Whoo-hoo! I'm loving the whole "let's exploit an out-of-context quote" rush, even though the quote is correct - compared to public sector employed, the private sector is, indeed, fine.

But, it'll be fun to watch the knee-jerk attacks.

But... the private sector has been adding jobs at extremely high rates! The drag on the economic recovery is almost entirely at this point down to public sector under staffing. If we hired the 650,000 teachers we need right now, it would immediately knock the unemployment number down into the mid-7's.

But, the Republicans continue to defund the government in the name of ... stop abortion. And Obama's black.

Actually, calling a press conference is just about all the President can do to directly impact the economy. Anything indirect requires negotiation with Congress, which is impossible since the Do Nothing House blocks every single Democratic idea and the GOP Senators filibuster everything there. So thanks to the GOP acting like a 2 year old with a temper tantrum, nothing can be done to help Americans or the economy.

GOP: party first, country a VERY distant second.

Next Rationalization: Compared to North Korea, Syria is doing fine.

/the private sector is in no way "fine"

GAT_00: Actually, calling a press conference is just about all the President can do to directly impact the economy.

HAHAHAHHAHAHA. Thanks for that fine understanding of how the Presidency works. I guess the president can't direct any of the millions of employees that work at government agencies or their policies or regulations. No power to reduce or streamline regulations or even make any policy without Congress, I guess.

Yes, the President can just call press conferences. Glad that this one went so well to help the economy. Its great to have a community organizer doing press conferences to help the economy!!!

rinasaunce: GAT_00: Actually, calling a press conference is just about all the President can do to directly impact the economy.

HAHAHAHHAHAHA. Thanks for that fine understanding of how the Presidency works. I guess the president can't direct any of the millions of employees that work at government agencies or their policies or regulations. No power to reduce or streamline regulations or even make any policy without Congress, I guess.

Yes, the President can just call press conferences. Glad that this one went so well to help the economy. Its great to have a community organizer doing press conferences to help the economy!!!

Please show me where the President has authority to hire anyone other than his own staff or personally change economic policy.

GAT_00: Please show me where the President has authority to hire anyone other than his own staff or personally change economic policy.

Well, there is this little thing that he can do:

Within the executive branch itself, the President has broad powers to manage national affairs and the workings of the federal government. The President can issue rules, regulations, and instructions called executive orders, which have the binding force of law upon federal agencies but do not require congressional approval.

rinasaunce: /the private sector is in no way "fine

27 months of job creation isn't "fine"?

cameroncrazy1984: 27 months of job creation isn't "fine"?

Actually, no it is not. The private sector still has fewer jobs than it did before the recession, and the overall unemployment rate is a stubbornly high 8.2%.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 116 million workers in the private sector in the month before the recession started in December 2007. The private-sector work force dropped to 107 million in February 2010 but as of the end of May had risen to 111 million.

The very clear fact is that the private sector is simply not creating anywhere near the jobs required to reduce unemployment to an acceptable level. Jared Bernstein, a liberal economist and former Obama economic adviser, called Mr. Obama's comment a clear gaffe.

FormlessOne: Whoo-hoo! I'm loving the whole "let's exploit an out-of-context quote" rush, even though the quote is correct - compared to public sector employed, the private sector is, indeed, fine.


Both sides attack comments out of context. During the 2008 campaign the Administration attacked John McCain, accusing him of being out of touch for saying "the fundamentals of our economy are strong". (source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-08/obama-dials-back-optimism-aft er-romney-jumps-on-comments.html)

Both sides are idiots, hiding their own duplicity and ignoring obvious, easy solutions not because they'd be unpopular (as Scott Walker just showed) but because their corporate/special-interest paymasters won't let them.

AirForceVet: But who controls the money? Congress.

I didn't forget that at all - I was simply responding to the bizarre comment that "calling a press conference is just about all the President can do to directly impact the economy". The President can actually do quite a bit more.

And while Congress may pass a budget law, President Obama can control policy within an agency. Like Treasury. Or the EPA. The Energy Department. Believe it or not, those agencies impact the economy.

rinasaunce: GAT_00: Please show me where the President has authority to hire anyone other than his own staff or personally change economic policy.

