Republicans & Conservatives: Archives

that is great news for american and bad for liberalas….

republicans must stand strong, we are the majority….

we must not back down to pelosi, dunggy reed and boxer they are the minority..

stop bowing down, take control or people like me we will start another party….

lets stop being scared white men because we are the party that will unite all americans…..

gt
thanks

Chops - we are standing in place, not moving forward. Tell the folks the unemployment rate remains constant at 5.2%. It is good that immigrants are getting jobs.

Of course, a whole lot of graduates will be trying to come into the workplace in just a couple weeks. That is likely to upset all this good news in the short term.

Real good news is to have a declining unemployment rate as graduates come into the market. Afterall, and awful lof of Americans worked and spent a whole lot money to get out of school. Not much fun to have to work part-time or flip burgers with a college degree.

And unemployment is likely to spike in the East as GM and Ford continue to try to sell gas guzzlers in a $50/barrel oil economy.

David -

I did say the unemployment rate was steady, but did you see why? Labor force participation jumped 0.2%, which, according to HSBC estimates in the article, means that the participation-adjusted unemployment rate has dropped substantially, from 6.2% to 5.9%. As all of this happened, the average work week increased from 33.7 to 33.9 hours per week, indicating that the hiring is not just a lot of part-time jobs being formed. Also, wages kept pace with inflation, which is neither good nor bad news.

I had no intention of making this a “partisan” post. Unlike George T., I don’t think this is good news for one side or the other; I think it’s good news for 274,000 Americans who got jobs, and the rest of us who are rooting for them.

Chops
Right. The great American job machine is in gear. We should all be happy and all take our small part of the credit. There is no election this year, so we don’t have to pretend this is bad news.

BTW - I noticed something interesting re the SS debate. President Bush proposed letting the benefits of higher incomes rise by the inflation rate, while those of lower incomes would rise by the rate of wage growth as it is today. Everyone says that the wage growth since the 1970s (when it was implemented) has risen by about 1% above inflation and that is why they don’t want to go back to the inflation rate. So I guess all those guys who say the U.S. workers are doing more and more poorly are wrong and they admit it when they have to put their money where their mouth is.

Jack -
Interesting point on the wages indexing; I hadn’t thought of that!

When we look at the jobs situation and unemployment figures, we also need to look at this in perspective to the rest of the world. Look at the poor job growth and massive unemployment rates across much of the EU where unemployment in some of the biggest countries (Germany and France) are double that of what we have here. How would you like to be a student in Paris and be looking at the 10% French unemployment rate and over 20% unemployment rate for French young adults? Millions of Chinese and Indians are entering the workfroce every year and competing for jobs with people around the world. Hats off to the USA for the increased job growth despite the increased competition.

To all
The economy quite often looks like a water bed. As you depress one corner another corner rises. If you depress the center then all corners are steady but decrease towards the center. Whereever you depress the water bed there is some point that will stay level and some point will rise. Not the best analogy but it is one that comes to mind on occasion.

Of course all this news presumes that one can trust government to report the truth. If we can’t trust the government with our money, why should we trust them with the truth about data used support their deficit spending?

The joke may be on all who support these numbers as untouched by the hand of the Republicans who absolutely must keep econmic numbers looking good if they want to have a prayer in hell of holding power in next years elections. Greenspan has been issuing warnings to politicians and the public for sometime now that the party days are coming to an end due to drunken sailors in Congress and Whitehouse borrowing from our future to pay for their good economic data required for their re-elections.

It is foolish to believe these numbers reflect anything close to the big picture or the steep downturn facing us around the corner of the next decade. All brought to you courtesy of a Republican government.

The job numbers are good news.

George,

“lets stop being scared white men because we are the party that will unite all americans…..”

Though I’m a liberal, & often in agreement with women such as Pelosi & Boxer, I really don’t think of Republicans as the party of ‘scared white men.’

