Smoke & mirrors Bob! Unfortunately things may get worse before they get better. I hope and pray I am wrong but do not see this administration fixing unemployment in the near future.

It doesn't mention what is going to be done to try and help those people. All of my friends are losing their jobs to downsizing, I even have a friend who worked for a very large Organized religion who is laying off thousands of employees, they do not have the option to file for unemployment as Churches are exempt, where do those numbers fall into place. Most of my friends are being denied unemployment benefits for totally unknown reasons, so the unemployment figures are wrong. We still can't believe the media, I just wonder what happened to free press.

ljmahuiki - the "free press" went away with the last election. Now, before all of you get pissy about this statement - it is for both sides of the situation. Only I see 3 media giants sucking up to the administration while only one tries to paint its own version.

Hang onto what every you have because when BO is done, that is all you will have - and nothing to show for the years' work!

Well REAL unemployment was 16 last month so that seems to mean we're looking at a real figure of more than 20! So I figure that means the government better get their butts in gear and pass another unemployment extension quick at the higher minimum wage rate calculation since they raised that again.......makes you wonder if they ever think ahead to how their action will hit them in their own budget.

Whatever happened to that 3.5M new jobs? Oh, right, they were all more government jobs for the middle class workers to pay for! The only road work we've seen done lately is someone with the can of paint painting over the rust on the bridges. What kind of repair is that? Like all our government ideas? Cover it up and it will be okay for years to come?

The Stimulus Plan is not working. Loved the Turtle underpass in FL! Sure hope the turtles can read so they'll know they have to use it. Make sure the signs are in Spanish too --never know, the turtles may be illegals too.

Yes it was. It also used the same tactics that the previous administration used, "If we don't do this the sky will fall!!!". By the way politics always has an agenda no matter what side of the aisle you are on.

I've posted on many Obama news story blogs for Newsvine and it appears no one is listening. Maybe what I have to say is just too scary for the mind to absorb but it is the truth. Each day reveals my words to be even more correct. Please listen:

This is all part of Obama's plan. A lot of people call him stupid, uneducated, inexperienced and an empty suit. He's anything but that. He has an agenda and it is to bring the United States to it's knees. He's been attacking the capitalist way of life all along, but no one seems to notice. At least those who support him. Obama used to teach a class written by Saul Alinski. What Obama is doing is exactly what this Communist wrote to do. It's all by the book and it's happening right in front of our eyes. Google Saul Aliniski and you will see exactly what Obama is doing.

The rising unemployment rate is nothing compared to what is coming in this country. Businesses are fleeing, shutting down, downsizing and laying off people by the thousands. Major corporations are filing for bankruptcy. Banks and corporations are being taken over by the government and it appears as if no one is evening turning an eye at this. What is going on people? Where is the opposition? It was lost because of the fear of the anti-Bush crowd and their vocal hatred for the man.

Anyone who opposes Obama is subject to the ridicule of the left and the slamming of the main stream media. Why do you think Sarah Palin was hated so much. None of what was said about her was justified, but the media was relentless in their pursuit of creating as much anomosity about her as they could.

Change? Absolutely.. it's coming in spades. Lots of it and nothing GOOD for America. Freedom of speech is next. Watch and see.

Obama is the largest threat to freedom this country has ever known. Because he holds the seat of power and can wield a mighty sword, everyone around him is afraid of him. He appoints tax frauds and corrupt members to his cabinet and no one opposes him. He was involved in shady deals before the election and it appears as though it didn't matter at all. The democrats own him and what he's doing to this country. The gigantic debt is growing so large that it will pull this country down. What then people? Where will you turn? Your messiah is a dark angel... figuratively speaking. The Trojan Horse is INSIDE 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Troy is about to fall.

So how is Odumbo going to create enough jobs to take care of the millions he and Pelosi will destroy with this new Waxman Energy Bill they are trying to pass this week? It will take 20-25 years to replace the jobs that bill will destroy in one year. This bill will almost double everyone's electric bill because of the taxation they plan to reap calling it polution control. Guess what........it's not the rich who will be taxed or hurt the most either.

This needs to be stopped immediately or none of us will be able to pay our utility bills or heat our homes next winter! That's happening RIGHT NOW!

So this is what green shoots look like. I wondered where they were hiding!

You people really do believe Obama is the messiah. You must if you feel he is so powerful to do this all by himself.

Actually.... I believe Obama is the AntiChrist.

Seems like most people here are now getting that the spending (stimulus) bill was just a thank you to the people that elected Obama. He has done nothing to help the working man because that is not who voted for him or who will vote for him. Those that want hand outs are those that will support him along with the illigal immigrants when he frees them. The only reason he hasn't done that yet is the unemployment figure would then climb more. He can't hide that in the news like many other things. BO is the most polerizing pres in history and there may be a revolution.

Bob,

Isn't rushing things through Congress the way it's done? And aren't the results usually not what we were told they would be? Just look at the Patriot Act. And now our great leadershiop in DC wants to rush through health care "reform".

