tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980421295592818922.post4799931062916126906..comments2023-10-23T14:15:29.331-07:00Comments on Shallow Cogitations: But Why?Hank Greerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15243840232233423724noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980421295592818922.post-17639416788069784262013-01-30T09:47:43.310-08:002013-01-30T09:47:43.310-08:00But is the recession really over? Another "s...But is the recession really over? Another "surprise" to elite economists and politicians who refused to talk about it, but not a surprise to workers:<br /><br />"The United States economy unexpectedly reversed course in the final quarter of 2012 and contracted at a 0.1 percent rate, the Commerce Department said Wednesday, its worst performance since the aftermath of the financial crisis in 2009." Times<br /><br />Surprise, surprise, surprise. Next they'll be saying Jim Nabors unexpectedly married a man.Sergeant Carternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980421295592818922.post-69232690799455796372013-01-29T18:55:12.938-08:002013-01-29T18:55:12.938-08:00This sucker could go down!
Even as a supporter of...This sucker could go down!<br /><br />Even as a supporter of an immigration amnesty and overhaul, I have to question the President's decision to couple a massive tax increase targeted at US workers with an amnesty. It's as though Democrats and Republicans are trying to pit working class people against each other. Very cynical timing meant to divert the heat from themselves.<br /><br />It's not dissimilar with the President's decision to couple new trade agreements with fake bank reforms.<br /><br />Reich may describe the hazards of our tax structure, but his conclusion is illogical. If the tax structure is a danger to the economy, then demand changes to the structure. Instead he just demands more spending. Austerity may not be the answer, but spending from regressive funding sources may be no more stimulative. Obama's social, political, and economic triangulation is putting us in a box.<br /><br /><br />Little Miss Sunshinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980421295592818922.post-28624976992981827782013-01-29T17:12:42.430-08:002013-01-29T17:12:42.430-08:00The Reich article has disappeared--just in case it...The Reich article has disappeared--just in case it's in rewrite, here's the cached gist:<br /><br /><i>Personal income is in terrible shape. The median wage continues to drop, adjusted for inflation.<br /><br />Most people can’t get readily-available loans...<br /><br />And the payroll tax hike has reduced paychecks for the typical American by about $100 a month. That’s just about what the typical family spends to fill up their gas tanks per month. Or half what they spend for groceries each week.<br /><br />Contrast the current pessimism with consumer sentiment last October. Then, a majority polled by the Conference Board expected their incomes to rise over the next six months.<br /><br />Now just 14 percent expect their incomes to rise, and 23 percent expect them to fall.<br /><br />That 9 percent gap of pessimists exceeding optimists is the largest since the spring of 2009 when the Great Recession was almost at its worst.<br /><br />The stock market is bullish because corporate profits are up, costs are down, the “fiscal cliff” agreement has locked in low taxes for most of the upper middle class and wealthy, and there’s no sign of inflation as far as the eye can see.<br /><br />But corporate profits can’t stay high when American consumers – whose spending is 70 percent of the U.S. economy – are this pessimistic about the future. They’re just not going to spend.</i><br /><br />Yup. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3980421295592818922.post-78242021762792627952013-01-29T16:54:48.882-08:002013-01-29T16:54:48.882-08:00Why did Obama raise the payroll tax by 47%?
Why w...Why did Obama raise the payroll tax by 47%?<br /><br />Why won't any Democrats (or Republicans) answer?<br /><br />Why won't any elites even admit that the payroll tax was hiked, or try to measure the rolling disaster that the massive hike is causing for the working classes?<br /><br />OK, here's an irony. Robert Reich, the elite (anti)labor secretary under Clinton (NAFTA, WTO) has finally broken ranks and admitted what workers have been saying since their first January paychecks:<br /><br />http://robertreich.org/post/41814536218<br /><br />So, if even Robert Reich can tell the truth, when can other Democrats admit they lied to us?<br /><br />I'd suggest not voting, early or late, for local, state or federal Democrats, until they pass a permanent payroll tax abolition, and roll entitlement support onto general revenues. <br /><br />Enough with the petty fake partisan distractions. The people have bigger fish to fry.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com