The Stimulus Worked, GarMan!

[Tarheel]

You see, GarMan, The Pharaoh's Stimulus Plan actually did work and would have worked better.  We idiot conservatives acting in our own, selfish political reasons refuse to accept that fact.  The stimulus simply wasn't big enough!  It needed to be bigger.  Even the CBO is in agreeance on this assertion.  (Unfortunately the Bureau of Labor Statistics report on the 9% unemployment rate is not used {http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000}...nor is the Bureau of Economic Analysis gross GDP of 1% ever cited for evidence to the contrary {http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/gdp/gdpnewsrelease.htm}.  Facts are stubborn things...but who wants to wager that The Pharaoh's new "Jobs Plan" to be announced next week will be another stimulus?)

From the New Republic, all emphasis is my own (this ought to wind-up GarMan):

One More Time: The Stimulus Worked
Jonathan Cohn
August 30, 2011

Republicans and their allies keep saying the Recovery Act didn't work. The experts keep saying that it did. The latest is the Congressional Budget Office, which this week released a new economic projection and, in so doing, confirmed its earlier finding that the Recovery Act succeed in its primary goal: Saving or creating jobs in order to offset the effects of the recession.
 
As of June, the agency says, between 1.0 and 2.9 million more people are working because of the Recovery Act. And that figure actually seems to understates the impact.
 
Not only did more people find jobs; more people who had jobs worked additional hours. Throwing those additional hours into the mix, CBO determined that the Recovery Act's net impact was the equivalent of between 1.4 and 4.0 million additional full-time jobs.
 
The Obama Administration had predicted the Recovery Act would create 3.5 million jobs, which is towards the upper boundary of the CBO's estimates but certainly within its range.  It's also roughly consistent with projections from other authorities. The problem with the Recovery Act was that it needed to be even larger, and create or save even more jobs, because the recession was so deep...Keyensian stimulus actually boosts employment.
...

Full story:
http://www.tnr.com/blog/jonathan-cohn/94367/one-more-time-the-stimulus-worked

Link to the CBO report cited in the article:
http://cbo.gov/ftpdocs/123xx/doc12385/08-24-ARRA.pdf

[GarMan]

Yeah!  And, extending unemployment benefits again and again and again actually boosts the economy too!!!

These people have no shame... 

[Saniflush]

Yeah!  And, extending unemployment benefits again and again and again actually boosts the economy too!!!

These people have no shame sense...

fixt

[RWS]

Not only did more people find jobs; more people who had jobs worked additional hours. Throwing those additional hours into the mix, CBO determined that the Recovery Act's net impact was the equivalent of between 1.4 and 4.0 million additional full-time jobs.

Yeah, working more hours because of the additional workload due to our employers not hiring people. It's cheaper to pay a little overtime here and there, rather than hire a new full time worker, pay benefits, etc etc. I think we're just seeing more of employers running their people ragged.

[GarMan]

Yeah, working more hours because of the additional workload due to our employers not hiring people. It's cheaper to pay a little overtime here and there, rather than hire a new full time worker, pay benefits, etc etc. I think we're just seeing more of employers running their people ragged.

I believe that we're seeing a president who is merely doing the same thing as Carter while expecting a different (or better) result.  It didn't work out then, and it won't work out now. 

[AUJarhead]

I believe that we're seeing a president who is merely doing the same thing as Carter while expecting a different (or better) result.  It didn't work out then, and it won't work out now.

Unfortunately, I don't see a Republican like Reagan now, who can unfuck the situation.

[AUTiger1]

Yeah, working more hours because of the additional workload due to our employers not hiring people. It's cheaper to pay a little overtime here and there, rather than hire a new full time worker, pay benefits, etc etc. I think we're just seeing more of employers running their people ragged.

Been happening since 08 in the DoD field.  Contracts are not being awarded for the most part.  Some are not getting the additional funding they thought.  Some have got funding and are holding on to it to see what happens next.  If they can get the work done by distributing it around and give people more work, then they aren't going to hire anyone.   

