Why is Ga.’s economy worsening, while the national economy improves?
While the unemployment rate slowly falls nationally, it continues to increase here in Georgia, rising from 9.8 percent in October to 10.2 percent in December. While the country as a whole added more than 1 million jobs last year, Georgia has continued to lose jobs.
There are a lot of possible explanations, including the fact that this recession has hit hard at real estate and other industries on which metro Atlanta and Georgia have depended. But there’s also a deeper problem: In metro Atlanta and in Georgia, we face fundamental economic challenges that predate the recession and have largely been hidden from view.
Despite recent setbacks, most residents of metro Atlanta still think of the region as a growth machine temporarily derailed by the national economy. Through much of the ’90s, that perception was accurate. We were creating jobs, and a lot of them were well-paying jobs. Georgia ranked 10th in the country in per capita income growth that decade, and by 1996, per capita income in Georgia had reached 94.5 percent of per capita income nationally.
That marked a sharp rise from the early ’80s, when Georgia’s per capita income was barely 83 percent of the national average. Unfortunately, after 1996 we began to give back almost all of the income gains we had made over the previous quarter century, according to a study by Sean Turner, a research associate at Georgia State University’s Fiscal Research Center.
By 2008, per capita income in Georgia had fallen to 85.5 percent of the national average, below what it had been in 1984. From 2000 to 2008, we ranked last in the country in per capita income growth. In fact, if income growth had merely matched national averages since 2000, Turner concludes, by 2008 each person in Georgia would have been making an additional $3,300 a year.
Again, all of this was occurring — largely unnoticed — before the recession even hit. And the truth is, as bad as our numbers were in the last decade, they were falsely optimistic.
John Matthews, another researcher at GSU’s Fiscal Research Center, took a look at what kind of jobs Georgia has been gaining and losing. According to his numbers, we added 115,363 jobs in the real estate, rental and leasing sector between 2001 and 2007, an astounding increase of 73.5 percent in just six years. Over that same time frame, we added almost 70,000 jobs in construction.
In other words, as bad as our economic performance was during those years, it was falsely inflated by roughly 180,000 jobs that we now know to have been the product of the real estate bubble.
However, the most startling discovery in Matthews’ work strikes at the heart of another widely held perception. He focused his research on how much income is generated by each job, discovering that from 2000 to 2008, Georgia’s income growth per job ranked 49th in the nation, behind only Michigan, which was losing tens of thousands of well-paying manufacturing jobs.
That’s not the surprising part. According to Matthews, most of that poor performance can be attributed to metro Atlanta, rather than to the rest of Georgia. “Atlanta had very low growth in employment income per job,” he writes, while the rest of Georgia enjoyed employment income that — while low — still grew faster than the national average.
Metro Atlanta, Matthews concludes, has been swapping high-paying jobs for low-paying jobs. Between 2001 and 2007, the metro region lost almost 30,000 jobs in the high-paying information and business management sectors, accounting for 80 percent of Georgia’s losses in those categories. In that same time frame, we gained 60,000 jobs in low-paying administrative and waste services, and another 38,500 in the hotel and food-service industries.
It’s hard to identify the cause of such trends, and even harder to suggest public-policy solutions. For example, Turner eliminates education as a cause, noting that the percentage of Georgians with high school and college degrees has been increasing, which in turn should bring higher-paying jobs. So far, it hasn’t.
At most, you could blame government for failing to competently carry out core duties such as improving transportation and access to water. But even then I suspect the real problems can be found elsewhere.
– Jay Bookman
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235 comments Add your comment
Jack
January 21st, 2011
6:09 am
The metro job market is flooded with underskilled workers. Techical empoyers have little to choose from.
Jack
January 21st, 2011
6:10 am
Make that technical..
Jack
January 21st, 2011
6:11 am
Make that employers.. no coffee yet
Tom C,
January 21st, 2011
6:23 am
Lets see, a dangerous crime ridden capital city with a politicized and ineffective police department and judiciary, failing thug infested schools run by corrupt school officials and perhaps worst of all a local media that persists in asking silly questions like you just have when the answers should be obvious.
Mongo
January 21st, 2011
6:25 am
I thought southern conservatives were suppose to be economic geniuses? Just cut taxes on the wealthy and businesses and jobs will magically appear. Of course they’d be better off waiting for the tooth fairy to bring jobs, but what can you do with red state wackos?
Peadawg
January 21st, 2011
6:40 am
“Lets see, a dangerous crime ridden capital city with a politicized and ineffective police department and judiciary, failing thug infested schools run by corrupt school officials” – Sounds about right to me. Well said.
Joel Edge
January 21st, 2011
6:41 am
“the national economy improves?”
After reading the topic, I figured the rest was a waste of time. Probably the usual attack crap. Although that little snippet above says it.
Vinny
January 21st, 2011
6:42 am
TomC – I agree. All one has to do is look at the front page of the Atlanta Urinal-Constipation or watch the morning news. All you read about is drive-by shootings, muggings near GATech, dead bodies found in trunks of cars, smash and grab robberies, ATL schools loss of accreditation, etc., etc, ets. Why would any company want to relocate here?
DeborahinAthens
January 21st, 2011
6:49 am
No water, ignorant masses (graduating from high school or college does not mean one is educated–listen to these bozos try to compose a coherent sentence), no mass transportation=no growth. Lowering taxes will not address any of those problems, yet we keep re-electing the same nut jobs (Paul Broun???) over and over and over. They are far more interested in getting their fundamental religious agendas passed than they are in anything else. And it is expanding to the National level. Rick Santorum is planning on running for president. What is this dim bulb’s first salvo? Abortion. Not jobs, not the economy, not the national transportation system (China just put a high speed train online that goes over 200 miles an hour–our interstate road system is crumbling). I don’t know who said it, but it is so true. In a republic or a democracy, the people get exactly the leaders they deserve.
jt
January 21st, 2011
7:00 am
Democrats.
TaxPayer
January 21st, 2011
7:00 am
It’s all in the taxes and incentives, Jay. If the Georgia Republicans give big businesses enough free stuff, they’ll come. They’ll pack up their bags in other states and move right on over here. Our “leaders” here call that “job creation.”
ByteMe
January 21st, 2011
7:02 am
So I just read the full report. (I’m still awake!)
It’s too bad the numbers end at 2007 instead of 2009. Lot of employment market juggling in those 2 years both locally and nationally. Be curious where we land now that a lot of those low-paying jobs went away and unemployment amongst the highly educated (higher paid) crowd didn’t drop as much as it did for the low-paid/low education group.
What do high-paying industries want from a location? Good schools, family activities, forward-thinking government. We have that in some places as good as you can find anywhere. Maybe Governor Go-Fish wasn’t doing a good job recruiting companies.
Bud Wiser
January 21st, 2011
7:06 am
Have you kept up with what is going on in education here, Bookman?
Clayton and Fulton counties systems, one disgraced and and accreditation lost, the other one the way.
So what’s in common?
Bud Wiser
January 21st, 2011
7:07 am
Correction: …”the other one on the way. …”
No coffee this morning yet, that is about to change.
BlahBlahBlah
January 21st, 2011
7:09 am
The real reason? 9.4% is a mirage. It dropped not due to new job creation, but to people who quit looking for work.
Mary Elizabeth
January 21st, 2011
7:21 am
You’re right, the reasons do lay elsewhere. Look to vision.
jt
January 21st, 2011
7:28 am
I read somewhere that the 2013 episode of “Survivor” will take place somewhere in Southwest Atlanta.
stands for decibels
January 21st, 2011
7:42 am
Because GA is run like a bucket shop.
stands for decibels
January 21st, 2011
7:43 am
Correction to my post @ 7.42:
GA is a bucket shop.
stands for decibels
January 21st, 2011
7:46 am
All one has to do is [...] watch the morning news.
Anyone who does that considers it to be “news” that represents what’s really going on locally has disqualified themselves from adult conversation about this topic.
Paul
January 21st, 2011
7:47 am
A 5:45 am thread?
Reading this, what occurs is, take two aspirin and go back to bed. Bleah.
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
7:55 am
Everybody wants to complain about how corrupt and crime ridden Atlanta is. If you’re so f**king concerned, get a job with APD or run for office. Quit bitching about the problem and be part of the solution. Otherwise, you’re just as complicit in the problems you’re trying to blame on everybody else.
stands for decibels
January 21st, 2011
7:59 am
Everybody wants to complain about how corrupt and crime ridden Atlanta is.
everybody?
off topic, but SoCo, any thoughts on the big mob bust yesterday?
Poor Boy from Alabama
January 21st, 2011
8:00 am
JB.
Wells Fargo’s Economic Group does periodic analysis of the Georgia economy. Back in July of 2010 they pointed out that metro Atlanta had 89,000 homes for sale, a 14 month supply, and 150,000 vacant developed lots. They also pointed out that 10.51% of mortgages were more than 90 days past due and that 3.18% of mortgages were in foreclosure. Housing is clearly a big part of the problem.
In their latest report on the Georgia economy (December 22, 2010), Wells Fargo says that
“Atlanta’s diverse mix of industries has laid a solid foundation for recovery.”
They project Atlanta’s unemployment rate to average 9.5% for this year and 8.4% in 2012.
For comparison purposes, Wells Fargo’s Annual Economic Outlook (December 8, 2010) projects national unemployment to average 9.8% in 2011 and 9.2% in 2012.
Cheer up dude!
TaxPayer
January 21st, 2011
8:01 am
Up here in the little old north Georgia county that I reside in, the good old boys are still moaning about the status of their most revered statistic — building permits — and its continued depressed level. In their lust for a return to the past faux growth (fueled in part by their own party member’s efforts to flip banks for a buck) in the construction industry and its corresponding net upward impact on surrounding property appraisals and subsequent increases in tax revenue without the need to resort to the infamous tax hike, our local Republican yokels even went so far as to temporarily suspend the building permit fees using the all too well known “logic” that if they cut them, builders will come. Needless to say, it did not work. They still have not figured out that you cannot squeeze blood from a turnip but I suppose they’re willing to keep trying until they do. Well, they can always issue bonds to build their dreams. Debt, it’s just another of the conservative ways to satisfy that “promise” to not raise taxes. Easy terms with low monthly payments for life.
