I could hear the cheers from Republicans even in my office early this afternoon when the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth announced Michigan's seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate in October rose to 9.3 percent, the highest unemployment rate the state has seen since July 1992.
It didn't take long for the official Republican blog to pick up the cheer. He, of course, is blaming the Governor for the national recession and finical meltdown that has led to the state's biggest employer facing bankruptcy and looking to Washington for a loan to save 3 million jobs. It's sad they are happy the state and country is facing tough times just to seize power.
"The national economic downturn appeared to have a negative impact in October on Michigan’s already weak labor market,” said Rick Waclawek, director of Leg's Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives in a press release.
The biggest job loses, obviously, are in manufacturing, and the Big 3 cutting jobs has had a serious ripple effect because people do not have the kind of jobs that pay a living wage that helps fuel the economy.
I have been in that unemployment line in the past, and I can find nothing to cheer about. That was at a time when the unemployment rate was in double digits. The modern high of 16.9 percent unemployment was reached in November 1982. In fact, it stayed in double digits until 1985, and the unemployment rate stayed at least 8 percent until 1988.
20 comments:
What is the "official" Republican blog? I find it hard to believe that anyone would cheer high unemployment. I don't find it hard to believe that you would blame everything on Bush. I think it's clear that for the next four years as the country's economy plows into the toilet that we'll be hearing "it's Bush's fault". We've been hearing that mantra ever since Granholm came into office. Liberals don't take responsibility for their actions. In addition, here comes the gun ban, national health care and of course the terrorist attack now that a Democrat will be in office.
I already told you what the official gop blog is, troll. This can't be Bush's fault. He was only in office for eight years, plunged us into an expensive and unnecessary war and ran up a record deficit. It took eight years to tear the country down; it always takes longer to rebuild anything.
Liberals take responsibility for their actions as much as conservatives do, if not more. There will be no gun ban; I hope there will be national health care to cover the 47 million Americans who have no health care. If you were not aware, the biggest terrorist attack on U.S. soil occurred on Bush's watch.
I must have missed it. Where is the Official Republican blog?
not anonymous
Just curious...Are Republicans/conservatives responsible for the 266,000 jobs lost in Michigan from April 2000 to December 2002 when Engler was Governor and the Republicans controlled both houses of the state legislature?
In April 2000, employment in Michigan reached a peak at 4,966,000. By December 2002, employment had fallen to 4,700,000. The unemployment rate in March 2000 was 3.2% and rose to 6.5% by Dec. 2002.
“Right Michigan.”
Guru,
Thank you for telling me the name of the blog. I went there. I read the article and I read the comments. There isn't one person on there that is cheering for the unemployment rate being 9.3%. Unless you consider reporting it or commenting on it as "cheering". Here's the story:
Unemployment rate hits 9.3% (!!!) while 74,000 Michiganders lose their jobs
By Nick, Section News
Posted on Wed Nov 19, 2008 at 01:12:30 PM EST
Remember back during the 2006 campaign when Jennifer Granholm and John Cherry traveled the state telling folks they had a plan and they were "working that plan and we're working it and we're working it and we're working it?"
Whatever that meant.
Apparently their plan was to kill a lot of Michigan jobs. Suppose today's news makes them awfully proud. The Associated Press reports that Michigan's unemployment rate skyrocketed from 8.7 percent in September to a staggering, decades worst 9.3% in October.
All told, Michigan has lost 74,000 jobs in the last year alone.
How's that plan coming, you two?
Sorry, troll, it’s cheering.
Again with the name calling. What are you? Five years old?
Again, calling you for what you are is not name-calling. What are you? Five years old?
It's not cheering. Any more than it was gloating when you referred to the infidelity of Mike Cox. They are facts. The governor said we were going to be blown away. We may well be, but not in the way she intended.
I don't blame her for the economic mess of the auto companies. But she hasn't been much of a help to the state government picture. We have the nation's worst unemployment rate. She's the governor. When the stats are good, they get the credit; when they are bad, they get the blame. Probably undeserved in each case, but it's the way it is.
Remember when "blown away" meant happy ending?
Barack Obama discovers a leak under his sink, so he calls Joe the Plumber to come and fix it.
Joe drives to Obama's house, which is located in a very nice Chicago neighborhood and where it's clear that all the residents make more than $250,000 per year.
