Here is an article that sums up the state of my job position in December of 2008: http://www.bigthreeimplode.com/Detroit-Auto-Show-Cut-Backs-12-26-2008.html Gipper, I'll bet the combination of unemployed, underemployed and no longer looking is over 25% in Detroit and probably over 35% in automotive related business. On a satisfying note for me my former company for the first time in a very long time is handling no GM auto shows this year. I personally did over 3 million annually with GM in the last 10 years of my career with them.
You didn't EARN d!ck.....the central government mandated that you send money to the central government in exchange for a promise that they provide you a stream of future benefits.......GUESS WHAT? Shockingly, the central government f#%ked up and overpromised you and millions of others....overpromised in the form of a stream of future benefits that VASTLY exceeded the amount that could be paid out because of an ill-advised concept, short-sighted design, meaningful demographic changes and the inevitable billions of dollars of waste and corruption that follows virtually every nickel that is sent to a central government bureaucracy, removed from reality and where no one is accountable...... Federal spending on social welfare programs amounted to slightly over 2% of our economy -v- 10% for national defense in 1956, the year I was born. The 2010 budget - if that is the proper name for such an outrage - shows spending on social welfare programs now amount to over 10% of our economy -v- 3% for national defense! Social welfare programs have grown over 4X as quickly as our economy....read that very carefully! Our promises to pay are outstripping our abiltiy to pay by over 4x - and the gap is widening! We have become a social welfare state and it is unsustainable.....this country desparately needs leaders who have the sack to address massive structural inbalances - and you brand those that have the political courage to raise the issue - a$$hole ultra-conservatives..... :shock: The only way that they can now provide you the benefits that you EARNED(?) is to increase the burden on current and future generations or reduce the stream of benefits for future recipients.....there is no other way and you choose to increase the burden on future generations.....nice. Unless citizens like you, with this ridiculous entitlement mentality, wake up smell the roses, sack up and become part of the solution instead of part of the problem, our economy and the standard of living of all future generations will go the way of the social democracies.....into the crapper and those that continue to offload the problem onto future generations will be responsible....nice work.
Let's see.....the money taken from me over the years for social security and medicare amounts to probably over $175,000.00 and that is pure withholding from my paychecks. It was my ass getting out of bed every day and going to work to pay it. I guess from what you are saying I just earned the right to get screwed is all. You know what......I like your thinking. How about they just pay me my money back with interest and to hell with social security because I wouldn't need it after that.
I think you're getting it.....how'd sending all that money to the central government work out for ya? Social welfare states are great and wonderful things now aren't they.... Why not raise taxes and send them more......hope and change baby, hope and change.
George....if that side wanted me to have what I have already paid for then I might consider. Instead it seems as if they are determined to take away what I have already paid for. Not going for that. Also.....on credit cards.....here is the new law: "While rates on existing balances can be raised only if a borrower falls behind by two months" Unfortunately....I was caught carrying balances when I was laid off just before my high commission season in which I could manage those balances much more effectively. Nice of my former company to pull the rug at just the right time before those commissions were paid. In any event.....last fall.....before the new law as stated above took effect I was 3 days late on a Sears Card when I was traveling out of town and became distracted. On two balances I had with them I carried a 5.99 rate and 9.99 rate respectively. Because I was those 3 days late they seized the opportunity to rob me effing blind and raised both to 29.99% I am underemployed considerably in comparison to my previous job and I do not have the cash to pay off the cards. I also didn't receive much equity out of the sale of my home last spring due to the piss poor housing market so therefore I have been stuck with those rip-off rates even though the new law that took effect in Feb. now says you have to be two months late for the same thing to happen that happened to me. I have been incensed at Sears Mastercard......and I feel ripped off and I have paid a thousand dollars in extra interest to those jerks this year since those 3 days late last October. You wonder why I am so pissed off at those that think that kind of ******** is just fine and dandy and also at those that think a law like that should be repealed? You have to understand I will never......ever again.....use and carry balances on credit cards no matter my circumstances job wise but in the interim I am stuck getting robbed blind.
I think so to, but I'm not sure that he understands that he is and is unconsciously having a visceral and violent reaction to the reality.......hence the whining about somebody else being at fault for his mistakes. The facts shall set you free.....
