Labor Secretary Chao Blames High Unemployment Rate On America’s Youth
Labor Secretary Chao Blames High Unemployment Rate On America’s Youth
According to new Department of Labor data released today, the U.S. unemployment rate rose from 5.0 to 5.5 percent in May, which was higher than the expected 0.1 percent jobless rate increase. It was also the largest jump in unemployment since 1986. Labor Secretary Elaine Chao put out a statement today, attempting to explain the jump. Her answer? Blame America’s youth:
Today’s increase in the unemployment rate reflects the fact that unusually large numbers of students and graduates are entering the labor market.
Chao is just trying to hide bad news. These unemployment numbers are not good, nor are they normal. As Center for American Progress Director of the American Worker Project David Madland told ThinkProgress, unemployment isn’t just for young people:
The unemployment rate for prime-working age adults – people from 25 to 54 – also increased in May, rising from 4.2 percent to 4.4 percent. In addition, the share of this age group that was employed fell slightly from 79.6 percent to 79.5 percent.
Similarly, Jared Bernstein at EPI noted that “even if we take teenagers out of the data, unemployment still rises from 4.5% to 4.8%, a considerable 0.3% increase, and well above the 4.0% adult rate of one year ago.”
New workers are always entering the market. A healthy economy can absorb them; a Bush economy can’t.
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Isn’t she Mitch “My Old Kentucky Homo” McConnell’s beard?
June 6th, 2008 at 7:05 pmJust tell the sheeple what they want to hear. The facts have nothing to do with it!
June 6th, 2008 at 7:15 pmI’m no longer counted among the unemployed because I can no longer get unemployment. Bush’s fuzzy math?
But jump right in, new members of the ranks of the unemployed! The water’s foul, dangerous, and bitterly cold! You’ll learn how to live on one meal a day, cut your own hair, and pull your own teeth. What fun! After you’ve enjoyed about three years of it, as I have, you’ll realize that no one gives a f*%k–especially not your government (unless, of course, you aren’t able to pay your taxes on the piddly unemployment you get for the first few months. Then they’ll notice you).
America, America, Repubs piddle thy grace on thee…
June 6th, 2008 at 7:16 pmI heard Bush say the same damn thing. They really think we’re stupid, and maybe we are — they’re still there aren’t they?
June 6th, 2008 at 7:22 pmHow’s the saying go — they’re pi$$ing on us but telling us that it’s only raining?
Between the words of this lackey and her partisan hack of a husband, neither one of them is worth their own pi$$.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:22 pmThere’s no doubt that high unemployment disproportionately affects older people. But employees far beyond entry-level are taking pink slips because of the Bush economy, where a number of them are left to take jobs normally going to younger people for only a partial restoration of their previous income.
Bush has backed up experienced workers into positions for which they’ve previously worked, possibly many years ago, and telling younger people to move out of the way for their failed policies to come full-circle?
June 6th, 2008 at 7:22 pmwow, and I thought 4.x% unemployed essentially meant full employment. Silly me.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:24 pmGoodness. Too many selfish young people wanting jobs cause “high unemployment”. Too many selfish baby boomers expecting the benefits they’ve paid for all their lives are causing social security problems. Too many selfish immigrants causing all the other problems. All wingnutz can do is whine, pass the buck and try to obstruct any REAL attempts to prevent or fix these problems. (not the smoke and mirrors crap they try to pass of as “fixes”)
Maybe 1/10th of the country should drop dead right now, just to make the repiggies life a little easier.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:26 pmDon’t know what the youth thing has to do with it, but the 45K lost plus the 200K that should have been added amount to an increase in unemployment of about 1.75%.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:26 pm1973 – 1st oil shock…no heed taken by America or indeed the western world.
1979 – 2nd oil shock…no heed taken by America or indeed the western world.
We are addicts to the black stuff – the 3rd oil shock will be the lethal one. The one where we die.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:29 pmIn 4 weeks they will disappear.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:39 pmWhile I’d like to blame Elaine Chao and the Bush administration for the high unemployment rates, I think you may have misinterpreted what she was trying to say.
Today’s increase in the unemployment rate reflects the fact that unusually large numbers of students and graduates are entering the labor market.
