double-dip recession underway

[Casper]

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/22/7900826-recessions-second-act-would-be-worse-than-the-first

Anyone else think we should bring the troops home, suspend all foreign aid, etc and focus 100% of our government's energy on issues here at home? Like, rebuilding infrastructure, putting people to work, making sure everyone has food, etc... For some reason whether Palestine becomes a state or not doesn't mean jack to me compared to what's happening here at home. We know this double-dip is coming/here. Let's do what we can to help our own citizens.

/rant

[imprez55]

As easy as it is to say we should suspend all foreign aid, it would actually cause more problems then help. Too many nations and people rely on us for help at this stage. Taking that away at this point would directly result in the deaths of probably thousands due to starvation alone. I'd love for things to get better, but I sure as hell don't know how to make it that way. We're deep in it and for the long haul because it took so long to get here in the first place

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

As easy as it is to say we should suspend all foreign aid, it would actually cause more problems then help. Too many nations and people rely on us for help at this stage. Taking that away at this point would directly result in the deaths of probably thousands due to starvation alone. I'd love for things to get better, but I sure as hell don't know how to make it that way. We're deep in it and for the long haul because it took so long to get here in the first place

Starvation there or here which matters more?

[imprez55]

Starvation there or here which matters more?

Neither should matter more, but someone has to make that decision to cut the funding and they will forever have it on their conscious that their actions directly resulted in deaths. I wouldn't hold my breath...

-edit- woah, ninja edit, you definitely said death before (I think)

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

Neither should matter more, but someone has to make that decision to cut the funding and they will forever have it on their conscious that their actions directly resulted in deaths. I wouldn't hold my breath...

-edit- woah, ninja edit, you definitely said death before (I think)

There was no edit on my post?

[serpentracer]

we were told this is how it's going to play out. it's going to go up and down for probably over 10 more years (starting in 2007) everything economist on tv keep predicting has come true.

but I'm not so sure everything is as bad as they claim. or at least the job listings on craigslist has quadrupled this summer. there are usually over 15 new listing per day except weekends. I know, I have been contacting places left and right. been on a few interviews and worked a few places. not all of them were worth my time though. so I didn't stay but a week or two until the next one hired me lol. I've had more jobs in the last 4 months than I did in my whole life up to this point. lol so when I hear someone say finding a job right now is impossible, I know they're not trying.

[scottb]

Just asking, does most of the money we give to other countries actually make it to the people that need it and the projects it was set aside for?

[Disclaimer]

Yes and no. There are stipulations put on the money for the countries that receive it, but there are loopholes there too. Suffice to say, it's still more effective when the government gives foreign aid than a charity because of said stipulations, but like welfare here, it's not 100% effective and fraud free.

[tyler524]

I don't understand what money it is that we are giving to them. I don't know about you but if I can't pay my own bills, I sure as hell wouldn't be donating to a charity using my credit card. it baffles me that the government thinks that its ok to do so.

Edited September 23, 2011 by tyler524

[SAMBUSA]

I don't understand what money it is that we are giving to them. I don't know about you but if I can't pay my own bills, I sure as hell wouldn't be donating to a charity using my credit card. it waffles me that the government thinks that its ok to do so.

Waffles? I like crepes

[tyler524]

Waffles? I like crepes

Ha Fucking auto correct

[SAMBUSA]

lulz

[Cheech]

Waffles? I like crepes

nice one frenchy

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

I don't understand what money it is that we are giving to them. I don't know about you but if I can't pay my own bills, I sure as hell wouldn't be donating to a charity using my credit card. it baffles me that the government thinks that its ok to do so.

+1

[Beegreenstrings]

Anyone else think we should bring the troops home, suspend all foreign aid, etc and focus 100% of our government's energy on issues here at home?

/rant

Uh yeah! please!

Whats the phrase I am thinking of? "dont shit where you eat"? I think we need to take care of good ole america before we go babying everyone else.

[Rod38um]

I like the idea of taking care of domestic problems first. However, it depends on HOW you go about it. I dont want more government programs, handouts, stimulous or other bullshit schemes designed to buy votes and keep people enslaved to the government. I Want Jobs!

I dont want the government spending on infrastructure until we have enough people working to pay the taxes to support that kind of spending.

I want to see taxes go up on imports and down on domestic manufacturers. I want to see a complete tax abatement (tax free) for foreign companies who relocate here to manufacture a product. I want to see ridiculous regulation done away with. (local church construction canceled when they found out it cost $160,000 to comply with water run off regulations from the rain water on the roof)

I certainly understand some foreign aid...... its a small part of our spending but needs cut back as well. We have been using the carrot and stick approach to foreign relations for years. When times are tough....... its hard to keep buying the carrots and the sticks........

[RymerC]

bunch of stuff

Very good points here. You can't spend fast enough to dig yourself out of debt. The .gov needs to encourage people who contribute to the whole system, not people who live off the system. I'd really like to see a substantial reduction in the size and employees of the .gov as well.

Countdown to Ron Paul discussion 3....2....1.....

[ohiomike]

Honestly? I'd rather see aid going to a third-world nation than to a spoiled American that feels he's owed money because he was born here.