Well, there is this little thing that he can do:

Within the executive branch itself, the President has broad powers to manage national affairs and the workings of the federal government. The President can issue rules, regulations, and instructions called executive orders, which have the binding force of law upon federal agencies but do not require congressional approval.

Please then show what the President can do. Cite specific actions, practices, what he can do to personally fix the economy without any actions by Congress.

AirForceVet: rinasaunce: I didn't forget that at all - I was simply responding to the bizarre comment that "calling a press conference is just about all the President can do to directly impact the economy". The President can actually do quite a bit more.

And while Congress may pass a budget law, President Obama can control policy within an agency. Like Treasury. Or the EPA. The Energy Department. Believe it or not, those agencies impact the economy.

Well, the bag of tricks is limited. The Obama Administration has kept interest rates at near zero, cut back on some regulations, reduced income tax withholding, etc.

I don't buy the campaign talk that reduction ALL regulatory efforts will free the economy. I find that the standard pitch by the GOP to let the rich and powerful walk over anyone in pursuit of the Dollar God.

I feel safer having the US government keep our food, drugs, environment safer than Exxon and BP.

The thing is, he really isn't doing enough or anywhere near enough to fix the economy. The problem is the best stuff, the only stuff really left, requires Congressional approval, and it seems the administration is incapable of proposing anything of value, big stuff that will really make an impact or getting any kind of backing going for a Democratic plan. He's nearly worthless on domestic matters, a strange turn from the domestic-heavy President everyone expected.

That's what he's actually farking up. But there's nothing he personally can do with the power of his office to turn things around. The Presidency doesn't work that way.

Darth_Lukecash: rinasaunce: cameroncrazy1984: 27 months of job creation isn't "fine"?

Actually, no it is not. The private sector still has fewer jobs than it did before the recession, and the overall unemployment rate is a stubbornly high 8.2%.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 116 million workers in the private sector in the month before the recession started in December 2007. The private-sector work force dropped to 107 million in February 2010 but as of the end of May had risen to 111 million.

The very clear fact is that the private sector is simply not creating anywhere near the jobs required to reduce unemployment to an acceptable level. Jared Bernstein, a liberal economist and former Obama economic adviser, called Mr. Obama's comment a clear gaffe.

Well, there used to be a lot more Public Sector Jobs...but a lots of state/local governments are laying people off because of austerity budget cuts...unless you don't count public sector as being employed...

I haven't done the google search, but I am sure someone, somewhere, has compiled the unemployment numbers without the public sector included (besides the fancy graph above).

It's probably look a lot worse of course, since you'd be excluding a whole bunch of employed people while still having the same base number of those without a job.

GAT_00: Actually, calling a press conference is just about all the President can do to directly impact the economy.

I remember that you ALWAYS use that line when you defend Bush from people who claim he cratered the economy.

at least you are consistent!

Given Obama's usual lack of gaffes, perhaps he does want this talk to happen right now, and not in October.

Why else talk about how the private sector is fine (they've been growing but slowly), unless you wanted to talk about how the government sector (local, state, and fed) is shedding jobs?

Last I looked, without government job losses, the unemployment rate would be a full point lower.

The economy is not doing fine?

I'll bet that means we have no choice but to renew the Bush/Obama tax cuts for the rich!

/PLUTOCRACY!

Darth_Lukecash: rinasaunce: cameroncrazy1984: 27 months of job creation isn't "fine"?

Actually, no it is not. The private sector still has fewer jobs than it did before the recession, and the overall unemployment rate is a stubbornly high 8.2%.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 116 million workers in the private sector in the month before the recession started in December 2007. The private-sector work force dropped to 107 million in February 2010 but as of the end of May had risen to 111 million.

The very clear fact is that the private sector is simply not creating anywhere near the jobs required to reduce unemployment to an acceptable level. Jared Bernstein, a liberal economist and former Obama economic adviser, called Mr. Obama's comment a clear gaffe.

Well, there used to be a lot more Public Sector Jobs...but a lots of state/local governments are laying people off because of austerity budget cuts...unless you don't count public sector as being employed...

