Idiots? You do know that the unemployment rate drops when people do expire their benefits or stop looking for work because those people are no longer counted as "unemployed" right? 325,000 is great -- unfortunately, we need roughly that match EACH month just to keep up with new people entering the workforce.

The point here is that we are ADDING - not LOSING - jobs! There are those who hate President Obama just for the sake of hating President Obama. Perhaps it's his race; I'd like to believe that it's because he's a Democrat! Nonetheless, he could cure all cancers today and tomorrow those folks would be criticizing him for putting all those oncologists, oncology nurses, pain management specialists, hospice workers, pharmaceutical researchers out of work!

I have a close friend that works for the state unemployment bureau. She and 1,300 more workers were laid off last week. The reason, less claims to process, but there is a catch! Individual claims are down, but the people trying to claim is up. Most are people that have run out of benefits, and then there are the people that worked part time for the holidays. In my state you have to work two (2) full quarters totaling at least $1,400.00 per month to file for benefits. And at the min level you check would be $38.00 per week. So, there is truth to the reasoning that the numbers are dropping because of people dropping out of the system. Although there may be a light at the end of the tunnel, it's not as bright as portrayed.

MSDNC and all real unemployment rate nay sayers et al,

In response to those of you who consistently point out that the real unempoyment rate is about 18% when folks who have exhausted their benefits and those who have stopped looking for work are included, I say this:

If you are not looking for work or starting a business, you should not be counted in the unemployment numbers. Why? because of your conscious choice to stop looking for work. If you stop looking for work you are unemployed by choice not because of any other circumstance.

For those who have exhausted their benefits I empathize with you but we all know UI is temporary never intended to be long term. You should not sit by, turning in your required 3-4 job searches just to collect your weekly stipend. Instead you must continue your education, or re-tool. Failure to do so is your fault.

Some of us refuse to take positions for a variety of reasons. IMHO if you have exhausted your benefits, and cannot find work at your previous level of compensation you must now take anything and build on that until you can return to the lifestyle you are accustomed. This is a REALITY facing many Americans, except a lot of us have grown complacent, have not developed workable plans, and will eventually be forced to work at Mickey D's or starve.

I have experienced longterm unemployment before (2002-2004) but the difference is I had a plan, got training, retooled and am now making more money than I ever have made in my entire life. If all else fails use your God given talents and work for yourself, in fact from my perspective that should be plan A, not B, as we all succeed when we do what we love to do.

Ron in Seattle,

I agreed with almost all your post but you must also remember that it is still 4 unemployed for each job opening. So people will continue to struggle for some more time to come. I realize a black market has emerged and a lot of the unemployeed who have exhausted their benefits are creating their own small business cleaning homes, landscaping, etc. etc. etc. Some are doing it legally but lots are doing it in the dark to avoid taxes. Given the way our government failed us I'm not sure I don't empathize with them. Why pay taxes when oil companies don't? When we get a robust economy again you will slowly see the black market steadily decline also. Once the Bush tax cuts expire, AND THEY MUST, our deficit will go down also and that will cause a more robust economy as well. But most important, we need to realize what Europe realized some time ago. Trickle down doesn't work! You need a strong middle class to sustain your economy. Nothing else works.

They also ignore the recruiters that keep calling me and my friends asking me to fill slots all the hell over because they can't find skilled professionals to do them - There are jobs out there, we just have undereducated our populace into being unqualified for the higher paying jobs.

The GOP would love to have you think that it's all doom and gloom - because that's the only way they can win! Keep it in perspective! The sun still rises in the morning, and sets in the evening (the tide comes in, goes out, nobody knows why...)... People are still working, many are still struggling - and the vast majority of us are fed up with the GOP Bull@!$%#.

If you don't believe me that the only way they can win is by doom and gloom - just look at the GOP website store: Nobama, I Fired Pelosi, "Right Wrong" t-shirts. All Anti-something or other. No Pro-anything (except the military, MAYBE). They're all just being Haters!

Take a look at the DNC store by comparison: Gear about what the Democrats have done for the country, about what we aspire to - about what we stand for. Ain't one Anti-Anybody t-shirt on the site.

Maybe it's because the GOP is a party of no ideas? Maybe it's because they only have 4 issues to cling to: Destroying America (the guv'ment), Destroying the first amendment (We're a christian nation, really? I'm a Catholic, but damn that's presumptuous), Destroying a woman's right to choose (yes, I'm a Pro-Choice Catholic - but that's another debate for another time), or Destroying the Middle Class (look at Romney's donor list for proof).

