The Cafferty File: How is the shaky economy affecting you?
By Nicole Belle Tuesday Mar 18, 2008 11:00am
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Despite the reassurances and rosy pictures being painted by those in DC, most Americans are feeling the pinch of the stumbling economy. Jack Cafferty asked Americans to tell him how the economy is affecting them, and the outlook is decidedly less rosy.
Ann from Newton, New Jersey writes:
I am over 70 years of age, unable to live on Social Security and still have to work to keep my head above water. With gas prices over $3.00 a gallon, food and heating rising, having to pay supplement health and prescription insurance, higher taxes, the water is now also rising past my lips. I hope I don’t drown too soon.Jeff from Boston writes:
Jack, I was laid off on Friday of last week. My brother just called to let me know he was laid off today. Does that answer your question?
Bonddad calls the Republican economic strategy finally showing its unworkability an Empire of Debt, collapsing under its own weight. Meanwhile, corporate welfare continues unabated, much to the anger of investor Jim Rogers. (h/t Drew in the comment thread)
Full transcripts from The Cafferty File below the fold
FROM CNN’s Jack Cafferty:
The United States’ economic problems are getting worse.
Americans are grappling with higher costs for food and gasoline, while their adjustable rate mortgages go up and the value of their homes goes down. The economy is losing jobs – 63,000 of them last month. The dollar continues to hit record lows against foreign currencies, like the Euro, while rising commodity prices signal inflation.
The nation’s fifth largest investment bank, Bear Stearns went belly up. And the Federal Reserve, on a Sunday night, struck fear into everyone’s heart by suddenly announcing that the government is going to make emergency loans available to Wall Street firms in addition to banks.
Why Sunday night? What did they know that couldn’t have waited until Monday during regular business hours, when the fear quotient of their decision could have been greatly reduced?
Similarly, the Fed’s race to dramatically lower interest rates in big chunks – for example, today’s reduction of three-quarters of a percentage percent – also raises the question whether things are worse than we’re being told. A recession is all but inevitable and it could be long and deep.
A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows 65% of those surveyed are very concerned about inflation. 59% are very worried about unemployment. 48% point to the drop in home values and 40% to the drop in the stock market.
Here’s my question to you: How is the growing bad news about the economy affecting your daily life?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Katherine writes:
Groceries are killing us. We started a garden this year to help keep expenses down. We have to watch where we go and the cost of gas. And we are doing better than some I know. I fear more for what may come next and if it gets worse.
Josh from Tampa, Florida writes:
I bought a house in 2007, 100% financing at a fixed rate. Remodeled it and now almost overnight my house is worth 25% less then when I bought it. How exactly does that happen? It’s a home, not a stock, people! Things are seriously broken.
Don writes:
Two weeks ago, a dozen plain donuts at Wal-Mart cost me $2.50. Yesterday, I went to Wal-Mart and the same dozen cost me $3.33.
Kevin from Red Hook, New York writes:
My boss is sweating bullets over the economy. The weak dollar and high costs are putting a huge strain on us. We manufacture car racing equipment and the cost of some materials has doubled in the last year, up 23% just this past week. He’s talking about making cuts, but doesn’t know who or where. My main worry is that we’ve only got six employees and I’m the new guy. I’m getting ulcers already.
Ann from Newton, New Jersey writes:
I am over 70 years of age, unable to live on Social Security and still have to work to keep my head above water. With gas prices over $3.00 a gallon, food and heating rising, having to pay supplement health and prescription insurance, higher taxes, the water is now also rising past my lips. I hope I don’t drown too soon.
Jeff from Boston writes:
Jack, I was laid off on Friday of last week. My brother just called to let me know he was laid off today. Does that answer your question?
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Shakin' it foist!
Maybe Jack and his brother should get an education or skill that will allow them to be flexible in the market economy when its in a down cycle. This is a normal business cycle people, sometimes you up, sometimes your down. Whats with Don complaining about the donuts? Get real
The fact that MSM is reporting on this recession is nothing short of a complete turn around. For months, MSM tipped toed around this issue. For many Americans, this was a no-brainer. I worry about the middle class.
But, the good news is the rich are doing fine. (Just in case you were worried.)
chris @ 2:
Someone is an idiot.
