I don't agree with most of what you say, but it sounds logical... :D

Michale.....

Am I missing something??

Only that we are still in an extremely fragile recovery phase in the wake of the most destructive global financial crisis in all of our lifetimes which will take years to recover from and get back to the kind of employment environment that people are used to and where what you say makes any sort of sense.

Also, you are missing the fact that there are forces at work in the current economy, as a direct result of this financial crisis, that are encouraging people to save more and buy less which doesn't do anything to build demand and increase jobs. This is what is known as a paradigm shift and it may never go back to the way it used to be. Which is, in fact, a good thing, by the way.

And, so, to sum up, increased unemployment benefits are essential in this current economic environment unless you want to make the situation even worse than it already is.

"We're not going to be the Speech Police for the Democratic Party."
-President Obama, Sep 2011

How completely pathetic...

Michale......

I have always wondered about this....

How can extending Unemployment Benefits help the unemployment issue??

It seems to me that this screws up on two fronts..

1st, it increases the percentage of Unemployment by keeping people on the unemployment roster longer.

2nd, it doesn't provide any incentive for people to go out and find a job, if they know they can make $300-$800 a week by NOT working.

It would seem more logical to SHORTEN then length of Unemployment, thereby giving people MORE incentive to go out and find a job..

Am I missing something??

Michale.....

I say "fortunately" for me....

UNfortunately for ya'all.. :D hehehehehehehe

Michale.....

Ah yes, Only the enlightened should get to comment and censoring the political speech of those with whom we disagree is a good thing. :)

That's how things are done over at OsborneInk, Cesca and most other Leftist (and some Rightist) political blogs.. They revel in their own echo chambers...

Fortunately, CW.COM takes all comers.. :D

Michale.....

“Let us all remember who the real enemy is… the real enemy is the Tea Party… the Tea Party holds the Congress hostage.”
-Congresswoman Fredrica Wilson (D)

"Some of them in Congress right now of this Tea Party movement would love to see you and me ... hanging on a tree."
-Congressman Andre Carson

"President Obama, this is your army. We are ready to march. Let's take these son of bitches out"
-Labor Leader Jimmy Hoffa introducing President Obama

"You Are The Only Folks Keeping The Barbarians From the Gates"
-Vice President Joe Biden

Ya'all sensing a pattern here??

Is this the "civility" that Democrats called for in the wake of the attempted assassination of Congresswoman Giffords??

Are these the words that "heal and not hurt" that President Obama has called for??

As I said, the Left either needs to cease the hateful and violent rhetoric or cease whining and crying ABOUT the hateful and violent rhetoric from the Right...

And it sure would be nice to see pundits and commentaries follow CW's lead and speak out against this garbage....

Hell, even the Democrat's SuperGirl Wasserman-Schultz wouldn't condemn this hateful rhetoric..

It's getting so you can't tell who is a Republican and who is a Democrat....

Michale.....

White House has "No Comment" to Labor Leader Hoffa's remarks about killing Republicans...

Therefore the White House has lost all credibility (what little it had)... The next time the White House calls for "civility" and for words that "heal, not hurt" I hope ya'all will have the good sense to laugh... :D

Michale....

Thanks for taking my ... ahem ... comments completely out of context and thereby thoroughly distorting their meaning.

Now I have to worry about you AND Michale trying to put words into my mouth.

I was trying to move the comments over to CW.com to increase traffic over here ahead of the 'second annual Thanksgiving Fund-raising drive'. Well, that and fact that, for health reasons, I'm working hard to avoid all of the nonsense at HP, in general, and this move would substantially help in that effort. Sigh.

And, for the record, I had a lousy weekend.

Thanks again!

In other words, no comments are good comments!

I've been thinking that it might be a good idea to close down comments.
.............

Ah yes, Only the enlightened should get to comment and censoring the political speech of those with whom we disagree is a good thing. :)

Hope you had a good weekend! :)

Germany a powerhouse? I read about the stalled German Economy in the news all the times. Stores are closed on Sundays and not open late like in America and consumer goods are more expensive relative to salary.

My wife is German and I lived there for 7 years.