Brian
January 21st, 2011
8:03 am
I wonder if the mass influx of poor, unskilled, uneducated illegal immigrants from third world countries the last 20 years has in any way contributed to this? Nah illegal immigration is a boon to the US economy.
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
8:05 am
dB
You know what I meant by everybody… The usual gripers. The one’s that gripe that Liberals hate America, and then turn around and gripe about everything around them.
On the mob bust: That one caught me off guard, but I wish I had been a part of it. I can only imagine the amount of surveillance and intel that went into putting that whole ordeal together. I haven’t had a chance to check out my usual news sites to get the inside scoop, but I will later on.
Mick
January 21st, 2011
8:07 am
This is all going to take three or four more years to shake out. Florida is pretty much in the same boat, especially miami. The first 15 minutes of local news last night were the “if it bleeds, it leads” daily murder and mayhem report. The retiring boomers will eventually be heading south, the weather is our ace in the hole…
Granny Godzilla
January 21st, 2011
8:07 am
Why?
Because ultimately Georgians don’t care enough to do anything about it.
stands for decibels
January 21st, 2011
8:10 am
On the mob bust: That one caught me off guard, but I wish I had been a part of it.
hey, who doesn’t? But yeah, as I was listening to Holder and others at the press conference, I was wondering how much your arm of the law was involved. Since one of the busted was an Italian national, I figured it was to some extent, at least.
Amazingly, the story’s already disappeared from the google.news homepage. Guess (apparently) effective, competent law enforcement success stories are boring.
stands for decibels
January 21st, 2011
8:14 am
I wonder if the mass influx of poor, unskilled, uneducated illegal immigrants from third world countries the last 20 years has in any way contributed to this? Nah illegal immigration is a boon to the US economy.
I wonder if a surfeit of citizens in GA whose reading comprehension is utter crap has in any way contributed to this?
This “mass influx” you speak of, it would be equal opportunity, not concerned with things like state boundaries, yes?
So was *GA’s* income growth 49th out of 50?
carlosgvv
January 21st, 2011
8:14 am
Southern Comfort
Atlanta has been ruined for many years by corruption and crime. Since you have such a great solution, I know you will lead the way by either joing the APD or running for office. After you do this let us know how thats working out for you and maybe we will follow your sterling example.
Toby
January 21st, 2011
8:15 am
Brian, illegals only do jobs Americans won’t do. So it stands to reason the jobs they have never existed before they got here.
Mick
January 21st, 2011
8:17 am
In today’s world, a mafioso would be better off running a hedge fund or investment banking firm on wall street. They could steal, double steal, and make more money than don corleone ever dreamed of, and it would be legal to boot….
JohnnyReb
January 21st, 2011
8:18 am
I usually push personal responsibility instead of blaming everything on the government. However, in this case the situation in metro Atlanta is directly connected to failed government policies. It’s not an accident Michigan showed up in Jay’s article. It is not an accident or some strange turn of fate that the Atlanta population grew quickly with people moving into housing they really could not afford. It was not an accident one fragile link tied to another like a house of cards. The results is our reality.
TaxPayer
January 21st, 2011
8:19 am
Uh Oh! If you hold muni’s, you might want to be lookin’ real close at them. Muni’s have already started on a down-hill slide and this is not going to help matters any. I’d sure hate to be in the boat with all those government pensioners that accepted promises for a stable income in retirement in lieu of better pay today.
Mark T
January 21st, 2011
8:26 am
jt
January 21st, 2011
7:28 am
I read somewhere that the 2013 episode of “Survivor” will take place somewhere in Southwest Atlanta.
That’s funny I dont care who you are
stands for decibels
January 21st, 2011
8:27 am
Mick @ 8.17, proud as I am of our Justice department for bringing these swine to account, I know that those who gamed the system to skim untold billions of dollars for personal gain based on lies will never spend a day in stir, and if it doesn’t trouble most Americans that this is the case, we are setting ourselves up for yet another catastrophic collapse sooner, rather than later.
Who knows
January 21st, 2011
8:30 am
why.
I have often wondered if the HOPE Scholarships had anything to do with drawing people to Georgia. That and the lower cost of living. When it came to housing, they could buy more for less.
godless heathen
January 21st, 2011
8:30 am
Too many Yankees. (R,D,&H)
Joe the paleo-neo-Plutocrat
January 21st, 2011
8:32 am
JohnnyReb, geez, why couldn’t you just say; “Tom C, nailed it.”? enough with the “…people moving into housing they really could not afford” B.S. if these people “could not afford” homes, why were mortgages issued? did not the banks and lenders do their due dilligence? and the housing bubble (created by the Federal Reserve) aside, the real whammy for the Atlanta housing market is due to MORTGAGE FRAUD, which means people never intended to “buy homes they really could not afford”. get it? it was a kind of inverted Ponzi scheme/”catch me if you can” paper-hanging scam. foreclosures have ALWAYS been part of the mortgage equation, and banks (pre-2000) generally assessed risk and made loans accordingly. but when the Fed inflated the bubble, it invited speculation and outright fraud. the Atlanta/GA economy is what it is because the city and state remain politically and racially/culutrally divided, and BOTH sides (Atlanta/Fulton County government and god ‘ol boy state government) are corrupt.
Doggone/GA
January 21st, 2011
8:33 am
“why were mortgages issued? did not the banks and lenders do their due dilligence”
Short answer: no
stands for decibels
January 21st, 2011
8:33 am
the percentage of Georgians with high school and college degrees has been increasing, which in turn should bring higher-paying jobs. So far, it hasn’t.
Jay, allowing states to adopt their own testing standards to be NCLB compliant has something to do with that, one presumes. (How much, you’ll have to pay me to investigate adequately. Perhaps you could root around and find out for me?)
And on that cheery note, I’ll bid a (deep doo-)doo.
Mick
January 21st, 2011
8:35 am
stands
It seems we cherry pick our criminals, some fly under the radar and there is no penalty or even an attempt at justice…
AmVet
January 21st, 2011
8:36 am
Good Friday morning, peeps.
“Nah illegal immigration is a boon to the
US economythousands and thousands of Georgia employers who profited immensely by breaking the law and screwing their fellow Americans.Too bad, the fiscally non-conservative gave them ALL a free pass.
And I agree with Reb.
The house of cards, known as the US/Georgia economy, especially as willingly viewed through the smoke and mirrors by the ever-dupable, was an extremely complex disaster waiting to happen.
Which makes the sophomoric “response” at 7:00 even more laughable than it already is…
Real American
January 21st, 2011
8:40 am
Obama has agreed with China to bring 250,000 jobs to USA, he did this in 2 years in office.
Rep party has been in control of Georgia for over 8 years, how many jobs have they brought to this state?
And you morons vote for them every year
I rest my case.
DefactoExecutives
January 21st, 2011
8:42 am
I suspect the unemployment rate will skyrocket the end of January and February; which will reflect the number of people who were let go in November and December.
I had lunch with a couple of old co-workers who can’t wait to leave their current employer. I suspect corporate america will get a wake-up call when the economy does improve, due to the number of layoffs and the shift in responsibility of those who remained.
Joe the paleo-neo-Plutocrat
January 21st, 2011
8:42 am
sfd, excuse the interloping, but as a native of NJ it seems to me I’d kinda like the Feds to be ’rounding up’ terrorists, as opposed to some street level bookies, and wiseguys who shake down strip club owners and pizza joints. I feel for the extorted, but most of this stuff is not “interstate” in nature, so let NY, NJ, FL or PA handle it locally. sounds to me like maybe the Feds want their “tributes” (taxes) as well.
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
8:42 am
dB
I think at some point, some of our guys/girls were involved. As of lately, we’re getting more and more into the interagency cooperation thing. I’ll probably hear from some of my friends at JFK. They’ll know a little more.
carlosgvv
I can’t work my current job and APD at the same time. That would be a conflict of interest. However, I left the retail industry in 2005 because I got tired of just waiting on someone to do something. I’ve been busting my ass in immigration since 2007 working to cut down the number of illegals and drugs flowing into Atlanta. I wish I could bring people to work with me to see what goes on here. I think many would be amazed.
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
8:44 am
Joe
As soon as foreign nationals become involved, it becomes a Fed issue.
dan gregory
January 21st, 2011
8:45 am
OOOOHHHH!!!!! This is what is dragging “OUR Economy”—-Down? Well Hell how about just nuke that state and then? “NO more problem!!!!” What a Crock of dog do-do article? Let’s see? How about we examine all the “Other” states that have a higher crime rate than “Georgia?” How about the states that have “LESS” of a tax base than GA? Let’s check on the states with the most dead-beat dad’s? Don’t overlook the states that are even in worse “Finicial” distress than GA? And do not forget looking at the states whose transportation roads are “worse than GA? ETC. ETC. Single out these states as well as you have GA!!!! Every little detail mentioned in this comment can affect the “nation’s Economy” as a whole relating to the “Bottom Line” and national expense? In one way or another!!!!
Normal
January 21st, 2011
8:48 am
dan gregory….try decaf…
Tom C.
January 21st, 2011
8:51 am
120 “dangerous” members of the Gambino crime family et al were rounded up and arrested without a shot fired or a reported injury to the officers and yet almost daily in this country a policeman is killed by some local thug while making a routine traffic stop or while serving a warrant. Something doesn’t add up, Our police are either are either undermanned, underarmed or more likely, unauthorized to use the force necessary to protect themselves.
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
8:54 am
Normal
I don’t think that would even help.
Joe the paleo-neo-Plutocrat
January 21st, 2011
8:54 am
SoCo, I guess that’s my point, if theFeds look hard enough, they’re going to find something “federal”. for example, you mention drugs. well, prior to politically driven legislation, both marijuana and cocaine were legal (or regulated at the state level). as far as the other stuff goes, a I said, I don’t view street level bookmaking, strip clubs/prostitution or even drugs as “national security” issues (anymore than I care what happens in Bagdhad, Tehran, or Kabul). and most of the murders were “within the family” so I have no issue with a little self-directed herd cleansing. do you remember the “Gold Club” trial in Atlanta in the late 90’s? yeah, while the FBI and DEA were “proving” Andruw Jones and Patrick Ewing were getting head (and if you believe some testimony, very poor tippers), a guy named bin Laden was planning to attack the US, and some of his “soldiers” were actually LIVING IN METRO ATLANTA at the time.
jm
January 21st, 2011
8:56 am
Lack of infrastructure….. and higher skilled workers….
jm
January 21st, 2011
8:57 am
“Georgia’s income growth per job ranked 49th in the nation, behind only Michigan”
Jay you got so upset with my comparison between Atlanta and Detroit…. and yet….
