Posted on 12/24/2014 10:25:11 AM PST by Vermont Lt
As the Dow hits new heights, there are reports all around about the new robustness of the U.S. economy.
Things here in Western MA are not great. It doesn't feel like huge 5% growth and the unemployed are all around.
I am wondering what it's like in your neck of the woods.
Also, wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a great 2015!
I know a family who lost their home and is now living in an RV.
The housing boom never slowed down and houses don’t stay on the market long. Most are being snatched up by out of staters who have moved here (turning TX purple) thinking they’re getting bargain prices. That only brings higher and higher prices on homes leaving the rest of us paying inflated property tax. Vicious cycle. Two years ago, literally every other house on our long street was for sale because people can’t afford the taxes. We broke the every other pattern but taxes have wiped us out so we will be following soon. I grew up here so am hanging on by my nails.
The 5% number came from Obamacare being counted in the gap numbers.
very true
Among your positives you forgot to mention a media that can’t tout the greatness of Dear Leader strongly enough. Ain’t we so fortunate?
Oh, I know. I’ve read that too. I think its all BS. But I was curious because sometimes its easy to read all of the doom and buy into it.
I have been looking for work since the end of the summer. I am not finding a lot of decent jobs out there. I was working for myself and had to quit because of health issues. Now I am healed and I think it would be just as effective to start back up. At least I wont be sitting at home all day.
10 best, 10 worst for unemployment:
D.C. 7.4 ND 2.7
Miss 7.3 NE 3.1
CA 7.2 SD 3.3
RI 7.1 UT 3.6
GA 7.2 Minn 3.7
OR 7.0 ID 3.9
NE 6.9 HA 4.0
AZ 6.8 CO 4.1
TN 6.8 KS 4.3
NE 6.9 should be NV 6.9
The economy is not doing badly here in N. Texas, though we will see what effect the oil bust has.
But Zerohedge today explained where that “5% growth” came from. The government statisticians dumped all of the increased Obamacare spending into the last quarter, so it looks like economy growth. Instead, it’s another statistical lie by the feds. It’s really just the forced payment of insurance premiums.
For the first time in many years, traffic here in Kansas was heavy during shopping season. Not nearly as heavy as it has been in the past...but a slight indicator that we may have found bottom.
Colorado. Maybe I should open up a pot shop or something.
Has western Mass ever really had an economy?
Indeed: If it weren’t for an anti-black, pro-cop, anti-immigrant, xenophobic, fat-cat-capitalist-controlled White Power Zionist, Manifest Destiny Agenda - driven smallpox blanket delivering Cortez Bush pro-Israel trigger happy NRA evangelical AIPAC slave-owning media and their private-enterprise-worshipping Agent Orange Bhopal corporate boot-licking Enron Exxon lackeys at NPR, you people would understand how Barack Hussein Obama has introduced REAL accountability and transparency to a previously broken government.
Back when the Armory was open, and when Westover AFB was active.
There was a ton of manufacturing here until the late 60’s.
Nixon screwed us when Mass voted against him. Boy, some folks carry a grudge! Ha Ha.
There is a ton of education here, but those jobs are not really for the masses.
Here in southern Oregon, you see long lines of dark windows
in the commercial sector, and housing prices are dormant.
With unemployment around a true 15% and mild deflation setting in, and the only work is a coffee bistro, this area is starting to die. Food prices have gone through the roof and gas has just broken the 3$ barrier. It sucks.
The place next to me is listed at $99.9 which is a very good price. They’re selling because they can’t afford 2 houses. They just moved to the farm a few miles away when they thought it was sold but the FHA loan fell through. Good folks who take good care of what they have.
I think the mills were closing all over New England when I was a kid.
To go way, way back...Holyoke’s mills were a lot like Lowell and Lawrence. The mills made every US Army blanket used through WWII. But that was a long time ago. Holyoke is a shell of what it once was.
You’ve got Nebraska in there twice, in the best and the worst. Typo on the worst, should have been ME for Maine or NC for North Carolina, maybe?
Houston Texas here... i make a great living, but the cost of milk and meat has eaten away (no pun intended) at any savings the lower gas prices have saved me.
I started this job over 9 years ago only owing on a car and the house. Now? I’m using credit cards just to survive.
Personally, I’m considering bankruptcy to erase any and all credit card debt my wife and I have managed to acquire over the past 9 years. And no, I don’t feel badly about that thought.
NE Mississippi. Unemployment is around 7.5% and many people don’t have jobs. 60% of the citizens in this town of 13K are on government welfare. I don’t see it rosy and bright. Memphis drugs are taking a lot of people and crime is increasing correspondingly.
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