Off-Topic: What planet do you live on?
(Lake Martin Specific)
111,183 messages
Updated 6/9/2024 1:00:09 PM
Lakes Online Forum
83,662 messages
Updated 6/7/2024 11:28:41 PM
Lakes Online Forum
5,197 messages
Updated 6/10/2024 5:39:11 AM
(Lake Martin Specific)
4,171 messages
Updated 5/29/2024 10:51:34 PM
Lakes Online Forum
4,169 messages
Updated 4/15/2024 11:05:05 PM
Lakes Online Forum
4,261 messages
Updated 5/28/2024 6:31:10 AM
Lakes Online Forum
2,976 messages
Updated 3/20/2024 11:53:43 PM
(Lake Martin Specific)
169 messages
Updated 5/31/2023 1:39:35 PM
Lakes Online Forum
98 messages
Updated 4/15/2024 1:00:58 AM
|
|
|
|
Name:
|
MartiniMan
- 
|
|
Subject:
|
What planet do you live on?
|
|
Date:
|
9/25/2008 5:48:51 PM
|
|
C'mon, tell me you don't buy into the media template about the economy?
You said, "Record unemployment, catastrophe in the financial markets, unprecedented numbers losing their homes—laying the blame at the feet of his compatriots, the Republicans, McCain was talking straight for the first time in a long time."
Let me dissect this for you so you can be a little more realistic.
Record unemployment: Not even close to the truth and you have to know it is true. Our current employment numbers are better than when Jimmy Carter was President and better than the last two recessions. Are there weaknesses in the job market? Sure. Is it record unemployment, not even close.
Catastrophe in the financial markets: This is probable the biggest area of concern but you delude yourself if you think when McCain said "we" he was talking about Republicans. There is plenty of blame to go around but to quote Bill Clinton, "We and Republicans in Congress tried to fix Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac but Democrats blocked our efforts'. So forget the blame Republicans.
Unprecedented numbers losing their homes: A couple of facts. First, do you realize the percentage of homes in foreclosure? At the end of April It was 0.19%!! That means that 99.81% of all homes were NOT in foreclosure. Are the foreclosure numbers higher in absolute terms? Of course, but that is because there are record numbers of Americans that own homes. In 1960 62% of Americans owned their own homes and in 2005 almost 69% of Americans did. There were 180 million in the US in 1960 which translates to about 112 million owning their own homes. In 2005 there were close to 290 million Americans translating to about 197 million owning their own homes. That means 85 million more Americans owned their own homes in 2005 versus 45 years before. Its even more dramatic when you look further back.
My point is not that we don't have a problem with foreclosures, its just throw away lines like "record numbers" are meaningless when you look at it in relative terms. Do I wish unemployment numbers were lower? Of course. But lines like "record unemployment" are silly when you look at the facts. I am of the opinion that the underlying economy is more sound than Obama supporters and the media want the uneducated, economically illiterate masses to understand. That is McCain's point and it is correct and true and unassailable by any objective measure.
|
|
Reply
Back
Search
Off-Topic Forum
»
Alabama Lakes
»
Lake Martin
Login
|
Home
