Comments on: Economic Depression http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/ Parenting, Politics and News for the Perfectly Challenged Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:52:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: THELOUISIANAEXPLORER http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-266497 THELOUISIANAEXPLORER Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:15:04 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-266497 Good post, this is very good information. Things were bad, real bad in the 20s and 30s and history does have a way to repeat itself. There's a book just out that identifies an individual that sacrificed everything to support the laboring class in Louisiana and across America during the Great Depression. He took on the Roosevelt administration and fought the Banckhead act and called for the removal of Hugh Johnson as the head of the NRA. When he finally dismembered Governor Leche's former Long organization he became to controversal for Roosevlet. Read more about the man at www.thomastfieldsjr.com opr Google "I Called Him Grand Dad". Names such as Long, Roosevelt, Farley and Lech are found throughout the writing. Good post, this is very good information. Things were bad, real bad in the 20s and 30s and history does have a way to repeat itself. There’s a book just out that identifies an individual that sacrificed everything to support the laboring class in Louisiana and across America during the Great Depression. He took on the Roosevelt administration and fought the Banckhead act and called for the removal of Hugh Johnson as the head of the NRA. When he finally dismembered Governor Leche’s former Long organization he became to controversal for Roosevlet. Read more about the man at http://www.thomastfieldsjr.com opr Google “I Called Him Grand Dad”. Names such as Long, Roosevelt, Farley and Lech are found throughout the writing.

]]> By: john http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-262928 john Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:20:58 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-262928 This is valuable information. More is needed like what we are doing here and on my site to get the word out. This is valuable information. More is needed like what we are doing here and on my site to get the word out.

]]> By: John Petty http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-205361 John Petty Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:00:08 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-205361 Here is an article about the fed chairman during the time of the Great Depression and what he thought caused it. The same thing is happening again for the same reasons. Please read: In Review: America's Most Egalitarian Banker Marriner S. Eccles, Beckoning Frontiers: Public and Personal Recollections. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1951. At the start of the Great Depression, Marriner Eccles hardly seemed someone who might lead a charge against the economic orthodoxies that justified grand hoards of private fortune. By the early 1930s, after all, the Utah-born Eccles had become the top banker in the Mountain West, the organizer of the first multibank holding company in the United States. But Eccles had also come to understand, after watching the great speculative bubbles of the 1920s pop into massive misery, that prosperity — to endure — needs to be shared. Eccles began speaking out on that theme, shortly after the Great Depression began, and soon caught the attention of the early New Dealers. In 1933, Eccles would become an assistant secretary of the treasury. A year later, Franklin Roosevelt would appoint him to the Federal Reserve Board. He would become Board chair in 1935 and remain in that central position for the next 13 years. No one individual, over those years, had more of an impact on economic policy in the United States. Looking back on those years, in his 1951 memoir Beckoning Frontiers, Eccles would do his best to explain the impact he set out to make. Mass production, he noted at the outset, demands mass consumption, but people can’t afford to consume if the wealth an economy generates is concentrating at the top. In the years leading up to the Great Depression, that concentrating was accelerating. A “giant suction pump,” charged Eccles, “had by 1929-30 drawn into a few hands an increasing portion of currently produced wealth.” “In consequence, as in a poker game where the chips were concentrated in fewer and fewer hands,” Eccles observed, “the other fellows could stay in the game only by borrowing. When their credit ran out, the game stopped.” Sound familiar? The decade of the 1920s that Eccles describes in his 1951 memoir comes across today as eerily familiar. Then as now, the U.S. economy was floating on a sea of debt. Then as now, inequality was hollowing out the nation. Eccles put the matter bluntly: “Had there been a better distribution of the current income from the national product — in other words, had there been less savings by business and the higher-income groups and more income in the lower groups — we should have had far greater stability in our economy.” How would Eccles have reacted to our current debt-ridden, war-torn economy? We can’t, of course, know for sure what Eccles would do. But we do know what he did. In 1942, during World War II, a high-powered team of New Deal officials that included Eccles proposed to President Roosevelt that “a ceiling of fifty thousand dollars after taxes should be placed on individual incomes.” In our current dollars, this $50,000 ceiling would equal about $700,000. What did FDR do with the Eccles proposal? He turned around and asked Congress to place a 100 percent tax on all individual income over $25,000. Congress would eventually set the nation’s top tax rate at 94 percent on all income over $200,000, and that top tax rate would hover around 90 percent for the next two decades, years that would see the greatest period of middle class prosperity in U.S. economic history. In 2005, the latest year with statistics available, America’s leading hedge fund managers and the rest of the nation’s top 400 income-earners faced a top tax rate of 35 percent. They actually paid, after loopholes, just 18.2 percent of their incomes in tax. Marriner Eccles would not approve. Stat of the Week In the two decades between 1986 and 2005, America’s top 1 percent of taxpayers saw their share of the nation’s income jump from 11.3 to 21.2 percent. Over those same years, the federal income taxes the top 1 percent paid dropped by an equally stunning margin, from 33.13 percent of total personal income in 1986 to 23.13 percent in 2005, the most current year with IRS stats available. Taxpayers needed to report at least $364,657 in 2005 to enter the top 1 percent. About Too Much Too Much is published by the Council on International and Public Affairs, a nonprofit research and education group founded in 1954. Office: Suite 3C, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017. E-mail: editor@toomuchonline.org Here is an article about the fed chairman during the time of the Great Depression and what he thought caused it. The same thing is happening again for the same reasons. Please read:

