Top economists overwhelmingly back stimulus
Two important questions with relevance to the 2012 presidential campaign:
1.) Did the 2009 stimulus bill create jobs and lower the unemployment rate, or was it a waste of taxpayers’ money?
2.) In the final accounting, will the benefits of the Obama stimulus package end up outweighing its costs and risks?
The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business put those questions to more than 40 of the top economists in the country, representing a wide range of viewpoints.
(The Booth School itself, one of the most respected business schools in the country, has long been associated with a more conservative emphasis on free markets).
Here’s what they found:
“Question A: Because of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the U.S. unemployment rate was lower at the end of 2010 than it would have been without the stimulus bill. Agree or disagree?”
Eighty percent agreed. Four percent disagreed. And the two who disagreed acknowledged that they were far from certain in their opinion.
The results of the second question, while less overwhelming, were still strongly supportive of the policy:
“Question B: Taking into account all of the ARRA’s economic consequences — including the economic costs of raising taxes to pay for the spending, its effects on future spending, and any other likely future effects — the benefits of the stimulus will end up exceeding its costs. Agree or disagree?”
Forty-six percent agreed; just 12 percent disagreed. Another 29 percent said they were uncertain or ventured no opinion.
By a 4-1 margin, in a poll conducted by a respected institution with a conservative reputation, a cross section of the nation’s most respected economists believe that the stimulus would prove to be a net positive for the economy, even after it is paid back. By a margin of 20-1, they believe that it produced jobs and lowered the unemployment rate.
Of course, I understand that such things must be weighed against the fact that Rush and Sean have very different opinions.
– Jay Bookman
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729 comments Add your comment
Adam
February 21st, 2012
4:04 pm
I think I’m gonna get ready to get out of here.
BTW, to anyone keeping score of holidays not in your locality…. HAPPY MARDI GRAS
Finn McCool (Class Warfare = Stopping Rich People from TAKING MORE of OUR MONEY)
February 21st, 2012
4:04 pm
as luck would have it, the global economy has supplied us with two experiments, one testing each theory. The European Union embraced the austerity of Hayek and the anti-Keynesians: It is plunging into a renewed recession. Here in the United States, where President Obama supported a modest stimulus bill, auto bailouts, and some financial reregulation, the renewed auto sector is roaring back to life, and the unemployment rate is dropping at a nice clip.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/the_best_policy/2012/02/why_romney_is_collapsing.html
Warren/Spitzer 2016!
Jay
February 21st, 2012
4:05 pm
I tried to warn the man….
Jay
February 21st, 2012
4:06 pm
and RealJohn, click on the provided link and they have the list of economists that you seek.
jm
February 21st, 2012
4:06 pm
Mitt 2012
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/25-photos-of-mitt-romney-looking-normal
(ir)Rational
February 21st, 2012
4:07 pm
Pea – People start sounding crazy when they try to get the government involved in someone’s bedroom, which is what you’re advocating. If you’re truly conservative, and hold true to the ideas that it is better to have less government than more, you would be crazy to think otherwise. I’m just pointing out the crazy.
jm
February 21st, 2012
4:07 pm
too many Berkeley profs
real john
February 21st, 2012
4:08 pm
Finn McCool….If you call 1.8% GDP and 8% unemployment rates good, I guess we have different ideas of what good is?
Spitzer…really…wow??? I can’t believe anyone would go there.
jm
February 21st, 2012
4:08 pm
100% of economists say Trillion dollar deficits: bad
WOODSTOCK MIKE
February 21st, 2012
4:08 pm
Once again, do liberals think someone making 150K a year, living in a 300K home, driving a BMW is in the 1% or the 99%? But if they are in the 99% their life must be so awful!!! How can they stand living in that 300K home or driving a BMW, I feel so bad for them!! Haha, that’s the Obama agenda, the 99% are struggling to get by, but wait, that’s a downright lie, my neighbor and his family love their life, how can that be, Obama says they are being taken advantage of??
josef
February 21st, 2012
4:09 pm
DEL
Of course there are centrists…they’re the ones getting shot in the b*tt in both cheeks,,,and they comprise, imuo, the bulk of the American population.