Look at the Unemployment Rate in Germany. (don't even get me started on the Tax Rate)

"The unemployment rate in Germany was last reported at 7 percent in July of 2011. From 1991 until 2010, Germany's Unemployment Rate averaged 9.73 percent reaching an historical high of 12.10 percent in March of 2005 and a record low of 7.30 percent in December of 1991. "

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/germany/unemployment-rate

The average rate in America is closer to 5-6%, maybe they should look at us?

I sent them a donation on this Labor Day. You can donate at ActBlue:

https://secure.actblue.com/directory/query

-David

Stop the hate filled rhetoric....

Stop WHINING about the hate filled rhetoric...

Anything else just makes them look worse then the Right....

Michale.....

Hoffa Threatens GOP At Obama Event: "Take These Son Of Bitches Out"
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/09/05/jimmy_hoffa_at_obama_event_on_gop_lets_take_these_son_of_bitches_out.html

There is no Arizona
No Painted Desert, no Sedona
If there was a Grand Canyon
She could fill it up with the lies he's told her
But they don't exist, those dreams he sold her
She'll wake up and find
There is no Arizona
-Jamie O'Neal

Sad.... Just sad....

Michale....

What a cheap shot!!

Drudge had a minor link that said, "PALIN RUNS!"

But it was just an article about how Palin was running in an Iowa marathon... :D

I can imagine if it had been a REAL Palin runs moment, Drudge would have been screaming it from the headline with several cop lights attached to it. :D

Michale.....

We're making our beach plans as we speak, but remnants of TS Lee might spoil that. :(

Actually, in 2008, it was "Yes We Can But, It Will Take A Lot Of Time and Patience".

Actually, in 2008, "YES WE CAN" was still the operative phrase..

"YES WE CAN BUT IT WILL TAKE A LOT OF TIME AND PATIENCE" didn't become the meme until 2010 when reality set in.. :D

To all...

Here's what happens when catering to Labor trumps common sense...

Postal Service Is Nearing Default as Losses Mount
The post office’s problems stem from one hard reality: it is being squeezed on both revenue and costs.

At the same time, decades of contractual promises made to unionized workers, including no-layoff clauses, are increasing the post office’s costs. Labor represents 80 percent of the agency’s expenses, compared with 53 percent at United Parcel Service and 32 percent at FedEx, its two biggest private competitors. Postal workers also receive more generous health benefits than most other federal employees.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/05/business/in-internet-age-postal-service-struggles-to-stay-solvent-and-relevant.html?_r=1

So, what's it going to be, Unions???

Keep demanding more and more and the US Post Office shuts down??

Or be realistic and forgo some of the fantastic overly-generous benefits???

Michale.....

Happy Labour Day!

:)

Happy Labour Day!

You make some very valid points about work ethic. Generally speaking, it ain't what it used to be.

Just to be clear, an "almost" filibuster-proof Senate is meaningless - for all practical intents and purposes and otherwise.

For the record ... no US administration, in the history of the United States of America, has inherited anywhere near the kind of monumental mess - domestically and internationally - that the Obama/Biden administration has from the Bush/Cheney crew.

If you ask me, President Obama et al. don't put the blame on the last administration nearly enough nor do they explain clearly enough how we got into this mess and what they are doing to get out of it. Instead, they have allowed a different narrative to take hold that is neither based in reality nor true to the facts, in context or not.

Happy Labour Day!

I hope you're having lots of fun at the beach!

Here, we've been suffering through anything but beach weather. Serious thought needs to be given toward making a move to another hemisphere.

In 2008 it was, "YES WE CAN!!"...In 2011, it's "IT WILL TAKE TIME"...

Actually, in 2008, it was "Yes We Can But, It Will Take A Lot Of Time and Patience".

Unfortunately, few were listening and fewer still remember what happened to the economy in 2007/08 or understand what really contributed to the exploding budget deficits and debt.

That message has been lost in all the noise.

Happy Labour Day!

There must be something wrong with the comments section at the Huffington Post. Well, no kidding ... that's fodder for a lengthy post, in and of itself.

Actually, that there have been no comments yet on your latest FTP column at HP means that there is no idle spreading of disinformation, spewing of falsehoods, outright lying and general nonsense and hysteria that need to be called out for what it is.

