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[Measley]

A large part of that is baby boomers retiring, so take that into account.

And 16-24 year olds who are either in high school or going to college.

I have a 17 year old niece who is currently looking for a job. If she doesn't find one, its no big deal because she's going to college in the fall anyway (and she's voting for Obama).

 

[The Librarian]

Yo, Ghal, yesterday I asked you what that Wyden tweet was about Oregon and Medicaid. I couldn't find anything about it online, so I was hoping Sarah Kliff would deliver the goods.

She did; love that girl.

Lots of state innovation with health care going on: Vermont and single-payer, Oregon and Medicaid. Thanks, moderate Dems in CA, for messing up single-payer in California.

 

[AlteredBeast]

And 16-24 year olds who are either in high school or going to college.

I have a 17 year old niece who is currently looking for a job. If she doesn't find one, its no big deal because she's going to college in the fall anyway (and she's voting for Obama).

There have always been 16-24 year olds going to high school or college. The problem is, even less are working than ever before.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Yo, Ghal, yesterday I asked you what that Wyden tweet was about Oregon and Medicaid. I couldn't find anything about it online, so I was hoping Sarah Kliff would deliver the goods.

She did; love that girl.

Lots of state innovation with health care going on: Vermont and single-payer, Oregon and Medicaid. Thanks, moderate Dems in CA, for messing up single-payer in California.

Yeah I'd been following the developments here as Kitzhaber pushed for this reform. I saw Wyden's tweet yesterday about the waiver, which is great news. Been busy at work this week so I only see about 1/4 of my twitter feed, on lunch and then the evening.

It's the kind of reform that the healthcare bill is about, so I'm delighted to see the Obama administration embrace it. I think it could be hugely important.

 

[ToxicAdam]

I can't believe the mass delusion America has that believes a President has some kind of control/responsibility over job creation. It's embedded into our psyche.

 

[kehs]

I can't believe the mass delusion America has that believes a President has some kind of control/responsibility over job creation. It's embedded into our psyche.

Isn't that why he has Executive power, time for excuses is over, he needs to act like the socialist Chief Executive Organizer we hired him for and he needs to start hiring others and spread his wealth around.

 

[AlteredBeast]

I can't believe the mass delusion America has that believes a President has some kind of control/responsibility over job creation. It's embedded into our psyche.

Well, in the end, he signs the bills that provide infrastructure development and other possible government-funded projects. He can affect the UE rate in that sense, but not whether McD's decides to hire a burger flipper for the summer.

 

[Measley]

There have always been 16-24 year olds going to high school or college. The problem is, even less are working than ever before.

Probably because immigrant workers take those jobs. When I was younger I worked at Burger King over summer break. Nowadays when I walk into Burger King, the front is English and the back is Spanish.

 

[DasRaven]

Well, in the end, he signs the bills that provide infrastructure development and other possible government-funded projects. He can affect the UE rate in that sense, but not whether McD's decides to hire a burger flipper for the summer.

Therein lies the problem. The current Legislative brach has no interest in creating and passing any bills of that sort and clearly haven't since Inauguration Day.

He can't sign what they don't send and he's been asking for them to send something for years now.
They couldn't even get the unambiguously positive and universally supported National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank passed.

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

Well, in the end, he signs the bills that provide infrastructure development and other possible government-funded projects. He can affect the UE rate in that sense, but not whether McD's decides to hire a burger flipper for the summer.

Yeah. More significant is the GOP's unwillingness to participate.

 

[Clevinger]

Well, in the end, he signs the bills that provide infrastructure development and other possible government-funded projects. He can affect the UE rate in that sense, but not whether McD's decides to hire a burger flipper for the summer.

Yeah, but even there Congress has much more power than him. He just goes, "OK!" or "Nope!" They can even override his "Nope!" if enough agree to.