]no personal attacks please........Site Monitor]
Alberta is hiring
I find it hillarious that a comment from someone who is SO out of touch with reality, saying all is okay, is supposed to be comforting to the nation.
When was the last time that excuse of a man managed to predict something correctly, or told a situation as it is?
\o/
Give up...
Don't feed the trolls...
Cowpotpi3 @ 5:
Cowpotpi3 @ 5:
My wife and I just got back from CostCo and were shocked at the increase in prices even at a food-club. We talked in the aisle for a while and decided that things wont get better anytime soon. So we bought Rice in 50 pound sack (there's just the two of us on a fixed income) We are stocking our larder with bulk canned food. We can't be secure with this economy going like it is, so ... get prepared folks. It's getting worse every day.
@Chris,
If this is really a market economy, why do we bail out corporations?
chris @ 2:
Maybe Jack and his brother should get an education or skill that will allow them to be flexible in the market economy when its in a down cycle. This is a normal business cycle people, sometimes you up, sometimes your down. Whats with Don complaining about the donuts? Get real
Ahh, A true compassionate Conservative! I know it will do no good to scum like you, but I have 2 very close relatives that were Republican, they were borderline psycho about it for 30 years. They were "downsized" in 2006 by their company and had to pay $900 per month insurance and when unemployment ran out and couldn't pay their debts, they filed for bankruptcy. They were making good salaries and lived a good life, but they finally saw how the millions of people have suffered under the idiot in chiefs command. They turned to Democrats and hate all the Republicon party stands for today. I try not to call them what they really are- hyocrites, but they never thought twice about how others struggled until they joined in the suffering.
There's chaos erupting all around us, the dollars crashing, people are resorting to living in tents, gas is rising.. scared?
Well don't be! Turn on Fox news and watch the wall to wall coverage of the hot 22-yo prostitute and scary black preacher.
chris @ 9:
Chris,
Getting an education or skill isn't something that can happen overnight, and definitely isn't cheap. Even if the schooling was free, how are the brothers meant to pay for food and board?
The system is flawed, and the greatest flaw is the promotion of ignorance.
i would have thought truckers would have raised holy hell over gas prices but apparently not.
but hey, when do we get to have a beer with dickhead?
Democratsrule, I agree. Just look who gives us the news. Wolf Blitzer? How much does he make? All these so-called journalists have no idea of how we, the little people, make ends meet. Just a bunch of shills who give us crap. Day in, day out.
mao's china everyone is not guaranteed a job.
but if you want to talk manufacturing economic power houses, the prison industries in american and china seam to be doing fine.
http://www.unicor.gov/tradeshows/index.cfm
No capital reserves left, the nation is $20 trillion in debt, $53 trillion in worthless IOU's, all of the capital marketplaces are teetering, and the nation is bleeding red ink at the rate of $1.43 billion per day.
This is what Reagan, Bush 1, and now Bush 2 have given us.
Democratsrule @ 13:
Sounds like they were never conservatives just dems in waiting. Otherwise they would not have expected a job, health insurance, housing, food etc. Besides, the only reason you and your buddies are "suffering" was because of choices YOU made, choice in education, job, marriage, kids, etc. Why does everyone want to blame republicans?
Well...in my particular part of the country, the local economy has picked up...which is a double edged sword...European and Canadian tourists are coming here in droves, spending money like mad...because the dollar is so weak now.
Diesel is over 4 a gallon now at some places. Alot of the fisherman are barely scraping by. Dive boats are makin a killin though...and the bars are still full. Of course, down here they're ALWAYS full.
BUT...It's tourist season here now...in the dead of summer...when it's too hot for the tourons...it will be a different story. Prices will still be going up...the tourist money won't be coming in...fun fun fun.
Asiren @ 15:
Life's not easy, they should have thought of this BEFORE.. What is the flaw in the system? Some guy had a factory job, house, wife, kid, 2 car, big screen but no skills or education and now he has to get another job.
Dicky thinks it's just dicky!
Is Dick Cheney Set To Profit From Dollar's Drop?
By MARC MCDONALD
The plunging dollar has taken a beating lately on international markets. But at least one wealthy investor may be set to profit from the dollar's decline: Dick Cheney.
Back in June 2006, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine reported that Cheney's financial advisers were apparently betting on a rise in inflation and on a decline in the value of the dollar against foreign currencies.
