Showing posts with label deficit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deficit. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Jobs Report Isn’t Good News as Most Think

This past Friday, the August jobs report was released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to the report, total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 96,000 in August, and the unemployment rate edged down to 8.1 percent. Specific employment increases were in food services and drinking places, in professional and technical services, and in health care.

Almost automatically, proponents of the Obama Administration as well as political pundits touted this as good news and as being proof of the effectiveness of the President’s economic policy. Unfortunately, few if any political talking heads discussed this in reference to the general citizenry of America or offer that the aforementioned may not be the case.

If one actually takes the time to read the report and do some basic math, they would clearly see that for the average American, the data does not provide such a rosy picture. First, is the obvious observation of that 119,000 fewer persons were employed in August compared to the month of July and that Manufacturing employment edged down in August (-15,000).

The reality is that around 89 million people in America are unemployed and the value of the dollar has started to retract if one pays any attention to the Forex markets. Moreover, Gold is up 3.1 percent and silver is up 7.1 percent when the administration and the Federal Reserve are thinking about another phase of quantitative easing (QE3).

Job loss will continue to be a problem for whoever is in the Whitehouse. In particular with the strange policies of the Federal reserve. Bernanke knew in 1988 that quantitative easing was ineffective work because bank lending channel typically close if banks have access to external sources of funding (other people money). Yet, Bernanke and the present administration continue to advocate that in order to revive economic growth and avert deflation, QE is a necessity.

The jobs reports show that QE only makes the rich richer. In fact the Fed has increased its balance sheet from $900 billion to $2.9 trillion the difference is $2 trillion (or 13% of GDP) while the job report shows that 58% of Jobs Created Pay Only $8 hour or less.

Now I know many will say I am just bashing Obama, that I am jealous of the President and that I just don't know what I'm talking about because the jobs report shows the President is doing a good job.  They may even say that the CBO (Congressional Budget Office), as the Presidents often states supports his economic policies. Unfortunately, on the CBO's track record, I trust them as much as I do a white man with a sheet to have lighter fluid and a match at a BBQ. Let the CBO tell it, from their unrealistic view of this economy, America never goes into a recession. 

Currently, the CBO is assuming a deficit of $3.5 trillion from 2012-2021 and if past history is any indication, they are at least likely off by 60% meaning it is really close to $10 trillion. Recall that just ten years ago, the CBO predicted that the US deficit would be at $7.6 trillion currently, but the actual number as of this week is above the $16 trillion mark. Between 2002 and 2010 all of their real GDP projections were between 2.6% and 2.9%. By overestimating growth, you overestimate revenues, which underestimate the deficit and gives politicians the impression they have more of our money to spend before they get into trouble.

Last week at the DNC, Obama suggested that he would cut the deficit but strongly asserted he would use money saved from the wars to reduce the deficit, which is strange since that money doesn’t exist since the war is being paid for by borrowed money mainly from China. All of this seems to be ignored when discussing the economy and the jobs picture, but what can one expect, for only by American math can you have 119,000 Fewer Employed in August than July and unemployment rate go down.

Thursday, December 02, 2010

Deficit Reduction Plan Takes from Poor and middle class to reward the wealthy

It is an unfortunate truth that a sizable number of African Americans are seemingly more interested in whether T.I is going to prison again, or Mike Vick’s great performance against the Washington Redskins, or in Tyler Perry’s brutal dissection of Ntozake Shange’s play, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf, than they are in the economy. President Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform revealed a recent plan to reduce the national deficit. Unlike most people, I have just finished reading the proposal and the way I read it, the deficit is the least of its targets when compared to cutting taxes for the ultra wealthy.

The guiding principle of the proposal is not to reduce the deficit, but rather to establish an upper limit on revenue — not lower. The obvious point agreed upon by the Democrats, Republicans and other members of the commission is tax cuts for the rich.

Case in point, the proposed tax cuts obviate mortgage interest and health benefits deductibles — things that the middle class and lower economic groups depend on. Yet, all gained from these tax cuts. From my reading and interpretation the tax cuts will be used to reduce the top marginal and corporate tax rates. So, in essence the breaks that regular folks receive will currently result in larger breaks for the wealthy, who do not need them. Don’t get me wrong, I am not a socialist, but rather a pragmatist who understands basic math.

Another example is the proposed increase in the retirement age for Social Security. The commission has suggested that the age to be eligible to receive social security be raised to 69, in line with the increase in life expectancy of U.S. citizens. The problem is that most Americans do not have jobs where they sit on their ‘azzez’ all day. Not to mention that African Americans and minorities, for example, have a life expectancy less than the current age for retirement under Social Security. Which, in turn, means that to expect someone to work more years labor-intensive job than somebody like a politician, who sits on their butt behind a desk, is just foul! The truth is that the rich and wealthy live longer and they don’t need Social Security for a safety net.

No way in the world is the work of a garbage man, teacher, janitor or day laborer as easy as an executive, banker or Wall Street lawyer.