What our leaders in DC don't understand or want YOU to understand is the actual unemployment rate is running sonewhere between 17% and 19%. I recently read an article that took into account those the government says are unemployed, those the government has dropped from their calculations as no longer looking for work (yes they still are unemployed), and those, like me working less thasn full time hours. The total number of people in these three catagories is 25 million.

Now our government is crowing "the recession will be over by late summer". What they aren't crowing about is the third wave of home foreclosures, the corperate real estate bust, the problem with credit card debt, and now the newest, people falling behind on paying their auto loans.

If our government truly believes our economic problems are coming to an end I suggest we have a recall election for every member of Congress and the President. They are that out of tune.

These numbers can't be true! Dear Benevolent Supreme Master Leader Cool Guy Obama said that he would stop the exsanguination of the American workforce by spending billions of his (oops...err...I mean, our) money. There is no way that The Great Bringer of Hope and Change would lie to the American people, right? The Omniscient Overlords in Congress don't seem to think there is a problem either, so I am convinced that there can only be one explanation: it is a right-winged conspiracy that has been cooked up by those dastardly Republicans.

p.s. May I have some more Kool Aid, please?

At first glance the title, Whitehouse sees 10% joblessness soon could mean that 10% of those retarded liberals and radicals who are currently surrounding Obama or in his cabinet had been fired. Like that could only happen in a perfect world. I truly hope the ghost of Ronald Wilson Reagan can speak some sense into this guy. Maybe he'll get a visit when he sneaks out into the Rose Garden for a Newport.

where is the accounability he says words like a fool leading the sheep to slaughter now he is in the real world and its one that he and his dumocrat party had a large hand in shaping todays economy because they would not vote to put any restrictions on the money markets of fannie and freddie now we are at 10 would you believe that by fall we will probably be at 20 or more good luck jimmy carter ii you are on target to be the next jimmy carter go ahead and appoint known crooks to the cabinets and this is what we get... more and more taxes......

It is almost funny. The White House has gone from a no lose situation to a push and heading to a big lose. There was a point when they were saying- We are saving jobs! BUt now how can that have any credibility? They had it made- if the economy continued to go south they could say - it would have been worse- we would have hit 10% unemployment. Now it is empty words and with all the money spent, though they will try, who will believe that anything has helped the mess we are in. Dumb rhetorical question as the diehards will believe it but I do not think we will ever see any credible evidence that all this money spent has done anything other than pushed some peoples social agenda's - which is the wrong thing. We need to be trying to get more job- real jobs- and so far , they ain't got a clue.

Rescind the porkulus bill, cut taxes now.

Rescind ACORNS contract to conduct the 2010 census.

No such thing as the Right kind of Racism, block Sonia Sotomayor’s Supreme Court confirmation.

Tim Geitner is a tax cheat and is in charge of the IRS: the IRS policy states the IRS personnel who cheat on their taxes shall be fired. Fire Tim Geitner NOW.

Obama must reveal his true birth status; he is not a citizen of the US

I was all for Market meltdown and actually I'm still for it,

President Obama, No More Bailouts, No more Unemployement extensions !

Thats what happens when you elect someone with no experience.

You have someone who thinks he knows all, when he knows nothing.

Obama is embezzling: the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets i.e. the political and financial position and freedom of THIS COUNTRY.

Obama has been entrusted with the Country, is he working for you or has OBAMA gone in to business for himself.

Amazing.... the liberal voice is silent on this issue. That speaks volumes. They can't argue the numbers... they can't argue the facts. Don't pick your wounds liberals.. chime in.. tell me how much good Obama is doing for this country. I want to hear how he's inherited a mess and now it's out of control.

Obama is what you wanted... Obama is what you got... now tell me how much you love him while standing in the unemployment line.

Brianb

I wonder if all conservatives are against unemployment, U can count me in the Ammo Line ? ;)

I'm just waiting for Obama's brother to come out with his own beer, Georgie Beer, and it'll be just like the Carter years all over again.

Coming to a main street near you, RECORD INFLATION!

$7 for a quarter pounder, fries and a coke? You ain't seen nothing yet.

Wisconsin Bob "Isn't this the same White House that rushed through the stimulis bill stating that if it were not passed we would hit 8% unemployment."

Don't confuse people with facts, their minds are already made up. Just keep focused on the millions of jobs he's "saved" with his spending, most of which will go to his campaign supporters like ACORN and the unions. And don't forget the 100,000 government census jobs he created - even if they only lasted about 5 weeks.

He's been in office for 5 months and spent about $1.5 Trillion. Can't wait for the next 43 months.

Change you can believe in. Yes we can.

Hate to say it but ODUMBA doesn't have the gonads to do what needs to be done.

DEPORT 12 MILLION ILLEGALS!!!

BY THE WAY FOLKS, he just invited millions of GAZA refugees to live here under the noses of the press and you.

HAVE FUN PEOPLE. Welfare and NO JOBS, NO HOPE, NO FUTURE.

There's an old truism that works every time - it goes like this;

"If you want to discourage something, tax it, and if you want to encourage something, subsidize it"

So what's Obama's answer to our problems with jobs and the economy? Make plans to increase taxes and costs for businesses and subsidize welfare through "income redistribution". Socialism at work.

Gee, I wonder why the economy isn't getting better?????