[GarMan]

Been happening since 08 in the DoD field.  Contracts are not being awarded for the most part.  Some are not getting the additional funding they thought.  Some have got funding and are holding on to it to see what happens next.  If they can get the work done by distributing it around and give people more work, then they aren't going to hire anyone.

All of the employers are taking advantage of it, except for the government of course.  Contractors and consulting firms are another story.  Most figure that you're not going to find another job opportunity easily. 

[GarMan]

Unfortunately, I don't see a Republican like Reagan now, who can unfuck the situation.

I don't agree.  There are a few possibilities with the sense to influence economic growth, but the "front-runners" don't impress me at all. 

[AUJarhead]

I don't agree.  There are a few possibilities with the sense to influence economic growth, but the "front-runners" don't impress me at all.

Yes, the more I think about it, it's the "front runners" that disappoint me.

[AUJarhead]

Contractors and consulting firms are another story.  Most figure that you're not going to find another job opportunity easily.

Preach on.  I've been looking for almost 2 years at something that pays decent for me to stop traveling.  Nothing.

[GarMan]

Preach on.  I've been looking for almost 2 years at something that pays decent for me to stop traveling.  Nothing.

Tell me about it...  I'm in the exact same situation.  I do finally have an interview with a recruiter on Friday but it's still a road warrior opportunity.  Hopefully, I'll be moving from a systems implementation role to more of a management consulting role. 

[AUJarhead]

Tell me about it...  I'm in the exact same situation.  I do finally have an interview with a recruiter on Friday but it's still a road warrior opportunity.  Hopefully, I'll be moving from a systems implementation role to more of a management consulting role.

What software do you install?  I've been doing PeopleSoft implementations for 14+ years.

[CCTAU]

Yeah, working more hours because of the additional workload due to our employers not hiring people. It's cheaper to pay a little overtime here and there, rather than hire a new full time worker, pay benefits, etc etc. I think we're just seeing more of employers running their people ragged.

What the hell is overtime?

[Tarheel]

Unfortunately, I don't see a Republican like Reagan now, who can unfudge the situation.

I pointed this out sometime last week but I heard Marco Rubio's speech at the Reagan Library last Tuesday and it was remarkable; while I would not say that he was channeling Reagan he certainly resonated with me as the kind of man that Reagan was.  I certainly wish that he would run but he may well end up as a VP running-mate for the eventual nominee.

[GarMan]

What software do you install?  I've been doing PeopleSoft implementations for 14+ years.

Recently, I've been more focused on niche solutions for ICM/SPM using Callidus, Varicent and Oracle IC, but I've also worked on Oracle e-Biz and PeopleSoft implementations.  The ICM/SPM solutions also require considerable integration with HR, Payroll and A/P functionality provided by the larger software solutions. 

[Snaggletiger]

Whatever...I just took a job setting up beach chairs and umbrellas in front of a hotel in Destin.  I keep all tips.  The work's a little seasonal but the tips are skrate up gravy, bitches.

[AUTiger1]

All of the employers are taking advantage of it, except for the government of course.  Contractors and consulting firms are another story.  Most figure that you're not going to find another job opportunity easily.

By DoD, I mean contractors.  I don't work for the gov't.  I don't think I would want to.

Contractors are not hiring right now, even the ones that have money and those that have been awarded new contracts are not hiring many.  What more are doing are pulling at risk contract people into these jobs at either the same pay or a bit of a paycut.  If you are in danger of losing your job, most people would rather make 90% of what they are currently making than to make no money at all.

Our company is killing our poor admin assistant.  She is now covering our dept, which was awarded a new contract to go along with the current task order.  Then Business Development also pulls her down for work instead of hiring someone full time.  No raise, no promotion, but more than twice the work.  She is also salary so it doesn't matter if she works 80 hours or 40 hours, she makes the same. 

[GH2001]

Yes, the more I think about it, it's the "front runners" that disappoint me.

Yep...the media is once again (mainly Fox) pushing some neocons to the front like they did McCain, Giuliani and Romney in 2008.

Get ready to hear non-stop Perry and Romney the rest of the year. Let's fuck this up again like we did in 2008....