It appears that she might be saying that graduates entering the job world are taking older people’s jobs. For companies to save money, they often hire people who are willing to be paid a lot less — while laying off (or just not hiring) older workers. It makes me look forward to the day I turn 40, where at least age discrimination is illegal.
Although, age discrimination against young people is equally valid. I just had a younger friend (a student) apply for a minimum wage job to come to the realization that he wouldn’t be making any money if he had to drive to work.
It’s safer to try and work from home today than to drive anywhere and watch your spending increase exponentially (assuming your travel expenses cannot be reimbursed).
June 6th, 2008 at 7:40 pmElaine Chao: Proving that all Orientals are not brilliant.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:43 pmI do feel a great deal of our youth are disrespectful, unmotivated, and not interested in working very hard.
Gosh, I wonder where that attitude gets generated from? Not arrogant American culture? OH NO!
However, this notion has nothing to do with unemployment rates.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:44 pmNot very bright, are gunclinger. The definition of unemployment has been changing over the years, starting with R. Reagan. You now need to look at several measures to tell us how we are actually doing. Labor participation rate is a very important measure of what is going on in the economy.
If we were really at full employment, we would have seen some very serious inflationary pressures prior to the increase in fuel and food prices. Wages would have been going up significantly across the board. We have seen over 80% of the work force with stagnant or dropping wages when adjusted for inflation. This is not consistent with a tight labor market.
Not only would wages be higher, but benefits would also increase. Yet that has not happened. This is especially true of medical benefits being dropped on a wholesale basis by employers.
If we were really at full employment, we would see incidence of poverty declining. Instead, we see it increasing. Up over 5 million more since Bush took office.
Yes, silly you. You do not even recognize that much of the “full employment” came from those who become so discouraged that they just drop out of the labor force. How else do you account for the fact that we have been unable to keep up with the growth of our labor aged force?
June 6th, 2008 at 7:46 pmToday’s increase in the unemployment rate reflects the fact that unusually large numbers of students and graduates are entering the labor market. -GSJobs
Well, many people have been laid off in the mortgage industry as some 245 lenders have gone bankrupt. The housing industry has also laid off people.
Even so, blaming college grads that take other peoples jobs is not the cause of the current problem. Layoff because of increased fuel prices and store sales are also part of the problem.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:46 pmI see Chao is wearing her standard issue big hair, pearls, and slavishly adoring look for Chimpy.
**puke**
June 6th, 2008 at 7:47 pmOh, goody! Here’s one trying to imply that all is well with the Bush economy. I missed you guys.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:49 pmhappy ending?
June 6th, 2008 at 7:52 pmResponsibility? Accountability?
Nah.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:57 pmralph, come on… Don’t do me like that. In just saying that it not as if the economy is so horrible. 4% unploued is a small miracle. Most countries would love 4% . Its funny how in an election year the economy is always terrible. Are you employed? Are your friends and family? I sure hope so. Bush is a dope but the sky is not falling here in the good ole USA. We should embrace 4% , we’ll liked not see 3 or less. We can’t expect 100 percent employment, can we?
June 6th, 2008 at 8:00 pmcaption:
Bush: “Is my laundry ready?”
June 6th, 2008 at 8:00 pmChao: “College students stole them and flew them from their dorm windows!”
LOL sorry for bad spelling. I’m on my iPhone here. .. Addicted to TP.org :)
June 6th, 2008 at 8:03 pmgunclinger, did you read anything of what JMOHR wrote at 7:46?
Besides the fact that you’re talking about 4%, and the story makes clear that unemployment rose to 5.5%, a half a percent rise in a single month.
Try telling someone who’s been looking for a job for eight months that we’re at “full employment”.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:03 pmgunclinger Says: “…4% unploued is a small miracle.”
Perhaps if you loosened your grip on your sidearm you could type a little more accurately.
I’m guessing if you have a job it doesn’t require reading and writing skills…..
June 6th, 2008 at 8:04 pmI , thankfully, don’t know anyone who can’t find a job. But I’m not sure blaming bush for not having a job is useful. I don’t like GW policies, for the record. But if my family is hungry, I’d take any job. Is it realistic to expect perfection from government? What was unemployment under clinton (to be fair)?