Jack,

Historically wage growth has exceeded inflation. However, in the most recent quarters of the Bush administration, I believe it has lagged. It seems unlikely this trend would continue. But indexing SSI to wage growth strikes me as a very uncertain way to go, particularly, as DP points out, taking into consideration the way lower paying jobs in the US must compete with wages in developing countries.

It seems safer, and more to the point of the exercise, to index SSI to inflation. I’m not saying that from a political perspective, just a practical one.

But, to put the job numbers in political perspective: During the 8 years of the Clinton administration, an average of 248,000 jobs/month were added. 96 months, 21.6 million jobs.

We seem to be there, creating jobs, and I really really hope we stay there. My job and my income are extremely sensitive to the economy. Few things would please me more than to see job creation take off, that would mean ‘Party at phx8’s house’!!!

David,

For the first 2 1/5 years of Bush’s presidency the job numbers were bad. If a secret cabal of Republicans were faking the data, why did they wait so long to start?

There are a lot of things to criticize the President on (high government spending, unsustainable prescription drug plan, lax border control…) but we should all be glad that worker productivity continues to skyrocket and we look like we are back to the great job creation that we had in the mid to late 90’s.

DP, the answer is simple. They did not have all their own people in place to get away with it. Too many deputies from the former administration to spill the beans.

DP, I would hardly call this job creation that barely keeps pace with immigration and new entrants to the job market as any great take off in job creation. The unemployment rate has hovered around 5.2% for a very long time now. There are no signs of breaking out.

In fact, even President Bush is warning America in his own way that the next spiral in the economy is going to be the trillion plus in pensions threatening default. What good is it to have a low or lower paying job if your pension over the last 25 years is wiped out?

I’ve come to the conclusion, given the numbers that trends are more important than these short term fluctuation Good news isn’t undereported. It gets the hell reported out of it. What we have here is ambiguous news. The economy is in relatively good shape, but it’s got several factors dragging on it, making it volatile.

In just a few years, Hispanics will outnumber Whites then the scared White Republicans are FINISHED!!!!!!!!!

We as Republican cannot become complacent! Job is nothing if we compare it with the harm being done to our children by the teaching of the speculation of Evolution in schools! We have to focus and win this battle this round while we can!

I’m with Stephen on this one. It’s great that last month’s job data looked good, but trends are more important.

I’m sure we all hope this is the beginning of another ‘Golden Age of Clinton’, but the massive national debt, record setting budget deficits, decline in GDP growth, and fall in consumer confidence don’t seem to bear it out.

Thanks for the good news, Chops. If you could keep it coming like that every month, that’d be great.

Looks to me that liberals can’t accept good news.

Liberals face Reality. Reality is the US is in deep shit.

tomd,
They cann’t, even if unemployment dropped 1% a mounth for 6 mounths they would still find doom and gloom.

I for one am glad to see that jobs are being created and people are working. That’s what helps make America strong.
I’m also proud to say that next mounth I’ll be adding 3 jobs going from 31 employees to 35.
247,00 new jobs, congrats to all those that got them.

Chops, for the record, although you say that “Good news is underreported”, my local paper had this story as the headline…and the last few dozen deaths in Iraq on page 5 or so.

George T says:

lets stop being scared white men because we are the party that will unite all americans…..

Are you listening, Dawn & Lisa? George wants you to stop being scared white men and unite!

:-)

George T says:

lets stop being scared white men because we are the party that will unite all americans….. Are you listening, Dawn & Lisa? George wants you to stop being scared white men and unite!

:-)

I, myself, always support Girls Uniting. Something about it makes me all tingly inside…

Chops, does the Treasury bringing back 30 year treasuries ring any bells. It should! The Gov’t. is having to offer higher interest rates in order to float the massive debt. That means Bush and GOP caused net tax increases down the road just a little ways.

Also, notice the stock market drop 800 points in the last couple months? Forward looking barometer in the short term.

Told you those oil prices would be inflationary. Fed raised interest rates 8 times in the last year.

