It depends on what your view of "bad" is. Having a guy who makes $13/hour not be able to afford a $300,000 home in the suburbs is not exactly a "bad economy" to me. A bad economy is having half your population lining up in the streets for government bread and cheese. It's having to risk your life to cross a border so you can make $10/hour.

Our housing market has its ups and downs. It's how an economy works. We had many years of great times and a lot of people made a lot of money. We'll have people lose money now for awhile. But housing is still a local thing. You can't judge it by the nation as a whole. There are parts of the country that go up, and parts of the country that go down. People will always need housing, and property will always be a good long term investment.

I don't know what you are trying to say. Do you really think we'll all be broke in a year begging for handouts? We have full employment, a booming stock market, and a fairly high median income. There are very few countries in the world that can say that.

You mean he's telling more lies? :pimp:

I hear ya pk! It's not so much that the $13/hour guy can't afford the $300K home - more that those who do have mortgages can't actually afford them overall. (This part is not particularly related to the US - it's the same in the EU right now). You are prob sick to death listening to... wot's his name... Lou Dobbs on the subject of "attacks on the middle class" - it's kinda overlaps into that area.

The home aspect is only one and more related to personal debt building within the country where more is being spent than earned.

The more critical stuff are the constant trade deficits - there have never actually been a surplus since the 1960's.

Another item is the weak dollar while there is a continuation in consuming from other nations - the reality is that is costing US Inc serious money and contributing towards the national deficit. The Central Bank of China is still issuing IOU's at a rate of .. ranging $2-$4 billion daily and building.

Unfortunately, there is prob going to be a further weakening of the dollar this year, - even if that is not specifically related to US economic deficits - tho there will be and just adds to the problem. The Euro, Yen, GBP are all forecast to increase around 5-10% in 2007 based on a natural increase in economic output. The effect of this obviously throws up more differences with the dollar and making it weaker.

Prob one of the most damning elements is US manufacturing ability which represents only 10% of total economic activity. Normally there is a prospect of reducing the trade deficit by increasing exports, but this level of manufacturing ability leaves little leeway for that - and prob can be totally consumed internally leaving nada for exports.

Only my :2 cents: - there is a serious danger in only looking at elements of any economy and ignoring all others. It's like cherry-picking a balance sheet and ignoring the $20mill bank loans and all creditors. Any sound economy has a surplus somewhere, or, some method of earning "real money" externally (exports). It is very hard to find any major element that shows a positive result in the future and it is one hell of a challenge to swing that around, but sure, it's possible, but not in any short term.

Ah.. OK... No not saying that. Tho... if you look at the current scenario, what you call handouts (Fed Reserve IOU's and bullion movements) are what is sustaining the US economy currently. China may be the leading lender on a level of.. call is $3 billion daily, but that still only represents 25% (ish) of daily borrowings - so the real level is going to be around $12 billion.

Items like full employment are fine and good internally, but the net result of that full employment is not reflected in manufacturing or "cash building" ability when it represents only 10% of total economic activity. Can't say, but obviously much of this full employment is related to service industries and domestic consumption which does help the overall, but does not earn a profit for USA Inc.

There were a couple of items mentioned in the State of the Union address which are major economic factors (tho hell knows if these will be more than politician-speak). One was cutting down the reliance on oil. Although not possible to eliminate, this makes massive cuts in purchasing needs and can only be positive. Prime example of this in real life is Brazil where alternative energy has been used in vehicles for some time now. The US does have plenty material on farmland which can be adapted to energy needs - and just a matter of developing that.

Was I the only one who laughed when Bush said he would cut taxes to help make health insurance more affordable?

Rest assured you were not alone Kimo :winkwink:

How about he address the core problem? Like... maybe stop the total ripoff over healthcare????? ;-)

Asswipe, your agenda and the blah, blah, blah, you spew daily is really boring. Shouldn't you be busier hustling the tourists? Maybe you would earn more money to spend on a life other than you life being blathering on a BB.

number one in what?

Maybe you missed when he talked about stopping frivolous lawsuits against doctors? That is a large reason health care costs skyrocketed. :2 cents:

No.. never missed it and it's valid, tho depends on each case. And who is going to be the decider of frivolous?

Agree, in particular areas (eg birth) the numbers of cases is crazy. Flipside is there are a fair number of cases where there is blatant incompetence/negligence and having laws stuffed into this area can create gross injustice.

This is only one area why healthcare in the US is a problem - tho it's still good, but that prob relies on the docs and nursing staff more than the system.

