President Bush

[Mr 5 0]

Originally posted by RBatson :

Wrong Jim, The mortgage rate is low because consumer confidence is low.. was low. Its picking back up now and rates will follow soon.

I'll tell you just how bad it is Jim.. Many folks are out of work and out of unemployment benefits. The home market is hopping right now. One reason is because the mortgage rate is low, that is why its low.. to stimulate homeownership. Many folks have lost thier home and that contributes to the home sales frenzy as well.

You are misinformed, Rick. Home sales were up 9% in 2003 and were up in 2002, 5% over 2001. New home starts are booming and the average new home price is $170,000. Consumer confidence is fine and millions are buying new homes and cars and refinancing their existing homes to cash in the equity. This year, inflation may creep up and increase the mortagage interest rates a bit but to claim that the rates are low because no one can afford a home and then see home sales climbing beyond any previous numbers is to ignore reality, something you are free to do on your own, but don't try to sell it here. The thing is that in some areas of the country you'll see a real employment decline and some people lose their homes to foreclosure - but other areas are doing great. This is typical in a nation of 290 million people spread over 51 states. Not every area is going to be equal. Another factor is that many folks simply live too close to their income with little to fall back on and when their job ends they are about a month away from real financial trouble. That is more a result of poor money management and the fact that we pay so much in taxes that we have less every year to actually spend, much less to save, even though inflation is next to nothing, then 'consumer confidence'.

Personally, my retirement has gone to hell. It happened just last November. My benefits suffered as well. Know why? Because the economy is so bad. You can't deny it Jim, Bush doesn't. Do I need to post a link? I was looking at retiring at the age of 52 and now I have to work until the age of 62. That's 43 yrs to get my retirement Jim. I'd have worked for UPS from the age of 19 to the age of 62. What the hell am I going to do at the age of 62 Jim? Go surfing?

I feel sorry for you Rick - really - but blaming your financial troubles on the president of the United States is absurd. Of course the economy has been in a decline - since late 2000 in fact - and the events of 9/11/01 exacerbated the problem but the U.S. economy has been on a steady incline for the past few months and will be back to normal soon. The Bush tax cuts didn't do all of it but they certainly helped make the current economic recovery possible, something you seem to ignore - while blaming Bush for the loss in your retirement funds. That's not logical or even fair, Rick. In any case, I hope your retirement funds recover but if you're in a 501k then you'll always be somewhat dependent on the stock market and the many variables that affect it. That's the inherent risk in investing - in anything. It should go up but it can always go down, too.

When was the last 16hr day that you pulled? I can go out and buy things but "lap of luxury"... I don't think so.

Rick, I was simply comparing the standard of living in the United States to almost anywhere else on earth. We're spoiled. We have a great life, materially, and when we have to sacrifice something we cry and carry on like babies about how hard we work. This country is flooded with immigrants who would kill to have the material life we all take for granted here. Not that I begrude anyone anything but with a median family income of over $42,000. per year I don't think we can complain too much.

Why is that sad for me? Everyone has problems.. sad that I notice we have problems? I still live my life the way I want, don't feel bad for me.

Your outlook is pessimistic when optimism is called for. You live in the greatest, freest, richest country on the face of the earth and you are unhappy. You see 'problems'. I see a world of opportunity and freedom to do as we wish, something few other nations can offer in anywhere close to the same measure, including socialist Europe.

You hit that one on the head.. most of us don't. Evidently the ones getting the $55k tax cut do. I don't begrudge them either. Hell, I'd hate to think I busted my ass to make over $400k and I got killed in taxes.. How do I get to that point Jim? You guys hiring?

You choose to do what you do and to work where you do, just as everyone does. There are a plethora of reasons why some do better than others in life. Missed opportunities and self-limiting actions are the bulk of it. In any case, I'll remind you again that the top 1% pay over 36% of all income taxes. One percent of the (top) income taxpayers pay thirty-six percent of all the income taxes. I think that's beyond fair, Rick. Your personal situation may be clouding your judgement here, i suspect.

LOL, I get it bro, I get it! I know something had to be done, hell give me a weapon(I actually had a dream about it). Its how we got to this point I have the problem with.. We shouldn't have gone in back in 91 but we did so.. we should have finished it and we didn't so now we are where we are.

Hindsight is still 20/20.

I don't know any of these people.

I do. Many of them are Democrat congressmen and Senators.

While being open to new thought.. It really pisses me off to be called a communist.

I didn't call you a communist, Rick. I said that you favored socialism, often a forerunner to communism but not the same thing. France is socialist but it's still a democracy. China is communist and it's a dictatorshiop, as all true communist governments are. You appear to favor socialism. Too bad.