So let me get this straight - 44% of Americans say their personal financial situation is BAD - and you think this means we are in a good economy??

You must be young?

In the late 70's - if a kid finished high school (no college) he could literally choose which manufacturer he wanted to work at. This was true in many, many places all over the country.
Within 30 miles where I live there was these major plants:

General Motors
Ford
General Electric
Otis Elevator
RCA
Carpenter Bus
CFI systems

Today - all that is left is the GM plant - A L L the others have closed, with G.E., Ford and RCA all went to Mexico.

Also consider that this is the first time in history since the depression that the actual dollar rate being paid to laborers is LOWER than the previous generation.
Meaning 20 years ago a guy could get hired on at $10.00 per hour...the SAME job today may hire in at $9.00 per hour or even less...same company..same job.

The CPI adjustment for a USD began in 1913 at $1.00. In 1965, 52 years and two world wars later, it was only $3.13. In 1985 $10.87, and in 2006 $20.18. From a consumer viewpoint, based on what can be purchased, that same $10/hr job from 1985 paid at $9/hr in 2006 is actually $4.50/hr in purchasing power. Only federal drones get COLA wage increases to keep up with that inflation, which is why they now make far, far more than their private sector contemporaries.

Why would anyone wonder that 44% of Americans say their personal financial situation is bad? The average US wage for 2006 was $17.75/hr, or $8.88/hr in 1985 money, which brings us back to the fallacy of applauding the creation of 'new' lower paying service industry jobs while losing higher paying goods production jobs. The lower economic tier of Americans buys cheap imported goods from Wal-Mart because that's all they can afford to buy. Americans had better hope China doesn't revalue the Yuan to help inefficient US industry become more competitive with a cheap USD because with decades of US fiscal irresponsibility at personal and public levels the USD will float right down there with the Peso.

It'll be fine if I can just get a government job.

__________________
Is our children learning? -George W. Bush

"I think—tide turning—see, as I remember—I was raised in the desert, but tides kind of—it's easy to see a tide turn—did I say those words?"—Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006

"[T]he illiteracy level of our children are appalling."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2004

I'll refrain from commenting on that as it seems there are government workers on the board who consider negative comments regarding government employment a form of blasphemy.

So, what, there are thousands of other jobs that pay more. Which is why the average wage is about $17/hr. We can cherry pick stats all day. The economy has grown by trillions, millions of jobs have been created. Everyone is richer. THat adds up to a good economy.

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http://www.fairtax.org

Elminate all taxes on income and replace with a national sales tax.

Well - I don't mean to sound condescending...but if you really believe this then there is no point in debating, for you then show a willingness to be the sheep of conservative business shows that are so far off from reality...you should pay a bit more attention to actual economist, not millionaire stock investors who want everything to stay the same since they have made fortunes in the last 10 years - directly off the backs of the middle class. Only boneheads like these idiots COUNT PEOPLE WORKING TWO JOBS AS "JOB GROWTH".

Here - read this -> Fed Economist Cheers Middle Class Squeeze | TPMCafe

For every economist who shows you the pessimist side, there is one who shows the positive side.

__________________
http://www.fairtax.org

Elminate all taxes on income and replace with a national sales tax.

Americans STILL work more hours than most industrialized nations and our relative GDP is still declining suggesting inefficiency.

The US dollar is still losing value - equaling the Canadian dollar for the first time in 30 years.

The number of uninsured is still on the rise.

The number of people slipping below the poverty line has only stabilized one time in the past 5 or 6 years.

The US life expectancy creeps up by some margin. John Stossel says our lagging life expectancy is due to our greedy culture but infant mortality rises right along with that tiny increase in life expectancy.

We cheer the vigor of the equity markets until we have to be bailed out by foreign injections and manipulated interest rate that can only hasten a looming recession.

I get tired of hearing how things are really rosy in spite of what it looks like. Dude, you're standing in a steaming pile of shit up to your chin and it really is Bush's fault.

__________________
...the government...is caving in...with their specious arguments couched in the...language of civil rights law, and that the churches ... likewise crumbling to...rhetoric which is nothing but heretical sophistry -- ~F Phelps
Platitudes like the one you offer are no different - and no less incorrect - than the jackass part-time Christian who says, "I'm going to heaven because I'm nice to people." It so misses the point.~Impugn

I love it. GPP is up, but our relative GDP is declining (whatever that is), so the economy sucks. Always a dark lining I guess. Amazing you guys get out of bed in the morning.

__________________
http://www.fairtax.org

Elminate all taxes on income and replace with a national sales tax.

Gross Domestic Product
We produce less per person

__________________
...the government...is caving in...with their specious arguments couched in the...language of civil rights law, and that the churches ... likewise crumbling to...rhetoric which is nothing but heretical sophistry -- ~F Phelps
Platitudes like the one you offer are no different - and no less incorrect - than the jackass part-time Christian who says, "I'm going to heaven because I'm nice to people." It so misses the point.~Impugn

Really? Do you have a source?

__________________
Is our children learning? -George W. Bush

"I think—tide turning—see, as I remember—I was raised in the desert, but tides kind of—it's easy to see a tide turn—did I say those words?"—Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006

"[T]he illiteracy level of our children are appalling."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2004

RTTNews - Financial News Analysis, Coverage Reiterated, Sector/Indices Articles, Stock Market News, Broker Ratings ....

I travel to Canada, on business, about once a month.

The first time I went, I got $1.27 CDN for every $1.00 US. I leave for Nova Scotia on Tuesday, and I'll be lucky to see it on par...

__________________
Obama's New "57 State Patriotic Pin":




Sayeth John Drake - 10/13/08: "OK, you're right, I admit to LYING"

Take your pick. It was a headliner yesterday.

__________________
...the government...is caving in...with their specious arguments couched in the...language of civil rights law, and that the churches ... likewise crumbling to...rhetoric which is nothing but heretical sophistry -- ~F Phelps
Platitudes like the one you offer are no different - and no less incorrect - than the jackass part-time Christian who says, "I'm going to heaven because I'm nice to people." It so misses the point.~Impugn

Shit...forgot to mention the rising oil prices too.

__________________
...the government...is caving in...with their specious arguments couched in the...language of civil rights law, and that the churches ... likewise crumbling to...rhetoric which is nothing but heretical sophistry -- ~F Phelps
Platitudes like the one you offer are no different - and no less incorrect - than the jackass part-time Christian who says, "I'm going to heaven because I'm nice to people." It so misses the point.~Impugn