Joe arrives and takes his tools into the house. Joe is led to the room that contains the leaky pipe under a sink. Joe assesses the problem and tells Obama, who is standing near the door, that it's an easy repair that will take less than 10 minutes.
Obama asks Joe how much it will cost and without hesitation, Joe immediately says, "$9,500."
"$9,500" Obama asks, stunned. "But you said it's an easy repair!"
"Yes, but what I do is charge a lot more to my clients who make more than $250,000 per year so I can fix the plumbing of everybody who makes less than that for free," explains Joe. "It's always been my philosophy. As a matter of fact, I lobbied government to pass this philosophy as law, and it did pass earlier this year, so now all plumbers have to do business this way. It's known as 'Joe's Fair Plumbing Act of 2008.' Surprised you haven't heard of it, senator."
In spite of that, Obama tells Joe there's no way he's paying that much for a small plumbing repair, so Joe leaves.
Obama spends the next hour flipping through the phone book looking for another plumber, but he finds that all other plumbing businesses listed have gone out of business. Not wanting to pay Joe's price, Obama does nothing. The leak under Obama's sink goes unrepaired for the next several days. A week later the leak is so bad that Obama has had to put a bucket under the sink. The bucket fills up quickly and has to be emptied every hour, and there's a risk that the room will flood, so Obama calls Joe and pleads with him to return.
Joe goes back to Obama's house, looks at the leaky pipe, and says "Let's see - this will cost you about $21,000." "A few days ago you told me it would cost $9,500!" Obama quickly fires back.
Joe explains the reason for the dramatic increase. "Well, because of the 'Joe's Fair Plumbing Act,' a lot of rich people are learning how to fix their own plumbing, so there are fewer of you paying for all the free plumbing I'm doing for the people who make less than $250,000. As a result, the rate I have to charge my wealthy paying customers rises every day.
"Not only that, but for some reason the demand for plumbing work from the group of people who get it for free has skyrocketed, and there's a long waiting list of those who need repairs. This has put a lot of my fellow plumbers out of business, and they're not being replaced - nobody is going into the plumbing business because they know they won't make any money. I'm hurting now too - all thanks to greedy rich people like you who won't pay their fair share."
Obama tries to straighten out the plumber: "Of course you're hurting, Joe! Don't you get it? If all the rich people learn how to fix their own plumbing and you refuse to charge the poorer people for your services, you'll be broke, and then what will you do?"
Joe immediately replies, "Run for president, apparently."
Yes, it is cheering. Every piece of bad news is trumpeted on that "blog." Have you looked around at the financial mess the country is in? Yes, they blame Granholm and Cherry for that simply so that can win back the governorship in two years.
How has she not "been much of a help to the state government picture?" She has been the only governor to work to diversify the economy, and she has been successful in bringing in those types of jobs. The problem is they are no where near offsetting the jobs shed by the Big 3 and their suppliers.
How has she not been much help?
One, her tax increase went through but we still have a deficit and we don't have enough money for public education.
Two, despite all her best intentions and by your own admission, whatever she has accomplished (and that's assuming she is responsible for job growth) is trivial compared to the lost jobs. Our unemployment rate is sky high.
I don't blame her for the unemployment rate. But by your argument, the best you can say about her is that she's been ineffective.
And where is she on Capitol Hill where our auto industry is fighting for survival. I see Stabenow; I see Levin. Where is our governor?
I guess you forgot about the 15 straight years of tax cuts with no corresponding reductions in spending, and the recession that has cut into the sales tax collected for schools. “By my own admission she is ineffective?” I have no idea how you reached that conclusion, troll. With the limited tools she has as governor and with the Republicans in control of the Senate for her entire term and with the Democrats having the House for less than two years she has done well.
The Governor is in the Middle East lobbying foreign companies to invest in Michigan. She is doing more good over there than in Washington. The Republicans have no intention of saving 3 mullion jobs. It’s sad they want to destroy the country just to break the union.
Actually, Democrats are doing a pretty good job of blocking our aid.
Yes, you have said the gov is ineffective...you blame everybody else for Michigan's woes, but that's the same as saying she isn't effective.
Let me know how those Middle East jobs turn out. It's probably just as well she isn't in Washington as she doesn't have any impact there...even with her buddy B. Hussein Obama as the president-elect.
