Re: Bush Sez "The Economy is "GREAT"????


"Alan Lichtenstein" <arl@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:lNGdnd3bpbIeMCbbnZ2dnUVZ_g2dnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxx
Jerry Okamura wrote:


"Alan Lichtenstein" <arl@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:wZqdnRo_EZmDwybbnZ2dnUVZ_u6rnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxx

Jerry Okamura wrote:


"Islander" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:6ZWdndYQrdndoCbbnZ2dnUVZ_tbinZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

John H. Fisher wrote:

Bush Sez "The Economy is "GREAT"????

HOW GREAT IS IT???? Why is it we now pay more for a pound of fruit
or vegetables than we do for a pound of meat or poultry??? Why is it
that the price of goods and services have increased FAR BEYOND the
"average increase in income"???? How does the increase in income to
the ultra wealthy contribute to that "average increase in income"???

How much worse off is your situtation than it was yesterday??? Are
you more afraid of Al-Quaida than you are of a bridge falling while
you are on it??? How much more afraid of the overall failure of the
infra-structure, the loss of life as a result of an illegal war, and
impending bankruptcy of yourself AND THIS NATION, than you are the of
result of incompetence and criminality of the current
administration???

How much more is being confiscated from your Social Security, each
year, to pay for medical insurance??? How little have raises in SS
contributed to offsetting your cost of living increases???


Don't forget the cost of housing. The Affordability Index, published by the National Association of Realtors, has plunged 20 points nationally over the past three years and more in the northeast and west.



Which means what? That those who own homes are making out like a bandit, in certain parts of the country, and not so good in other parts of the country? That perhaps, the government should not take so much out of each paycheck to pay for their pet projects, which would allow more people to be able to buy that home?


Jerry, once again, you are unable to fathom the inferred concept in the OP's post, as well as Islander's response.

If you carefully read the OP's post, and perhaps Striper's remarks, you see that the underlying concept is that the economy is rapidly diverging society into a have and have-not class, consequently reducing the middle class.

Islander easily picked up that thought, and added that the Affordability Index plunging downward, is an indication and strong suggestion that the mass society is becoming increasingly priced out of the market for houses. Even if houses were to rise in price( as they generally do, over time ), if salaries and incomes of the working middle class rise, then affordability remains low. This index seems to reveal that wages and salaries and total income are NOT keeping pace, and therefore suggesting a problem such as I mentioned above, and such as Striper suggested as well. And a problem which Islander had no trouble understanding.

The relevant question it seems to me is why are salaries and income for working middle class american not rising? Who are these people? What are their levels of education? What percentage of their income is taken away from them through various taxes direct or indirect, and what would be the effect, "if" they got to keep more of the money? Here in Hawaii with the median price of a home or condominium at ridiculously high levels, how can you change the dynamics at work, if you do not figure out a way to increase the availability of jobs that pay well, and have the workers that can do the job. What policies can you possibly adopt, that would make homes more affordable, without hurting another segment of our society, which in this case would be those who already own a home?

Jerry, for the most part we're talking about middle class working people, both blue collar and white collar. Blue collar people have had their jobs eliminated and white collar people have had their jobs outsourced. At one time, corporations shared their wealth by employing these Americans, who, through their salaries, were able to purchase the consumed goods that the corporations produced. Now, when their jobs are outsourced, they no longer share in the corporation's profits, so they fall behind. Yet the corporation, because it can move capital, still provides income as profit to its investors, hence, the increasing income gap.

You do know that the employement trend is that fewer workers are woring for big corporations don't you?

Education is relevant, only to the extent that it provides certain people with entry into possible job categories. The simple fact, Jerry, is that we just don't have enough jobs here of sufficient salary to permit our population to share in the fruits of production. Why do you suppose we're living on credit, Jerry?

The 'affordable housing' issue is only symptomatic of the larger problem of the income gap between the higher income individuals and the middle class, which is rapidly being eliminated. The one thing that made America economically strong is the existence of a large middle class. That, Jerry is changing, as all the statistics demonstrate. As I said, previously, when wages rose because workers shared in the fruits of production, it didn't matter if real estate prices rose. Now, Jerry, it does.

The solution, Jerry, is to give workers a greater share of the corporate profits through wages. And that means, Jerry, that you can't outsource their jobs.

.

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  • Re: Bush Sez "The Economy is "GREAT"????
    ... Jerry, once again, you are unable to fathom the inferred concept in the OP's post, as well as Islander's response. ... If you carefully read the OP's post, and perhaps Striper's remarks, you see that the underlying concept is that the economy is rapidly diverging society into a have and have-not class, consequently reducing the middle class. ... This index seems to reveal that wages and salaries and total income are NOT keeping pace, and therefore suggesting a problem such as I mentioned above, and such as Striper suggested as well. ... Here in Hawaii with the median price of a home or condominium at ridiculously high levels, how can you change the dynamics at work, if you do not figure out a way to increase the availability of jobs that pay well, and have the workers that can do the job. ...
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  • Re: Bush Sez "The Economy is "GREAT"????
    ... Why is it we now pay more for a pound of fruit ... Jerry, once again, you are unable to fathom the inferred concept in the OP's post, as well as Islander's response. ... This index seems to reveal that wages and salaries and total income are NOT keeping pace, and therefore suggesting a problem such as I mentioned above, and such as Striper suggested as well. ... Here in Hawaii with the median price of a home or condominium at ridiculously high levels, how can you change the dynamics at work, if you do not figure out a way to increase the availability of jobs that pay well, and have the workers that can do the job. ...
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  • Re: Average Joe Will Stir Up Class Envy
    ... > terms of income, wealth, education or any other meaningful measure. ... > the last eight years telling those in the middle class that they're ... > household income did grow just 18% over the past 30 years. ... Jerry, he's claiming a negative, and common sense as well as logic tells you that you can't prove a negative. ...
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