I'm tired of the slanted stuff that's presented. Just looking for some good resources to educate myself for this election.
I'm tired of the slanted stuff that's presented. Just looking for some good resources to educate myself for this election.
How about starting with any 401, ira, or other retirement plan you might have. Gas pump, food, or other commodity prices.
Jim, looking at prices isn't going to interpret what is, or is not going on. Lex, NPR does a pretty good job trying to deliver factual information about topics. For example, just today I heard a piece talking about the debates last night when guns were brought up. NPR is the ONLY form of media to correctly state that automatic guns are NOT illegal in the US.
Difficult request. Even if you can take the partisanship out of it, you've got two major schools of economics who disagree with each other with regards to process, metrics, goals, etc. Although some here will disagree, I'd look at the .gov metrics, the Wall Street Journal, the Economist and the Christian Science Monitor.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lex_Luthor
Yeah...WSJ.
Bureau of Labor Statistics has actual numbers for economic factors.
http://www.bls.gov/home.htm
The best author I've ever read, who can explain economics in a clear, non-jargon filled way is Thomas Sowell.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Irving
My bad, i meant to look at your statement, see what it has not done.
I want to clarify that I only suggest NPR as casual listening, in place of talk radio.
I think NPR is great for life/cultural stories (ie woman who got ripped off buying gold in Thailand, goes back 10 years later or something and gets revenge) but when it comes to politics, they are IMO pretty left-slanted.Quote:
Originally Posted by Irving
KestrelBike, I totally agree. I think they do a decent job when they have two people from either side discussing and issue, or one person just laying out facts and not making much commentary. Also, I listen to local CPR. I know that you can listen online and get stuff from different places that is more liberal.
Car Talk, Prairie Home Companion and This American Life are all excellent shows.Quote:
Originally Posted by Irving
This American Life can have some stunning stuff.
Just use your own brain. You don't need anyone to tell you that gas is way up, grocieries are way up, public service is up and now they want to raise your taxes. The economy sucks and is getting worse. We are borrowing money from China to pay out entitlements. Go to any employment office (unemployment line) and try to get a job that pays enough to live.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lex_Luthor
If you can't figure this out on your own, just go ahead and vote from you heart because your brain don't have a chance.
Yeah.. until one state didn't report its monthly unemployment rate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Teufelhund
Call me selfish, I vote w/ my wallet.. or w/ my wallet in mind.
Ask Ron Paul, or our founding fathers, they will tell you all you need to know. The start of the "federal Reserve" (cleverly named private bank) was the beginning of the end for this nations economy.
Then again, you have to look at factors like the DJIA is up to 13,557 from its low of 6,626 in early 2009, the GDP has grown from $13 trillion to $15 trillion in the last four years (up from $10 trillion since 2001) and housing starts are at a four year high.Quote:
Originally Posted by Colorado Luckydog
It's a complicated subject.
It's not that complicated. Your great great great grandchildren will still be paying for President Obamalamadingdongs stimulus package. Like I said, if you can't figure this one out on your own, you have a lot more to worry about than who will be the next president.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rucker61
The problem is much like politicians the media will never give you a straight answer to a question. You find one graph or chart that shows things are up only to find it only applies the one county on an odd month in the 3rd quarter of 09.
I don't personally believe you can get the answers in any one place. I spend time (waaaay to much time) on both sides sites. Left, right, constantly cross referencing things back and forth.
That said I do the grocery shopping in our house and I found this list pretty telling. I don't need any graph, chart or pundit telling me what I can see in my own household budget.
Price of goods since 2009.
Gasoline (gal) 158% INCREASE
Beer (16oz). 25% INCREASE
Eggs (doz) 73% INCREASE
Coffee (lb) 90% INCREASE
Peanut Butter 40% INCREASE
Milk (Gal) 26% INCREASE
Bread (loaf) 39% INCREASE
Pasta (lb) 44% INCREASE
OJ (16oz) 46% INCREASE
Apples (lb) 43% INCREASE
Wine (lt) 60% INCREASE
Electric Bill 42% INCREASE
Beef (16oz) 41% INCREASE
Butter (lb) 143% INCREASE
Tomatoes 22% INCREASE
Turkey (whole) 5 6% INCREASE
Bacon (lb) 39% INCREASE
Ground Beef 61% INCREASE
Cookies (lb) 39% INCREASE
Knowing there's a problem is one thing. Having a solution is another. What's yours?Quote:
Originally Posted by Colorado Luckydog
Great post! I take it you don't want to give him four more years! LMAO!Quote:
Originally Posted by Rooskibar03
What's funny is, when Romney wins and turns things around very quickly....the Dems will say it was Obama, it just took time for his policies to work! That one always cracks me up!