Of course, there aren't any moments of enlightenment or pure amusement, either. But, these days, those heartening moments are far and few between at the best of times, anyway.

In other words, no comments are good comments!

I've been thinking that it might be a good idea to close down comments. Some HP writers have done this and directed those interested in commenting to their own site. It might be interesting to try it and see what happens ...

Ahhhhh

My mistake... I stand corrected...

Michale.....

It was the putting the "hours in" not the "right" part of it. Many of the economic power houses like Germany and South Korea work a bit less that the average American. Certainly close enough that it's more likely other factors determine the strength of the economy over length of average work week.

The day of the start of the "LABOR" Day weekend, it's announced that there was ZERO job growth...

ZERO... ZILCH... NADA... NONE....

This hasn't happened in the US since 1945....

If it weren't for bad luck, this administration wouldn't have any luck at all... :^/

Michale.....

I don't think that line of reasoning works out if you look at successful economies around the world. Good talking point just not based much in reality.

So, you think that having a job is a right??

Could you please explain the line of reasoning that leads you to that conclusion??

Or am I misreading your comment...

It's funny about Obama...

In 2008 it was, "YES WE CAN!!"...

In 2011, it's "IT WILL TAKE TIME"...

Michale.....

I don't think that line of reasoning works out if you look at successful economies around the world. Good talking point just not based much in reality.

Time and a half? Are you working at McDonalds or a real job? A salaried position will expect you to occasionally work over time with no extra pay.

Manufacturing jobs are not real? Police? Firefighters? Really?

OSHA because we need regulations about the size of toilet seats, talking about a "big bottom-line consideration"

So, you admit knowing nothing about what OSHA does or are you intentionally ignoring the other 95%?

an ALMOST filibuster proof senate?

"Almost" being the operative word...

So he announces last month he will give it this month. Must make all those people without jobs happy that he waited while we had zero job growth eh?

Then we are told he will not reveal it all at once but piecemeal it together of campaign stops? really?? I thought that is what the challenger does not the guy in charge right now who is tasked with fixing the problem.

Want to wager some q's on how many times he blames the last admin and ignores the fact he had a house and senate majority for 2 years? an ALMOST filibuster proof senate?

I think an even dozen times blaming the last guy although he was elected to fix the problems and said he could.

And remember this blast from the past? From way back in 2009: "“I will be held accountable,” Obama said. “I’ve got four years and … A year form now, I think people are going to see that we’re starting to make some progress, but there’s still going to be some pain out there … If I don’t have this done in three years, then there’s going to be a one-term proposition.”

My dad rarely worked less then a 60 hour week (he was self employed and we never had money, definitely lower middle class).

My uncle that I respected most after dad, owned a very successful business and rarely worked less then a 60 hour week.

When I was an Army Officer I rarely worked less then a 60 hour when I was not deployed, and a lot more then that when I was.

Maybe one of the Problems with the economy today is people look at a job as a right and don't want to put the hours in?

Time and a half? Are you working at McDonalds or a real job? A salaried position will expect you to occasionally work over time with no extra pay.

Again is that another problem with the country today?

While of course I don't want kids working coal mines and sweatshops, I worked since age 11 paper-route, stock boy, fast food, caddy at a gold course one summer etc. My wife was against making my son get a job while in HS, (I needed the money as a kid but am able to provide better material things for him). He is a great son, but as he started college now I do wonder if he has the right work ethic.

OSHA because we need regulations about the size of toilet seats, talking about a "big bottom-line consideration"

Since I am about to leave work (3:20 Saturday) I will wish you a happy labor day.

Go Dawgs!! (UGA)

That's what the Obama who *I* voted for would say...

Sadly, it's become clear (and not only to me) that Obama is a political animal and the only job he is interested in saving is his own... :(

but then if unicorns farted rainbows which could be easily gathered and converted to non-carbon-emitting fuel then we'd all be a lot better off as well.

That mental picture brought a smile to me face.. :D

Boy, this opening bit is really getting grim.

Unfortunately, for all of us, the reality is even grimmer...

Happy Labor Day to all.. I might actually hit the beach this Monday. After a grueling weekend where our high temp will likely be less than 98! Woot!!! :D

Michale.....