Job Search in Elkhart, Indiana where unemployment = 15.3%
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The U.S. public strongly approves of how President Barack Obama is handling efforts to pass a stimulus package but not so for Congress, poll results indicate.
Obama has a 67 percent approval rating for the way in which he is addressing government’s efforts to pass a bill, while Democrats and Republicans in Congress earned approval ratings of 48 percent and 31 percent, respectively, results from a Gallup poll released today indicated.
Recent polling also indicated a slight majority of Americans asked generally favor passing a stimulus plan of around $800 billion, a sentiment Gallup said remained constant over the last several weeks.
Obama’s overall job approval rating — 64 percent as of Sunday — is close to his approval rating on the stimulus, while Gallup’s last measure of favorable ratings for the Republicans in Congress in December was 25 percent, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency reported.
Our Congress-critters are doing a stellar job at broadening and building support aren’t they? [/sarcasm]
#12, Ah yea,
And it galls me that you still don’t have any plan. You have the unmitigated audacity to suggest the plan crafted by both parties is bad. Because you don’t like the jobs or they aren’t “real jobs”.
Are those 3 million people who have lost their “real jobs” over the past few months going back to work tomorrow?
#16, Lyin’ Mike,
So the Republicans ran up huge deficits and added trillions to the national debt, and so their best course now is to vote for more debt and deficits?
The Republicans had eight years to get the economy strong. They gave us lower taxes, a couple of stimulus checks to the people, huge incentives to big business, loosened regulations and oversight, and look where we are. Why not try the Democrats version on how to do it.
#19, Ah Yea,
I do a lot of work in China, and they are killing us because it simply cost less to operate over there. They charge 17.5% total tax, and that is only after 5 years! Here in the US it’s at least 35%, and that is starting at year one. This means that Chinese producers can undercut us dramatically and still have the same profit.
Not to mention that basic services such as water and power are subsidized to businesses at about 1/2 the US rate or less. (Hence we need Government subsidized nuclear).
BULL
The Chinese have artificially devalued their currency against the American dollar. They don’t support or have health and safety laws. They pay peanuts. And they don’t pay for medical care.
Back in 2003 a company I was affiliated with shipped 3/4 of its work to China. I too visited the new factory.
The employees were paid $0.80 per hour for 12 hr days. There were two 20 minute breaks a day for them to piss, shit, and eat. Their choice. If they lived in the company housing, on the top two floors in dorms, they paid for it.
American business does NOT start at 35% tax. Recently the Congressional Budget Office reported that 1/3 of American businesses pay no tax at all, including some very successful and profitable ones.
They aren’t smarter. They are just more ruthless.
#18
Confused you are. Businesses are built on capital. Banks are only one source of capital. However, if your capital dries up and you have no means of replacing it, then your business goes under. It sucks, but that’s how the cookie crumbles. That is why they call it RISK. It has been happening for hundreds of years. Starting a new business is a big risk. It is no different than if you started a business on Angel money and that money pulls out.
The best thing the government can do is to soften the landing of people with savings in banks and let the banks fall on their collective asses. Banks are a huge money making enterprises which means that someone is going to take up the mantle and loan money if they think they can make money off it. It would have been preferable to bring back the idea of the Bank of the US and to transfer loans to it than to simply write a blank check to finance industry.
Having the government write a check so that GM and AIG can throw another fancy shindig is the wrong solution. The government simply does not have the means to provide enough “well paying” (dealer’s choice as to what that means) jobs for everyone. The government is not a nanny. Its purpose is not to wipe your butt if you drop a load in your pants. The only way is to encourage *SMART* businesses to take risk is to ensure that dumb businesses fail.
You state that people need jobs, yet you want the government to provide them. You are robbing Peter to pay Paul. How is that a sustainable economic model?
>Because you don’t like the jobs or they aren’t “real jobs”.
>People need (and want) jobs. Not flipping burgers. Not doing data entry on a computer. Not greeting customers at some big store.
So it takes Fusion 34 minutes to write those two posts.
The Republicans largely lost their majority because of the Iraq War and the bailout, with Nancy Pelosi bashing them the day the bailout passed. I don’t see why Republicans should turn around and support another trillion plus in spending.
When I read these blog entries, I get the feeling that there is one group that has the cash and they don’t want to stop hoarding it and another group that want’s the cash to spend or to hoard it also…
I wonder if people will start taking risks again and invest in the future or will keep hunkering down and hiding out.
I agree that the business tax rate is to high. And capital gains rate should go away altogether.. That will provide incentive for people to take some (more) risk and also spend some extra cash.
How do you feel about taking a risk and starting a new business or investing in the market? I bet not good..