IMAM
I missed it, What happened?
jm
February 21st, 2012
4:09 pm
Weird. 40 top economists. Krugman, not among them.
JOE Cool-Republicans Call Him MESSIAH, I Just Call Him Mr. President
February 21st, 2012
4:09 pm
Joseph, still polling 49-50% (Rasmussen)
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/obama_approval_index_history
Polling 48% or better 7 out of 8 polls……He11, he’s polling 48% on FOX….lol
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_obama_job_approval-1044.html
Fred ™
February 21st, 2012
4:10 pm
josef
February 21st, 2012
4:01 pm
“Fred –
you’re so funny”
Yeah, but too bad looks ain’t everything…
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Oh hell, josef’s here. That means I have to get supper started.
LOL josef, you didn’t know that some days I use your appearance to let me know that school is over and I better get started on supper did you? Just on days I’m doing something that takes litle time. Tonight I’m making USinUK’s curried tomato soup.
Recon 0311 2533
February 21st, 2012
4:10 pm
“100% of economists say Trillion dollar deficits: bad”
jm, there’s probably one or two besides Krugman who like huge deficits.
Towncrier
February 21st, 2012
4:11 pm
“Towncrier: The fetus is dependent on the host, like a parasite, until born or extracted. While it is that dependent, many women view it as part of their body.”
Yikes, my friend. You should probably refrain from using the words “parasite” and “fetus” in the same breath. That goes with extraction as well. The fact is, it is NOT legal to “extract” a “dependent” organism after a certain period of time, after it has become “viable”. Since 1973, however, the age of viability has been reduced as a result of medical advances. Now does that mean the the abortions done past this time in earlier decades are now criminal? That is but one of the problems with the SCOTUS’ decision: there is no fixed standard.
Midori
February 21st, 2012
4:12 pm
to be fair, I just searched “americans blaming obama” and got 1-10 of 22,700,000 results.
then I looked at the hits:
Americans Down on the Economy, But Don’t Blame Obama: WSJ/NBC …
With Pessimism Growing On Economy, More Americans Still Blame Bush …
Americans Not Blaming Obama For AIG: Poll
Indiana Senate Candidate: Obama Deserves All Blame For Bad Economy …
Read ‘Voters blame Bush more than Obama for the economy’ from our blog The Ticket on Yahoo! News. (that’s a facebook page)
Only 30% of Americans Blame Obama For The Recession
jm
February 21st, 2012
4:12 pm
Weird. Austan Goolsbee “strongly agreed”. SHOCKER!
Like the guy tho. Need more of him, less Krugman. He also threw O under the bus earlier and is now trying to make up the lost lovin feelin.
Finn McCool (Class Warfare = Stopping Rich People from TAKING MORE of OUR MONEY)
February 21st, 2012
4:12 pm
Spitzer…really…wow??? I can’t believe anyone would go there.
married guy frequents prostitutes = bad
married guy can’t get wife to accept menage-a-trois so leaves sick wife for another woman = top Presidential candidate
The values voters are a bit cornfused.
Peadawg - GA female house democrats are crazy
February 21st, 2012
4:12 pm
(ir)Rational
February 21st, 2012
4:07 pm
Same thing could be said about true liberals who love larger gov’t, regulations, etc. etc. They should be all over getting involved in your personal business like a fat kid on a cup cake.
Neither side makes sense on this issue I guess, eh?
JayWriter
February 21st, 2012
4:12 pm
The Obama Economy is the worst ever.
jm
February 21st, 2012
4:12 pm
Recon. True.
99.9%
Steve - USA (I support "None Of The Above")
February 21st, 2012
4:13 pm
Recon@4:02
You may have a point for the majority. In the last election I didn’t like Obama or McCain. I ended up voting for someone on the ballot that I knew wouldn’t win. Libertarian, Green…I don’t remember.
I know some people think I wasted my vote but I am through giving my vote to people I don’t believe in. It just encourages them, I want them to see someone voted but they didn’t get that vote.
