I added the quotes around “above expectations” in the title, but Reuters didn’t. They just keep not expecting what just keeps on happening.
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, pointing to a labor market that is struggling to regain momentum.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 418,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims rising to 410,000 from a previously reported 405,000.
“We’re just stuck in this trend between 410,000 and 430,000. Generally we’re just really not seeing any improvement but also not much worsening,” said Jeffrey Greenberg, an economist with Nomura Securities in New York.
What we’re seeing is the Obama economy, in which businesses have been slammed with so much certain punishment and uncertain regulation and requirements that no one is hiring. We have economic stagnation. If we continue to see inflation, we’ll end up with stagflation — a word right out of the Carter era.
That’s not a good thing.
Obama must be one powerful dude. Being responsible as he evidently is for the malaise which now has a death grip on the US. And I can understand why his opponents (and I don’t really like the guy, all that much, myself) find it convenient to blame him for the problems. It’s satisfying, reinforces their personal beliefs, and makes everything so much simpler.
No Obama — No Problems.
But it’s a ‘distraction’ as the man says repeatedly. The US is mired in a structural morass and Obama’s tinkering around the edges is having at most a minor effect upon the end results. Even if McCain were now President, the US would STILL be in the hurt locker. Big Time.
Most Americans understand at some instinctive level that things are dire, and that ,really, it’s not Obama’s sole or even prime fault. It is far past time that his opponents stop this simplistic blame game and tell the American people that things are not going to get any better for a LONG time. They may in fact even get worse. The economy is not going to self-correct just because the deck chairs in Washington are moved around a bit. The US is awash in debt and it’s ‘growth’ has pretty much been fueled for decades by creating even more debt.
This is why I don’t have a lot of respect for Obama’s opposition. They have seemingly as little clue about how to go forward as he does. Maybe even less. When is someone going to have the cojones to tell the sheeple that fubared is not just for the Military, and that no matter who is in charge, things are going to be ‘not good’ for a long time to come until the structural problems are addressed and hopefully corrected ?
At this point in the process, I don’t see much light in that tunnel. Even from an oncoming train.
“Most people agree at some instinctive level that it’s not Obama’s sole or even prime fault.” Really? I think most people think Obama is not serious about reforming entitlements (the major source of debt) and instead is focused primarily on unions, redistributing the wealth and increasing the role of government. The public understands that his far left wing policies are making the problems worse. The solution is the tea party principles: reduce spending, reform entitlements, limited government.
In Europe, Social Democrats….even Communists…are out in the open about who they are and what they want.
In the U.S., the very same ideological bent is hidden behind words like “liberal”, “progressive”, “elite”, and “mainstream media”.
The masquerade confuses some people. It shouldn’t.
Small c communists and socialists here…own the Democratic Party. And the large media empire. And academia in the soft “sciences”. And entertainment.
So, they have a vice grip on pop culture and on messaging. (two things where the Republicans basically stopped competing seriously long ago)
Social Democrats have not been “outed” and they are not “tinkering” with our free market economy. They have seized it and they want to keep their secret as long as they can. They are “redistributing”….making class and racial warfare a centerpiece of their game plan…and will use their propaganda arm in the media to naysay anyone who points at the obvious.
The two systems don’t mix. Free market and small c communism are not compatible.
One will kill the other and destroy it. My issue isn’t an unwillingness to debate the two systems…it is the vile and despicable lack of honor, integrity, loyalty, morals, scruples and decency that defines what leftism is in this country that bothers me most. They have to tell a mountain of lies to implant their ideology….most of which…essentially hates the host country, its people and its system.
I’m happy to face the liars and cowards…but they would just lie about whatever took place when we were done anyway.
Until we confront that reality…we are wasting time and breath.
Your missing piece. The bipartisan public/private parternship has long been forged in the American system. When I speak of ‘biaprtisan’ I’m not makiing reference to any politicians. America’s private sector has long seen some kind(s) of benefit and become willing partners. Now, the private sector is squabbles over regulations and taxes but never the money handed them within a zillion means of federal government subsidies. States likewise, have a public/private partnership granting subsidies of all sorts.
The American people across all political lines, have been enamored with Europe for decades. They bought into European model and now that its has sunk virtually to the oceans floor, they want to point fingers of blame everywhere but themselves. Then comes all the politcal ilk running about declaring cure after cure if only you will buy my snake oil.
Now you’re making sense. Recent election cycles show (at Open Secrets) that businesses contribute to D & R campaigns equally, actually more to Ds in the 2008 and 2010. As Will Rogers said: “This Congress is the best that money can buy.”
As long as the next ‘cure’ involves transferring money from the middle class to corpies and other feudal wannabes, it’s all the same path to feudalism, slower or faster.
I must admit I am stumped by an inability to identify Obama’s culpability in our fiscal problems or that someone could find it is merely “convenient to blame him for the problems.”
While his political opponents are certainly capable of over-simplifying the matter, that is the nature of politics and is anything but exclusive to them specifically.
Indeed, our national debt problems have long been in the making and both parties share some responsibility for that. I also agree that we have serious structural problems that must be addressed. In short, we have finally reached the point where it is clear that we cannot afford all the government that Americans demand. However, it is Bam-Bam and his cronies in Congress that have made trillion dollar plus deficits the new norm.
One would think that borrowing 42 cents of every dollar Washington spends would be an adequate signal. THAT is exclusive to the Obama era and the man has made it clear that he has every intent of continuing to do so.
I would submit that he has done nothing right. The sheer growth of government, in spending, workforce and regulation he has enacted on top of the precarious situation he inherited is mind-boggling. At least as equally as damaging are his constant threats of more taxes and more regulation at every turn.
Indeed, a new president will not provide a “turning on the light switch” solution to all the nation’s ills but Obma is reckless and dangerous, and people should say so.
Agreed, as long as we keep in mind that Bush ran a deficit the last 6 years of his administration, and grew government spending about 50%.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2008/pdf/hist.pdf
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The Obama administration are Fabian Socialists and disciples of the Cloward – Piven Straregy. They’re goal is to collapse the dollar as soon as possible. Why are people ignorant of these policies?
Whoa people – take ‘Obys bent’ back to its source and the source of so many of ‘our closeted communist politicians’- the inspirational teachings of Saul David Alinsky.
In 1985 the powers of this ‘Draconian movement’ deduced that the time was right to surge forward – in for what was to them a ‘more open attack’ on the weakening Religious structure in the USA!
Alinsky was Obamas mentor – Oby learned his ‘organizational skills from Alinsky’ – collecting and organizing ‘acorns’ into ‘social storm troops’ became a passion!
Read Alinsky – understand where Obys connection with Bill Aires was formed.
Read and learn – this movement is strong and surging – it has been bootlegged into our Unions – our Educational Structure – our Social Programs – learn before it is to late!
Saul David Alinsky and Barrack Hussein Obama – understand them – see where we are headed!