Cheney and his wife, Lynne, the magazine noted, had between $10 million and $25 million in American Century International Bond (BEGBX). As Kiplinger pointed out, the fund "buys mainly high-quality foreign bonds (predominantly in Europe) and rarely hedges against possible increases in the value of the dollar. Indeed, its prospectus limits dollar exposure to 25 percent of assets and the fund currently has only 6 percent of assets in dollars, according to an American Century spokesman."
http://www.beggarscanbechoosers.com/
How's it affecting me? The whole economic game for the last several years has been like running in sand, or like in a cartoon where as you try to move forward, the ground crumbles beneath your feet and as you keep trying to move forward you get caught up in the land slide and get buried.
It's like two steps forward and five backwards. And it's in everything in this country, from economic issues to social issues. We have been fucked royally. If you try to save money, the value of interest paid at a bank isn't shit anymore, and then the money devalues, and the only other option for "saving" are the risky non FDIC insured 401K's and the like. With what is happening, those whose retirement is based on these schemes are going to lose their asses like the Enron folks have lost. Say, how's that idea for "private accounts" for replacing Social Security working out? This is what the Criminal-in-Thief wants us to be depending on in the future is a Federal Ponzi scheme run by the Federal Reserve for the Banks, and Investment Corporations and fuck you consumer.
I blame Saint Reagan for all of this shit when the banking laws changed back in the 1980's allowing for the raiding of pension funds, changing of usury laws and allowing legalized loan sharking practices that had before been forbidden by law. There used to be standards for loaning money and you had to qualify to acquire money. Now if the motherfucker sucks oxygen and can blink one eye, they qualify for that car loan, home mortgage, credit card etc...Let freedom ring. Bury me not on the lone prairie...........
It's giving me the shakes
Then again that might be the Thunderbird.
chris @ 2:
Maybe, if "compassionate" conservatives like you hadn't wrecked the educational and associated support/financial systems, to the point that it is almost impossible to get a decent education without having to trade an arm, a leg, and your first born for it. Maybe just maybe Jack and his brother could follow your advice.
But since self centered myopic right wing jackasses, who would rather get that obnoxious bright yellow mega large SUV (and this is a free hint: the size of your car is still not big enough to make your wife/gf/partner forget what an atrocious love life your are putting out) than even entertain the notion of helping in the slightest your fellow man. Here we are, in an "economic" circle indeed.
The funny part, is that these circles are normal. And the weak dollar would have meant that the US of A could strengthen it exports, reduce imports, and come out stronger of the down turn with a balanced payment sheet to boot. But since the economic geniuses on the right thought that shipping jobs overseas was a fantastic idea. Here we are with a worthless currency, in a service-based economy which depends dearly on a strong dollar.
So tell you what, next time geniuses like you feel like sharing advice. With the track record you and your ilk, here is my advice: please stick your advice, firmly and as deep as you can, inside your rectum (if you can locate it... which is not a guarantee).
The lies you get for free. The truth you have to pay for.
chris aka Paul Welstone @ 21:
So Chris, now that we know your a troll trying to stir things up (site-monitor take note) are you going to add anything here that has any kind of compassion or are you saying you just don't give a damn about anyone but yourself. Dems in waiting, what the hell is that supposed to mean? It took the Dems to fix the economy the last Two times the republicans had power. I'd say you need a bit of knowledge also, it isn't just in the US that this is happening, the rest of the world is worried because of this stupid move. Did you even watch the video from BBC mentioned here to see what it is all about ... or is it just all about YOU?
Sounds like they were never conservatives just dems in waiting. Otherwise they would not have expected a job, health insurance, housing, food etc. Besides, the only reason you and your buddies are “suffering” was because of choices YOU made, choice in education, job, marriage, kids, etc. Why does everyone want to blame republicans?
You got a bullshit answer for everything don't ya?
Do you have a RNC propaganda cheat sheet in front of you, or just pull this garage right outta your backside? I wouldn't doubt either.