Toby
January 21st, 2011
8:59 am
Crap, I moved here from Michigan.
Left wing management
January 21st, 2011
9:00 am
“Metro Atlanta, Matthews concludes, has been swapping high-paying jobs for low-paying jobs. Between 2001 and 2007, the metro region lost almost 30,000 jobs in the high-paying information and business management sectors, accounting for 80 percent of Georgia’s losses in those categories. In that same time frame, we gained 60,000 jobs in low-paying administrative and waste services, and another 38,500 in the hotel and food-service industries.
Proletarianization, maybe?
When there were still the “high paying” and upper management-type jobs in the state, with what sorts of firms were they? IBM? Hewlett Packard? And when they did leave, did state representatives interview these companies or try to find out why they left? Finally, did the jobs go elsewhere or did they simply melt away?
Joe the paleo-neo-Plutocrat
January 21st, 2011
9:01 am
Tom C, “almost daily”. can you be more vague? like any profession, law enforcement has its risks, but I would be interested to see the actual data supporting your claim (how many officers killed in the line of duty? how many times officers discharge weapons while making an arrest, serving a warrant, etc.).
carlosgvv
January 21st, 2011
9:02 am
Southern Comfort
Since Big Business, politicans and the Catholic Church all want illegals for various reasons, you must have a virtually impossible job.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
January 21st, 2011
9:02 am
Good morning all. I think a sober review of Georgia would find we are about the highest-tax/capita state in our region (I think NC is higher.) The appropriate measure for Georgia would be our performance within our region. Surely the same calculation is taking place in the industrial midwest, where Illinois is raising taxes and sending, and Wisconsin and Indiana are going the other way.
Surely anyone can see that Texas, Florida, and Tennessee are eating our lunch. Those states have all done what Georgia has not, a serious review of government functions, squeezing out the wasteful government spending and trimming welfare. Tennessee was forced to do so after a ruinous experiment with a state-form of ObamaCare. Florida and Texas have benefited from conservative governance for a generation. And all three of those states are operating with comparatively high sales taxes, and no income tax, a factor not to be ignored.
Deep Throat
January 21st, 2011
9:05 am
Greetings !!!!! Welcome to …….., just reading all this expert advise from all.
@@
January 21st, 2011
9:07 am
Why is Ga.’s economy worsening
Uhmmmm………..because Georgia’s part of the Bible Belt?
Yeah, that’s it…….it’s The Bible! Stuck in the past with nowhere to go.
schnirt
Left wing management
January 21st, 2011
9:10 am
Ragnar: “Good morning all. I think a sober review of Georgia would find we are about the highest-tax/capita state in our region (I think NC is higher.) ”
Lack of progressive tax scheme overall, no?
Illinois is going to be in much better shape with the tax hikes. Why do you say TN got into hot water with their health reform? That of course raises the question of Massachusetts. By all accounts, their program is quite popular.
“And all three of those states are operating with comparatively high sales taxes, and no income tax, a factor not to be ignored.”
Again, how exactly are these states really in better shape by shifting more insecurity and risk to the middle- and lower classes?
Mick
January 21st, 2011
9:11 am
joe
I’m from jersey myself and agree with what you are pointing out. The dog and pony show seemed to neglect the russian mob, chinese mob, they are not as attractive to parade the perp walk as the guidos, no respect I tell ya…
Joe the paleo-neo-Plutocrat
January 21st, 2011
9:12 am
as an Atlanta resident, I think last week’s snow holiday is a good place to start. seems to me that if “non-essential” employees were not required to show up for work, the city needs to take a closer look at reducing headcount, or job-sharing. connecting it to the “mob” thread, it would appear the Atlanta City Government is a haven for “no show” jobs. ah, what the heck? are we really going to spend the morning demanding a higher standard of ethics and accountability from government? personally, I think the mob runs a tighter ship.
retired early
January 21st, 2011
9:13 am
Well, when your Governor “prays for rain” it kinda says it all…don’t it.
Jay
January 21st, 2011
9:15 am
Isn’t it remarkable how quickly so many diagnosed the problem as “those people”?
deegee
January 21st, 2011
9:16 am
Georgia attracts people from other states who want to live in a comfortable climate. They come here without a job with the expectation that they will find something. Competition for jobs tends to lower the wage. States with the lowest unemployment rate include N Dakota, S Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Vermont and N Hampshire.
In the corporate world, Atlanta is frequently a regional location for large corporations that are based in states like California, New York, and Illinois. Outsourcing, and corporate acquisitions and consolidations have zapped the higher paying jobs.
Mick
January 21st, 2011
9:16 am
ragnar
I have lived in florida for over 40 years and the repubs have had control of the state since 98, there is no question that this state has declined precipitously because of repub crap policy. Yet, the yahoo faction keeps asking for more of the same and thats exactly what we get. You are off your rocker about florida and our 3.5 billion deficit after 13 years of “tax cuts”.
TaxPayer
January 21st, 2011
9:17 am
I certainly in favor of taxing lawyers here in Georgia by the word. There will be no need for additional taxation.
Atlas Shrugging
January 21st, 2011
9:18 am
Peadawg/Vinny …..you forgot South Atlanta, Clayton County, and Dekalb County…that just about says it all….
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:18 am
deegee – I think your assessment is fairly accurate.
AmVet
January 21st, 2011
9:19 am
Welcome to the oligarchy orchestrated world of trickle down poverty.
Hopefully the poor, struggling CEOs and derivatives traders aren’t suffering too badly…
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:20 am
“Why is Ga.’s economy worsening, while the national economy improves?”
Nice weather and sweet tea? Makes unemployment highly tolerable…..
md
January 21st, 2011
9:20 am
Fulton keeps this crap up, and even more jobs will be leaving:
http://www.ajc.com/news/police-teen-wearing-ankle-810980.html
Have to love the quote from the PC:
“We’re not playing out here,” Womack said. “And I tell these guys when we lock them up, you’re not in Fulton County anymore.”
And just for the heck of it, to get on my soapbox, so glad the choices these guys made allow them to be “poor and pitiful” vs “selfish”.
Deep Throat
January 21st, 2011
9:21 am
retired early
January 21st, 2011
9:13 am
Well, when your Governor “prays for rain” it kinda says it all…don’t it.
Next time were in need of rain , we’ll come to you for your infinite wisdom.
buzz
January 21st, 2011
9:21 am
Georgia has among the highest corporate tax rates. Maybe that is why business and jobs do not come here?
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
9:23 am
Joe
I can agree on that not everything is a “Fed” issue. However, when large sums of money is flowing in and out of the country, that’s where I think it gets into an area where the Fed is obligated to investigate. There’s no way of knowing what that money is funding. That’s just like there was talk that street vendors were taking the money they made and were funneling it to terrorist organizations in the ME. You also run the risk of things getting out of hand when an issue gets too large for a local PD to take care of. They hit families in NY and NJ yesterday.
carlosgvv
It’s a thankless and neverending job. To listen and see proof of how people live in other countries, I couldn’t begin to describe how well people in the US have it. I’ve seen and heard things that I could have never imagined on my own. However, if those you listed are waiting on me to let someone in illegally, they had better not hold their breath.
TaxPayer
January 21st, 2011
9:23 am
By “those people”, I refer to the Republicans. I don’t know about others and whom they prefer to blame for what ails this state ever since those people took over.
deegee
January 21st, 2011
9:24 am
Tennessee got that VW Passat plant in Chattanooga. They haven’t hired many people from Georgia and it’s not because they aren’t applying for the jobs. Tennessee gave VW some monetary incentives so VW is hiring in Tennessee. Oh, well.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
January 21st, 2011
9:24 am
Well, the reason our economy is so bad is because—get ready for it—taxes is too high in this state. If we cut taxes more we’d make more money.
Me and my buddy Jim Earl and my other buddy Joe Bill was at Billy Bob’s last night talking about the problem, and the more PBRs we had the clearer the solution become. So here’s what we come up with:
We need to pay rich people to live in this state!
Yes, you read me right. We been nibbling around the edges of the problem with a capital gains tax cut here and a unearned income tax cut there. We need to come right out and cut a big check every year to everybody that makes more than $100,000. They’ll flock to live in this state and then they’ll bring good-paying jobs. That’s the Conservative Republican solution and it will work.
No charge for the advise. All we done was just stretch the tax cut argument to its logical conclusion. Have a good Friday everybody.
JackLeg
January 21st, 2011
9:24 am
Again the dimacrats are the party of ONLY ONE ANSWER, raise taxes, why is that? Is that so stupid liberal only have to remember one thing? The answer to ALL of your problems is more taxes. Let us try a different answer, CUT SPENDING, LOWER TAXES…. Or the liberal answers, keep giving money to people that don’t know how to manage it, and give them a bonus while you are at it.
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:25 am
buzz – unfortunately facts don’t bear that out
http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/230.html
http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/corp_inc.pdf
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:27 am
deegee 9:24 – I saw the same article. Question. Isn’t that job discrimination? Seems a lawsuit could conceivably be forthcoming. Or maybe its perfectly legal, I have no idea.
Bosch
January 21st, 2011
9:28 am
“Isn’t it remarkable how quickly so many diagnosed the problem as “those people”?”
Jay,
That’s the main problem with our state — ignorance and too many stoopid people.
poison pen
January 21st, 2011
9:29 am
Real American ?…. A Democrat has been in control of Michigan and look how great they are doing.
You can do this with about any state if you want and I rest my case.
Your partisan comments are really helping our country. Brilliant!
Road Scholar
January 21st, 2011
9:29 am
Don’t look at the number of students graduating from college and high schools, but look at their test scores on what they know, or the improvement in the amount they know. A tomato could graduate from some of our high schools and colleges, but it doesn’t mean they know anything, or that they can become good citizens!
