DISQUS

dad · 1 year ago

is this part of the success of the surge?

Bostonian_Queer_in_Dallas · 1 year ago

I keep hearing James Carville's voice in my head...

IT'S ABOUT THE ECONOMY, STUPID.

But this time 'round it's Frank Rich...

IT'S ABOUT THE ECONOMIC STUPIDITY, STUPID.

Linzack · 1 year ago

What is totally missing from these statistics are the people who have exhausted their unemployment claims and suddenly are no longer classified as unemployed. Poof. Just like that. But they're still out there everyday, looking for work. The truer numbers of unemployed are probably twice the published numbers. How do I know? I'm one of them. D.

naschkatzehussein · 1 year ago

I'd like to know which states are hurting and which states are not. I've heard that Texas is doing quite well, for example. (Maybe I should be addressing this to Boston Queer.) My point is that I'm wondering if the Republicans are not shoring up their red states, with temporary state or federal jobs for example, and letting the blue ones go to hell. Anyway, I think you are quite right about the people who have fallen through the cracks not being counted and that it is a huge number. The Democrats need to delve into this, and I'll e-mail the DNC and the Obama campaign. Good luck to you.

Linzack · 1 year ago

Thanks, nasch... I can only speak for California about this... but I have a
number of other unfortunate "friends" who are not receiving any unemployment
benefits, we look for work everyday, yet in the face of statistics, we don't
exist. There's no funding for us. And we still plow on -- ever ready to
grab a job and support our families. Thanks for your interest. Nice way to
start the day. D.


In a message dated 7/24/2008 7:17:08 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
writes:

naschkatzehussein · 1 year ago

You are welcome. In the interim I did e-mail both the DNC and the Obama campaign. I think if we could get all the people in the same boat as you to get in touch with the Democrats, they might be able to use the information in the election.

Linzack · 1 year ago

Anything's possible. D


In a message dated 7/24/2008 7:42:09 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
writes:

mangoes · 1 year ago

South Carolina: from grave to worse. Many, many industrial closures over the last decade. People selling vegetables and having yard sales all over the place. Much is done with the barter system like the old days again. Cash or other for services from friends with skills. Also, consider the self-employed sector, who does not qualify for unemployment, has no health insurance, and isn't in any of these statistics. This is the worst hit segment, IMHO.

jr · 1 year ago

repubs want us to eat tree bark and grass while their donors go yachting

naschkatzehussein · 1 year ago

If you are familiar with Eugene, OR, you know it's a moderately sized town. It's going to lose 1100 high tech jobs very soon, and in Central Oregon where I live, support businesses like restaurants are closing down quite frequently because people can't afford to eat out. This is happening all over the US. The California unemployment rate is 6.9 % and growing. When Obama gets back home, I hope he will concentrate on the economy and pick a #1 surrogate (Clark! Clark!) who can continue the foreign relations/national security battle for him.

Dianne_in_DC · 1 year ago

Yes, this is happening even in DC. I have about 6 weeks of unemployment benefits left. I'm a highly skilled IT professional and every day I am sending out resumes and gettting interviews, but still no job offers. It is effecting every sector. I was going to buy a new car, and now I am relieved that I didn't.

Dave of the Jungle · 1 year ago

I see at least 5 families moving out of my complex every month. Unprecedented.

mangoes · 1 year ago

And on a personal level, my mother's self-employment income has slowed to a complete halt. No temp or placement agency or job service has anything at ALL for this tremendously skilled graphic artist. Without access to any jobless benefits, early social security is the only option. How many others in THAT boat? Also, anybody out there selling family heirloom gold jewelry to survive? Selling food stamps for gas money???? The situation in real world America is grave indeed.

OlderAndWiser · 1 year ago

I feel for your mother. I'm 67 and on SS, and believe me, it's a pittance. In less than 15 yrs, I've gone from $36K/yr to $11.5K/yr. And if she takes early retirement, which I was forced to do to get money, the amount of money she earns will be limited (there's a formula for it), so it's hard to supplement the amount of SS. Good luck to her and all others either voluntarily taking it, or forced to because of lack of work.

bluestockton · 1 year ago

Walt Disney World is furloughing "cast members" one, two or even three days per week. And this is the peak tourist season.

Bush_Bites · 1 year ago

That's what they get for funding that 9/11 movie.

Losers.

Bush_Bites · 1 year ago

Hey Chris!

Hoping you can give a good sense of Obama in Europe.

The pressure's on..........

OlderAndWiser · 1 year ago

Wow, I guess Americans will now take those "jobs that Americans won't do" except--many of them already had those jobs...

Sage24 · 1 year ago

You would think that after all these years, people would realize that a Rethuglican President, with rethuglican policies have been bad for the country?
Bush cannot blame Clinton anymore for the mismanagement of this country.
He cannot keep blaming the wars, which he started, as we all knew, unnecessarily. The rethuglicans are a party for the wealthy, for business, and they keep making the same damn mistakes, again, and again.
Trickle down economics, and taxes for the wealthiest, do NOT benefit the average American. American people keep losing jobs, and getting poorer under a rethuglican president. We thought Bush senior was bad, but Bozo the Clown presently in the WH has been a total disaster for everyone except the rich. Bush and Cheney, most probably including themselves, have made the filthy rich, richer.

Americans who keep voting for these buffoons, and for those who are sure to continue these bloody failed policies, are first rate idiots. American idiots.