:shock: A multi-trillion dollar economy zipping along at nearly 5% growth. There it is and there has never been anything like it... The only problems that liberal critics can find, are problems associated with this incredible growth: - illegal aliens pouring over the borders to get jobs at 20k-30k per year that most Americans don't want. - Rising energy costs driven by increased demand for goods and services. - "Flat" wages that "barely" keep up with The Boom. (Only if you DON'T count 401k plans, pensions and employee medical plans.) All I know is: I'm a public employee who gets automatic raises, COLAS, (Cost of Living Adjustments) and holidays that you never heard of. Keep paying those taxes! My union will let you know how much you owe me! Work! Work! Work! I love you all! ...........TP
"(Only if you DON'T count 401k plans, pensions and employee medical plans.)" Wow...and what industry would that be???
I think that is exactly his point, MCG...that the only way to make wages look relatively flat would be to ignore those things...in reality they aren't so flat and, just as you say, you shouldn't ignore the 401K's or Medical Plans. stu
"Total compensation" is a much more accurate measure of how much workers are earning than simple wages. Employers have to pay 401k matches, medical/dental plans, pensions etc. You can't just pretend that such compensation doesn't exist. That's like figuring batting averages while ignoring the scoreboard. The most important question should be, "Are the workers better off, or not?" Clearly they are in an economy where their total compensation is up, inflation is low and opportunities for choice are the greatest in history...
And again I say...what magical industries have all these benefits that you guys mention? My family healthcare premiums have tripled since 2001 and the coverage has diminished appreciably. My 401-K match is tapped out at $500.00 by my employer.
When I began working for Avery Dennison Corporation 30 years ago, complete medical benefits were free to all workers. What happened? Just what do you figure the Republicans did to screw this deal up? Is it just possible that unrestricted legal warfare against hospitals and doctors by shyster lawyers caused insurance premiums to go through the roof? I hope you do, because that's exactly what happened. In California, where the legislature is controlled by the lib/Dems and their main sugar daddys, the trial lawyers and teachers, a litigant didn't even have to prove that they had suffered an injury in order to sue...nor did they have to prove that they were part of an injured group in order to file a class action lawsuit. This has allowed roving packs of shysters to extort every business in the state with the threat of a lawsuit. This includes every doctor, dentist and hospital in the state. Meanwhile, doctors and hospitals are forced to treat the very people who're suing them, often for free, by state law... You're mad because doctors, insurance companies, oil companies and drug companies keep raising their rates, yet all of them are making the same percentage of profits as they did 30, 40 or even 50 years ago... and yet you keep voting for the Democrats and unrestricted legal warfare on our way of life. Why?
So the $.44/gallon increase at the pump in 22 days ($.02.day)is due to demand? "$3.26/gal" ring any bells? Sometimes you and tailback seem to be smoking the same thing from opposite ends. You each relate a different taste that you both justify with passion and certainity.
Since 1994 Congress has been controlled by Republicans joined in by a Republican President in 2001 and somehow the Dems stir the drink with regard to high healthcare and prescription drug costs?
Much of the increased cost of prescription drugs is being driven by two factors; New and better drugs are being developed all the time...many of these are keeping folks out of the hospital, but are very expensive, particularly for those who have no prescription coverage on their insurance. Secondly, everybody in our country wants the best when they get sick...they want the newest and best drug...it may have some small advantages over the previous "standard" yet cost 5x as much...but it almost becomes mandated for the physician to use it because of it's small advantages. In much the same manner, everybody gets a CAT scan when a simple xray would show 98% of the problems, because you can't afford the risk of missing the 2% (actually only 1% because the damn CAT scat probably misses 1% on its own). 70 - 80 percent of Medicare expenses are made during the last 3 or 4 weeks of life...there ought to be a way to decrease this but folks don't want to make the hard decisions that are required. Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans can change these things...it requires a national attitude adjustment. stu
I think one helpful solution would be to provide a more usable tax break or credit for healthcare expenses. Probably a credit would be best after a family has spent X amount of dollars towards healthcare. Otherwise I would like to see a study of 1992-2000 vs. 2001-present healthcare profit analysis with an executive compensation study and reinvestment of pofits toward R&D as a percentage of profits. Any guess as to how this might turn out? I'll bet it mirrors the Oil industry very closely in comparison of changes in those areas I mention over that period of time.
Health care spending (and profits) will continue to go up as the population ages. What has to be done is to decrease the crazy spending on everybody having to have the best and the newest treatments. Yes, I am advocating rationing, to an extent, but you have to have some type of rationing when all of these new and expensive technologies are available and every one wants SOMEBODY ELSE to pay for them. Tax credits are fine, but what are you going to do when your tax credits exceed the tax you owe? There is no end in sight to the problem, as long as Americans want all the most expensive stuff, on somebody else's tab. stu