Stephen is right. It is a very mixed picture right now on the medium range outlook, (next 4 to 5 years) and still pretty negative on the long term outlook. The Fed won’t shut up about it nor will they stop warning Congress, the Pres., and the American people that the freight train coming our way loaded with debt and deficits is their responsibility, ignore it or not.

Arny,
“We as Republican cannot become complacent! Job is nothing if we compare it with the harm being done to our children by the teaching of the speculation of Evolution in schools!”

Job creation is much more important than any single issue, Arny. Job creation means people go to work in your community, and new businesses start. It means tax revenue go up for local, state, & federal government, deficits shrink, and it means more people contribute to Social Security.

It can mean more income for you.

Dissatisfied with public education, & the teaching of evolution? Job creation makes for a healthy, growing economy. Private schools can start up, and existing ones can offer more financial aid. More people like yourself can better afford to send your children to private school, or do home schooling.

Did you know abortions decreased under Clinton, and increased under Bush? It’s because the most common reason people give for ending a pregnancy is that they cannot afford to raise a child. Job creation means a healthy economy, and fewer abortions.

Whether liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat, everyone benefits from job creation. I know an economic number like non-farm payrolls isn’t nearly as interesting as a single issue, like the teaching of evolution. But job creation affects all of them; it trumps any single issue you care to name.

I’m well aware this may only be a blip, instead of trend. But right now the economy is in a terrible position should another downtrend start. Everyone single one of us needs to see those employment numbers go up.

I think (although I’m not an economist) that the largest factor in the decrease in unemployment is the weakness of the dollar. America sure is a cheap place to go on holiday to at the moment and a great place to buy from. That’s why they’ve let the dollar slide (and also as an opposite example, why people are getting annoyed about the Chinese Yuan being pegged to the dollar - it means letting the dollar slide doesn’t work as well).

Ron Brown -

I’m also proud to say that next mounth I’ll be adding 3 jobs going from 31 employees to 35.

Since when does 31 + 3 = 35? Is this a case of Republican economics?

Amy,

Exactly what harm was done to YOUR child by the teaching of evolution in school, or are you just worried about saving the heathens.

Here is a humorous link to jesus horses.

enjoy.

Although these numbers are great, the real question posing me is this:

Will the current administration continue this and create a trend that lowers the unemployment rate during the second half of the year? Or will this become a rare miracle that does not make a difference when the next statistics are published?

I wish I could confidentally choose the first option, but George Bush Jr. has not, in my mind, performed well enough during his first 4 1/2 years as president to convince me he could be the one behind this job growth (no tax incentives for businesses that hire new employees, just tax breaks for all including those who oursource jobs).

“The joke may be on all who support these numbers as untouched by the hand of the Republicans who absolutely must keep econmic numbers looking good if they want to have a prayer in hell of holding power in next years elections.” -David

“What we have here is ambiguous news.” - Stephen

Really…really, I mean it now, when you two decide to hit the road on a comedy tour, you two have to let me know so I can buy a pair of tickets. I apologize. But really now, David, the Dems’ best shot at the presidency couldn’t even beat our worst contender for two elections in a row! We aren’t desperately trying to hold onto anything. Secondly, nowhere in Chops’ article does it say that that article was written by a Repbulican or a Conservative. It doesn’t even mention if these reports were taken from governmental broadcasts or a independent survey. So where did you find the grounds to call this republican slanting? That goes for all of you. When do we get to see the comment from you that says these numbers are fabricated…but perhaps the numbers of deaths in Iraq are fabricated too? Oh my! What was that?! Yeah, it seems all to convient that you are willing to jump on the mud slinging but as soon as there is an argument about the terrible death toll in Iraq or the numbers of the impovershed and such you are all to ready to say that these are some true and unfallible figures!
Which leave me to Stephen’s quote. You call out Chops on having ‘ambigous news” meanwhile that entire post had not a single concrete fact or citation. I love how the left can stand up and say “AMBIGIOUS! SLANTED!” But then they can’t really seem to show us the counter-proof, and even when they do, can they show some greater falidity to their figures then??
That aside, I cannot understand how the Dems. look at economics. How do they suspect that after a bubble period that the economy will continue to run at full force? Do not forget that it was under Bush Senior’s administration that the economy began to rise again and it was Clinton who reaped the benefits. Ultimately this is a recurring theme, Republicans plans are meant for long term usage and as they begin to rise, a Dem comes into power, sees the strengthening economy, takes credit and then spends up the wasoo, sending the economy back to a point where Republicans have to build it up again. Granted, I do not agree with a lot of Bush’s economic plans, but it is a trend we have certainly seen before.
Along those lines…so what if the dollar has slid? Firstly, this temporary slide only increases the amount of trade that the US can commit itself to with developing nations as they are able to buy more. Furthermore, the two longterm items to look for are that the Euro will fall as they introduce Eastern Europe into the EU (Take it from someone living in Switzerland) and the dollar will rise. When I first arrived in Switzerland a year ago, it was one dollar to 1.25 francs. Today it is one dollar to just about 1.20 francs. The same holds true for the Euro. So these doomsday sayers shouldn’t be worrying so much.

