Washington (CNN) - More than half of all Americans think unemployment is the most important economic issue facing the country, according to a new national poll.
Fifty-six percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey say joblessness is the most pressing economic issue right now. That's more than double the 22 percent who listed the federal budget deficit as the most important economic issue.
The poll's Thursday release comes as the government reports that the number of Americans filing first time claims for unemployment insurance surged to a two-month high last week. The Labor Department says there were 482,000 initial jobs claims filed in the week ending on January 16, up 36,000 from the week before.
"Today's new jobless figures may not come as a surprise to most Americans," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Seven in ten Americans say the economic news they have heard recently is bad news - and a third say they have heard no good economic news at all in recent weeks."
The survey also indicates that eight in 10 say that the economy is in poor shape, and only 37 percent believe it will get better within the next two years. More than four in 10 feel it will take more than three years for the economy to bounce back.
So who's to blame for the tough economic times? It seems more people blame the Republicans than the Democrats, although that margin is shrinking.
According to the poll, 39 percent say the Republicans are responsible for the current economic problems, with 32 percent saying it's the Democrats fault. Just over one in four say both parties are equally responsible. The 39 percent of people questioned who say the GOP is to blame for the current economic problems is down from 50 percent last January, when President Barack Obama took over in the White House.
"The White House has repeatedly made the case that they weren't responsible for the economic mess Obama inherited last year," says Holland. "That argument made sense to most Americans back then and many still agree with it today. But as time goes on, more Americans seem to be wondering what the party in power on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue has done to help the economy."
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted January 8-10, with 1,021 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report
Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn
From CNN Politics
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I love how the low information crowd spouts off with platitudes like, "we're sick of bailouts and government spending– we want jobs!"
Just stop and think how much worse unemployment would be if GM and Chrysler went out of business and all the stimulus projects had not been funded.
Obama's fariy tail fantasy is over. The reality that America can't afford his style of government has set in. The reality that Obama's campaign was a stream of broken promises has set in. The reality that the Dems push to pass health care became a corrupt process of corrupt behind closed doors deals to get just enough votes to pass it, for the sake of passing a bill the people don't want. There is nothing in the hope and change message of Obama's campaign to be found in the reality of his failed presidency.
All Pelosi and Obama care about is jamming their big gov't socialism through.
I'll have to admit, the Administration is not responsible for all of the unemployment in America right now.
But, when they promise to solve it if we let them spend $785 billion ( against strong, logical opposition )...they get the money and then blow it on everything but jobs and the situation gets much worse...they ARE responsible for that and do need to answer for it.
"Just over one in four say both parties are equally responsible."
I guess 1 out of 4 ain't bad...at least someone understands.
democrat + republican = Gambino + Gotti
And what has Obama done about it?
Nothing.
Where are the jobs Obama? We are all happy some teachers and police and firefighters did not lose their jobs. Obama has increased the size of government and with it the number of government jobs. But what about the rest of us. Not everyone can work for the government. The number of jobs lost in the private sector since the stimulus was passed out numbers by millions the number of government jobs created. Obama said if the stimulus was passed right away unemployment would not go over 8% and if it was not passed it would go up to 9%. It is 10% and may be still going up. By my math the stimulus and Obama policies have made things worse than if he had done nothing at all.
I agree that jobs are/should be the number one issue. However, I think it's too bad that more Americans don't realize how integral the rest of our economy (ie rising health care costs, financial instituions that don't have America's interests at heart) are to creating more jobs. I think it's really bad that we have one of the two major political parties in this country promoting the mis-understanding of those facts for their own political gain; ie the Republican Party.
Jobs, jobs, jobs. As the saying goes "it's the economy, stupid."
Uh....too bad they didn't think of that before they elected a SOCIALIST president. We're only seeing the tip of the unemployment iceberg. January 2013 is a long way off. ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES PEOPLE!!!
Duh! Anyone with half a brain could have figured that one out.
ya think???
I can't spend money, if I don't have a job.
I can't pay the Kings Ransom (taxes), if I don't have a job.
I can't help the people in Haiti, if I don't have a job.
I can't pay my bills, if I don't have a job.
