Anyone here skeptical of the unemployment numbers just released?

[iris lilies]

Jeez. Ok, Bush/Cheney was the most corrupt, evil, mind numbingly deceptive administration in human history. Granted already. All I want to know is, deep in the 5th year, will the current administration (or probably more accurately their followers) accept that the ball has finally been passed to them? History is wonderful if we are able to learn from it. Can we? Or should we just keep our eyes on firmly focused in the rear view mirror while we are careening over a cliff?

Channeling PDQ: "George Bush isn't the President now. Try to get over it."

[Lainey]

Sure, as another poster said, we'll be able to put the Bush/Cheney administration in the historical dustbin as soon as the debts they ran up are paid off by taxpayers. Any guess on when that will be?

But in the meantime the public is numb to yet another phony "scandal."

[ApatheticNoMore]

Sure, as another poster said, we'll be able to put the Bush/Cheney administration in the historical dustbin as soon as the debts they ran up are paid off by taxpayers. Any guess on when that will be?

no and not sure it even matters, debts are never paid off. However there is the problem of interest, and that debts are used as an *excuse* to cut social programs. I don't expect the debt to be paid off any more than I expect 1/2 a million dead Iraqis to be raised from the dead by a new President (rather more important than non real money anyway) or for me to be 8 years younger to get back the bush years I would have settled for a reversal of Bushes *policies* but of course that's not going to happen because Demopublicans.

But in the meantime the public is numb to yet another phony "scandal."

More like unemployment rate up or down a percentage, the economy sucking is not lost on them because they actually live it. Ahem, labor force participation rates ...

[Gregg]

Sure, as another poster said, we'll be able to put the Bush/Cheney administration in the historical dustbin as soon as the debts they ran up are paid off by taxpayers. Any guess on when that will be?

So by that logic this is all Martin Van Buren's fault? Andrew Jackson was the last President to pay off the debt then Van Buren started running it back up and it's never been cleared out since. Somehow, in all the years between 1835 and now, other Presidents have been able to take ownership of inherited issues and start moving forward. Why should we give this administration a pass when no one else got one?

[Lainey]

So by that logic this is all Martin Van Buren's fault? Andrew Jackson was the last President to pay off the debt then Van Buren started running it back up and it's never been cleared out since. Somehow, in all the years between 1835 and now, other Presidents have been able to take ownership of inherited issues and start moving forward. Why should we give this administration a pass when no one else got one?

Cost of Bush policies vs. cost of Obama policies:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...Q_graphic.html

[gimmethesimplelife]

Cost of Bush policies vs. cost of Obama policies:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...Q_graphic.html

Thank for the posting this, Lainey. I very much believe the Bush years pushed the US towards this funky and uncertain place we seem to be in as a nation now much more than the spending of the Obama years has done. Rob

[creaker]

So by that logic this is all Martin Van Buren's fault? Andrew Jackson was the last President to pay off the debt then Van Buren started running it back up and it's never been cleared out since. Somehow, in all the years between 1835 and now, other Presidents have been able to take ownership of inherited issues and start moving forward. Why should we give this administration a pass when no one else got one?

I think we have moved forward - if you look at the direction and the velocity of the economy when Obama came into office, they were really put into the drivers seat after the car had gone off the cliff.

We just have to sit tight. After 01/17, any actions taken during this administration become irrelevant anyway, correct?

[peggy]

LOL, that's a great diversion from the way back machine. Thanks!

As long as we're travelling with Mr Peabody, let's go back to the period where this thread began. Do you think the Presidential election may have had a different outcome if the populace knew that economic/employment data were being falsified, that the ACA was sold on a series of mis-representations, that the power of the IRS was being used to diminish political outreach, with each travesty of transparency designed as political advantage for the present administration.

Would any of that have made a difference? Just curious..

LOL! No, the difference came with the lies and endless list of phony 'scandals' and faux outrage that was the ONLY message from the right.
Thank you for reminding us Alan.

OH, and , keep it up! All the way to next fall and on to '16! In fact, I think you all should be thinking about the next government shut down in February. Start planning now. That Kenyan socialist 'Merica-hater is planning to still be in office!

[Gregg]

Cost of Bush policies vs. cost of Obama policies:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...Q_graphic.html

So what you're saying is that no one in the current administration has the authority or the ability to change policy? The article says Bush increased the debt $5T in 8 years. Obama has done it in 5 years. If he didn't support Bush policy couldn't he have changed it back in the glory days when the Democrats still had a majority in the House AND the Senate? Can't use the tiresome "its the Republican's fault" if they couldn't have stopped a tsunami of Democratic change. But the tsunami never happened.

[Lainey]

To circle back to Rob's original question, I do believe the unemployment numbers are not as accurate as they could be, but of course that's happened under every administration. For example, not counting people who are discouraged and drop out of the job market, or not counting people who are working part-time but really need a full-time job.

What I think we can agree on is the seriousness of a) long-term joblessness; b) estimated 17% unemployment for youth; c) the new normal of service jobs vs. middle-class wage jobs; d) cutting the safety net of food stamps and unemployment benefits.

I'd like to hear some forum members' proposals on how to start fixing this, if indeed it is even fixable.