Fred ™
February 21st, 2012
4:13 pm
josef
February 21st, 2012
4:09 pm
DEL
Of course there are centrists…they’re the ones getting shot in the b*tt in both cheeks,,,and they comprise, imuo, the bulk of the American population.
IMAM
I missed it, What happened?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I think we all missed it, the sheriff was on quick draw status………
Adam
February 21st, 2012
4:15 pm
Towncrier: I also consider any medical efforts to remove the fetus other than natural (such as C section), even if it is viable, as “extraction”
md
February 21st, 2012
4:15 pm
“That post of mine about Keystone jobs costing $1,400,000 was simply to illustrate the absurdity of the claims regarding cost per job when applied to the stimulus. No way is it accurate or serious. As are many of the $/job claims relating to the stimulus.”
And how exactly are we to know what those jobs actually cost if this is true:
“Now, the White House says it will no longer keep a cumulative tally of jobs created and saved by the stimulus. Instead, it will post only a count of jobs for each quarter.
And instead of counting only created and saved jobs, it will count any person who works on a project funded with stimulus money — even if that person was never in danger of losing his or her job.”
jm
February 21st, 2012
4:16 pm
“Peadawg – GA female house democrats are crazy”
Pea, what is this name change about?
Adam
February 21st, 2012
4:17 pm
Now does that mean the the abortions done past this time in earlier decades are now criminal?
And no, I believe it is somewhere in most law that you cannot prosecute someone for a law that was made after someone would have fallen under the umbrella of breaking said new law.
Brosephus™ - Jackassery is as jackassery does!!!
February 21st, 2012
4:17 pm
Let me ask you a very simple question. Are you struggling. Do you believe that the majority of Americans are stuggling to get by? Or, are you doing well?
Struggling is subjective. My bills are paid on time. I have a roof over my head. There’s gas in all my cars and groceries in my pantry. Some might consider it struggling as there’s not much cash left over once all the expenditures go out. That said, my living arrangements compared to how I grew up is like going from the projects to Sugarloaf. So, in the grand scheme of things, no, I am not struggling, not by a long shot. Am I eeking by, yeah, just like most of lower and middle America.
Do I think the majority of Americans are struggling to get by? Damn right!! When you look at the top 20% of income earned in this country and realize that 80% of Americans earn less than what they do, hell yeah, the majority of Americans are probably struggling. Look at how things are getting more and more expensive without a corresponding increase in wages.
Fred ™
February 21st, 2012
4:17 pm
Steve – USA (I support “None Of The Above”)
February 21st, 2012
4:13 pm
Recon@4:02
You may have a point for the majority. In the last election I didn’t like Obama or McCain. I ended up voting for someone on the ballot that I knew wouldn’t win. Libertarian, Green…I don’t remember.
I know some people think I wasted my vote but I am through giving my vote to people I don’t believe in. It just encourages them, I want them to see someone voted but they didn’t get that vote.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I don’tbelieve that crap either Steve. I vote libertarian a bunch. I voted for Monds in the GA Governors election. I voted Harry Brown for President until he died.
Boortz likes to pretend he’s a libertarian but he doesn’t vote that way. So obviously he’s NOT lol. It’s not throwing your vote away. If everyone who “votes for the lesser of two evils rather than throwing my vote away” voted for that third party candidate some REAL change would occur.
You keep voting your heart bro.
Peadawg - GA female house democrats are crazy
February 21st, 2012
4:18 pm
“Pea, what is this name change about?” – Some female house democrats in ga introduced a bill to ban vasectomies.
Can’t tell if it’s for real or just to be b*tches.
(ir)Rational
February 21st, 2012
4:19 pm
Pea – Well, I understand where both sides are coming from, but there is the middle ground, where people like me who truly believe in a conservative form of government abhor the idea that the government should be given the right to dictate what I do with my body (not that I’m in any danger of ever having an abortion). I just have a hard time with people who profess to want less government intrusion, yet fight hard for government intrusion in that aspect.
Adam
February 21st, 2012
4:19 pm
I’m heading out everyone. See ya!