Hell, the GOP won't let the facts get in the way of their opposition to ODP. (Our Dear President)

You nailed it, Ebeneezer.

Ron in Seattle,

How exactly does one "continue education", or, "re-tool" (whatever that means), on 300 bucks a week when you have rent/mortgate, bills, or food to pay for? You seriously need to stop drinking the kool aid.

Or maybe, Ebeneezer, it's because no one has received the education to qualify for these vacant positions since the Democrats and their NEA union toadies took over....and ruined....the public school systems. It's grads can't read, spell, or add/subtract, but they sure have a lot of that all important self esteem

Are you kidding me? I've got a kid in school right now, and it's not that our kids are failing based on my upbringing's standards, because they aren't.....they are failing because of the rest of the worlds schooling in the past 15-20 years has improved so much. This is neither the fault of Dems nor Republicans exclusively. The Unions are one of the last places to look for blame as many of the teaching tools being used by Europe and Asia are also what teachers here have been asking for (more tech savvy schools and teaching tools, activities like sports, art, music, increased teacher pay to entice more qualified and better candidates, ect....) I think teachers unions have done some damage, mainly by keeping bad teachers while good young teachers are forced to continually relocate until they get enough seniority. And our government is only partially to blame as well, as funding for schools, most importantly the university system, has made college education (again) something only for the exceptional and wealthy. Both sides of the ilse are complicent in this.....but the main blame for this is us. We have so many stupid, moronic parents who were raised as factory workers or tradesman, and made a good living at that, so they allowed their children to settle for a "B", saying they did their best (when they really just did it half assed like mom or dad). Everyone is always looking for such blame, the Republicans (who talk about personal responsibility all day) don't want to take it, there are so many ignorant (which is a choice, unlike stupid) people in this country who had every available option to make something of themselves and didn't. We want to think children are these idiotic people who can't make a decision, though they daily make decisions which will decide portions of their life based on their grades, class choices, and who they make as friends. Make parents AND children accountable for their decisions (because children are but are regularly being taught they aren't by our laws, our teachers and most importantly our parents)......this country is full of a bunch of whinners with no grit and/or WILL to pull themselves up and do something, and we are giving that same outlook to our children.

Make a difference in our nation's education... push to have student loans charge 15% - 20% simple interest instead of the compound interest they suffer with nowadays.

Do the math before you whine about the 15% - 20% number.

chuckzul

To respond to your question:

How exactly does one "continue education", or, "re-tool" (whatever that means), on 300 bucks a week when you have rent/mortgate, bills, or food to pay for?

Each person's circumstances will be different but that does not make them insurmountable. I had no income and a first and a second, credit card bills... I looked for and found training thanks to the TAA (Trade Adjustment Act) that provided UI benefits while I attended training. I had to cut back on unecessary expenses, make adjustments via debt restructuring (taking advantage of 0% credit card offers) to pay off debt...

As I mentioned earlier as a result of this effort I am now better positioned for the future. Will I rest on my laurels absolutely not as Life requires Life-Long Learning. There is no such thing and never has been such a thing as job secutity. Even business ownership is driven by demand for your products and services and when that dries up hopefully you have plan B.

So in conclusion, no one said it would be easy, but removing butt from couch, putting brain in gear with a healthy dose of determination will go a very long way toward your/our/my individuals recoveries.

BTW - Haven't had a drop of Koolaid for more than 40 years now, but I do partake ocassionally in an ice cold beer...;-)

IF NOT OBAMA IN 2012 WHOM?

I hope the trend continues although I'm skeptical. Next month I fully expect an 'unexpected' drop in jobs created. I know several companies that laid off effective 12/31. I also know people were laid off after the holidays and many have run out of benefits and are no longer counted. We all know the numbers are spun and as the election gets closer, I expect more desperation coming from Obama and his minions.

Repugs & baggers gotta hate this news, but then again who cares what they think, they can take their party of NO and put it where the sun don't shine!

Yes, idiots. The article clearly states in the first sentence that new claims drop. Hello? That doesn't mean that the people have given up. That means fewer laid off. We can't spell everything out for you teatards. You need to learn to think for yourselves. Queen Sarah has wolves and moose to shoot.

Our education system failed, with Bush's "No child left behind". When students get good grades they get more government funding. When they get bad grades the government cuts the funding. A little backwards for producing more intelligent graduates.

Screwdallas2... please take your sanctimonious pseudo-intellectual drivel and shove it where the sun doesn't shine. How dare you lambaste those who went into the trades in lieu of going to college.