Chris aka, Are you serious? College costs, inflation, rising energy costs, failing economy, trillions in debt and your blaming the middle class? The Republican's dream was to make everything Republican! In 2004, the 109th Republican congress didn't dare question this President or his failed policies. Now that we, as a nation are going of a cliff, your going to blame the backbone of this nation, the middle class? Balls!
ohh, i dunnoknow...maybe because they've had control of the executive and legislative branches of government for the last 6-8 yrs. but i'm simple like that.
chris aka Paul Welstone @ 21:
Yeah, I chose to start a war and waste 1 trillion dollars we did not have. I chose to ship a big chunk of manufacturing jobs overseas. I chose to make obtain things like a decent education, health care, and a safe/clean place to live to be privileges and not a right.
There are personal choices and responsibility associated with them, no one is denying that. But the current cluster fuck is far more structural that a bunch of idiots making poor judgement calls with their own lives.
It is a sinking ship, thinking that just because it wasn't you who crashed the ship does not change the fact that you are going to be swimming real soon just like the rest of the people in the ship.
chris @ 23:
So how's he going to raise money to move-relocate to China or Mexico where all the U.S. manufacturing jobs are?
Hmmm? Want to help us on that?
chris aka Paul Welstone Says: Democratsrule @ 13:
chris @ 2:
Maybe Jack and his brother should get an education or skill that will allow them to be flexible in the market economy when its in a down cycle. This is a normal business cycle people, sometimes you up, sometimes your down. Whats with Don complaining about the donuts? Get real
Ahh, A true compassionate Conservative! I know it will do no good to scum like you, but I have 2 very close relatives that were Republican, they were borderline psycho about it for 30 years. They were “downsized” in 2006 by their company and had to pay $900 per month insurance and when unemployment ran out and couldn’t pay their debts, they filed for bankruptcy. They were making good salaries and lived a good life, but they finally saw how the millions of people have suffered under the idiot in chiefs command. They turned to Democrats and hate all the Republicon party stands for today. I try not to call them what they really are- hyocrites, but they never thought twice about how others struggled until they joined in the suffering.
Sounds like they were never conservatives just dems in waiting. Otherwise they would not have expected a job, health insurance, housing, food etc. Besides, the only reason you and your buddies are “suffering” was because of choices YOU made, choice in education, job, marriage, kids, etc. Why does everyone want to blame republicans?
Chris- aka Paul Wellstone,
You ever consider electro-schock therapy?
the "shaky" economy?
hmmm... it seems like it is more than shaky. the house of cards is collapsing, the pyramid scheme has been exposed, the double-std and the hypocritical views of the "free" market cheerleaders is visible for all to see.
since the 80s we have tacked towards an ideology and economic policies that would inevitably fall flat, leaving millions in the lurch. many knew this and wrote about it for decades. the "free" market myth makers, the market fundamentalists and the deregulte-everything crowd has led the country down this path, and now we can see the legacy of their failed ideology.
the economic policies espoused by the so-called economic conservatives has destroyed many an economy throughout the world. but thanks to a corporate media, a lot of the reporting on what neoliberalism and the washington consensus has cursed the world with was not reported in america. so, when the economic plans that have failed worldwide were thrust on america it wasn't surprising that many americans trusted the govt, corporate and economic giants that promised prosperity and increased wealth.
well, that never happened.
And, looky here, the same group that spews anti-govt, anti-regulation, anti-welfare screeds now has its hands open for a bailout.
Conservative economic ideology: bailouts and handouts are only for those that caused the economy to fail
Chris - the human?
"Life’s not easy, they should have thought of this BEFORE.. What is the flaw in the system? Some guy had a factory job, house, wife, kid, 2 car, big screen but no skills or education and now he has to get another job."
FACTORY JOB? LOL
U.S. DON'T HAVE THOSE NO MORE!
It shows you that ...the congress in this country is sitting on their duff. They think the slamming of a candidate in the MSM is more news than the economy tanking. They don't have to do a thing.
If the media in this country was like it used to be in the "good old days" we would know what is going on and wouldn't be watching a personality conflict play out for president. Congress, especially the House are all running for re-election this year. We should write, no we should call our representatives and remind them, to get off their respective butts and do something. Even the republicans in congress know they have to help they are running for re-election also.
Samson- @ 36:
I was once told that this is not a free market, since only the elites are:
- Capitalist when it comes to profits.
- The expect socialized risk for their endeavors.
- They sure are communist when dishing out the blame once the shit hits the fan.
Well Chris, you certainly got a rise out of everybody. Satisfied?
Not me. I won't feed the troll.