Obama is creating millions of liberal voters. If you believe the democrats all the lower income people are democrats. So I guess we will all be democrats soon cause no one will have anything.

Well NOAMNESTY, what the hell did Bush do with the illegals? Come on, Bush was the one who was initiating the amnesty for illegals. Hell, it was old man Bush and Reagan that had illegals working for them.

the lack of ownership is stunning.all the hyperbole about the urgency to pass the pork laden democratic stimulus package has been replaced with another baseless arguement about the disastrous effect that delaying the revamping the medical benifits for all americans will cause.with a dwindling tax base-6 million plus and counting-the ability to fund another pie in the sky idiotic piece of legislation would be hilarious if not for the possibility of said legislation being enacted.the POTUS still acts as if his views are superior to all others-even when the facts contradict his distorted rhetoric.nary a peep about the iranian government oppressing their own and refusing any unbiased reporting of such.apparently the POTUS only has the stones to question and ridicule his own country,actions that belie one lacking the character he so carefully crafted on the campaign trail last summer.nothing more than an egomaniac with an inferiority complex.........contrived bullsh!t is all the man espouses......

Actually if you use the method the government used during the great depression to determine the unemployment rate, we would probably be at about 19% at present and growing. Here's why!

During the great depression, if you were NOT working at your regular profession, job and took another job to get by, then you were considered NOT employed. If you had a part time job, then you were considered NOT employeed.

For example: if you were an accountant, got laid off and took a temp. job as let's say a McDonalds buger slinger, then according to the 20's and 30's government outlook, you were considered unemployed.

The fact that Mr. Obama said he'd keep the unemployment rate below 10% by creating his stimulus package is just too funny.

This man is a total failure, and whats worse, all the politicians, both Dems and Repubs are well aware of this fact and the dems are beginning to run scared.

In my opinion this communistic leaning idiot needs to be impeached and the sooner the better. His is NOT qualified to the the leader of this great nation.

Don't panic!!! Barry Obama says that he created 145,000 jobs since taking office.

Do not pay any attention to the factual data that demonstrates that simultaneously America shed three times that number per month since he was inaugurated. The PORKULOUS BILL seems to be a job killer, just like the pundits predicted. 10 freakin' percent. How is "the Wiz" going to fix this? Spend more non-existent money of course while continually blaming the Republicrats. Wasn't this nimrod a U.S. Senator during all of the stupidity? Didn't he vote with the rank and file who caused this crap? It must be nice to always put on an air of plausible deniability regardless of your Congressional contribution to this chaos. What a yutz. I'm sorry that is President Yutz.

I could have sworn the reason for the stimulus bill to get passed in a hurry without any of the House or Senate reading the bill was to keep unemployment from going high than 8%. So now it is pushing 10% and what does the White House plan to do??????

Well... we could spend more money that we don't have on a similar plan that achieves the same result?

And of course we all know where a great deal of the precious stimulus dollars went! Surely there are much more effective ways of stimulating the economy than paying for corporate jets so that the elite class can use these for their vacations! Not much bang for the buck there if you ask me!

Lets put this another way...

With the Democratic party honeymoon period over and Obama's popularity ratings crashing to earth faster than the economy, green shoots such as these are surely going to play a decisive role for any democratic senators coming up for re-election.

God Bless America!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123690358175013837.html

Here is the latest link regarding Obama's popularity from June 18th 2009....

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124527518023424769.html

I, as the Great Karnak, hereby predict that national unemployment for the month of June will be announced in July. (I'll probably be correct, too!!)

Further, I predict, it will exceed 11% as the current U-3 indicator being used. As noted by others above, the traditional rate used prior to 1982, U-6, will be around 19 or 20%.

Shred NAFTA and bring the jobs home now!!

"In an interview with Bloomberg last week, President Barack Obama said he expected the nation to reach 10 percent unemployment sometime this year."

Yeah... and where is all the Stimulus Money? It's stimulating something in the pockets and dresses of our representatives and government agencies... because it is not stimulating the economy! I hope they are enjoying the pleasure... and don't forget to say thanks!

The employment possibilities are very slim in the area where I live. I can't just pack up and move somewhere else because I am upside down in my home. But if some of this so-called "Stimulus Money" from the Monopoly board were to help get our economy going, the possibilities would increase. But this money is just floating somewhere in the clouds. Maybe it will return with the Messiah. Oh... sorry... the Messiah was already voted in. Haven't seen any miracles yet...unless you count the disappearing America as one.

Maybe I can join the cigarette police. Or maybe a government agency can hire me to log all of the people and their license plate numbers that are driving around town without wearing their seatbelts! And... perhaps I can help bust all of those who are driving around without a registration renewal tag. Many can't afford to register their new homes these days.

I think I'll just grab a small recorder and hit the streets to talk with those who are recently displaced from the home that they purchased. Start the homeless and jobless theatre on UTube.

The administration so far has been off on every estimate that I can think of. 10% is probably more like 19%.

Hope I'm around to vote in the off-year elctions in 2010. I can't wait to see a whole new slew of conservative faces in the government. Maybe that will help bring back a balance of power. A little less "boleshoy" to deal with from our Obama Express crowd. A little more from the other side.

