NC unemployment rate 9.7 percent for August 2012, Increase over July, Biggest increase in government jobs, Labor force participation rate?
“Guilford (Large NC County) appears on it’s way to a third consecutive year with annual jobless rates in double digits. Economists say that likely hasn’t happened since the Great Depression.”…Greensboro News Record December 2, 2011
“With a 63.7% labor force participation, “conditions in the labor market are considerably worse than indicated” in July’s report”…economist Joshua Shapiro, WSJ August 3, 2012
“We tried our plan—and it worked. That’s the difference. That’s the choice in this election. That’s why I’m running for a second term.”…Barack Obama
From the NC Department of Commerce September 21, 2012.
“North Carolina’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased 0.1 of a percentage point in August to 9.7 percent. The national rate declined 0.2 of a percentage point to 8.1 percent. North Carolina’s August 2012 unemployment rate is 1.0 percentage point lower than a year ago.
“Looking at the data long-term, North Carolina has added nearly 98,000 nonfarm jobs since January 2010,” said N.C. Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Dale Carroll. “Our workforce partners and our employment
service offices across our state are committed to helping employers put citizens back to work in North Carolina.”
Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased by 1,100 to 3,953,400 in August. The major industry with the largest over-the-month increase was Government, which gained 8,400.”
Michelle Obama Durham Greenville NC speeches September 19, 2012, GottaVote.com organizing, UNC colleges income redistribution changes, Barack and Michelle Obama show me the student loans
“Barack and Michelle Obama, show me the student loans.”…Citizen Wells
“Our student health insurance policy premium has been substantially increased due to changes required by federal regulations issued on March 16, 2012 under the Affordable Care Act.”…Guilford College student
“…and Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They [socialists] always run out of other people’s money. It’s quite a characteristic of them.”…Margaret Thatcher
Michelle Obama, who is married to the king of spending other people’s money, Barack Obama, will be community organizing at 2 NC colleges on Wednesday, September 19, 2012. She will promote voter registration through GottaVote.com at North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC and at East Carolina University in Greenville.
From My Fox 8, September 17, 2012.
“First Lady Michelle Obama plans to visit North Carolina on Wednesday for campaign events in Greenville and Durham.
WTVD reported she will speak at North Carolina Central University in the McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium at 1:40 p.m.
WTVD reports the event is free and open to the campus community. Tickets, which are required due to limited space, will be available to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Tickets will be distributed to those with NCCU student IDs on Monday and Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Alfonso Elder Student Union Building on the university’s campus.
The First Lady’s speech will reportedly focus on encouraging people to help organize their communities between now and November and promoting voter registration through GottaVote.com.
The First Lady will then speak at East Carolina University in Greenville in an event that is free and open to the public. Tickets are required.”
“Because of this reform, our children can stay on our insurance until they’re 26 years old. (Applause.) So they don’t have to lose their health care when they graduate and they’re out there looking for a job, trying to build their lives.”
“This election, it’s a choice about whether our kids can attend college without a mountain of debt. Now, believe it or not, back when Barack and I were first starting out, and we were building our lives together, and we were so in love — (laughter) — we still are — (laughter and applause) — but our combined student loan bill each month was actually higher than our mortgage. Now, I know there are people out there who can relate to that. So, believe me, when it comes to student debt, Barack and I, we’ve been there. And that is why Barack doubled funding for Pell Grants and fought so hard to stop student loan interest rates from increasing. (Applause.) Because he knows how important it is for all of our young people to get the education they need for the jobs they deserve. “
“From Citizen Wells February 12, 2012.
“Amid chants of protest from about 100 students, the UNC Board of Governors this morning approved President Tom Ross’ proposal for tuition and
fee hikes over the next two years.
Ross’ plan would raise tuition by an average of 8.8 percent across the system and keeps increases below 10 percent on every campus.”
“Today’s vote caps months of intense debate over tuition, which the system has used in recent years to help make up for legislative cuts to its budget. The
hikes have forced more students to take on extra jobs to pay for school, or drop out altogether.”
“The state mandates that at least 25 percent of the money from the tuition dollars go toward financial aid for needy students. Some board members recently have spoken out about that requirement, saying it essentially calls for students, who themselves may be struggling, to subsidize the education of other students.””
“I have met and talked with many college students. Recently a UNCG student, who is struggling to support his family and attend school, confided in me that the recent tuition and health care increases (mandatory health care insurance almost doubled) could force him to leave school.”
“The cost of health insurance will climb from a range of $61 to $77 monthly to a range of $118 to $133 monthly, according to a memo sent from UNC President Tom Ross to the UNC Board of Governors. On an annual basis, most students will pay about $500 to $700 more in 2012-13, depending on the campus.”
“Mallette said the insurance increases are due to the health care usage of UNC system students during the past couple of years, plus federal regulations on preventive care and pharmacy services issued in March. The process is complicated, he said, by the new provisions of the Affordable Care Act.”
Barack and Michelle Obama, show me the student loans.
Now for some good news to counteract the spending of other people’s money position of Barack and Michelle Obama.
UNC Chapel Hill currently takes 38 % of tuition and gives it to “needy students.”
From The Daily Tarheel September 17, 2012.
“The UNC-system Board of Governors gave final approval to a new policy today that grants each university the flexibility to determine how much tuition revenue is allocated to need-based financial aid.
Schools were previously required to devote at least 25 percent of new tuition revenues to need-based financial aid.
But some board members raised concerns that schools were essentially subsidizing low-income students with middle-class families’ money and without their knowledge, prompting system President Thomas Ross to propose a 25 percent cap at last month’s meeting.
The board’s new policy includes neither a minimum nor a cap on the percentage of tuition revenue reserved for financial aid, and it also requires administrators to include the percentage in students’ tuition bills. Board member Louis Bissette explained the move as a compromise between the varying interests of state residents in an interview Thursday.
“We had a lot of comments from across the state — some people saying, ‘This is great that you use 25 percent,’” he said. “We had some people — single parents, parents who are struggling to pay tuition for their child — and they were saying, ‘You know, I’m struggling to make this payment, and you are taking 25 percent of it to give to someone else.’