 

[ToxicAdam]

Well, in the end, he signs the bills that provide infrastructure development and other possible government-funded projects. He can affect the UE rate in that sense, but not whether McD's decides to hire a burger flipper for the summer.

In the end, a president has little control what bill he ends up signing. Those he does have control/influence over represent such a small amount in an economy that pumps out 13-15 trillion dollars in GDP every year.

I would argue that most members of the Ways and Means committee have more influence over job creation than a president does.


But, it's not just job creation/loss. They also assign responsibility to stock prices to a sitting president. It's so laughably wrong, I never even bother arguing when I see it done.

 

[speculawyer]

Well, some feed-back loops may kick in. This report spooked Wall Street a bit such that oil dropped below the important psychological $100 level ($98.something right now). So gas prices may be pull back a bit. And that might give the economy some help to get moving again.


But as I've pointed out before, the two are linked in a nasty way . . . you are either going to have lower gas prices and a weaker economy or higher gas prices and a strong economy. You just won't get a strong economy and low gas prices anymore.

 

[AlteredBeast]

Well, some feed-back loops may kick in. This report spooked Wall Street a bit such that oil dropped below the important psychological $100 level ($98.something right now). So gas prices may be pull back a bit. And that might give the economy some help to get moving again.


But as I've pointed out before, the two are linked in a nasty way . . . you are either going to have lower gas prices and a weaker economy or higher gas prices and a strong economy. You just won't get a strong economy and low gas prices anymore.

Hopefully it lowers at least a little bit. I just filled up last night and it went up 20 cents...in one night!

 

[RDreamer]

I think I'm one of the only people that doesn't pay attention at all to gas prices. My dad would always ask me what gas prices are down here and I could never answer. I don't really give a shit. I have no control over the price and I don't drive anywhere frivolous ever. What I drive I have to drive, so there's really no use in getting pissy over it raising or lowering. And I'm not going to waste a ton of time trying to find a station with a few cents lower prices.

That might be in part because I used to work at a few gas stations and I saw quite a few people wasting their anger on that stuff and partially taking it out on me... also driving away with gas and getting me fired for not getting their license plate... yeah I'm not bitter at all

 

[AlteredBeast]

I think I'm one of the only people that doesn't pay attention at all to gas prices. My dad would always ask me what gas prices are down here and I could never answer. I don't really give a shit. I have no control over the price and I don't drive anywhere frivolous ever. What I drive I have to drive, so there's really no use in getting pissy over it raising or lowering. And I'm not going to waste a ton of time trying to find a station with a few cents lower prices.

That might be in part because I used to work at a few gas stations and I saw quite a few people wasting their anger on that stuff and partially taking it out on me... also driving away with gas and getting me fired for not getting their license plate... yeah I'm not bitter at all

I just spent 3 bucks more in gas than the day before would have been. That adds with 2 cars. I commute 30 minutes to work, too.

 

[RustyNails]

In TDS yesterday Aasif Mandvi destroyed Missouri congresswoman Wanda Brown for "preventative protection" of gun owner discrimination whilst voting against a bill that would outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation. So good.

 

[Tim-E]

I care about gas prices but I don't let myself get worked up about them. Gas is way more expensive in other parts of the world and I've accepted that things are just going to continue to get more expensive as I get older. I'd never be able to go out to eat, to the grocery store, to an event, or buy gas if I got worked up over the price of everything. I can get angry about it and complain about how prices were in the good ol' days, or I can just acknowledge that it kind of sucks and just live with it because it's not worth the energy.

 

[RDreamer]

I just spent 3 bucks more in gas than the day before would have been. That adds with 2 cars. I commute 30 minutes to work, too.

I commute like ~40 minutes to work (though I only go in twice a week), and my wife commutes like 10 or so. I know it does add up when you have to spend a few dollars more every time, but I just don't see the point in remembering it. There's literally nothing you can do about it. Well, there's nothing I can, anyway. As I said, I never drive anywhere frivolous, really, so I can't cut anything back. When I buy a car, though, the biggest thing I look at is gas mileage above all else, because that's the point where I can do something about it.