In Review: America’s Most Egalitarian Banker
Marriner S. Eccles, Beckoning Frontiers: Public and Personal Recollections. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1951.
At the start of the Great Depression, Marriner Eccles hardly seemed someone who might lead a charge against the economic orthodoxies that justified grand hoards of private fortune. By the early 1930s, after all, the Utah-born Eccles had become the top banker in the Mountain West, the organizer of the first multibank holding company in the United States.
But Eccles had also come to understand, after watching the great speculative bubbles of the 1920s pop into massive misery, that prosperity — to endure — needs to be shared. Eccles began speaking out on that theme, shortly after the Great Depression began, and soon caught the attention of the early New Dealers.
In 1933, Eccles would become an assistant secretary of the treasury. A year later, Franklin Roosevelt would appoint him to the Federal Reserve Board. He would become Board chair in 1935 and remain in that central position for the next 13 years. No one individual, over those years, had more of an impact on economic policy in the United States.
Looking back on those years, in his 1951 memoir Beckoning Frontiers, Eccles would do his best to explain the impact he set out to make. Mass production, he noted at the outset, demands mass consumption, but people can’t afford to consume if the wealth an economy generates is concentrating at the top.
In the years leading up to the Great Depression, that concentrating was accelerating. A “giant suction pump,” charged Eccles, “had by 1929-30 drawn into a few hands an increasing portion of currently produced wealth.”
“In consequence, as in a poker game where the chips were concentrated in fewer and fewer hands,” Eccles observed, “the other fellows could stay in the game only by borrowing. When their credit ran out, the game stopped.”
Sound familiar? The decade of the 1920s that Eccles describes in his 1951 memoir comes across today as eerily familiar. Then as now, the U.S. economy was floating on a sea of debt.
Then as now, inequality was hollowing out the nation. Eccles put the matter bluntly: “Had there been a better distribution of the current income from the national product — in other words, had there been less savings by business and the higher-income groups and more income in the lower groups — we should have had far greater stability in our economy.”
How would Eccles have reacted to our current debt-ridden, war-torn economy? We can’t, of course, know for sure what Eccles would do. But we do know what he did. In 1942, during World War II, a high-powered team of New Deal officials that included Eccles proposed to President Roosevelt that “a ceiling of fifty thousand dollars after taxes should be placed on individual incomes.”
In our current dollars, this $50,000 ceiling would equal about $700,000. What did FDR do with the Eccles proposal? He turned around and asked Congress to place a 100 percent tax on all individual income over $25,000.
Congress would eventually set the nation’s top tax rate at 94 percent on all income over $200,000, and that top tax rate would hover around 90 percent for the next two decades, years that would see the greatest period of middle class prosperity in U.S. economic history.
In 2005, the latest year with statistics available, America’s leading hedge fund managers and the rest of the nation’s top 400 income-earners faced a top tax rate of 35 percent. They actually paid, after loopholes, just 18.2 percent of their incomes in tax.
Marriner Eccles would not approve.
Stat of the Week
In the two decades between 1986 and 2005, America’s top 1 percent of taxpayers saw their share of the nation’s income jump from 11.3 to 21.2 percent. Over those same years, the federal income taxes the top 1 percent paid dropped by an equally stunning margin, from 33.13 percent of total personal income in 1986 to 23.13 percent in 2005, the most current year with IRS stats available. Taxpayers needed to report at least $364,657 in 2005 to enter the top 1 percent.
About Too Much
Too Much is published by the Council on International and Public Affairs, a nonprofit research and education group founded in 1954. Office: Suite 3C, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017. E-mail: editor@toomuchonline.org