3rd world... here we come!

Just watch this link, the inspector General don't know where 2 trillion is and i going to have faith in this government,

And we all know that 10% will happen very soon, and everyone expects unemployment to climb well into next year. 12% by years end and 15% next spring is more realistic but they won't release higher estimates until their old estimates are about to be overtaken, the same as they are doing right now.

Don't mention the dreaded D words....deflation and depression. Remember we are in a great recession! If we were either in or headed into a great depression, this is probably the best spin you could hope to put on it...talking hypothetically of course!

Unemployment is still rising dramatically and the world bank just revised its projection to reflect the expectation of even greater -ve growth. What is the peak jobless rate going to be? How will it compare with the numbers reported during the great depression?

Outraged taxpayer:

During the great depression, unemployment reach 25% from what I can remember from school. Anyone know for sure if that was the figure?

Dude, that is what the documentary I saw last week said. 1 in 4 Americans were out of work.

Andyb-300124...

If what you are saying is correct... that the under-reporting of the unemployment number is around 30%, then if you do the math, headline numbers only have to get to around 16% for the hidden number to be around 25%...and we are already at 10%!

Thank you Outraged, I'm terrible at math.

Andy,

You're a shew in for a government analyst position. When was the last time you ever read a headline that said the following "increases (or losses) matched analysts' projections". They can't do math either, update your resume, you could be working in the whitehouse next week. ;)

As of June 5, 2009, seasonally adjusted U-6 is 16.4 percent. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t12.htm

The report comes out regularly around the second week of the month.

Hence, you can check my prediction.

I don't think McCain would have known any better how to fix this mess that had been downplayed in the Bush administration.

So how would Republicans have fixed this besides not raising taxes? It's a battle brewing in my own state, and the Republicans are fighting our Republican governor over raising taxes and cutting government programs.

We only saw smoke and mirrors with our economy the last eight years, with the low interest rates and a housing bubble that crashed and not only brought down our economy, but created great wealth in the unregulated banking industry and on Wall Street. Remember all that TARP money given out before Obama swore his oath into office?

You all have short memories, but I will give you this one, stop the spending now, and shut down the government in Washington except for our military and education. Every State for itself.

Jean,

At least most of us were not brainwashed by this loser you call a President.

Rob- No YOU were brainwashed by that loser YOU called a President. See....the door swings both ways. Feel better now that we've acted like 12 year olds? Awesome.

McCain might not have known better how to fix this economy, but he would not be having excuses made for him by half the population. There would be no "It's Bush's fault," or "he inherited these problems". Everyone would be calling on him, rightly, to own this administration, instead of finding somewhere to place the blame. He flits from one "crisis" to another and applies very expensive band aids that do more to make the problems worse. I saw the other day that Biden admitted they had "guessed" wrong about the unemployment numbers. I wonder what else they may have guessed wrong about.

Jean...

Even much of the TARP money could have been put to the side by President Obama. His administration has overseen the dispensation of it. But why groan about that measly 750 Billion?

Spending? Where's the money? Who's benefiting right now from the promised Stimulus?

Social Programs that will probably benefit from the Stimulus (more than anything)... are in ABUNDANCE! He keeps them moving up the ladder. They do not improve our private sector job creation.

Put the brakes on and put the vehicle in reverse. Stop spending and backtrack to a firm foundaton.

Small business will be the next animal to become extinct... unless we change it.

As mush as the Republicans aren't that much better than the Democrats, I would like to think McCain would have followed thru and froze government spending as he said he would have done during his campaign.

I know this much, if McCain veto'd only one bill due to the earmarks, he would have performed better than Obama has. I think he would have sent all the bills back to Congress if there were any earmarks. After all, his record speaks for it's self. He hasn't supported a single earmark in all the 20+ years he has been a Senator.

Obama will crack under the pressure of his failing administration. Soon he'll be hiding in a closet, sucking on his thumb, crying

"Please missuh Soros, sir, canz I goes home now, dis job didn't no come to be whatz y'all says itz gonna be".

Captain Marvelous...

The problem is that his policies cannot and will not work. He is trying to operate on a broken leg by going in through our brain cavities. It's the wrong way to administrate. His philosophy of government taking care of everything for those who never had anything is going to make those who are millionaires into middle class, the middle class into poor, and those who were poor into government officials. Totally unfit to run the country anywhere... except to the ground.

We have a slick politician who should be President of Somalia... not the United States. And that is not because of heritage... it's because of policy.

Where's Mad Max when you need him?

Jean-721732

Basically I agree with your ending suggestion of "shut down the government in Washington except for our military and education. Every State for itself."

Except education doesn't belong at the Federal Level. At most it should be at the State Level, if at all, otherwise it should be Local or Regional. (But first, we have to re-educate 30 year old parents who went through the systematic federal education dumb down)

Most of the agencies in Washington are examples of Congress exceeding their constitutional boundaries.

Well I certainly agree to not giving tax cuts to companies to outsource. I also agree with neither party looking out for us. They all need to be replaced in Nov. 2010..As to this not being O'Bama's fault?..I take issue with that, as he was one of the Dems that kept saying nothing was wrong with Fannie and Freddie. If he's not the problem, I can surely state that he's not the solution either.