Towncrier
February 21st, 2012
4:19 pm
“And no, I believe it is somewhere in most law that you cannot prosecute someone for a law that was made after someone would have fallen under the umbrella of breaking said new law.”
You are missing my point: the definition of right and wrong should not depend on available technology.
JayWriter
February 21st, 2012
4:20 pm
Liberal Obama juicedrinkers how come you aren’t angry with the corrupt Obama (Hillary included) adminstration for using the State Department as a bank for the PLO, Hamas, Hezbullah, and the Muslim Brotherhood during these hard economic times for Americans. These same Muslim terrorists are the same ones killing our soldiers, and firing missles at Israel. Obama and Hillary have given away billions of our tax dollars to these criminals. And Obama the Muslim President just promised a billion dollars more to Egypt and another 800 million to the PLO, and Hamas thru State department for the Muslim Brotherhood.
Brosephus™ - Jackassery is as jackassery does!!!
February 21st, 2012
4:20 pm
Jay
Who got the red card???
Peadawg - GA female house democrats are crazy
February 21st, 2012
4:20 pm
“I just have a hard time with people who profess to want less government intrusion, yet fight hard for government intrusion in that aspect.” – I’ve changed a lot in the past couple of years…grown up if you will. I’m, honestly, all over the place on issues. Call me a mut if you will.
Recon 0311 2533
February 21st, 2012
4:21 pm
The poll that the Obama supporters should pay attention to but don’t is the Direction of the Country. 59′8% say we’re on the wrong track and all of the various polls are pretty much coming up with that same negative percentage. Doesn’t bode well for the current White House occupant.
JohnnyReb
February 21st, 2012
4:21 pm
re, blaming the previous administration.
I don’t think you will hear too much of that from the next POTUS. The contenders are getting it out of the way now! (Smiley face here)
.
md
February 21st, 2012
4:21 pm
“If you’re against abortion because it is killing an innocent life,” shouldn’t you, by logical extension, be against men getting vasectomies, women getting their tubes tide, women getting hysterectomies, and men manually pleasuring themselves? If we’re going to have a law to stop one, why shouldn’t all become illegal? I mean, if you want to invite the government into your bedroom, then carry it out to it’s logical extreme.”
Logical extension?? Maybe using funky logic……….science is now saying life begins when that sperm and egg have a happy moment…..until then, they are just cells incapable of developing into a human on their own.
Recon 0311 2533
February 21st, 2012
4:21 pm
Sorry that was 59.8 percent.
JamVet - My god man, protect the billionaires!
February 21st, 2012
4:24 pm
(ir), regarding your 4:19…
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/407997_350751261622809_174612345903369_1069025_1097335828_n.jpg
Granny Godzilla
February 21st, 2012
4:25 pm
Jaywriter
He also gave 10 billion to the Tralfamadorians along with your GPS coordinates…
Just sayin’.
JohnnyReb
February 21st, 2012
4:25 pm
“If you’re against abortion because it is killing an innocent life,” shouldn’t you, by logical extension, be against men getting vasectomies, women getting their tubes tide, women getting hysterectomies, and men manually pleasuring themselves? If we’re going to have a law to stop one, why shouldn’t all become illegal? I mean, if you want to invite the government into your bedroom, then carry it out to it’s logical extreme.”
Who, please tell posted that crap originally?
JayWriter
February 21st, 2012
4:25 pm
Obama blames everybody else except himself. This man hasn’t any morals. But to be far neither do any of the people in the newspaper business or politics.
Paul
February 21st, 2012
4:26 pm
Woodstock Mike
“Once again, do liberals think someone making 150K a year, living in a 300K home, driving a BMW is in the 1% or the 99%?”
I don’t think anybody who Googles “how much income to be in top 1%” believes that.
Josey Whales
February 21st, 2012
4:26 pm
How the President Reagan leave the country when he left office? Debt or no debt?
Did bush pay the bill for the two wars that he started or did he leave that blood debt for someone else?