I know a rip off when I see one.......although I had a certain level of trust from years of dealing with credit card companies that behaved responsibly, honestly and with integrity. In the few years leading up to my lay-off they changed......and had become a den of thieves unbeknownst to me although I started to read about the horror stories in the year leading up to the lay-off and I had every attention of throwing all avaliable cash at those balances when I received the income that spring. However.....my company knew that my high earnings season was upon them and they made the cut before I had the chance to get paid those commissions. The credit card companies will never....ever again see business from me nor will Sears. It's ATM cards and AmEx for me from now until eternity.
Whether or not the "band of thieves" can get that done or not remains to be seen....but there is one certainty ..... that when we begin to see the implications and unintended consequences of the law in the form of the inability of many of acquire the credit they desire, the allocation of credit away from lower and middle income consumers and the limits on credit expansion that are at the root of any growing economy we will hear you whining again ad nauseaum and no doubt it will be the fault of: I'm counting the days.....we have seen the consequences of government mandated credit allocation and it wasn't pretty. It never is, it never has been, it never will be....congratulations.
The bar has been raised considerably in America.......the degree of separation so vast.... that a great majority of it's citizens fit into this category. One huge reason for that separation is the dishonest and self-serving actions of a few when it comes to manipulation of the stock market, credit card interest rates and the housing collapse. The demand is going to go away for high risk credit like credit cards because it has become so uncertain and volatile and has created such distrust amongst average Americans. I love the new series of ads on TV when people are calling in for customer service of their credit cards and they get "Betty".....a fat Euro slob male who obviously is not there to service the consumer. That's how far the credit industry has fallen with the public.
:lol: :lol: :lol: seriously? Of course that example is only applicable to the outsourced customer service functions for the banking industry is laughable at best......you need to get out more but then you only see what you want to see and conveniently ignore the rest, hence reason your views are so credible. The view that the "housing collapse" is a result of the self-serving actions of a few is patently absurd and not remotely close to reality, other than that you're right on.....so long as you hold such a view, it's not even worth discussing with you. Carry on.....
....of many then.... but the few that should have been minding the store were not.... in favor of profits off questionable items such as subprime loans. Let the free market work it's magic.......right? .....black magic.
For me to have this discussion with you is a complete waste of my time.... Nobody said it was perfect, nor suggested that its path is without pain because at the end of the day it necessarily must suffer the same frailties inherent in the human condition, but it is the best there is and there ain't a close second.....intervene with arbitrary social experiments and wealth redistribution plans at your own risk. We've seen that movie and we know how it ends. There is no need to destroy the greatest society the world has ever known to relive it's sickening climax. Carry on....
There is no distribution of wealth period anymore. No equity in housing and many people underemployed. We have allowed a few reckless and/or greedy indivduals to bring all of us down.....except for those individuals. The envelope was pushed over the edge and the people who should have cared.... didn't.
Clueless, uninformed, intellectually lazy and unabashedly argumentative, contentious, rude and inflammatory is no way to go through life son.....but I'll not stand in your way. You rail against the capitalistic system while simultaneously bitching and moaning about the train wreck that is the greatest social welfare program ever conceived and demand that somebody else pay your freight at the expense of your children in the same topic!......the only thing consistent about you is the propensity to bitch......carry on.
As I have clearly stated.....I have paid my own freight thank you. And healthcare too. All that in spite of the rip-off traps that exist out there today and the worst unemployment and recession since the Great Depression. And as far as the rudeness.....that's pretty funny coming from you.
You haven't paid enough to keep the system afloat and provide for the benefits you want to receive. Your answer..... Increase the burden on our children because we f&^ed it up and didn't pay enough and/or address the problem on a timely basis and resist and criticize the efforts of those that suggest rational solutions to tough societal problems.....that ain't paying the freight pal....that's sticking your head in the sand, letting the problem get worse and then forcing somebody else take care of your problems.
Remember when Bush suggested privatizing all or part of Social Security? he sure was stupid, wasn't he? 8)
Yes I do Krebsie, yes I do...I also remember his administration identifying and trying to tackle the massive systemic risk inherent in Fannie and Freddie again only to be rebuffed by the enlightened ones....political courage and leadership is a great and wonderful thing. We sure could use some today....
I remember when the Dems used the proposal in campaigns. The system is now even more critical that it was back then. Oh, and what was the Democratic counter proposal? There wasn't one. How many times had MCG bitched about the Republicans not having any proposals in issues?