Saturday, December 19, 2015

Economic Matters

The Obama administration, so called academics and deceitful media/pundits say the economy is rebounding.  Facts belie their claim.  Read these items to see why.  There is a lot here.  The items presented highlight various aspects of the deceptions and outright lies that come our way.  I know time is limited so select those that strike your fancy.  Save and revisit when time permits.  However, the first seven items pretty much tell the story.

In our country alone there are at least 92,986,000 people eligible and wanting work but cannot find it.    http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/06/05/jobs-data-92986000-people-not-in-the-workforce/   What do you think about Obama's initiative to "welcome" tens of thousands of illegals and refugees that only add to that number?  And where do you think the money will come from to pay for their housing, food, medical care, children's schooling, etc., etc.?

Not only that. Read This.  Quote: "The number of people giving up on the job market is rising. You can measure it by the rapid acceleration of government spending on welfare. In 1990, the civil government spent $200 million on welfare. In 2010, that number was well over a trillion dollars. Especially considering that factors inflation, that is a monumental increase. And those numbers will only get worse. And all the while, the information we’re going to get from the civil government will be all sunshine and dandelions. Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.   http://eaglerising.com/18195/labor-department-caught-lying-about-unemployment/     The government says the economy is moving along.  If so, why this?   http://freebeacon.com/issues/feds-spent-100-billion-on-food-assistance-last-year/  

More evidence that the economy is contracting and a recession is a realistic possibility.  Look at these numbers.  Quote: "Large US corporations posted their first decline in both earnings and sales since the great recession. Are we back in recession?" http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/mikeshedlock/2015/10/27/sales-earning-estimates-contract-first-time-since-2009-us-back-in-recession-n2071372?l


Read this item which captures the thinking of these two investment experts.  Two Quotes:  "If the government’s official statistics are to be believed the U.S. economy is moving full steam ahead. Consumers are spending, the job market is expanding, real estate has recovered, stocks are soaring and the U.S. dollar is stronger than it has been in a decade. But if you have yet to realize it, it’s all a lie."  And, "Though the market price has yet to reflect it, Eric Sprott and Keith Neumeyer are being joined by scores of billionaires and investment funds that are positioning themselves in the gold and silver markets.  They know what’s coming.  Unfortunately for the majority of the populace, it’ll be too late by the time they realize it too."   http://patriotpowerednews.com/sprott-unleashed-everything-is-a-lie-i-dream-of-the-day-comex-paper-exchange-cant-deliver-gold/

Quote: "The 70 percent of Americans that comprise the middle class have been suffering for years from “stealth stagflation” that is driven by high taxes and oppressive regulations.  Stagflation is defined by Merriam-Webster as a condition of “persistent inflation combined with stagnant consumer demand and relatively high unemployment.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the official unemployment was at 7.8 percent in January 2009, when President Obama took office. The rate soared to 10 percent in October of that year and has been sinking steadily to 5 percent last month. But the “good news” has not been from an expansion in the percentage of Americans working, but rather millions who ran out of benefits up and stopped looking for jobs."   http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/11/04/stealth-stagflation-killing-middle-class/

Tell me again that illegal immigrants don't cost Americans tax payers any money!  Get this.  Quote: "DOE officials have declined to give out exact numbers of recently enrolled illegal alien children or the costs to the taxpayers. Based on last year's spending, NYC spent $20,749 per student which would bring the total for the migrant kids to $48.7 million. This does not include state mandated English-language instruction, free or reduced-price lunch, and the medical and dental coverage that many of these illegal alien minors will also receive."  And that $48 plus million is only the cost for NY city residents.  Great job Obama!    http://nypost.com/2014/11/23/city-schools-warned-of-plans-to-enroll-2350-migrant-children/   Here are the facts on unemployed Americans.  We have 94,031,000  out of work.  Obama is just making matters worse.   http://cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/record-94031000-americans-not-labor-force-participation-rate-stuck-38-year 

Need more evidence?  Check this out.  Quote: "Periodically I trot out the numbers— unemployment, jobs, GDP, CPI— and discuss the cold, hard facts that liberals and central bankers (same-same) refuse to face: This economy does not reflect either the traditional strengths or the historical resilience of the American economic system. I get tired of this exercise, however, because the story hasn’t changed much in 20 to 30 years, and the liberals— both Dems and GOP— who created the mess won’t change policies, laws or expectations to set things right." http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/johnransom/2015/10/28/no-happy-ending-in-obamanomics-n2071875/page/full   Another item adds to the debate.  

Now let's expand the discussion to the rest of the world.  Quote: "The biggest bank in the western world has just come out and declared that the global economy is “already in a recession”.  According to British banking giant HSBC, global trade is down 8.4 percent so far this year, and global GDP expressed in U.S. dollars is down 3.4 percentSo those that are waiting for the next worldwide economic recession to begin can stop waiting.  It is officially here"     http://patriotpowerednews.com/the-numbers-say-that-a-major-global-recession-has-already-begun/
  
And this former Federal Reserve Chairman Allen Greenspan says the funding for the Welfare State is doing us in.  Quote: "To me the discussion today shouldn't even be on monetary policy it should be on how do we constrain this extraordinary rise in entitlements," he said in a CNBC "Closing Bell" interview, calling the trend "extremely dangerous."   http://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/29/alan-greenspan-this-is-extremely-dangerous.html 

Please folks do not believe what Obama and loyal taking heads say about how well the economy is doing. They lie. Quote: "To properly accommodate the disappointment that has been the Hillary-Sanders-Obama economy perhaps we should count the years of the Obama administration in reverse of dog years. Perhaps seven years of Obama really is the economic— and moral— equivalent of what used to be one earth year. It would only go to highlight how badly the statistics have been deranged under Democrats."        http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/johnransom/2015/10/21/lies-darn-lies-and-democrats-n2068408/page/full   

