at one, Austin at three, and San Antonio at five. El Paso and Houston make the top 15. How about state debt? Texas ranks fourth in the country. Texas cities claimed four of the top five spots in the Milken Institute's Best Performing Cities Index, four of the top ten of Forbes' "Cities Where the Recession is Easing," and another four spots in last year's Top Ten in Homebuilding (admittedly, a bit like winning a Warmest Ice Cube contest).
Talk to folks in Texas about their state's good fortune, and they'll also point out that the Lone Star State would be the 15th largest economy in the world if it were really alone, and that 64 Fortune 500 companies call Texas home, more than any other state. For relish: more Americans are moving into Texas than any other state, and CNBC recently named it Top State for Business for the second time in three years. […]

Is it not trickling down?

KINGCHIP · 08-06-2010, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clanmaddern

According to the current governor and some media, we're booming...
The Atlantic

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/07/how-texas-is-dominating-the-recession/60721/
How Texas Is Dominating the Recession

Derek Thompson -- July 31 2010, 4:00 PM ET | Comment
SAN ANTONIO -- No state is thriving in the wake of the Great Recession. But compared to the rest of the country, Texas is experiencing something like an economic boom.
Pick your category, and Texas dominates. Three of the top five most resilient major metro areas for employment are in Texas : McAllen at one, Austin at three, and San Antonio at five. El Paso and Houston make the top 15. How about state debt? Texas ranks fourth in the country. Texas cities claimed four of the top five spots in the Milken Institute's Best Performing Cities Index, four of the top ten of Forbes' "Cities Where the Recession is Easing," and another four spots in last year's Top Ten in Homebuilding (admittedly, a bit like winning a Warmest Ice Cube contest).
Talk to folks in Texas about their state's good fortune, and they'll also point out that the Lone Star State would be the 15th largest economy in the world if it were really alone, and that 64 Fortune 500 companies call Texas home, more than any other state. For relish: more Americans are moving into Texas than any other state, and CNBC recently named it Top State for Business for the second time in three years. […]

Is it not trickling down?

I would not expect it to trickle down with a Keynesian economist in the presidency. Would you?

KINGCHIP · 08-06-2010, 01:38 PM

Clan, you are obviously impressed with DC, so I thought I'd throw in more for us to be impressed with.

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/pol...tax-alert.html

curious · 08-07-2010, 09:04 AM

I was DEFINETELY better off 3 yrs ago! Back then, at least I could see my retirement on the horizon. Now, it has vanished! Can't afford to get sick, cuz my deductible has gone to $1000 and going to get worse in October. And now, George W sabotaged the oil well in the gulf, and it will take untold billions to pay for that. What a disaster we are leaving for our grandkids and great-grandkids! We will lose this country without a shot being fired. Conquered from within!!!!!!!!!!!!

whiteorchid · 08-08-2010, 04:57 PM

Try having a $10,000 deductible! When you have private insurance you have to get a high deductible so your premiums won't go above $1000 a month. However, I've heard rumors that under the new health reform that private insurance premiums will rise.

Nope, not better off when I account for health care reform! Retirement down, house worth down, insurance premiums up.

Hacksaw · 08-10-2010, 08:47 AM

Humm let me see I’m I better off now, Well here I sit on a drilling rig off the coast of Bintulu. I guess not when I could be working the Gulf, but a kneejerking president shut down all drilling because BP drop the ball on there well costing 11 oilfield workers life's

07-29-2010, 08:45 AM	#1
tarheel Seasoned Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 474	Are you better off? Four years ago, the Democrats took over Congress. Two years ago, they added the Presidency. I think it is fair to ask, are you better off? I know I'm not. The Democrats answer? "We know you're worse off, but it's not our fault!"

07-30-2010, 08:08 AM	#3
clanmaddern Traveler Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Marble Falls Posts: 50	Are you better off So, just what is it you were expecting from your federal government that makes you worse off? Or was it your state government? Or was it your local government? How can you have a rational discussion when all you want to do is whine and say "poor me"? Maybe you should express your displeasure with the "Just say no" group in the congress! __________________ Live long and prosper

07-30-2010, 01:24 PM	#4
Pure Texan New Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Heart o'Texas Posts: 26	I made a good living in the construction business for many years. I haven't worked in a year.I need to buy school clothes and stuff Thanks to the yes yes yes yes yes crap of the chicago thugs I can't do anything and no hope in site. Are you just totally blind to whats happening to the working man or woman. There is no work. unless you got no papers, then you can work. Last edited by Pure Texan; 07-30-2010 at 01:26 PM.

07-31-2010, 08:05 AM	#7
JakRussll Seasoned Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 134	I agree Nomos. There are two types of economies. The one that pushes and the one that pulls. We have transitioned into a "pull" economy because it requires less effort. When times were good, things like work were just to easy, and jobs to easy to find. It was a workers market. If you didn't like your job, you could get another one tomorrow. Employers were forced to become accomodaters to the changing demands of the labor pool. New benefits popped up like flex-time scheduling and child-care at work programs. Programs that would have been laughed at during the producing years, but were created later for the sole purpose of recruiting and retaining employees. The 1980's and (especially) the 1990's that were rift with good times - low inflation - budget surpluses - transitioned us from a producer market into a consumer market. We grew soft bellies and not only liked it, but started feeling like we deserved it. Look around now. We are reaping from the seeds that we sowed for a generation. If you think inflation is bad. Try deflation. Nothing will sink this economy faster than a fire-sale wholesale consumer price index that is due to happen when as a populance we can no longer sustain a consumer-driven economy. Our leaders know this, and now you know the motovating stem of the bailout agenda. As pointed out elsewhere, at some point the handouts have to stop. Either we stop them or they will stop themselves. If the latter happens, we will have driven past the last "Danger Ahead" sign. Our economy simply can't carry the financial burden and keep selling our soul (bonds) to foreign nations that effectively will own us. We are at the point now that we are selling Billions worth of bonds weekly at increasingly high yields (because of risk). Effectively, junk bond status. And this is secured debt, by the full faith of the United States Government. The bonds we are selling to China have the same call rights as the one in your grandchilds college savings account. Think about that for a minute. Whether your voting card is blue, red or transparent, November 2, 2010 is national "Drain the Swamp" day. It takes courage to prune. May ye with long memories prevail. Last edited by JakRussll; 07-31-2010 at 10:17 AM.