Silly old fool with nothing to offer as usual *LOL*

From the first day of trading, January 22, 2001, after President Bush became the 43rd President of the United States, until the last trading day, January 19, 2007, before the publication date of this article, the performance of the major stock markets?measured by the index portfolios of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Standard & Poor's 500, and the NASDAQ Composite?has been abominable. Only the Dow Jones Industrial Average managed to achieve a positive real return on investment over the past six years, and that return was a miserly half-a-percent on an annualized basis, a level of performance that would get any fund manager taken out and shot.

January 22, 2001, was the first day of trading after Mr. Bush became President. The three major stock market indices stood at the following levels at the close of trading on that day:

January 22, 2001, Index Closing Values
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 10,578.24
Standard & Poor's 500: 1342.9
NASDAQ Composite: 2757.91

At the close of trading on Friday, January 19, 2007, these same three averages stood at the following levels:

January 19, 2007, Index Closing Values
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 12,565.53
Standard & Poor's 500: 1,430.50
NASDAQ Composite: 2,451.31

Agree BigDeanEvans...

Kinda related - tho more relevant to folks who need to preserve their nesteggs, ie senior citizens etc - it's crucial that their return on investment is at least keeping up with inflation.

Inflation has been 15% over the last five years (US Consumer Price Index), but if you add up the total of the major US equity mutual funds, (each are assets of over $20 billion) - the majority, over 60% were actually "wealth destroyers" simply because their returns were less than 15% over the last five years.

A further source of concern for investors is that collectively, these huge funds still had almost half a trillion dollars invested in them - and that's forgetting the 100's of smaller funds with equally poor results. From the huge money values still invested in these funds, it would appear a lot of folks are very passive in their investing. It also raises the question as to what the brokers/financial advisors/fund managers of the largest three fund companies have been doing over this period, - other than collecting ill-deserved fees.

Also just noticed that the same applies to Canada where the largest funds have also been wealth destroyers - worth any investor keeping an eye on.

There are plenty areas globally which are sound and stable investment areas and offering far more than the returns offered by many major funds, but amazing there seems to be a closet mentality, or perhaps, neglect in dumping some investment into them. Just totalled a sampling here where I'm looking after investment for others as well as myself and would be embarassed to tell an investor they never even kept up with inflation. The sampling of lady's investment of $260K over.. 38 months has converted that $260K into $1,140,00.00 and it's still climbing. OK.. you need to know the market and secure it to hell and back, but that's what fund managers do as a profession - but obviously failing miserably.

Yes Steve, your massive cock right up there with his weapons of mass destruction:1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh
Um as for that last part, I wouldn't talk since you tivo Martha Stewart!:winkwink:

A slight correction.
She may become President but she will never be 'elected' President

I was surprised how great it was.

:thumbsup

.. wonder why I am not surprised ...

BTW, did you finish digging ... I sent you quite a few shovels to do so .... :1orglaugh

DICK SAYS :: "Go Fuck Yourself"
 

I really enjoyed all the standing ovations. I enjoy watching people clap like seals every 5 seconds to anything Alfred E Newman says.

Same cocky nit wit with a speech impediment. Dicks crappy schhmerk was great as always too. Great tv.... thrilling !... riveting... !

After all is said and done and we finally pull out of Iraq ( too bad we have to kill even more US troops ). The country will implode because we executed the only asshole keeping that part of the world in check.

Can't wait to hear next years speach !:thumbsup

Keep up the good work DICK and BUSH. The writers of SNL couldn't of come up with two better imbeciles for a skit about dumb fucks running the country into the ground.

Here ya go. Maybe move out of thr trailer park and join the rest of the world

Existing Home Sales Plummet in 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) - Sales of existing homes fell in December, closing out a year in which demand for homes slumped by the largest amount in 24 years.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/200...D8MSCPR80.html

yup my trailer increased in value 70,000 in just under 2 years... you caught me... :Oh crap

Dont just read the headline bubba.

I don't, but I like to live my life by facts and not fiction. Bush always seems to find "experts" to say what he wants. Just like the wmd, global warming, and the economy.

More facts

Ford Posts Worst Loss in Its History

http://apnews.excite.com/article/200...D8MSE3V00.html

Oh so a company that got raped by the unions and forced to give out too many benefits is Bush's fault now.. Wtf are you fucking nuts? lol I live my life by the facts around me. For instance I went to 6 different stores last night and 5 of them had help wanted ads in the windows. Ya things are terrible. If I piss in a glass and fill it up and you drink half of it, is it then half full, or half empty? :1orglaugh

You are definatley a sheep. You just posted a quote from the article that stated that 2 out of the last 12 months had an increase in home sales, and you see that as a good "sign". I sadly see it as 10 months of bad economy.

According to you, everything is Clintons fault and Bush can't be blamed for anything. Hows that Iraq war working out for you neo cons?



You may like low wage jobs, but most of us don't. To each his own.