Both parties are to blame vote them ALL out one seat at a time.
why have your news coverage been so negitive about the president. you guys have never brought race into the republicans opinion about the president. i think right wing racist have taken control of the Gop. i would wish you guys will be brave enough to tell the truth. where would be if we would have put the people back in charge that for eight years ruined the country. give our president the time we gave bush.
If the banks are going to be stringent on lending
money for businesses to grow or start up, how on
earth are jobs going to come back. Obama has been
castigated by the GOP for not creating jobs, even
though he has proposed a stimulus and things have
started to improve a bit, but if we just cut taxes like the
Republicans want to do, the businesses will just
pocket the money or go offshore , and there will be
less jobs and less health care, because the Republicans
don't want health care and want to screw the workers
break the unions , and take advantage of cheap offshore
labor. Let's get real about this. When McCain says we
gotta start over on health care...you read between the
lines. What he really means is NEVER ON MY WATCH !
Duh. Of course JOBS are #1. However, let me remind those of you who were children or were not around yet, then, that back in 1983 when Ronald Reagan was president the unemployment was also at 10%. And we survived.
And for the past year this administration has been sitting on it's thumbs trying to cram health care down our throats while millions are out of a job. Poor judgement on all the politicians involved. For one thing if you're unemployed how are you expected to pay for obamacare in the first place? Since you couldn't, would that meant the IRS would fine/jail you for non-payment? If so than at least you would have a roof over your head, free meals and medical care while in prison.
It was not possible for Obama to fix all the ills of our economy in one year. Obama however has not helped the economy grow at all. At this point we should have seen some hard core sines of growth after spending $787 billion. Some still say that the stimulus worked but we all know what Obama promised and what he delivered were two different things. He has not slowed or stopped the job losses. Nor has he grown the private sector that employs most of us. Instead he just moved right on to his next objective and that is what i think has most people upset.
No kidding! Too bad Obama can't figure that out and realize government cannot create jobs..............private sector creates jobs and his policies are job killers. As an employer our Unemployment rate more than doubled from the previous year.........you think that's gonna help me recover and hire more people? You think Obama and the Democrats using businesses both small and large as ATM machines is going to help jobs? Wake up people it's those big bad businesses and small busineeses that you hate so much that stimulate the economy, not giving handouts to people who don't want to work!
It is sad that this administration could not connect jobs as the number one concern. I hope now and following the election outcome in November, that this administration and the liberal left will realize that tax payers vote too.
This congress and administration leave the impression that they think they are governing with monopoly money and that tax payers can afford to fund every liberal dream that comes up. Sure people want health care, but most of those screaming the loudest know they will never pay a dime for it, it will be a new entitlement that tax payers will provide them. This sense of entitlement has to end, everybody should be contributing to the common good. Sure, there should be a safety next, but you should not live on that safety net for your entire life, nor pass it on to your children.
I am hopeful that tax payers send a similar message in November.
THAT SUPRISES ME, I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS THE DEFICIT, OH WELL, BLAME BUSSH AND GET BACK TO SPENDING
One would think that jobs would be a higher priority to generate money than health care to spend it, perhaps we stupid voters just cannot see the lofty goals for us from those clowns in all three houses.
I was taught that you worked and saved before you spent and spent and spent, I guess all of those people were wrong.
Now that the flood gates have been opened allowing unions and corporations to contribute directly we will see some change just like Barry promised.
I stil want to see our elected officials wearing jump suits with their sponsors logo's just so we know who owns them.
Yup, here's some more of that change you Dems voted for. Are you kool aid sippers starting to run out of that sweet sugar that made your drink taste so good last year? What do you mean you can't afford to buy it now.
It is going to get worse people, Odumbo has no idea what he's doing and you stupid lazy Dems voted him in. Well you got what you wished for. Maybe next time you will vote with your brain and not your....... What am talking about, Dems dont have brains, look who's in the white house.
2010/2012 REAL Change is coming
What is it about unemployment that liberals don't get? Jobs are created by the basic motive of making a profit. You cannot tax and spend American Business into prosperity! Get a clue PLEASE!
I think President Obama is finally getting the message.
This should have been Obamas' top prioriety instead of healthcare, and Cap and Trade ! He and the progressives still haven't got that message even after Tuesday ! ! What, it appears, may have to happen is recall elections, in those states that permit them !