Maybe we do need a National Bank that seeds startups…
#24 Thomas. Well said.
#25 MikeN. Yes, it took Fusion a long time to come to a half-ass answer. “Real Jobs”. Of course, Fusion is a liberal troll who rants against helping business create “Real Jobs”. To Fusion, businesses are EVIL. Corporations are the DEVIL! (But I still want a REAL JOB!)
Don’t expect any critical analysis from Fusion. Like Thomas said “You state that people need jobs, yet you want the government to provide them. You are robbing Peter to pay Paul. How is that a sustainable economic model?”
Don’t expect Fusion to answer because although we understand the real world, I think Fusion is still in high school.
All the libertarians, Right Wing Nuts, and “Conservatives”,
None of you have yet come up with an alternative plan. I’ve read things like “well Obama’s plans won’t create jobs” or “only a business can create a job”, or “let the banks fail, that is the way we do it”. etc. A lot of mumbling but nothing concrete.
What you less than stellar brain pool applicants ignore is that many people have their life savings tied up in these banks. Their retirement funds. Communities are built around certain industries. Millions of people.
Won’t one of you idiots present a plan other than what has been in place for the past eight years and failed so dismally?
#28 Again reading comprehension problems. Many people have offered MANY different plans. Here & in D.C. Please go out and search. You are really showing what psych meds can do to a person when taken long term…
#28
> many people have their
> life savings tied up in these banks.
You are missing the point. I fully agree that the government should use FDIC to help those people with savings. That is exactly its purpose. I’m all for helping the individuals; however let the bank itself fail. If the plan was to give each person the balance of their retirement and savings as of 1 Jan 2008 up to a given amount and let the banks fall on their face, I’d support that plan more than the current plan of chasing bad money.
With respect to retirement funds, if you are referring to the idea of people losing their current holdings, then I’m all for finding a way to let people move those holdings to another entity without loss. However, if you are referring to losses due to investments in the finance industry, that was a conscious choice.
Notice that none of these ideas should cost 9 trillion dollars. The cost of the Iraq War and losses due to 9/11 combined are completely dwarfed by this ridiculous stimulus package.
#29, Cow-Patty, ignorant troll,
No!!! You haven’t presented a plan. Eff off with this bullshit “go out and look for your self”.
THERE ISN’T ANY OTHER PLAN BEING OFFERED. Is that plain enough?
When asked during a TV interview if he had an alternative to the Obama Plan, Minority Leader John Boener said the Rpublicans would be presenting one in a few weeks.
If you have a plan then present it. Until then posts like your #29 are just the thing people complain about when they call you a troll.
Geeze, you are idiot that has continually lied.
# 31 Mr. Fusion said, “THERE ISN’T ANY OTHER PLAN BEING OFFERED. ”
Sure, lots. Just use Google. N.B. Only use Google if your mommy says it’s okay. Otherwise, keep pestering the adults here to provide a link for you…
#32, Cow-Patty, ignorant troll,
So there is no plan. The wing nuts just want to continue with the failed policies of the past eight years.
Loser.
Cow-Patty,
So when are you going to post the link showing Frank said corruption is the voters FAULT?
paddy-o,
The bottom line is, if you can’t explain yourself, you are full of shit. ANybody can say “look it up”. You had your last chance, but blew it. No cookie for you. I don’t think the guys should call you names, but I can understand why they do. I won’t call you a bunch of names, but I will tell you that you dissappoint me and reinforce the Right-Wing idiot stereotype.
# 35 smartalix said, “ANybody can say “look it up”.”
Why would you look up common knowledge that even a 7th grader has? Unless, you didn’t finish 7th grade….
Interesting indeed….
36,
You sir, are a jackass.
You have nothing intelligent to say
You add very little to the conversation.
You speak in vague disingenuous generalities.
You evade requests for backup and intelligent comment with “look it up”.
You obviously don’t know anyone here, yet act like you are King of the World, when in fact you are just a little king of shit on top of a turd hill.
Your only utility seems to be to give people here something to poke with a stick.
# 37 smartalix said, “You speak in vague disingenuous generalities.”
Yes, I’m sure that to someone of your IQ, simple basics, seam vague & disingenuous…
#38, Cow-Patty,
I have to agree with Alex on this except for the part where you act like you are “Big King Shit”. You are really just more like a ‘Fart the Messenger’ type guy and you stink at that job.
So when are you going to post your quote for when Frank said corruption is the voters fault?
Its obvious the GOP is falling back on its old ways. Always part of the problem, never part of the solution.
Their worst fear is that the economy will recover, because they put the party first, not country.
Obama is laying a trap for the GOP, which will be sprung in the 2010 midterms.