As for you drinking piss.....well....whatever yanks your chain.

Low wage? Most jobs start out above 9.00 here. To the average joe that is a pretty good starting wage. Jobs at Mapco start at over 9.00 an hour here. The jobs I saw last night all probably start even higher than that. Housing market is booming here. Construction is booming. Economy is booming. Period. Current unemployment rate is 4.5% for this month 4.7% for the quarter. If you factor in that the largest percent of unemployment is teenagers you see more of the picture. Teen is like 14% of those unemployed.. Well you can look for yourself.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

But ignore facts and maybe try and start up something about the war, or Clinton or something.... typical. haha.

Tut tut tut tut - Can we lift the thread out of the gutter Sticky??

It's not a damned contest baed on primative political persuasions and a desire to be relevant. Suggest you get the fundamentals in order, then start typing.

Not gonna give a full reply to your post - it's just another mix of cherry-picked fact, fiction and personal opinion.

Your opinion of jobs and low/high/whatever wages is just your opinion - nothing more. They may be good locally - so what? Nationally the minimum wage is the lowest of all industrialized countries - tho, there is/has been legislation passed, or about to be passed, to change this?? Whatever the scenario is - when folks spend 160% of these high wages, they are either underpaid or on a permanent unsustainable credit card shopping spree.

Again, "your" housing sector is "booming" - nationally it certainly is not, and not dissimiliar to the housing markets in several other countries, tho the background is a bit different. The "booming housing market" has foreclosures up 42-43% and on target to hit a record by the year end.

Construction is "booming" - sheesh, do you live in Utopia?? *lol*. Most of the major home-builders are trying to dump their "land stock" simply because they have little prospect of constructing homes on that land in the forseeable future and need cash now.

Have you been reading naughty propaganda websites again, listening to Fox News and the faultless opinions and judgement of the current administration? That's bad news Sticky - you should know better and live in the real world :winkwink:

I dont have to read the news or watch tv to know what is going on in my area Webby. Why do you think my equity shot up 70k? I was smart and bought in an area that is on the rise. I bought as construction in our subdivision was winding down, but a new subdivision a half mile away was starting up. I bought 5 months before they started on a new shopping center that is less than 5 miles from me. That shopping center is done now on one side of the street, and they are now starting on the other side of the street. If people are stupid and purchase in areas where a local decline in development is starting thats their own faults not GWB's. You act like we have people waiting in bread lines. I still havent figured out who works for minimum wage other than high school kids. Down here I cant think of a single place that pays less than 8.00 and most start at 9.00. I know what the wages are like in Costa so no need go there right? :winkwink: What country other than maybe Japan has a more thriving economy than the U.S.?





Btw im only playing along because Im working on getting 10,000 posts so I need to jump back in the shit that gets me to post alot lol.

Here ya Sticky - but again, it's not about "your area" - the US is a big country and there are bigger and more relevant issues. The world's equity shot up - so what? My equity shot up millions over the last few years - that has nothing to do with national issues, the economy of where I currently reside, or much else.

Obviously the outcome of a "thriving economy" is the biggest national deficit ever, a need to constantly borrow from other nations at an unsustainable rate, have increased pressure from a weak dollar and never manage a trade surplus in over 30 years?? Sure, that is one "thriving economy".

BTW.. The answer is China - and several other Asian countries. They have "thriving economies" which supercede all western industrialized countries - not just the US. They will also be the biggest economies we have even seen.

India, where all the good paying working class US jobs went.

I suppose in your little world, that never happened.

Where you live, everyone opens their doors and picks roses, and then goes to their high paying jobs, in the cleanest city on the earth, where there is no crime, and the Iraq war is a big success and on and on and on.....zzzzzzzz

Asswipe, almost everything you post is BS, but of course you agree with sources (even when they are spreading misinformation) that fits into your American bashing agenda. We get it. You have made your point, ad naseum. You hate America.

You been let out to stalk chatboards again and offer nothing? *LOL*

Obviously you still have not got that point, tho appreciate it is beyond your comprehension Old Sexy Pants - sheesh you are a sad specimen :(

Grow up you silly old fart :pimp

Wow China and India? Are you both serious? Do you really think most people in India and China wouldnt give their left nut to be in the U.S.? Seriously thats the two countries you point to when trying to say the U.S. economy sucks? Do you really think quality of living is better in either of those places compared to here? Srsly.... :uhoh

Stick to the point Sticky - you raised the subject of "thriving economies" and you got an answer.

Did you not know both China and India have real thriving economies which are expanding faster than all other western countries???

Has China been borrowing funds of around $12billion daily from other nations to sustain themselves? Does China have a weak currency value? Does the manufacturing sector in China only match only 10% of their total economic activity?? Does China manage to have consistant trade deficits for 39 years?