June 6th, 2008 at 8:10 pmElaine Chao has allowed the Labor Dept., to cook the figures each month and I would not believe her if she told me rain was wet. The Administration has tried to keep a lid on how badly the economy is doing for at least a year–so many people are losing jobs, many are unemployed and can’t find any work, and how about the millions who the Labor Dept., can no longer track because their benefits have run out.
In addition to being Mitch’s beard she has been a beard concerning the data coming from her agency–it is all phoney and false.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:12 pmLOL to posters are so cruel :) yes I obiously can read and write. Public education baby! :)
June 6th, 2008 at 8:13 pm#13 republicanSScareme
Flagged for racism.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:13 pmIt seems weird for chimpy’s laborpal not to include known variables when quoting stats.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:14 pmOne out of Ten New Houses built since Bush became president is NOW EMPTY.
The Economy is like an Ocean Liner…it doesn’t turn on a dime. We haven’t seen the worst of this ….not even close.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:14 pmAh, yes… the “Personal Anecdote” variation.
Anyone who can’t find a job is just too picky. Statistics are all but meaningless because they’re not real people, right?
BTW, Unemployment under Clinton met your “full employment” standard for much of his second term. I believe the point of highest employment was around 3.7% unemployed. The job market was so tight that there was talk of easing immigration policies so that employers could import enough workers.
And, as a consequence of real “full employment” under Clinton, wages rose for everybody, even adjusted for inflation.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:21 pmgunclinger Says:
Is it realistic to expect perfection from government.
If our Goverment had spent the last 8 years fixing America’s infrastructure, instead of Destroying Iraq’s …we’d at least have something to show for our Billion Dollar Investments.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:28 pmgunclinger. In reply to #21 I got laid off in September 07. My wife became unemployed in April 08. Luckily, we had been saving for years for just such a problem. The company I worked for has laid off over 15,000 people since around 2002. Of the 20 or so close friends that got laid off at the same time I did (I am only speaking of the September 07 purge here, it is worse over time) only 3 have been able to find real employment. And more layoffs are going on right now. Some of them have lost their homes. I know families that have had to move in with their parents to be able to provide healthcare for their kids. These are people with advanced degrees in engineering and mathmatics. Taking any job, such as flipping burgers, just doesn’t cut it. So while my experience might be local (which I do not believe it is as the company is a global company and is laying off all over the US and even overseas, as are other companies) I would state from personal experiece the economy is not in good shape. I also have an MBA (as well as my MSE) and know how to read both micro and macro economic trends. The economy is NOT is good shape and will be getting much worse due to Bush’s inept actions. It will take decades to recover and President Obama (hopefully) will be constantly blamed by the right for the exact mess they caused.
PAX
June 6th, 2008 at 8:33 pmOk easy… Just asking. I dunno, I think people expect too much from government regardless of political affiliation. I’m just glad I’m working but I’d never think to blame any president if I was somehow too helpless to find some(any) job. I wish Iraq would pay us back for what we invested but that too is wishfull thinking I suppose
June 6th, 2008 at 8:34 pmstudents putting the squeeze on the labor market-makes sense,thats “no child left behind” in action.Bet the drop-out rate is at an all-time high!
June 6th, 2008 at 8:37 pmDon’t the two of them just exude confidence?? Collective IQ in the pic = 23.
Can’t this stupid rag just go back home with Mitch (when he too looses his re-election bid) and raise baby pigs?
Haven’t we endured enough???
June 6th, 2008 at 8:40 pmThe unemployment rate for prime-working age adults – people from 25 to 54 – also increased in May, rising from 4.2 percent to 4.4 percent. In addition, the share of this age group that was employed fell slightly from 79.6 percent to 79.5 percent.
And this is just the beginning. How about all the under-employed people making Walmart wages with little or no benefits trying to make ends meet in a world of skyrocketing food, fuel and healthcare costs?
http://progressiveworldreview.com
June 6th, 2008 at 8:41 pmDo you not think the president’s deficit spending and massive borrowing (which takes money out of the credit supply) to fund his tax cuts AND his war-of-choice have had an impact on the economy?
How about the bursting of the housing bubble, fueled in large part by relaxed lending regulations and zealous “sub-prime” lenders?
How about the collapse of the dollar’s value on worldwide markets? Think the president’s policies had any impact on that?
Is it a coincidence that poverty fell every year of the Clinton presidency and has risen every year of Dubya’s (with a single exception when it held steady)?
