This is a remarkably civil SOTU discussion.

 

I didn't see it. Tried to, but I fell asleep around 8 last night.

So it looks like everything the POTUS said last night was true but many facts were slightly exaggerated. e.g. Yes, 11 million jobs added in the past 5 years but he didn't mention the 4 million lost during his first year in office, so there really were only 7 million jobs added during his presidency.

 

Yep, he only exaggerated by 72%. That's some "slightly".

Yep, he only exaggerated by 72%. That's some "slightly".

 

Yeah, 7 million new jobs is such a terribly low number. :lol2:

Yep, he only exaggerated by 72%. That's some "slightly".

 

From the link above:

 

"And over the past five years, our businesses have created more than 11 million new jobs."

 

That’s true as far as it goes. The economy gained 11,215,000 private sector jobs between February 2010 and the preliminary figures for December of last year.

 

Of course, the president said nothing of the 4,210,000 private sector jobs that were lost during the first 13 months of his tenure as president, due to the savage recession that was raging at the time he took office.

 

Overall, since Obama took office, the net gain in private sector employment is just over 7 million. And the gain in total employment during his time in office is lower than that — just under 6.4 million. That’s because of a net loss in government jobs, particularly in local school systems.

 

 

Actually, not a slight exaggeration at all. Obama was on target with his facts. However, he only referred to the last 5 years and excluded the numbers from his first year in office. That is where they "fact checked" his statement.

I'll believe $5.00 gas when I see it. But thanks for the reference point, as incredible a statement as I find it to be.

 

I hope if never happens, but it wasn't all that long ago I paid $4.00+ a gallon for regular unleaded, so to say that it COULDN'T happen is shortsighted.

I hope if never happens, but it wasn't all that long ago I paid $4.00+ a gallon for regular unleaded, so to say that it COULDN'T happen is shortsighted.

 

He's Voice of Reason, not Ears of Reason.

He's Voice of Reason, not Ears of Reason.

 

:lol::lol:

I work for a global manufacturing company that has plants in the US (Lexington), Hungary, China, Germany and France. We had our global plant leader meeting in Lexington last week and shared a lot of data to compare our costs/performance in each country. One thing that was compelling is that the highest cost countries, Germany and France are areas which are being de-emphasized in the manufacturing portfolio, because Europe can be sourced just as effectively and at 1/4 the cost from Hungary. The costs in Hungary were very close to China. Our US business costs are only slightly lower than Germany and France, but geographics make it a greater challenge to service the US market from the existing best-cost country facilities. BTW, we had a plant in Sweden, but it was already closed in 2010.

 

My point in bringing this up, is that our liberal President seems to lean towards the policies (high unionization support, more six leave, higher base pay) of the Western Europeans that are going to make us less competitive globally. Those countries are paying the price. Paid 7 days sick leave, increase minimum wage, stronger union rights are not going to make us more competitive...they will kill a chance we have at growing and/or recovering lost manufacturing jobs. I live it everyday.

Yeah, 7 million new jobs is such a terribly low number. :lol2:

 

Apparently it is to Obama, hence the slight of hand. Right?

From the link above:

 

"And over the past five years, our businesses have created more than 11 million new jobs."

 

That’s true as far as it goes. The economy gained 11,215,000 private sector jobs between February 2010 and the preliminary figures for December of last year.

 

Of course, the president said nothing of the 4,210,000 private sector jobs that were lost during the first 13 months of his tenure as president, due to the savage recession that was raging at the time he took office.

 

Overall, since Obama took office, the net gain in private sector employment is just over 7 million. And the gain in total employment during his time in office is lower than that — just under 6.4 million. That’s because of a net loss in government jobs, particularly in local school systems.

 

 

Actually, not a slight exaggeration at all. Obama was on target with his facts. However, he only referred to the last 5 years and excluded the numbers from his first year in office. That is where they "fact checked" his statement.

 

Spin away, Cinton would be proud.

Boehner has mastered the golf clap.

Where was Mitch McConnell? I didn't see him--maybe I missed him.

The other part about the jobs number that is hilariously left out is the record number of people of working age who have taken themselves out of the work force completely.

 

Again real unemployment is 11% in no way shape or form is that a success. Are we slightly better today than 2010 , well yes. But most econmoist and people in the private sector will tell you we should be so much further along. The agenda in Washington has slowed down growth and not enhanced it. We saw minimal growth inspite of poor leadership .

 

You can pick and choose any numbers you want but if anyone wants to have a serious discussion on the economy and back Obama's speech then you won't be happy with results.

I work for a global manufacturing company that has plants in the US (Lexington), Hungary, China, Germany and France. We had our global plant leader meeting in Lexington last week and shared a lot of data to compare our costs/performance in each country. One thing that was compelling is that the highest cost countries, Germany and France are areas which are being de-emphasized in the manufacturing portfolio, because Europe can be sourced just as effectively and at 1/4 the cost from Hungary. The costs in Hungary were very close to China. Our US business costs are only slightly lower than Germany and France, but geographics make it a greater challenge to service the US market from the existing best-cost country facilities. BTW, we had a plant in Sweden, but it was already closed in 2010.

 

My point in bringing this up, is that our liberal President seems to lean towards the policies (high unionization support, more six leave, higher base pay) of the Western Europeans that are going to make us less competitive globally. Those countries are paying the price. Paid 7 days sick leave, increase minimum wage, stronger union rights are not going to make us more competitive...they will kill a chance we have at growing and/or recovering lost manufacturing jobs. I live it everyday.

 

 

Hungary ... and Romania... Eastern Europe is new India. Wake up people, it's a GLOBAL economy.

 

 

Go read Thomas Friedmans The World is Flat.

I hope if never happens, but it wasn't all that long ago I paid $4.00+ a gallon for regular unleaded, so to say that it COULDN'T happen is shortsighted.

 

I am not going to say $5.00 gas will never happen. Someday, when inflation starts to happen again, it will get there. But it isn't happening in 2015 unless we have a major war/catastrophe. There is too much surplus and readily available oil for us to see $5.00 gas.