These people are absolutely amazing ! ! !
Americans fail to remember that the country was screwed up by George W Bush for eight long years and it will take time and patienc to get people back on their feet. It's only one year into this President's reign and I think Americans are expecting to wave a "MAGIC- WAND" and create jobs immediately.This will eventually happen but it will take time. If George Bush and Dick Cheney were still incharge I guarantee everyone that the unemployment rate would have been 20% by now. I say to the republicans to keep their mouths shut until their mess has been cleaned up.
Jobs are number one, yet everything this administration is working on is killing jobs.
Every business in the country is afraid to invest because they are afraid how much they will be penalized by Health Care or Environmental Legislation.
It is baffling to me how people think that their dumb choices over the last eight years is going to change overnight. This is what you wanted, it's what you voted for. You love to be dictated to and watch the rich get richer while you get dogged so you will have something to complain about because that is what you really want to do! You don't want change, you want suffering and that is what you are getting served and since you voted for it why don't you just shut up and enjoy it!
But I do have a solution, Obama can make change is we get rid of all of the cotton old heads on both sides of the party lines when election roles around and vote in nice young people with forward ideas instead of past opression. This is if you are really seeking change. You can't make change with the same old lyers, cheaters and KKK members in the senate and Congress! Clean house and start with a new slate of people who are really there to help the President make change for a better America! We don't need the past dictating any longer on either side we need the future to come and work together!
And I see that again this morning we are reporting record job losses. It might have helped it all that "stimulus"" money wasn't given to the unions and other left wing supporters. Now, that some of the political payoffs are done, Obozo wants more to actually tackle what needs to be done. This idiot is ruinining our country. How do you all like how he fixed the credit card situation? Have you noticed how your rates and fees have gone up even more while the availability has gone down. That is what the unions and George Soros gave us for a president.
Dont worry friends,its just a case of Corporate blackmail.International and American based companies dont care about Americans,they are in a race to the bottom.As soon as you accept half the current standard wage they will throw us a bone and bring a few jobs back from India and China.You really must learn to love globalism,its good for you ,like eating your carrots.hahaha
Don't worry Obama walks on water he will save his people.
The boat is sinking..lets rearrange the deck chairs. It is has been and always will be about the economy. Problem is Obama and his guys have a left wing view of the economy. Provide reasonable regulation and oversight and let the economy run...it will recover. Then tackle the issues that this administration has already failed on. Gotts tell you...Jimmy Carter has a challenger for the worst president ever.
The American people get it, why don't the dems?
The dems keep popping up on TV telling us what they think the American public wants: health care reform. WRONG! They want to be earning a paycheck, not paying for the bleeding heart, socialist agenda of one man.
Politicians want people to get a good education, so they'll be able to contribute to our economy. I have a Master's degree in Computer Science, and have a job – but yesterday I had a meeting with 6 other people – 4 from India, and 2 from China.
If we really want to fix our jobless rate in this country, we need to take a hard look at outsourcing and the H1B Visa program.
And obama will save us by taking our money and investing it in gov projects that will hire us so we can get our money back . and he will restrict and tax banks so we can get loans for buisness that he will restrict and tax to stop climate change .....my head hurts.
Forget health care. The republicans have killed it already. Focus on jobs only. Strighten out the economy and we will look at health care with a better democratic house and senate
Too bad Obama doesn't get it. Spending billions does not create jobs. Reducing taxes and keeping businesses from leaving the country does. Raising taxes on businesses and adding new fees and forcing health insurance only kills jobs................not rocket science, but way above our Campaigner in Chiefs skill level.
I'll remind everyone that the Dems took controll of congress in Jan. 2007. They controlled the purse strings and had oversite of all the executive departments. And Obama was a Senator.
Before the Dems took over, the unemployment rate was below 5%, the economy was growing, jobs were being created, and the deficts were coming down because revenues were coming in to the Gov't at record rates. The Dems scream about "The last eight years" but they were in power for the last two and didn't lift a finger while the train was coming off the tracks in the financial melt-down of 2008.
These are FACTS. Look them up.