]]> By: Don http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-175296 Don Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:37:56 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-175296 Life is a struggle. It has always been so. Individuals perish but mankind some how survives. 21st century Americans live with a sense of entitlement brought about by post WWII economic prosperity. That game is over. This is the deline of the American Empire. Expect a similar decline in living standard. That's the reality of the situation! Life is a struggle. It has always been so.
Individuals perish but mankind some how survives.
21st century Americans live with a sense of
entitlement brought about by post WWII economic
prosperity. That game is over. This is the
deline of the American Empire. Expect a similar
decline in living standard. That’s the reality
of the situation!

]]> By: Rita http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-167128 Rita Fri, 30 May 2008 11:54:03 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-167128 [quote comment="167048"]I am a white woman. I HATE it when people assume that I will vote for Clinton because I am a woman. AND, it does not make me a racist if I choose not to vote for Obama. I will vote for the person who I think will do the best job. Anyone who votes purely on race or gender is an idiot. [/quote] That's the truth. I mean, you couldn't PAY me to vote for Condoleezza Rice [quote comment="167048"]I am a white woman. I HATE it when people assume that I will vote for Clinton because I am a woman. AND, it does not make me a racist if I choose not to vote for Obama. I will vote for the person who I think will do the best job. Anyone who votes purely on race or gender is an idiot.

[/quote]

That’s the truth. I mean, you couldn’t PAY me to vote for Condoleezza Rice

]]> By: ninja weiner nah nah http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-167048 ninja weiner nah nah Fri, 30 May 2008 02:28:23 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-167048 I am a white woman. I HATE it when people assume that I will vote for Clinton because I am a woman. AND, it does not make me a racist if I choose not to vote for Obama. I will vote for the person who I think will do the best job. Anyone who votes purely on race or gender is an idiot. Personally, I would like a do over...all new canidates, please! I am a white woman. I HATE it when people assume that I will vote for Clinton because I am a woman. AND, it does not make me a racist if I choose not to vote for Obama. I will vote for the person who I think will do the best job. Anyone who votes purely on race or gender is an idiot.

Personally, I would like a do over…all new canidates, please!

]]> By: Rita http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-167039 Rita Fri, 30 May 2008 02:06:41 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-167039 [quote comment="166926"] If you're a tad intrigued, check out Revelations in the New Testament. There's a blatant reference to God giving the power of rule/control to one nation, over 3/4's of the Earth and one day that great Nation would fall. [/quote] We better stay the hell away from China, then huh? [quote comment="166926"] If you’re a tad intrigued, check out Revelations in the New Testament. There’s a blatant reference to God giving the power of rule/control to one nation, over 3/4’s of the Earth and one day that great Nation would fall. [/quote]

We better stay the hell away from China, then huh?

