Posted on 04/25/2010 3:51:15 PM PDT by blam
Growing Anger At Collapse Of U.S.A. Standard Of
Living Politics / US Politics
Apr 25, 2010 - 07:03 AM
By: Global Research
Hiram Lee writes: A series of recent studies conducted by the Pew Research Center shed new light on the scope of the economic crisis in the US and the level of hostility the majority of the American population holds for the US government.
Released in March, before the passage of the Obama administration’s health care legislation, a survey entitled “Health Care Reform—Can’t Live With It, or Without It” indicates that 92 percent of Americans give the national economy a negative rating. No fewer than 70 percent of the respondents report having suffered job-related and financial problems in the past year, an increase from 59 percent the year before. Fifty-four percent report someone in their home has been without a job and looking for work in the past year, up from 39 percent in 2009.
The poll saw an aggravation of conditions in every area of economic life studied the year before. Increasing numbers of people are reporting difficulty receiving or affording medical care (26 percent) or paying their rent or mortgage payments (24 percent). More Americans faced problems with collections and credit agencies (21 percent), or had mortgages, loans or credit card applications denied (19 percent).
As could be expected, the poorest Americans are suffering the most. Some 44 percent of those making $30,000 per year or less report difficulty obtaining medical care, compared to 11 percent of those making $75,000 per year or more. A similar gap can be found in the category of rents and mortgages, with 37 percent of those making $30,000 or less reporting difficulty making rent or mortgage payments, compared to 11 percent of those making $75,000 or more. However, the percentage of those facing difficulties paying rent has increased dramatically for both groups since 2009.
Large numbers of workers polled in the study say they have little confidence in job security and prospects for the future, with almost half (49 percent) saying it is “very or somewhat likely” they will suffer “job-related financial stress” in the next year. Twenty-five percent of workers say they expect to be forced to take a pay cut this year, while 24 percent expect to be laid off.
The Pew survey found that 85 percent of Americans reported difficulty finding jobs in their communities. This and other statistics revealing the increasingly dismal employment opportunities facing millions of Americans are provided context in another study released this month by the Pew Economic Policy Group.
“A Year or More: The High Cost of Long-Term Unemployment” reports that no fewer than 44 percent of unemployed Americans met or exceeded the standard measure of long-term unemployment (six months or more) in March 2010. This marks the highest rate for long-term unemployment levels since World War II.
In addition to this, the Pew study reports that “23 percent of the nearly 15 million Americans who are unemployed have been jobless for a year or more.” This translates to 3.4 million people, “roughly equivalent,” the study points out, “to the population of the state of Connecticut.”
These alarming numbers should be considered along with findings in another recent Pew research study entitled “The People and Their Government,” released April 18. This report finds that “by almost every conceivable measure Americans are less positive and more critical of government these days.”
Only 22 percent of Americans say their government can be trusted, according to the new survey. The report puts this among the lowest measures of trust in the government in half a century.
The study also shows across-the-board declines in approval ratings for numerous federal agencies, including the Department of Education, the Food and Drug Administration, the Social Security Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Forty-three percent say the government has a negative effect on their daily life, up from 31 percent in 1997.
While approval ratings for the government are remarkably low, with 65 percent saying the federal government and congress have a negative impact “on the way things are going in the country,” the approval ratings for other major institutions are as low or lower. Sixty-nine percent of those surveyed say banks and other financial institutions have a negative impact on the way things are going in the country, while 64 percent say “large corporations” have a negative impact. Some 57 percent say the national news media has a negative impact, while 49 percent say labor unions have such an impact.
The report states that “more than six-in-ten (62%) say it is a major problem that government policies unfairly benefit some groups while nearly as many (56%) say that government does not do enough to help average Americans.”
Taken as a whole, the Pew studies from March and April offer additional insight into the growing social misery under conditions of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the outrage it is generating.