08-06-2010, 01:19 PM	#13
clanmaddern Traveler Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Marble Falls Posts: 50	According to the current governor and some media, we're booming... *The* Atlantic http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/07/how-texas-is-dominating-the-recession/60721/ How Texas Is Dominating the Recession Derek Thompson -- July 31 2010, 4:00 PM ET \| Comment SAN ANTONIO -- No state is thriving in the wake of the Great Recession. But compared to the rest of the country, Texas is experiencing something like an economic boom. Pick your category, and Texas dominates. Three of the top five most resilient major metro areas for employment are in Texas : McAllen at one, Austin at three, and San Antonio at five. El Paso and Houston make the top 15. How about state debt? Texas ranks fourth in the country. Texas cities claimed four of the top five spots in the Milken Institute's Best Performing Cities Index, four of the top ten of Forbes' "Cities Where the Recession is Easing," and another four spots in last year's Top Ten in Homebuilding (admittedly, a bit like winning a Warmest Ice Cube contest). Talk to folks in Texas about their state's good fortune, and they'll also point out that the Lone Star State would be the 15th largest economy in the world if it were really alone, and that 64 Fortune 500 companies call Texas home, more than any other state. For relish: more Americans are moving into Texas than any other state, and CNBC recently named it Top State for Business for the second time in three years. […] Is it not trickling down? __________________ Live long and prosper

07-29-2010, 08:52 AM	#2
tonigking Seasoned Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 352	You are spot on Tarheel!

07-30-2010, 10:08 PM	#5
carvet44 Seasoned Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 206	If they would take away the tax credits for these big corporations for outsourcing and bring back the jobs they've shipped overseas, there would be plenty of jobs for Americans instead of in Mexico, India, China, etc., etc., etc. But no, we have to keep the tax cuts for the wealthy 1% so they can keep sticking it to the workers by taking the jobs away from the middle class, then crying foul!! Wake up, people!!!

08-03-2010, 02:07 PM	#10
fairlyoldguy New Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 10	Saw an interview on TV the other day wherein the Chairman of the House Budget Committee says that Congress is overspending, and therefore he is recommening a new commission to "study" what can be done about it. There's your problem folks...this guy is IN congress, is the CHAIRMAN of the budget committee, yet needs a new $25 million study to tell him he is overspending. AND....he wants YOU and ME to believe he is doing something about it by commissioning a "study". By the time the study is even started, he is reelected by US IDIOTS by saying that he is tackling the problem. Wake up and vote out these arrogant incumbants.

08-03-2010, 07:37 PM	#12
whiteorchid Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 69	I'm not worse off but I don't like living in fear of the bottom dropping out tomorrow. We don't know one day to the next which bank is going to fail, if the stock market will crash, or if the dollar is going to become worthless. We just don't know and we can't trust Geithner and Larry Summers who really seem to be the ones running the economy. I think Geithner is corrupt and for all we know this whole run on the banks could have been orchestrated on purpose so they could be bailed out with taxpayer money. Do we even know where that bailout money is? I don't trust the Fed which by the way isn't even a Government agency but they seem to be running the show up there. They are all in cahoots with Goldman Sachs and look it up - nearly everybody in the Cabinet either has worked for Goldman Sachs or some wall street firm. The whole bunch are shady. I know we lost half our retirement in that stupid stock market crash as did everyone else in the country. Who got my money? It was real money that we had put away for retirement and now it's gone. We have not been told the truth.

08-06-2010, 01:38 PM	#15
KINGCHIP Super Moderator Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: State of Euphoria Posts: 1,286	Clan, you are obviously impressed with DC, so I thought I'd throw in more for us to be impressed with. http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/pol...tax-alert.html __________________ But my friends call me Chip... "Beware the Prophet seeking profit", Dennis Miller on Algore

08-07-2010, 09:04 AM	#16
curious Seasoned Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 299	I was DEFINETELY better off 3 yrs ago! Back then, at least I could see my retirement on the horizon. Now, it has vanished! Can't afford to get sick, cuz my deductible has gone to $1000 and going to get worse in October. And now, George W sabotaged the oil well in the gulf, and it will take untold billions to pay for that. What a disaster we are leaving for our grandkids and great-grandkids! We will lose this country without a shot being fired. Conquered from within!!!!!!!!!!!!

08-08-2010, 04:57 PM	#17
whiteorchid Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 69	Try having a $10,000 deductible! When you have private insurance you have to get a high deductible so your premiums won't go above $1000 a month. However, I've heard rumors that under the new health reform that private insurance premiums will rise. Nope, not better off when I account for health care reform! Retirement down, house worth down, insurance premiums up.

08-10-2010, 08:47 AM	#18
Hacksaw Seasoned Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 94	Humm let me see I’m I better off now, Well here I sit on a drilling rig off the coast of Bintulu. I guess not when I could be working the Gulf, but a kneejerking president shut down all drilling because BP drop the ball on there well costing 11 oilfield workers life's __________________ *If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin'somebody else's dog around***

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