Skid Row Joe
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Senior Member
Joined: 04/26/2006
View Profile
|
topflite51 wrote:Call me cold hearted if you want. But, at least during the New Deal, Roosevelt put the unemployed to work on work projects. In CA, they had the CA Conservation Corp, they did quite a lot of work. Why is it now, our leaders(?) only work to extend unemployment benefits without requiring something in return? Do they feel that those textile jobs Tim of AL is talking about are coming back tomorrow? Or those lost in the automotive industry? What's the deal? Is our country so WELFARE oriented, we can't come up with work projects for the unemployed? I don't expect them to work only for what their benefits are, even if the money was doubled/tripled it would be cheaper in the long run. I think a lot of the unemployed in this country could be kept busy for a significant period of time in this country helping to repair our infrastructure. Will it solve everything? Nope. Will it help? Yep. Our elected leaders(?) have to learn to look outside the new era proverbial box just like FDR did in his era. Rise in crime, maybe, but it is lot harder to commit those crimes if you are working, instead of standing around. With unemployment at 5.5% anyone that wants a job can get one already. If there's no jobs where you are, move. People's debt is their problem, not lack of jobs.
I have a sweet tender nature, however I enjoy sharing my thoughts and opinions. 
Fulltiming RVer & homeowner.
|
Skid Row Joe
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Senior Member
Joined: 04/26/2006
View Profile
|
The Texan wrote:rshidler wrote:Very well said Grant ... This should chase all the "doom-and-gloom" folks away. But, alas, it won't! Not really, when I'm setting here in a small town and watch people choose between food and fuel, as their income is either the same as last year or even in many cases, diminished. Our insurance agent told us last week that her business is down 20% as people have to make choices and they are not renewing their policies. I could go on, but the picture here in our area is gloomy, not bright as some would like to picture it. The earlier times quoted by Grant, the people had money, but the goods were not there. Today is different in that the people don't have the money to purchase the goods, at the new highly inflated prices. Jobs are leaving the region as business owners close their doors for lack of customers. Sure we'll survive, but not as we are today. The people that have a large income have the attitude that the others are whiners, while the "whiners" are just trying to live a normal life, not an extravagant one. What does "watching people choose between food and fuel," mean? How do you know this by "watching." anyway? I read too many generalizations and assumptions here. People still have money, and they're still spending. Wal*Mart's own May year over year figures prove it. It's ridiculous to think think otherwise. For one thing, people with a handle on their debt are far more able to weather any situation than those heavily leveraged. Regardless of what they earn, some can handle it, and some can't. Those with no debt are that way because they chose that lifestyle, just as those in debt also chose it. With unemployment at 5.5% anybody that wants a job has one. That's nearly full-employment. People also can move, if they need to. There is no "high inflation" to report. That's a misnomer with today's data available. The consumer core inflation is in fact hovering near 3.0%, in spite of higher fuel prices. That's far from being "newly inflated prices." Fuel prices are not the problem here.
|
donsm60
Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 09/30/2005
View Profile
 Offline
|
Joe, I’m sure it’s my line of work. But there are folks out there having to choose between putting fuel in the tank or food for the family. When things were booming in construction here they were just floating by normal standards. Had one of my best longtime guys we laid off steal from us recently.
Imagine (dream) what we could do for the USA if in-fact we had the reserves available to not be dependant on foreign oil. If it was kept off the market we could do an about face in short time with good management. Far too many hands in the cookie jar for this to happen though.
|
Tim from Alabama
PERPLEXED
Senior Member
Joined: 04/07/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Since this is a fuel/oil forum, here are some numbers to figure out prices where you live and several other charts to figure out what is going on near you and nationally.
Fueling America - Special Reports from CNN.com
If I don't meet your expectations
Maybe you should lower your standards.
|
Tim from Alabama
PERPLEXED
Senior Member
Joined: 04/07/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
For those of you who are thinking about only 5.5% of Americans being unemployed, and that gas prices will make no difference to people's spending, use your calculation and figure out what 5.5% of the US population of over 300,000,000 people come to.
Where I live, gas prices are becoming so high, people are actually returning stuff to Walmart to get their money back to pay their bills. All those Walmart figures are company wide, and a small town like here is the exception to the rules.
|
|
|
Skid Row Joe
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Senior Member
Joined: 04/26/2006
View Profile
|
When my Mom and Dad got married in 1948, they moved 400 miles to get employment opportunity. When I was 22 yr. old, in 1973 I moved 500 miles, then 1,000 miles to get the jobs that I wanted.
What's the difference today? There is none.
|
topflite51
In The Desert of Nevada
Senior Member
Joined: 05/13/2004
View Profile
|
Tim from Alabama wrote:For those of you who are thinking about only 5.5% of Americans being unemployed, and that gas prices will make no difference to people's spending, use your calculation and figure out what 5.5% of the US population of over 300,000,000 people come to.
The rate is determined as the percentage of those in the labor force without jobs. NOT ON THE TOTAL POPULATION!
 David
Just rolling along enjoying life
|
Charlie D.
On The Road
Senior Member
Joined: 09/12/2006
View Profile
|
topflite51 wrote:Tim from Alabama wrote:For those of you who are thinking about only 5.5% of Americans being unemployed, and that gas prices will make no difference to people's spending, use your calculation and figure out what 5.5% of the US population of over 300,000,000 people come to.
The rate is determined as the percentage of those in the labor force without jobs. NOT ON THE TOTAL POPULATION!
Ah, but you forget about those who are no longer counted because they have run out of benefits, quit looking for work and those who are on perpetual subsidies and get enough handouts that they don't need to work.
Enjoying Your Freedom?
Thank A Veteran
Native Texan
|
Charlie D.
On The Road
Senior Member
Joined: 09/12/2006
View Profile
|
Skid Row Joe wrote:When my Mom and Dad got married in 1948, they moved 400 miles to get employment opportunity. When I was 22 yr. old, in 1973 I moved 500 miles, then 1,000 miles to get the jobs that I wanted.
What's the difference today? There is none.
I'll bet they and you, as I did, started with nothing and worked their way up. People don't want do do that any more. Beginning at the bottom, IMO, and working your way up builds character and appreciation for a job well done and respect for what you have.
Louisiana is 100,000 skilled people short for the construction that is going on. Trade scholls, located everywhere, have empty class rooms. People are being hired for $25-30 per hour and have no skills. I quit working at 57 being I could no longer deal with the hassle. A vast number of American's don't want to sacrifice.
As far as moving to start new jobs, many should but they have homes they can't sell them. If they can't sell them, they can't buy another.
|
Tim from Alabama
PERPLEXED
Senior Member
Joined: 04/07/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Skid Row Joe wrote:When my Mom and Dad got married in 1948, they moved 400 miles to get employment opportunity. When I was 22 yr. old, in 1973 I moved 500 miles, then 1,000 miles to get the jobs that I wanted.
What's the difference today? There is none. What's the difference?
Joe, you want to buy my house, a house i've spent the last 15 years working on making my home, which is almost paid for, so I can move to another location and find a job there, which if something happens and that job closes, I will have to move to another location, and you can buy that house?
|
|
|
|