In TDS yesterday Aasif Mandvi destroyed Missouri congresswoman Wanda Brown for "preventative protection" of gun owner discrimination whilst voting against a bill that would outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation. So good.

That segment was insane, as was Wanda... You could almost tell Aasif was legitimately angry near the end.

Here's the segment. Go watch it, everyone!

 

[Clevinger]

In TDS yesterday Aasif Mandvi destroyed Missouri congresswoman Wanda Brown for "preventative protection" of gun owner discrimination whilst voting against a bill that would outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation. So good.

He seemed genuinely pissed off at the end of the interview. I can't really blame him.

 

[Snake]

Hokuten wins. Lero and Phoenix in 2nd, 3rd.

What does Hoku win? A lost job. Thanks, Obama.

The good news is that a month from now April will be revised up to 149,000. At least that's what my crystal ball tells me.

 

[Aaron Strife]

There's a new poll out in Indiana showing Richard Lugar trailing his primary opponent, Richard Mourdock, by 10 points. Primary's on Tuesday.

Well, that's all she wrote. Hopefully Donnelly can keep it competitive.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

There's a new poll out in Indiana showing Richard Lugar trailing his primary opponent, Richard Mourdock, by 10 points. Primary's on Tuesday.

Well, that's all she wrote. Hopefully Donnelly can keep it competitive.

Democrats shouldn't get their hopes up too much. Mourdock will defeat Donnelly easily there I think, especially as he will have a lot more outside help than Donnelly.

The bigger and better news for Democrats is that if things like this continue to happen in other states, there changes in the future to pick up Senate seats picks up.

 

[reilo]

Watching that TDS segment on Wanda Brown was like a real life Michael Scott sketch. If Michael Scott was a piece of shit.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

It's really weird that out of state financing of local elections is allowed.

 

[The Librarian]

Looks like Rom-bot screwed up the reaction to the April jobs numbers: "...anything over four percent, is not a cause for celebration." Plus his comment about jobs growth should be 500,000 per month.

 

[thefro]

Looks like Rom-bot screwed up the reaction to the April jobs numbers: "...anything over four percent, is not a cause for celebration." Plus his comment about jobs growth should be 500,000 per month.

I'd make a $10,000 bet with Romney if he got elected that he'll never have 500k jobs growth in any month in his term.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

Looks like Rom-bot screwed up the reaction to the April jobs numbers: "...anything over four percent, is not a cause for celebration." Plus his comment about jobs growth should be 500,000 per month.

The good thing when you are a Republican running against a Democratic President is you can lie, fabricate, make shit up.

Media won't call you out.

 

[The Librarian]

The good thing when you are a Republican running against a Democratic President is you can lie, fabricate, make shit up.

Media won't call you out.

Luckily then Holtz-Eakin is. http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.c...four-percent-unemployment-target-is?ref=fpblg

 

[Aaron Strife]

Democrats shouldn't get their hopes up too much. Mourdock will defeat Donnelly easily there I think, especially as he will have a lot more outside help than Donnelly.

The bigger and better news for Democrats is that if things like this continue to happen in other states, there changes in the future to pick up Senate seats picks up.

Most polls have it as a toss-up between Donnelly and Mourdock. It's still early and a lot of things could change, but Donnelly is the best candidate Democrats could get there.

You're right that it does more to speak for the broader trend, but against Mourdock I'd feel safe pegging the race at Lean R at worst.

 

[Averon]

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/voter-registration-down-among-minorities

Voter Registration Down Among Minorities

The number of people registered to vote among Hispanics and blacks has dropped significantly, reports the Washington Post:

That figure fell 5 percent across the country, to about 11 million, according to the Census Bureau. But in some politically important swing states, the decline among Hispanics, who are considered critical in the 2012 presidential contest, is much higher: just over 28 percent in New Mexico, for example, and about 10 percent in Florida.

