(Economic) Hard times heighten long-felt unease

[UpInArms]

Source: Associated Press

Even when experts were declaring the economy healthy, many Americans voiced a vague, but persistent dissatisfaction.

True, jobs were relatively plentiful over the last few years. It was easy to borrow and very cheap. The sharp rise in the value of homes and plentiful credit cards encouraged a nation of consumers to get out and buy. But to many people, something didn't feel right, even if they couldn't quite explain why.

<snip>

The frustration of $3 gas and $4 milk, the worries about health care costs that have risen four times the rate of pay, become much more real. The retirement security that is only as good as the increasingly volatile stock market seems much less certain.

<snip>

Worry also grew about the cost of health care, with good reason. Since 2001, the cost of health insurance has gone up 78 percent — about $1,500 more per year for the average family, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Over the same period, wages rose about 19 percent, and inflation about 17 percent. About four in 10 people polled by the group say they are worried about paying more for health care or insurance.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/the_uneasy_economy

[gateley]

1. When everyday people would say "but Bush says the economy is doing fine"

I wanted to scream "but what does your CHECKBOOK say?".

[bluestateguy]

2. The "experts" are all part of the Georgetown Cocktail Patry crowd

And they wouldn't know th real world if it came up and bit them in the ass.

[Morereason]

3. Jobs have not been "plentiful".... even during the better years

That is why many people have felt uneasy. Good jobs have been much less available than many of us remember

[flashl]

4. How could there have been relatively plentiful jobs after jobless recovery of the 2001 recession?

[jonnyra]

5. Check this out...

"I think if people were generally more satisfied and less anxious perhaps they would be more resistant to thinking things were deteriorating rapidly," says Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center.

This is the kind of stupid, ignorant talk coming from so called experts?? WTF? This dumb ass is the president of the Pew Research Center? Heres the real problem...the people running this government and those driving policy through these so called think tanks are just plain stupid. Our leaders show very little ability to grasp the real complexities of the world. All you have to look at is how many jumped on the band wagon to send checks to Americans as a solution. So mindless...so ridiculus and yet all our elected leaders signed on and touted it as a real solution. Jeeze. 8 years of Bush has lowered the bar to the point where a fucking 10 year old could be considered a legitimate candidate for a position in this government of morons.

We need to come to grips with a sad fact...our government leaders are, by and large...stupid people.

[hatrack]

10. "I think if people were less sad, perhaps they'd be more happy."

This clown gets PAID for this?

:eyes:

[AdHocSolver]

20. Our government leaders aren't stupid - - The public that votes them into office is stupid. n/t

[sendero]

6. Another..

... of the admittedly scant comfort silver linings in this mess.

Republicans are going to lose their undeserved reputation for being able to run the economy.

And the MSM and the pundits are going to be discredited as the effing buffoons that they are.

[AnneD]

16. Au contreir...

Republicans will maintain a reputation of running an ecomomy.............

IN TO THE GROUND.

They managed the economy pretty well during the last Depression. They are right on track this time around too.

And how did they hood wink everyone that they were the party of the businessman? Yes, maybe they represent the Multinational Corps; but small businesses have always faired better under the Democrats.

Mitt Romney may have experience as a successful businessmen but Shrub never ever saw a business he couldn't bankrupt. Bernanke only real world experience I can see is academic-and he heads up the Fed. Most rely on family, personal, or school connection to get where they are. Half of WS is headed by incompetent 'Captains of Industry' that run the business into the ground and still get obscene bonuses.

Not that I am against higher learning but with out the real world experience-it's just an untried theory-and theories are like ass hole-everybody has one!

Edited to add-thanks UIA- I am having SWT withdrawal symptoms.

[xchrom]

7. recommend

[Earth_First]

8. Wages have risen 19% in the past 7 years?

Who's wages? Certainly not our household.

[Demeter]

9. And That's BEFORE Inflation

Any true measure shows wages have been declining since Reagan.

[Steerpike]

12. That is an average 2.7 % pay raise yearly.

So if "real" inflation is running at 10% annually. You can be losing up to 7% spending power annually, about a 49% spending loss over 7 years. And that ain't hay.

[KansDem]

18. Amazing coincidence! My last raise was 2.7%

Well, actually it was 2.79% so I guess I'm 0.09% better off than the average.

[Lorien]

15. Mine have dropped because my contracts have dropped off

the companies I work with produce less, so I get fewer contracts for jobs as a result.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

21. Must be talking about the wages in India

[Theres-a]

11. I bought milk at $4.49

I can't believe it. I skipped the eggs for $3.00.Unbelievable.

[Steerpike]

13. That is bad.

My rent has gone up 200 dollars in the last five years. Too bad I can't skip that.

[sarcasmo]

14. $8 an hour average starting wage, $3 dollars a gallon for gas, $4 for milk

Is it any surprise we can get ahead or save any money.

[donkeyotay]

17. They nationalized Northern Rock today. Maybe that's why average smoes are worried.

Capitalism isn't investing in the means of producing wealth but rather in creating funny paper that's very profitable to the insiders while leaving nothing but the carnage for the huddled masses. Here's a link to a BBC story on this:

"The nationalisation of Northern Rock is a disaster for the taxpayer, a disaster for this government and a disaster for our country." Mr Cameron said. ...

UK taxpayers are currently subsidising the bank in loans and guarantees to other lenders to the tune of about £55bn. Under the new strategy this will jump to £110bn, a cost of £3,500 per taxpayer. Mr Darling said it was better for the government to hold onto Northern Rock until market conditions improve and its value increases. He emphasised that "the long-term ownership of this bank must lie in the private sector".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7250023.stm

I'm sure it'll be returned to private ownership, just as soon as the public gets through paying off the bad debts.

[kineneb]

19. propane tank filled today: $364

Up more than $100 per refill from last year, and we need several tanks each winter due to Hubby's health. This is with the thermostat set to 66 deg in the daytime; Hubby spends most of the time in his room with the electric heater running because the main house is too cold for him.

I am going to look into a small woodstove and more electric heaters. We get a low-income discount, so electric is actually cheaper for us.