Americans Lack Confidence in Economic Recovery

[Tarheel]

At the risk of being a "Captain Obvious" I thought that I'd post some excerpts of a poll that Bloomberg conducted on the economy.  Despite the rosy and rosier spin that The ONE and his minions try to put on Economic news (and some of the news may be good; the jury is still out) Americans still feel (yes, I meant to use that word) that things are not getting better but, generally, worse.  Of course it's probably all Bush and Cheney's fault as we all know.  I tend to think that it's due more to the The ONE's lack of leadership and his Economic team's wedded bliss to the Keynesian Economic Theory on steroids e.g. it's never worked because no one has ever spent enough before!  Trillions later we're still on the edge of an abyss.

I'm just glad that gas prices are lower than they were when Bush was president...

Here are a few excerpts for your reading pleasure, all emphasis is my own:

Americans in Poll Lack Confidence in Economic Recovery
By Mike Dorning and Jonathan Salant - Mar 10, 2011

Only 1 American in 7 has faith a lasting economic recovery has taken hold and a plurality say they are personally worse off than they were two years ago.

Almost half of the respondents in a Bloomberg National Poll conducted March 4-7 believe the U.S. is in a “fragile” rebound and could fall back into recession. More than a third of the country believes the U.S. never emerged from recession.

Sixty-three percent of Americans say the nation is on the wrong track, compared with 66 percent who said so in December, which was the lowest in the national mood in the one and a half years the Bloomberg poll has been conducted.

The gloomy outlook contradicts economic data showing an economy on the mend, including six quarters of economic growth, a 95 percent rise in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index over the past two years and job growth last month of 192,000. The National Bureau of Economic Research officially dated the end of the recession to June 2009.

Almost half of poll respondents say they are personally worse off than they were two years ago, when the country was losing 796,000 jobs a month and the economy was shrinking at a 4.9 percent annual rate. The stock market hit its post-financial crisis low two years ago yesterday.

“There seems to be something of a disconnect between what people are feeling and what people are doing,” says J. Ann Selzer, whose Des Moines, Iowa-based firm, Selzer & Co., conducted the poll. “While admitting a recovery has at least started, the public still feels crummy. They may not feel it has started for them.”   
...
Tea Party supporters are even more bearish. A majority of them say the country is still in recession. Only 3 percent of Tea Party supporters see a recovery gathering strength.
...
The survey was conducted as two potential threats to the economic recovery emerged: a dispute in Congress over the federal budget that could lead to a government shutdown and a surge in oil prices since the beginning of unrest in Libya.
...
While the 8.9 percent unemployment rate in February is the lowest in 22 months, American workers have been slow to make up lost ground. Only 1.3 million U.S. jobs have been regained of the more than 8.7 million lost since January 2008.

“I don’t think it’s going to get much better,” says poll respondent Robert Lockhart, an 85-year-old retiree in Luray, Virginia. “Most of our jobs are overseas. They send the parts back here to put together. But your refrigerators, your TVs are produced overseas.”
...
While a 49 percent plurality say they are worse off than two years ago, the portion who say their situation has improved is rising, to 39 percent from 35 percent in December. Among people under 35, a 55 percent majority believes their personal situation is better than two years ago.

Concern over unemployment receded to 43 percent from 50 percent in December, though it remains the public’s top priority, ahead of the federal deficit.
...
4 out of 10 Americans believing home values in their neighborhood are declining while about the same number believe prices have stabilized. Another 17 percent believe home prices are rising.
...

Full article:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2011-03-10/americans-in-poll-show-little-confidence-with-plurality-perceiving-decline.html

[GH2001]

What a socialist dipshit leader we have.

Chris Christie 2012


I'm tired of the usual suspect gops running. I want fresh blood. I want another Reagan. I want Christie, Paul, Rubio, Bachman, even Demint.

[Tarheel]

What a socialist dippoop leader we have.

Chris Christie 2012


I'm tired of the usual suspect gops running. I want fresh blood. I want another Reagan. I want Christie, Paul, Rubio, Bachman, even Demint.

I"ve been meaning to post a separate thread on this subject...2012 that is...I've truly had enough of Huckabee, Gingrich, Pawlenty, and Haley Barbour.  This is the best we have to offer against The ONE?!