]]> By: Irasha http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-166926 Irasha Thu, 29 May 2008 17:45:07 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-166926 Wow, is all I can say! Everyone who has left a comment does appear to have a valid point. However, I believe one reference has not been made, God's word. The source of all our woes is GREED, period. Both parties are GREEDY to some extent, but at the end of the day WHO relates best to "most people's everyday problems," and has at one point lived with/endured REAL HARDSHIPS? Unfortunately, we live in a sexist, racist and judgmental country/society. In the end, our own biased judgmental ways may prevent our solution because he or she is a woman or black! REAL TALK! Money is the root of all evil (the lust of it); look to your past to understand your present conditons. Also, learn to accept responsibility for your own actions, bottomline! Temptation is a delicate & dangerous thing. Our Western society has increasingly induldged in a numerous amount of tempting, sinful ways which the "word" says ultimately leads to death. Death does not always refer to the physical body! If you're a tad intrigued, check out Revelations in the New Testament. There's a blatant reference to God giving the power of rule/control to one nation, over 3/4's of the Earth and one day that great Nation would fall. If a great nation were to fall, it woud occur gradually not overnight, BRIGHT LIGHT! Common sense which unfortunately isn't common would tell anyone that you have to drain that great nation's resources. It looks like the rest of the world figured out our weaknesses and is sticking to the PLAN! Wow, is all I can say! Everyone who has left a comment does appear to have a valid point. However, I believe one reference has not been made, God’s word. The source of all our woes is GREED, period. Both parties are GREEDY to some extent, but at the end of the day WHO relates best to “most people’s everyday problems,” and has at one point lived with/endured REAL HARDSHIPS? Unfortunately, we live in a sexist, racist and judgmental country/society. In the end, our own biased judgmental ways may prevent our solution because he or she is a woman or black! REAL TALK! Money is the root of all evil (the lust of it); look to your past to understand your present conditons. Also, learn to accept responsibility for your own actions, bottomline! Temptation is a delicate & dangerous thing. Our Western society has increasingly induldged in a numerous amount of tempting, sinful ways which the “word” says ultimately leads to death. Death does not always refer to the physical body! If you’re a tad intrigued, check out Revelations in the New Testament. There’s a blatant reference to God giving the power of rule/control to one nation, over 3/4’s of the Earth and one day that great Nation would fall. If a great nation were to fall, it woud occur gradually not overnight, BRIGHT LIGHT! Common sense which unfortunately isn’t common would tell anyone that you have to drain that great nation’s resources. It looks like the rest of the world figured out our weaknesses and is sticking to the PLAN!

]]> By: Pablo http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-164343 Pablo Mon, 19 May 2008 02:26:17 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-164343 All the greedy people that bought houses just to flip them eventually and take advantage of prospect buyers will learn a lesson the hard way. And I am very happy to see that! There are "accidents" and there are "violations". This housing mess is the result of a massive amount of violations not accidents. People will be more responsible in the future. All the greedy people that bought houses just to flip them eventually and take advantage of prospect buyers will learn a lesson the hard way. And I am very happy to see that!
There are “accidents” and there are “violations”. This housing mess is the result of a massive amount of violations not accidents. People will be more responsible in the future.

]]> By: Nevyn http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151832 Nevyn Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:05:53 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151832 Hi Rita: I think the important thing is that you are taking action and making plans. Sadly many people will try to deny what is on our doorstep. I congratulate you for talking action and protecting your family. Nev Hi Rita:

I think the important thing is that you are taking action and making plans. Sadly many people will try to deny what is on our doorstep. I congratulate you for talking action and protecting your family.

