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.
Of course for those complaining about the lack of people saving, if people do save, thats less money put into the economy. We are so consumer based that in order for us to save substantially, ($25/week, $40/week) it would hurt the economy.
Think about this. We'll say 100 million Americans are working jobs. Lets say they all save $25/week more per year. Now multiply that times 52 weeks/year. then times 100 million Americans. Thats 130 billion lost just to savings for rainy days and what ifs. Can our economy take a hit like that?
Absolutely! It would be the best thing to ever happen to our economy.
I am in commercial construction.
In the past three months I have bid several hundreds of dollars worth of work, representing $20 million in projects, that I won but never moved forward because of lack of funding... owners of these projects were unable to obtain bank financing not because they were not credit worth (they were) but the banks just didn't have the money to loan because government is sopping everything up like a dry sponge.
We're not just speaking of temporary construction jobs but long lasting, real jobs for people.
One of the projects was for a manufacturing company that would have hired an additional 25 workers but while we still have hope funding can be found we're not holding our breath.
But if everyone saved $25 a week, 100 million workers is $2.5 billion a week or nearly $11 billion a month. That's a lot of money to loan out to commercial businesses that would use it to expand creating even more jobs that would employ even more people who would save $25 a week.
Quote:
Also consider rent increases (which pretty much occur yearly). Fuel and heating increases (because they all need $10 billion in profits per quarter. Then factor in the fact that in the modern economy a lot of people are on the go, and don't have the time to cook anything (which makes food cheaper) and have to buy expensive, prepackaged crap.
Yeah yeah, I know I'm full of excuses but if costs continuously rise, commutes become longer etc. It makes it very difficult to actually save.
Of course it is difficult, anything worthwhile is, but don't tell me it is impossible. When first married sometimes we really, really missed that $20 a week we saved because back then $20 was a huge amount of money.
Quote:
Its one thing to say its easy to save if you live close to work, only work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. But if you work 2 jobs, housing is overpriced and the only thing affordable is a long commute, its not so easy. What if you get sick or need to get an expensive medication. What if you have kids and something unexpected comes up. Savings dries up pretty quick.
Even with all this, even working two jobs, I know the $20 a week is possible to save.
[/quote]I'm not saying everyone is deserving of some help, but some people are. Other people aren't. If you want to cut welfare, I'm fine with that. As long as all jobs pay a liveable wage. Then people don't have legitimate excuses. Right now thats not happening.[/quote]
Companies pay what they have to and the idea of mandating some sort of livable wage is ridiculous. The minute wages are mandating that are above what the work product is worth the job will disappear.
We have a guy who works at our shop sweeping floors, putting things away and straightening things out on shelves and what not. He's a go for and he earns $10.00 an hour which to some may be livable and to others it might not be. Thing is let's say a livable wages around here is found to be $16.00 an hour and we are mandated to pay it I can guarantee that job will disappear forever because the work product isn't worth the extra $240.00 a week or $1,000 a month.
Would you like to find someone to do all your yard work every week for $1.00 an hour? I know I would and he would be hired in an instant but what do you suppose would happen if some government agency decided he had to have a livable wage that was $30 an hour and YOU had to pay him? For $30 an hour I doubt you would keep him around.
Get government off the backs of people and business so they may flourish.
I've heard of people who have been unemployed for 18 months yet they still have internet (some show up here often enough) while calling their time off work funemployment.
18 months off work and still can't find a job or create your own? I don't buy it and all government is doing now is creating a huge dependency class of voting idiots.
Create your own job in this economy? Do you know how many new businesses fail in a good economy? Most of the unemployed posting here already own their computers, and internet may be the only "treat" they have. Not to mention you really need internet today to job hunt. For all anyone knows, these people may be posting from their local library, too.
Do you know how many new businesses fail in a good economy?
More than half. What's your point?
Now is the best time to start a business because if it can succeed now it will certainly succeed when times get better.
Quote:
Most of the unemployed posting here already own their computers, and internet may be the only "treat" they have. Not to mention you really need internet today to job hunt. For all anyone knows, these people may be posting from their local library, too.
Somehow I don't believe all that many post at the local library.
I disagree with removing temporary unemployment benefits. But welfare should be trimmed after a couple years. If you have more kids when on the system you lose benefits.