95% of the bloggers take personal attack against President Obama, that’s ok because he will make them pay AGAIN in November
Did not hear a word from the right when the $3T(so you will understand, $3,000,000,000,000 in Taxcuts for 8 years to the rich) was given away, but we want to talk about spending. You Tricks are stupid……
Corey
February 21st, 2012
4:26 pm
Jay
February 21st, 2012
3:41 pm
Thanks Jay, but your detractors will move on to something else ridiculous to post rather than own their opinions based on emotions devoid of anything remotely resembling facts. The ones who are too young to remember Mr. Reagan are only repeating the Reagan myth. Reagan myth never states that well into his second year in office unemployment remained above 10% for ten consecutive months. Instead of owning the dynamic four running for the nomination they devolve into name calling such as libturd, obozo, whiner n chief. They sound about as silly as the ones running for highest office in the land. Example: Mr. Santorum ludicrously claims, “Contraceptives only give people an excuse to engage in sex for purposes other than what it was menat to be.”
JOE Cool-Republicans Call Him MESSIAH, I Just Call Him Mr. President
February 21st, 2012
4:26 pm
JayWriter
February 21st, 2012
4:20 pm
FALSE
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/jul/14/republican-national-committee-republican/RNC-poll-Hamas-Gaza/
JayWriter
February 21st, 2012
4:27 pm
FACT.
md
February 21st, 2012
4:28 pm
“but there is the middle ground, where people like me who truly believe in a conservative form of government abhor the idea that the government should be given the right to dictate what I do with my body”
For the sake of coversation, and understanding the current laws, what happens if/when the definition ever gets changed that a fetus is viable much earlier than it is now. Since science is moving toward life at conception, where does your above comment come into play in reference to being in control of one’s own body? Does that new body then count?
JayWriter
February 21st, 2012
4:29 pm
Liberal Obama juicedrinkers how come you aren’t angry with the corrupt Obama (Hillary included) adminstration for using the State Department as a bank for the PLO, Hamas, Hezbullah, and the Muslim Brotherhood during these hard economic times for Americans. These same Muslim terrorists are the same ones killing our soldiers, and firing missles at Israel. Obama and Hillary have given away billions of our tax dollars to these criminals. And Obama the Muslim President just promised a billion dollars more to Egypt and another 800 million to the PLO, and Hamas thru State department for the Muslim Brotherhood.
JamVet - My god man, protect the billionaires!
February 21st, 2012
4:30 pm
I missed this rib tickler the other day…
http://blogs.ajc.com/mike-luckovich/2012/02/16/217-mike-luckovich-cartoon-followers/
And it turns out that the man has a national following. Rightfully so!
josef
February 21st, 2012
4:30 pm
FRED
I was following y’all’s recipe exchange…lemme know how it turns out. Not much a fan of curries, myself…
jm
February 21st, 2012
4:30 pm
“Obama blames everybody else except himself.”
That is a fact. Responsibility is not in his vocabulary.
Midori
February 21st, 2012
4:30 pm
So now Granny G is a honorary black woman?
LOL!!
Welcome to the club, Mrs. G
Brosephus™ - Jackassery is as jackassery does!!!
February 21st, 2012
4:30 pm
Paul @ 4:26
Stop bursting people’s bubbles!!!! You’re being mean.
JOE Cool-Republicans Call Him MESSIAH, I Just Call Him Mr. President
February 21st, 2012
4:30 pm
“He also gave 10 billion to the Tralfamadorians along with your GPS coordinates…”
And 1,500 boxes of Trefoils and Samos’s………..
Josey Whales
February 21st, 2012
4:31 pm
JayWriter – President Obama has no morals……………………………………………………………..No, he will never leave his wife while she was battle cancer
Towncrier
February 21st, 2012
4:32 pm
““If you’re against abortion because it is killing an innocent life,” shouldn’t you, by logical extension, be against men getting vasectomies, women getting their tubes tide, women getting hysterectomies, and men manually pleasuring themselves? If we’re going to have a law to stop one, why shouldn’t all become illegal? I mean, if you want to invite the government into your bedroom, then carry it out to it’s logical extreme.”