Why is it automatically ass-umed that if we bring home all that money it is going to be for 'hand-outs'?

With all that money we could seriously put a dent in unemployment with some real bonafide job creation actions.

[jblosser]

...rebuilding infrastructure, putting people to work...

Check the POTUS' speech from Feb. 2009 explaining his first stimulus boondoggle, er, package. That one was going to rebuild the infrastructure, rebuild dams, put 450,000 people to work, broadband in nearly every community, etc.

His speech yesterday in Cinci-tucky was almost verbatim of that '09 speech - rebuild bridges, blah blah.

I think he was secretly hoping the bridge he was standing in front of would fall down to help support this latest waste of our money.

So, we're going to do what we already did the first time around (sarcasm), but with half the monies?

In completely unrelated to this POTUS news, first time jobless claims were at ~423,000 last week, but WOOT!, that's down ~9,000 from the prior week... 4 week moving average is 421,000.

Joblessness among the 20-somethings is at it's highest rate in over 3 decades. All of you 20-somethings that voted for this liar, I hope you like your bedroom at Mom & Dad's - I think you're going to be there awhile, unfortunately.

I feel bad for my 10 year-old, and anyone 20 or younger. They didn't vote for this idiot, they had no say, yet they're the ones who are going to have to attempt to pay off all this crap that's been foisted upon us by The Messiah.

"All is well, remain calm"

[DAC]

Why is it automatically ass-umed that if we bring home all that money it is going to be for 'hand-outs'?

With all that money we could seriously put a dent in unemployment with some real bonafide job creation actions.

Job creation actions from where? Why is it automatically ass-umed that the gov has any ability to create jobs. The Feds did all they could to create a debt-fueled consumer spending orgy. Now we're in the midst of a huge collective balance sheet tidying up on a personal level while the gov't does the opposite. Look for a decade of no growth (if we're lucky) and continued spasms of fiscal emergency.

[ohiomike]

by overriding states rights...

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/what...80%99s-rights/

I went to scribd and read it for myself....

http://www.scribd.com/doc/64723281/American-Jobs-Act

For instance, buried deep, deep on page 133 of the bill, it states:

:SEC. 376. FEDERAL AND STATE IMMUNITY.

(a) Abrogation of State Immunity- A State shall not be immune under the 11th Amendment to the Constitution from a suit brought in a Federal court of competent jurisdiction for a violation of this Act.

Come again? Under the bill’s authority, states are not immune from federal prosecution if they violate the act. In the event this bill passes, it will override a state’s sovereign authority as defined and protected under the 11th amendment:

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

It gets even better:

(A) WAIVER- A State’s receipt or use of Federal financial assistance for any program or activity of a State shall constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity, under the 11th Amendment to the Constitution or otherwise, to a suit brought by an employee or applicant for employment of that program or activity under this Act for a remedy authorized under Section 375© of this Act [emphasis added].

Any state that receives Federal assistance under the direction of bill automatically forfeits its sovereign immunity. Should an employe of the act seek federal prosecution, the state must abide.

They will literally make a Federal case out of it. The bill continues:

(2) EFFECTIVE DATE- With respect to a particular program or activity, paragraph (1) applies to conduct occurring on or after the day, after the date of enactment of this Act, on which a State first receives or uses Federal financial assistance for that program or activity.

c) Remedies Against State Officials- An official of a State may be sued in the official capacity of the official by any employee or applicant for employment who has complied with the applicable procedures of this Act, for relief that is authorized under this Act.

(d) Remedies Against the United States and the States- Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, in an action or administrative proceeding against the United States or a State for a violation of this Act, remedies (including remedies at law and in equity) are available for the violation to the same extent as such remedies would be available against a non-governmental entity.

Unbelievable!

Edited September 23, 2011 by ohiomike

[DAC]

Yeah, but that's if they accept the cash. (Can't read the bill since I'm on the iPad at the moment.). States have fallen into that trap once already. Take federal money just to have to make cuts the next year.

Anyway, the private economy is still in the crapper. There is so much liquidity out there it's unbelievable. Rates at historical lows, so debt capital is cheap. And still no job creation. It's the hangover from the debt binge. Sorry. But that'll take some tome to work off. Take two alka seltzer and check back in 2020.

There are other problems - education and health care mainly - that could use some reform to help on the cost side. Obama correctly brought some pressure to bear on one of those, but his tweed-jacket wearing academic friends are still keeping us in the dark ages on the education front.

[drc32-0]

Here we go again,re-hashing the same old argument.

Everyone wanted cheap...well,you got it.

What did you think would happen when we gave our manufacturing base,and tax base, to socialist China?

We got cheap trinkets at Wal-Mart and they got the jobs.Game over.

How's trickle down working for you now?

[SAMBUSA]

Yawn...........fear

[snot]

Need to go back to fewer taxes and regulations so companies can expand without all the bull. Then we can rebuild and have quality products once again. Another idea is to let people stay in there homes this would at least keep some of the homes form becoming a moldy health hazard that has to be torn down. If not then tear them down turn the soil and plant some corn and make good use of the land once again.