“I think the board felt that because each campus has a different socioeconomic makeup of its student body, it would be best left to each campus to make that decision.””
Obama gas prices facts September 17, 2012, 2 dollars more per gallon under Obama, Crimping consumer spending, Slowing already weak US economy
“Because I’m capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it — whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers.”…Barack Obama
“The price of gas has risen 2 dollars since Obama took office. This has impacted the price of consumer goods, groceries, the economy and jobs. Please explain to me how we are better off now than when Obama took office.”…Citizen Wells
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. His heart sank as he thought of the enormous power arrayed against him, the ease with which any Party intellectual would overthrow him in debate, the subtle arguments which he would not be able to understand, much less answer. And yet he was in the right! They were wrong and he was right. The obvious, the silly, and the true had got to be defended. Truisms are true, hold on to that! The solid world exists, its laws do not change. Stones are hard, water is wet, objects unsupported fall towards the earth’s centre. With the feeling that he was speaking to O’Brien, and also that he was setting forth an important axiom, he wrote:
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”…George Orwell, “1984″
From the Boston Globe September 16, 2012.
“Higher gas prices are crimping consumer spending and slowing the already-weak U.S. economy. And they could get worse in the coming months.
The Federal Reserve this week took steps to boost economic growth. But those stimulus measures are also pushing oil prices up. If gas prices follow, consumers will have less money to spend elsewhere.
The impact of the Fed’s actions ‘‘is likely to weigh on the value of the U.S. dollar and lift commodity prices,’’ said Joseph Carson, U.S. economist at AllianceBernstein. ‘‘We would not be surprised if (it) fueled more inflation in coming months, squeezing the real income of U.S. workers.’’
Americans are already feeling pinched by high unemployment, slow wage growth and higher gas prices.
Consumers increased their spending at retail businesses by 0.9 percent in August, the Commerce Department reported Friday. But that was largely because they paid more for gas. Excluding the impact of gas prices and a sizeable increase in auto sales, retail sales rose just 0.1 percent.
Perhaps more telling is where Americans spent less. Consumers cut back on clothing, electronics and at general merchandise outlets — discretionary purchases that typically signal confidence in the economy.
Gas prices have risen more than 50 cents per gallon in the past two months. The national average was $3.87 a gallon on Friday. Most of the increase took place in August, which drove the biggest one-month increase in overall consumer prices in three years, the Labor Department said Friday in a separate report.
‘‘Consumers were not willing to spend much at the mall since they are feeling the pump price pinch,’’ said Chris Christopher, an economist at IHS Global Insight.
Weaker retail sales will likely weigh on growth in the July-September quarter. Economists at Bank of America Merrill Lynch slashed their third-quarter growth forecast to an annual rate of only 1.1 percent, down from 1.5 percent. That’s not nearly fast enough to spur more hiring, which has languished since February.
The Fed is hoping to kick-start growth with a series of bold steps announced Thursday that could make borrowing cheaper for years.
It plans to spend $40 billion a month to buy mortgage bonds to make home buying more affordable. It also pledged to keep short-term interest rates near zero through at least mid-2015.
And Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said the Fed will continue its efforts — and intensify them if necessary — until the job market improves ‘‘substantially.’’
The announcement ignited a two-day stock market rally that sent the Dow Jones industrial average to its highest level since December 2007, the first month of the Great Recession.
But the Fed’s actions also helped move oil prices briefly above $100 a barrel Friday for the first time since May. They fell back slightly, but were still up 74 cents to $99.04 a barrel in mid-afternoon trading.
Carson noted that the Fed’s previous rounds of bond-buying pushed up commodity prices and fueled greater inflation. That weakened the ability of U.S. consumers to spend and likely slowed growth, he said.
He expects the same thing to happen again.
The Fed’s moves can push up oil prices in several ways. The Fed creates new money to pay for its mortgage bond purchases. That increases the amount of dollars in circulation and can lower their value. Oil is priced in dollars, so the price tends to rise when the dollar falls. That’s because it costs more for overseas investors to purchase dollars to buy oil.
Lower interest rates also push investors out of safer assets, such as bonds, and into riskier investments, such as oil, in hopes of a greater return. And if the Fed’s moves accelerate growth, that would increase demand for oil and gas and also raise their prices.
Higher gas prices are eating up a bigger share of Americans’ incomes than in previous years. Spending at the pump accounts for 8.2 percent of the typical family’s household income, according to Fred Rozell of the Oil Price Information Service. That’s just below last year’s 8.3 percent.
Those represent the biggest slice of household income spent on gas since 1981. The typical household spends about $342 per month on gasoline. Before gasoline prices began rising in 2004, households spent less than $200 per month, Rozell said, under 5 percent of median income.”
Inflation has been downplayed as well. Anyone visiting a grocery store for the past several years has watched food prices skyrocket, mostly due to rising gasoline prices.
From America’s North Shore Journal March 17, 2012.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) keeps track of the average retail price for a number of common items as a U.S. city average. Let’s take a look at a few. We used the price for the month President Obmam was inaugurated, January 2009, and the last month of data available, December 2011. The items are sorted in descending order by the percentage increase of the price during the Obama administration.
Only a fool would believe that they are better off now than when Obama took office.
*** Noteworthy comment ***
“CW “Only a fool would believe that they are better off now than when Obama took office”
Citizen Wells,
Some are better off now. The Communist party of America is better off. The Islamic people are better off. China is better off. The union pensioners of General Motors are better off. The Teachers unions are much better off. The drug dealers have been supported by millions of new disabled or unemployed americans with federal money to spend, are better off. The media, taking billions in government money are better off and still talke for Obama (perhaps save the newspapers). Those whom rely upon others to work while they receive government money, including aliens, are better off.