 

[The Librarian]

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/voter-registration-down-among-minorities

Voter Registration Down Among Minorities

I'm not too worried. The Obama campaign is already in full swing here in NC. I got a call just last night about registering voters for the election, and I've been receiving calls from them since early April.

 

[Hobbestetrician]

I'm not too worried. The Obama campaign is already in full swing here in NC. I got a call just last night about registering voters for the election, and I've been receiving calls from them since early April.

Unfortunate numbers but, yeah, the Obama campaign will be in full-on registering mode, especially in those important states. Anyone have numbers of how many people they were able to register in 2008?

 

[The Librarian]

Speaking of NC, gay marriage ban is likely to pass, per Nate Silver.
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytime...ss/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

[cartoon_soldier]

Speaking of NC, gay marriage ban is likely to pass, per Nate Silver.
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytime...ss/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Yea, I am in NC. It sucks, sucks even more that I can't vote

 

[PhoenixDark]

Third best jobs prediction. Bodes well for November

Horrible jobs report. Also, who decided Obama should officially start his campaign on a day that the jobs report would likely dominate the news?

The only reason the unemployment rate is 8.1 is because people have completely given up on finding work. That's nothing to celebrate. People are hurting bad, and they should have next to no hope for a second term of this nightmare.

It would actually be better for Obama if he lost. Winning with a divided government would just guarantee more of this stagnation

 

[cartoon_soldier]

Third best jobs prediction. Bodes well for November

Horrible jobs report. Also, who decided Obama should officially start his campaign on a day that the jobs report would likely dominate the news?

The only reason the unemployment rate is 8.1 is because people have completely given up on finding work. That's nothing to celebrate. People are hurting bad, and they should have next to no hope for a second term of this nightmare.

It would actually be better for Obama if he lost. Winning with a divided government would just guarantee more of this stagnation

The Paul Ryan plan is not going to boost the economy.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Speaking of NC, gay marriage ban is likely to pass, per Nate Silver.
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytime...ss/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

It's pretty terrible, especially considering it's not even just a gay marriage ban. Fortunately, NOM are idiots and there will probably be extensive litigation over this, due to the can of worms it opens up for unmarried couples.

The only reason the unemployment rate is 8.1 is because people have completely given up on finding work. That's nothing to celebrate. People are hurting bad, and they should have next to no hope for a second term of this nightmare.

Yeah, I guess Scott Walker is also doomed then.

 

[markatisu]

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/voter-registration-down-among-minorities

Voter Registration Down Among Minorities

Would only be a problem if this was Sept or Oct, given Obama is spending money to blanket the SW with Hispanic ads vs the $0 Romney is doing as of the latest ad buys I think the voter registration drives will come shortly after that

 

[jamesinclair]

Unemployment is down?

Its great to see that the leadership by the republican house has resulted in substantial and measurable job creation and prosperity for the american people.

Its so clear that the only thing holding back the UE rate from falling to 7, 6 and even 5% is that while a democrat is in the oval office, theres just too much uncertainty for companies to hire all the people they want to hire.

I predict that the second romney is announced as the winner, the fog of uncertainty will lift and hundreds of thousands of jobs will be created within a week.

And once the Ryan budget goes into effect, theres no stopping the job train. They say unemployment shouldnt go below 3%. With a republican president, house, senate and budget, I can see it going down to 2%, if not lower.

 

[ToxicAdam]

I think I'm one of the only people that doesn't pay attention at all to gas prices. My dad would always ask me what gas prices are down here and I could never answer. I don't really give a shit. I have no control over the price and I don't drive anywhere frivolous ever. What I drive I have to drive, so there's really no use in getting pissy over it raising or lowering. And I'm not going to waste a ton of time trying to find a station with a few cents lower prices.