Not everyone is meant to go to college. Not everyone is meant to be a Lawyer, or Doctor, or accountant. I'm sure you're not that dismissive to the people who fix the plumbing when your $hit backs up in the toilet, nor to the guy that comes out when your car is stalled.

Me? I'm a HS graduate making a healthy six figure salary. I went to work right out of HS and then did 2 years in the Army. I DID have an opportunity in the Army I still kick myself in the ass for not taking. I was offered an appointment to West Point. That would have been a year in Prep School at Ft. Belvior, 4 years in the Academy and then 5 years to pay back the education. When you're 19, you add ten years to that and say "I'll be an old man before I can get out of the Army... No thanks!" And being just shy of 62 now, I've been doing a lot of kicking over the years.

Maybe you had more opportunities than others, but remember how derisively you think about them when they bail your sorry a$$ out.

Spider.. you really think it's the Democrats who gutted public education? You are poorly misinformed.. There have been historic cuts to public services (which include schools) attacks on teachers benefits (look at wisconsin), call your congressman and ask them why our education system continues to go down the toilet. I understand that the GOP wants to get rid of entitlements and I agree that there is wasteful spending on people who won't help themselves.. but when you see the efforts these people put forward to defund education, tank public services and get rid of programs that people depend on (elderly needing medicare, medicaid, etc.) you have to ask yourself "Is that really acting in the best interests of the American people?"

Since when was a quality education an entitlement? our schools are falling apart.. class sizes are growing, which means people can't get the attention they need so that they CAN be successful. All because funding for the public school system continues to dwindle. Public universities are seeing the same fallout. Attendance is falling, reducing revenues, leading to layoffs, leading to further attendance drops.. it's a slippery slope. Instead of stripping the school system of the funding they need (largely due to GOP policies) we should be pouring money into the school system so we can provide better opportunities for our future..

Ana Bananna, wow their are people who think europe went down from trickle down. No it went down from to many handouts! And too many invaders from the south!Just oil companies huh. How about Obamas good buddy GE.

I can take photos of help wanted signs too! Don't mean a thing if it ain't so! I just noticed something funny. Here Obama has been in office almost 4 years and if he's so special. Why hasn't MSNBC put his name in their spell check? Usually comes up as Osama! Looks like Osama was more important!

And you believe this?

Of course not. I believe ADP has every political reason to lie to us. Obviously, another union bought and paid for to lie for the Democrats.

Which is different from the Koch Brothers and The News Corp (Faux News) lying for the Republicans how?

I had hoped the sarcasm would be obvious since ADP is a private corporation and NOT a union.

LittleohRed.......I agree, and I would certainly take the Unions before the Koch Boys who should be tried for treason for suppling Iran, but I'm sure they will lie their way out that too, especially with all their BILLIONS, money buys everything even our Supreme Court.

teascum:

Your "hope," obviously, was more largesse than the intellect of newsvine contributors.

Well, Jersey is a dump. Everywhere else is getting better.

Yep, there sure isn't anything "new" about New Jersey!!

Nothing going on here in Vegas. Constuction is at a stand still, a lot of big companies closing down. Homes selling for next to nothing.

Well i can tell you one thing, there are sure a lot of cars on I-40 into Nashville every weekday morning with my husband and me at 6:00am, they can't all be vacationers, so they must be going to work someplace. Funny thing about construction, new homes, and realtors - it is a sham! the whole business, anyone stupid enough to try to buy a 500,000 home on a 50,000 a year salary is nuts, if you let your realtor or contractor talk you into it you are pitiful and I don't have much respect for your judgment or handling of your income. Build homes that people can afford and people will buy them, 3 new houses went up in Nov., nice single family homes, attached carport/garage, nice driveway, nice yards, bam! Sold and folks moved in before Christmas, no why? they were not overpriced, they were something average working class people could afford. Things are getting better, there are jobs out there, if you think you are too good to work a couple of part time jobs until you get something better I don't agree, I've done it, back in the 80's the economy was awful, I worked two and three part time jobs all the time, my husband worked one full time job and a part time job just so we could keep a roof over our heads and feed our kids. All that hard work paid off, we saved, we worked, we enjoyed simple pleasures, and when the rich folks down the street were carted off for doing drugs, we just sat on the porch, grilled burgers and happily drank our beer knowing we had not gotten in over our heads, gotten in with the wrong crowd, and did not spend our money of foolish things. I think this is where personal responsibility comes in (isn't that what republicans are always asking us to do? why, yes it is!). As far as the unemployment numbers goes - well ronnie boy messed that up a long time ago because he knew how devistating the real news would be for his re-election team.

