Bob Beauprez:
"One thing that every single American shares in common is that we are all consumers, and consumers voiced no-confidence in Obamanomics a few days before the Labor Department's jobs report. The Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 64.9 for May, marking the third consecutive monthly decline, and still far below any hint of a return to a healthy economy.
As the following chart courtesy of Investor's Business Daily demonstrates, the American consumer has found little reason for increased optimism since the President arrogantly announced nearly three years ago that he had "rescued our economy from catastrophe" and the recovery had officially begun. By contrast, just six months into the Reagan-era recovery from the 1981-82 recession the Consumer Confidence Index returned to 90 – indicating a "healthy economy"- and climbed even higher thereafter.
The Index hasn't been anywhere close to 90 since December 2007....."
(Read more? Click title)
"Unapologetic pursuit and tracking of patterns within news others make since 2010"
Showing posts with label Townhall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Townhall. Show all posts
June 3, 2012
April 9, 2012
SandBoxBlogs: Townhall "Union Label Stuck to $137 Billion in Illinois State Debt"
Mike Shedlock:
"....(Chicago Tribune) "If Springfield won’t ask six-figure pension beneficiaries to pick up a portion of their health premiums, what are the odds that state legislators will confront their pension monster?
The state of Illinois admits to $83 billion in pension underfunding, a staggering weight on today's and tomorrow's taxpayers. Add to that the as yet uncalculated billions in unfunded pension obligations for city, county and other local governments.
A second, often overlooked time bomb merrily ticking for governments nationwide is the cost of health insurance for all those retirees. That number, too, is hard to gauge, because health care costs — like future investment returns — are unknowable. Yet governments typically don't put aside money for future health care, as they do for future pensions. The culture is to pay-as-you-go.
In Illinois, that means pay-as-you-go-even-more-broke. The Illinois Policy Institute, a right-leaning think tank, now is releasing 133 pages of frightening data. Beyond that $83 billion in unfunded pensions, state government alone faces an unfunded liability of more than $54 billion in retiree health liabilities over the next 30 years.
During the 2011 deliberations, two groups helped block retiree health reform: lawmakers of both parties who have state institutions (and thus state retirees) in their districts, and well-paid lobbyists whose prior careers in government entitle them to, yes, fat public pensions. If that happens this year, we want to read names.
By the last of the IPI's 133 pages, we conjured one question, then a follow-up:
How could Illinois pols do this to taxpayers?
And come November, will voters finally exact some consequences?..." (Read more? Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
"....(Chicago Tribune) "If Springfield won’t ask six-figure pension beneficiaries to pick up a portion of their health premiums, what are the odds that state legislators will confront their pension monster?
The state of Illinois admits to $83 billion in pension underfunding, a staggering weight on today's and tomorrow's taxpayers. Add to that the as yet uncalculated billions in unfunded pension obligations for city, county and other local governments.
A second, often overlooked time bomb merrily ticking for governments nationwide is the cost of health insurance for all those retirees. That number, too, is hard to gauge, because health care costs — like future investment returns — are unknowable. Yet governments typically don't put aside money for future health care, as they do for future pensions. The culture is to pay-as-you-go.
In Illinois, that means pay-as-you-go-even-more-broke. The Illinois Policy Institute, a right-leaning think tank, now is releasing 133 pages of frightening data. Beyond that $83 billion in unfunded pensions, state government alone faces an unfunded liability of more than $54 billion in retiree health liabilities over the next 30 years.
During the 2011 deliberations, two groups helped block retiree health reform: lawmakers of both parties who have state institutions (and thus state retirees) in their districts, and well-paid lobbyists whose prior careers in government entitle them to, yes, fat public pensions. If that happens this year, we want to read names.
By the last of the IPI's 133 pages, we conjured one question, then a follow-up:
How could Illinois pols do this to taxpayers?
And come November, will voters finally exact some consequences?..." (Read more? Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
January 24, 2012
SandBox Comments: Townhall "15 Questions The Mainstream Media Would Ask Barack Obama If He Were A Republican"
John Hawkins:
"During the practically endless series of Republican debates, we have heard almost every question imaginable asked to Republican candidates – if by every question imaginable, you mean horribly slanted, often irrelevant questions designed to make them look bad and help Obama. We've heard questions about contraceptives, religion, Newt's angry ex-wife, Gardasil, etc., etc., etc. So, what would happen if the mainstream media treated Barack Obama the exact same way that they treat Republicans? The questions might sound a little something like this.
1) Numerous Mexican citizens and an American citizen have been killed with weapons knowingly provided to criminals by our own government during Operation Fast and Furious. If Eric Holder was aware that was going on, do you think he should step down as Attorney General? Were you aware that was going on and if so, shouldn’t you resign?
"During the practically endless series of Republican debates, we have heard almost every question imaginable asked to Republican candidates – if by every question imaginable, you mean horribly slanted, often irrelevant questions designed to make them look bad and help Obama. We've heard questions about contraceptives, religion, Newt's angry ex-wife, Gardasil, etc., etc., etc. So, what would happen if the mainstream media treated Barack Obama the exact same way that they treat Republicans? The questions might sound a little something like this.
1) Numerous Mexican citizens and an American citizen have been killed with weapons knowingly provided to criminals by our own government during Operation Fast and Furious. If Eric Holder was aware that was going on, do you think he should step down as Attorney General? Were you aware that was going on and if so, shouldn’t you resign?
2) In 2010 you said Solyndra, which gave your campaign a lot of money, was "leading the way toward a brighter and more prosperous future." Today, Solyndra is bankrupt and the taxpayers lost $500 million on loans that your administration was well aware might never be paid off when you made them. What do you say to people who say this is evidence of corruption in your administration?..."
(Learn more? Click title. Comment to discuss)
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