Unemployment: It's The Economy Stupid! Part 2
Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2010
by Richard Vail
Chisel & Plane
This past year this administration has focused on everything but what is important to the nation. Last spring is was a "stimulus package" that did everything but actually stimulate the economy. Then starting in April, seizure, or rather "nationalizing" the health care system was the priority. In late summer, this administration dithered over Afghanistan for more than 3 months. After Thanksgiving, this administration decided that finally, jobs would be the focus.
Those in the media have attempted to attempted to shore up the Obama Administration from the very beginning, firstly by refusing to vet him in the same manner as the other candidates running for president. Secondly by excusing every misstep made. The $800,000,000,000.00 "stimulus package" was a huge mistake. It was nothing but a payoff to every single Democratic constituency on the books. Additionally, instead of forcing those states whose over spending has caused their financial woes, the pork laden package merely postponed the heartache to come.
Those states, California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, among others, have utterly failed to do the belt-tightening necessary to fend off bankruptcy. Those states are now leading the call for more "stimulus" or frankly bailouts so they don't have to face the fact that 40 or more years of poor planning and overspending. To make matters worse, many analysts had predicted that for the first time in nearly 2 years, job losses would be around 8,000, instead the figure was more than ten times higher: 85,000.
Thus, unemployment has stayed above 10%, not because of any stabilization of the employment market, but rather it reflects that millions of Americans have simply ceased looking for work, and thus aren't counted as being "unemployed. That's political correctness run amuck. Don't count 'em cause they just don't count any more...it's not because they don't want work...there just isn't any jobs out there. Employers have sharply reduced their workforce in order to stave off the tax increases they are facing due to arrive with the socialization of health care. They will be forced to pay substantial fines for not providing insurance, but those fines will be less with fewer workers on their payrolls, therefore, stagnation.
On the other hand, it is proof of the mounting hopelessness in vast stretches of the United States especially in those states, such as California, southern New England and the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes States, where cities are being hit hardest by a federal auto-industry "bailout" that only encourages those companies to close factories in U.S. cities or simply move production to Mexico and China where labour is much cheaper. .
You would think that this would get the attention of the political leadership of the Democratic Party in Washington, DC. Yet, so far it has not. They are too focused on seizing one sixth of the economy in their very false hope that this is what the country desires. This as congressional approval rates plummet into the low 20 percentiles. This Congress has been (nearly criminally) neglectful of this, the most serious problem facing the country.
A few leaders in the controlling party have attempted all last year to gain the attention of their party. As Senator Russ Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat who has been battling his party leadership to turn their attention toward this problem, said Friday: "Today's jobs report underscores the need for Congress and the Obama administration to make jobs an immediate priority. The report shows that employment continues to lag so swift action is needed."
With the start of a new year, the country enters the most volatile midterm election in the past 50 years. The only time that comes close is the 1980 election wherein Ronald Reagan gained control of the White House...though the GOP didn't gain control of Congress until 1994. Much as in that time, our political "elite" is worried more about foreign policy issues, while the electorate is considerably more concerned about the economy. The Democratic leadership are now facing the prospect of serious losses in state and federal races this fall, because they (like the GOP for the most part) are facing a genuine disconnect between the direction they desire to take the country, and what those voters want. Unemployment is a terrifying experience and increasingly realistic possibility as the economy further stagnates. This greatest threat to their political survival .
Unfortunately, the Democratic leadership's idea is to mount another "stimulus package" which will mean another huge increase in deficit spending. This idea is extraordinarily unpopular with the mass of voters who don't see spending more money the country doesn't have as a solution.
Instead of spending money we, as a nation don't have, voter's would rather Congress reduce taxes across the board as well as reduce spending on programs that are not working. What voters really want is to return all unspent TARP funds as well as those in the original "stimulus package". By cutting taxes and returning unspent funds, will reduce both the deficit as well as the national debt, which Congress recently had to raise above $12,000,000,000,000.00. Of even more important to voters is Congress ceasing their seizure of health care. This is seen as a relatively unimportant matter in the present economic mess.
Unfortunately, I don't think that the leadership of either party has the sense to head any of this. They will continue blithely down the path of economic destruction they have chosen to take.
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)Needs to be corrected: "Media interests have attempted to attempted to shore...." Repeated words.Certainly an article that mirrors the passion of many right now. If only the elite would read it and change.but as I'm not a professional writer, I'll accept your critique and correct it...I tend to write in passion, the worry about "fixing" it later. Thanks. Edited it now...how does it read?Rich
another great article, thank you for taking the time to write on this subjectThank you very much.
Insightful and way too many ZEROS after that dollar sign, I know you agree. Keep 'em coming! Marijoyeah, there are...but we've got a government that is spending money fasther than they can make it.Yep and where do you think they are going to recoop that money - like you mentioned our poor kids and grandkids.... only I don't have any but still....Indeed that seems to be the plan.
Richard,You have said my thoughts and I thank you because now I don't have to write this one! The problem lies on both sides of the tracks as well. We, the people, no longer seem to be the priority here.By the way, where are you in Maryland?Thank you...feel free to take a look at my blog just google thevailspot at blogspot dot com. I live just outside of Baltimore (literally) in Pikesville, MD.
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