Blame your radical Governor Christie for that! Believe me thats who we are blaming in WI, Governor Walker, but wait we are about to RECALL him, jobs loses 5 straight months going on 6, can't wait to get our state back!

Thanks UB I really appreciate your open and honest comment. Your attitude really does impact your approach to problems. If you are serial pessimistic, you will no doubt experience a series of severe challenges, as you have unresolved childhood issues and cannot make an informed decision. But that is your choice, not your fate. Don't like it, pull your head out, realize who is in control of you, and get the heck on down the road.

Union Baby Tennessee...

First, let me say I DO miss it. Spent a year there in Franklin. Great weather, and people.

But, lest you forget, Country Music is booming. There are MEGA stars there now that treat their people very well and appreciate everything they do to help the "stars" career.

Yes, there are anomalies here and there around the country, Washington DC and Nashville for example. But the sad truth is there are too few jobs for too many people looking. We need 300,000+ just to keep up with the new entrants into the job market, much less dealing with the already unemployed millions.

But people blame the politicians when they should be blaming themselves. It wasn't Congress that wanted cheaper clothes, or electronics. It was the consumer, and as long as the factory that closed wasn't the one they themselves worked in, there was no problem. Look over the border into North and South Carolina. How many textile mills, or furniture manufacturers are left? You can probably count them on one hand.

STL, which is normally slow is doing pretty well now. GM Wentzville just hired ~425 and plan to restart second shift again. Another commercial van plant is coming. And a couple of major projects on the E side.

So what's your point? ADP does not lie. It's a private corporation, which means it probably has much more allegiance to Republicans than Democrats since they know where their bread is buttered.

Is that why businesses give equal amounts to democrats (some give more) as they do republicans - because republicans butter their bread?

Good points; particularly about demand. And let us note that global demand for goods and services has an effect on our economy. The weakness outside the US is a continuing problem.

Another (non-political) issue that we should remember: during downturns where businesses need to maximize profit per employee, the investments they make are most often in productivity. These include software tools, hard tooling / automation, and processes. (This is opposed to a rapidly growing economy where time to market or need to meet customer demand, drives them to expand existing lines / processes.) As the economy spools up again, they are now able to hire less people to meet demand; keeping hiring rates lower for the recovery. This also has the effect of shifting required skillsets to support these higher productivity approaches and as we have seen, new workers are not always available to meet that demand.

OMG, Parrott and node, what wonderful posts. That's it in a nutshell, especially the part about the investment in productivity. Demand, demand is the driving force; hence, the reason for the stimulus, which was not big enough. No, the republicans seem to know very little about economics. Remember that when you vote this year.

I'm a small business owner, and when my taxes were higher, I "bought" things for the business. I gave raises because I could take those things off my taxes - and, hey, always need new "things" be they software, or a new super printer and had happier employees. Odd, isn't it, that my business was more profitable back when my taxes were higher???

I don't believe anything they say. There are NO jobs ANYWHERE!

Great Post ParrotHead, been saying that for year... we can eliminate all taxes, give businesses free land, allow them to make smoke stack after smoke stack and stores from New York to Los Angelas and it if there's no one there to buy the product then it will sit. No hiring, no goodies.. Companies don't hire people out of the goodness of their heart, nor the goodness of tax breaks, the hire people because there are consumers who demand their product. That's why increasing the tax levels don't hurt the majority of business because if there is demand there will definitely be supply. This supply-side economics these blinded idiot whacknuts adhere to is a fallacy these sheep will never get. You can call it taxes, you can call it redistribution of wealth, but in the end you got to get consumers money in their pockets, especially when the economy is hurting like it has. It's a tough pill to take but that's what will get us moving.

JohnSixty - You are wrong. I get contacted by recruiters virtually every single day here in MN. I still make great money but I'm in IT and have a college education. I'm sure if you have a high school diploma, then you're screwed.

This is so true parrothead, I'm not sure that people are aware of the republican position being created by Grover Norquist (who created the tea party over 20 years ago). He believes in smaller goverment and the way to do that is "starve the beast", he wrote the line "read my lips, no new taxes" for then v.p. Bush while he was running. Bush raised taxes once in office. Grover wants to cut out social security, medicare, medicaid, unemployment, welfair, the EPA, and the dept. of education, calling them "entitlement programs". Most of his follwers are blue collar, high school educated, lower to middle class people, who have been fed sound bites and cool catch phrases to mantra. I don't think these people realize they voting against thier own best interests. He has been called the most powerful man in D.C. and he has never been elected to office (scary). GOOGLE him and see what comes up, not normally this worked up politically, but the I learned, the more concerned I got for this counrties well being, and I believe he needs come out of the shadows.