If only Obama hadn't been so set on his left wing, ultra liberal, big government, corrupt spending solutions. If he had used the near trillion dollars in the stimulous bill to cut taxes for small businesses and individual last year all that money could have been pumped into the economy already and business could be hiring millions of people again instead of laying them off. Instead he filled the pockets of the special interests that supported his election, and the economy and jobs are even deeper in the ditch!!! A trillion dollars in borrowed money just wasted. What happend to all the shovel ready projects and fixing the nations infrastructure? The electrical grid is still a mess, bridges still need repair, highways still need work. A trillion dollars just wasted?
Time to end this so called free-trade that really give everything to corp bosses and nothing for the working man.
The economy and jobs need to be the #1 issue in the USA with the elected officials including the president. How the heck can you pay for mandatory health insurance if you are not working. These people have their priorities all wrong.
Duh. Wingnut, Penazi, and Hairy have ignored this problem after dumping almost a trillion borrowed dollars into the economy to fix it. Ooops! Didn't work. Now maybe they will listen to Reagan republicans on how to really fix this mess. Hint: it won't include tax increases as Wingnut proposes. That just drains efficient investment out of the economy and pumps in inefficient, fraudulent, and wasteful spending. The REAL need is to cut spending.......drastically.
You needed a poll to know this?? Did you send a memo to Obama? He doesn't seem to understand, but how could he? He never had a real job, has no business experience and promotes unions taking over businesses...........and he wonders why companies move to other countries? Why adding taxes and fees to businesses don't encourage them to grow. No wonder the official unemployment rate is over 10% and the economy is in the toilet. He thinks adding more fees to banks will fix it..........moron, they'll just be passed on to us. But that's ok, he is so out of touch that he still thinks he can blame Bush for his failures..........nice try Obozo, we know better.
IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID!!!!
REMEMBER THAT ONE FROM BILL CLINTON'S CAMPAIGN?
Yes, people have to have jobs so they can eat and live. But, how can our President bring the jobs home from China in a year. It will take a long time. He understands that and is working harder than ever to create ways for more jobs. If we don't keep this President in office, things will fall further. If the Republicans would put their energy in helping do this then it might happen sooner. According to the republicans, our President doesn't do anything right. This very rhetoric will ultimately destroy our country. The only thing that the new senator from Mass. ran on is defeating healthcare. HOW SAD!!!! If Americans can't have affordable healthcare like the one the Pres. proposes, then maybe the senator ought to give up his. But this is the same ole status quo in Washington that the Republicans are promoting.
Enough:
You are exactly the type that needs to continue to stand out in the cold! If all you have to offer is critisism with no real ideas of how we as a people can work together to make a better America then go crawl back into the caves with the neantherthols where you obiviously belong!
Dictionary:
Voters = dumb enough to think an elephant is a donkey = gave elephants 8 years to push the economy over a cliff = only 10% understand ELEPHANT solution is not the answer
Republi CORP or Republi CON: too smart to listen or do anything for U= in love with scrooges = nothing for the people = see past 8 years = creates wealth in the form of borrowing = left 5 trillion dollars for future to pay = Gives handouts of 1 trillion dollars to billionaires = See W
Dumbo CRAT = dumb enough to listen = Usually cleans up after the elephants' mess = Revives the economy = Always give something back to the communities = see Bill Clinton
We need HEALTHCARE, especially when NOBODY has a job. It needs to be affordable. It must be done or according to research, no one will be able to afford it.
Stop $300.00 a pill...
OK Obozo, repeat after me: Jobs NOT health care, jobs NOT health care, jobs NOT health care.
People Please, Grow up the President of the United States did not make anyone loose their job nor can he get you a job. THAT IS NOT HIS JOB. His job is to make it an envirorment for company to want to stay in this country and built a future for them and their workers.
Over the last 20 1/2 years that has been destroyed by all sort of people. This started under Former Pres. Reagan and Papa Bush and good of Son GWB finished the job. Their are no manfacturing job in america. We make nothing in this country anymore. How are we to sustain ourselves with nothing. Nor are their any Customer Serv. job left. If you have a problem with a product and you call for services you get Asia or Europe what American can not help American. Now, If you look at our House and Senate and see who voted for this to happen it was the Rethuglican. It might be good for the businesses, you know Less Taxes, no high Salaries and Health Benefit or Retirement Plans. Now that is how you save money, and wait Now, I can move my company to another country and not pay Tarriff when I sell my product back in that country. We should charge every company that went overseas a Tarriff for leaving and going to a country that are not up to standard that we are. If you want to make money over their then sell you product over their or pay our price. You can thank all the Politican that gets the big donation, but it destroyed America.