All this is a coincidence that a man who failed at virtually every business venture he ever tried, yet billed himself as the “CEO President” presides over a failing economy?
Yeah, you’re right, it’s not his fault. Nothing’s ever his fault. not the economy, not the failed intelligence, not the disaster that Iraq has become, not the response to Katrina… Gotcha.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:50 pmgunclinger Says:
——————————————————————————–
Ok easy… Just asking. I dunno, I think people expect too much from government regardless of political affiliation. I’m just glad I’m working but I’d never think to blame any president if I was somehow too helpless to find some(any) job. I wish Iraq would pay us back for what we invested but that too is wishfull thinking I suppose
Typical right wing response. Absolute no responsibility taken for failed economic policies and blaming the victims by labeling them as helpless. Nice going. Was that planned or does it come naturally to you? By your statement it is obvious you have no clue. I will state is it a two way street and people need to care for themselves when they can but this administration is culpable for the horrible economy. I do not wish this situation on anyone but if that is what it takes for you to understand it, maybe a year or two in the school of hard knocks would do you a world of good.
Pax
June 6th, 2008 at 8:53 pmToo bad she’s a BushCo sycophant. Waste of good looks.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:56 pmThe repugs must lie about the economy because they have already begun to blame the Democrats for the recession (which they won’t name until Obama is in office for about three days).
June 6th, 2008 at 9:00 pmGas prics and the economic downturn are all because the Democrats have been in power for more than a year and they haven’t fixed it yet — so by their reasoning, it’s all the Democrats’ fault.
What, you say? Republicans filibuster every proposal?
They exploit the rules to their political advantage? There is evidence that they have conspired to stall and/or defeat every Democratic bill? That they have used the one-vote majority of the Democrats to stymie them at every turn?
ForTruth Says:
Waste of good looks.
Hey! We all could look good for the right price and a plastic surgeon.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:01 pmRalf,
June 6th, 2008 at 9:03 pm… And don’t forget how Bush never, EVER lies.
Thank god for prisons. Imagine what our unemployment rate would be if we didn’t lock up our indigent population.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:08 pmjeeze .. Easy! I’m not right wing in any sense! Why does an indy like me get tagged a r-wing? I don’t even like bush let alone support his policies. TP is too quick to dissmiss us middle roaders, IMO . I’m just simply sayng that 4% is relatively low unemployment! Left, right, middle, whatever! But we have had leaders just as bad as bush, seriously. I’ve been around long enough to see how the economy is always deamonized every election year no matter who is running. I’m so glad most of you are gainfully employed. 4% is a blessing..
June 6th, 2008 at 9:14 pmEvery May, as long as I can recall, unemployment numbers have “jumped” due to graduations. Which proves that people graduate every year. But, when this years number is significantly bigger than last years? C’mon, even trolls should be able to figure it out. Yep, unemployment has gone up.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:19 pmSure, when all else fails, take a page from the over eighty set and blame youth for all the world’s problems. Don’t dare look for the real reasons.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:41 pmThe math is quite “fuzzy” at best, but it may BE worst than reported. Its what THEY don’t report and who THEY report is what troubles the report.
Has she gone in front of any committee? Why or why not?
What I see looming on the horizon is a deep depression! Like what brought down the stock market in the 1930’s! I can only hope I am wrong!
If you make 10$ an hour, yet it cost you 4.35 a gallon-72$-165$ to fill up your tank weekly…the republican trickle down economics – effect is going to ruin this county fast..real FAST!
June 6th, 2008 at 9:48 pmleave it to a Chinese person to explain our unemployment problem.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:49 pmgunclinger:
4% (or 5.5%) depending on how one cooks the books, is not an insignificant number. And independant of whose numbers they are, they only serve to show trends. Those trends are a solid 1.5% increase in a year. That’s not a 1.5% rise in the unemployment rate. It’s 37.5%.
Plus, one must consider they don’t count those who lose temp or seasonal jobs, “discouraged workers” whose unemployment has dried up, retirements (forced or not), and anyone working a creative schedule designed to keep people part time and receiving little if any benefits. Many of these are the one’s being laid off (the actual lost jobs) without appearing on the list. Meanwhile, those “discouraged” workers are dropping off the list. So, even the rosy 4% can be easily inflated by 2-3%, again it depends on how one cooks the books, but, that 2-3% is quite conservative.