What part is it that you do not comprehend??? *lol*

Ok now examine WHY they are doing well. They pay super low wages, no benefits, no unions, no politically correct people forcing them to have handicap people that are unsuited to do a job working there. No lawsuits cause someone made an off color remark, no sexual harassment laws, blah blah. Child labor, sweat shops, etc etc. Ya Americas outgoing economy could be much much better if we could afford to make products as cheaply as they do. Our country has work place safety requirements, insurance etc etc etc. They dont. You keep telling me to look at the big picture, but you seem to be zooming right in past the real details..

China and India are both different in their backgrounds. Since when was there a concern over the welfare of those who produced cheap shit you could by with the extended facility on your credit card?

Agree there are plenty problems - what exactly has that to do with "thriving economies"? Nations start somewhere and progress from that point. The Chinese economy has been aided substantially by it's own domestic consumer market and, in turn, has speeded up their economy - to the benefit of the population.

You mention "America's outgoing economy" - where is that? Even long before either China or India started to become a part of the global economy, where exactly was the US?? Still producing trade deficits on an annual basis - that is without the competition you were claiming from Asian nations.

The US has plenty going for it at all levels, but is simply not performing on a global basis. What can it offer? Cars? Nope. Technology? Nope - both these elements operate on a trading deficit. What it does offer is arms and wheat - the only two elements which show a trading surplus.

Trying to assign blame on any other nations for a lack of a "thriving economy" is a joke. Other western nations have the same issues, but generally produce a balanced economy without borrowing from "third world countries".

But China and India are coming from virtually nothing. To say they are growing at a more rapid pace isn't a telling sign of anything. There are probably tons of small countries that are developing faster. We still have 6 times the GDP of China and nearly 20 times the GDP of India.

People in both countries work for pennies a day (literally), and there is no way you could say that anyone in those countries would prefer their economy to ours.

As far as our deficit, we've had one for decades and people have been claiming doom and gloom as well. While it does have negative effects, it is also correctable by responsible spending and higher taxes. It's also odd how you leave out Japan who has a similar budget deficit percent. China and most European countries work at a deficit as well. Why are you only singling out the US?

And for all these thriving economies, you do realize that they rely heavily on the US? Where do many of your jobs in India come from? Who buys most of the products made in China? If the US economy tumbles, those countries tumble just as hard.

Maybe tell that to your republicans who have been making it easier, and giving tax breaks to big biz, to move to these countries.

Fuck man you are so simple thinking. Then again that's why you support the current simple fool in office.

I hope to god you don't and will never have any kids. Your breeding line needs to be stopped NOW!

We should give tax breaks to everyone. I don't know why people are so upset about having less taxes to pay. The problem isn't taxing companies, it's spending too much money.

As for moving to other countries, many companies rely on the cheap labor. Shit is cheap because it can be built for a tenth the price in another country. If everything was built in the US, it would be much more expensive.

Problem with this theory is, if everything is shipped overseas to be made, there won't be any money over here to buy the shit. We will all be unemployed.

We are at full employment right now. How is this a problem?

We don't make ANYTHING any more. Have you seen the trade deficit?

never liked him and never will

"China and most European countries work at a deficit as well." - in that case the world is running at a deficit and totally unsustainable if any deficit is even remotely in the same league as the US. Can the person leaving last, please switch off the light? ;-)

Sure, China has a major exporting agenda with the US. The issue in more recent years is the ability of the US to pay for the mass of product consumed from China and where the Fed Res are issuing IOU's at a rate of around $3billion daily to the Central Bank of China and trying to persuade China to reduce their currency. China has since established a range of trading relationships with other continents/nations and, who knows, presumably an element of that policy is out of caution. Agree.. China would be hit economically irrespective, tho they do have an industrial base and an avenue ahead if that ever happened. The same cannot be said for many western countries.

The American economy is the envy of the world. People like Webby, who hates everything about America, spread misinformation, BS, and out and out lies. It fits his and their agenda. America is not in trouble economically and has carried greater debt (realitively speaking) in past history than what it is carrying now. America is the richest, most powerful, most influential country the world has ever known and will certainly remain so for the life time of any individual that is currently alive.

What does that have to do with employment and being able to spend money to buy things?

i say it'll be BS either way!

Has fantasy become a major player in your closet SexyPants?

Was Rome before your time??? :1orglaugh

It's how economies are run though. Only a few don't run at a deficit like Canada, but they also pay much more in taxes.

Asswipe, Rome, in relative terms, was but a pimple on the ass of the richist, power and influence that America wields today. America is the richest, most powerful, most influential nation the world has ever know.

Good God man, what the hell are you on?:1orglaugh :1orglaugh:1orglaugh