You say she's done fairly well..Hmm. 9.3 percent unemployment rate...auto industry on the ropes...state in a recession...state budget in disarray...schools underfunded and more cuts likely...exactly what has she done well at...where does this effectiveness show itself?
If the Democrats had 60 members in the Senate, it most likely would have been voted on. No, I didn’t say the Governor is ineffective. You still haven’t told me how the governor can be blamed for the state’s largest employer teetering on bankruptcy and shedding jobs.
The Middle East Trip has gone very well. In just four days, Powermat, a wireless electricity company; Multi Gene Vascular System, a clinical stage biotech company; and HBR Labs, an insurance and higher education software company - all plan to open operations in the state, that’s according to Gongwer. She doesn’t have much influence over Republican Senators, nor is she expected to. Maybe guys like Mike Rogers, “Mad” Thad Mcotter or Candy Miller might have some “impact,” but they don’t. Keep up the B. Hussein Obama crap, troll, it worked so well in the election. Just remember to add President.
Yes, she has does well with the bag of shit she was handed. “Auto industry on the ropes.” how is that her fault again? Don’t you mean country in a recession? The schools being under funded is her fault how? You had a fit when she put a stop to the irresponsible tax cuts that went on for 15 years.
I'll add president when B. Hussein actually becomes president. Unlike you, I think facts have a place in civil discussions.
Glad the trip has allegedly gone so well. Let me know when someone here actually lands a job from one of these "plans" and the unemployment rate dives to 9.2 percent
You don't realize how you support my argument that she's not very effective, but you do so every time you say there's nothing she can do about (take your choice) Republicans, the Senate, the auto industry, the economy, the wrong time of the month. Which is my point exactly...she's ineffective.
Schools underfunded her fault? Yes. Because as governor she sets a priority. State spending went up at a faster rate than spending for public schools. That means there was money that could have been allocated to schools but wasn't. And, if she was powerless to do anything about that, then that's the definition of ineffective.
You call people names under the guise of "accuracy" but seem miffed when I accurately refer to Obama's actual name. Tell me, please, why the term B. Hussein Obama bothers you.
Well, if you don't mid I'll call him President Obama now; it feels so good doing it. It's kind of sad, troll, that that's the only fact you can dispute on this blog with almost 800 posts.
Again, you have never given a reason why the governor can be blamed for the state's largest employer losing market share and shedding jobs, the country in a recession and a finical meltdown. Again, the governor is very effective when you consider the limited tools a governor has and the obstacles she has faced. What are the two biggest things that affect the economy? Trade policy and monetary policy are. No governor has any control over that. "The wrong time of the month?" What does that mean, troll?
As the Governor, she took a stand that certain things would not be cut when the budget had to be cut and education was one of them. The schools have received an increase in the per-pupil foundation grant every year she has been governor.
First are you denying you are an anonymous troll? Second, using his first initial with his middle name is just part of the false smear of he's a Muslim and a terrorist. Why don't you call McSame J. Sydney McCain? But like I have said - about five times now, I believe – I have no problem with you calling President Obama, B. Hussein Obama; it served you so well in the election.
I don't understand. You call him Grampy McSame, which is certainly not his name, and that seems to be okay with you. But I used his correct name and I am guilty of a smear. How is that? (I never knew his middle name, but now that I do I will be happy to call him J. Sydney McCain. And I'll be happy to call you C. Dargo Guru.)
Show me where I called anyone a Muslim? And why would that be a problem? I don't think there is anything wrong with being a Muslim? Apparently you think it's a smear. That sounds to me like you are a bigot.
And where did I call anyone a terrorist? For a guy who is so touchy, you sure don't mind making false accusations at others. What part of his name makes you think that he is a terrorist? Let me know so I don't make that mistake again. For future reference, is Sydney a terrorist name?
When did I ever say the governor was responsible for the recession? I never did. At least twice I said just the opposite. You, however, keep repeating that she is ineffective. You say everything bad was beyond her control and that there is nothing in her ability that can be done to fix things. That's pretty ineffective.
You are a troll because you continue to misrepresent and duck fair questions and points, such as public education. Spending for education went up by a smaller percent that spending in the overall state budget. That means the governor gave it a lower priority than other items. That's a fact.
But let's buy your argument. If the guv has been so generous with public education during her tenure, why have Brighton schools twice asked for even more money and higher taxes?
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