Teabaggers should pass a law forbidding new job creation. Their obstructionist policies have not worked, and this would cut off any future new jobs. That way, Mittens could save us from any more jobs! I hope he and Blechmann or Perry can pull the U.S. out of the fire! We need George Bush back. He can chuckle and laugh his way out of anything! That cute ol' dumb bass Texan!

Why? After 2 years of Obama and 100% dem leadership, unemployment went up...ever since the Tea Party Republicans came in and at least some thought of fiscal restraint came to the federal government, unemployement went down....coincidence? I think not....

I'm with you!!

BTW, if any of you begin to say it's Bush's fault, puhleeze...and if you claim the Tea Party Repubs deserve no credit b/c they stopped everything Obama wanted to do...well I say....EXACTLY!!

Paul, both your statements are factually false. Unemployment kept rising during Obama's first 9 months as a DIRECT RESULT of the economic crash which he NOTHING to do with! Hell, Bush even left him with a $1.3T deficit BEFORE he was even sworn in!!! That's a BIG reason why the current deficits have been so high! It doesnt just go away but affects future budgets. If you notice, Obama's deficits are almost exactly the amount that he inherited.

The damage from the Great GOP Recession was SO SEVERE that we lost 8M jobs!!! Most economists at the time said it would take a decade to get them back, IF we got them back at all. Obama had nothing to do with THAT either. What he IS responsible for is the fact that as soon as the stimulus kicked in, we've had 9 consecutive quarters of GDP growth!!! BLS reported today that 380K jobs were created last month. Granted. some were Christmas jobs but it's still progress. Since he took office, the CBO says that close to, if not more than 3M jobs have been created!

Bush was in charge when the economy crashed. Republican policies and lack of Wall St oversight caused the crash. And remember, Bush ran up nearly $6T in debt when he started with a surplus and a road map to pay off the debt within his term if he would jsut follow it. well, we KNOW what HE did!

The GOP is REALLY afraid that most Americans will find out what many already know--that beginning with Raygun, the GOP ran up the debt DELIBERATELY, according to their plan called "starve the beast, for the sole purpose of privatizing SS and Medicare! That is not only undeniable, many republicans brag about it and have been very vocal about privatizing those programs, which would serve only to enrich the people who crashed the ecomony!!!!! As for the teabaggers, they have a 50%+ DISAPPROVAL rating and I doubt that 10% of them will be re-elected! People are REALLY pissed at the obstruction and Obama's approval rating is rising!

ADP is a private company. Your conspiracy theory is boring.

lolololol

It is not a conspiracy. Leap day of the leap year 2012.

If this President is so bad for business, then please someone explaine to me how it is that Coporations have been enjoying record breaking profits? Oil companies (who are supposed to be such great job creators, but are closing two distilling plants in my area.) making history breaking profits and doing it with less people!

All of the republican candidates want to give them more breaks in taxes?

The real answer is that these coporations are squeezing work out of people, everyone who has a job talks about how hard they are working and all the hours they are spending at work and wish they had more help.

You really want a new president? Go for it and when the country goes into depression just like in the Guilded Era when the rich were doing so well and then boom, it all collapsed. I hear over and over again. "there have not been income discrepancies like these since just before the great depression".

@ Bill

when you have major corporations and small business that come out and say that they are flat out scared of this president and his policies, its time for a change. obama creates nothing but uncertainty for business. business does not plan on 4 year election cycles, they plan on 5 year projections. when you make it impossible to project out 5 years because of tax uncertainty, heavy pending regulation ( obamacare) and other tax people above 250k rhetoric coming out of the white house, wouldn't you be scared?

sadly obama has made the USA closed for business, which is not suprising considering he hasn't worked an honest days work in his entire life and has no idea how to operate or how a business works.

what i find amazing is how this is all a shock to so many people

To Brendan-4 and all job killing legislation doom sayers et al (AKA TeaPubs) (APOLOGIES FOR THE LENGTH):

Let me get this straight, Paulsen runs into the Senate in September of 2009 with notes written on a couple pieces of toilet tissue, flailing his arms screaming the Financial Sky Is Falling. The whole financial world then gets a case of financial paranoia. John McCain after stating just the day or so before that the economic status of the US was just fine...yet interrupts his campaign to fly back to DC for a Commander-In-Chief-Wanna-Be photo opp. Banks and Corporations hedge their profits by cutting labor and laying off thousands, while hiring millions overseas. Bush arranges a bailout fund for the banks.