It's another crazy thing that people do. I have literally seen people's worldview shift because gas is 4.00 dollars versus below-3.00. They become more easily agitated or more fretful about the future.

It's silly, because the average person goes through about 10-20 gallons a week, which means they are spending about 20 more dollars a week. That's enough to bring you down, really?


edit: I should point out that it also increases prices of all other goods slightly, but I don't think people really think about that when they are bitching about gas prices.

 

[Hobbestetrician]

It's another crazy thing that people do. I have literally seen people's worldview shift because gas is 4.00 dollars versus below-3.00. They become more easily agitated or more fretful about the future.

It's silly, because the average person goes through about 10-20 gallons a week, which means they are spending about 20 more dollars a week. That's enough to bring you down, really?

And how different that worldview is depending on where in the world you are. As an American living in Canada, it is strange to see gas at around $1.33/liter (over $5/gallon) and not hearing uproar about it.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Lugar to Indiana voters: "At this point, help"

Lugar's one of the better Republicans, but I can't gin up much sympathy for someone who played as equal a part as Mitch McConnell in obstructing Obama's agenda and rallying idiots to vote against themselves and for the moneyed interests of society.

Sort of like the beltway sentiment when Snowe retired. "Oh no, we've lost a moderate Republican!" Whatever. You created this monster.

 

[Dr. Pangloss]

Actually Obama is to blame for the current UE rate. Government has lost 600k jobs in the last year. He helped that happen by advocating austerity. Reagan didn't have that kind of drag.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

Actually Obama is to blame for the current UE rate. Government has lost 600k jobs in the last year. He helped that happen by advocating austerity. Reagan didn't have that kind of drag.

I will never understand why the government is not at least trying to have a 0 net balance for jobs during a recession. If the private sector is performing shit, the government should not make it worse.

 

[The Librarian]

Third best jobs prediction. Bodes well for November

Horrible jobs report. Also, who decided Obama should officially start his campaign on a day that the jobs report would likely dominate the news?

The only reason the unemployment rate is 8.1 is because people have completely given up on finding work. That's nothing to celebrate. People are hurting bad, and they should have next to no hope for a second term of this nightmare.

It would actually be better for Obama if he lost. Winning with a divided government would just guarantee more of this stagnation

We're at that point where you posts don't even phase me any more. lulz.

 

[RDreamer]

I will never understand why the government is not at least trying to have a 0 net balance for jobs during a recession. If the private sector is performing shit, the government should not make it worse.

Because dumbasses on the right felt the need to push the deficit problem during the same time as the recession. Those same dumbasses seem to feel like government jobs don't count and shouldn't exist.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

 

[Skiptastic]

Lugar to Indiana voters: "At this point, help"

Lugar's one of the better Republicans, but I can't gin up much sympathy for someone who played as equal a part as Mitch McConnell in obstructing Obama's agenda and rallying idiots to vote against themselves and for the moneyed interests of society.

Sort of like the beltway sentiment when Snowe retired. "Oh no, we've lost a moderate Republican!" Whatever. You created this monster.

Go ahead and roll the dice, then. Get the known quantity in Lugar, who is "one of the better Republicans" and a guaranteed win. Or roll the dice that Mourdock would lose to Donnelly in the Senate race. Because if he doesn't lose, you're fucked even worse. You'll get someone more obstructionist, more polarized, and less willing to compromise.

Actually, looking at Donnelly's record, I'm pretty sure you won't like his stances on things either, unless Harry Reid can whip the Blue Dog out of him. lol

 

[Manmademan]

Because dumbasses on the right felt the need to push the deficit problem during the same time as the recession. Those same dumbasses seem to feel like government jobs don't count and shouldn't exist.

yup. when your position is "government doesn't work" and "any government is bad" and "any tax increase for any reason is unjustified" it sort of makes it impossible to embrace any kind of government solution to boost employment.

This is why the republican solution was nothing but "tax cuts!"