I know CNN will never let other read this
Yeah, put all your sh..t on Obama, like he was there for nine years and created two unjust wars, spending billions and killing innocents women and children.
Most of you are stupid and can't even understand any basic. Anyway, i can't blame you, look at your recent supreme court decisions, selling elected positions to the highest bid.
all the talk about jobs – but the government continues to let US companies send US jobs overseas on a silver plater. Our government is such a joke it makes me sick! They don't care about America, just the rich who can line their pockets. Glad I was never in the military. Our government is not worth fighting for.
Before you SCREAM at Obama, scream at YOURSELF. You all gave the peanut-sniffing ELEPHANTS, EIGHT YEARS to throw the economy off a cliff.
Obama is going to need more than just 8 months to put 300 million americans, on his back and climb up Mount Everest.
We gave the elephants 8 years, let's give the donkeys 8 years to fix it.
THERE WAS ABSOLUTE NO OUTRAGE WHEN ELEPHANT CONGRESS GAVE W A BLANK CHECK. THERE SHOULDNT BE ANY OUTRAGE IN OBAMA'S ADMINISTRATION.
The best we can do in these times is to KEEP voicing common sense policies and make sure it gets heard. It CANT BE tax cuts. We hav done that for 8 years.
To grow the economy, GASOLINE should be at $1.00. Nobody has a job. There's no reason for it to be at $3.00 or above. We need to club a few oil companies in the knees for price gouging.
If you reduce gasoline price, the economy will pick up. Peoplewill have more to spend..... then invest heavily in NEW initiatives that will fule new job growth!!! 700 billion dollars should have gone to investing into the future. Instead, 50% went to tax cuts...
REMINDER:
Back in 1983, when Ronald Reagan was president, unemployment was also ........ 10%.
We survived. We will come out of the Great Recession, the economy is not fast food.
Obama campaigned and won by making a lot of concrete promises that he just has not fulfilled. You can lie to win but you can not hide from the truth once people see it!
You should have expanded on your Poll CNN..........
Another question should have been........Do you agree with the Democrats proposal to try to spend another $1.3 trillion dollars in order to "create jobs" and increase the deficit--when all of the money from the orignial stimulous bill has not yet been spent???
No if only Obama the logo president would figure out that "it's the ecomony stupid" maybe, just maybe, we would be headed in the right direction instead of worrying about placating the Unions and the Norwegians.
Jobs and Health Care may be fine, but the Housing and Mortgage meltdown continues. What's up with the Obama Plan and making Home Affordable Plan? Has anyone actually benefitted or are you getting the run around from the banks? I am.
A year after the Democrats trillion dollar boondoggle, known as the "Stimulus Bill", and the country is STILL experiencing massive job losses. Obama and the Democrats hurried it through without even reading it. No need I guess because it had nothing to do with jobs, unless you mean more government jobs.
Obama and the Democrats are TOAST come November if their spending lunacy continues without an improvement in the employment numbers. Massachusetts was a shot between the eyes, NOT a warning shot! All this ridiculous Democratic spinning is hilarious. I guess they are just too dumb to recognize the train coming towards them as they dumbing follow Obama and his healthcare agenda.
Actually Mike1952. If the stimulus didn't work, doesn't that mean the government didn't spend ENOUGH money?
If the stimulus was not done at all, would the economy really be no worse than it is today? Do you really believe that? If the job situation would not be much, much worse today if not for the stimulus, please explain how.
Where are the jobs Obama? We are all happy some teachers and police and firefighters did not lose their jobs. Obama has increased the size of government and with it the number of government jobs. But what about the rest of us. Not everyone can work for the government. The number of jobs lost in the private sector since the stimulus was passed out numbers by millions the number of government jobs created. Obama said if the stimulus was passed right away unemployment would not go over 8% and if it was not passed it would go up to 9%. It is 10% and may be still going up. By my math the stimulus and Obama policies have made things worse than if he had done nothing at all.
Well......yeah!!!!!
I liike how Americans blame the repblicans or Democrats – - as so many of them (americans) drive their imported cars and play with imported toys, and buy houses they cannot afford and run up their credit cards until bankruptcy and, and, and... The complete, insidious, abdication of responsibility in this country sickens me. If ever there was a people getting exactly what they deserve, it is us.
Every one say stop spending, cut taxes, but do not cut my programs I need them, tell me how in the hell are we going to pay for them without money? There is no way to keep every thing running without the tax dollars, President Obama have not raised taxes yet. But I am sure he need to. When he does I can hear it now Obama spend, spend, Obama taxes, taxes. I do not understand how Bush could do no wrong for 8 year and Obama was not ever in office and he was doing wrong, beat the hell out of me how this happen.
How can you hope to turn the economy around when you have a jobs summit and invite job destroying union bosses and don't invite the chamber of commerce. When you pass a stimulus that is more about a social agenda than stimulus. Congress and Obama have been doing everything possible to advance the agenda of the trial lawyers and the unions both of which hurt the economy and destroy jobs.
Obama doesn't know what he's doing, Pelosi and Reid couldn't care less millions of Americans lost their job. Obama, Pelosi and Reid only care about raising our debt ceiling again for another $1.9 Trillion, that would make our debt ceiling at least $14 Trillion. The word disappointed with my own party doesn't apply anymore, I am totally disgusted. Obama is talking about bank tax, this man doesn't understand banks will just turn around and charge it to us, consumers. President Obama is totally inept leading this country, his inexperience is now transparent to all of us.
I can't wait for November to be here, I've lost faith with my party, they cannot be trusted to do right by the people, for this country; they're so entrench with their social programs even if they have to put this country deeper in debt. I can't see no end in sight in borrowing, increase of taxes under this administration. God help us all.
Obama is not concerned with our economic status, he is waiting for us to fall to far behind so that we will accept a socialist government. America wake up!!! The pres is wiping out Capitalism before our own eyes!! When will REAL CHANGE come? Only after the revolution succeeds to bring back Capitalism and less governement control for us to prosper aagain.
I think President Obama IS concerned with the Politic America BUT I think his "advisors", the David Axlerods of the administration and his co horts are anything but. I am sorry to say, but I think President Obama has been decieved and let down by the very folks who convinced him to run. Knowing they had a winner in a very intelligent, personable, presentable young man of color, they convinced him (and the American voter) he could be elected and run a political machine with the David Axlerod associates as his backup.. I hope he soon realizes they have used him to front their dirty work. I hope for the sake of HIS presidency he cleans house and gets people who really have the United States of Americas welfare in their heart. For sure he would have to step outside D.C. to find them but I'm sure there are a few around. LET'S THINK JOBS MR PRESIDENT.. REAL JOBS..
don't worry if you pass the spendulus bill unemployment will be capped at 8% – oh wait, that did not happen...
CNN needed to take a poll to understand this? When you can not feed you family,are behind on your house payment,keep getting notices about your past due car payment,why the hell would you be worried about health care for the lazy turds who want eveyone else to take care of them? The Dimocrats lost the Mass senate race themselves,the republicans did not win it,it was a protest of Obama's health care,and lack of attention to the Economy.
Once and for all people, a lot jobs that didn't require an education aren't coming back and they just didn't leave in the last year. Stop complaining and get an education to prepare yourself and your children. There are people employed who have degrees but are back in college getting higher degrees, so try to get atleast something going for yourself and stop complaining.
Jobs? Really? Who would have thought?
The Dems have no idea about the jobs issue, most have never had one nor created one and would not recognize a job if it bite them.
Mandatory health insurance is a moot point now. Funny, MA has a health care system similar to what the dems were trying to pass. With their choice of the rethug in Tuesday's special election, they sent the following message to the rest of the nation: We got ours, the rest of you can drop dead!
I agree with Mike1952. Cut spending IMMEDIATELY beginning with the defense budget.
Everyone whines about unions, but when the U.S. had strong unions, we were #1 in the world. Now we're a low-paying service-based economy that doesn't provide the means for us to purchase the services we're trying to sell to one another.