Where did I suggest abolishing SS? Where did I say that or did you just make it up in your mind?
What's good for the goose is good for the gander. You want to take away the safety nets that young people like myself pay taxes into? Fine, we'll respond by taking away that safety net for you old geezers that we pay into too.
I believe that these entitlements should be cutback. Welfare was not created so that people could use it as an excuse not to work. There are people who have been on welfare for 10 years or more. Since when did it become acceptable for welfare to become a career?
There are actually young, able bodied individuals who are receiving social security handouts. Why should an individual with no medical problems other than a learning disability receive SSDI? People with learning disabilities can get and succeed in a job. I actually know several able bodied individuals who are on disability who are simply playing the system to get out of working. One person actually was able to get disability because she said she didn't have any skills. It is no wonder social security is bankrupt. Social security is for the elderly and people who are actually disabled. Get all the young, able-bodied people off.
I am on unemployment right now because I am in a field that has been hit hard by the recession. I do know some people who are on unemployment who are not really looking for work. One of my friends frequently brags about not looking for work and taking a long vacation because she is on unemployment. I do think unemployment pay should be low enough that it encourages and motivates people to get a job. In AZ, I only make $240 a week. I am trying everything to get off unemployment. I am in the process of enrolling in school and continuing to look for work. Because of the low pay, I will take any job. I think to receive unemployment, one should have to be required to make work contacts every week. The u/e office should contact the employer to make sure the person is actually looking. Anyone not looking needs to be kicked off unemployment. I also don't think it is appropriate for u/e to pay for years and years. It's crazy to expect to receive unemployment forever. I think that after Tier I or II, you should be expected to take any job you can get.
I think we need to cut back on Medicaid. Medicaid is cheap insurance and just because it is cheap, why take your kid to the doctor if they have runny noses and feel like playing? A kid doesn't need to go to the doctor every time they end up with a runny nose. Most kids, even those with chronic illnesses, don't need to go to the doctor 70 times a year. Not to mention the severe affect on the child's education. I think that we should start making people pay premiums or raise copays for Medicaid to cut down on the abuse.
Sure.
I think the GOP party overall and ALL GOP candidates should make that the center of their entire platform: Immediately STOP Welfare, Social Security and Unemployment.
Ah, yes - another really stupid idea.
Ken
The difference is SS is paid into while welfare is a freebie. Most welfare people have never worked long enough to earn any freebie.
I am all for ending welfare totally or putting those people to work cleaning our roads, painting lines, and doing the things the city they live in need.
They need to learn how to EARN their food and housing.
I am not for ending unemployment totally but I am for limiting it so people wont just lay around and will at least try to find work.
For those who have paid into SS system for 30-40 years they deserve to be paid back.
I do not see SS as freebie entitlement as welfare is a free entitlement.
We now have 4 generation families on welfare and that needs to stop cold.
Those people need to stop stealing tax payers money to eat and live on and actually earn their own living for once.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander. You want to take away the safety nets that young people like myself pay taxes into? Fine, we'll respond by taking away that safety net for you old geezers that we pay into too.
Happy now?
I understand how women feel about safety nets but if you were a man you would understand how important it is for a man to provide for himself.
Uhm, you have never paid into the safety net. You have been indoctrinated to think you have but you haven't.
The difference is SS is paid into while welfare is a freebie. Most welfare people have never worked long enough to earn any freebie.
We all pay taxes that go to funding Welfare.
Quote:
I am all for ending welfare totally or putting those people to work cleaning our roads, painting lines, and doing the things the city they live in need.
Then what do you do with all those good paying civil service jobs that are now occupied by welfare recipients. Now you got another group needing unemployment or welfare so what problem did you solve? Nothing.
Quote:
They need to learn how to EARN their food and housing.
See above.
Quote:
I am not for ending unemployment totally but I am for limiting it so people wont just lay around and will at least try to find work.
It's limited already.
Quote:
For those who have paid into SS system for 30-40 years they deserve to be paid back.
As do those who paid taxes and now need things like welfare and unemployment.
Maybe all the new government employees can make sure that none of the recipients of government welfare are living above their means. I am in favor of a watch dog program.
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.
It is no wonder social security is bankrupt. Social security is for the elderly and people who are actually disabled. Get all the young, able-bodied people off. 