Sharon,

I want to give Pres. Obama the benefit of the doubt, but a lot of what his is saying and doing is having an negative impact, on an already bad situation. I wonder what might have been possible if he had followed Pres. Reagan's path. Lest we forget, Reagan was in almost the same situation after Pres. Carter (even worse actually). He followed a certain plan, which led to a phenomenal recovery. Yet Obama and the congress act as if this was uncharted territory. And I believe that congress needs to be held accountable, after all they have "the power of the purse".

I also am inclined to hold to capitalistic principles, in that buyers and sellers freely coming together and making their own decisions, will yield the best result. When government is involved, they try to "tweak" the system to achieve some desired outcome (housing, health care, climate, jobs, spending...).

But each of those systems are terribly complex systems, which interract with each other. No one can understand them well enough to adjust them for some benefit. You cannot change just one thing, and think "well, that's solved". It's like giving steroids to a person and saying "well, I've solved his strength problem!". Yeah, solved until his heart fails, or bone degrade or hair falls off. USA economy is a complex system, maybe as complex as a biological system.

You're better off establishing a system of operation (i.e. capitalism) which allows for the system to run itself well at the micro level. Of course, there are things we do to to complex systems, like our body. But things that have been tried and proven over many trials. Often those trials came at an expensive price. And even those have side effects which are substantial.I feel like Obama is practicing a new change on America without really knowing the effect. I think his ego is convinced that he can do anything (he successes so far in politics could certain enforce that emotion).

Sorry for getty so preachy! (kind of a Debby downer moment)

Worm T

Very, very well stated. I have very similar thoughts. Adding and taking away regulations cause changes that seem to end up making things worse in the end. A quick decision by our government ends up making changes that destruct us YEARS later.

In reference to your first question. We're not even sure he is a legal citizen(meaning one who be president) of the U.S. He won't release his birth certificate remember? What does that tell you????

Some one I know in Austin TX tried to get one of these jobs on the road work crew,and you are right the jobs go to the Mexicans. Look when you drive by a road construction site and see how many non-Hispanics you see there working.

Newfieinga: You are probably right, but just because they are mexican does not make them illegal. Remember that Texas right next to Mexico. There are a lot of Mexicans in this state that have been here legally a lot longer than some of us gringos. So that agrument does not hold too much water. And I would be willing to bet if you friend wanted to work for what the so called Mexicans were working for he probably would have gotten a job.

Verno- they are paying squat. ONLY illegals can afford to work for the money they can get away with paying. Legal citizens have to pay taxes, healthcare, etc. You know, the stuff illegals get for free? And not one word of English.

It's happening in Fla, too.

As Biden said last week - 'We GUESSED wrong'

Jerry, Kevin,

Check out my earlier post (message 5.2) - it really dove tails with the "guessing" thing

Thanks for pointing it out. Very good.

since the malls are disturbingly empty of both small stores and consumers, I suppose the CC defaults are not much of a worry.

We got change for sure..I had a job when O'Bama got elected..now I don't. And I don't care what the gov't says, unemployment is way over 10% here in south Alabama.

During the Great Depression, the unemployment figures were reported at around 24%. I think we are at or above that now considering that they don't report those numbers correctly. I find this article today interesting because I sent a message to the White House last night telling them that they have managed to shove 1-15% of the working population in the hole of poverty and then this article appears on the Vine today. Are we, being heavily monitored by the Big Brother of News vine too?

Just who is this Big Brother of Newsvine? We need a name. Well actually, I know of one, but if I name him, he'll have another melt down. Not a pretty sight, believe me!

Actually, I know of one, but if I mention his name, he'll have another meltdown. Not a pretty sight, believe me!.

aqua.... so you know two.

Oh? What Bills? As if they could stop anything when Dems control everything now-Right?

You must be on the Obamnicon payroll (welfare) or just an idiot. Non of the repubs voted for the stimulus and they were correct. Create 4 million new jobs, no wait, save 4 million jobs, no wait, Ah Ah Ah, that damn teleprompter. My next stimulus package should clear up everything. It will tank the United States of America into a third world country.

Maybe Katlan can get a brain transplant under Obamacare.

Katlan,

Can you pass me a glass of that Kool Aid? It must be powerfull stuff, as your comments sound like those of an LSD addled teenager. I want to abandon all rational thought like you and the rest of the morons that believe Mr. Obama!

Katlan:

When I read comments like yours, I think we need to establish a basic IQ test before allowing people to vote. The Republicans don't have the votes to stop anything the Democrats want to shove down our throat. Obama has taken over the banks, auto industry, and was well on his way to socialize health care when some in his party started questioning the cost. Please put down the Kool Aid and pay attention to what's going on.

What bills have the repulicans stopped?. They don't have enough votes to stop any bill. I'd suggest that you go back and keep posting on Huffington Post, or the Daily Kos. Those are the only places that misinformation like that comes from.

katlan-i know you believe osama-oops, obama can do no wrong, but 'jesus christo' get yer head outa yer ass....