Plenty of work in the medical marijuana states. Nobody's starving here.
It never ceases to amaze how the sheep blame President Obama for being unable to, in one year's time repair the damage wrought on this great nation through 30 years of reganomics, deregulation and giveaways to the wealthy. It tax cuts for the rich were the be all/end all of job creation, there would be more jobs than there are people following the previous occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue's wealthy base tax relief program.
Hmmm, let's see.... all those tax cuts during Bush's first year, the bank bailouts at the end of his 2nd term, and people are complaining that Obama isn't providing jobs????? I thought all those tax cuts to private businesses were supposed to create jobs? That's what republicans believe and have been shouting about all year, that corporate tax cuts crate jobs, right? So where are all those jobs and the small business loans promised by those cuts? Oh, right. All those coprorations kept the cash to reinvest in themselves and banks kept the cash to pay themselves bonuses. Keep blaming goverment and let the greedy corportists/religionists return us to pre-Magna Carta times. Way to go, sheep.
There is plenty of work in the medical marijuana states.
Every story, from the vastly important to the ridiculous, becomes a forum to name call the president.Too many Americans are spoiled, impatient, vicious brats displaying a five-second attention span.
Wouldn't spending taxpayers money to "artificially prop up the job market" be "creeping socialism" to replace capitalism?
Mike1952 wrote " ... after dumping almost a trillion borrowed dollars into the economy to fix it. Ooops! Didn't work. Now maybe they will listen to Reagan republicans on how to really fix this mess. ..."
Ronald Reagan signed budgets with $1.5 trillion dollars in deficits, which doubled the national debt to $3 trillion. Bush Sr added another $1.5 trillion to triple the pre-Reagan deficit. Clinton added $1.5 trillion, but he began paying off the debt during his last two years in office, for a net increase of $1 trillion in debt. Bush Jr, whom Mike voted for, added $5 trillion to the national debt. So, Conservatives added $8 trillion to the national debt. Since 1980, Republican administrations have created 88% of the post-Carter national debt.
The economic growht during the Reagan and Bush Jr. years was caused by excessive government spending when we should have been paying down the debt as Clinton tried to do. It had nothing to do with the tax cuts.
Q: How can you tell if a Conservative is lying?
A: If he is breathing.
Step One in growing the number of jobs in this country is
Get government off the backs of businesses that create jobs!
Right now, businesses aren't hiring, in large part, because they know that their taxes are going to go up and they've no idea whether they should take a chance on hiring people they might not be able to afford to keep. They know taxes on individuals and other businesses are going to go up, making it hard for those individuals and businesses to afford to buy additional goods and services. Businesses don't know how hard that idiotic "cap & trade" thing would hammer them, or how much more Obamacare would cost them. (Fortunately, both measures seem to be going away...)
The more of America's money and resources are sucked up–and wasted–by government, the less will be available to grow the economy.
Jobs cannot be created until Corporate America starts to hire again.
Corporate America found that it does better hiring temps as they don't have to worry about paying for health care, vacations, sick time, 401k, etc., etc., etc.
Don't believe me? Ask Abbott Labs, they have hired only temps for over 10 years.
Who took us from record surplus to record debt? Who tells Obama not to raise taxes during recession yet our economy is still in the toilet? Who says trickle down creates jobs yet we still have record unemployment while our CEO's reward themselves for failure and are the richest in the world? Who says our health care system is the best in the world yet nearly 20% of our population has to live without affordable health care? This is not to mention record forclosure and bankruptcy. The American people did not just wake up the day after Obama was sworn in and immediately have these problems. While Obama has not focused as much on the economy as many believe he should have, all the repubs are focused on is kicking him out of office ASAP at any expense and suffering to the American people.
"Reagan republicans on how to really fix this mess"
This "mess" started with Reagan's Trickle Down Economics. Anyone who doesn't understand that, simply doesn't have a good grasp of the economic history of this country. Pumping money into social programs is not the complete answer, but neither is "drastically cutting spending". Both are needed and to say it's one or the other is simplistic and incorrect.
