I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Linkee-poo focuses a little too much on one subject

When infographics go wrong. (Grokked from Steven Gould)

Remember two summers ago when the Obama Administration was making the argument about how much worse the recession and job outlook would be if we hadn't passed the stimulus? Remember the conservatives arguing against it, about how you really can't make such an argument. Also remember at the time that job creation was in the 200,000 a month range. Notice that now the stimulus has been ended, the Bush Tax Cuts extended, and the budget cut, everything the conservatives said was needed to get jobs going, and our job creation numbers have been dropping ever since April? Notice how the conservatives are now making the same argument that without doing all that stuff the numbers would have been worse. Let me see, tax cuts, lower regulation, conservative leadership in both the Presidency and Legislature throughout the 2000's and we had the worse job growth since the Depression. Then we had a Stimulus package, and progressive President and Legislature, and job growth reversed (not enough, but still a reverse). If you want a more granular chart. Notice the leveling off starting 2011, you know, when the Bush Tax Cuts were extended, conservatives retook the House, increased their minority in the Senate, and all the budget cutting began. Lookie, it's a real life experiment.

I'm sure if we just cut the budget again, loosen up a few more regulations, have the poor chip in, and clap really hard, we'll solve the problems. Note to Orrin Hatch, the rich only pay 70% of taxes? But they hold 90% of the wealth in this country. Sounds like they're getting off easy if you ask me. Let us not speak of how real wages (for the lowest 80% of earners), at best, have stagnated over the past decade. You, sir, may wish to pay more attention during Sunday School.

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