She is a hit and run poster..They come on here and make remarks and never back them up wit any facts...

The facts are plain to me Obama sold a lot of people a bill of goods and they fell for it..I have said it on the Vine many times, anyone else with his legislative record would never got the nomination never mind get elected...

Socialism never does.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the
gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill

Bumper sticker:

"Socialism is great, until you run out of other people's money to spend."

--Margaret Thatcher

Worm - Look at England and much of Europe now. The money is running out and they are looking to make changes.

I gave up on the mainstream news media a long time ago. You have to do your own research and form your own opinion!

Don't you remember when all these same "experts" were saying unemployment would peak at around 10% towards the end of '09. Boy...its only June and we're already there...growth is still negative. The credibility of these so called "experts" is heading further south with every -ve report that comes out!

Same thing when these wallstreet experts were telling people to keep their money in the market. It's just a correction. This was all caused by recinding the regulation that protected most of the financial system.

So it seems this blame goes to all the lobbiest from past administrations and i mean all administrations.

Jim, here let me hand you this kleenex. It appears that best of America is behind us. I don't want to be doom and gloom, but that is what you get for 30 years of big business getting pampered and treasured by the Republican party. Trickle down economics, is simply trickling down what little big business wanted to share with the rest of us. They did not have the forsight to see that the next generation in America would be left in the dust and competing with third world countries for jobs. But hey, that is capitalism, and free market, and our government has no right to tell them to keep their jobs here. In the end, as it has been true in all of world history; only the strong survive. The rest of us, we will share with each other.

But then again, this new young generation could surprise us all, and create a new industry to revive the America economy and trade. I don't want to give up hope, but we have seen this coming for many decades, and they ignored us, the middle class.

JIM so no thanks to the kleenex its made in china with toxin chemicals that will burn your eyes

Save it, Jean. Only the die hard Obamamaniacs are still defending him.

What die hard Obamamanics are defending him? We are all Americans, we are defending our way of life, the middle class life that Obama seemed to understand in his campaign. We all wanted a piece of the American dream. That dream died 30 years ago. But Obama never did tell us how he would bring back the jobs to our shores.

Here is another wonderful piece of information I saw in the paper, the housing market is dropping so fast in the San Francisco area, that you can purchase a home 4 yrs ago valued at over $500,000 for now $179,000. Mostly foreign buyers were flooding that market. We Americans are too frightened to make a dream purchase, because we may lose our jobs, or already have been unemployed for months. We just lost sight, got greedy, and lost to the rest of the world.

yes jean

Save it, Jean. Only the die hard bushmanics are still defending him.

Jean - who was president 30 years ago?

Jimmy Carter!!!

Kevin, I was referring to Ronald Reagan, the president of 30+ years ago.

Reagan pushed for deregulation of industries, including banking; he slashed income taxes for the wealthiest Americans in an experiment known as "supply side" economics, which held falsely that cutting rates for the rich would increase revenues and eliminate the federal deficit.

Over the years, "supply side" would evolve into a secular religion for many on the Right, but Reagan's budget director David Stockman once blurted out the truth, that it would lead to red ink "as far as the eye could see."

While conceding that some of Reagan's economic plans did not work out as intended, his defenders – including many mainstream journalists – still argue that Reagan should be hailed as a great President because he "won the Cold War," a short-hand phrase that they like to attach to his historical biography.

However, a strong case can be made that the Cold War was won well before Reagan arrived in the White House. Indeed, in the 1970s, it was a common perception in the U.S. intelligence community that the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was winding down, in large part because the Soviet economic model had failed in the technological race with the West.

That was the view of many Kremlinologists in the CIA's analytical division. Also, I was told by a senior CIA's operations official that some of the CIA's best spies inside the Soviet hierarchy supported the view that the Soviet Union was headed toward collapse, not surging toward world supremacy, as Reagan and his foreign policy team insisted in the early 1980s.

The CIA analysis was the basis for the détente that was launched by Nixon and Ford, essentially seeking a negotiated solution to the most dangerous remaining aspects of the Cold War.

The Afghan Debacle

In that view, Soviet military operations, including sending troops into Afghanistan in 1979, were mostly defensive in nature. In Afghanistan, the Soviets hoped to prop up a pro-communist government that was seeking to modernize the country but was beset by opposition from Islamic fundamentalists who were getting covert support from the U.S. government.

Though the Afghan covert operation originated with Cold Warriors in the Carter administration, especially national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, the war was dramatically ramped up under Reagan, who traded U.S. acquiescence toward Pakistan's nuclear bomb for its help in shipping sophisticated weapons to the Afghan jihadists (including a young Saudi named Osama bin Laden).

While Reagan's acolytes cite the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan as decisive in "winning the Cold War," the counter-argument is that Moscow was already in disarray – and while failure in Afghanistan may have sped the Soviet Union's final collapse – it also created twin dangers for the future of the world: the rise of al-Qaeda terrorism and the nuclear bomb in the hands of Pakistan's unstable Islamic Republic.

Trade-offs elsewhere in the world also damaged long-term U.S. interests. In Latin America, for instance, Reagan's brutal strategy of arming right-wing militaries to crush peasant, student and labor uprisings left the region with a legacy of anti-Americanism that is now resurfacing in the emergence of populist leftist governments.