Since taking over congress in 2007, then the Presidency and Congress in 2009, I and most Americans are not better off. We have lost most of our life’s earnings and retirements. Some have lost their homes, and many their jobs. They have trouble, after paying taxes on their lower salaries, of giving their children a chance at better education. We are now forced, unless muslem, to purchase products from the government and support government union workers as well as GM union workers while they further add burdeon to our lives. The US Constitution, US jobs, US manufacturing, US middle class, we have been thrown under the bus. The United States isn’t better off, but many democratic party special interests have made out well.”
Better off now 4 years later?, Obama Clinton Democrat lie, 3.85 gallon gas, High school graduates, College students and young adults clobbered, No jobs
“Because I’m capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it — whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers.”…Barack Obama
“Our student health insurance policy premium has been substantially increased due to changes required by federal regulations issued on March 16, 2012 under the Affordable Care Act.”…Guilford College student
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. His heart sank as he thought of the enormous power arrayed against him, the ease with which any Party intellectual would overthrow him in debate, the subtle arguments which he would not be able to understand, much less answer. And yet he was in the right! They were wrong and he was right. The obvious, the silly, and the true had got to be defended. Truisms are true, hold on to that! The solid world exists, its laws do not change. Stones are hard, water is wet, objects unsupported fall towards the earth’s centre. With the feeling that he was speaking to O’Brien, and also that he was setting forth an important axiom, he wrote:
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”…George Orwell, “1984″
I paid $ 3.85 a gallon for regular gas today in NC. When Obama took the White House, we payed an average of around $ 1.85 a gallon.
I am fortunate, I am not a young person trying to pay for college and health care, or a young graduate trying to find a job or part of a young family trying to buy groceries that have skyrocketed due to high gasoline prices.
With a record Labor Force Participation Rate, we still have a national unemployment rate over 8 percent and much worse than that in NC. Those numbers reveal only the tip of the iceberg.
From Carolina Journal September 7, 2012.
“Poll: Young Adults Not Better Off Than Four Years Ago
88 percent in N.C. have changed daily lives because of economy”
“A former chief of staff in the U.S. Labor Department takes issue with former President Bill Clinton’s assertion that Americans are better off now than they were four years ago, especially when it comes to younger adults.
“If the message is that American young adults are better off than they were four years ago, then the facts say they absolutely are not,” said Paul Conway, who was chief of staff to President George W. Bush’s labor secretary, Elaine Chao.
Clinton, during his Wednesday night address to the Democratic National Convention, made the case that in many statistical terms, Americans were definitely better off than when President Barack Obama took office in January 2009.
Conway now is president of an nonpartisan organization called Generation Opportunity, which seeks to mobilize 18 to 29 year olds on challenges facing the nation, such as the lack of job opportunities, the national debt, and federal spending.
Conway noted that the unemployment rate for young adults now stands at 12.7 percent, which is higher than the overall jobless rate of 8.3 percent.
“In addition to that, there are 1.7 million young adults who are no longer counted in that 12.7 percent because they’ve been out of work so long,” Conway said. If they’re included, Conway added, the young adult unemployment rate would be 16.7 percent.
“That number represents the highest sustained level of unemployment for young adults since World War II,” Conway said.
He gives other statistics for younger Americans.
“Unemployment for the Latino community of young adults is 14 percent,” Conway said. “For African-American young adults, it’s 22.3 percent.”
Conway noted a recent survey commissioned by Generation Opportunity from the inc./WomanTrend polling company which found 88 percent of North Carolina’s young adults have changed some aspect of their day-to-day lives because of the current state of the economy, such as skipping a vacation, reducing their grocery budget or skipping a major family event.
The survey said that 22 percent of young adults had changed their living condition, such as moving in with their parents, taking in extra roommates or downgraded their apartment.
The survey also said that 79 percent of young adults in the state have delayed or might not do at least one major live event because of the economy. These include buy their own place, get married or start a family.
Conway said only 38 percent of young adults nationally believe their elected officials represent their concerns.
He said a high percentage of them plan to vote and questions why Clinton would make the claim that people are better off today.
“In whose interest is it to try to say that things are better off than they were four years ago, because for young adults, the answer is, it’s simply not true,” Conway said.”
If that article frightened you, this will keep you awake at night.
And remember, the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress beginning in January 2007 until January 2011.
From the Economic Policy Institute May 3, 2012.
“The Class of 2012
Labor market for young graduates remains grim”
FIGURE B
Unemployment rate for young high school graduates, by gender, 1989–2012*
*Latest 12-month average: April 2011–March 2012.
Note: Shaded areas denote recessions. Data are for high school graduates age 17–20 who are not enrolled in further schooling.
Source: Authors’ analysis of basic monthly Current Population Survey microdata
As Figure B shows, the unemployment rate for young high school graduates jumped from 17.5 percent in 2007 to 32.7 percent in 2010, dwarfing the increases in prior recessions. The rate has since declined slightly, to an average of 31.1 percent over the last year (April 2011–March 2012). The increase since 2007 was larger for young male high school graduates (from 18.7 percent in 2007 to an average of 32.9 percent over the last year) than for young female high school graduates (from 15.8 percent in 2007 to an average of 28.5 percent over the last year). Men’s unemployment rates tend to disproportionately increase during downturns because men are more concentrated in industries, such as manufacturing and construction, that are particularly hard-hit by recessions.
Figure C shows that among young high school graduates, the unemployment rate for racial and ethnic minorities—particularly young black graduates—tends to be higher than that of whites, in good times and bad. In 2007, the unemployment rate of young white high school graduates was 14.5 percent. It rose to 29.1 percent in 2010 and improved slightly to an average of 25.6 percent over the last year. In 2007, the unemployment rate of young black high school graduates was 33.0 percent. It continued on a general upward trend until 2011, when it was 48.9 percent, and continued creeping up, to 49.1 percent over the last year. In 2007, the unemployment rate for young Hispanic high school graduates was 15.5 percent. That rate also continued to rise until 2011, when it was 35.7 percent, and improved to 33.8 percent over the last year.
FIGURE C
Unemployment rate for young high school graduates, by race/ethnicity, 1989–2012*
*Latest 12-month average: April 2011–March 2012.
Note: Shaded areas denote recessions. Data are for high school graduates age 17–20 who are not enrolled in further schooling.