For those of us taking notes at home, can you define "turns things around" and "very quickly"?Quote:
Originally Posted by Colorado Luckydog
From free falling to stay afloat like fluffy cloud.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rucker61
Seriously, start here:Quote:
Originally Posted by cstone
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/046502...sr=8-1&pi=SL75
One of the easiest economic writers to read. Road to Serfdom is good, but not an easy read. And for the life of me I can not read Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations.
Now for a quick and humorous lesson on the two warring philosophies Google hayek vs Friedman and watch the YouTube video. Awesome.
Snort. Posting this from my phone and noticed that auto correct capitalized Friedman but not hayek.
I hear his poop smells like roses too!Quote:
Originally Posted by ChunkyMonkey
An economicst would find this interesting, as the CPI has only risen about 8.4% from the beginning of 2009 until the latest figures (September 2012). Some areas to investigate the difference between your figures and the CPI would include the possibility that your products aren't included in the basket of goods that are measured for the CPI, although the basket does include cereal, milk, chicken and wine, among other items. He or she would also look at the types of food purchased - are you buying a higher quality of goods than previously, thus spending more money regardless of inflation. It could be that you aren't part of the demographic that is surveyed for the CPI, although the base demographic does represent about 87% of the people living in the US.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rooskibar03
Any numbers associated with those descriptions? It's easier to measure that way. I didn't see a schedule, either.Quote:
Originally Posted by ChunkyMonkey
If you are still taking notes at this point, then you should just vote from your heart. Your brain won't ever get it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rucker61
Sorry, I have a degree in accounting. I don't have a heart. How about those numbers?Quote:
Originally Posted by Colorado Luckydog
So far , we cover cpi, ppi, core cpi, djia, housing stats , and commodities price.
,On top of that, I would like to add real wages, unemployment number including people who gave up. Underemployed is another huge factor as well.
I'll try to type this very slow so you can get it. How much more are you paying for gas? How much more are you spending at the grocery store? Are you getting more for your dollar or less? How much more is the deficit? Obama has spent more money than all the other Presidents combined and it has done nothing but put us into debt that will take a miracle to get out of. If you don't understand that, then shove your degree where the sun don't shine. You can lead a horse to water but you can't fix stupid. Or something like that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rucker61
Obama is not the real threat to our nation. He is just one stupid a-hole. The real threat to our nation is that there just maybe enough people like yourself that would be stupid enough to vote him in again.
Not that I need that information to get me to vote one way or another. I know who I'm voting for. I'm trying to come up with some sources to help educate some family, that aren't left-slanted resources. Particularly regarding unemployment rates.
I'd like to read about the Koch brothers from a website that isn't overtly liberal.
Yup. That is another way for government to tax us.
Increase money supply, numerous quantitative easing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colorado Luckydog
I disagree partly with those that suggest looking at .gov reports. There is a lot of "shift" that is put into those to paint the "correct picture" for those on the hotseat, to really get the pic- you would ideally need to consult those in the know for each industry report as to where/how/when those figures were collected and the associated potential errors and slant involved. i.e. think unemployment reports...it is so fondled you would think it was nickel night in Vegas.
I enjoy reading the footnoted and so far reasonably objective (barring the occasional rant) http://market-ticker.org.
This should pretty much sum it up:
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallery=3577
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallery=3576
The second report will become most blatantly telling when you think about the top two "layers" and how they inter-relate....and why are they even inter-relating in the first place?? And, to what extent is it legal that they interplay? Not a small answer.
I agree that the debt situation is dire. I don't see a plan from either candidate to fix it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Colorado Luckydog
Is that where you keep yours?Quote:
If you don't understand that, then shove your degree where the sun don't shine.
I'll just put you down as "don't understand the question". I'll try again. You said that Gov. Romney, as President, would surprise the Democrats with how quickly he could implement a turnaround. I just asked how you would quantify "how quickly" and "turnaround" so that objectively, we will all know when we get there. Here are some ideas for you: have we turned around when the budget is balanced? When the debt sees its first reduction? When employment hits the level of [pick a year/pick a percentage]? When the GDP hits $20 trillion? When the reduction hits $1 trillion? In time, will this take one year? Four years? You made the claim, I presumed you had some definitions in mind. Is it just "wait and see"?Quote:
You can lead a horse to water but you can't fix stupid. Or something like that.
Good luck finding much at all on the economy that isn't tinged with partisanship at this time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lex_Luthor
We will have turned around as an economy when U6 unemployment starts going down significantly. Not the regular number that is reported, that might stay up as those people who gave up looking for work (included in U6) return to looking for work.
We will have turned around the economy when we start signficiantly adding more jobs than just the number required to meet population growth/immigration