Marge @ 38:
If only Pelosi et al was as concerned about the welfare of the common citizen, who pays her salary BTW, as she seems to be of not ruining her pal Bush's dinner by putting impeachment off the table....
'How is the shaky economy affecting you?'
The Detroit economy has been teetering since '01. I'm self employed. My sector is hard hit. It is very rough.
I have been running a deficit since '01. I'm 58, at this point I think I will take my pension next year, if it still exists.
I keep my thermostat very low (55°) because of the huge increase in natural gas costs, I turn the furnace off at night.
I drive as little as possible and I walk a lot.
I spend a lot of time on the net and Bush has it all. I go to the Library, as far as I know he doesn't have that file yet.
Reich-wingers keep voting for your republicant losers, keep enjoying your high-gas prices, keep enjoying those high food prices, keep losing your job, keep your wages depressed, and keep blaming the left.
Even Jon Stewart can't take it anymore. Broken Arrow: Crisis in the Chartland
FASCISM
FASCISM is alive and well, thanks to Busholini and his cabal.
Samson- @ 36:
Conservative economic ideology = Privatize the gains, but socialize the loses.
Bear Stearns CEO Alan Schwartz on CNBC.
"Bear Stearns' balance sheet, liquidity, and capital remain strong... Our liquidity position has not changed at all, our balance sheet has not changed at all..."
Two days later, Bear Stearns effectively went bankrupt.
chris aka Paul Welstone @ 21:
Everybody says this until it happens to them.
Guess what? Sometimes these things happen even if you've personally made all the right moves. You and other Republicans seem to think that there's this absolute, inviolable one-to-one correlation between personal choices and success. You act as though every single variable is under your direct control, and outside factors have no bearing on a person's lot in life. It's a bunch of haughty, ego maniacal, self-centered crap. You can make all the right choices, and still fail, and the truly compassionate thing to do is to provide help to people that end up in those situations. And hell, since when is every person a total paragon of perfect choices? Even if a person does make one or two mistakes, he or she should be condemned to complete and utter hell with no chance of recovery? Where the hell is the compassion in that?
I'd love to see if you'd change your tune if you were laid off through no fault of your own, and desperately scrambled for work for over a year despite having "highly marketable" skills. I'd love to see you in the situation I was in back in 2003, taking jobs stuffing envelopes for a few hundred bucks because every technology job in America was devastated by a bunch of clueless ivory-tower financial speculators. Please, try and tell me it's my fault. Tell me I should have anticipated a total lack of jobs in electrical and software engineering for a full year, and had over $50,000 in savings for such an eventuality. Because, you know, that's really a total piece of cake for middle-class folks who are a year out of college.
You and everybody like you make me sick, and if there's any silver lining to a possible economic collapse in this nation, it's that greedy soulless asses like yourself might end up learning what it's like to be desperate even though you thought all your personal decisions made you secure and safe.
chris @ 2:
Reich-wingers also claim the great depression was a "normal business cycle". If a Dem was in the WH right now, you anti-American reich-wingers would be having a hissy fit about the economy and would be calling for impeachment. Sorry, a "normal business cycle" is not the highest gas prices in US history, coupled with the highest rate of foreclosures in US history, coupled with the weakest dollar in US history. YOU really need to "get real".
Dr. Hussein Matt @ 44:
Tssssss.... they may win the lottery any day now, and why would they want to screw it up when they join the elite then?
Their shitty dysfunctional lives are a stepping stone to build character, Lotto here they come! Any day now they are going to win it and move away from the damn trailer park!
"You damn commies trying to get a piece of my not yet earned fortune, by expecting those poor rich folk to pay up, have another thing coming. Yeeeehhhaaaa"
And that is why the Lottery is the tax on the stupid...
It never ceases to amaze me, the ability of a large chunk of this society to proactively vote against their own interest...
Chris is just frightened. It's a natural human reaction. He sees something bad happen, and immediately tries to categorize the victims into some group other than HIS group, in order to assure himself that the bad thing won't happen to him. So the laid-off brothers are grouped into the "uneducated, inflexible, unprepared" category, while Chris assures himself that he is educated, flexible and prepared.
It's important to recognize that anger is simply a cover for fear, and that conservatism itself is merely the philosophy of fear. When a conservative gets frightened, the conservative gets angry, and struggles to deny their vulnerability.