I like all of the candidates you mention with the exception of Ron Paul (unless you meant Rand Paul who would be a great candidate).  Christie is not going to run so we can count him out; Bachman, Rubio, DeMint, are all truly good possibilities; heck I like what I hear from Rep. Peter King (R-NY) as he started his hearing on radicalization of Muslims in America today.  He's a little older but he's got a no nonsense attitude that I like.

This next election is going to be one of the most difficult for any candidate.  The ONE and his minions including the MSM are sitting on Billions in campaign money.

[AUTiger1]

I"ve been meaning to post a separate thread on this subject...2012 that is...I've truly had enough of Huckabee, Gingrich, Pawlenty, and Haley Barbour.  This is the best we have to offer against The ONE?!

I like all of the candidates you mention with the exception of Ron Paul (unless you meant Rand Paul who would be a great candidate).  Christie is not going to run so we can count him out; Bachman, Rubio, DeMint, are all truly good possibilities; heck I like what I hear from Rep. Peter King (R-NY) as he started his hearing on radicalization of Muslims in America today.  He's a little older but he's got a no nonsense attitude that I like.

This next election is going to be one of the most difficult for any candidate.  The ONE and his minions including the MSM are sitting on Billions in campaign money.

Expound on Ron Paul?  I don't think I have ever read your reasoning behind not liking him?

[Snaggletiger]

Expound on Ron Paul?  I don't think I have ever read your reasoning behind not liking him?

I saw a little documentary film on Paul several years ago.  He was one of the few I have ever heard come out and say THIS is where I stand on this issue.  THIS is what I would do about...  THIS is what I propose doing.. No spin.  No straddling the fence.

Not only was he clear about his stance, I was in agreement on virtually everything he said.

[AUTiger1]

I saw a little documentary film on Paul several years ago.  He was one of the few I have ever heard come out and say THIS is where I stand on this issue.  THIS is what I would do about...  THIS is what I propose doing.. No spin.  No straddling the fence.

Not only was he clear about his stance, I was in agreement on virtually everything he said.

I like him personally, I agree with a lot of what he says and I do like the fact that he tells what he thinks and makes no bones about it. 

[Tarheel]

Expound on Ron Paul?  I don't think I have ever read your reasoning behind not liking him?

I disagree with some of his Foreign Policy issues namely being completely non-interventionist.  Sometimes we as America have got to intervene in foreign 'affairs' e.g. WWI and WWII for two examples.  The National interests of the United States extend beyond our borders and have since the beginning of our great republic (that's the Hamiltonian in me disagreeing with the Jefferson in me).  I have always had an issue with his strange criticism of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (even his son Rand got into some heat about his own position on this subject a couple of years ago).  The Civil Rights Act is not perfect legislation but it was the correct thing to do.  (However, don't get me started on the Voting Rights Act of 1965.)  And not to rehash this old issue again but he also has some unacceptable views about drug legalization (marijuana especially) which I disagree with completely.  On this issue he's said some wing-nut, conspiracy theory nonsense about 'big pharma' and the FDA.  I think he's done the same wing-nut thing about 9/11 but I might be mis-remembering the later.  He, like Huckabee, also prefers a more touchy-feely approach with criminals in capitol offense cases and is against the death penalty.  We've argued this one before too but I don't know if he's still for DADT or is he against it now?  I recall him changing his position on that between being a libertarian and/or a Republican and/or going back again to being a libertarian (or Republican?).  I think his criticism of the Patriot Act is off base.  And he's had some dalliances with extremist, white supremacist organizations.  And I'm sure I'm leaving out some other things too.

But, absolutely the worst of all, he's a Dookie.

[GarMan]

But, absolutely the worst of all, he's a Dookie.

Never, NEVER trust a Dookie.  You can't...

[Snaggletiger]

OOooooohhhh.....so the truth comes out.

ron paul..ron paul...Ron Paul...Ron Paul...RON PAUL...RON PAUL

[djsimp]

This next election is going to be one of the most difficult for any candidate.  The ONE and his minions including the MSM are sitting on Billions in campaign money.