In Nicaragua, for instance, Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega (whom Reagan once denounced as a "dictator in designer glasses") is now back in power. In El Salvador, the leftist FMLN won the latest elections. Indeed, across the region, hostility to Washington is now the rule, creating openings for China, Iran, Cuba and other American rivals.

In the early 1980s, Reagan also credentialed a young generation of neocon intellectuals, who pioneered a concept called "perception management," the shaping of how Americans saw, understood and were frightened by threats from abroad.

Many honest reporters saw their careers damaged when they resisted the lies and distortions of the Reagan administration. Likewise, U.S. intelligence analysts were purged when they refused to bend to the propaganda demands from above.

To marginalize dissent, Reagan and his subordinates stoked anger toward anyone who challenged the era's feel-good optimism. Skeptics were not just honorable critics, they were un-American defeatists or – in Jeane Kirkpatrick's memorable attack line – they would "blame America first."

Under Reagan, a right-wing infrastructure also took shape, linking media outlets (magazines, newspapers, books, etc.) with well-financed think tanks that churned out endless op-eds and research papers. Plus, there were attack groups that went after mainstream journalists who dared disclose information that poked holes in Reagan's propaganda themes.

In effect, Reagan's team created a faux reality for the American public. Civil wars in Central America between impoverished peasants and wealthy oligarchs became East-West showdowns. U.S.-backed insurgents in Nicaragua, Angola and Afghanistan were transformed from corrupt, brutal (often drug-tainted) thugs into noble "freedom-fighters."

With the Iran-Contra scandal, Reagan also revived Richard Nixon's theory of an imperial presidency that could ignore the nation's laws and evade accountability through criminal cover-ups. That behavior also would rear its head again in the war crimes of George W. Bush. [For details on Reagan's abuses, see Robert Parry's Lost History and Secrecy & Privilege.]

Wall Street Greed

The American Dream also dimmed during Reagan's tenure.

While he played the role of the nation's kindly grandfather, his operatives divided the American people, using "wedge issues" to deepen grievances especially of white men who were encouraged to see themselves as victims of "reverse discrimination" and "political correctness."

Yet even as working-class white men were rallying to the Republican banner (as so-called "Reagan Democrats"), their economic interests were being savaged. Unions were broken and marginalized; "free trade" policies shipped manufacturing jobs abroad; old neighborhoods were decaying; drug use among the young was soaring.

Meanwhile, unprecedented greed was unleashed on Wall Street, fraying old-fashioned bonds between company owners and employees.

Before Reagan, corporate CEOs earned less than 50 times the salary of an average worker. By the end of the Reagan-Bush-I administrations in 1993, the average CEO salary was more than 100 times that of a typical worker. (At the end of the Bush-II administration, that CEO-salary figure was more than 250 times that of an average worker.)

Many other trends set during the Reagan era continued to corrode the U.S. political process in the years after Reagan left office. After 9/11, for instance, the neocons reemerged as a dominant force, reprising their "perception management" tactics, depicting the "war on terror" – like the last days of the Cold War – as a terrifying conflict between good and evil.

The hyping of the Islamic threat mirrored the neocons' exaggerated depiction of the Soviet menace in the 1980s – and again the propaganda strategy worked. Many Americans let their emotions run wild, from the hunger for revenge after 9/11 to the war fever over invading Iraq.

Arguably, the descent into this dark fantasyland – that Ronald Reagan began in the early 1980s – reached its nadir in the flag-waving early days of the Iraq War. Only gradually did reality begin to reassert itself as the death toll mounted in Iraq and the Katrina disaster reminded Americans why they needed an effective government.

Still, the disasters – set in motion by Ronald Reagan – continued to roll in. Bush's Reagan-esque tax cuts for the rich blew another huge hole in the federal budget and the Reagan-esque anti-regulatory fervor led to a massive financial meltdown that threw the nation into economic chaos.

Was Ronald Reagan an Even Worse President Than George W. Bush?

By Robert Parry, Consortium News. Posted June 5, 2009.

Kevin thinking, my distress at being unemployed is showing. jamarmount, correct, Carter was president 30 years ago, Reagan was president 20 years ago (1981–1989.) This mess that we are in is thanks to both Reagan and Bush 2, who not only failed at foreign policy but failed at supporting the middle class of America.

You can thank Reagan's foreign policy for Osama bin Laden, which led to 9/11, which led to our invasion of Iraq.

Give me a break, and you want to get rid of Obama after only a few months in office. You all listened to the lies and propaganda.

Jean,

I'm on board with you. I may not like what Pres. Obama is doing right now, but I agree that too many bad things have been going on for too long. Manufacturing off shoring, acceptance of loss of responsibility, and political pandering has put us in a pretty bad spot. I will say that Obama is doing the wrong things to effect a recovery, but that is another discussion.

I've not much talk of a topic called the "Fair Tax". Please Google it and read about it. I'm serious when I tell you that that one change, could be a real shot in the arm in getting America turned around. But it takes the power of money out of politicians hands, and that is not popular with a certain crowd (i.e. the politicians).

