Everyone in America should be sobered by this figure. Those of us who are employed should be extremely thankful. This is not an issue to be flippant about. In an era where millions and billions and trillions are tossed around like chicken feed, it's important to remember what a significant chunk of the population 15.7 million is.
When I read this story this morning, I went over and reread Brohica's Tall Tales post. If you'll recall, he pointed out the White House's employment figures for the Southwest Georgia Community Action Council in Moultrie, GA. You know, the one where they claim 935 jobs were "saved" even though only 508 people are actually employed there. They did this by multiplying the total number of employees, 508, by their percentage pay raise, 1.84.
The first time I read this I laughed. When I read it today in light of the new jobless report I became infuriated. This is not a game of Monopoly, Mr. President. This is not a terrier and a top hot that you're moving around a board. These are the real lives of real people, and you're bragging about fake jobs?
One comes to expect these kinds of games and clever manipulations of truth during political campaigns. It's part of why every citizen must be discerning, sifting through the muck to come to their own conclusions about truth.
But this is our President, and right now he's slapping the face of every American who is swallowing their pride right now, sitting at home because they've been laid off. The future is a scary place when all you see are question marks. It doesn't make it better to hear your President playing fast with the numbers, silencing the severity of your uncertiny to make his own look better.
11 comments:
Got amnesia? Who got us into this mess in the first place?
No - I have ADD, but not amnesia. Why so punchy and quick to deflect? This post had absolutely ZERO to do with who is responsible with the financial mess. Are you trying to say that because President Obama didn't cause the problem, he can play with the current numbers however he likes? If George W. Bush were President right now, you would see that I hardly saw eye-to-eye with him, either. Allow yourself to look at each post for what it is. Do you really think the manner in which the Obama Administration is playing with the "saved jobs" numbers is responsible? Pointing out things that George W. Bush did wrong does not make what our current President is doing right.
How is it that if I disagree with you, that's a deflection? Have you read the Recovery Act? Unless you are Bernie Madoff, investment doesn't yield the kind of returns you are looking for, at least not in the short term.
The larger issue for me, however, is your claim to be able to recognize truth unlike the people who voted for Obama. Enlighten me, please, on what truth we failed to see. How would any other candidate have better dealt with this issue in a more productive way? The guy has been in office 9 months, and you expect him to have rectified all of the problems dumped in his lap by the previous administration(s)? Why not address his policy (the act itself) than a perhaps flawed formula for calculating job growth? I do not envy Obama, and I don't think that he is infallible, but I'm fairly certain he's not a practitioner of voodoo.
Pardon me for getting angry, but I am angry. It is a deflection because your "disagreement" is with things that are not in my post. You are not reading my words - you are looking for subtext that is not there.
ONE: I am not talking about the Recovery Act. Nowhere in my post do I mention the act, its intentions or its outcome. I certainly did not place judgment on it – that would have been difficult since I never mentioned it.
TWO: I never said that I am "able to recognize truth unlike the people who voted for Obama." You misinterpreted and twisted my words. If you read what I actually wrote, you will find my sentence: "It's part of why every citizen must be discerning, sifting through the muck to come to their own conclusions about truth." The Obama voters came to their conclusions, I came to mine. That is the way it is supposed to be. Read the post and you will see no such judgment call like the one you tried to attribute to me. Believe it or not, I believe that most Obama voters were smart, discerning people. I just happen to disagree with them. Their vision of truth happens to be different from mine. Truth in human terms tends to be in the eye of the beholder. Only God knows ultimate truth.
THREE: You ask the question: "How would any other candidate have better dealt with this issue in a more productive way?" I didn't draw Obama's handling of the situation into question. I do have thoughts on that subject but they have absolutely nothing to do with this post. Show me where I talk about his handling of this economic crisis. Show me. You know what they say about making assumptions...
FOUR: You ask: "Why not address his policy (the act itself) than a perhaps flawed formula for calculating job growth?" Why? Because it is my blog and that's not the thought that struck me.
What struck me is that an astounding number of real Americans are dealing with the reality of unemployment, while at the same time the White House is playing with the numbers of jobs "created or saved" like it's some kind of game. This is not a game that can be manipulated for political gain. These are people's lives. You yourself said, and please tell me if I’ve misinterpreted or twisted this, that the formula for calculating job growth was “perhaps flawed.”
That's it, plain and simple. I appreciate that voices of opposition are coming to Regular Bros and creating a diversity of opinion. I really do. But I do not appreciate someone waltzing in here and feeling compelled to assume my views and twist my words in order to grandstand about issues that are not pertinent to my blog.
If something I happen to have said stirred passionate feelings you have about the Recovery Act and Obama’s handling of the economic crisis, feel free to share them here. But don’t manipulate what I said so you can state it in the form of a debate – that’s cheap. That says you are not satisfied simply making your own point, you have to make your own and degrade someone else’s in the process. That’s childish, and at the ripe young age of 27, this ADDer is attempting to shed his childish ways. Perhaps we could all agree on at least that.
