The Next Great Depression Is Just Around The Corner

U.S. Job Seekers Exceed Openings by Record Ratio Despite signs that the economy has resumed growing, unemployed Americans now confront a job market that is bleaker than ever in the current recession, and employment prospects are still getting worse. Job seekers now outnumber openings six to one, the worst ratio since the government began tracking open positions in 2000. According to the Labor Department’s latest numbers, from July, only 2.4 million full-time permanent jobs were open, with 14.5 million people officially unemployed. And even though the pace of layoffs is slowing, many companies remain anxious about growth prospects in the months ahead, making them reluctant to add to their payrolls. “There’s too much uncertainty out there,” said Thomas A. Kochan, a labor economist at M.I.T.’s Sloan School of Management. “There’s not going to be an upsurge in job openings for quite a while, not until employers feel confident the economy is really growing.” Duh. What the fuck do people expect? The United States wilingly destroyed its manufacturing base and outsourced most of the jobs. We all can’t be cashiers at WallyWorld. The last I heard, capitalism only works if folks got the money to buy shit. Hey, somebody tell that commie rat Marx to stop laughing. And lately, the only thing a Visa card is good for is cutting your throat. Maybe I’m wrong, but wouldn’t it be a great idea if this country made a serious investment in our infrastructure? Besides creating jobs, it would make me (and a bunch of other people) feel a lot better knowing the bridge I’m driving on ain’t gonna fall down. Fat chance. If the Republicans and the treasonous Blue Dog Democrats are able to kill the public option in Obama’s timid, not-so-ambitious health care plan, did you think they’ll let keep any of his other empty promises? No wonder my father idolized FDR. That was a president who knew how to get things done. As he told opponents of the New Deal, “They hate me, and I welcome their hatred.” Bipartisanship, my ass. In enacting sweeping social reforms, Roosevelt was more of a gangsta than Obama will ever be. Anyway, at least it'll be easy to find the unemployment office. Just follow the long long line over there.

It's All About Money

The Washington Post: Economic Fears Give Obama Clear Lead Over McCain in Poll Turmoil in the financial industry and growing pessimism about the economy have altered the shape of the presidential race, giving Democratic nominee Barack Obama the first clear lead of the general-election campaign over Republican John McCain, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News national poll. Just 9 percent of those surveyed rated the economy as good or excellent, the first time that number has been in single digits since the days just before the 1992 election. Just 14 percent said the country is heading in the right direction, equaling the record low on that question in polls dating back to 1973. More voters trust Obama to deal with the economy, and he currently has a big edge as the candidate who is more in tune with the economic problems Americans now face. He also has a double-digit advantage on handling the current problems on Wall Street, and as a result, there has been a rise in his overall support. The poll found that, among likely voters, Obama now leads McCain by 52 percent to 43 percent. Two weeks ago, in the days immediately following the Republican National Convention, the race was essentially even, with McCain at 49 percent and Obama at 47 percent. It's still the economy, stupid. It transcends race, age, gender, class, sexual orientation, and ideology. It's the 800-lb. gorilla taking a shit in the corner of the room and people can't ignore the smell anymore. Watching Wall Street go up and down like a speeding, out-of-control roller coaster will do that. Unemployment, foreclosures, the cost of everything spiraling up, up and away. As one of my favorite rap songs goes, "It's all about money, ain't a damned thing funny." In the end, corny as it sounds, the only color that voters are going to care about is going to be green. Translation: "Sure, the n--er, black guy is uppity, but he won't fuck up my 401K." Enlightenment isn't far behind when there's a dollar bill in your wallet dying of loneliness.

It's The Economy, Stupid