Damn those states for not being able to print money! The portion of budget dedicated to.pensions is what is forcing layoffs and closures. The cost of pensions is now about 15-20% of all budgets, up nearly 100% in many areas over the last 2 years... And growing.

So he's admitting that he's failed to turn the economy around?

Last 20 years, sorry.

MyRandomName: Darth_Lukecash: rinasaunce: cameroncrazy1984: 27 months of job creation isn't "fine"?

Actually, no it is not. The private sector still has fewer jobs than it did before the recession, and the overall unemployment rate is a stubbornly high 8.2%.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 116 million workers in the private sector in the month before the recession started in December 2007. The private-sector work force dropped to 107 million in February 2010 but as of the end of May had risen to 111 million.

The very clear fact is that the private sector is simply not creating anywhere near the jobs required to reduce unemployment to an acceptable level. Jared Bernstein, a liberal economist and former Obama economic adviser, called Mr. Obama's comment a clear gaffe.

Well, there used to be a lot more Public Sector Jobs...but a lots of state/local governments are laying people off because of austerity budget cuts...unless you don't count public sector as being employed...

Damn those states for not being able to print money! The portion of budget dedicated to.pensions is what is forcing layoffs and closures. The cost of pensions is now about 15-20% of all budgets, up nearly 100% in many areas over the last 2 years... And growing.

Good thing the stock market didn't crash and state planners didn't buy into the hype that the stock market would always go up. If they had, we'd have a lot of states that over-invested funds into schemes that have since gone belly up, and the money that had been there now gone.

No point really, just that they thought they'd have the money, so they made the obligations and signed the contracts, but now they don't have the money.

tenpoundsofcheese: GAT_00: Actually, calling a press conference is just about all the President can do to directly impact the economy.

I remember that you ALWAYS use that line when you defend Bush from people who claim he cratered the economy.

at least you are consistent!

..but but but Bush.

1.5/10

LasersHurt: MyRandomName: Darth_Lukecash: rinasaunce: cameroncrazy1984: 27 months of job creation isn't "fine"?

Actually, no it is not. The private sector still has fewer jobs than it did before the recession, and the overall unemployment rate is a stubbornly high 8.2%.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 116 million workers in the private sector in the month before the recession started in December 2007. The private-sector work force dropped to 107 million in February 2010 but as of the end of May had risen to 111 million.

The very clear fact is that the private sector is simply not creating anywhere near the jobs required to reduce unemployment to an acceptable level. Jared Bernstein, a liberal economist and former Obama economic adviser, called Mr. Obama's comment a clear gaffe.

Well, there used to be a lot more Public Sector Jobs...but a lots of state/local governments are laying people off because of austerity budget cuts...unless you don't count public sector as being employed...

Damn those states for not being able to print money! The portion of budget dedicated to.pensions is what is forcing layoffs and closures. The cost of pensions is now about 15-20% of all budgets, up nearly 100% in many areas over the last 2 years... And growing.

What's it like to totally divorce spending from value?

Lolwut? I don't value allowing public workers to retire with games pensions rules, double dipping, fake disability, etc after only 30 years of service. UnDefined benefit plans are grossly underfunded with unrealistic growth projections to defend payouts. Try buying an annuity with defined payouts equal to public unions, you will be paying grossly more per paycheck.

Not all government spending is value added. Stop excusing it.

We need a new updated version of this game that now includes Europe.

meat0918: MyRandomName: Darth_Lukecash: rinasaunce: cameroncrazy1984: 27 months of job creation isn't "fine"?

Actually, no it is not. The private sector still has fewer jobs than it did before the recession, and the overall unemployment rate is a stubbornly high 8.2%.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 116 million workers in the private sector in the month before the recession started in December 2007. The private-sector work force dropped to 107 million in February 2010 but as of the end of May had risen to 111 million.

The very clear fact is that the private sector is simply not creating anywhere near the jobs required to reduce unemployment to an acceptable level. Jared Bernstein, a liberal economist and former Obama economic adviser, called Mr. Obama's comment a clear gaffe.

Well, there used to be a lot more Public Sector Jobs...but a lots of state/local governments are laying people off because of austerity budget cuts...unless you don't count public sector as being employed...