Haywood Jablome
January 21st, 2011
9:30 am
The lack of low-income growth and high unemployment is the fault of the high-crime, redneck, job-killing areas like Alpharetta and the central perimeter.
Deep Throat
January 21st, 2011
9:30 am
Well lets draw a line, all the ignorant people on this side and all the stoopid people over there.
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:31 am
I think its because GA / Atlanta doesn’t have a serious banking operation anymore. Someone needs to build that high speed rail to Charlotte so that we can either speed up the shipment of money to Atlanta, or so we can ship ourselves to Charlotte to get those higher paying jobs.
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:32 am
Road Scholar 9:29 – second that. Graduation rates mean nothing in this grade inflated HOPE ponzi scheme.
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:32 am
HOPE needs to be tied to 50% to SAT scores….
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:34 am
Did everyone see the article where the GA schools thought the accelerated Math program was too hard and too many kids were getting bad grades. So they’re now dumbing it down. Seriously? Unbelievable.
Matti
January 21st, 2011
9:37 am
…Because Georgia will be LEADING the country into the new era of corporate feudalism. See, things need to get worse so that our new Lords and Masters can swoop in and save us.
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:39 am
STI poppin this AM…. maybe ATL isn’t quite out of money yet.
Bosch
January 21st, 2011
9:39 am
Since it’s Friday and all I’d like to share:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWOyfLBYtuU
If anybody wants to know what our Order of Obama meetings look like, well this is close….
Deep Throat
January 21st, 2011
9:39 am
Matti, that sounds like the approach your savior Oblunder has taken.
Left wing management
January 21st, 2011
9:40 am
deegee: “In the corporate world, Atlanta is frequently a regional location for large corporations that are based in states like California, New York, and Illinois. Outsourcing, and corporate acquisitions and consolidations have zapped the higher paying jobs.”
Interesting. So it’s really something structural about the economy itself. As capitalism has reached greater levels of productivity and over-production, that has hollowed out the ranks of middle management. One area that hasn’t been hit, I’m sure, is the executive level.
AmVet
January 21st, 2011
9:41 am
jm @9:24, though I disabused you last night of that silly lie, you STILL puke it up? (Go back and edumacate yourself.)
Otay…
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:41 am
This might be the first really decent idea Obama has ever had.
Obama Asks GE’s Immelt to Head Economic Adviser Panel (Update2)
http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a.oE.OzoJyN8&pos=5
The next best thing would be to step down and offer the job itself to Immelt….
One Nation Under educated
January 21st, 2011
9:43 am
Parrot those dog whistles, wingnuts
Annnything to prop up that supply side jaysus trickle-on house of cards, and keep the goobers voting Red against their best interests.
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:43 am
AmVet – coffee up buddy. I didn’t write anything at 9:24
Normal
January 21st, 2011
9:43 am
deegee
January 21st, 2011
9:24 am
BOYCOTT VW! BOYCOTT TENNESSEE!
Passat(pronounced the same) in Laos-speak is a very bad phrase…kinda like butthead, but harder..
AmVet
January 21st, 2011
9:44 am
Make that 9:34…
jed
January 21st, 2011
9:45 am
The conservative rule of Georgia continues to hurt Georgia Economy. The layed off educators and school staff members probably contributed to the 10.4%. Say what? Deal wants an additional cut in education, messing with the HOPE, and raising college tuition. That’s your man Georgia.
dan gregory
January 21st, 2011
9:45 am
I love it when I “HIT” a (NERVE) with some of my comments!! that tells me? “Mission” accomplished!!!! Thanks for the feed back!!! Appreciated it!!! Ya’all can live with the “REAL” truth that is rarely revealed since it is easy to “fool some of the people (All) of the time? As Abe Lincoln was quoted to have said!!!
TaxPayer
January 21st, 2011
9:46 am
I was kinda hoping that jm would show us all how easy calculus and differential equations are and how our grade school kids should already know that simple stuff like those Asian kids.
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:46 am
AmVet – so you’re disputing the AJC’s account of the accelerated math changes? Interesting.
jconservative
January 21st, 2011
9:47 am
People do not generally vote for candidates with plans to fix economic problems. They vote for people with the same cultural agenda as themselves.
These three words were guaranteed election winning words in 2010 – Obamacare & illegal immigrants.
And so it goes.
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:47 am
TaxPayer – low expectations = poor results
NoRoomToBreathe
January 21st, 2011
9:48 am
Well, the national economy ISN’T that good, and Georgia’s is worse. The unemployment rate, as noted by both the feds & state(s) are not even close to accurate. Double it and your getting close. That coupled with politicians who have zero in the department of problem solving skills, big (and in many cases, mid and small) business who feel it’s a buyers market, i.e. MAYBE hire you at a low, low wage while working you do death with no advancement pretty much sums up why we’re in the dumpster, And guess what, it’s going to stay this way. For a while. A long while. Get use to it, or move or start a business. There’s your options.
Normal
January 21st, 2011
9:48 am
He still needs decaf…
carlosgvv
January 21st, 2011
9:51 am
Jay
Maybe that’s because it really is “those people”. You all but said that yourself.
jm
January 21st, 2011
9:51 am
Normal – indeed
Deep Throat
January 21st, 2011
9:53 am
Yep, read that article myself,right out of the AJC. Yep sure did !
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
9:54 am
TaxPayer
Kinda long, but here’s an interesting exercise I found in differential equations.
http://www.idea.wsu.edu/Insurgency/
Imperial powers frequently find themselves in a situation where they have defeated the military force of a nation, and now want to occupy the land of that nation. However, the people of that nation are hostile and resent the presence of the occupiers. The natives thus form resistance movements to make life unpleasant and dangerous for the occupiers. The native insurgent forces have no chance of forcing the occupiers out of the land; instead their goal is simply to cause problems for the occupiers in the hope that eventually public opinion or a loss of will causes the occupiers to withdraw.
We will model the numbers o(t) of occupiers and i(t) of insurgents using a simple pair of equations.
i’ = o(α – Fi),
o’ = βi + (C – ρo).
We can interpret these equations in this way. The number of insurgents tends to increase so long as occupiers are present. The parameter α represents the resentment and antagonism that the occupiers excite among the native population, and is positive. On the other hand, when insurgents interact with the occupiers, they may be killed, captured, or otherwise neutralized; or again, they may be bought off or convinced in some other way not to continue their activities. On the other hand, they may score military victories or take sympathetic losses that cause others to join them. The term F o i describes the interaction of the insurgents with the occupiers, and F describes the effectiveness of the occupiers in dealing with insurgents; it may be positive, negative, or zero.
The second equation indicates that the number of occupiers tends to rise as long as there are insurgents to deal with, but the occupying force has some desired number of forces that it wishes to attain. The willingness of the occupiers to increase their forces in response to insurgent action is described by β > 0, while the desired number of occupying forces is C, and the ability and willingness of the occupiers to make changes in forces is given by ρ > 0. The struggle these equations describe is sometimes called “asymmetric warfare”, and that asymmetry is reflected in the equations. The first equation is nonlinear, and looks like one of the equations from the traditional predator-prey system used to model phenomena such as this. The second equation, however, is linear, and reflects the fact that the occupiers decide how many forces to put in the occupied country. The insurgents cannot really do much damage to the occupiers, so we neglect any reduction of occupying forces due to actual interaction with the insurgents.
The occupying country typically wants to reduce its forces to some maintenance level C. The question at hand is how to accomplish that.
Exercise 1: Find the equilibrium points of these equations, and interpret them in terms of the numbers of insurgents and occupiers. In other words, which of the equilibria are interesting in view of the assumptions about insurgents and occupiers?
Exercise 2: For each equilibrium point found in Exercise 1, linearize the differential equation around that point and discuss the stability of the equilibrium.
Evidently the parameter F is critical to the analysis of this system. If we could be sure that every time one occupier met one insurgent, then the insurgent would be killed or taken prisoner or persuaded not to be an insurgent any more, then F would be 1. Unfortunately for the occupiers, the insurgents are usually hard to recognize, and they melt into the ambient population during fights. Worse yet, in their search for insurgents the occupiers sometimes antagonize non-insurgents, causing others to become insurgents. If the occupiers were so ineffective as to detain four non-insurgents for every actual insurgent detained, and if half of those improperly detained became insurgents or had relatives that became insurgents in outrage, then F would be -1 (one insurgent detained, two new ones created).
Exercise 3: Describe the change in the phase portrait for this system as F goes from positive to negative values. I.e. sketch a sample phase portrait for F > 0 and for F < 0. Discuss the case when F = 0.
Exercise 4: A set of parameters for the system is given in the applet below. Plot several phase portraits using different parameter values, and discuss the following questions.
How sensitive are the results to the choice of β?
How sensitive are the results to the value of ρ?
Under what circumstances does the number of occupiers actually approach the desired maintenance force size C?
Belinda
January 21st, 2011
9:59 am
Interesting, Jay. Thanks for the article.
deegee
January 21st, 2011
10:00 am
From my personal vantage point, I don’t see any thinning of the ranks at the executive level. My observation is that the executive ranks have been swelling in numbers and compensation. They have tied compensation of their employees to meaningless performance metrics that are easily quantifiable. Executive compensation is tied to the balance sheet so the executives can cut “expenses” or people when the balance sheet is not looking favorable for the prospects of getting a bonus.
The fundamental problem is that in business, American executives do not look much farther than the next quarter. American corporations are short-sighted and driven by short term profits. If we are going to succeed in a global economy, corporations and government are going to have to work together to formulate a five-year and a ten-year plan. This is leadership. We need it now.
Scout
January 21st, 2011
10:02 am
For the same reason we have Global Warming.
Good grief, I can’t believe you don’t know that.
Bud Wiser
January 21st, 2011
10:05 am
Obama seeks to highlight economic successes (AP) – 24 minutes ago
AP – President Barack Obama wants to cast some light on economic success stories in the shadows of a slow recovery. And he is looking to find some more…
It’s gonna be a long long look over the edge of the abyss, and all he will see is the nothingness he has created.
This clown is making Jimmy Carter look like an economic GENIUS.
deegee
January 21st, 2011
10:06 am
The very last thing I would do is boycott VW because they aren’t hiring unemployed carpet workers from Dalton. Tennessee ponied up and got the goods. Sonny was all for helping TN get the factory because he thought he would get a free ride. I suppose that the VW execs can go fish in the lovely lakes and streams of N Georgia.
Mr.Obvious
January 21st, 2011
10:06 am
How long have we been under Republican leadership? Their actions totally counter their rhetoric. Too bad they keep getting reelected on religious and racist platforms alone.
md
January 21st, 2011
10:09 am
“Tennessee ponied up and got the goods.”
And to the victor – the spoils.
Some call it subsidies, while others call it smart business………..which State got the economic benefit?
thomas
January 21st, 2011
10:09 am
Bosch
January 21st, 2011
9:28 am
“Isn’t it remarkable how quickly so many diagnosed the problem as “those people”?”
Jay,
That’s the main problem with our state — ignorance and too many stoopid people.
—- The irony in your statement is striking!
Adam
January 21st, 2011
10:10 am
Turner eliminates education as a cause, noting that the percentage of Georgians with high school and college degrees has been increasing, which in turn should bring higher-paying jobs. So far, it hasn’t.
Perhaps they got so educated that they decided to leave and go see the world… or other explanations. I left the south entirely in 2001 because I couldn’t stand how much conservative and religious fervor there was, but that was in a different state. And it was after part of a college education.
Bosch
January 21st, 2011
10:12 am
Leave me alone thomas, I’m jamming to a new CD…….
md
January 21st, 2011
10:13 am
“How long have we been under Republican leadership?”
Sonny was the first since 1872………………now you know.
Although, one would assume if one has access to a blog, one would also have access to google.
jm
January 21st, 2011
10:16 am
thomas 10:09 – I had the same thought.
Bosch
January 21st, 2011
10:19 am
thomas,
Okay, I’m in between songs….what’s ironic about it?
Normal
January 21st, 2011
10:20 am
My grandkids and I are currently going through all of the Harry Potter flicks on weekends, so when I saw this…
http://icanhascheezburger.com/2011/01/19/funny-pictures-not-slytherin/
Lukas
January 21st, 2011
10:21 am
How may good paying technical jobs have been jacked to other places by the likes of BellSouth and others?
Ennis Eaton
January 21st, 2011
10:21 am
Did banks do due diligence?? No. Is the people getting out of high school able to read beyon 5th grade level?? No. Is the Big Deal involved in the effort to make more dams, and therefore his ticket out of debt??? Yes. All of the people that bolted to the republician party when the campaigning person said he would put the battle flag back on the state flag, you get what you deserve. Follow the money, get your head out of the sand. It aint gonna go away until we get people elected who are in it for the good of everyone.
HDB
January 21st, 2011
10:23 am
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
9:54 am
Thanks for reminding me WHY I didn’t continue with Math as a double-major!!
Adam
January 21st, 2011
10:10 am
Not a bad observation…I, too, left Georgia in 1994 (had to come back, though in 2005) right after getting my degree…and went to Minnesota to get two more degrees plus a great job!!
barking frog
January 21st, 2011
10:23 am
The housing industry. Not just the bubble, but fundamentals.
Flooring manufacturing moving away. Manufactured housing
losing popularity. Other building material manufacturers also
moving. No solution in sight. Get used to it. Kia and VW will
hurt the economy in GA and TN eventually, if they haven’t yet.
TaxPayer
January 21st, 2011
10:23 am
SoCo at 9:54,
Call it a hunch but that may be just a tad bit over the heads of our grade schoolers here in the states. China’s children, on the other hand, may very well be getting an introduction to such systems at an earlier age, at least based on my past interactions with some of their “fresh out of college” engineers. However, I am surprised that our grade schoolers here in north Georgia have not expressed more interest in something as important to any avid hunter as say this. Perhaps if we treated scientists and engineeers (climate scientists come to mind for some reason) with a little more dignity and respect and paid them something even remotely comparable to what a pro wrestler makes even, much less a football player or Republican congressman (including corporate funding)… oh well.
Matt
January 21st, 2011
10:25 am
In a state where Republicans run EVERYTHING, I find it sad that folks are blaming things on Democrats.
Bosch
January 21st, 2011
10:28 am
Yeah Normal! The Bosches love the HP!
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
10:32 am
HDB
I had some flashbacks like a bad acid trip while I was reading that. DE and I did not make verry good dance partners.
TaxPayer
That’s more my speed. I had a blast in Physics when I was in college. I hated that I couldn’t take it in high school. Most people are afraid of math, when all you have to do is know how to apply formulas. The mathematics in your page are nothing more than addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
jm
January 21st, 2011
10:33 am
“In a state where Republicans run EVERYTHING, I find it sad that folks are blaming things on Democrats.”
This is a ridiculous statement. Pointing out that they’ve held all statewide offices for 2 weeks is probably going to fall on deaf ears…. blaming democrats might be silly, but Matt’s counterpoint is so irrelevant….
Paul
January 21st, 2011
10:34 am
jm
“This might be the first really decent idea Obama has ever had.
Obama Asks GE’s Immelt to Head Economic Adviser Panel”
Decent idea? First time I’m aware of the CEO of a major corporation has been given a government job while still serving as CEO. And the President thinks we really, really need another economic advisory panel?
It’s not enough GE’s financial performance has been abysmal under this guy. Add in the company he heads seeks/sought literally billions in profit by securing contracts to profit from government policies, and that he’s still CEO while now advising on policy, and I see it as a problem.
For all you “Republicans are toadies for Big Business” mantra chanters out there, time to recalibrate your mantra -
Paul
January 21st, 2011
10:36 am
Bosch
“Leave me alone thomas, I’m jamming to a new CD…….”
How anyone can jam to Justin Bieber, let alone listen to him, is beyond me…..
Outside Atlanta
January 21st, 2011
10:37 am
We have one of the worst educated populations in the country. We continue to rank at the bottom of high school testing results, and today I read were the State Educators have voted to lower the math curriculum standands to one that does not prepare kids for college. We do not invest in our trade schools. So we have a very unskilled labor force throughout the state. Our population is very polarized. Our business are still very segragated. We continue to elect political leaders who are popular yet uneducated. You can be govenor without a college educated; anyone is eligible to be a Magistrate Court Judge, no college degree necessary, Finally, the Metropolitan Atlanta Region has the most potential for attracting new business, yet our politicians refused to back investments in the regions due to a fear that it may fanchise too many African Americans. What a losing proposition we have set up for our kids.
jm
January 21st, 2011
10:37 am
Take that China.
http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601010&sid=avBQNMDdbTOw
RAMBLE ON!!!
January 21st, 2011
10:39 am
It’s George W. Bush’s fault.
By the way, what ever happen to all those anti-war protesters, code pink, and Cindy Sheehan?
Haven’t seen any coverage on them on them for the last 2 years. I guess they must have tone down the rhetoric. You liberals, um, progressive’s are so righteous.
…is the war over?
jm
January 21st, 2011
10:39 am
Paul – A. He doesn’t have a government job. Its an advisory committee, unpaid. B – GE’s performance has been steadily and solidly improving. Its stock price hasn’t increased because its deleveraging, shrinking the finance unit, and recovering from underinvestment in its core businesses by Jack.
Any questions?
StJ
January 21st, 2011
10:42 am
“2000 to 2008, Georgia’s income growth per job ranked 49th in the nation, behind only Michigan, which was losing tens of thousands of well-paying manufacturing jobs”
Should that have been “ahead of only Michigan”?
But the root causes are many…Tom C got it right, and add the aforementioned water problem, crumbling infrastructure, housing bubble, and transportation issues (not that the streetcar idea is going to solve them). There’s plenty of blame to spread around for sure.
The perfect storm is here, and it’s not going away anytime soon – it will most likely get worse. Places like Charlotte, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Jacksonville, Savannah, etc. will grow while Atlanta will be in a state of decline. Get used to it.
jm
January 21st, 2011
10:42 am
Great. More lost economic output due to carbon trading. So much for the benefits of carbon markets when you have theft and deceit….
http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aOSWQPq4MeFM&pos=12
Carbon tax folks. Or nothing.
Bosch
January 21st, 2011
10:44 am
Paul,
“How anyone can jam to Justin Bieber, let alone listen to him, is beyond me…..”
Yeah, me too, but this chick rocks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SmxVCM39j4&feature=related
The one after the advertisement of course….
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
10:45 am
Paul @ 8:34
I was just reading up on that. I was thinking that there would be some kind of conflict of interest with GE seeking government contracts and him heading the company while sitting on a government panel. I guess there’s not one though since he was part of Volcker’s group too. I guess there’s no better way to ensure getting that government contract than becoming part of the government. I’m waiting to see if any of our Conservatives here start labeling GE as Government Electric…
getalife
January 21st, 2011
10:45 am
After the w collapse, GE was 5 bucks and is performing well.
Ga is number one.
At bank failures.
Peter
January 21st, 2011
10:47 am
Duhhhhhhhhhhh…….. Republican’s are in charge of the state…… They are just not caring about the folks here.
They have spent monies on land that ripped of the citizens, bilked the coffers with fees that got spent in the wrong places, and have lied to Georgian’s in general, like we will close the 400 toll, when the road is paid for.
We have a liar as a new governor, and the school system sucks compared to the rest of America.
The past governor did zero, but waste water, pray for rain, double his net worth with shady dealings. He also left the state with all types of new debt the republican’s won’t talk about.
The Republican’s are about a few, and not for the ALL. They control the state, and make sure the populace is stupid with the education system.
Where else in the country did a governor get elected after he lied to his state about his personal finances ?
Of course it is getting worse…….Republican’s run things.
ludacris
January 21st, 2011
10:47 am
How anyone can jam to Justin Bieber
Compensate me properly and I will add rhymes over Lawrence Welk’s entire wax cylinder collection.