Ummm…abortion is not synonymous with contraception. If a fetus is never conceived in the first place, you cannot take its life.
JohnnyReb
February 21st, 2012
4:32 pm
“…the government should (not) be given the right to dictate what I do with my body”
Extremely shallow. Once you accept that a fetus is a human being with the same rights as those of us already born, government telling a woman she must protect the fetus is no different than law that prohibits murder.
Paul
February 21st, 2012
4:33 pm
md
“And how exactly are we to know what those jobs actually cost if this is true:
“Now, the White House says it will no longer keep a cumulative tally of jobs created and saved by the stimulus. Instead, it will post only a count of jobs for each quarter.
And instead of counting only created and saved jobs, it will count any person who works on a project funded with stimulus money — even if that person was never in danger of losing his or her job.””
It doesn’t matter.
Dividing obligations by a job number to get a cost per job is fallacious.
Think of it in terms of a private company. They spend $30,000,000 to build a building. They hire 100 workers to get the project done.
They don’t look at it as “we built a new building for $30 million. 100 people worked on it. So what does this mean? All it means is this project cost us $300,000 per worker.”
JOE Cool-Republicans Call Him MESSIAH, I Just Call Him Mr. President
February 21st, 2012
4:33 pm
Towncrier
February 21st, 2012
4:32 pm
You dont want an abortion, dont get one……………your LIBERTY to choose
paulo977
February 21st, 2012
4:35 pm
(ir)Rational : I mean, if you want to invite the government into your bedroom, then carry it out to it’s logical extreme.
_________________________________________
Absolutely!
Brosephus™ - Jackassery is as jackassery does!!!
February 21st, 2012
4:35 pm
Midori: So now Granny G is a honorary black woman?
Damn, so who’s idea was it to start giving out the honorary membership cards? Hell, I got initiated into the Liberal White man club yesterday. I made a video of the rest of my day after I found out that I was a Liberal White guy. Here’s how it went.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/10356/saturday-night-live-white-like-me
Paul
February 21st, 2012
4:35 pm
JohnnyReb
“Who, please tell posted that crap originally?”
It sounds as if it was based on Santorum’s remarks a few days ago about the dangers of having sex for pleasure instead of procreation.
Joe Hussein Mama
February 21st, 2012
4:36 pm
JayWriter — “Liberal Obama juicedrinkers how come you aren’t angry with the corrupt Obama (Hillary included) adminstration for using the State Department as a bank for the PLO, Hamas, Hezbullah, and the Muslim Brotherhood during these hard economic times for Americans.”
Do you do kids’ parties? One of my wife’s good friends is having a birthday party for her twins, and they can’t find a clown.
md
February 21st, 2012
4:36 pm
After 12 pages, anybody else notice that the percentages don’t add up to 100%.
josef
February 21st, 2012
4:36 pm
I would’ve thought all sides would’ve jumped on this one…
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120221/NATION/202210359/Gay-Arizona-sheriff-faces-uphill-battle?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs
Towncrier
February 21st, 2012
4:39 pm
“For the sake of coversation, and understanding the current laws, what happens if/when the definition ever gets changed that a fetus is viable much earlier than it is now.”
I’ll say it again: the definition of right and wrong should not depend on available technology. The Roe v. Wade decision is flawed (to say the least) on this point alone (not to mention at length its dependence upon a non-existent Constitutional right – the right to privacy). If the majority of Americans want non-essential abortions to be available, then have Congress pass legislation to that effect. The SCOTUS has NO Constitutional authority to make law (as opposed to interpret it).
(ir)Rational
February 21st, 2012
4:39 pm
josef – I try not to jump on gays…;)
Joe Hussein Mama
February 21st, 2012
4:39 pm
Brosephus — “I found out that I was a Liberal White guy.”
Here are the keys to your new Volvo and your discount cards for Starbucks and Whole Foods. And you get a government check for every month you don’t cut your hair.