BDB,

Do not forget that it was under Bush Senior’s administration that the economy began to rise again and it was Clinton who reaped the benefits.

I’m sorry but that argument is so sterile its almost laughable. Here is the logic behind your statement.

9/11 = Clinton’s fault
90’s golden economy = Bush Sr.
End of Communism = Jimmy Carter
Watergate = Lyndon Johnson
Bay of Pigs = Eisenhower
Hiroshima = FDR

I guess everything that’s gone on can be traced back to the first George as in George Washington.

No offense but thats just plain stupid.

by end of communism, I of course am referring to the end of the USSR, yes I know, China, Cuba, Vietnam, etc….

and not stupid, just ludicrous. Lets give credit were credit is deserved and critism where critisim is deserved.

The BDB - I’m not entirely sure what to say about your last paragraph except thanks for agreeing with me. Letting the dollar slide is just about the best economic decision Bush has made.

Take it from someone who lives in the UK who buys equipment from the US all the time - the US got a hell of a lot more competitive in the last year or so. $2 to the pound and over $1.20 to the Euro - give me some of that!

May

President Clinton did a good job with the economy, but the upturn began in March 1991 (the year before he took office) and the downturn began in March 2000 (a couple months before he left office). Credit Clinton, Bush I, the Congress and the American people for the upturn. You can blame all the same people (maybe not Bush I) for the decline.

Most of the real big things have a lot of people who deserve credit or blame. Presidents have a lot less effect on the economy than they and we give them. In the short term, they have very little.

As for the more personal responsibilities, Nixon was responsible for Watergate, Truman the bomb, Kennedy the Bay of Pigs.

Many people helped bring down the Soviet Union. Carter is conspicuous by his absence from this long list.

BDB,
“How do they suspect that after a bubble period that the economy will continue to run at full force?”

The Bush recession might have been unavoidable. However, the inability of the economy to recover since then rests squarely in the Bush administration’s lap.

Remember the tax cut of 2003? It was supposed to generate 3.7 million jobs in the next year. In fact, as of October 2004, the economy has only generated 1.7 million jobs. We’re still waiting.

The average length of time for the economy to recover jobs lost in a recession is 21 months. Due to the Bush adminstration’s policies, it has taken 42 months.

Tax cuts targeted towards the wealthiest segment of society are a poor means of stimulating recovery. It tends to encourage saving among the wealthy. Targeted spending is a much more effective means of economic stimulus.

“Republicans plans are meant for long term usage and as they begin to rise, a Dem comes into power, sees the strengthening economy, takes credit and then spends up the wasoo, sending the economy back to a point where Republicans have to build it up again.”

Come on. I’m sure you already know this. The Bush administration and the Republican Congress have presided over an enormous growth of government. It’s been a policy of ‘borrow & spend.’ Unfortunately, the spending has not been targeted towards job creation. Instead, the Republican Congress has created indefensible annual budget deficits, with little to show for it; and Bush has yet to cast a veto. Not one. That’s poor leadership, plain and simple.

