The Augusta Chronicle
It's not just the number of promising young lawmakers and other new leaders elected Tuesday that is encouraging for the future of this country. It's also the apparent quality of them.
From the U.S. Senate to the U.S. House to hundreds of state offices across the country, it does appear as if, as Kennedy said in his inaugural address, "the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans."
Comments
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 - 11:24 AM
At some point, although I doubt it will be in the near future, people like Mr. Mickle are going to realize that co [...]
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 - 09:35 AM
Oh, I'm sure Mr. Asher will give you all the credit for his eloquence....which is what I was complimenting.
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 - 09:38 AM
Yes Lynn, I taught Jim well. He was in classes I instructed @ GPSTC in Forsyth. Not sure Jim certified all the PCS [...]
Thu, Jun 13, 2013 - 04:40 PM
Mr. Mickle, thank you for acknowledging the service that I and all my brothers and sisters in law enforcement and [...]
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If the "new" republican party does no better than the last, what do we do? Go back to the democrats for another round? I hope not.
My answer? A new political party created by the people, of the people and for the people.
This county could use a visit from THE GINSU KNIFE MAN. (They are made in Fremont, Ohio, not Japan.
Georgia needs a visit from The ICE MAN (Immigration and Customs Enforcement.)
America needs an extended visit from ICE.
If the ICE man doesn't cometh soon....all elected officials (new and used) need to goeth.
What prompted their creation?
I wonder if the parties in power at the time the democrats and republicans started were as angry and hateful as the democrats and republicans have been to the tea party candidates?
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
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"Total nonfarm payroll employment edged down by 95,000 in September.Government employment fell by 159,000, reflecting both the departure of 77,000 temporary Census 2010 workers from federal government payrolls and a decline of 76,000 in local government employment. Private-sector payroll employment continued to trend up (+64,000) over the month. (See table B-1.)"
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I assume it's occurred to you that, barring further employment, these people will now be drawing unemployment -- both Federal and local government employees that have been laid off. Pray tell, how does this "stop the bleeding"? Short of letting the unemployed starve to death, how would laying off more government employees "stop the bleeding"?
Furthermore, I'd be interested to know which economist (or what school of economic theory) you are following. Inflation is barely 1% and Treasury Bills are paying next to nothing. In other words, we're closer to deflation than inflation and foreigners are still sending their money into the United States just to keep it safe.
"Someone is denying reality - and openly violating the laws of economics."
Agreed.
Don Brown
The problem with high government employment is that the government does not create any income. They simply take the income of the people who are working in private industry and provide it to someone else in the public sector.
The problem comes in when the public sector exceeds the private sector which is what is happening now. Once more people work for the government than can be sustained by the earnings in the private sector, the whole economic engine fails.
If you want to go all the way back to basics, income (wealth) is created by labor. Otherwise, we have to move on to more complicated models where governments do indeed create income. And jobs. Lockheed, Boeing, the entire military/industrial complex etc. are financed almost exclusively by the government and they create wealth and jobs. I think you will agree that Ft. Benning (for example) does indeed create some income (tax revenue if you will) for the State of Georgia. I assume some Pike Co residents work there, which creates tax revenue for Pike Co.
Your point that private industry is the economic engine of America is well taken. At the moment though, private industry isn't hiring because there is no consumer demand. In other words, Joe Public is broke, paying down debt and not shopping. Until he starts spending, businesses won't start hiring.
We can let this cycle take its course -- a predicted decade of slow growth and high unemployment -- or we can try to do something about it.
10 years is a long time to ask our fellow citizens to be unemployed. Not to mention it's a long time for our taxes to pay unemployment benefits. I, personally, think we should try to do something about it. I think our citizens deserve more than the modern day equivalent of "Let them eat cake." That didn't turn out so well before.
Don Brown
However, I think that the growth of government and the higher tax rates have forced businesses to consider other methods of manufacturing goods. Overseas for example. This reduces the number of working citizens and forces them to a) accept government assistance, or b) take a government job managing those on government assistance. This raises the number of government workers and again raises taxes forcing more business to seek profit elsewhere.
Please remember the government doesn't pay for anything. The working taxpayer pays for everything. The government produces no goods or services that can generate wealth; only cost.
The economic models that have the government as the economic producer have all for the most part failed. As we move more and more to a federal-centric government we move toward failure.
Do I want my fellow citizens jobless? Absolutely not, I want my government to attract businesses back to the US so that we can all go back to work.
I think you're getting a little off course -- fixating on government. If the government didn't produce or provide there would be no term "privatization". Indiana wouldn't be selling roads to a toll company. Gwinnett County wouldn't be trying to sell its airport (Briscoe Field.)
No one is talking about nationalizing any businesses (although it might have been a better way to go with the banks.) Hopefully, we're all talking about fixing the system that we have and that has worked so well all these year. There's no need to look at other examples that have failed. There is a need to face the fact that our system all but failed.
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"I've abandoned free market principles to save the free market system."
George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 16, 2008"
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We *can* fix this. We just have to face the facts and figure out what is broken. The free market system worked just fine (for the most part) from 1945 to 2007. The fundamentals are fine and no one is talking about trying a different system.
Don Brown
Without jobs that produce something of value that can be sold and taxed, the government cannot continue.
We currently have approximately 60% of the people in the US receiving a government check. These levels are unsustainable as is born out by our out of control debt.
Just so you'll know, I consider it a bad sign when I go to research a claim such as "approximately 60% of the people in the US receiving a government check" and the first hit I get is from Newsmax. I'll delve into Mr. Shilling's (the author of the research) credibility if I must but for now I'll just say, quack, walk, duck.
Now, as far as government producing, let's pick, say...the Hoover Dam.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoover_Dam
It cost $49 million in the early 30s. It produces 4.2 billion KWh per year. Lets call it 4 billion times $0.10 a KWh (because I like round numbers.)
http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/cost.html
That's $400 million dollars a year in electricity produced. Every year since 1935. Please feel free to check my numbers. Math is not my strong suit and I won't even attempt to factor in inflation and the other variables.
BTW, I receive a government check every month. I'll leave it up to you to figure out if I'm...
"federal, state, and local government workers.."
"...private sector workers who owe their jobs to government..."
"....recipients of transfer payments (like pensions)..."
"...a few other substantial programs (like food stamps). And he tacked on the dependents of these direct beneficiaries."
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/4/15/215126.shtml?s=tn
Oh, almost forgot. It's only 2010. Not 2040.
"Similarly, Shilling predicts that the number of "government beneficiaries," as he defines them, will grow to 60 percent of the US population by 2040 "
Don Brown
The Hoover Dam was built by private companies 6 of them that formed a consortium. I don't know how it was funded. I think partially from the taxpayer (a large portion) and from private industries.
The profits from the hoover dam have in large part benefited the private electric company that operates the power plant.
The point I was trying to make and that I still believe is valid, is that as the government grows and private industry shrinks, our prosperity will shrink with it.
I think you can look at our economy today and clearly see that trend.
I'm enjoying our conversation. It's nice to talk with someone who provides facts to back up their statements.
Just another Glorious Day in Pike County.