Band-Aid Economics.

[coloradodem2005]

Consumer confidence has gone down, unemployment ticked back up .1%, most of the jobs created were in construction or retail, and the construction jobs were in some ways already there. Yet everybody in the news is touting this "recovery." Why? Because if people think that this is a recovery, they will buy and we will have a more genuine recovery. It sounds good in theory. People buy into this and even if they have a shitty job and little money they go buy stuff they don't need and can't afford. This is coming from a guy who even if he is not buying his own clothes, tries to find the best deals and will not spend obsceme amounts of money on clothes. Hell right now I am just wearing a pair of jeans and a Michigan Sweatshirt. I digress.

THe thing is, people feel better, so the go spend, spend, spend. Things look better for awhile, until people shoot themselves in the foot because they spend too much. Then things go downhill again. It is not a long-term solution. It will not fix things for individual Americans or America. We need good jobs. We need them, but we cannot rely on a dot com bubble or something like it to provide them. My point is that we need to think long-term as well as today, in order to build a vibrant and truly strong economy. We would also compete in the global market better.

[Old and In the Way]

1. Alternative/reknewable energy and a vision to be self-sufficient

in 10 years. That's how we are going to rebuild our economy and create meaningful jobs.

[coloradodem2005]

2. I would definitely agree with you there.

Another thing, would be a good space program with a new class of shuttle. This would also work, if it is done properly. The thing about Bush's big mars thing is I don't know how serious he is and I also wouldn't trust him to carry it out properly.

THe other thing about renewable energy and alternative fuels, it would be easier on cars and the environment. I like Kerry's energy plan that he has on his campaign site, I would hope that he could carry it out.

[coltman]

3. when jobs disappeared in the fall....

it was called seasonal down turn,ie. construction-bad weather, so why is it not seasonal up turn when weather turns good and construction can start again?