In fact of course Chris and all of us are part of America's 'working class,' a class that renders questions of "lower" and "middle" irrelevant. No matter how much money you make, if you have to answer to a boss for your survival and livelihood, you're a worker, and part of the working class. Conservative or Liberal, we're equally vulnerable to economic catastrophe, and the wealthy leverage that insecurity to control us.
We need to stop buying into the corporate propaganda that is used to divide us against each other and distract us from the ongoing pillaging of America's wealth by the very wealthy. Chris needs to summon some courage and acknowledge that he could be unemployed for a year starting tomorrow. The rest of us need to acknowledge that getting angry at Chris only plays into the goals of the ruling class to set us against each other.
And yeah, maybe I was trolled, but I really don't care. I'm sick of the mantra of "anything bad that happens to you must be your fault." There's personal responsibility, and then there's just plain fantasy. This sort of attitude is the equivalent of "sure, she was raped, but she must have been asking for it," or "if those students didn't want to be murdered, maybe they shouldn't have been in that classroom."
The very driving force of social responsibility is "sometimes bad things happen to good people, and the rest of us should be there to help when that happens."
The American middle class is the only salvation for this country. We are the ones who pay most of the taxes. Rich corporate shills send their money out of the country to avoid their fair share, then outsource the jobs that make the economy vital. The greed of corporations and politicians is destroying this country. I guess people like Chris like to think all democrats are elitists. What a crock!
I wonder how Chris manages to spend so much time during the day posting his comments. Does he have a job? Maybe he's night security guard at the mall. I know I'm retired but, how does he pay his bills?
I have to admit that I'm worried about the state of the country when I exit university. I'm probably on the right business track: if science becomes unimportant and research opportunities plummet, I can always fall back on teaching, even if that means high school (shudder). Still, with food and gas and every other commodity rising like crazy, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm going to be able to afford grad school AND food.
Oh well. Mary-Kate Olsen seemed to do fairly well without the latter.
Albatross, well said!
Greg @ 54-
Oh, you stupid liberals.....Of course it's your fault- or at least your parents fault- for not moving to China back in the '70's. You idiots had no foresight. You're so predictable!
*snark off*
Chris @ 2
You must be in the top 1 % income club to be saying things like that.
Since I suspect you're not, it ought to be interesting to hear what you have to say on this subject a year from now. And even though it's tempting, I'll refrain from name-calling.
http://www.beggarscanbechoosers.com/
Cheney and his wife, Lynne, the magazine noted, had between $10 million and $25 million in American Century International Bond (BEGBX). As Kiplinger pointed out, the fund “buys mainly high-quality foreign bonds (predominantly in Europe) and rarely hedges against possible increases in the value of the dollar. Indeed, its prospectus limits dollar exposure to 25 percent of assets and the fund currently has only 6 percent of assets in dollars, according to an American Century spokesman.”
The plunging dollar has taken a beating lately on international markets. But at least one wealthy investor may be set to profit from the dollar’s decline: Dick Cheney.
Back in June 2006, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine reported that Cheney’s financial advisers were apparently betting on a rise in inflation and on a decline in the value of the dollar against foreign currencies.
Ron @ 56:
Sometimes trolls are paid to go to progressive blogs and waste our time and John Amato's bandwidth, and far too many people here more than happy to oblige.
If 9/11 conspiracy theories are prohibited here, the shit-head troll ought to be, also.
I don't even read the posts here started by the troll; yours was so brief, I caught it, and that's why I'm responding.
Bravo Lollimom!
55 P.D. Says: The American middle class is the only salvation for this country. We are the ones who pay most of the taxes. Rich corporate shills send their money out of the country to avoid their fair share, then outsource the jobs that make the economy vital. The greed of corporations and politicians is destroying this country. I guess people like Chris like to think all democrats are elitists. What a crock!
i agree with this for the most part.
what the middleclass has to be aware, and wary, of though is becoming a tool for the upper class. like wallerstein's idea of the semi-periphery, the middle class was created and supported by the upper class as a buffer from the poor.
what the middle class has to do is buck the inequality and dishonesty of the system and continue to speak out for fair and honest economic policies. of course, that is a rarity, as the middle class, in their desperation to be "rich", oftentimes sides with the rich and blames the poor for their own failings. when it is society that is skewed (in taxes, in education, in opportunities, in healthcare, etc.) to favor the rich.