In addition, trade policies are proving to be a catastrophe. Normally, a falling dollar stimulates imports. However, Bush administration policies regarding outsourcing of jobs & manufacturing result in an inability for the US economy to generate exports. It seems the more the economy grows, the more the trade deficit increases, because too many jobs, & too much manufacturing have gone abroad.

As a result, we’re in the rather sad position of cheering a decent non-farm payroll number, and here it is May of 2005!

Jack,
Pardon the digression; this is way outside the thread, but you might change your opinion of Carter, Brzezinski, and their role in the downfall of the USSR by reading the following:

www.globalresearch.ca/articles/BRZ110A.html

Remember how the Soviets claimed that part of their reason for invading Afghanistan was because the CIA was supporting the Mujahadeen?

This an interview with Brzezinski. In summary, the Soviets were telling the truth; the CIA began supporting the Mujahadeen six months before the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. It was a calculated policy decision to lure the USSR into its own Vietnam.

For all their faults, Carter & Brzezinski played an important role in the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Phx8, that’s a really interestin interview with Brzezinski that totally doesn’t explain why Carter expressed such surprise when the invasion occurred. I’m not doubting the veracity of the story, but it sure makes Carter look like an expert poker player.

On the other hand, he let himself take a lot of heat over cancelling the B-1 bomber, and only years later did it come out that he had cancelled it in favor of the top secret B-2 stealth bomber.

Let’s not forget “Jimmy’s” diesel powered
aircraft carrier!

ElliotBay
I said in another post dealing with education that I’m a product of public education and cann’t spell, well I guess I cann’t add either.
Realy it was a typo, I’m going from 31 to 34 employees.
Accually it’s more like democratic economics.

phx8:

The employment situation is fine in this country. The current unemployment rate is LOWER than Clinton’s first term average and HIGHER than Clinton’s second term average. It is lower than the average of any of the last three decades. There is no bad news in the employment situation by historical standards.

The Fed is not unusually concerned about inflation. Here is the fed’s statement:

The Committee believes that, even after this action, the stance of monetary policy remains accommodative and, coupled with robust underlying growth in productivity, is providing ongoing support to economic activity. Recent data suggest that the solid pace of spending growth has slowed somewhat, partly in response to the earlier increases in energy prices. Labor market conditions, however, apparently continue to improve gradually. Pressures on inflation have picked up in recent months and pricing power is more evident. Longer-term inflation expectations remain well contained.

As for this economy. American wealth per capita has never been higher. It is just in home ownership this time. Home ownership has never been higher as a percentage of our citizens. It is a great time to be an American.

Craig

“Doom is Upon Us till we get a Communist in the white house!” I am sick of the chatter of the left!

You guys, gals, and other, would find something wrong with anything, no matter how good it might be, unless it is a socialist paradise where everyone has the magical yolk of equality- or should I say slave to the state.

Those who can, Do. Those who can not, vote Democrat.

Looking forward to the revolution, when all the seditious are vanquished.

MAY GOD ALMIGHTY SAVE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FROM ALL THOSE WHO WOULD DESTROY HER.

Ultimately this is a recurring theme, Republicans plans are meant for long term usage and as they begin to rise, a Dem comes into power, sees the strengthening economy, takes credit and then spends up the wasoo, sending the economy back to a point where Republicans have to build it up again.

I’ve heard this theory too many times that each president reaps the economic benefits of the previous administration. I really wish that were the case. Unfortunately, in our speculative economy, the market reacts LONG before any actual benefits are received.

Case in point: Consider Hewlett-Packard. Recently, its stock price shot up by 11% in just a few hours. This translated to the company being worth about $7 billion more than it was that morning. This wasn’t because it suddenly had $7 billion dollars worth of additional assets, or even $7 billion dollars worth of additional revenue contracts. It all happened because they FIRED ONE EMPLOYEE!

The strength of the dollar, the unemployment rate, the trade deficit — these things don’t have nearly the effect on the market as CONFIDENCE does.