Source: Authors’ analysis of basic monthly Current Population Survey microdata
Because the definition of unemployment includes only jobless workers who report that they are actively seeking work, the unemployment rate overlooks those who are “underemployed”: jobless workers who want a job but have given up looking, and workers who have a job but cannot get the hours they want or need.
Figure D presents national data on both unemployment and underemployment among young high school graduates, providing a more comprehensive look at slack in the labor market. Underemployment rates include not just workers who are unemployed but also those who are working part time but want full-time work (“involuntary” part-timers), and those who want a job and who have looked for work in the last year but have given up actively seeking work (“marginally attached” workers).
Currently, while the unemployment rate for young high school graduates is 31.1 percent, theunderemployment rate of young high school graduates is over 50 percent (54.0 percent). In other words, in addition to the officially unemployed, a significant share of these young people either want a job but have simply given up looking for work, or have a job that does not provide the hours they need. While state breakdowns of underemployment by educational attainment are not available, Appendix Table A2 shows state-level underemployment rates for all workers by age.
FIGURE D
Unemployment and underemployment rates of young high school graduates, 1994–2012*
*Latest 12-month average: April 2011–March 2012.
Note: Shaded areas denote recessions. Underemployment data are only available beginning in 1994. Data are for high school graduates age 17–20 who are not enrolled in further schooling.
Source: Authors’ analysis of basic monthly Current Population Survey microdata
NC Obama Democrat party God country and common sense, Charlotte sells soul to devil?, Democrats destroy jobs and economy boo God and Jerusalem
“Guilford (Large NC County) appears on it’s way to a third consecutive year with annual jobless rates in double digits. Economists say that likely hasn’t happened since the Great Depression.”…Greensboro News Record December 2, 2011
“Most college students are in the peak of health. Hence, covering their health care is usually a pretty easy thing to do. A number of colleges—particularly small, private liberal-arts institutions—offer their students what are called “limited-benefit” plans, which cover health expenses up to a defined cap, such as $10,000. Because expenses are capped, these plans are extremely inexpensive, with premiums ranging from $150-500 per year.
However, Obamacare prohibits capping insurance payouts, causing premiums to skyrocket. For 2013-2014, the law prohibits caps below $500,000 per year; after 2014, caps are banned entirely.”…Forbes June 5, 2012
“We tried our plan—and it worked. That’s the difference. That’s the choice in this election. That’s why I’m running for a second term.”…Barack Obama
My ancestral roots go back to the early 1700’s in NC and though my recent ones do not include participation in the NC Democrat Party, the old conservative Democrat Party of NC, which did not shun God, country and common sense, would have been easier to embrace.
This is not your father’s Democrat Party!
For example.
You have heard Barack and Michelle Obama and other democrats lie about job creation, inheriting a mess and blame George Bush.
The Democrats took control of both houses of congress in January 2007 and Obama took control of the White House in January 2009. A perfect storm of incompetence.
From the 2012 Democrat Platform.
“When President Obama took office, the economy was in the deepest economic crisis since the Great Depression. His Recovery Act represented the largest education investment since President Johnson, the largest infrastructure investment since President Eisenhower, the single largest clean energy investment ever, and the broadest tax cut in American history. It helped keep teachers, police officers, nurses, and firefighters on the job. It ensured that as we re-built our country, we bought American-made iron, steel, and manufactured goods wherever feasible, consistent with our international obligations. It helped the President stop the bleeding and reverse the free fall.”
“We’ve come a long way since 2008. The President took office in the middle of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression; that month 800,000 Americans lost their jobs – more than in any single month in the previous 60 years. On Day One, he took immediate action to stop the free fall and put Americans back to work. In the midst of the crisis, President Obama knew what Democrats have always known: that American workers are tougher than tough times. Since early 2010, the private sector has created 4.5 million jobs, and American manufacturing is growing for the first time since the 1990s.”
Let’s examine for a moment a microcosm economy, Greensboro, NC, the third largest city in NC, the home of UNCG, where Michelle Obama recently bragged about jobs and what they had done for college students.
In January 2007, when the Democrats took control of congress, the unemployment rate was 4.6 to 5.2 percent (looks like somebody has been “tweaking” the numbers).
In December 2008, after 2 years of Democrat control, the rate was 8.2 percent. In January 2009, when Obama entered the White House, the rate was 9.6 percent. Did the rate jump actually jump 1.4 percent in one month (to maybe help Obama)? Since the Democrats were in control anyway, who cares.
The rate for July is listed at 10.2 percent.
So, with the efforts of the Democrats beginning in January 2007 and Obama working with them beginning in January 2009, the unemployment rate went from 4.8 – 5.2 percent to 10.2 percent.
That is certainly change!
From the 2012 Democrat Platform.
“These values are why we enacted historic health care reform that provides economic security for families and enacted sweeping financial reform legislation that will prevent the recklessness that cost so many their jobs, homes, and savings.”
“They’re why we helped American families who are working multiple jobs and struggling to pay the bills save a little extra money through tax cuts, lower health care costs, and affordable student loans.”
“We’ve already made historic progress. States have more flexibility to raise standards and reform schools, more students are receiving grants and scholarships, and young adults can stay on their parents’ health insurance plans as they finish their education and enter the workforce.”
From Citizen Wells September 4, 2012.
“I just spoke with a young man a few minutes ago who attends Greensboro College, a private college in NC. He mentioned that his health care costs had just almost doubled. Recently, reported here, was a report that the UNC system, NC public colleges, had almost doubled the health care costs for students and the reason was provisions in Obamacare.”
“Health Insurance Costs Skyrocket For College Students Due To ObamaCare”
“Can we stop calling ObamaCare the Affordable Care Act now?
A Young America’s Foundation activist forwarded an email from the Vice President for Finance at his school, Guilford College (Greensboro, NC), informing him that, “For the 2012-13 academic year, the annual cost of the student health insurance is increasing from $668 to $1,179. This insurance premium has been charged to your student account.”