Lollimom @ 62:
Fair enough... but hey, that sounds like a great idea! Why aren't we paid to go troll conservative blogs? We could use it to make some money in the destroyed economy they're bringing about.
62 Lollimom Says: Ron @ 56:
I wonder how Chris manages to spend so much time during the day posting his comments. Does he have a job? Maybe he’s night security guard at the mall. I know I’m retired but, how does he pay his bills?
Sometimes trolls are paid to go to progressive blogs and waste our time and John Amato’s bandwidth, and far too many people here more than happy to oblige.
If 9/11 conspiracy theories are prohibited here, the shit-head troll ought to be, also.
I don’t even read the posts here started by the troll; yours was so brief, I caught it, and that’s why I’m responding.
I try to keep my comments brief. It doesn't make sense to get into a long dialogue with trolls.
[Ron, I don't much care for chris' perspective, but s/he doesn't call people names and s/he stays on topic. Just remeber the Golden Rule of troll-fighting: If you don't feed them, they will shrivel up and go away. As for the 9/11 stuff- perhaps you weren't here in the days when those conversations were allowed. There was no way to hold a rational conversation on ANY topic. Site Monitor]
Chris @ 23
Asiren @ 15:
Chris,
Getting an education or skill isn’t something that can happen overnight, and definitely isn’t cheap. Even if the schooling was free, how are the brothers meant to pay for food and board?
The system is flawed, and the greatest flaw is the promotion of ignorance.
Life’s not easy, they should have thought of this BEFORE.. What is the flaw in the system? Some guy had a factory job, house, wife, kid, 2 car, big screen but no skills or education and now he has to get another job.
I don't wish for something bad to happen to anyone, but in your case I'm willing to make an exception. You do realise that in a year from now, you may have no employer. The results of that are a personal desaster. THAT is exactly what many in the western hemisphere are facing the next five years. Carefull what you say. You may find yourself in a heep of shit soon. It'll be because yuo thought it couldn't happen to you. Well, it can.
We know that there are going to be a lot of republican congress men and women, plus their staffers who will be unemployed next year. How will those poor souls make it?
Alice Hussein @ 43:
And my house is worth 40k less than the peak (25%), fortunately it is free and clear. Some of my newer neighbors have negative equity.
Highlights of Bushes first 6 weeks in office.
Bush Cheney Regime granted China Most Favored Nation trade status. This is something the Clinton administration refused to do. Then they also reversed the Clinton position and supported the entrance of China into the World Trade Organization (WTO), without requiring the Chinese to meet WTO or BIS (Bank of International Settlement) mandates, in terms of making the Chinese Yuan convertible.
Ron @ 68:
They'll become lobbyst's
Ron @ 68:
They will just have to join those homeless vets under the bridge.
Oh wait, O'Reilly says they don't exist.
Well, anything he says, believe the opposite.
Why do I even bother
Albatross @ 53:
You got me, your right, please hillary, I need government to save me, I can't made any decisions on my own, its just to darn difficult, here's all my money, do with it what you like..... To answer you question, I could be un-employed tommarrow or a year from now and it will be up to me and only me to fix that problem! The system you guys hate so much has brought you Ipod's cell phones and your computer that your now blogging with, it came with a price. The price that some people will be left behind. Think about it......
How am I fairing?
Not well.
I worry daily about my 401k, the last treasure chest waiting to be stolen by some corporation.
I worry about my health and the insurance policy that only pays up to 80% of expenses in the event of a health crisis. Think about a hospital bill of 100,000...and only 80% of it is covered.
I've been so squeezed by the ruling elite that I feel I don't have time to become as active as I should in unseating the bastards who took over our country. But this has always been part of their plan: Keep the masses worried about their jobs and their security, so that they don't have time to become involved.
My purchasing power is being systematically destroyed with gas prices; profit that would have gone to me now goes to Exxon Mobil or some other oil company.
Most of all, I'm frustrated that neither Bush nor Cheeeney will receive punishment for what they've done to our country and the world. If I had one wish, it would not be for myself; it would be to put the two of them behind bars where they can no longer harm humanity.
L.A. Confidential @ 70:
Eureka, you have found it. This is it!