Nev

]]> By: Rita http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151828 Rita Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:23:16 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151828 We're doing all the things you said, Nevyn, except moving into an apartment. It took us 13 years of marriage to get to the point where we could buy a house, so we're not real eager to give that up. Plus, like I said, it wouldn't be worth anything if we sold it now anyway. What we were paying in rent at our little townhouse was more than our mortgage payments are now anyway. We’re doing all the things you said, Nevyn, except moving into an apartment. It took us 13 years of marriage to get to the point where we could buy a house, so we’re not real eager to give that up. Plus, like I said, it wouldn’t be worth anything if we sold it now anyway. What we were paying in rent at our little townhouse was more than our mortgage payments are now anyway.

]]> By: Nevyn http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151827 Nevyn Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:33:09 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151827 Anyone who doubts that we are headed into major economic depression is simply in denial. However, pointing fingers as to who is to blame is somewhat pointless. What should be discussed is what can you do as individuals to reduce the stress that is coming at us like a freight train? For myself it was engaging in downward mobility. Sell off what you can, free your self of all credit and live as modestly as is possible. Cash on hand will be useful no matter how devalued it is: get liquid, rent a modest small apartment, sell off the toys and batten down the hatches. Some of us will actually wait until it is too late and find him or herself and their loved ones homeless and begging for food. You can avoid this, but you have to bite the bullet. There are many ways to cope with what is coming, but you have to take action now. Anyone who doubts that we are headed into major economic depression is simply in denial. However, pointing fingers as to who is to blame is somewhat pointless. What should be discussed is what can you do as individuals to reduce the stress that is coming at us like a freight train? For myself it was engaging in downward mobility. Sell off what you can, free your self of all credit and live as modestly as is possible. Cash on hand will be useful no matter how devalued it is: get liquid, rent a modest small apartment, sell off the toys and batten down the hatches. Some of us will actually wait until it is too late and find him or herself and their loved ones homeless and begging for food. You can avoid this, but you have to bite the bullet. There are many ways to cope with what is coming, but you have to take action now.

]]> By: Rita http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151632 Rita Sun, 30 Mar 2008 14:43:42 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151632 Yeah, I don't think that McCain has the resources or the personality to criminally steal the election the way W did, so it would be because of either racist or sexist people who just won't vote for a black man or a woman, and therefore give McCain the vote, or people who are kind of undecided and go with McCain. Because I don't think there are enough genuine party-voting Republicans to carry him. But, we'll see. But, if he is elected and doesn't do something to help keep innovative research here, then we may need to leave if DH wants to continue doing science. New Zealand and Scotland are the most feasible options. It would suck beyond belief to be forced from our country so that DH could continue to do his job. But, I think it would be just temporarily anyway. A lot of the companies who have invested in research in India are finding that it's not quite as cost effective as they thought, since things are not passing mandatory US inspections and the quality is NOT the same. So, whether they want to continue to invest over there for a possible long-term gain, or whether they'll just give up and bring work back here is left to be seen. It would be nice if the government stepped in and taxed companies for overseas employees though, to give the US workers a fair playing ground. Yeah, I don’t think that McCain has the resources or the personality to criminally steal the election the way W did, so it would be because of either racist or sexist people who just won’t vote for a black man or a woman, and therefore give McCain the vote, or people who are kind of undecided and go with McCain. Because I don’t think there are enough genuine party-voting Republicans to carry him. But, we’ll see.

But, if he is elected and doesn’t do something to help keep innovative research here, then we may need to leave if DH wants to continue doing science. New Zealand and Scotland are the most feasible options. It would suck beyond belief to be forced from our country so that DH could continue to do his job. But, I think it would be just temporarily anyway. A lot of the companies who have invested in research in India are finding that it’s not quite as cost effective as they thought, since things are not passing mandatory US inspections and the quality is NOT the same. So, whether they want to continue to invest over there for a possible long-term gain, or whether they’ll just give up and bring work back here is left to be seen. It would be nice if the government stepped in and taxed companies for overseas employees though, to give the US workers a fair playing ground.

]]> By: Jessica http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151617 Jessica Sun, 30 Mar 2008 11:56:59 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151617 If the Democrats lose to McCain, we will only have the Democrats to thank or blame. I actually think McCain is going to win, so you may want to get those passports in order. ;) If the Democrats lose to McCain, we will only have the Democrats to thank or blame.