Why the increase? “Our student health insurance policy premium has been substantially increased due to changes required by federal regulations issued on March 16, 2012 under the Affordable Care Act.”
“Student healthcare choice has been replaced with expensive ObamaCare mandates.”
“Registration cancellations rising at UNCG, A&T”
“UNCG about two weeks ago canceled the registrations of about 1,300 students because they had yet to pay their tuition bills — the highest number of cancellations since fall 2009, university officials said.””
“Amid chants of protest from about 100 students, the UNC Board of Governors this morning approved President Tom Ross’ proposal for tuition and
fee hikes over the next two years.”
“The cost of health insurance will climb from a range of $61 to $77 monthly to a range of $118 to $133 monthly, according to a memo sent from UNC President Tom Ross to the UNC Board of Governors. On an annual basis, most students will pay about $500 to $700 more in 2012-13, depending on the campus.”
“Obamacare Increases Costs of College Health Plans by as Much as 1,112%”
“Last March, I wrote a detailed pieceon why Obamacare will dramatically increase the cost of insurance for young people. Yesterday, Louise Radnofsky of theWall Street Journal reported that some colleges are dropping their student health plans for the new academic year, because the new law increases the cost of those plans by as much as 1,112 percent. And no, that’s not a typo.
Most college students are in the peak of health. Hence, covering their health care is usually a pretty easy thing to do. A number of colleges—particularly small, private liberal-arts institutions—offer their students what are called “limited-benefit” plans, which cover health expenses up to a defined cap, such as $10,000. Because expenses are capped, these plans are extremely inexpensive, with premiums ranging from $150-500 per year.
However, Obamacare prohibits capping insurance payouts, causing premiums to skyrocket. For 2013-2014, the law prohibits caps below $500,000 per year; after 2014, caps are banned entirely.”
“Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C. paid $245 per student per year for 2011-2012. Next year, they’ll have to pay $2,507 to meet the law’s requirements.”
The folks in Charlotte have been celebrating the success of the convention.
There are a lot of good people there. I hope that they have retained enough religious convictions and common sense to not be blinded by the light. The false light. And not to sell their souls to the devil….again.
Labor force participation rate drops to record low, Unemployment still over 8 percent, .2 percent drop in labor force lowers unemployment rate, White House brags
“Guilford (Large NC County) appears on it’s way to a third consecutive year with annual jobless rates in double digits. Economists say that likely hasn’t happened since the Great Depression.”…Greensboro News Record December 2, 2011
“We tried our plan—and it worked. That’s the difference. That’s the choice in this election. That’s why I’m running for a second term.”…Barack Obama
“the Times of the nineteenth of December had published the official forecasts of the output of various classes of consumption goods in the fourth quarter of 1983, which was also the sixth quarter of the Ninth Three-Year Plan. Today’s issue contained a statement of the actual output, from which it appeared that the forecasts were in every instance grossly wrong. Winston’s job was to rectify the original figures by making them agree with the later ones.”…George Orwell, “1984”
The unemployment rate fell by .2 percent only because the labor force participation rate dropped .2 percent to record lows.
From the US Labor Department, BLS September 7, 2012.
“Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 96,000 in August, and the unemployment rate edged down to 8.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment increased in food services and drinking places, in professional and technical services, and in health care.
Household Survey Data
The unemployment rate edged down in August to 8.1 percent. Since the beginning of this year, the rate has held in a narrow range of 8.1 to 8.3 percent. The number of unemployed persons, at 12.5 million, was little changed in August. (See table A-1.)
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men (7.6 percent), adult women (7.3 percent), teenagers (24.6 percent), whites (7.2 percent), blacks (14.1 percent), and Hispanics (10.2 percent) showed little or no change in August. The jobless rate for Asians was 5.9 percent (not seasonally adjusted), little changed from a year earlier. (See tables A-1, A-2, and A-3.)
In August, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little changed at 5.0 million. These individuals accounted for 40.0 percent of the unemployed. (See table A-12.)
Both the civilian labor force (154.6 million) and the labor force participation rate (63.5 percent) declined in August. The employment-population ratio, at 58.3 percent, was little changed. (See table A-1.)”
In consistent Orwellian fashion, the White House responded.
“The Employment Situation in August”
“While there is more work that remains to be done, today’s employment report provides further evidence that the U.S. economy is continuing to recover from the worst downturn since the Great Depression. It is critical that we continue the policies that are building an economy that works for the middle class as we dig our way out of the deep hole that was caused by the severe recession that began in December 2007. To create more jobs in particularly hard-hit sectors, President Obama continues to support the elements of the American Jobs Act that have not yet passed, including further investment in infrastructure to rebuild our Nation’s ports, roads and highways, and assistance to State and local governments to prevent layoffs and to enable them to rehire hundreds of thousands of teachers and first responders. To build on the progress of the last few years, President Obama has also proposed an extension of middle class tax cuts that would prevent the typical middle class family from facing a $2,200 tax increase next year.
Today’s report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that private sector establishments added 103,000 jobs last month, and overall non-farm payroll employment rose by 96,000. The economy has now added private sector jobs for 30 straight months, for a total of 4.6 million jobs during that period.
The household survey showed that the unemployment rate declined from 8.3 percent to 8.1 percent in August.”
“August jobs report: Hiring slows, unemployment falls”
“The labor market lost momentum last month as job growth fell to a disappointingly slow pace.
The unemployment rate fell, but that was largely due to people who stopped looking for jobs.
Are you better off?
The economy added 96,000 jobs in August, down from 141,000 jobs in July, the Department of Labor said Friday.
Economists polled by CNNMoneywere expecting 120,000 jobs to be added in the month.
Meanwhile, the unemployment ratefell to 8.1%, from 8.3% in July.
The drop in unemployment was caused because 368,000 people stopped looking for work and therefore were no longer counted in the survey.
“These numbers are not very strong,” said Joseph LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank. “The job market is improving, but only gradually.”
Economists often say at least 150,000 jobs need to be created each month to simply keep pace with the growing population.
The overall job market still has a long way to go recover from the financial crisis. Three years after the recession ended, roughly 12.5 million Americans remain unemployed, and 40% of them have been so for six months or more.”
Democrat convention September 5, 2012, Speakers reveal Democrat priorities, Pro attorneys, Pro unions, Anti God, Anti American, Social safety net not jobs
“Too many middle-class families who have fallen on hard times are still struggling,”…Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Sept. 4, 2012
“With a 63.7% labor force participation, “conditions in the labor market are considerably worse than indicated” in July’s report”…economist Joshua Shapiro, WSJ August 3, 2012
“And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed
–if all records told the same tale–then the lie passed into
history and became truth. “Who controls the past,” ran the
Party slogan, “controls the future: who controls the present
controls the past.”…George Orwell, “1984″
The Obamas always reveal their agenda. Hopefully enough people are really listening this time.
From the Washington Times September 4, 2012.
“First lady Michelle Obama pleaded with voters Tuesday to reward her husband with re-election, telling delegates at the Democrats’ convention that President Obama comes from humble beginnings but was able to reach the White House by taking advantage of the same kind of social safety net he defends on the campaign trail.
Democrats convened their nominating convention with a mix of sharp barbs against Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and his personal wealth, and a defense of Mr. Obama’s first-term record on everything from health care to gay rights.
Seeking to unify Democrats and win over independents with the inspirational story that powered Mr. Obama to an historic election in 2008, Mrs. Obama told delegates her husband is still pushing for the vision voters embraced four years ago.
She said also the president’s push for government programs is personal because they are the foundation he himself used to climb to the White House.
“He believes that when you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you — you reach back and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed,” she said, her pointedly personal appeal winning chants of “Four more years” from the frenetic crowd.”
“Mr. Romney is running on a message of cutting spending and lowering government regulations, arguing that smaller government will unleash the private sector to create jobs, which will create economic security for everyone.
But Mr. Obama argues a stronger safety net will provide more even opportunities for everyone.”
“Democrats pointed to a series of laws he’s signed, including health care and the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which overturned a Supreme Court decision and made it easier for women to sue over pay discrimination.
“It says something about his priorities that the first bill he would put his name on, has my name on it too,” Ms. Ledbetter said in addressing the convention.
She also challenged Mr. Romney to take a stand on the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would open up still more opportunities to sue over pay discrimination.”
“Democrats shied away from the federal budget during their opening session, instead focusing on social issues such as abortion and women’s and minority rights.
In opening the convention on Tuesday, delegates voted by voice to adopt their platform, becoming the first major political party to specifically endorse same-sex marriage as an option. The platform also defends labor unions and demands a higher minimum wage; calls for stricter gun control laws; and lays out a plan to grant illegal immigrants a full path to citizenship.”
As expected, they used the benevolent sounding phrase “Social safety net.” The Democrats are big on that and they should be. They are great job destroyers. However most of us want a safety net to be just that. Something to catch any of us if an exception occurs, not a substitute for jobs.
From Forbes September 4, 2012.
“Food-Stamp Use Climbs To Record, Reviving Campaign Issue”
“Food-stamp use reached a record 46.7 million in June, the government said, as Democrats prepare to nominate President Barack Obama for a second term with the economy as a chief issue in the campaign.
Participation was up 0.4 percent from May and 3.3 percent higher than a year earlier and has remained greater than 46 million all year as the unemployment rate stayed higher than 8 percent. New jobless numbers will be released Sept. 7.
“Unemployment is stubbornly stuck,” making it difficult to significantly reduce the number of food-stamp recipients, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in an interview last month.”
Obama and the Democrats are in bed with law firms and attorneys. That is why these statements were made.
“Democrats pointed to a series of laws he’s signed, including health care and the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which overturned a Supreme Court decision and made it easier for women to sue over pay discrimination.
“It says something about his priorities that the first bill he would put his name on, has my name on it too,” Ms. Ledbetter said in addressing the convention.
She also challenged Mr. Romney to take a stand on the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would open up still more opportunities to sue over pay discrimination.”
This is also why there is no tort reform in Obamacare.
DNC convention September 4, 2012, Obama cares with Obamacare?, Obamacare doubles NC college student health care in 2012, Lies lies more Obama lies
“Our student health insurance policy premium has been substantially increased due to changes required by federal regulations issued on March 16, 2012 under the Affordable Care Act.”…Guilford College student
“Can we stop calling ObamaCare the Affordable Care Act now?”…Ron Meyer
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. His heart sank as he thought of the enormous power arrayed against him, the ease with which any Party intellectual would overthrow him in debate, the subtle arguments which he would not be able to understand, much less answer. And yet he was in the right! They were wrong and he was right. The obvious, the silly, and the true had got to be defended. Truisms are true, hold on to that! The solid world exists, its laws do not change. Stones are hard, water is wet, objects unsupported fall towards the earth’s centre. With the feeling that he was speaking to O’Brien, and also that he was setting forth an important axiom, he wrote:
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”…George Orwell, “1984”
The lying SOB Barack Hussein Obama and his entourage of left wing associates and his repertoire of lies are coming to my state, North Carolina, and I am damned fed up with Obama’s lies.
Recently Michelle Obama spoke at UNCG in Greensboro, NC and carried on the tradition of Obama lies.
“This election is a choice about the health of our families. And listen to this — the fact is that over the past century — okay? — 100 years, so many of our Presidents have tried and failed to meet the challenge of health reform. But your President was determined. (Applause.) See, but Barack was driven by the stories of the people he met — the grandparents who couldn’t afford their medications; the families going broke because a child got sick; the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company wouldn’t cover her care. And that is what kept him going day after day. That’s why he fought so hard for this historic reform.”
“Because of this reform, our children can stay on our insurance until they’re 26 years old. (Applause.) So they don’t have to lose their health care when they graduate and they’re out there looking for a job, trying to build their lives.”
