"The Private Sector is doing fine" revisited---Nice graph here to support your point of view on this statement, whether you agree or disagree with it.

This graph is as simple as it gets when looking at the change in private and public sector jobs since the advent of the recession in December of 2007 (the official end of the recession was declared in June 2009).

It is divided up into 2 year segments (I assume some overlap).  From 2008 to 2010 net job LOSSES (jobs added minus jobs lost) in the private sector were 6,833,659.

From 2010 to 2012 there was a net job GAIN of 3,936,444. 

The difference between these two numbers will result in a "jobs deficit" relative to pre December 2007.  In other words, we are short 2,897,215 jobs to get us back to where we were just before the recesson hit. In percent terms we have recovered 58% of the jobs lost.

If you do the same math for the public sector (Government jobs at the local, state, and federal level) you will find a deficit of 443,969 jobs.

Now you know....

Source: EMSI

Nice, short video "It's a Wonderful Life! (without Capitalism)". If you are able to watch this, well, thank a Capitalist even if it hurts to do so....

A short video illustrating what it might be (would be?) like without the daily trappings of Capitalism. 

The "macro" view of the video demonstrates how markets have elevated our standard of living in ways that we don't perceive or acknowledge on a daily basis.  They have become so intergrated in our lives we forget how they came to be.

The "micro" view is that it pokes fun at the sunshine (only protests when it is convenient or popular)  "Occupier".

On both accounts, I enjoyed this.  :)

The first statement for a new candidate for President. Please support him (me). God Bless America!!

I have created (I think it is original) a composite Presidental Candidate named "Barmitt Robamneya".  The follow is a merging of gaffes of the two running for the office right now to form Robamneya's first statement regarding his own candidacy. Will you vote for him (me)??

I am Barmitt Robamneya and I approve this message: “You did not build those whole binders full of women. Someone else did that because I like being able to fire people who provide services to me. Hold on one second, sweetie, I’m in this race because I care about Americans. I’m not concerned about the very poor, because I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody. There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what, so it's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns. I've now been in 57 states -- I think one left to go. I’m not familiar precisely with exactly what I said, but I stand by what I said. Whatever it was. God Bless America…”
 

Thank you.  :)

Both candidates are "LYING" when they say they are not going to raise your taxes. If you think a Tariff is NOT a tax then move on. You will not be interested in this posting...

Ok, maybe "lying" is a little harsh.  However, I am perplexed by politicians. Guessing I am not alone.

Both President Obama and Gov Romney have pledged to not raise taxes on the "Middle Class".  Seem pretty adamant about it.

However, they both seem to accept, rather proudly in fact, tariffs as a punitive measure against "foreigners", specifically China but it could be any country.

Obama: ""When I said that we had to make sure that China was not flooding our domestic market with cheap tires, Governor Romney said I was being protectionist, that it wouldn’t be helpful to American workers. Well, in fact we saved a thousand jobs, and that’s the kind of tough trade actions that are required"".

Romney:  On day one, I will label China a currency manipulator, which will allow me as president to be able to put in place, if necessary, tariffs where I believe that they are taking unfair advantage of our manufacturers.
 

Tariffs ARE taxes imposed on imports coming in to the US.  They serve to increase the price of those imports for consumers! That is what they are supposed to do in order to protect a domestic producer from foreign competition in the name of "fairness".

 Most of the things that are subject to the HIGHEST tariffs are purchased by low income and middle class people. 

Am I being to condemning to suggest that BOTH candidates are "lying" when it comes to saying they are not going to raise taxes on the American people. 

Do you have ANY idea how much you pay in TOTAL in tariffs on the goods you buy from those scary foreigners?  I don't either, but I will come up with some examples for you. Stay tuned.

"They see me blog-rollin'. They Hatin'"...I am the Chamillionaire of blogs...

If you look at my blog roll to the right of this page you will see the blogs and other sources I visit on a daily basis (several/many times a day) to learn, gather information, find things to post here and, in general, amuse myself.  It is quite a long list! 

Source: Brad Delong

I consider this my hobby (don't play golf anymore and don't spend much time watching stuff on TV--other than news and news analysis) and it helps me as an Economics teacher to stay up on current events and trends in political and economic thinking. I think it adds value to me as a citizen as well as a teacher. 

However, as of late there are some blogs I just cannot bring myself to click on anymore.  Not that they don't have pertinent or useful information, but because of the caustic, partisan nature in which they present their ideas or policy analysis.  It is difficult to know what is valid and not valid when information is filtered through such a clouded lens.

Otherwise intelligent and fascinating academics with great ideas are sinking to the lowest common denominator in terms of personal attacks.  This is not helpful to the "great unwashed" like me who just want some semblance of decorum and professionalism when reading what they have to say.

Oh, well, I am just having a "blah, blah, blah"  moment.

I will let the two dogs in the cartoon sum up my feelings about the current state of blogging...

Note: If you are not sure about the reference to Chamillionaire in my title, well, enjoy this: