by Jack Lee
How’s President Obama doing? He’s doing great, unfortunately we’re not! Let’s check out a few stats and you’ll see what I mean: In January of 2009 the number of people living in poverty was 39,800,000, today that number is over 43,600,000. Hmmm…that’s a gain of 9.5%, that’s pretty bad.
How about the number of long term unemployed? Well, back in January of 09 it was 2,600,000 now its 6,400,000, a gain of over 146%. The median income in 08 was $50,112 and in 09 it had dropped to $49,777. 2010 isn’t in yet, but it’s expected to be worse just like home prices. Hey, I thought things were getting better??? But, wait, there’s more. The prices of most commodities are up, for example raw sugar cane was $13.37 in 09 and now it’s jumped to $35.70. We use a lot of cane sugar so expect food to reflect the new higher price. The price of soybeans moved from $9.66 to $13.75 in the same period.
Lets not even talk gasoline prices, you know that score all too well….lets skip over to corn. The corn spot price has jumped 76% from 09 till now. Gold per ounce was at $853 in January of 09 and today is $1429. Gold reflects the fear factor of investors. Oh and here’s a good one (bad one actually), food stamp recipients increased by a whopping 35.1% in the last year to year period!
You want more? The dollar has dropped almost 8% against the Japanese yen; it seems we’re cranking out too many dollars. The money supply has jumped 18.4%. Speaking of money, we had 140 bank failures in 08 and in 09 there were 164..wrong direction!
Blacks have faired worse than anybody under Obama. Their unemployment rate in the last 12 months has increased by 25.4%. 15.8% of the entire black population is now unemployed. So much for hope and change.
These stats came from the Wall Street Journal, the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, USDA, Standard and Poors, FDIC, Federal Reserve, FHFA and US Treasury.
Well, it is a change, and in that area he kept his promise.
The next question is are we willing to pay more for less in 2012? I am not but I still work for a living and really do not approve of government profiting so much from working tax payers, while they reward those with money they take from us and just give it away. What was the latest report, somewhere in the neighborhood of $235,000 cost of tax payers monies for each job Obama claims to have created. That kind of change does not work for a better/stronger America.
Harold you ask a darn good question, are we willing to pay more for less in 2012? I like that phrase, it would make a great bumper sticker! Sure conveys whats happening in one short sentence.
I am convinced the only reason there are not more outraged American’s regarding the actions of Obama is many have not had the time due to their busy lives to do research and understand the truth, the facts are not exposed by the main stream media. That was me a year ago! Since then I have taken the time, and done the research to become a coherent outspoken citizen. And now for the first time in my life I see myself as an outraged patriot who has hope for our future. Each and every day we delay removing Obama and his minions from office severely damages America’s cultural, fiscal, political & judicial systems.
Send this to anyone in doubt: Ending Socialism & Restoring a Constitutional Government http://bit.ly/fWYqtG
Back when Obama was first elected he would say “I have skin in the game”, my question is what game is it he has skin in? Who’s axe is he grinding? It sure isn’t the axe of the American people.
How is he doing you ask? He is doing about as badly as we on the Right figured he would be doing. If the people on the Left would just once be honest and hold Obama to the same standard they held Bush, Obama would be run out of office today.
Jeff thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us on Post Scripts. It’s always great to hear from someone new. Welcome to the crazy, frustrating world of American politics…and thank you for grabbing that sense of patriotism with both hands. Feel free to speak out here anytime!
(Is that a good old American brewski in that hand?)
This is no laughing matter and should be dealt with by every one of us. While I can remember back in the late 60s earning 50 cents an hour, while paying 19 cents for a gallon of gas, $35 dollars a week at the grocery store and $60 a month for rent we were better off then we are today because we got to keep more of what we earned.
When I hear we are spending billions of dollars to station our military in rich foreign countries like Saudi Arabia and others that do not reimburse the cost, it makes no sense to me.
When I hear teachers and other public sector individuals want more money and better benefits then individuals in the private sector get, while failing to teach our children and creating the need for after school, tax supported reading programs, it makes no sense to me.
When I hear and see public supported media using tax dollars to promote a self-serving agenda while admitting they do not need the public funds they receive, it makes no sense to me.
When I hear and see the Democratic leader of the senate say he believes the Cowboy Poetry competition held in Elko, NV every year is entitled to federal funds instead of charging a higher price for a ticket, it makes no sense to me.
When I retired in 2003 my salary was about $27 an hour. A far cry from what I earned in the 60s, and Im not paying around $10 for a gallon of gas. So, why do I not feel Im better off and my son and grandkids will have it even worse? Could it be because so many have figured they do not have to take care of themselves and the rest of us will pick up the tab? In the 60s we didnt have health or dental insurance, but I went to the doctor when I was sick and even had braces paid for by my parents when I was a kid. A girl friend had her child at the county hospital and was required to pay off the bill years later. We were held accountable for our actions and paid for what we had or went without. We knew how to create a budget and how to live on it.
