Paulson: Americans are better off. They're just not feeling it.

[BurtWorm]

:eyes:


http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2006/08/18/economy/index.html?source=rss

"That's, I think, the $64,000 question. And as I've thought about it, I think a big part of it relates to the fact that many Americans aren't feeling the benefit, because they are clearly better off as a result of a strong economic growth and job creation. They're much better off than they would be if the economy were growing slower or weren't growing. But many of the Americans aren't feeling it in terms of their own economic situation. Part of this is a result of energy costs, healthcare, and so that's -- as I said, that's part of it.

"I would be optimistic that if we can keep the job creation, keep making new jobs and productivity levels high, that you're going to see wage growth follow this. And we've seen some encouraging signs if you look over the last couple quarters. And that's part of it.

"And then there's the other question which really -- or the other part of this, which I think relates to a trend that's been going on now for 20 years at least, which really has more to do with the integration of the U.S. into the global economy and technology, and that's that, clearly, we're seeing a trend that the greatest rewards are going to those who have the skills to really adapt to the opportunities in the economy. And so that's a trend. The answer to that is clearly education and training. But I think one thing we all feel pretty strongly about, that whatever the issues are we're dealing, we're dealing with -- it's easier to deal with them with a strong growing economy that's creating new jobs."

[bluerum]

1. series? Yeah - I need more graduate degrees. Only then will I

have the key to unlock the doors to the promised land and find a job.

This is such BS.

[rubberducky]

2. How much more of these idiots can we take?

Spin, double talk,and downrite lies. Enough,already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Maybe they don't feel it because with every increase in their productivity

they get less and less in wages and benefits. Tell that sh*t about those with skills to the IT professionals and engineers.

[NC_Nurse]

4. What is the catch phrase?

"strong economy and creating new jobs"
"strong economy and job creation"
C'mon everybody, sing along! Lather, rinse, repeat......

:crazy:

[Bob3]

5. he's saying we're better of than we would be if things were worse

And thus my head she explodes (shouldn't we have a smiley for that?)

I forget who said it but someone said something to the effect "No economist ever had to wonder where his next meal was coming from" :banghead:

[Solly Mack]

6. Rich Americans are better off and us po'folks ain't feeling it

unless you count getting our faces rubbed in it as "feeling it"

[meldroc]

7. I suppose I'm one of the lucky bastards...

I moved from being a tech support phone monkey last year for $8/hr to resuming my career as a software engineer for literally quadruple the pay this year.

Granted, not everyone is this lucky, and the way the economy's moving, a lot of people are going to be hurting, but at least for me, it's possible to find decent work.

[Demit]

8. Wage growth, like prosperity in the Depression--just around the corner!

Sure.

[shain from kane]

9. How much is it due to pressure on the interest rate due to government

borrowing? Isn't one technique used by the Federal Reserve and the Treasury in the last several years to have a fixed amount for the money supply, forcing the consumer and the government to bid on borrowing rates? As a Keynesian, doesn't government spending on the military result in the loss of productive assets not being used to replenish the system? Billions spent on military equipment may have an income and wage effect for the first round, but nobody else has a use for what is being produced, except for the military. The military equipment is being financed with borrowed money, since the administration has made these tax cuts. They always compare the effect of tax cuts with the Kennedy years, but except for a brushfire war in Viet Nam up to the time of his death, there wasn't a war to finance.

[AX10]

10. Mouthpiece.

[Richard Steele]

11. We aren't 'feeling it' because it doesn't TOUCH US.

Corporations are having a banner frickin' year, and the wealthiest
%5 of Americans have a bigger slice of the pie than ever.

But all that growth at the top has come out of the pockets
of the bottom %95 of us. We are WORSE off than we were.
Much, much WORSE.

His NumberSpin is just transparent BULLSHIT deliberately
phrased to DECIEVE, not INFORM.

It's the equivalent of:
"Bill Gates walks into a bar; the AVERAGE net worth
of bar patrons jumps by 50 million dollars."



(EDITed for improperly adjective.)

[RufusEarl]

12. He's clearly talking about the investor class,

I have friends with degrees that can't find work.

"clearly, we're seeing a trend that the greatest rewards are going to those who have the skills to really adapt to the opportunities in the economy"

[man4allcats]

13. I'm better off but just not feeling it?

Well that explains it! Now I don't feel nearly so bad even though I've been out of work for eight months and counting in spite of my degree and graduate work. Gee, I thought I was in rough shape, but now I know I'm actually happy although I'm not yet quite aware of it. Didn't Orwell refer to this as Newspeak?

[finecraft]

14. That has got to be the biggest bunch of gibberish crap I have ever heard

It's mind-boggling to think that these people are in positions of power.

[Marr]

15. I don't know why those French serfs weren't happy. Mary Antoinette had

more hats than ever! And the feasts! Boom times, I'm tellin' ya.

[mediaman007]

16. Is this perennial presidential candidate, Pat Paulson?

[BurtWorm]

17. No. It just sounds like him.

;)

[Cha]

19. He passed on to the great

Laugh-In in the Sky.

[JHB]

20. No, Henry Paulson, Treasury Secretary to the Stars...

...or Chimps.

[Cha]

18. I'm gonna go out on a limb

here and say, "No, Americans are not better off!" "Why?" "Because, they have a criminally insane monkey that took over the white house and invaded Iraq based on lies fueled by his handlers and the corporate media and we're a dangerous laughingstock to the rest of the world."

And that's just the beginning.

Hell, No.

[Johonny]

21. I sure hope he doesn't get paid for this

So let me get this straight. People are better off in a sluggish economy where real wages are dropping, than they would be in an economy where they eat dirt and live in a cave. People that tend to get jobs are the people who have the skill needed for the available jobs. Really that's some analysis work.

[nosmokes]

22. obviously, if we were stoopitenough to vote for shrub then...

we're probably too stoopit to know when we're better off, right?

and for the mofo's that still wanna have a beer with dubya because he's a 'regular guy'- are all your beer buddies mouth breathing idiots?