Wide layers of the population, who have seen trillions of dollars funneled from the public treasury into the coffers of Wall Street executives while their own living standards have been assaulted, their jobs slashed, their children’s schools closed, and vital social programs such as Medicare cut by billions of dollars, have no faith in the US government to secure their most basic social needs.
The corporate-controlled news media, along with the major institutions overseeing the nation’s educational needs and basic food and medical resources, are considered corrupt and untrustworthy, contributing to the suffering of millions.
President Barack Obama, continuing to pose as a populist man of the people when he finds it necessary or beneficial, stands exposed as the chief representative of the interests of the American ruling elite and the standard bearer in the assault on the working class.
The restructuring of society taking place, in the direct interests of the corporate-financial elite and at the expense of the working population, is not occurring unnoticed. The American and international working class will inevitably find itself drawn into struggle against the present, untenable form of social organization.
Good point... So, basically.. there's no hope?
I’ll bet I can figure out what the first word is in less than two days.
Taxes, taxes, taxes
That would also make a great bumper sticker!
Add free welfare rent, free food stamps, free clothes, and free education to that list. At least those collecting SSI and Medicare put something into it. They paid their premiums. The lazy welfare slugs have done absolutely nothing at all to earn their keep.
Instead of going after those who did something to pay for their future, why not go after those who have done nothing at all, and who have no reason at all for why they can't get a job, first?
Share the WORK, and the wealth will automatically share itself.
BLOAT.
“We’re in a very bad way.”
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Our new national anthem,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7X9wUXJtzc
“Didja see the article where he keeps the White House so hot, almost all the staff can hardly stand it ?????
Maybe like Kenya???”
Or like Hell from whence he came.
Well then, we’ll just have to open factories and start making farm tools of our own then. It’ll be rough initially, but then we will create jobs and be self sufficient.
You are closer to the truther than you realize.
Most idiots aka americans have no clue how screwed we are.
Even many on this site are utterly ignorant and clueless as to what is coming.
Stock up and learn self sufficiency.
“Well then, we’ll just have to open factories and start making farm tools of our own then. It’ll be rough initially, but then we will create jobs and be self sufficient.”
What are you, some kind of radical? We are an INFORMATION SOCIETY. We have the Internet - we have cell phones - food is so passe. The idea of getting our hands dirty is, just, DISGUSTING. It’s much more important that we keep our tanning booths and implant centers open.
But seriously, the Dems seem to (or will soon) have that option cut off - between Cap and Trade, Card Check, and a host of other garbage - the idea of the United States EVER becoming an industrial power again is just so, so, well 20th century.
Does that even matter? The Democrats have the revolving TARP and Stimulus funds that dwarf any conspiracy theory that you’re advocating.
I just didn’t like being called an idiot.
Thanks, me too...I didn't know exactly what to say...you did.
I do recall that Bush gave $50 billion of my tax dollars to Africa just before he retired to his multimillion dollar house in Dallas.
U.S. Housing Market is a Buy Says Rent Ratios, HAI and Cap Rates
Not if you cheerpick the market and have cash to purchase.
The ones that I have been bidding on haven’t been able to attract any buyers that could qualify for a loan and have all gone to cash buyers.
i’m also not buying anything that would have to rent for more than $1800/mo.
The US borrowed more money under GW Bush then all the presidents before him totaled.
Not to be outdone Obama will have the same dubious distinction before he is done with us.
One thing I guarantee you the next president will not do the same. He/She won’t be able to borrow the money.
President Obama Job Approval Poll Date Sample Approve Disapprove Spread RCP Average 4/5 - 4/24 -- 48.1 46.6 +1.5
(from Realclearpolitics)
Your post is exactly why I don’t want sarah to be president and get stuck with this mess and get blamed for the hoffic results that will paly out as a result of decisions made by gwb and obama.
How anyone on this site defends bush is beyond me. Gwb is the sole reason we have obama and don’t forget it.
My son (frankly, against my advice)just bought two houses in LA county. He financed both...that makes a total of four he has financed in that area. Two in Glendora and two in Sierra Madre.
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