And callingpeople names really doens' t benefit the situation.
is it suprising that people would blame Prez Obama for this mess. When the cards begn to comedown when Mr Bush was in his last rodeo. People it wil get better. We are in the days of miracles and wonders. Don't pay any attention to these nay slayers!!!!!!!
Remember you right wingnuts: Bush opened the doors for countries to move to other countries. It is time to get them back.
Mr. Obama now wants to cut the size of the banks, they are too big. I guess there go our jobs. Doesn't he realize this!!!
All you Shrub/Chenny whacos owe me for the Iraq war. 1 trillion for the war and another 100 million for the increaed gas prices and another 200 million to the soldiers comming home with lost limbs, bombed out brains, and then the families who lost their soldier husband/son. On top that you owe us for letting the 'pay-as-you-go' rules expire in 2002 which led to Fed spending not tied to taxes or entitlment reductions. You also owe for the Part D drug program. Obama is saint in comparison to Shrub. You are idiots!
I expect that as time goes on the category of "Both parties" (are at fault) will grow. This is a situation long in the making, and no matter who is in power, they have driving down the same path.
The way out is for real change. Change at the level we can most effect. Us.
I say,
Register "unaffiliated"
Reduce personal debt
Do more for yourself
Buy local
and for gawdsake, stop believing politicians. Always remember, never forget, the way to tell if a politician is lying is to see if his(her) lips are moving.
It's been two days since Brown was elected, why hasn't the messiah fixed the country yet? He's had plenty of time now, I say everything that's wrong is now his fault.
Gee, ya think? That's what the American people have been saying for two years. The problem is the majority of our political leaders have no idea what it's like to hold a real job. They really have no idea what it's like to struggle to budget a salary in order to pay bills, take care of the family and maybe, if you're lucky, save a little bit every month.
Maybe the voters need to give them a taste of that in November.
Gotta be pretty stupid if you think you can blame this mess on this administration. We didn't just get here overnight. It took 8 years.
I suggest CNN conduct a poll seeking to determine how many people (a) trust the government, (b) think that Congress has a clue, (c) think that the president has a clue, and (d) believe that in the next ten to twenty years things are going to be worse than they were before the great recession.
Maybe the people I know are all dismal pessimists, but I can't think of one person that would answer "yes" to any of those questions.
CNN Money reports increase in first time filers for unemployment – and this is no longer prime news. How do we find out how many Americans can no longer claim unemployment and still have no job? Unemployment will fuel foreclosures which will fuel bank failures. Most of we, the people, know the recession is not over.
I voted for Obama but if he and his administration dont fix the jobs problem, I dont know who I am going to vote for next Nov. Maybe Libertarian.
Obama needs to take responsibilty for the country's economic stability and stop using the excuse that he inherited the depressive state. Politician need to stop blaming each other and focus on the real issues and find ways to put American people back to work.
Remember Basic economics argue that citizens are the financer of economic freedom, working to support a government that intern develops the country's infrastructure, international commerce and generates opportunity for the people to prosper..
What do you say about that Obama. Do something and stop pointing fingers.. My vote next election changes to Republican..
People think the president creates jobs- he can't. Capitalists or entrepreneurs create jobs. Jobs are created for a reason, there is work to be done. i.e. new businesses are NEEDED or old businesses are expanding. People don't invest their money just to create jobs. Money is invested with the expectation of making a profit from from some potential business activity.
Having started several businesses myself I can assure you tax rates
are not the determining issue, labor and materials costs are typically the big ticket items. REPUBLICANSN SEEM TO THINK JUST LOWERING TAXES WILL MAKE PEOPLE START BUSINESSES,FALSE! True, lower taxes are a plus, but that simply creates bigger profits which will not result in hiring more workers unless there is more work to be done, and that is a matter of demand for a product or service.
Obama and the democrats have been so pre-occupied with shoving an ambitious agenda down our throats that they've taken their eyes off the ball and the American people have taken notice. The administration has wasted so much political capital demonizing corporations, banks, insurance companies and making amends with the world, yet many Americans are still unemployed and without healthcare. Is it any wonder that the polls reflect this?! Also, the polls show that the public does not want THIS healthcare plan and they've stated this by electing Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate. Obama and the dems will probably do a mea culpa for now, but don't exptect them to do an about face.