Getting Skills To Beat The Recession

The hard part with a recession is we get lost in worrying about short-term concerns, like paying the electric bill. The important thing is to think long-term. It's a well known fact that people with college degrees will earn about $900k more in lifetime earnings than someone with just a high school diploma. If you ask me, it's easily worth taking student loans for that amount. Now, Obama has made it even easier.

Read the rest at The Loop21.com.

Why Obama Should Have Worked Harder On Economy

Forcing healthcare through Congress at a time when the issue was not a top priority for most Americans will likely cost the Democrats come November....as I have already mentioned. Obama & Co. should have at least been much more aggressive on plans for job growth while pushing for healthcare reform.... this would have helped in making them look less out of touch. His team of advisers are definitely not the most competent.

Now they want to tackle immigration... thinking (mistakenly) that the healthcare victory has somehow given them momentum for dealing with an issue even more contentious. Obama will end up wasting what little political capital he has left on Immigration Reform. Clueless doesn't seem adequate for describing Emanuel, Axelrod, Plouffe and all the rest.

There is still a little bit of time between now and November. Alot can change in that time. It looks like the economy may finally be creating jobs again.... after losing millions over the last two years. But it will take a long time to change the public's perception... especially when there are TV networks and radio stations dedicated to telling Americans that Barack Obama and the Democrats are devils, socialists, and that they are to blame for the economic collapse. (Americans are incredibly gullible and unfortunately they listen to the nonsense from Faux News and the rest).

Republican in Tennessee Says 'Unemployed Should Just Find a Job'

Benefits about to run out? Too bad. You lazy folks should shut up and find a job.

From the Young Turks:

No One Would Listen - A Story of U.S. Government Corruption and Incompetence

Hear a discussion with two financial analysts who tried to sound the alarm about Bernie Madoff's activities but were ignored by your federal government.

Madoff often bragged about his cozy relationship with regulators... (which allowed him to do whatever he wanted). Many of the holes in the financial regulatory system still remain. And it's a symptom of a wider problem of corruption in government that Americans have not only grown to tolerate, but to expect. There was the muzzling of Brooksley Born, former chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission who tried to warn the nation about a looming financial crisis; The FDA being corrupted and controlled by the drug companies; and even oil industry execs openly providing gifts & having sex with federal regulators from the Interior Department in exchange for less stringent oversight.

States Making Deep Cuts to Child Welfare Budgets

States are making deep cuts to child welfare programs, due in part to severe budget shortfalls brought on by the recession. This highlights what is really valued (or not valued) in this Country. The true character of a nation is reflected in how it values its people, especially its children. And we know that whenever finances are tight, social welfare programs and budgets for protecting children are all too often among the first items to be cut. What does this say about the Country?

With the severe difficulty in achieving health care reform, consumer protection, labor rights, equity in elections vis-a-vis corporate influence, and other human needs, (battles that have already been fought in other industrialized Democracies), it is abundantly clear that American priorities aren't geared towards protecting its people or improving the quality of their lives. The NPR report linked above supports what I wrote last year regarding Shaniya Davis.

Many Could Face Years of Unemployment

A New York Times article calls them "The New Poor".

See Related Post

Great Recession is Actually a Depression for Many When It Comes To Unemployment

Hear an informative discussion from NPR on the impact of the latest recession. Economists Andrew Sum & Barry Bluestone have broken down the unemployment numbers group by group and have been able to show huge disparities in terms of who is being impacted the most. The mainstream corporate media has been almost AWOL on this. Listen Here. See the findings of a new study from the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University.

I have been writing all along about the weakness of the stimulus efforts since last year when the legislation was passed. I thought that employment would be lacking because there was not enough focus on the creation of lasting, sustainable jobs, particularly in new industries. There was an opportunity to do something big & impressive by creating a public works program and/or grant programs for start-ups in new technologies. There was also a need for aggressive loan programs for small & medium sized businesses.

Even if you have employment, survival is becoming more precarious.

Bonus:

Also hear a discussion about the gridlock and paralysis in the U.S. Congress.

Santa Beats the Recession

So the American economy has been in a recession since late last year? Now there is a shocker to most people in the country. One thing that we can at least be thankful for this year is that gas prices have dropped by more than half in most areas since their summer peak, just in time for the winter heating season. So your retirement fund has taken a hit, you are thinking more about running up credit card debt, and you really would like to cut back a bit on your holiday spending. What can you do that will still enable you to feel more like Santa Clause than Ebeneezer Scrooge this Christmas? Plenty. The first thing that you can do is what might seem like an easy place to cut back, but in fact you should not, and perhaps you should consider expanding. That would be your Christmas card list. The fact is that Christmas cards have become extremely affordable if you just shop around. You can go lavish and spend $20 or more for a box of 18, but why do that when you can also find nice ones of twice that number for half the price? You can hand them out at work and school, and even to most of your family members and neighbors. But make sure that you mail a bunch out to those who live far away. A Christmas card is your opportunity, perhaps the only such opportunity that you will have during a year, to let people know that they matter to you. Take the time to include some short little personal message in as many of the cards as possible, including your phone number for anyone that you wouldn't mind hearing directly from (don't assume that all of your friends and family already have it.) You can reach dozens of friends and family members with this type of gift with a relatively minuscule financial outlay. It will take time for you to fill out, seal, address, stamp, and mail the cards. That is part of the season. Do it with some Christmas music playing in the background and the time will fly. For actual gifts, cut down that receiver list, and cut back the number of things for each of those receiving. Giving one nice gift to your immediate family members and your best friends does not have to strain your budget. Sit down and talk with your spouse, and come to some deal on spending for one another. Perhaps you can agree to some nice shared experience as a gift for one another, rather than a boat load of gifts. Tickets to a couple of nice events that you can agree on that might be upcoming, or some getaway weekend at a place that you both enjoy. If friends and family ask you for a gift idea, ask for movie or dinner gift certificates. These will make for great "night out" opportunities once the Holidays have passed. If you have kids, have them make a list, and let them know that Santa may not be able to give them everything on it. But then you have a specific idea of exactly where their thoughts are, and can give friends and family members specific ideas when they inevitably ask. Take advantage of sales opportunities. Weekend newspapers have been filled with tremendous deals, including coupons and special sales times. If you have Internet access, make use of 'Google', 'Overstock' and 'Amazon' and other online sources. There is no reason that you need to play Scrooge this year just because the economy is tough. Santa has beaten many a recession in the past, and you can help him do so once again this year. And in the mean time, always remember that there is so much more to the season than gifts, cards, decorations, and food. Give the gift of God's love by going to church and taking your family with you if at all possible. It's the recession-proof gift that will keep on giving.