On a personal note, you aren’t receiving static because you are “moderate”. You give the impression of someone who is throwing out intentionally combative remarks and shows a propensity to ask questions and ignore the answers. Like I said, it’s just an impression.
I think you will find the community here at TP doesn’t have very “librul” values. We are just incredibly pissed off at a no-account government which has taken our country on a disastrous course and done immeasurable damage here and abroad. Most of us just want desperately to get Bushco out, take what we get in it’s place, and try to start regaining our former place among civilized nations.
And if you think any of us have unrealistic fantasies of perfection? You haven’t been paying any attention. We don’t expect perfection but we do demand accountability. It’s as simple as that. We demand a return to government that answers to the will of the people. We can’t afford a government which, routinely “declines” subpoenas for instance, much longer. A government run for private interests and personal greed felled the first democracies of Ancient Greece and will fell democracies as long as people have representative governments.I think that I can speak for many here when I say we’ll take honest representatives who make, and admit, mistakes. But, if we wish our society to survive, we must reclaim control of our government. And I don’t think any of us think it will happen quickly or passively.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:02 pmA little while ago “gunclinger” gave the use of an I-phone, to satisfy his addiction to TP, as the excuse for his poor spelling.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:18 pmEither “gunclinger” is prone to a very rapid acquisition of cyber habits, or we all know him under a different pseudonym….
Whoever “gunclinger” is or was, he’s not half as baked as TheRight
June 6th, 2008 at 10:38 pmLOL
Nevar Says:
Whoever “gunclinger” is or was, he’s not half as baked as TheRight LOL
June 6th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
I can’t tell if gunclinger is a troll in training or if there’s still hope. Since this is “optimistic Friday” I’ll remain respectful until proven undeserved. TheRight, on the other hand, is just one of the old worn out sockpuppets. Worthy of bashing when in the mood but, probably, best ignored.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:45 pmthe Personal Responsibility administration strikes again…
June 6th, 2008 at 10:49 pmBTW gunclinger, I mean no offense by speculation about your intentions. You will discover a certain suspicion around here.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:53 pmAnd I am simply probing…
June 6th, 2008 at 11:15 pmthank you Dictator Bush! Now fill the American Sheeple with Lies and tell us everything is just hunky dory!
JT
June 6th, 2008 at 11:24 pmIs your ISP watching you?
Just a little something to fire you up…..We in Canada don’t have any of your problems…NONE…GOD DAMME THE SocIalist…GOD DAMME THE SOCIALISTS… I hope your country gets real this election and stop believing the lies…you are the only country that promotes CORPORATE SLAVERY….Take back your country.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:49 pmYou know those unemployment numbers are cooked, and most likely the figure is around 8%…
As I said, people like theright are the true regressives, because you all want to turn the clock back to before when it was the truly rich who exploited everyone else without accountability…
wingnuts want to roll back gains that liberals have made in worker protection rights, regulation, civil rights, you name it…they see no problem in denying people employment just because they are gay…etc.
I can go on and on how your side are the regressives…
June 6th, 2008 at 11:51 pmSince TheRight can’t read for content, I’ll try to simplicate things.
First. The Clinton Presidency ended in Jan. 2001. It’s a little late to be interpreting numbers from so long ago.
Second, “Full employment” is pretty empty when good, hard working, people are losing their homes in record numbers. Some got caught by their own greed, but many were led into financial ruin and trapped by a shrinking job market.
Third. Read the numbers again. No matter how you fudge them they show approx. a 1.5% increase in the unemployment rate over a year ago. Even without those who aren’t counted that’s a 37.5% increase in the number of people out of work. Combined with the other unsettling economic trends, that’s a whole lot of human misery.
Screw laying blame, (though I dispute the claims that the “Dem Congress screwed things up”), trying to sugar coat the state of the economy does nothing to help it recover. Pretending unemployment isn’t of great concern, and growing worse, is asinine. But we’ve grown accustomed to the shirking of responsibility of the “party of responsibility”. That little euphemism may end up being the cruelest joke in American history.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:53 pmTHEY don’t count discouraged workers in that statistic…
June 6th, 2008 at 11:55 pmYou are so right! No way are the numbers correct, they are cooked! All you have to do is go down to any unemployment office and see the people growing in numbers standing around. With the price of living exceeding the cost to maintain any form of self worth for self nor family… no way in hell are those numbers correct. But hey, its not like this administration cooked numbers before in any agency in government!