We are witnessing the worst cyclic recovery in history.  The headline for a Bloomberg Business report released last week read "Obama "Recovery" Objectively Worse On Record."  The findings are provided in this link.  http://cfif.org/v/index.php/commentary/43-taxes-and-economy/2712-obama-qrecoveryq-objectively-worst-on-record    Need more proof?  http://cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/record-93770000-americans-not-labor-force-participation-rate-matches-38
 
The Consumer Financial Protection Agency is a problem.  The US House Financial Services committee study has determined that "The agency has harmed consumers and low income Americans. While Cordray defended the actions and regulations of the agency he heads, the committee has concluded that, because of excessive regulations of the CFPB, that “big banks are bigger and the small banks are now fewer,” while also noting the regulations have, “eliminated competition, stifled innovation and given consumers fewer choices.”  And, "...concluded that CFPB regulations under Dodd-Frank have made it more difficult for Americans to achieve financial independence, and have raised prices of financial services, eliminated free checking services for millions, and have reduced consumer access to mortgages, bank accounts, and credit cards for millions.  http://patriotupdate.com/out-of-control-federal-agency-may-limit-consumer-financial-choices/      

It gets worse.  Quote: "The economy is sluggish but growing and inflation remains low, painting a decidedly mixed picture for the federal government, the Congressional Budget Office reported Tuesday, saying the fiscal situation is improving this year but will snap back by 2018 to swelling deficits and unsustainable debt."     http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/aug/25/budget-deficit-smallest-obamas-tenure-cbo/  


Think the minimum wage is good idea?  As this item notes most economist do not think so.  But what difference does that make to its advocates? This item examines the faulty logic associated with the minimum wage.  Quote: "Most folks think minimum wage laws exist to help the poor in particular and everybody in general. But most economists have known better, and for a long time."  And, "For every advocate of a class-based, favoritist policy who argues deceptively — for every knowing proponent of the minimum wage — there are dozens upon dozens who are merely mistaken, who think raising the minimum wage helps the poor. And the true cynics can take the naivety of the masses and try to shame economists and those like me who see the minimum wage as a major cause of unemployment — of, indeed, permanent underclass unemployment — and who see this as a bad thing.  We who oppose the minimum wage do not do so because we “hate the poor.” We oppose it because we want to encourage human betterment specifically for the poor."   http://townhall.com/columnists/pauljacob/2015/07/12/the-cynics-and-the-minimum-wage-n2024343/page/full   If you are still not convinced, read this.  http://www.westernjournalism.com/seattles-15-minimum-wage-law-just-came-back-to-bite-them-in-a-totally-unexpected-way/?   And this should put the nail in the coffin.   http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/07/24/seattle-sees-unexpected-fallout-from-15-per-hour-min-wage/   And if that one didn't, this one surely will.   http://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2015/07/26/shocker-minimum-wage-hikes-gutted-over-700000-jobs-in-2013-n2030568?  Here's another one.  http://hotair.com/archives/2015/12/16/the-science-is-nearly-settled-a-higher-minimum-wage-costs-jobs/?

This socialistic minimum wage experiment failed big time.   http://conservativesunited.com/liberals-loved-this-ceo-and-his-70000-minimum-wage-but-months-later-hes-regretting-it/   Here is a discussion about the folly of those who support the minimum wage.  The facts suggest it is a bad idea.   http://townhall.com/columnists/johncgoodman/2015/09/12/why-is-there-so-much-economic-illiteracy-paul-krugman-is-one-reason-n2051103/page/full   Ask yourselves if, as most economists say, based on hard evidence the minimum wage is a bad idea, why do the leftist elitists in government, academia, unions and other power brokers promote it?  The collective content of this note should provide a clue.  Another example of failure.   http://dailysignal.com/2015/10/22/seattle-hiked-the-minimum-wage-to-15-an-hour-heres-what-happened-to-seattles-job-market/?

And get this minimum wages do not reduce government dependence.  Quote: "Minimum wage increases do not reduce reliance on government assistance programs, according to a report from the Employment Policies Institute."   http://freebeacon.com/issues/report-minimum-wage-increases-do-not-reduce-reliance-on-govt-assistance/

Now consider this exceptional think piece regarding Keynesianism and Capitalism.  One is socialistic with government controls that depress the economy. The other is enterprise free of government oppressive controls.   http://www.garynorth.com/public/14208.cfm
 
Do you think the expansiveness of these series of programs is affecting our nation's economy?  Quote: "...what the War on Poverty accomplished was that it kept the underclass frozen in place, with no reduction in the ratio of people climbing out of poverty.  If the goal of welfare transfer payments was to give people a chance to climb out of their straightened circumstances, the War had no effect.  If the goal was to artificially inflate poor people’s income at the expense of taxpayers, then President Obama’s claim this month at Georgetown was correct – a 40% reduction was indeed accomplished, if you call that an accomplishment at the inconceivable expense of $22 trillion."    http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/05/no_progress_since_the_war_on_poverty_began_half_a_century_ago.html
 
Speaking of poverty and welfare, the Founders had it right. Modern day progressives/liberals have it way, way wrong.  This succinct piece explains the differences.  I have long held that the Founder's way is the right way.    http://dailysignal.com/2015/05/30/the-founders-model-of-welfare-actually-reduced-poverty/?   
 
So do you now agree with the fact that we are being deceived as to the realities of the economy?  If not, I would appreciate learning your perspective.
 
George Burns
 

No comments: