The crowds on Wall Street after the stock exchange crashed.
Fox Photos / Getty
Over 14.1 MILLION Americans unemployed; many Americans compare today's economy to the CRASH of 1929. The following is from TIME U.S.:
Seventy-nine years ago this week, the New York Stock Exchange experienced the worst financial panic the country had ever seen. There have been more crashes since — with bigger numbers and bigger losses — but nothing quite rivals the terror and devastation of Black Tuesday: October 29, 1929.
When President Calvin Coolidge delivered his 1928 State of the Union address, he noted that America had never "met with a more pleasing prospect than that which appears at the present time." Americans had a lot to be proud of back then: World War I was thoroughly behind them, radio had been invented, and automobiles were growing cheaper and more popular. Sure, the disparity between the rich and the poor had widened within the past decade, but Americans could now buy goods on installment plans — a relatively new concept — and families could afford more than ever before. Stocks were on a tear: between 1924 and 1929, the Dow Jones Industrial Average quadrupled. At that time, it was the longest bull market ever recorded; some thought it would last forever. In the fall of 1929, economist Irving Fisher announced that "stock prices have reached what looks like a permanent plateau." (See pictures of the stock market crash of 1929.) ... READ MORE
Recently, President Obama announced that the troops in Afghanistan will be coming home; bin Laden is now buried with the fishes at the bottom of the sea; ......
Sure looks like a job well done, Mr. President!
Sure looks like a job well done, Mr. President!
However, in the midst of a major debate in Washington over the Budget and debit crisis, you drag your feet and hold up the threat of holding hostage the small checks of senior citizens if you do not get what you want/expect from the GOP.
Our country is in turmoil, Mr. President! And yet, don't let that disturb your plans for your upcoming vacation!
Mr. President, your name is "Hypocrisy"!
Senior citizens have worked all their lives, supported families, and paid their Social Security taxes with every paycheck. Now, in their "golden" years, many live from paycheck to paycheck, once a month, when their SS check is deposited in their bank. If they own a home, they still pay property taxes; when they shop, they pay state taxes; and after paying their monthly bills, there's not much left for food and clothing. When a senior citizen loses their spouse, they are left alone, without any other financial support except for that monthly Social Security check. (Photo: my beloved Bill - October 7, 1943 - August 24, 2010) Yes, many of us saved for that "rainy" day, but those rainy days came more often when our health deteriorated, or we paid off funeral expenses for our loved one and so, dear sir, our "Crash" has already arrived - we've crashed emotionally and financially!
But, as long as we're alive, we still can vote and vote we will come 2012. Guess who we will not be voting for, Mr. President?!
Bee Sting
Obama Threatens To Withhold America’s August Social Security Checks In Attempt To Force GOP To Cave – With Video
Thy name is Hypocrisy ...
July 12th, 2011 (26) Posted By Pat Dollard
President Obama on Tuesday said he cannot guarantee that retirees will receive their Social Security checks August 3 if Democrats and Republicans in Washington do not reach an agreement on reducing the deficit in the coming weeks.
“I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven’t resolved this issue. Because there may simply not be the money in the coffers to do it,” Mr. Obama said in an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley, according to excerpts released by CBS News.
The Obama administration and many economists have warned of economic catastrophe if the United States does not raise the amount it is legally allowed to borrow by August 2.
Lawmakers from both parties want to use the threat of that deadline to work out a broader package on long-term deficit reduction, with Republicans looking to cut trillions of dollars in federal spending, while Democrats are pushing for a more “balanced approach,” which would include both spending cuts and increased revenue through taxes.
The Debt Limit fight: A primer
Democratic and Republican lawmakers are expected to hold another round of negotiations with Mr. Obama at the White House Tuesday afternoon on long-term deficit reduction, though talks have yielded little results to date.
Mr. Obama told Pelley “this is not just a matter of Social Security checks. These are veterans checks, these are folks on disability and their checks. There are about 70 million checks that go out.”
The interview will air Tuesday evening on the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley.
Mr. Obama’s comments followed remarks from the Senate’s top Republican, who said Tuesday that he did not see a way for Republicans and Democrats to come to agreement on meaningful deficit reduction as long as Mr. Obama remains in office.
“After years of discussions and months of negotiations, I have little question that as long as this president is in the Oval Office, a real solution is probably unattainable,” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said in remarks on the Senate floor.
Still, McConnell said Republicans would “do the responsible thing” to avoid default, suggesting that a deal on the debt ceiling could be reached without a “real” deficit reduction package.
“The president has presented us with three choices: smoke and mirrors, tax hikes, or default. Republicans choose none of the above. I had hoped to do good, but I refuse to do harm. So Republicans will choose a path that actually reflects the will of the people, which is to do the responsible thing and ensure that the government doesn’t default on its obligations,” he said.
Mr. Obama has repeatedly said he wants a deal that would allow the U.S. to avoid confronting the issue again until after the 2012 elections and vowed on Monday that he would “not sign a 30-day or a 60-day or a 90-day extension.”
“This the United States of America and, you know, we don’t manage our affairs in three-month increments. You know, we don’t risk U.S. default on our obligations because we can’t put politics aside,” Mr. Obama told reporters at the White House yesterday.