Americanwolf,

I was not for the bail out for AIG, banks,and TARP, but that did not happen on Obama's watch, or did he sign, it, Jeesh, I am getting confused and just sick and tired of it all. Heck what is true anymore? Do we really have a voice in our government? People, I am getting really scared and I can't look to Washington to solve the mess they put us in. I am beyond angry, cause I wonder if my voice, my vote means anything anymore.

My best memories yet poltically, the Clinton years. We all were working, and making money. We were free from worry about terrorism, and we had hope for the future. Even some Republicans look back on the Clinton years, and wonder why they even got fussed.

Peace, jobs and prosperity to all you liberals and conservatives out there. And The Worm Turned, I will google that Fair Tax agenda, cause you are so correct, these politicans ain't doing anything for us Americans anymore.

Jean

I think the bailouts, even the ones under Bush, where not a good thing.

Take a look at Worm Turnings post of 5.2. Some very good thoughts.

Republicans now look at Clinton as 'not so bad' because of how bad things are looking under this administration. Please research Glass-Stegall. Was it right to repeal?(done under Clinton) Was it right in the first place? I don't know. But these thoughts lend a lot of back up to Worms statements - Don't try to tweek it!

Jean, have you forgotten a lot of world-wide terrorism went on during the Clinton Administration and some on our soil and preparation was going on for 9/11 under Clinton's watch. No one was watching what was happening.

Jean,

If you interested check out Neal Boortz (boortz with www. and .com, I have to do this or the URL filter will erase the text). He can be a bit of a cold hearted jerk (I think even he'd agree with that). Be he is a good thinker, strick Constitutionalist and Libertarian. He is a prime supported of the fair tax. More and more I find myself leaning to the Libertarian way of thinking (keep government small, personal responsibility and freedom to do anything not infringing on someone elses rights).

Check out Neal though - he's like Doctor House on politics and recent events.

Worm & Jean-- To my surprise, on another Forum, someone reprinted Pres Bill Clinton's Speech--near the last year of his Term--Where "He declared War against Terrorism"!! So funny--the Democrats had me believing--That only J.W. Bush had that "Honor"!! This happened before Bush was even Elected!! "Truth is more Stranger than Fiction!" Wow!

Your comments make me think of Microsoft.

They don't put out a working finished product, they make their paying customers their Beta Test sites, tinkering with the formula as problems pop up, not in the lab before they infect large segments of the computing population!

Andyb-300124,

Microsoft is a well run company...Bill gates and his wife gave 500 million dollars for aids research...

Microsoft never infected any thing it's the people who write malware that is are causing the problems...

Pick a subject you actually know something about..

Jerry, you are correct. Odumba doesn't have a clue. I didn't like McCain, but the one thing he did say during his campaign is that would cut off funding to other countries.

This is about the only thing said for either one of them that make common sense.

ODUMBA has given millions upon millions to other countries since he was elected.

He's also extended a REFUGEE hand to people in GAZA, YA HAMAS, our enemy.

This dumb azz president will prove to be death of all us. Now, LaRaza is demanding HEALTH CARE FOR THE 12 MILLION ILLEGALS HERE.

I believe turning America into a Socialists nation has been their agenda since the 60's. Now they are in power. People like Jane Fonda and the Acorn bunch are all hippie generation who's idea it was to take on the establishment. Looks like they have and are winning the game. The best we can hope for is an early demise for them all.

Hey Retard: The hippy generation is the ones that designed and programmed your computers, and the rest of the techinical stuff that you use now. Who do you think live in Silicon Vally. The so called Hippies that's who.

Verno,

Ever hear of IBM? Where was IBM located in the sixty's? Maybe the Hudson Valley...

You should tone down your personal attacks...Seems you can't discuss anything without hurling an insult or two..

Independance Day 01/20/2013

Believe it or NOT--there is such a chart that carries not only unemployed, but the "Under-Employed", which are the persons, who's benefits ran out--and they got an part-time, non-standard Job(?)--possibly near "minimum-wage--trying to make ends meet! According to another Forum, the "Real Unemployment & Under-employed Rate" is actually more like 16%-!! --Which with the accumulated 5-yr totals of Six million Home foreclosures--We will be in a long "Drawn-Out" medium-Depression!! I also understand that the Highway & Bridge Job Stimulus was Side-tracked to be "ONLY" 10% of that Funding!! --(So much for you people, who thought "It would be for 'NEW JOBS'!!) --It's actually the 'Old Bait & Switch GAME'!! (The Truth is--"That nearly Half of this Stimulus--will be going to Education & Health Programs--that are already established!" --And another 25% for extended unemployment & other personal Uses, such as Food-Stamps & more Free "Surplus-Food" programs!) With this type of Planning--You can "Write-Off" any Serious "Economic-Recovery"--in less than another 5 years!!

You got it all figured out huh.

So the previous 8 years were just peachy eh? Not one mistake. All perfect moves.... That is your take, right?

I have never had more job offers and more overtime than any other period than when Bush ran the white house.65 hour weeks weren't uncommon,they were mandatory

That's because the bubble hadn't burst yet, but it was there just waiting.