I have a real hard time understanding why some people can not figure out that nothing is free. That free education we all got from K-12 we have been paying for with every rent and mortgage payment for the rest of our lives. This goes for all of the other freebies out there. Do I want to help pay for a ticket so someone can go hear a cowboy recite poetry instead of taking my own grandkids to a movie? Hell no! Will I help an orphaned child, a lonely old person and a disable vet? You bet! But, I resent my taxes being used for anything else except the protection of my country within its own borders.
“Will I help an orphaned child, a lonely old person and a disable vet? You bet!”
Actually, no, you won’t, wouldn’t, and haven’t. How do you think we got where we are?
All along the course of human social evolution, hundreds and thousands of years, it’s become plainer with every passing century, charity don’t cut it … but taxes, screw the funds out of their tight little fists via taxes, and you can make the most beneficent society on the planet to date … ours.
And you’re wrong about the Cowboy Poetry Contest too. A nation what wants to have a vibrant, lively cultural life publicly subsidizes same.
Libby the poor will always be with us. Government programs make sure the numbers stay up there. People do give to charity. The individual holds some responsibility and given some incentive most will step up to the plate. Those who don’t are living as they please and it’s none of our danged business.
“A nation what wants to have a vibrant, lively cultural life publicly subsidizes same.”
Horse tatters! If art and culture are good people pay for it. “Christ piss” we can do without.
Wrong! I have and will continue to support anyone who can NOT take care of themselves. But, I will not support anyone who chooses to sit on their backside, because they believe they are entitled to.
I love art and I love Nascar racing, but I do not believe our taxes should fuel a car going 200 mph for 500 laps around a track any more then it should go for cowboys reciting poems. (Millions go to Nascar and the Army race car every year. And I’m even an Army brat.) Both venues are enjoyed by individuals sitting there for their entertainment, which are not a necessity of living.
The question is, if you only had $10 to give would you give it to someone who needed food and water or to someone who wanted to go be entertained? I’ll feed the hungry and thirsty with my money and you can choose to do what you prefer. This country is broke. We are spending more then we are making, and we must decide on what is important and where it would do the most good.
Here’s the most real I can make it: Every current president and his people have this built in plausible deniability that they were not accountable for things that happened on the other presidents watch. It was always that previous guy that caused it or set it up to happen later and they are merely left to clean up his mess. But, how long does one get to play this card? Sometime we have to say look, you have had long enough! Your policies and ideas are not working. Obama is there now and eventually even his most ardent supporters are going to have to recognize system wide failure.
this is an insane debate.
The federal reserve reports there is 37% more dollars around now, than three years ago.
Dollars are what make the economy go ’round, kids.
The dollars are being hoarded by the Uber Rich.
Yes, you are keeping less, Peggy.
Since Obama’s tax rates are even lower than Ray Gun’s common sense oughtta tell you it ain’t the government that is getting your hard-earned money.
Unfortunately common sense is attacked as “liberal.”
YES, we will ALL continue to support those who do not pull their own weight–Wall Street.
Q “The federal reserve reports there is 37% more dollars around now, than three years ago.”
Of course…THEY CREATED IT! aND our dollars are now worth that much LESS!
“The dollars are being hoarded by the Uber Rich.”
Just the ones that BELONG TO THEM! And they aren’t hoarding (you can’t hoard what you already own) they have it invested in safe instruments that do little to help the economy. WHY? Because this administration has made it clear that the rich are a targeted breed. Investments are also targeted to be TAXED. They’re waiting for a more business friendly environment…can’t blame them a bit.
“Since Obama’s tax rates are even lower than Ray Gun’s common sense oughtta tell you it ain’t the government that is getting your hard-earned money.”
Obama thought that by making a show of reducing some taxes he could fool people into buying into the other radical plans he had to tax and regulate the economy. Shutting down drilling and taking a hostile position toward coal while wasting money on green technology that can’t meet our needs is one of them. Get a clue Q…there’s more to this game than one type of tax.
“Unfortunately common sense is attacked as ‘liberal.'”
Common sense hasn’t been around for quite awhile…the last two years have been insane.
“YES, we will ALL continue to support those who do not pull their own weight–Wall Street.”
The support was once voluntary. Obama has made it something closer to a soviet operation.
To say that those who work on Wall Street don’t pull their weight is dumb anyway…the more they make the more the government takes in…and it’s more than you or I “donate” in taxes.
What would you do to replace or transform Wall Street? What system do you prefer?
Quentin, you say we have 37% more dollars around now so we’re doing good. If I gave you a piece of paper and it was redeemable for an ounce of gold you knew what you had and you would say that’s good. But, if I gave ten pieces of paper for that one ounce of gold are you getting ten times more? 37% more dollars is the same principle. It’s not good Quentin.