The election happens and Barack Obama is elected as the nation's first African American President in History of the US all to the tune of roughly 700K jobs leaving or being cut on a monthly basis. TeaPubs go on the attack immediately blaming this President for "...inheriting a problem that he somehow made worse...", and also coining the talking points you are espousing to right now in the post I am addressing, before one piece of legislation is passed.

So all you TeaPub parrots would have me and other folks believe that somehow in an environment where taxes have been their lowest in 60 years for business, all sorts of incentives are provided for hiring are somehow scared to death of the uncertainty brought on by legislation. Here are the facts:

THE FACTS: Labor Department data show that only a tiny percentage of companies that experience large layoffs cite government regulation as the reason. Since Barack Obama took office, just two-tenths of 1 percent of layoffs have been due to government regulation, the data show.

Businesses frequently complain about regulation, but there is little evidence that it is any worse now than in the past or that it is costing significant numbers of jobs. Most economists believe there is a simpler explanation: Companies aren’t hiring because there isn’t enough consumer demand.

The conservative National Federation of Independent Business asks its small-business membership each month to name the single most important problem they’re facing. Last month, the most common response was “poor sales,” cited by 28 percent. Government regulation came in second, at 18 percent.

Concerns over regulation have increased in the past two years — only 11 percent cited it in April 2009, not long after Obama entered the White House. But the rise hasn’t been outside historical norms. More small businesses complained about regulation during the administrations of President Bill Clinton and the President George H.W. Bush, according to an analysis of the federation’s data by the liberal Economic Policy Institute.

Now lets get specific. If you are a business owner and you employ less than 50 people there are subsidies in the Affordable Care Act for you, if you are a small business with more than 50 employees there are subsidies in the Affordable Care Act for you, if you are an individual and cannot afford coverage there are subsidies in the Affordable Care Act for you. So from my perspective this uncertainty is highly correlated with TeaPub rhetoric, and willing idiots that refuse to inform themselves and rely on folks like you to blindly and without question perpetuate the talking points, not because you are a mean and inconsiderate person, but because you have chosen ideology over fact.

You see my friend the truth WILL set you free, from fear, from uncertainty, from ignorance, and from folks selling you snake oil.

IF NOT OBAMA IN 2012 WHOM?

Jeffrey - you're tinfoil hat must be cutting off the blood to your head. I suggest you take a nap.

brendan - your post is laughable. You mentioned one piece of legislation. That's not going to stop businesses from expanding. I've heard several small business owners say that it'll be cheaper to just pay the penalty and stop offering health care to their employees (so they'll make even more money). As far as taxes, all Obama has done is REDUCE taxes. He can't even get 1/2% tax on those making over $1 million per year. Why would someone making $250k worry when they're paying less in taxes then ever in history. He should have just let the Bush tax cuts expire. How quickly some of you people forget.

Correction it was not September of 2009 but September 2008.

brendan - of course they are scared, they know it will be harder to push their agenda, which is never to create jobs for the U.S., but to maximize their bank accounts at the expense of everyone else.

Yeah... remember when Republicans wanted to let the American auto industry die? Look at them now... a little help from the govt. during tough times and now they're back on top, repaid most or all of their debts and hiring again.

Well done indeed, Mr. President.

SB,

GM has not paid pack their debts and the lost to the US taxpayer is going to be in the billions. For the taxpayer to breakeven the government has to sell its stock at $53.00 a share and right now it is at $20.50 down 44% this year. Their pensions are underfunded by $22 billion so please do not make it sound like they are doing that well. If we did not have to pay our debts and were given money we would all show profits

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-23/gm-record-earnings-no-balm-for-obama-nursing-taxpayer-loss-on-shares-cars.html

Think a little bigger, Jerry. All the employees that are still working at GM are putting taxes back into the system, where under the Republican line of thinking they'd be drawing unemployment. They're purchasing goods every payday helping push the economy forward. Even if GM hasn't paid everything back, the government will get everything back and more in the long run. However, and I'm foggy on this... didn't other companies pay back at least a significant about of the money they took?