“This election, it’s a choice about whether our kids can attend college without a mountain of debt. Now, believe it or not, back when Barack and I were first starting out, and we were building our lives together, and we were so in love — (laughter) — we still are — (laughter and applause) — but our combined student loan bill each month was actually higher than our mortgage. Now, I know there are people out there who can relate to that. So, believe me, when it comes to student debt, Barack and I, we’ve been there. And that is why Barack doubled funding for Pell Grants and fought so hard to stop student loan interest rates from increasing. (Applause.) Because he knows how important it is for all of our young people to get the education they need for the jobs they deserve. “
“I want you to tell them how many jobs he created. Tell them how much money he’s put back in the pockets of American people. You can tell them that more of our kids can afford college;”
“I just spoke with a young man a few minutes ago who attends Greensboro College, a private college in NC. He mentioned that his health care costs had just almost doubled. Recently, reported here, was a report that the UNC system, NC public colleges, had almost doubled the health care costs for students and the reason was provisions in Obamacare.”
“Health Insurance Costs Skyrocket For College Students Due To ObamaCare”
“Can we stop calling ObamaCare the Affordable Care Act now?
A Young America’s Foundation activist forwarded an email from the Vice President for Finance at his school, Guilford College (Greensboro, NC), informing him that, “For the 2012-13 academic year, the annual cost of the student health insurance is increasing from $668 to $1,179. This insurance premium has been charged to your student account.”
Why the increase? “Our student health insurance policy premium has been substantially increased due to changes required by federal regulations issued on March 16, 2012 under the Affordable Care Act.”
“Student healthcare choice has been replaced with expensive ObamaCare mandates.”
“President Obama will be traveling to campuses across the nation this week trying to sell ObamaCare to young people. Students on campus–or any conservative leaders visiting campus–need to call the Obama administration’s bluff.”
“Obama lies versus Obama reality.
From the front page of the Greensboro News & Record August 20, 2012.
“Registration cancellations rising at UNCG, A&T”
“UNCG about two weeks ago canceled the registrations of about 1,300 students because they had yet to pay their tuition bills — the highest number of cancellations since fall 2009, university officials said.””
“Amid chants of protest from about 100 students, the UNC Board of Governors this morning approved President Tom Ross’ proposal for tuition and
fee hikes over the next two years.”
“The cost of health insurance will climb from a range of $61 to $77 monthly to a range of $118 to $133 monthly, according to a memo sent from UNC President Tom Ross to the UNC Board of Governors. On an annual basis, most students will pay about $500 to $700 more in 2012-13, depending on the campus.”
“Unemployment Rates Increase in 84 Counties in June”
“North Carolina’s statewide unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) was 9.9 percent in June. This was a 0.4 of a percentage-point increase from May’s revised rate of 9.5 percent, and a 1.0 percentage-point decrease over the year.”
“Obama pins ‘Romney doesn’t care” label on foe for health view, says of Obamacare: ‘I do care’”
“Campaigning his way toward the Democratic National Convention, President Barack Obama slapped a “Romney doesn’t care” label on his rival’s health-care views Sunday and said Republicans want to repeal new protections for millions without offering a plan of their own.
Vice President Joe Biden swiftly broadened the attack, accusing Republicans of seeking to undermine the decades-old federal program millions of seniors rely on for health care. “We are for Medicare. They are for voucher care,” he said.”
“Obama spoke on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder, and made his by-now familiar plea for students to register and vote. He benefited enormously from the support of younger voters four years ago and can ill-afford a fall-off in their support — or enthusiasm— in 2012.
Democrats regard passage of a sweeping health care law as a high point of achievement for Obama during his term. Yet the law has also unified Republicans who argue it amounts to a government takeover of the health care system and a budget-buster to boot.
Obama has lately been eager to answer his critics, and he did more than that in his speech.
“Gov. Romney promised that on his first day in office he’s gonna sit right down, grab a pen and repeal Obamacare,” the president said, referring to the law by the name Republicans first attached to it as an insult.”
“What that means is that right away he’d kick 7 million young people off their parents’ plan. He’d take hope away from tens of millions of American with pre-exiting conditions by repealing reform,” the president said.
“You know, he calls it Obamacare. I like the name. I do care. …. I don’t know exactly what the other side is proposing; I guess you could call it ‘Romney doesn’t care.’ But this law is here to stay.””
Bernanke unemployment high, Labor Day weekend August 31, 2012, Fed can do more, Economic recovery far from satisfactory, Jobless claims 374,000
“We tried our plan—and it worked. That’s the difference. That’s the choice in this election. That’s why I’m running for a second term.”…Barack Obama
“after 29 months of allegedly stellar job growth under Obama, the jobless rate is still 8.3%. By this point in the Reagan and Bush jobs recoveries, the unemployment rate was 7.2% and 4.9%, respectively. If we were one of those fact-checking organizations, we’d give Stephanie Cutter the “Lying Liar from Liersburg” award.”…News Busters August 26, 2012
“And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed
–if all records told the same tale–then the lie passed into
history and became truth. “Who controls the past,” ran the
Party slogan, “controls the future: who controls the present
controls the past.”…George Orwell, “1984″
From Boston.com August 31, 2012.
“Bernanke: With unemployment high, Fed can do more”
“Chairman Ben Bernanke made clear Friday that the Federal Reserve will do more to boost the economy because of high U.S. unemployment and an economic recovery that remains ‘‘far from satisfactory.’’
He also argued that the Fed’s moves so far to keep interest rates at record lows and encourage borrowing and spending have helped bolster the economy.
Bernanke stopped short of committing the Fed to any specific move, such as another round of bond purchases to lower long-term rates. But in a speech at an annual Fed conference in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Bernanke said that even with rates at super-lows, the Fed can do more.
After Bernanke’s comments were released at 10 a.m. Eastern time, stocks initially gave up most of their earlier gains. But as investors digested the speech, stocks bounced back. By late morning, the Dow Jones industrial average was up more than 100 points. Broader stock indexes also surged.
Bernanke noted that further action carries risks but says the Fed can manage them. The Fed ‘‘should not rule out’’ new policies to improve the job market, he said.
The most dramatic step the Fed could take would be another round of bond buying. This is known as quantitative easing, or QE. In two rounds of QE, the Fed bought more than $2 trillion of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities. Many investors have been hoping for a third round — QE3— to be unveiled as soon as the Fed’s next policy meeting in September.
In light of Bernanke’s comments Friday, some analysts said that might be a stronger possibility now.”
“In his speech, Bernanke cited studies showing that the Fed’s first two rounds of bond purchases created at least 2 million jobs.”
“Bernanke’s comments Friday made clear that the economy has a long way back to full health.
‘‘Unless the economy begins to grow more quickly than it has recently, the unemployment rate is likely to remain far above levels consistent with maximum employment for some time,’’ he said.”
“In the week ending August 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 374,000, unchanged from the previous week’s revised figure of 374,000. The 4-week moving average was 370,250, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week’s revised average of 368,750.”
Obama lies from Stepanie Cutter, Obama campaign spokesperson lies about Obama job growth compared to Bush and Reagan, Bureau of Labor Statistics
“the Times of the nineteenth of December had published the official forecasts of the output of various classes of consumption goods in the fourth quarter of 1983, which was also the sixth quarter of the Ninth Three-Year Plan. Today’s issue contained a statement of the actual output, from which it appeared that the forecasts were in every instance grossly wrong. Winston’s job was to rectify the original figures by making them agree with the later ones.”…George Orwell, “1984″
“And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed
–if all records told the same tale–then the lie passed into
history and became truth. “Who controls the past,” ran the
Party slogan, “controls the future: who controls the present
controls the past.”…George Orwell, “1984″
“Propaganda must not serve the truth, especially not insofar
as it might bring out something favorable for the opponent.”
… Adolf Hitler
From News Busters August 26, 2012.
“‘Fact Checkers’ AWOL After Obama Spokesperson Lies About Jobs Created Under Reagan and Obama”
“Obama campaign spokesperson Stepanie Cutter, appearing on MSNBC earlier this week, claimed that “over the past, you know, 27 months we’ve created 4.5 million private-sector jobs. That’s more jobs than in the Bush recovery (or) in the Reagan recovery.”
A Thursday Investor’s Business Daily editorial plaintively asked: “Where are those allegedly unbiased fact-checkers when you need them?” As will be seen shortly, the answer is “AWOL.”
First, to debunk Cutter’s lie (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics):”
“Thanks to the graph, yours truly doesn’t need to bore readers with lots of numbers. Outside of very small blips, there is virtually no point on the above graph where the trajectory of job growth under Obama is as high as that seen under Reagan, even though the Reagan-era workforce was about one-third smaller. If done on percentage of workforce, the slope of the Reagan-era ascent would be even steeper.
For those who crave some numbers — In its first 37 post-recession months, the economy under Reagan added more than 9.8 million nonfarm payroll (NFP) jobs, over 7 million more than the 2.7 million added under Obama. To replicate the Reagan-era performance, the economy under Obama would have needed to add over 14 million jobs since the recession’s end; it has really added less than 20% of that. The Reagan-era private sector margin is over 5.7 million jobs.
And of course, there’s an obvious point to be made about the unemployment rate, as IBD noted:
What’s more, after 29 months of allegedly stellar job growth under Obama, the jobless rate is still 8.3%. By this point in the Reagan and Bush jobs recoveries, the unemployment rate was 7.2% and 4.9%, respectively.
If we were one of those fact-checking organizations, we’d give Stephanie Cutter the “Lying Liar from Liersburg” award.
A Google News search done this morning on “Stephanie Cutter Reagan” (past week, not in quotes, sorted by date with duplicates) returned six items (the final result listed pre-dates Cutter’s lie). The results are from American Thinker, Real Clear Politics (2), National Review, Washington Examiner, and United Liberty.
The same search at the Associated Press’s main site returned nothing.
AP’s “Presidential Campaign Fact Check” appears to be limited to what the presidential and vice-presidential candidates say. The wire service is currently carrying its interview with President Obama, naturally headlined “AP INTERVIEW: OBAMA CALLS ROMNEY’S IDEAS ‘EXTREME’,” on its “Top Story” page. Zheesh.
As to “fact-checkers” like PolitiFact and others, nothing demonstrates that they have turned themselves into just another tool of leftist bias than the “fact” that they haven’t called out Stephanie Cutter’s lie for four days and counting while trying and failing to nitpick the Romney campaign over its true statement about women’s job losses during the recession several months ago. PolitiFact falsely claimed it was “Mostly False.”
Oh, by the way, as James Pethoukouis noted in his second crucifixion of Cutter’s comment (his original post relating to Reagan is here), “both the Reagan and Bush recoveries were stronger than the current recovery under President Obama.””
Obviously, congress is mostly at fault. The Democrats controlled both houses beginning in 2007 to create a “perfect storm” of failing liberal policies with the help of Obama.
Consider the following:
Reagan inherited an economic mess from Carter. Many of you remember the long gas lines and 18 percent mortgage rates from the Carter years.
In January 1983, 2 years after Reagan took office, the unemployment rate was 10.4 percent. In January 1989, when reagan left office, the rate was 5.4 percent.
When George Bush took office in January 2001, the unemployment rate was 4.2 percent. When the Democrats took control of congress in January 2007, the rate was 4.6 percent.
So, the impact of a Democrat congress with the addition of Barack Obama in January 2009 led to an unemployment rate of 9.1 percent in January 2011.
The Republicans took control of the house in January 2011. The stated unemployment rate is 8.3 percent but would be much higher if so many folks had not dropped out of the labor force.
For a bit of contrast check out thiscomparative chart detailing the Reagan recovery vs the Obama recovery. One president charged ahead with plans to greatly reduce taxes, lessen regulations, and pushes to increase domestic energy production in the United States. The other president – Barack Obama, called for more taxes, more regulation, and has fought increasing domestic energy production at every opportunity – such as his shutting down of the much-needed Keystone pipeline:”
“The truth is clear – the Obama presidency has been a near-complete disaster for working Americans. This might explain a term growing in popularity of late – “ABO” – Anybody But Obama in 2012…”
Citizen WElls 