As for tax-and-spend Democrats, they’ve always bothered me, too. However, on that front, this administration doesn’t have a leg to stand on. In the past 4 years, the Republicans have been, as one WatchBlogger once said, spending like drunken Kennedys.

Clinton had some good ideas and some bad ideas. Fortunately, he had a Republican congress to weed out the bad ones. Conversely, they had him to weed out their bad ideas. Thus, we had a pretty good eight years, balanced between extremist madmen. For the past 4 1/2 years, we’ve been out of balance, and suffered accordingly.

At least, at the end of this, the Republicans won’t be able to hide their problems behind the Democrats.

Interesting how a non-partisan issue on unemployment quickly became quite political. Even thankfully with some partisan mud-slinging.

It was mentioned that the government may not be telling the truth. If true, all % figures that are used to show improvement (or lack thereof) must be restated as “alleged”.

Arguments about the economy/politics in general are akin to those about religion. Those of us to the right (I am just to the right of Attila the Hun) on most issues can make as strong a case for any issue as our bleeding heart liberal friends on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Oh yes, I agree with the Good News statement that precipitated all the pulpit dialogue (mostly way off the thread).

Sean,

“Those who can, Do. Those who can not, vote Democrat.”

Now you see, that’s a whole lot worse than what I said JOKINGLY about the Republicans and I got temporarily banned for saying it. So you just watch it pal.

phx8,

“The average length of time for the economy to recover jobs lost in a recession is 21 months. Due to the Bush adminstration’s policies, it has taken 42 months.”

Now, I hate coming to Bush’s aid, but you are just making this up. The 2000-2002 recession was radically different from “the average” recession and shouldn’t be measured using “the average” time period.

“Normally, a falling dollar stimulates imports.”

What? I’ve never heard that… You got some data to back that up?

Zeek,
“Normally, a falling dollar stimulates imports.”
Correction. Exports. Good catch.

Why was the most recent recession radically different from previous recessions? In traditional economic measures, it was a relatively mild recession.

“Whether Bush gains or loses jobs during his tenure, the fact is that unemployment has been – compared to past downturns – relatively mild. In fact, the economy lost a smaller percentage of jobs in the Bush downturn than in seven of the ten previous downturns going back to 1945 when the federal government began keeping the statistics on total nonfarm employment.”

http://www.factcheck.org/article101.html

And no, I’m not making up statistics:

“During the average post-WW II (hereafter post-war) recovery, it took about 21 months for nonfarm payroll employment to surpass its previous peak. This interval was much longer after the 1990-91 and 2001 recessions.”

http://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/re/2004/a/pages/econ_track.html

If you’ll recall, net job gains on non-farm payroll from the recession only recently crossed into positive territory; a period of 42 months.

In other words, a relatively mild recession, followed by a ‘jobless recovery,’ due to ineffective Bush administration policies.

Don’t forget that a lot of the new jobs were public sector jobs - gubmint jobs - thanks to the record-setting growth of the federal government under the Bush administration.

Yes, AP, the job picture is actually worse than it appears:

“Even after last month’s bumper gain in employment, there are 22,000 fewer private sector jobs than when the recession began in March 2001, a 0.02 per cent fall. At the same point in the recovery from the recession of the early 1990s, private sector employment was up 4.7 per cent.”

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/f269a8f4-c173-11d9-943f-00000e2511c8.html

So you’re right, I didn’t go into that, but the one job sector where the Bush administration & Republican Congress really excel is in creating government jobs. Way to go, guys!

This paragraph was from an article on falling wages. But that’s another topic…

phx8,

You made it look like all those quotes were of me, when only the first one was. Please don’t do that…

“Why was the most recent recession radically different from previous recessions? In traditional economic measures, it was a relatively mild recession.”

I don’t use any other “traditional economic measures” than the stock market… Sorry if I failed to convene that…

Zeek,
I should not have left spaces between the quote and the citation. That, or changed the address to ‘factcheck.zeek’ !