I actually think McCain is going to win, so you may want to get those passports in order. ;)

]]> By: Rita http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151573 Rita Sun, 30 Mar 2008 02:38:36 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151573 LOL, and for what it's worth New Zealand is one of our plan B options. Maybe we can hook up if McCain is elected. LOL, and for what it’s worth New Zealand is one of our plan B options. Maybe we can hook up if McCain is elected.

]]> By: Trish http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151565 Trish Sat, 29 Mar 2008 23:35:09 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151565 For what it's worth, I'd give my Australian vote to Barack Obama. For what it’s worth, I’d give my Australian vote to Barack Obama.

]]> By: Rita http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151512 Rita Sat, 29 Mar 2008 13:36:05 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151512 The actual unemployment rate could be double what the statistics say, since the statistics only count people drawing unemployment benefits. It may be lower than the Carter years. Carter was a good man, but a lousy president. I know, most of this is whining about how all of this has directly affected us personally, which makes it lose some of it's point. Yeah, my family is on thin ice right now, but truthfully even if we're hit and the worst happens, we, personally will recover because we have several plan B options. A PhD might not be as stable as it was 5 or 10 years ago, but it's still a PhD and there are options to keep us afloat. But, there are a lot of people suffering worse right now and they don't have a feasible plan B at all. It's not just the economy. It's not just the housing foreclosures. It's not just the war. It's not just the oil prices. It's that everything is all in a big tailspin and our fearless leader just smirks and chuckles about it, because he couldn't care less. But, we want to vote in one of his buddies? The actual unemployment rate could be double what the statistics say, since the statistics only count people drawing unemployment benefits. It may be lower than the Carter years. Carter was a good man, but a lousy president.

I know, most of this is whining about how all of this has directly affected us personally, which makes it lose some of it’s point. Yeah, my family is on thin ice right now, but truthfully even if we’re hit and the worst happens, we, personally will recover because we have several plan B options. A PhD might not be as stable as it was 5 or 10 years ago, but it’s still a PhD and there are options to keep us afloat. But, there are a lot of people suffering worse right now and they don’t have a feasible plan B at all. It’s not just the economy. It’s not just the housing foreclosures. It’s not just the war. It’s not just the oil prices. It’s that everything is all in a big tailspin and our fearless leader just smirks and chuckles about it, because he couldn’t care less. But, we want to vote in one of his buddies?

]]> By: Susan Rubin http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151491 Susan Rubin Sat, 29 Mar 2008 11:47:32 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151491 Corporations are the big winners here, the bottom line is that WAR is profitible, peace is not. DISEASE is profitable, good health is not. When will our country shift so that peace and good health are "profitable"? This will take a huge shift in consciousness to change things to a peaceful, healthy world and it will certainly take a big shake up in the good old US of A. We are at a pivitol cross roads, I trust that things will shift for the highest good. Corporations are the big winners here, the bottom line is that WAR is profitible, peace is not. DISEASE is profitable, good health is not. When will our country shift so that peace and good health are “profitable”? This will take a huge shift in consciousness to change things to a peaceful, healthy world and it will certainly take a big shake up in the good old US of A. We are at a pivitol cross roads, I trust that things will shift for the highest good.