I was just saying the picture while overall positive is not that rosy, and please remember that Ford took no money and has passed 2 million in car sales this year so the only options were not government money or go out of business. Also there is all this talk about sending jobs overseas and yet Hummer was sold to the Chinese and Chrysler was sold to Fiat an Italian company which eventually means jobs moving overseas.

On the amount paid back we have no way of knowing because we the taxpayers now own stock in the companies and we can only get the final results when the stock is sold.

Chrysler jobs won't go overseas... the added costs of reimporting and all that will keep it from being worthwhile. Toyota I believe opened a new plant in Mississippi for that very reason... it's more efficient to build where your market is. Hummer... that line was going to be shut down anyhow, so if it was actually sold then that's a bonus.

No, you're right... the picture isn't rosy just yet. Keep in mind, though, it was a hell of a lot worse. If the Republicans would allow things to progress, allow a massive burst in infrastucture spending, for example, you'd see the economy get a nice kick-start. That in turn would increase revenues and actually work to reduce debt in the long run.

That is where I disagree. I think if the President was allowed to do everything he wanted we would be in worse shape as companies are holding back on investment. A better option would be to lower the corporate tax rate and allow companies to bring back overseas money at a 5% fee as long as it is invested in new factories or the such here. On infrastructure spending the problem is government tends to use this as payback to their donors and not in the most efficient manner or for the best use of the money as we saw with the last stimulus and with the bridge to nowhere.

@sb

Chrysler jobs will go overseas. With the free trade agreements in place it puts the US at a disadvantage to other countries because of labor. Toyota bmw and other car makers only open plants in the US to take advantage of *gasp* loopholes in the tax code.

I dont agree with infrastructure spending as a stimulant. The majority of the contracts would be awarded to public sector unions, only priming that democratic donation pump. We do not need more temporary union jobs. We need permanent private sector jobs.

If you want to increase revenues lower taxes. Allowing more people into a higher tax bracket actually raises revenues as opposed to raising taxes on a lower bracket brings less people into that same tax bracket.

Shocking information, i know.

Expand on that a little more Jerry. Think about the hundreds of thousands of jobs that feed the auto industry. Its not just GM or Ford employees involved but a whole economic system that is growing and vibrant thanks to Obama's insistence on helping them recover. All of them paying taxes, all of them consuming products and services and driving the economy. So the American taxpayers investment in the auto industry goes far beyond the balance left on the books, and the best is still IMHO yet to come.

IF NOT OBAMA IN 2012 WHOM?

You may not believe in infrastructure spending as a stimulant, but reality is disagreeing with your beliefs. The fact is, with a boost in infrastructure spending you wind up with a demand for workers to do the upgrades. With more workers, you increase the cash flow to the consumers (those that actually spend). With more consumers spending, you increase demand for products and services, which in turn drives hiring by employers to meet those demands.

What country was it over in Europe that was in crisis... Italy or Greece? The mind fails me... however, the new guy in charge over there is taking dramatic actions to kick start their economy and recovery... massive spending in the country's infrastructure. Why? It works.

Build the infrastructure, people work. People get paid. People spend. Employers hire. Economy grows.

It's that simple.

brendan - once again you are wrong. Please point to a period in our history where lowering taxes increased revenue. It's a fallacy. We've been lowering taxes for years yet we are in the worst recession our country has seen since the Great Depression. No, low taxes does nothing to increase revenue. Trickle down economics doesn't nor has ever worked. Next.

SB - you're absolutely correct. Not to mention you now have something to actually show for your money. Our infrastructure is crumbling. We need new bridges, roads, electrical grids, water mains, etc. They all have a positive return on investment. And, these are things that only government can do.

Parrrot it is the "Broke country of Greece" that is investing heavily in infrastructure after removing Burlesconi (phonetically spelled) from office and the good ole boys club. You are also absolutely correct as it does work not only to stimulate the economy but if infrastructure spending is done properly it will spur longterm growth. The flipside is also true if those expenditures get swallowed up by fraud, greed, and waste. So Greece has taken control of its financial solvency by invoking a BOLD economic plan, someting we dream of here in the US.

Living and learning....

Goggle Federal Tax Revenues from 2002 to 2010. Tax revenues went up EVERY year after the Bush tax cuts until the Dems took over Congress and spending skyrocketed and more money came out of the private sector....coincidence, I think not....

Harry Reid is the one that blocked the bills the Senate that would of created jobs. He is a Dumbocrat if you do not know.