(ir)Rational
February 21st, 2012
4:39 pm
BLAST! … then space, then
Paul
February 21st, 2012
4:40 pm
AmVet
“I missed this rib tickler the other day…”
The other night O’Reilly actually put up a similar editorial cartoon and used it as proof “the liberal media” is out to destroy Santorum.
Absofrakinlutely amazing.
The guy’s in media and he doesn’t even know the purpose of an editorial cartoon.
josef
February 21st, 2012
4:40 pm
BROSEPHUS
But, are you still an Uppity Elitist?
md
February 21st, 2012
4:40 pm
“It doesn’t matter.”
And I can see that in that context…….but then folks turn around and use the same data to say it saved jobs…………..hmmmm.
(ir)Rational
February 21st, 2012
4:40 pm
JHM – How do I get in on that? I will settle for a Subaru if you’re out of Volvos.
Steve - USA (I support "None Of The Above")
February 21st, 2012
4:41 pm
“Let me ask you a very simple question. Are you struggling. Do you believe that the majority of Americans are stuggling to get by? Or, are you doing well?”
I know this wasn’t directed at me but if I may opine. The feeling I get is that a lot of people are living a lifestyle based on past financial success. I know a bunch of people making less than what they did 5 to 10 years ago. They live in homes that they couldn’t buy with their present income. I just turned 50 and a bunch of my friends have basically wiped out their retirement saving to survive. People have expenses now that they didn’t even have when I started working. You didn’t have a cable bill, you didn’t have an Internet bill, you didn’t have a cell phone bill.
I am self employed so my income goes up and down throughout the years. I have been comfortable but I have had more down years than I was planning on so my retirement plans are much further away than I had hoped.
So through my eyes which is not a scientific poll, a lot of people are struggling.
Joe Hussein Mama
February 21st, 2012
4:41 pm
Towncrier — “I’ll say it again: the definition of right and wrong should not depend on available technology.”
The law has had to adjust at an increasing pace in order to accommodate the issues brought by technology. Surely this will continue.
Brosephus™ - Jackassery is as jackassery does!!!
February 21st, 2012
4:42 pm
josef
I saw that story. All I can say is that you lie in the bed that you make. It doesn’t matter what your orientation is.
jm
February 21st, 2012
4:42 pm
New MI poll has Romney up
Granny Godzilla
February 21st, 2012
4:43 pm
Midori
I’d be proud to be an honorary black woman….
Skipped a lot of the pages….To whom do I owe thanks for the honor?
Brosephus™ - Jackassery is as jackassery does!!!
February 21st, 2012
4:43 pm
JHM
Sweeeeeeetttttttt……….
Steve - USA (I support "None Of The Above")
February 21st, 2012
4:43 pm
“After 12 pages, anybody else notice that the percentages don’t add up to 100%”
Two of us did earlier
Joe Hussein Mama
February 21st, 2012
4:43 pm
(ir)Rational — “JHM – How do I get in on that? I will settle for a Subaru if you’re out of Volvos.”
You’re already a white guy, aren’t you? Wasn’t the car in your driveway?
Brosephus™ - Jackassery is as jackassery does!!!
February 21st, 2012
4:44 pm
josef
Uppity, elitist, liberal, white, and I work for the government.
Towncrier
February 21st, 2012
4:44 pm
“The law has had to adjust at an increasing pace in order to accommodate the issues brought by technology. Surely this will continue.”
Granted, but I am speaking of fundamental principles and not the fine details. Theft has been and always will be theft, murder murder, and so on.
josef
February 21st, 2012
4:45 pm
irRational
think it’s most don’t where to come down on this one! Unlike Clinton he admits he DID have sex with that boy and didn’t hem haw around about it…unlike Wide Stance et al, he didn’t deny it…but…but…he’s GOP…still in the race, too…be kinda interesting to see if Arizona puts “family values” ahead of shipping ‘em all back to where they come from. Wonder how big that tent is…
YOUR party SUCKS! But MINE is GRRRRRREAT! (formerly That Black Guy)
February 21st, 2012
4:45 pm
Brosephus
February 21st, 2012
3:41 pm
Pea: Um…I don’t believe Obama has raised any taxes since he’s been in office. You may want check your email from Hannity again…it’s wrong.
