Archive for February 11th, 2010

Bipartisan Nothing

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

The Senate’s new jobs bill:

1) A measly $85 billion, when the output gap is $2 trillion.

2) Extends unemployment benefits, very good, but only until May.

3) Provides more worthless tax credits to employers to hire workers, when the problem remains demand.

It’s discouraging that our national leaders, on a bipartisan basis, aren’t serious about addressing the US economy or unemployment.

Unemployment is likely to remain above 9% for the rest of Obama’s term.

There needs to be trillions spent on a jobs program, aid to the states, and the extension of unemployment benefits, but what we get are very small packages with items that produce very little bang for the buck.

The Fed’s given up altogether, preferring to wallow in the non-existent fantasy of inflation.

Health care reform, which will address the biggest driver of deficit spending, needs to be passed right away, but good luck with that!

Gorilla’s verdict: “An abdication of responsibility and cowardice is nothing new in American politics!”

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This Week’s George T. Platter And Bait

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

The tidetime folklorist wonders whether not begrudging will have a bigger impact on unemployment than say not apologizing.

The Platter: Sorry/I Ran All The Way Home by the Impalas (do they still make those in Detroit?)

The Bait: The Heddon Meadow Mouse (currently cavorting unapologetically in the White House garden)

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Please Stay, Then Just Go!

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Citibank has a new program for those facing foreclosure: voluntary departure!

The idea is to encourage those who will be foreclosed on anyway to stay in their homes for 6 months, then voluntarily leave.

Citibank will pick up most of the costs, which are expected to be less than those involved in the foreclosure process.

Of course the real reasons for this pilot are: 1) to avoid having massive numbers of foreclosed homes hit the market at the same time and 2) to avoid at all costs any resurrection of cramdown, that is letting bankruptcy court judges reduce the principle owed on a mortgage loan.

Gorilla says: “Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy decade!”

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The Euroland Bank

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Austerity is promised, but loans are ponied up

Spain and Portugal are next, there’s little doubt about that now!

Gorilla thinks: “I guess they call it the PIIGS in clover society!”

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2015 At The Latest

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

That’s when unemployment will be a less than resounding 6%, or so says our President.

He promises to add 95,000 jobs a month. So it will only take 7 1/2 years to restore the jobs already lost in this recession!

Meanwhile, the Congress proposes a “jobs bill” that will add an entire month’s worth of jobs!

Gorilla says: “It’s about being seen to say something, not actually doing something!”

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