Health Care Confusion
January 21st, 2011
10:48 am
I’m still confused about the healthcare debate, but there are few things I do know. First, my insurance premiums went up this January and I have less things covered. Second, UnitedHealthcare, who is my insurer, just reported that its profits exceeded expectations. Third, Viagra pills are too expensive. Fourth, I have yet to hear about any insurance company that has laid off workers. Why do our political leaders continue to want to help these insurers? They seem to control all of the money and the Republican party. I am a life long Republican and I’m starting to smell a rat. What are we going to do if the Republicans are successful in overturning the health reform laws? How could this law be so bad if every president for the past 40 years have been unable to control healthcare cost. I have a preexisting condition and had been refused coverage in the past. I don’t know what I’m going to do if that right to be insured is taken away. Plus, I have one son in college and a 16 year old daughter. I love the fact that I can keep them insured until 26. Considering the way the job market has been they are going to need that coverage for at least that long. Come on leaders and take me serious.
The Anti-Gnostic
January 21st, 2011
10:48 am
The Austrian theory of the business cycle:
Artificially cheap credit alters the structure of production, with capital and labor being diverted to real estate. The resource grab begins, and eventually it becomes clear: the activities enabled by the artificially suppressed interest rates can no longer be sustained. Producers have been misled by false interest rate signals and we realize, suddenly, that there is not as much capital available as we thought.
The bubble bursts, as it must, and millions of dollars worth of labor and materials are snared in all the white elephant developments all over the state, and now must be liquidated.
Georgia rode this bubble for all it was worth, so it is hardly surprising that recovery from the prior malinvestment is lagging. Combine this with the government doing everything in its power to stave off the necessary correction and we are in for a continued hard slog.
It is what it is.
md
January 21st, 2011
10:48 am
Appointing Immelt would be the equivalent to Bush appointing Murdoch…………
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
10:49 am
By the way, what ever happen to all those anti-war protesters, code pink, and Cindy Sheehan?
Cindy —- http://cindysheehanssoapbox.com/
Code Pink —- http://www.codepink4peace.org/
anti war protesters (2010) —- http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en#sclient=psy&hl=en&site=webhp&q=anti+war+protests+2010&aq=3&aqi=g10&aql=f&oq=anti+war+protests&psj=1&fp=2d73bcec2e6e3c54
Mr. Right
January 21st, 2011
10:50 am
Jay– I can’t hardly believe you didn’t blame the conservatives since about all you write about is negative things about them. You must have had a good night!
Bosch
January 21st, 2011
10:50 am
Paul,
And this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boo2Zm69fhY&NR=1
I’m having to re-categorize the orange shorts woman in my thoughts…..
Tweets that mention Why is Ga.’s economy worsening, while the national economy improves? | Jay Bookman -- Topsy.com
January 21st, 2011
10:50 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Brooke Brown, Jay Bookman AJC. Jay Bookman AJC said: Why is Ga. economy still leaking jobs, while national economy slowly improves? http://bit.ly/iePAd7 [...]
Atlanta1
January 21st, 2011
10:50 am
We quit aggressively recruiting in new business and sat on ‘behinds’ after the Olympics.
Our tax advantages from the 70’s and 80’s are no longer advantages.
Atlanta is a very large metropolitian area now, with infrastructure challenges, and lots of traffic.
And we relied on conventions more and more, which offers more ‘low paying’ opportunities verses ‘high paying’.
This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. It is a common sense ‘people’ issue.
Florida’s new governer is going after companies from all over the U.S. offering a lower tax base to work with.
Even Wisconsin (of all places) have begun to actively pursue Chicago’s big business due to taxes.
We had better get our head out of the sand, before it get’s worst.
atler8
January 21st, 2011
10:51 am
I’ve seen this perfect storm of a downturn coming in Georgia for a long time. Although exacerbated by the collapse in real estae & development-related jobs, the harshness of the downturn has considerable root in the lack of a practical, focused & forward-thinking vision with our elected state government officials & legislators. Today Georgia reaps the benefits of that failure of leadership. Elections do have consequences.
At the conclusion of each legislative session I wonder at the futility of it all & recall the words of the old Peggy Lee song, “Is That All There Is?” When the Democrats ran the state I thought that the legislative sessions often resembled a three ring circus. Now as I look back, I see that at least things got done & issues were better dealt with. Today a sharply conservative & sometimes silly social agenda dominates too much of the time of the legislature, as in debates over stem cell research, the implanting of micro chips & whether or not Georgia should ty to grab water through a challenge of the the misdrawn state line with Tennessee.
Even though I did not care for him at the time, I credit the perspective of the late speaker of the house, Tom Murphy, for having brought the state forward. Murphy had a forward-looking vision that benefited Georgia & metro Atlanta in particular. Thankfully I have become optimistic that our new speaker David Ralston may have a positive vision.
Tom C., peadawg & carlosgvv earlier made comments here that were so typically parochial of them. Once again they basically laid the blame for everything going wrong locally in the region & state at the feet of the City of Atlanta. Sorry folks, but that just doesn’t wash!
I wonder if they pay attention to local news and note the crime & government corruption & problems also occurring outside of Atlanta proper?
When I moved here in 1979, Atlanta typically had 260-280 murders per year & serious crime events outside of the city seldom occurred. I recall that a double murder near downtown Decatur shocked the metro area back then.
Though the City of Atlanta recorded about 10 more murders last year than it did in 2009, the 2010 number was still at or below 100 & near the levels recorded back in the early 1960’s!
Regarding the school system fiasco, it seems that beyond Atlanta, Georgia leads the nation with the number of districts & students impacted by or in potential danger of accreditation sanctions.
Unfortunately site selection for future business develoment will continue to direct new jobs to locations other than Georgia because the state has gained a bad rap on so many levels. On urbanist/state development blogs, it is very evident that businesses & people in our competing states notice the adversarial status & parochial thought that permeates the relationships between the City of Atlanta, suburban Atlanta & the rest of the state. The severe dropoff of in-migration into Georgia has already reflected that Georgia is reaping the status of that bad rap & the lack of vision.
Trailing only Arizona in absolute numbers, Georgia’s recent new census population shortfall below projections was the second greatest one in the nation. We counted approximately 180,000 fewer residents than was expected. Folks have stopped coming. So enjoy having gained new house seats in each new census cycle because it looks to have been a thing of the past unless the state wakes up & elects new leadership.
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
10:53 am
By the way, what ever happen to all those anti-war protesters, code pink, and Cindy Sheehan?
Hmmmmm…..
Here’s Cindy’s website if you need the latest update.
Here’s Code Pink’s website for their latest info.
Here’s what the good Googley found in relation to anti war protests in 2010.
Seems like you were looking for someone to do the work for you, so I though I’d help.
BADA BING
January 21st, 2011
10:54 am
Daddy, have you seen Bo?
SaveOurRepublic
January 21st, 2011
10:54 am
We are in “Depression 2.0″ & not only need to end the invasion of illegals (stealing American bluecollar jobs), but also outsourcing (via the repugnant H-1B program). Our “leaders” are merely puppets controlled by the Globalist Elite…or else they’d rectify these issues prolonging the unemployment crisis.
md
January 21st, 2011
10:56 am
“The perfect storm is here, and it’s not going away anytime soon – it will most likely get worse. Places like Charlotte, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Jacksonville, Savannah, etc. will grow while Atlanta will be in a state of decline. Get used to it.”
Not too sure about the perfect storm part, but get used to it part makes some sense. I, and numerous other left Atl because of the growth. We are in the other side of the migration numbers. Historical data shows various patterns throughout history, and many times, the old adage is true…..what goes up will eventually come down.
Some folks like all those people (not to be confused with “those people”) you have there….and some do not. The ones that do not well move to smaller cities and the cycle will continue…………
SaveOurRepublic
January 21st, 2011
10:56 am
…correction to my 10:54 post (above)….”we need to cease insourcing (via the repugnant H-1B program).” We need not be exporting & importing American jobs amidst this “Depression v2.0″.
Paul
January 21st, 2011
10:57 am
jm
“He doesn’t have a government job. Its an advisory committee, unpaid. ”
Jobs don’t have to be paid in $$$. Didn’t mean to imply ‘govt job’ meant he was part of Civil Service or Executive Service.
“GE’s performance has been steadily and solidly improving. Its stock price hasn’t increased because its deleveraging, shrinking the finance unit, and recovering from underinvestment in its core businesses by Jack. ”
That all depends on what year you use as a baseline. Stock price is about half now what it was when Welch retired. Financial performance began to slide when Immelt took over.
But you still have the current CEO of a major corporation serving the Administration in a position that can affect policies that can lead to the enrichment of the CEO’s company.
Paul
January 21st, 2011
10:59 am
Bosch
Okay, she’s good.
Does she have any orange shorts?
AngryRedMarsWoman
January 21st, 2011
10:59 am
Yeah, well, all I know is that the winter weather here has been methodically moving into the “this really sucks” category over the past few years and that definitely makes it harder for this “been here 14 years displaced Yankee” to stick around. The nice weather (and Braves baseball) used to make up for all of the suckage that is Atlanta, but now that it is freaking cold with a chance of flurries and ICE all of the time it might just be time for the Yankees to flee. My good job keeps me here for now, but I am certainly looking elsewhere…brrrrrrr.
Bosch
January 21st, 2011
11:01 am
Paul,
Good? Just good?
If I saw her in orange shorts, I’m sure I’d pass out.
Fred
January 21st, 2011
11:01 am
What the hell Jay? No charts? No graphs? Is that REALLY you that wrote this? I’m thinking ghost writer……………
Paul
January 21st, 2011
11:02 am
Bosch
“Good? Just good? ”
I’m usually not much for hyperbole.
Unless the topic is Abba.
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
11:02 am
Jay
If you’re lurking around, I got a challenge for you… If you choose to partake in it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/20/AR2011012004349.html
I’m declaring February a Palin-free month. Join me!
By Dana Milbank
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 21, 2011
Though it is embarrassing to admit this in public, I can no longer hide the truth. I have a Sarah Palin problem.
I have written about her in 42 columns since Sen. John McCain picked her as his presidential running mate in 2008. I’ve mentioned her in dozens more blog posts, Web chats, and TV and radio appearances. I feel powerless to control my obsession, even though it cheapens and demeans me.
