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Sep 4, 2010

Scott Simon encapsulates Labor Day 2010

No Astrology this morning, just a link to one of the best Simon Says features I've heard NPR Weekend Edition's Scott Simon deliver in a long time. It gives an intimate picture of Labor Day 2010 in America - personal without being too personal - and the sorry unemployment rate that Americans and their families are dealing with.

They'd Trade Labor Day for Days of Labor briefly but succinctly encapsulates the experience of living without gainful employment, and if you missed it this morning, I recommend a listen to Mr. Simon's voice rather than reading his text.

Also from NPR comes explanation on why US unemployment numbers are now the highest of any nation's in the world. Quite a change since the year 2000 - pre-Bush-Cheney.

You know, I half expected a small mention that US corporations might be doing their part to undermine a Democratic president in the White House.

What a crazy idea! Right?

Well, we all have crazy ideas at some time or another. Like deciding to vote in November 2010 to put GOP big spenders in or back in office! How crazy is that?

4 comments:

Astroplethoramaman said...

I've often wondered why the Repubs have so consistently harbored the most repugnant elements in the body politic, at least since WW2. Could it be related to its chosen birthday of July 6 (also GWB's)? It seems to have a collective attitude of entitlement to rule, that it IS the nation, and anyone not Repug lacks legitimacy. Never was it more baldly expressed than during the illegitimate GWB regime.

Jude Cowell said...

Yes, i have wondered the same about the R Party's 'birthday' and haughty attitude - seems to me you are correct! Jude

Anonymous said...

I find it interesting to look back at how the unemployment rate has changed over the past nearly 20years and overlay the administrations during those years. What did they inherit, what did they pass on to the next administration, who got the acclaim, who got the blame, etc.
When Clinton first took office the economy was growing. The unemployment rate had peaked in June of the previous year and had declined 1/2 point. By the time the reconciliation act was signed in late 1993 it had dropped by one point. During the election it was "The economy stupid". I remember Bob Dole in 1993 once saying it was the Bush recovery but he must have been told to shut up because I never heard it again.
Clinton bennefitted greatly from the explosion in the NASDAQ market, increase tax revenues, declining budget surplus, but alas, it was a bubble and all bubbles end ugly. The NASDAQ peaked in March of 2000, Clinton's last year. The Dow had already peaked in January. Before the 2000 elections, the NASDAQ had already dropped 70% of what its final decline would be. With that went all future projections of budget surplus.
Unemployment bottomed in April of 2000 and was up 4/10 and by the time of the 9/11 attacks it was up just over 1 point. Bush 2 inherited a declining economy. When he was asked how he felt about that he said (I think I remember correctly) "We'll play the hand we're dealt" Contrast that to the current administration.
The NASDAQ bear market lasted 31months with a drop of almost 80%, the Dow 33 months with a drop of almost 40%. Along the way 9/11 didn't help. If I remember correctly the 1929 stock market crash lasted 32 months with a drop of almost 90%.
Unemployment peaked in June of 2003 about 6 months after the Nasdag and Dow bottomed. It kept dropping until it bounced off of 4.4 percent from October 2006 to May 2007. It has been rising ever since.
When Obama took office unemployment had been rising for 19months. Clearly he inherited a crappy economy (How many times have we been told that?). Another bubble had burst in the previous administation and the housing market was worse than crappy.
Now I see the potential for a bubble in the Treasury bond market and that really scares me!
My point with all this is that we give to much credit and too much blame to each adminstration. The economy is a continum and each administration leaves crap for the next.
Maybe John Stewart is right. They're all F*king A**holes.

Randy

Jude Cowell said...

Great points, Randy, thanks a bunch for weighing in. And i think Jon Stewart is most often right - the presidential baton passed at each Jan 20 inauguration also passes on a continued agenda w/ the tiresome 'R v D' illusion spun to keep we the people divided and ineffectual!

Oh when will we ever learn? Jude