08-08-2016, 10:42 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-08-2016, 12:41 AM by Cliff Varnell.)
Lauren Johnson Wrote:Quote:Your comments betray a fundamental mis-appraisal of the American economy.
But don't feel bad -- its something no one over here gets either.
Care to elaborate Cliff?
I'd love to!
The American economy is more insular and self-sustaining than anyone gives it credit for.
The disbanding of the EU and NATO would not have the catastrophic impact David claims -- and the USA certainly isn't going to nuke Moscow or Beijing for economic reasons.
The 3 crucial metrics are:
U3 unemployment -- 4.9%
U6 unemployment -- 10.1%
Average gas per gallon -- $2.16
U3 is the unemploymnt rate for folks actively looking for work.
U6 includes those folks plus part-timers looking for more work plus "discouraged" workers no longer looking for on-the-books work.
These "discouraged" and "part-time" workers are the hardest working people in the country.
In the immortal words of Snoop Dogg -"I'm a muthafuck'n hustler -- better ask somebody."
Subtract U3 from U6 and that 5.2% of the work-force is hustling off-the-books work.
Landscapers and nannies, gypsy mechanics and carpenters and computer experts.
The homeless folk who collect cans and spare change and spend it all at local businesses.
Folks who enjoy below-market rent fix up rooms and let them out at high rates.
A big chunk of this vast black market economy is Green: the Cannabis Market.
Growers and trimmers and vendors and brokers.
Hundreds of billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs that the US gov't will not allow above ground.
What is the greatest engine of economic growth on the planet?
The mighty American Consumer, buoyed by economies on the books and off -- and $2.16 a gallon gas.
Nothing revs up the American Consumer like cheap gas!
Why is gas so cheap?
Because Obama and Putin negotiated the removal of chemical weapons from Syria and nuke material from Iran.
The gas market has long been driven by speculators and war with Iran has been baked into the price of oil since GW Bush included them in the "axis of evil."
Now that threat has abetted, and American consumers are doing their thang.
Long story short -- Europe and China need the US of A way more than we need ya'all.