Damn those states for not being able to print money! The portion of budget dedicated to.pensions is what is forcing layoffs and closures. The cost of pensions is now about 15-20% of all budgets, up nearly 100% in many areas over the last 2 years... And growing.

Good thing the stock market didn't crash and state planners didn't buy into the hype that the stock market would always go up. If they had, we'd have a lot of states that over-invested funds into schemes that have since gone belly up, and the money that had been there now gone.

No point really, just that they thought they'd have the money, so they made the obligations and signed the contracts, but now they don't have the money.

The stock market is back to pre recession levels you farking moron. States did not cash out at the low point, they are near where they were ore crash. Please understand basic workings of pensions before opening your stupid mouth. The plans are all overly optimistic, it is laughable. Nobody expects 8-9% yearly growth. Pension plans are paying more and paying out linger than ever with fewer paying in. Sorry you are too short sided to see this looming crisis. Pensions should not take up 20% of city budgets.and growing. 20 years ago they took less than 10% on average. Think about that next time your library closes. California.really was smart having 55 year olds retire with 100k a year pensions. Real smart.

BullBearMS: The economy is not doing fine?

I'll bet that means we have no choice but to renew the Bush/Obama tax cuts for the rich!

I still think the Obama-McConnell Debt Increase of 2010 was the worst political decision Obama took part in during his first term. He essentially got a pitiful amount of stimulus in the form of payroll tax cuts but had to pay the price by extending the Bush tax cuts on millionaires with the double whammy of getting them up for renewal again during an election year. He allowed the Republicans to completely box him in on this issue and if he fails to get re-elected I think I would trace it directly back to December 2010. If they had let the tax cuts expire, the debt would be smaller and we could afford different stimulus programmes instead of focusing on austerity as our only way out. That means more government payroll which means lower unemployment.

tenpoundsofcheese: GAT_00: Actually, calling a press conference is just about all the President can do to directly impact the economy.

I remember that you ALWAYS use that line when you defend Bush from people who claim he cratered the economy.

at least you are consistent!

The one thing most agreed upon in the Fark politics tab is that expectation for a Republican is much higher than that for a Democrat.

Must have been a teleprompter malfunction.

public sector = blood sucking leeches

WHEN'S HE RESIGNING

/man, my heart's not in it

GAT_00: Actually, calling a press conference is just about all the President can do to directly impact the economy. Anything indirect requires negotiation with Congress, which is impossible since the Do Nothing House blocks every single Democratic idea and the GOP Senators filibuster everything there. So thanks to the GOP acting like a 2 year old with a temper tantrum, nothing can be done to help Americans or the economy.

GOP: party first, benefactors second, zygotes third, guns fourth, country a VERY distant fifth.

/FTFY

LasersHurt: Mildot: We need a new updated version of this game that now includes Europe.

[2.bp.blogspot.com image 466x535]

Is it your contention that nothing external to Obama could ever effect the nation?

It's my contention that his policies that componunded the externals factors and taken a bad situation and made it worse. I further contend that he is over his head in this job, that nothing in his background as a Community Organizer prepared him to manage this country. Finally, I contend that things will really begin to turn around until he is out of office.

Mildot: It's my contention that his policies that componunded the externals factors and taken a bad situation and made it worse.

Hey, I may give you a hard time but this really is my favorite sentence of all time.

MyRandomName: The stock market is back to pre recession levels you farking moron. States did not cash out at the low point, they are near where they were ore crash. Please understand basic workings of pensions before opening your stupid mouth. The plans are all overly optimistic, it is laughable. Nobody expects 8-9% yearly growth. Pension plans are paying more and paying out linger than ever with fewer paying in. Sorry you are too short sided to see this looming crisis. Pensions should not take up 20% of city budgets.and growing. 20 years ago they took less than 10% on average. Think about that next time your library closes. California.really was smart having 55 year olds retire with 100k a year pensions. Real smart.

Yes it is. And while a barometer for overall market health, are all those CDOs and other things people put their money in back to pre-recession levels? PERS funds across the country invested in the same investment instruments that were loaded with the same mortgage backed securities everyone else invested in.

It is a problem, and there are fixes. Stopping double dipping would be a good start.