June 6th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
I think this administration wants to go out with a real big BANG! And run away with there tails up between their legs!
Or better yet, keep the status quo…McBush!
June 7th, 2008 at 12:02 amHey TheRighty . .
Couple FACTS Re: Clinton
1. Brought rate DOWN from 7.5 under the previous “Occupant”
2. 1999 rate was LOWEST since 1969
3. AA and Hispanic rate was LOWEST on record in 1999 (from 14.2 to 8% in ‘99)
4. Created 20.4 MILLION NEW jobs compared to 52,000 per MONTH under Bush and 167,000 under Reagan.
5. 92% or 18.8 MILLION of those jobs were PRIVATE SECTOR
6. Construction job growth was greatest in 50 years recorded history.
7. Real wages under Clinton were UP 6.5%
8. Inflation was the lowest rate since the 1960’s
But he did get a BJ and left us a few BILLION DOLLAR surplus, and a world still respectful and responsive to the American Dream, integrity and power . . .
Maybe if Bush had gotten blown he wouldn’t have found it necessary to blow the American dream, bankrupt the economy raid the treasury, decimate the judicial and kill thousands of our finest to prove his “manhood” . . . and let’s not even think about how our MBA oil man has “jawboned” the “A-rhabs” into a position where the gas pump price rises as we fill the tank . . . and how about creating the LARGEST Federal Government bureaucracy in HISTORY!!!????
Honestly, you are a “Conservative”????? Even Goldwater would admit that Bush has destroyed our country . . .
June 7th, 2008 at 12:08 amTheRight Says:
Its wrong to blame America’s youth for high unemployment. Chao is wrong on this point.
The teachers union churns out kids who have no skills useful to the business community. Government schools do not work. We need a voucher system in the U.S.
Over regulation of business is driving jobs overseas. Regressives love regulation. Government control over everything will destroy this country the same way it did to the Soviet Union. Let not regress back to the old days of the Soviets.
Since Democrats have stolen Congress from good hard working Americans, the economy has been on the skids. Stocks are down 400. Oil is up $11.00 in ONE day. Thanks Nancy.
What have Democrats done for us? Nothing? Nope, they have ruined everyone’s life.
never mind this criminal administration’s economic policies that have only benefited the RICH, but the only people in your world are the rich…
Deregulation has brought us Enron, higher prices, lower quality. You true regressives say that deregulation is the panacea for our problems, but I guess you would bring back child labor if you could, wouldn’t you? That would regress us back to the 1800s…
June 7th, 2008 at 12:13 amI like how theRight manages to blame everyone on the GOP Hit list in one post. teacher’s unions, regulation advocates, Democrats, Nancy Pelosi, while doing nothing to blame Big Oil’s grasp on this administration. You may have thought Clinton’s Blowjob was the most heinous act ever committed by an American president, but this administration doing the same thing for Big Oil has hurt more and more of us “hard-working” Americans…
June 7th, 2008 at 12:19 amHonestly, you are a “Conservative”????? Even Goldwater would admit that Bush has destroyed our country . . .
Conservatism is a myth designed to hoodwink voters into thinking that government is only there to steal your taxes and that big government is the enemy. While they proclaim this as gospel, conservatives turn government into a money-funneling operation to their cronies in the corporate world. This is why they can proclaim that programs like the VA are wasteful spending, while staying silent in the money-sucking DISASTER we have in Iraq.
Conservatism is a system of myths designed to hoodwink the people into voting against their economic interests. Using the myths of personal responsibility, fiscal responsibility, so-called morality, how they are men of God while everyone else is a sinner, they use them to demonize those whom they consider convenient scapegoats, Those scapegoats they blame for the problems of the American people, the very same problems that they themselves have caused by their selfish policies and ideology, designed to enrich themselves and their cronies in the corporate world at the expense of everyone else, whose interests they laughingly claim to protect.
June 7th, 2008 at 12:32 amDamn lazy brats! Get off my lawn! Yer drafted you little jerk!
June 7th, 2008 at 12:53 amTheRight Says:
Jess Wonderin:
Repulicans ran Congress from 1994 to 2006 when times where good.
Tell THAT to veterans who do not get any support from the VA for PTSD…
June 7th, 2008 at 12:59 amTell THAT to those people who lost jobs during this criminal administration
Tell THAT to those who died for a lie, for Halliburton’s profits in Iraq
Tell THAT to those who watched Bush do nothing about gas prices skyrocket…
Tell THAT to those who watched the Republicans obstruct the Democrats’ efforts to get a minimum wage passed
Tell THAT to those who might want the Democrats to do something, but watch the GOP obstruct and filibuster in an attempt to blame the Democrats for being a do-nothing party, a line that works well for misguided sheep like you…
Righty -
“Dems” do not control Congress – it is STILL blocked by RepubliCONS and helped by Lierman – until there is a MAJORITY in the NEXT Session, things are not “controlled” as much as “contained” . . . but don’t let facts about government or judicial processes confuse you . . . any any thinking human knows the Bush years are responsible for the shit slide we are on . . .
You lack of real world understanding of “economics” is as appalling as your trollistic ball sucking for bush . . .
(Ucsb – I was poking fun at my “Conservative” homeschooled buddy who is floundering under the illusion that Bush gives a shit about him . . . I really doubt he/she understands the concept as applied and degenerated by the current crop of RepugliCONS)
June 7th, 2008 at 12:59 am“[E]ach time the dollar falls one percent, the price of the barrel rises by $4, and of course vice versa”
I believe that was from the OPEC head…great Bush’s weak dollar is causing you to pay more, but I’m sure the Democrats were secretly in charge in your myth-filled world…
June 7th, 2008 at 1:01 amo I know, I was just pointing out what I thought of conservatism…
June 7th, 2008 at 1:02 amBush and the Republican Congress of the past seven years = Reagan Redux X 2…well maybe X 10.
June 7th, 2008 at 1:06 amOh and I just love the big hair, pearls and leer often seen on sports groupies lurking outside your local stadium. Since our President is married, pushing retirement age and can barely speak a complete sentence she must be hot and sweaty over the whole most powerful man in the world thing.
June 7th, 2008 at 1:14 amTheRight:
Yep when congress was a repug majority it was all peachy. Remember when mortgage lenders were allowed to cheat the public? Remember when it was all right to out an CIA Operative? Remember when the invasion would pay for it self as if blood is blood is worth oil? Remember when lying to take over oil was a neato idea?
Are those the good times you are talking about?
June 7th, 2008 at 1:17 amIt’s good that gas prices are high and affects every part of human comforts. But it’s still not enough. Big Oil is still making profits beyond their dream.
O
The laborlady said it’s all a bump, a blip, a nano(whatever), a slight discomfort.
So everybody go on and spend the money (stimulus) you gave the government in the first place.
Happy days!
June 7th, 2008 at 1:27 amI gave the government money because running a country requires money… Why are some people such cheap pricks?
June 7th, 2008 at 1:57 amWhat do you expect from a somewhat attractive woman who would marry chinless Dickhead Mitch?
June 7th, 2008 at 2:21 amThis administration, full of SOB criminals, just blame everyone else for any crises. Petrol prices are high because the mess they created in the Middle East. The US’s economy is in Recession because of Bush/Chenney’s WAR. These criminals just don’t take any responsability. Soon will be time to surround Congress and the WH and demand ACCOUNTABILITY. Accountability for their irresponsible criminal behavior and their imoral WAR CRIMES.
June 7th, 2008 at 6:39 amWhen the Democrats form a firing squad I hope they stand in a circle. I’m pretty sick of both sides at this point.
June 7th, 2008 at 7:19 amI wouldn’t expect much even then, all they fire are blanks.
June 7th, 2008 at 9:04 amWhat an ignorant re-puke beeeeatch………
June 7th, 2008 at 9:12 amSome say the devaluation of the dollar is to blame for oil prices. I think its some people in the oil industry. However, I’m willing to give it some validity, or allow it to be a contributing factor.
June 7th, 2008 at 9:48 amNot that it matters to thinking people, but it’s pretty clear from theWrong’s posts here that an Obama presidency will be a great boon to the trolls.
If they can convince themselves that a slim Democratic majority for a year and a half is enough to blame the myriad ills besetting this nation that have been building after six years of total Republican rule, they’re probably just salivating at the thought of blaming next January’s troops deaths on President Obama.
And how powerful must they figure is Nancy Pelosi, if she can reverse all of the six years of carefully designed Republican economic policies in only eighteen months, in the face of a hostile president and a Senate that has been so bogged down by minority filibusters that it is practically incapable of operating?
If the trolls can convince themselves that the economy sucked in the nineties and it’s awesome today, they have no tether to reality. But then, we knew that.
June 7th, 2008 at 10:21 amThe follow-up question which should of course have been asked is…”If we knew that an unusually large number of graduates would be entering the labor market, then why weren’t more jobs created to accommodate this?” That’s yet another one of the points against George W. Bush which seems to have flown under the radar as far as most people in the mainstream media are concerned…the fact that under the Bush administration, not enough jobs have been created to keep pace with the demand. While I’ve heard the argument that we will gradually see an increase in jobs available and greater demand for labor as the Baby Boomers retire since the birth rate decreased after 1964 (the Baby Bust), I’m not confident that the people who make this argument factor in such things as outsourcing and the “brain drain” (foreign nationals working within the United States under H-1B visas — nor the fact that at least some Baby Boomers may find that they can’t afford to retire due to recent trends in the housing market or even to sudden unforeseen tragedies such as job loss or health care problems which can eat away at any savings one might have (and there are some who don’t have much, if any).
But then again, I find that seems to be the problem with a lot of conservatives — to all appearances, they don’t realize that life is extremely complex and that simple solutions almost never resolve complex problems because everything’s connected.
June 7th, 2008 at 10:39 amLumpyDunky Says:
JT
Is your ISP watching you?
Hey TP….This poster advertises in EVERY SINGLE ONE of his/her posts. Is this suddenly allowed? Can I start advertising MY business on here for free?
June 7th, 2008 at 11:13 amIt’s not my fault. That is all anybody in the Bush administration can ever come up with.
The youth market will not turn around any time soon either. When an older worker retires the position is not filled. When an older worker retires in a normal labor market those below would move up a notch with a new, youthful entry level employee hired.
The sub-prime mess still has a ways to go, as does the housing mess. Both of these will provide continuing stress on the labor market. Consumer debt increased another $7.8 billion last month. One suspects that a good deal of that is charges to fill up the tank on the credit card. This puts pressure on for future cuts in spending and that will put still more pressure on the labor markets.
We saw yesterday what happens while Bush kicks this can down the road for the next President to deal with it. McCain’s way of dealing with it is to pretend it doesn’t exist. Just as he pretends that problems don’t exist in Iraq and that we can have 100,000 troops there for the next 100 years. That is the McBush way.
June 7th, 2008 at 11:50 amBush deserves credit for finding the world’s dumbest Asian.
June 7th, 2008 at 2:27 pmPerhaps Secretary Chao would have done better to quote that other great (n.b. sarcasm) Republican Calvin Coolidge, “When people are out of work, unemployment results”.
June 7th, 2008 at 2:31 pmThis is not just wildly inaccurate. It’s staggeringly simplistic even for a Bush Administration official.
-AF
June 7th, 2008 at 4:57 pmAndrew Sullivan Is A Fraud
When major companies outsource jobs to foreign businesses, out of the US it destroys people’s careers here. This practice, like it’s cousin – hiring h1bs, L1s, etc is slowly eroding the middle class, which is the biggest spending customer in the US. You cannot rent movies, go out to dinner, or buy the usual stuff if you are out of work or if the career you spent thousands of hours and dollars training for, becomes saturated with cheap foreign labor either here or abroad, and forces you to work at something less. Its hard to buy a new car if the job you had at the factory moved to China, and you are now working (or not) at half your salary. The US is way too generous with our trading partners allowing them unlimited access to our markets while we have to fight, pay, and play games to get into theirs. Time our entire method of immigration, globalization, and associated policies is rethought and restructured so that it benefits more than a few. Please visit http://www.madnamerica.com for more information. Especially read the piece by The CEO of Revere Copper – buy their products and download Mad in AMerica!
June 9th, 2008 at 11:34 am