I think think this guy J Parks is stuck on stupid he proves it over and over the GOP should go away like the dinosaur it is we would all be better off

Jeff, name one. One bill Senator Reid blocked that the Republicans put forth that would have actually created jobs and wasn't loaded with poison pills.

Just one.

That's just crazy talk!!! They want Obama to fail, and they don't care if they have to destroy the country to make their point and sell their books. Fall in line, dammit.

SBParrothead, Jeff can't do it. I noticed that Jeff forgot to mention Speaker Bohner and Whip Cantor. They did Everything possible to block every meaningful bill through out last year. They almost shut our government down more than once last year. If the Speaker and Whip were concerned about the workers they wouldn't have tried to stop the passage of the last bill. More than once last year it was a major battle to extend unemployment what's that to them, lunch? The President early last year 1st brought up extending unemployment to 1 year but Cantor (the true Speaker) didn't want an extension of benefits.

MONTY

The repubs are working on that as we speak .

I remember when Bush was president and we were LOSING 800,000 jobs per MONTH.

Correct thats never pointed out that we are digging out of a deep deep hole and it will take some time but we need to continue the growth and we could have been doing a lot better had there been ANY cooperation from Congress

Now you know that the Repubs got together and said "We have to do whatever it takes to bring this Obama down. And make sure he gets credit for the failure." Then McConnell leaked it to the public. The Tea Pertiers wanted to elimnate government by becoming a part of it.

I remember when Bush was President and the Repubs controlled both the House and the Senate in 2005 and 2006 and Michigan and the rest of the Midwest States economies started to decline in 2006. The real decline started in 2006 (not 2008) after 5 years of horrible economic polices and did not stop declining until late 2009. It is moving in the proper direction again (upward), period. I know you Repubs cant handle the truth, but that is the truth.

DG, you're sooo on point!

Dave, no point in trying to tell the truth. They will believe what they want to believe. You can give them all the stats and graphs, but still no good. Let obama and his master soros keep pulling the wool over the eyes. The independents will help in getting the right people in office.

None of you republican sheeple know what you are talking about. Bill Clinton created 22.5 million jobs in 8 years while George W created only 1.08 million jobs in 8 years. Under Clinton businesses had higher taxes the economy was thriving with record low unemployment. Under Bush businesses got huge tax cuts and the economy tanked with almost no job growth. And the Republicans lied and said tax cuts would create jobs.

Look at the facts.

Tax increases under Clinton good economy and low unemployment and huge job creation.

Tax decreases under Bush economy starts failing, employment starts to go up and job creation totally tanks.

Democrats know how to get the country back on track. All republicans do is suck the blood of the country like a tick while the country gets sick from their blood sucking.

Hey Dick Cheney wants some credit for things that get better too! You know he was responsible for the current Administration finding and killing Bin Laden. Right.

LMAO at both comments!

Bad news for you, the federal government and economists say that the "recession" translated Depression ended in '09. Somebody forgot to tell them that most of our jobs are now in 3rd world countries and that we are rapidly becoming one.

you fail to focus on that there were 3,000 jobs that they were trying to fill. Instead you focus on teh negative. Typical!!!

ragtopz,you're absolutly right right, it is negative out there. Since you have a computer try getting on to PBS' site and just (if your brave enough) "listen" to Tavis Smiley's show last night. If you listen you just might - might learn something about the general mood of our once great nation of worker's.

Do try and give yourself a chance to learn something that's not new to anyone but you.

Henry, you didn't mention what kind of construction, retail space, offices, homes? If it's homes I'd like to know how many have sold over what span of time from breaking ground to the final sale.

Thanks

There are some single family homes, more than some would think. But, allowances for construction materials are at the lowest seen in 20 years. There is a slight uptick in school and hospital construction, there is a lot of new construction in the banking world, new headquarters and the such. Retail space is increasing somewhat, but the biggest gains are in the rental units. As far as closings on single family housing, our work is based on the home being sold before we go to work. We are working on 4 homes a month at this time. But again, there is not much money to be made anymore.

Duane, I love your question because when I lost my job Sept. 23, '11 so went my medical. Yes they forgot just like all of the DC politicos, they've got theirs.

DG, yeah this is the "new" standard, since I lost my job, I"ve rediscovered the large variety of dried beans in order to make my unemployment stretch.

No. It is a real report, derived from pretty sophisticated data feeds. It not only takes that into account, it takes on reduced income and seasonal hiring. Sorry the small amount of good news upsets you.

yeah, we have drones that are presently tracking illegals from place to place and they are presently all headed to New Hampshire, a sure indicator of an economic surge.