No conservative will ever consider tax cuts as spending, yet they add the amount of tax cuts AS spending to get to that total.
I do
Paul
February 21st, 2012
4:45 pm
Brosephus
But they keep blowing them and it’s so much fun watching them go ‘pop’!
JamVet - My god man, protect the billionaires!
February 21st, 2012
4:47 pm
Paul,
Billy O’Loofah is one of the biggest, most pretentious, vile and sleazy little pr*cks in the history of pretentious, vile and sleazy little pr*cks.
Joe Hussein Mama
February 21st, 2012
4:47 pm
Towncrier — “Granted, but I am speaking of fundamental principles and not the fine details. Theft has been and always will be theft, murder murder, and so on.”
Fair enough. How, then, do you apply this principle of right and wrong in the way of which you speak? What are the issues and concerns thereunto pertaining as you see them, please?
(ir)Rational
February 21st, 2012
4:47 pm
JHM – No, my first car was a 10 year old Explorer with 250,000 miles on it. And my sister had destroyed the interior before I got it. I guess it was because I grew up in such a strongly conservative household that they skipped us over. Damn.
Bro – That is a bad combination.
Brosephus™ - Jackassery is as jackassery does!!!
February 21st, 2012
4:48 pm
Steve
I was asked that question, but I never received any response based on my response. I can’t take that week vacation skiiing in Utah, but when I look at what I’ve done in the past 20 years plus since I graduated high school, I am nowhere near struggling. I measure my wealth far beyond material things. Even if I lost what I have now, as long as my family’s ok and taken care of, I’m good.
Tom(Independent)
February 21st, 2012
4:48 pm
Joe Hussein Mama – Jay Writer is exactly right on the money. Why are we giving this tax-payers money to those Muslim countries, let them take care of themselves. I despise giving any foreign aid when we could/should help our on American citizens with the jobs issue 1st and the economy in this country.We should place our own American Citizens(notice I said citizens) before we help any other countries. For example, I would not give Mexico not one penny until they stop Illegals on their side of the border from coming into the USA! But I honestly believe that Barrack Hussein Obama does not place American Citizens 1st as I do. By the way Joe your middle name also Hussein, any relations there ?
josef
February 21st, 2012
4:48 pm
BROSEPHUS
“Uppity, elitist, liberal, white, and I work for the government”
Welcome to the club…although I understand I’m a “closet conservative!”
(ir)Rational
February 21st, 2012
4:49 pm
josef – Let’s not talk about guy’s in the bedroom and tents.
Brosephus™ - Jackassery is as jackassery does!!!
February 21st, 2012
4:50 pm
YOUR party
That’s why you are THAT guy. You don’t find very many who apply the same principles ALL the time. That, I can appreciate.
(ir)Rational
Not if you’re an elected official.
Too bad I’m not.
md
February 21st, 2012
4:52 pm
“Um…I don’t believe Obama has raised any taxes since he’s been in office. ”
That’s but one variable……credit card rates went up as a direct cause of this Admin…..the payroll tax cut will have to be paid at some point in time with money we don’t have…….the subsidies for the ACA will add to the debt…….off the top of my head.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
February 21st, 2012
4:52 pm
Well, don’t you just hate it when Bookman kicks somebody off of the blog and deletes the person’s post before you get a chance to read it? It’s worse than the hurly-girly show at the carnival. You check in all day just to see somebody cross the line and then it happens and you don’t even get to see it. Heck, we all want to see a good fight even if we don’t want to get into one. Bookman’s such a tease.
At least some new people showed up today. True, they ain’t exackly Norman Einsteins, but they tried real hard. I can see people like them holding a snipe bag at midnight in some deep, dark woods.
Well, it’s time to head to the warehouse to park the truck and then head for home to tune into Fox News. I hope your Fat Tuesday was pretty good, tho we never got a chance to see somebody pull her shirt up. I reckon it’s just as well. We ain’t going to see any of our female bloggers showing up at a beauty contest.