]]> By: Prescott http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151413 Prescott Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:24:17 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151413 [quote comment="151405"]I wanted to comment on this, too, because you know Al Gore and Jimmy Carter both went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize after their political careers[/quote] As did Henry Kissinger and Yasser Arafat -- so what does that prove? [quote]Bill Clinton has been devoted to very active philanthropy since leaving office, so I'd say that yeah, the democrats do seem to breed more people who actually care about our country and our world than the republicans.[/quote] Maybe if there were no such thing as "Clintonian politics" I could believe that his vague charitable acts were more than a way to boost his image to help his wife's campaign. I guess time will tell. Speaking of philanthropy, Obama -- despite making a healthy income -- donated less to charity than the nation average (and not just in percentage of income, but actual dollars) and didn't step it up until his run for president when people actually noticed this fact. Personally I don't think that's a big deal, until it's trotted out how the Dems are so caring about us commoners. [quote]And Prescott, you also know that the unemployment statistics are very misleading, don't you?[/quote] While it may not be 100% accurate (but lets be honest, even if it's off by 2% we're still below the Jimmy Carter years), it's a better measure than anecdotal evidence, no? Because I could counter most of your statements with anecdotes about the Chicago area, where we had to move to a remote suburb because we can't afford to live in the city, the owner of the Mercedes that I literally just saw pull in the driveway across the street is doing pretty well, my wife is not in danger of losing her job because she's in the health care sector which is growing nicely, etc., etc., but I know that's all moot because my little world doesn't reflect what's going on everywhere in the country just like yours doesn't. Yeah, it sucks that your husband's career choice may be dwindling -- as I said, part of what I do is as well. But other sectors are growing at the same time. We're a nation of 300 million people -- no matter who is in the White House, chances are not 100% percent of that population is going to be living happy and care free. [quote comment="151405"]I wanted to comment on this, too, because you know Al Gore and Jimmy Carter both went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize after their political careers[/quote]

As did Henry Kissinger and Yasser Arafat — so what does that prove?

[quote]Bill Clinton has been devoted to very active philanthropy since leaving office, so I’d say that yeah, the democrats do seem to breed more people who actually care about our country and our world than the republicans.[/quote]

Maybe if there were no such thing as “Clintonian politics” I could believe that his vague charitable acts were more than a way to boost his image to help his wife’s campaign. I guess time will tell. Speaking of philanthropy, Obama — despite making a healthy income — donated less to charity than the nation average (and not just in percentage of income, but actual dollars) and didn’t step it up until his run for president when people actually noticed this fact. Personally I don’t think that’s a big deal, until it’s trotted out how the Dems are so caring about us commoners.

[quote]And Prescott, you also know that the unemployment statistics are very misleading, don’t you?[/quote]

While it may not be 100% accurate (but lets be honest, even if it’s off by 2% we’re still below the Jimmy Carter years), it’s a better measure than anecdotal evidence, no? Because I could counter most of your statements with anecdotes about the Chicago area, where we had to move to a remote suburb because we can’t afford to live in the city, the owner of the Mercedes that I literally just saw pull in the driveway across the street is doing pretty well, my wife is not in danger of losing her job because she’s in the health care sector which is growing nicely, etc., etc., but I know that’s all moot because my little world doesn’t reflect what’s going on everywhere in the country just like yours doesn’t.

Yeah, it sucks that your husband’s career choice may be dwindling — as I said, part of what I do is as well. But other sectors are growing at the same time. We’re a nation of 300 million people — no matter who is in the White House, chances are not 100% percent of that population is going to be living happy and care free.

]]> By: Rita http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151405 Rita Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:12:15 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/28/economic-depression/#comment-151405 [quote comment="151316"] Democrats care no more about the little people than Donald Trump does. It's just a way to garner votes.[/quote] I wanted to comment on this, too, because you know Al Gore and Jimmy Carter both went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize after their political careers, and Bill Clinton has been devoted to very active philanthropy since leaving office, so I'd say that yeah, the democrats do seem to breed more people who actually care about our country and our world than the republicans. And Prescott, you also know that the unemployment statistics are very misleading, don't you? [quote comment="151316"] Democrats care no more about the little people than Donald Trump does. It’s just a way to garner votes.[/quote]

I wanted to comment on this, too, because you know Al Gore and Jimmy Carter both went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize after their political careers, and Bill Clinton has been devoted to very active philanthropy since leaving office, so I’d say that yeah, the democrats do seem to breed more people who actually care about our country and our world than the republicans.

And Prescott, you also know that the unemployment statistics are very misleading, don’t you?

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