Yep, funded by the Muslim Brotherhood.

[Tarheel]

Yep, funded by the Muslim Brotherhood.

and George Soros, the Teamsters, Hollyweird leftists galore, the gay mafia, the planned parenthood mafia, the MSM, the green mafia, the Bolsheviks, the Chi-comms, the Teacher's Unions, the State Workers Unions, the Federal Workers Unions, the African National Congress, the World Socialist Union, the UN, the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, the Black Panthers, the Weather Underground, the PLO, Hamas, the AFL-CIO, the Automobile Workers Union, SEIU,... 

[AUTailgatingRules]

and George Soros, the Teamsters, Hollyweird leftists galore, the gay mafia, the planned parenthood mafia, the MSM, the green mafia, the Bolsheviks, the Chi-comms, the Teacher's Unions, the State Workers Unions, the Federal Workers Unions, the African National Congress, the World Socialist Union, the UN, the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, the Black Panthers, the Weather Underground, the PLO, Hamas, the AFL-CIO, the Automobile Workers Union, SEIU,...

That list make you wonder why anyone with any sense would ever vote democrat

[GH2001]

That list make you wonder why anyone with any sense would ever vote democrat

This

[djsimp]

and George Soros, the Teamsters, Hollyweird leftists galore, the gay mafia, the planned parenthood mafia, the MSM, the green mafia, the Bolsheviks, the Chi-comms, the Teacher's Unions, the State Workers Unions, the Federal Workers Unions, the African National Congress, the World Socialist Union, the UN, the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, the Black Panthers, the Weather Underground, the PLO, Hamas, the AFL-CIO, the Automobile Workers Union, SEIU,...

At first I thought you was being sarcastic. On second thought, holy shit!!

[AUTiger1]

Count me in that boat.  The wife really wants me to buy 5 acres (part of her family's old farm that keeps getting broke up each generation) and I really don't want to.  It's not that we can't afford it, we can easily do that, but if the gov't decides to shut down then gov't contractors don't get paid and that means AUT1 will be sitting his ass at home until they pass a budget. 

The company is bidding on new work and we are winning it, but on those contracts the labor dollars were cut back in order to compete and if I have to move to one of those then my pay will cut.  It's not that I don't want to buy land, I am just not comfortable in doing so.

[GarMan]

Count me in that boat.  The wife really wants me to buy 5 acres (part of her family's old farm that keeps getting broke up each generation) and I really don't want to.  It's not that we can't afford it, we can easily do that, but if the gov't decides to shut down then gov't contractors don't get paid and that means AUT1 will be sitting his ass at home until they pass a budget. 

The company is bidding on new work and we are winning it, but on those contracts the labor dollars were cut back in order to compete and if I have to move to one of those then my pay will cut.  It's not that I don't want to buy land, I am just not comfortable in doing so.

Time for a new job?  Perhaps, a new career? 

I wouldn't be comfortable trusting my livelihood to those clowns in Washington, no matter what side of the political spectrum is in "control". 

[AUTiger1]

Time for a new job?  Perhaps, a new career?

I wouldn't be comfortable trusting my livelihood to those clowns in Washington, no matter what side of the political spectrum is in "control".

Probably both to be honest.  Would like to get out of the contract world.  The contract I am on is stable in the fact that the work will be there as long as we have missiles in the silos, but when the gov has no money, contractors don't receive money.

[AU_Tiger_2000]

Probably both to be honest.  Would like to get out of the contract world.  The contract I am on is stable in the fact that the work will be there as long as we have missiles in the silos, but when the gov has no money, contractors don't receive money.

I've worked for gov defense and space contractors since I got out of school in 2000.  I've managed to keep my ear to the ground and stay one step ahead of the axe man.  By the way, Boeing is about to be ramping up at the Jetplex.  I think some opening have already been posted.

[AUTiger1]

I've worked for gov defense and space contractors since I got out of school in 2000.  I've managed to keep my ear to the ground and stay one step ahead of the axe man.  By the way, Boeing is about to be ramping up at the Jetplex.  I think some opening have already been posted.

Thanks for the heads up.  I work in IA right now, but would kill to get back into the system admin world.