Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm not Australian, I am a New Zealander but I lived in Australia for 4 years prior to coming to the US in 2008. I live in expensive New England.
So with those factors, here since 2008 when the recession started AND living in a higher taxed State, I am still better off then in either NZ or Australia. Everything is cheaper here and my wages are better even with health insurance taken out every 2 weeks.
I think the media stirs up a lot of unrest here when in reality, apart from a few things rising in price, nothing has really changed all that much.
As far as I'm concerned if business doesn't want to get people back to work then tax them until they do (or print money until holding cash becomes undesirable).
Businesses don't exist to put people to work. They exist to make a profit. Other than the owner, other people are hired only when they are needed to help to make that profit.
No one sits on cash and purposely avoids making a profit, unless some danger exists that makes it too risky.
You really have a nerve wanting to force business owners to work against their own best interests. Only the owner can decide how to allocate money to assure the survival of their business. Having the government force them to spend money at an inopportune time could destroy them.
You were not the one who invested in the business and took the financial risks in the first place. It's not your property to control.
We are in this economic meltdown precisely because the government printed so much money that it had to find an investment outlet somewhere. And it found it in the real estate market and inflated it into a bubble that crashed. The mortgage companies and Wall Street would not have spread their poison without the incentive of so much excess money looking for a place to invest.
How ridiculous that you now want to punish business owners who have been hurt by bad policies and are just trying to survive!
It's like pouring salt into a wound. Clearly, you have never been in business for yourself.
Businesses don't exist to put people to work. They exist to make a profit. Other than the owner, other people are hired only when they are needed to help to make that profit.
No one sits on cash and purposely avoids making a profit, unless some danger exists that makes it too risky.
You really have a nerve wanting to force business owners to work against their own best interests. Only the owner can decide how to allocate money to assure the survival of their business. Having the government force them to spend money at an inopportune time could destroy them.
You were not the one who invested in the business and took the financial risks in the first place. It's not your property to control.
We are in this economic meltdown precisely because the government printed so much money that it had to find an investment outlet somewhere. And it found it in the real estate market and inflated it into a bubble that crashed. The mortgage companies and Wall Street would not have spread their poison without the incentive of so much excess money looking for a place to invest.
How ridiculous that you now want to punish business owners who have been hurt by bad policies and are just trying to survive!
It's like pouring salt into a wound. Clearly, you have never been in business for yourself.
Monetary policy is precisely the government telling businesses (and households) when to spend money and when to slow down. No one seems to complain about that. Governments use fiscal policy all the time to adjust where and in what magnitude business invest although it's usually through rebates and concessions.
Monetary policy is precisely the government telling businesses (and households) when to spend money and when to slow down. No one seems to complain about that. Governments use fiscal policy all the time to adjust where and in what magnitude business invest although it's usually through rebates and concessions.
*shrugs*
And it's been such a resounding success!
PLENTY of people have complained about monetary policy. Plenty of people believe government should have far less control.
Private businesses have to make fast decisions and turn on a dime. They have to read the marketplace and adjust. Sometimes they even have to reinvent themselves just to survive changing circumstances.
NO business model ever lasts forever without major adjustments. Most businesses are forced to reevaluate every few years!
Where did you ever get the idea that any government should or could effectively be a part of those plans?
If I need to invest money in a new business direction instead of hiring more employees before I'm sure it will be a success, who is the government to determine that? They DON'T KNOW ANYTHING about my business!
Governments don't create businesses. Governments are not privy to the decisions business owners make in response to the market. And government does not take the financial risk. So why should governments have any part in managing them?
All governments do is create endless complications that end up distorting what little of a free market there is. And all that does is encourage the allocation of capital into investments with no long-term sustainability.
Government monetary policy is the reason so many people are out of jobs right now. And you want to throw more government control into the mix!
Go start a business and come back and talk to us in ten years. It will be the greatest education of your life.
PLENTY of people have complained about monetary policy. Plenty of people believe government should have far less control.
Private businesses have to make fast decisions and turn on a dime. They have to read the marketplace and adjust. Sometimes they even have to reinvent themselves just to survive changing circumstances.
NO business model ever lasts forever without major adjustments. Most businesses are forced to reevaluate every few years!
Where did you ever get the idea that any government should or could effectively be a part of those plans?
If I need to invest money in a new business direction instead of hiring more employees before I'm sure it will be a success, who is the government to determine that? They DON'T KNOW ANYTHING about my business!
Governments don't create businesses. Governments are not privy to the decisions business owners make in response to the market. And government does not take the financial risk. So why should governments have any part in managing them?
All governments do is create endless complications that end up distorting what little of a free market there is. And all that does is encourage the allocation of capital into investments with no long-term sustainability.
Government monetary policy is the reason so many people are out of jobs right now. And you want to throw more government control into the mix!
Go start a business and come back and talk to us in ten years. It will be the greatest education of your life.
I have a business, actually it's quite successful.
Surprisingly, the countries that have done the best through the GFC have been ones where the government has some involvement in how the economy is run (Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Australia). Self-regulation was promoted as the new normal in the 80s and 90s and look how well that worked out.
Of course bad government economic policy will create bad economic outcomes, but government intervention and regulation doesn't always create negative outcomes.
I moved from Adelaide to Toronto on 12/2008, but the job market both in Ontario and NY was horrible. Fortunately in April of 2009, I found a job in New Hampshire and I've been all lright. No worries about losing my job. Have health care. Only concern is the crazy current fluctuations of the stock market. So if you have the right skills and can get a good job.. you can weather the current economic turmoil. And since I'm in financial services I get 24 vacation days and my private health care is excellent - I can see any doctor in the country with no doctor co-pays at all. The salary I have is higher than what I would have gotten in OZ (even with the strong AUD).
I am curious as to how Australians are living in the USA with the financial crisis. How has it affected you? Is it really as bad as what the media is portraying? Do you feel there are any repercussions about coming from oz and (so called) taking jobs? thanks
I wouldn't worry about the 'taking jobs' part, most of that anger is directed at Mexicans and off-shoring, so I don't think you'll face any grief. In fact, you'll be popular because you're Aussie.
But the crap economy got too hard for us and formed a big part of our decision to move back to Australia. Everyone we knew had lost their jobs (most found new ones) Seeing homeless people on every corner was hard. Things are cheap though, including businesses, property and consumer goods. But cash flow is king and with so many people broke, there's just not enough cash moving around for it to be a happy place for the masses (read middle class)
We're middle class. Our standard of living here is higher and we're earning more money.
But we also know young professionals that are having a great time in NYC or LA, in a bubble of money if you know what I mean.
If you have no responsibilities, go try it. You can always come back. But if you do have responsibilities (kids) and aren't cashed up, I think you'd be crazy to move there.
My .02
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
