Nation's economy in bad shape

Not since the Great Depression has individual savings been a negative number -- not until 2005, that is!

Under President Clinton, middle-class incomes increased 17 percent. Six years under the Bush monopoly and incomes have fallen by nearly 3 percent, as fuel and medical costs have doubled. And we have $2 trillion of new national debt, while the nation's trade deficit soars by a trillion dollars. Our economy is based on not much more than Americans selling each other their own homes.

We're spending $100,000 per minute on the Iraq debacle, which is turning into civil war.

The American economy is racing toward banana-republic status. We import food from other countries while paying our farmers not to grow crops.

Speaking of imports, the Bush administration wants to turn six of our ports over to a country with ties to 9/11. Didn't the United States invade Iraq just because it thought Iraq might be a danger? If this is no longer our belief, why not turn our airport security over to the Russians if they'll do it cheaper?

What's become of the jobs that were promised when the American public swallowed the farce of free trade agreements and a global economy? Now U.S. corporations produce cheap products with slave labor offshore then import the products duty free to consumers drowning in personal debt.

Our government institutions are failing and incapable of even providing food and water during a hurricane, even with a five-day advance notice. What if we were suddenly attacked?

Why put one's life into this incompetent administration's hands? So far it has fumbled every single major issue.

Michael Hickmott

Siesta Key

http://www.newscoast.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060306/OPINION/603060487/1029

Economic Eeyores ignore the good news

In a recent letter titled "Nation's economy in bad shape," the author would like us to believe that the worst economy since Hoover is just around the corner. Nothing could be further from the truth. Let's look at some facts:

Manufacturing output has expanded for 32 months straight.

We manufacture and export more now than at any other time. In 2005, we manufactured $3 trillion worth of products. This is more than every other country's total gross domestic product except Japan's.

GDP growth for 2005 was a solid 3.5 percent.

Unemployment is at 4.7 percent, which is lower than the averages of the past four decades.

Since 2000, despite 9/11 and a recession, total compensation for all workers is up 7.5 percent.

Inflation remains low.

Home ownership is at an all-time high (69.1 percent).

The writer laments our trade deficit. The last time we had a trade surplus was more than 30 years ago, during a recession. Japan and Germany run trade surpluses. Would he prefer Japan's deflation and no-growth economy or Germany's 12 percent unemployment and no-growth economy?

Since Bush took office, our national debt has increased by $2 trillion. During this same time, however, our household net worth has increased by more than $10 trillion to an all-time record total of $51 trillion. Our net worth (debt subtracted from assets) is increasing five times faster than our debt!

Our savings rate is not low. We have the highest per-capita assets in the world. This makes us the world's best savers. The problem lies in how the government calculates the rate of savings.

The economic Eeyores choose to ignore all this information and miss the fact that we are the locomotive for the world economy and remain the envy of the world.

Mark Mason

Sarasota

Last modified: March 19. 2006 12:00AM

http://www.newscoast.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060319/OPINION/603190309/0/BUSINESS

I decided to add both these opinions that are Local Opinions regarding the Bush Administration.

It is obvious to me that the first letter writer has not been reading Republican Slanted Media which gets News Solely from the Propaganda Ministers in the White House.

See this story Information Operation Road Map

After reading the Rumsfeld’s Propaganda War   and doing some research on the subject on the correctness of most Republican Flavored publications , I found the editorials to echo the second letter here by Mark Mason.

I also found the National Review , NewsMax , Free Republic and Power Line publications to be  far from the truth . I know most Republicans have Never checked out the facts and Statistics that these publications and TV “experts” Spew out as truth. “Why would they lie?” I can hear you thinking this Mark but they DO lie so I ask you, YES YOU!
 Yes, why DO they lie? That should be the question. I implore you to check out the facts

I beg…Yes, That is right. I BEG and I PLEAD for the Bush Supporters that read these mouthpieces of the White House to check out the facts.

I am not even going to recommend websites. I used the Government Web sites and debunked almost EVERY editorial or op ed the Above Publications have put forth as truth..

I want every American to reach out beyond the comfort zone they have erected for themselves and see beyond the phony facade that has been erected as truth in So many minds.

IBM sold off their personal computer part of the company, cut pensions of those retired, Cut Pensions for those still employed and has been laying off by the thousands. Now IBM is investing its business in India.  The Help Wanted Sign is there…not here.

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Always trouble happening in Detroit and the rust belt, Nothing but Dust in the Farm Belt.

Let’s face it Mark.

There is time for Rose Colored Glasses

There is a time for Political Dogma

Then,

There is time for facing the truth that you have been lied to

BY the Republicans  and also the Democrats.