But today is the first day of the rest of my life. And so, I hereby pledge that, beginning on Feb 1, 2011, I will not mention Sarah Palin – in print, online or on television – for one month. Furthermore, I call on others in the news media to join me in this pledge of a Palin-free February. With enough support, I believe we may even be able to extend the moratorium beyond one month, but we are up against a powerful compulsion, and we must take this struggle day by day.
[...]
We need help.
I found some hope in last Sunday’s New York Times, where columnist Ross Douthat said it is time for the media and Palin to “go their separate ways” and for the press to “stop acting as if she’s the most important conservative politician in America.”
Let’s take it one step further. I call on Douthat (who has mentioned Palin in 21 of his Times columns since 2008, according to a Lexis-Nexis search, and in scores of blog posts) to join my moratorium – thereby forming a bipartisan coalition of The Post and the Times. I challenge columnists Eugene Robinson (33 Palin mentions), Paul Krugman (14), Kathleen Parker (30) and Maureen Dowd (45) to do the same.
I also call on Keith Olbermann (345 shows mentioning Palin) and Rachel Maddow (183 shows) of MSNBC, as well as Sean Hannity (411 Palin segments) and Bill O’Reilly (664 segments) of Fox News, to take the pledge. Will Politico – with 96 Palin items in the past month alone – join this cause? Will the Huffington Post, which had 19 Palin mentions on a single day last week – stand with me?
Do you wanna join. I’m not a journalist, and I’m ready to join in with him. Judging by the number of articles and segments from conservative journalists, I don’t think the Left is the only group suffering from Palin Derangment Syndrome.
jm
January 21st, 2011
11:02 am
Paul – we’re all on the same team….
md
January 21st, 2011
11:03 am
Would Immelt be considered the king lobbyist……………..new game folks…..skip Congress, go directly to the top……………
Bosch
January 21st, 2011
11:04 am
“I’m usually not much for hyperbole.”
Did you SEE those LEGS for the love of all that is holy? THAT’S not hyperbole my man.
Bosch
January 21st, 2011
11:04 am
Oh, and that 11:04 is for Paul — I got carried away.
Bruno
January 21st, 2011
11:06 am
Jay– I can’t hardly believe you didn’t blame the conservatives since about all you write about is negative things about them. You must have had a good night!
Following the Ariz. shooting, Jay ran a special column which highlighted Obama’s call for a return to civility in political discussions nationwide. Then he turns around and runs several slam columns againnst conservatives this week, making a special effort to insult John McCain in a very personal way yesterday. Out of curiosity, Jay, does this “return to civility” only apply to conservatives??
Paul
January 21st, 2011
11:07 am
SoCom
Libs have begun a 12-Step Program for their Palin addiction.
I love it.
jm
That’s what it’s all about. Mirrors what the ex-governor of Utah, Republican Ambassador to China said when asked if he was preparing a White House run: he support the President and the country.
Bosch
Aaarghhh…. I hate it when I have to concede a point to you…..
patriot
January 21st, 2011
11:07 am
If you want to know why there are any economic differences between national and state economic figures, you only need to understand the funding mechanisms. The Federal Government is engaging in the most rampant counterfeiting spree the world has ever seen. Every printing press in Washington is running at full speed and extra zeros are being added to fiscal accounts as if there are no consequences. It doesn’t matter that all of our money is becomming more and more worthless, the statistics need to look good.
At the state level the limits are real. There is no magical printing press to save us. Debt exists for sure, but we cannot print our way out of it. Those impacted by cuts in state spending trickle down to local economies. Meanwhile every parasite that lives off the washington gravy train is living like a king.
There is nothing wrong with GA that shutting down Washington DC wouldn’t fix.
Jay
January 21st, 2011
11:08 am
I more or less took that pledge back in December, SoCo, when i put up a piece concluding that Palin had no shot at the GOP nomination.
Haven’t mentioned her in a post since then.
Bosch
January 21st, 2011
11:08 am
Um, there’s a new thread upstairs….
md
January 21st, 2011
11:08 am
soco,
And one has to know that Palin is just eating up all that free publicity…………….think of the air time/media print dollars that woman has saved
base
January 21st, 2011
11:10 am
Sonny,now Deal and the political hacks in the legislature have let us down.When will they be voted out?
Mick
January 21st, 2011
11:12 am
sc
I brought this up the other day with no takers, have you ever heard of a palindrome? I has nothing to do with sweet sarah..
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
11:12 am
Paul
I’d say it’s at least a 28 day program.
Jay
Cool. I’m in. I had already put a self-imposed moratorium on commenting about her. Milbank’s proposal makes me want to my personal moratorium a permanent thing now.
J.M.
January 21st, 2011
11:13 am
All of those “business” trips Sonny and his entourage took around the world to attract companies to Georgia really paid off, didn’t they?
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
11:13 am
Mick
Sure… Paul mentioned one earlier. The group ABBA is a perfect example of one.
Misty Fyed
January 21st, 2011
11:13 am
Ok… time to brown nose. Reading Jay and Cynthia’s articles are night and day. I can always count on Cynthia’s being a cut and past reactionary hatchet job. I may disagree with Jay much of the time, but for the most part his arguments are well thought out and presented..
Thanks for the work Jay….
Joe the paleo-neo-Austrian Plutocrat
January 21st, 2011
11:15 am
Anti-Gnostic @ 10:48, or as jconservative noted, it’s far easier to just blut out; “illegal immigrants” or “Obamacare” or “socialist”. do you really want to take this crowd through the looking glass? your comment “…we realize, suddenly that there is not as much capital available as we thought…” is misleading. when the Fed puts cheap money on the street, it is not ‘capital’ it is debt (a key word in the concept of “debt-fueled spending” which was a cornerstone of the Reagan supply-side model, which views debt as an asset). one need not be an “Austrian” to know that a liability is not an asset when the game of musical chairs ends. but don’t tell this to the military-industrial complex (DoD/two wars), Big Ag (food stamps), Big Bank (Section 8/TARP), or Big Pharm (Medicare Plan B). it is these plutocratic beasts, who benefit most from the very forces, which “weaken” ANY economy. and I’m gonna blog shift here, buT THAT GOES FOR ALL THE RANDIAN DREAMERS who warbled anbout the singular brillance of Atlas Shrugged yesterday on Barr’s blo.
Kamchak
January 21st, 2011
11:15 am
Combine this with the government doing everything in its power to stave off the necessary correction and we are in for a continued hard slog.
AKA: kicking the can down the road.
HDB
January 21st, 2011
11:16 am
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
11:12 am
“I’d say it’s at least a 28 day program.”
Actually, it’s s two-step program: a bottle of Glenlivit and change the channel!!
BADA BING
January 21st, 2011
11:16 am
Mick….A man, a plan, a canal, Panama.
Fred
January 21st, 2011
11:17 am
Who needs jobs when we can all go fishing?
Seriously though. There seems to be a direct correlation between the decline of our economy and the rise in power of the Republicans in this state. Gwinnett spends 60 million for MINOR league baseball stadium and the tells the citizens they have to raise taxes or cut firemen and police. Look at Sonny’s sunset land deal. Look at ALL the land deals in Gwinnett.
It’s obvious wherein lies the problem.
Fred
January 21st, 2011
11:18 am
SoCo:
What with the B.P.O.I.B.W.?
BADA BING
January 21st, 2011
11:18 am
Able was I ere I saw Elba. Napoleon’s lament.
Lil' Barry Bailout
January 21st, 2011
11:20 am
Democrat-run California has declared a financial state of emergency, so I guess things could be worse.
Fred
January 21st, 2011
11:21 am
Yeah LBB. They inherited Arnies Republican mess.
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
11:21 am
HDB
I don’t need the Glenlivit. Hell, I’m good with MD 20/20 when it comes to her.
Fred
Last week, someone came on here and called us inane blatherers. I decided to start my own organization for us, the Benelovent Protective Order of Inane Blatherers Worldwide. We’re kinda like the Elks, but way more talkative.
Misty Fyed
January 21st, 2011
11:23 am
Seems to me Georgia manages to stay at the bottom of most categories regardless of which party is in power. The party doesn’t matter much because they change parties depending on the mood of the voters.
The problem with Georgia politics is that it’s full of Georgia politicians.
Joe the paleo-neo-Austrian Plutocrat
January 21st, 2011
11:23 am
SoCo, just a hunch, but my guess is Dana M’s Palin boycott will face stiff (pun intended) resistance and some blowback (ditto) from the porn industry
ken
January 21st, 2011
11:24 am
Jay,take the madness out of government regulations and we can build new roads and reservoirs.
Jay
January 21st, 2011
11:24 am
Bruno, the political debate — and disagreement — will continue. I make no apologies for that.
The day that I call someone a Nazi, fascist or socialist, or imply that they’re part of some conspiracy to ruin the country, or that they secretly intend to be dictators, or that violence is an acceptable means of political expression, please step forward and point it out.
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
January 21st, 2011
11:26 am
Joe
I guess that means you’ve alread viewed “Who’s Nailin’ Palin”???
md
January 21st, 2011
11:26 am
“Yeah LBB. They inherited Arnies Republican mess.”
Now Fred……….it doesn’t much matter what letter the gov out there has behind it’s name, the legislature holds the power……………………
Art Thomas
January 21st, 2011
11:32 am
Worked from 1979-2002 working for Major Corporations in finance jobs in Atlanta. MBA international marketing and finance .Laid off after 28 years even though operations best in company. Reinvented myself teaching and self employment income down but debt reduced by 80% . AT 54 years old told too educated ..too highly paid previously and too old!! In Eastside county where I now reside very depressed job market. Thousands of empty houses and appears main new job is half empty stores with food shops have people out along roads waving signs saying $5.00 meals!!
Teaching continues to decline with many experienced leaving in droves to be replaced by young who know nothing about current generation of students. Ga has now decided to let each district determine own Math Program after miserable statewide performance of 9th 10th and 11th graders in the new math format. 80,000 students failed. This failed program will further make companies decisions seeking high tech ability in their employees to even consider coming here.
As manufacturing has left our state the economy has imploded as higher paying jobs replaced with lower level lower income jobs Tax base has dwindled budgets in many cities forcing cutbacks.
Multiply this factor by all 50 states and here is the future in next 11 months: 2,000,000 governements jobs will be vaporized as budgets implode at state and Federal level.