Thank you. I’m out.
The Recovery Act is relevant because that is where the money that went to the Southwest Georgia Community Action came from. Moreover, it is also the source for the formula that is being used to calculate the job growth numbers that Brohica first mentioned in his post. and which you take up again in yours. As such, it is entirely relevant. If you are interested in "sifting through the muck to come to [your] own conclusions about the truth," take a look at it.
I don't know why you are so defensive about your opinions. As someone whose life and livelihood are directly affected by unemployment, I get really tired of people whining about Obama "manipulating truth." Obama is infinitely more concerned with the health and welfare of the poor people in this country than any candidate in recent history. And you say that he's slapping the face of people like me? No, I strongly disagree.
Yeah, Obama is the savior, Hosanna in the highest, right?
If you are unemployed and all your neighbors work at HHS and get a raise, does that make you less unemployed any more than it makes them more employed? No kind of math makes a pay raise equal the creation of a new job.
I'm glad that doesn't concern you, but I have to ask, does that Kool-Aid go well with government cheese? I'm just curious.
Brohica, must it always be hyperbole with you? Actually, unemployment does concern me, as I have made abundantly clear. It's rich to see that you, who think that the population without health insurance is lazy -- and that institutional disenfranchisement is a fantasy, suddenly champion the rights of the unemployed (tomorrow's poor and downtrodden). You know, they are the ones who actually nourish their kids on kool-aid and government cheese. But you probably wouldn't know that since you've never been on WIC.
As for government cheese, what would you know? Ever been on WIC?
Hyperbole is used for effect, but that doesn't necessarily make the intent fraudulent. On the other hand, you are free to mischaracterize anything that rankles you.
I have never said that everyone without health care is lazy. I have said that I disagree with nationalized health care, and I disagree with providing free health care to those who are unwilling to make their situation better. I work two jobs, and it is not because I want to.
As to disenfranchisement, I think I have been clear that I disagree that all disenfranchisement is institutionally imposed. However, since you refuse to admit that some people are disenfranchised by their own choices, there is no middle ground with you on that point.
I do happen to know a little bit about unemployment and underemployment. Unfortunately, I have been among the ranks of the unemployed, and it was not all that long ago. So it concerns me when our government counts giving people raises as creating new jobs.
Finally, its nice to see that it isn't just us crazy populist conservatives who can be sanctimonious. Actually, there was a time years ago when we received WIC for our kids. So yes, I do know something about government cheese.
I find that it is not wise to speak, at least authoritatively, about things I know nothing about. Remember, when you assume something, you make an ass out of you, not me.
So were you "truly unfortunate"?
It took you 5 days to come up with that? I bow to you, oh Goddess of Hyperbole!
I'm really late to this party,butI'll go back to anons. first question "got amnesia? who got us into this mess in the first place" wow, that truly is a good question, because it's alot more complicated and convoluted than first blush. There has been alot of factions planning this problem for the U.S. for alot longer than most realize.Most countries have been insanely jealous of us since WWII. We have plenty of room,we have industrial freedom, we have agriculture, we have THE MOST POWERFUL MILITARY.
We are the only super power left.How do you hurt a superpower? You under mine their working people .You take their industry away. you take their sciences away. you make their working classes become a service industry. I'm a Machinist. If my job goes to China next week,I get two jobs at McDonalds and at Burger King. I'm still in the hole, with no more time for another job to fill the hole with.
Also. Greed has had alot to do with our status in this country. Not greed of any Administration, but individually. In 1950 an average guy went to work for eight hours and came home to the little family. they played monopoly and went to bed.
In 1951 their neighbors wife got a part time job at the soda shop and made enough extra money to buy the first television set in the 'hood. instead of playing monopoly they got to watch howdy doody.
So neighbor no. 1 says to little wifey, get a damned job so we can watch Howdy doody too!
Then it was two cars, then it was a boat, then it was a bigger house then it was a race..... that only leads to destruction.
I've been to a couple different countries,while in the service. We're hated for Howdy doody, two boats, three cars a pickup and a S.U.V. They don't have it. They want it. they've wanted it since we started having it. they think we're all like the people they see on T.V. (most of their programming comes from us.) they see the average people in America as the "Real House wives of Atlanta" Huge homes, pools, servants, diamonds, limos, more food in one meal than they get for four!So Stanley tools packs up and moves to china from Stanley PA. and kills the town. It's cheaper. More profit for Stanley tools CEO and share holders. Stanley dosn't care that it's former employee needs three minumum wage jobs to support his lifestyle. I could go on for a really long time about whose fault our mess is, but the truth is You cannot point a finger at anyone until you first point the finger at yourself. Oh yeah, Mr. Pres. get a new calculator! yours(made in China) is broken!!!
-Ted-
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