Rapid devaluation of US dollar with movement by Administration in Washington DC to cower under our New Leader China will soon bring abourt massive inflation already experienced by commodities and foodstuffs. Expect further collapse of our infrastructure: Transportation water and sewer treatment as inability to replace because $ doesnt grow on trees except in Trillion dollar deficit Federal La La Land. China’s move to undermine US dollar as world currency benchmark will pull rug out from US Debt buildup .Federal governement has frozen tax refunds until even processing until mid 2/2011 due to debt buildup and crossing over 14 Trillion national debt in unwinnable War and entitlement spending
Failure at Local State and Federal Governments to continue to support a massive permanent underclass just underscored in Memphis Tenn with the announcement of Inner school where 90 of 800 students now pregnant .This is a 100% Title 1 school with public assistance paying for practically everything. Why not mandatory sterilization !
As I think about all of the above I realize the corrupt and greedy will continue to say can get better when the future for our country as we know it has already been written on the wall.
AngryRedMarsWoman
January 21st, 2011
11:41 am
@Art Thomas – you forgot the crappy weather.
We are becoming Detroit…only they have some more snow removal equipment.
atler8
January 21st, 2011
11:50 am
For Lil’Barry Bailout @ 11:20…
You pointed out California’s fiscal mess here & laid the blame for it upon Democrats so I wonder if you are unaware of or are excusing the huge budget problems that Republican led Texas is now facing?
Long pointed to as a sterling example of the merits of prudent & conservative fiscal policies, Texas is now generally thought to be facing a shortfall in the range of $25 billion.
Republican Texas Governor Perry outrageously tried to hide the problem from the voting public during the November election cycle. Now, however, the buzzards are circling over Austin.
md
January 21st, 2011
11:50 am
“We are becoming Detroit…”
Where does one think those folks went??
AmVet
January 21st, 2011
11:51 am
AmVet – so you’re disputing the AJC’s account of the accelerated math changes? Interesting.
Nice try, jm.
The answer is no, but unlike you I’m not misrepresenting the article.
You still have not even read it yet have you?
From last night…
AmVet
January 20th, 2011
9:12 pm
The thrust of your indictment is not altogether incorrect, jm.
However, I read that article this morning. Perhaps you should have too.
The approach now is to teach high school kids different parts of mathematics concurrently. Some algebra, some geometry, some trig, some advanced math/calculus all during the same term.
Instead of the old model of first algebra, then geometry, then trig, the advanced math/calculus.
I thought this new model to be rather dumb, but this was the experiment.
They are going back to the old model. Nothing more, So your hysterics and misrepresentation about “dumbing down the curriculum” are due to nothing more than ignorance about the article.
In fact, the article ends with the statement that the standards are the same…
Reading is fundamental…
dagnabit
January 21st, 2011
11:56 am
Taxpayer. I caught myself jumping ahead to see what you had to say next. I’m going to watch for your blog-name in the future. Keep it coming.
Ben The Independent
January 21st, 2011
11:57 am
Jay, you should have included in your column how one of your favorite states (Mass) has a better economy than Georgia now. But be sure to mention that the Mass. population growth has been static for many decades. That protected Mass. from the real estate buble as Georgia got hammered by it since Georgia and Atlanta were at the top of home building for may years. I recall from my last visit to Mass. that the state was giving tax incentives to college grads is they would remain in state.
khc
January 21st, 2011
12:29 pm
all of the above
DawgDad
January 21st, 2011
12:38 pm
Well, I’m not armed with statistics but empirical evidence indicates Atlanta has lost a whole lot of technology, banking, and corporate headquarters jobs in the last decade. A whole lot. Atlanta is being victimized by larger economic trends and cycles. Once the Regional Center for a lot of businesses, many of those businesses have been sucked up in acquisitions, relocations, and the burst of the Internet technology bubble.
Don’t think you have to do a lot of deep research to understand this, though statistics should establish the facts and verify the trends.
Government really isn’t the problem, nor is the housing bust. Anyone who thinks building mass transit will reverse this trend is just plain nuts; those jobs existed at one point without the mass transit systems.
Peter
January 21st, 2011
12:52 pm
Does the Republican’s have a positive idea beside laying off folks to make the state run in the black?
Ok so they want to increase Un-employment via the news of layoffs……That is the Republican way !
khc
January 21st, 2011
12:56 pm
repeal nafta, enact law/constitutional amendment to counteract Citizens United, term limits, tariffs against unfair trade, end wars, send kuwait and middle east countries a bill for fighting their fights, go green, go back to clinton era tax rates at federal level, windfall profits tax on wall st, oil companies & health insurance….
Hillbilly Deluxe
January 21st, 2011
1:15 pm
Why is Ga.’s economy worsening, while the national economy improves?
For decades, the powers that be put all their eggs in the wide-open development basket. Now we’re paying the price.
mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack the Liar Obama - BEND OVER, Here comes the CHANGE!
January 21st, 2011
2:56 pm
How about the dumb as*ses who think it’s the government’s job to create jobs. Unless you WORK for the government, all jobs are created by BUSINESSES! Nanny state rises again.
God Bless America... and no one else
January 21st, 2011
3:06 pm
Access to water is a core government duty?
poison pen
January 21st, 2011
3:14 pm
Obama just announced that he is going to put the economy into OVERDRIVE, Hell I’m still waiting for him to shift out of neutral.
Maybe he has his hand on the wrong shifter.
ml
January 21st, 2011
3:48 pm
it all caused by greed, hateful propaganda and that now a person is allowed, without challenge, to call themselve’s a Christian when they act nothing like Jesus, nor believe the things that Jesus believed.
raising taxes doesn't create jobs
January 21st, 2011
4:26 pm
KHC, how does raising taxes create jobs?
Atlanta has a huge illegal immigrant population that is tied to the construction industry. There isn’t alot of building so they will be largely unemployed. The support structure built around them (stores, restaurants, etc) are doing poorly as a result leaving whole areas that are severely blighted. Large corporate headquarters like Bellsouth and GA Pacific sold off and aren’t hiring nearly as many people as before.
Atlanta was a booming construction market and had lots of businesses that benefitted as a result of the trickle down effect. It could take years to recover from it.
Our state government ‘taxed and spent’ at the rate the economy was at in boom times. We are no longer in boom times. Unless spending is significantly reduced quickly the state government will be broke (more broke?). Raising taxes only accelerates the decline as it makes it too expensive to hire people, ultimately resulting in even less tax revenues.
Adam
January 21st, 2011
5:18 pm
Taxes have nothing to do with job creation, folks.
Useyourbrain
January 21st, 2011
5:29 pm
If Atlanta was more like Alpharetta or any other city in North Fulton, we wouldn’t have this problem. If you can’t find a job….start a consulting business in whatever you used to do. I got sick of the corporate BS and quit my stable 9-5 job w/ benefits and started consulting. Best decision ever. My own schedule, don’t have to deal with the corporate politics, can sleep in every day, wear what I want, go to the gym every day, and don’t have to sit in traffic. So what if you have to pay for your own health insurance and don’t have a lousy employer sponsored 401k plan? Georgia needs to show a little more initiative and imagination instead of blaming everything on the economy, learn how to adapt and do something unconventional.
killerj
January 21st, 2011
5:48 pm
Like illegals accepting lower wages for a job jay? and all the money leaving the country? open mouth and insert foot jay,your not helping cynthia,s cause any.Go Tea Party.
khc
January 21st, 2011
6:57 pm
slight increase in taxes for wealthier americans will help reduce deficit, along with spending cuts; tax cuts did not spur economic growth and wealth disparity growing exponentially in our country(so it would appear they have done better disproportinally to middle america); we need to reduce the interest we pay on debt…..more progressivity in tax rates with wider bands being mindful of inflation and small business…..
having said that every program on the table for cuts….especially the military industrial complex…cost overruns on weapons notorious
they ought to publish names of tax cheats that hid money in offshore/swiss ubs bank accounts to avoid taxes…and put them in jail not just fines
SEATTLE BOUND!!
January 21st, 2011
7:20 pm
welcome folks to THE NEW DETROIT IN THE MAKING…ITS CALLED ATLANTA..high crime,corruption,poorly planned,poor unskilled workers from rust belt states from you guessed it!! HIGH CRIME AREA,S DETROIT,CLEVELAND ,GARY INDIANA,EAST ST.LOUIS ,ST LOUIS,NEW ORLEANS,BRINGING RECORD CRIME TO AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN OVERATED,OVERHYPED,WITH LOW PAY FOR YEARS..in1960 detroit had similarties to atlanta…now look at it unemployment 23.3 high crime,blighted very blighted and ugly with record poverty and corruption for years…Atlanta the new detroit you betcha!!!
Dr. Craig Spinks
January 21st, 2011
7:30 pm
Turner fails to differentiate between educational attainment and academic achievement. Savvy corporate-location specialists don’t.
Hmmmmmmm
January 21st, 2011
7:53 pm
Did he really say, National economy is improving………. Good Grief Jay, you must be drinking too much! You would have to be a TOTAL idiot to believe that this country is not in a DEPRESSION! We haven’t seen the bottom, we are not even close! I mean do you really believe the jibberish you write…… Yikes!
Hmmmmmmm
January 21st, 2011
8:02 pm
Yeah, KHC just raise taxes on people with higher incomes…… Jeez, the IQ of this blog is just mind numbing……
Hmmmmmmm
January 21st, 2011
8:10 pm
When the US dollar is NO longer the benchmark that it has been for the last 50 years. When Washington figures out that they can no longer just keep printing dollars……. The riots will be in our streets……. and it will basically be from an American people that did not hold their politicians accountable! I can’t wait to read your article after all this happens… You will find some ABSURD way to blame it on Repubs, even though they were only 1/2 the problem…..
Uncle Tom's Cabin
January 22nd, 2011
7:39 pm
“Why is Ga.’s economy worsening, while the national economy improves?”
Must be racism. That seems to be the reason for everything else that ails us.
Adam
January 22nd, 2011
8:39 pm
SEATTLE BOUND I wish you luck. I had to leave Seattle because of the economic crisis (I had my hours cut). Maybe one day I’ll go back!