• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

It’s a doggy dog world.

Bad news for Ron DeSantis is great news for America.

Don’t expect peaches from an apple tree.

The most dangerous place for a black man in America is in a white man’s imagination.

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

We’re not going back!

I like you, you’re my kind of trouble.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the GOP

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

“woke” is the new caravan.

Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

We still have time to mess this up!

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

Mobile Menu

  • Winnable VA House Races
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • COVID-19 Coronavirus
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • War in Ukraine
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • 2021-22 Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Politics / Domestic Politics / Slip Sliding Away

Slip Sliding Away

by John Cole|  March 6, 20098:54 am| 35 Comments

This post is in: Domestic Politics

FacebookTweetEmail

More bad news:

Another 651,000 jobs were lost in February, adding to the millions who have been thrown out of work in this recession.

In a stark measure of the recession’s toll, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday that the national unemployment rate surged to 8.1 percent last month, its highest in 24 years.

The economy has now lost more than 4.4 million jobs since the recession started in December 2007, and economists expect that the losses will continue over the rest of the year and into 2010. The economy lost an upwardly revised 655,000 jobs in January, when the unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent. Some economists expect that the nation’s businesses could cut another two million jobs and that unemployment could reach 9 to 10 percent by the time a recovery begins.

Clearly this news today makes the point that we must move quickly to cut the capital gains tax rate.

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « Deep Thought
Next Post: The New Welfare Queens »

Reader Interactions

35Comments

  1. 1.

    4tehlulz

    March 6, 2009 at 8:58 am

    Just some more losers for Rick Santelli to taunt. Fuck ’em.

  2. 2.

    Punchy

    March 6, 2009 at 8:58 am

    So do we impeach Obama this month, or wait until April? It’s disgusting that he would allow so many jobs to disappear, and encourage so many lazy Negros to suck up the welfare monies of the overtaxed rich.

  3. 3.

    chrome agnomen

    March 6, 2009 at 9:04 am

    poor W inherits one recession, and now another dem takes only a month to plunge the country into another. where are my clutching pearls and smelling salts? only not joe can save us now!

  4. 4.

    David

    March 6, 2009 at 9:04 am

    Alert Level Raised to Red!!!

    Sickness and disease could turn into a mushroom cloud of better health, reduced stress, and mental well being if we allow a national health care system.

  5. 5.

    nonymouse

    March 6, 2009 at 9:12 am

    Clearly, this is good new for John McCain.

  6. 6.

    Scruffy McSnufflepuss

    March 6, 2009 at 9:18 am

    I don’t think repealing the capital gains tax will be enough to save us this time. Clearly, we also need to bring back the gold standard.

  7. 7.

    El Cid

    March 6, 2009 at 9:19 am

    This is the wrong time to be trying to do too much at once. David Brooks should create a Blue Ribbon Commission of moderate conservatives to recommend small changes to the tax codes and relaxed rituals of cultural center-hunting to save us.

  8. 8.

    Face

    March 6, 2009 at 9:23 am

    The worst part of the "8.1" is it doesnt come close to capturing the underemployed. The lawyer-turned-fast-food-employee or JuCo prof-cum-teacher’s assistant, both making pennies on the previous dollar.

    They’re employed, technically, but not even close to the salaries previously earned. And they’re drowning in debt.

  9. 9.

    joe from Lowell

    March 6, 2009 at 9:23 am

    Damn, the snark is thick on this thread! Let me try:

    When I look at numbers like these, it really drives home how much of the stock market’s decline is the result of Barack Obama not engaging in enough happy talk.

  10. 10.

    Brian J

    March 6, 2009 at 9:24 am

    Not that this is really good in any sense other than "at least it’s not worse," but assuming the revision isn’t substantially worse, at least it’s remaining somewhat steady. I had worried that it would start to creep up to a million jobs per point, although to be fair, that wasn’t based on any economic analysis, just my gut feeling.

    Of course, as Mark Haines said on CNBC this morning, at least we’re another month closer to the bottom, wherever that is. Yes, it’s CNBC, but he seems okay, and Erin Burnett is just beautiful. One can only wonder how much higher the Dow would move if she stripped off an article of clothing every time it increased by 100 points.

  11. 11.

    valdivia

    March 6, 2009 at 9:26 am

    Not enough coffee yet in the system to compete with this excellent snark. So I second all of your comments.

  12. 12.

    Dork

    March 6, 2009 at 9:29 am

    One can only wonder how much higher the Dow would move if she stripped off an article of clothing every time it increased by 100 points.

    Dow 36000, in 17 minutes. Stocks in hand lotion and Kleenex companies quintuple.

  13. 13.

    Brian J

    March 6, 2009 at 9:31 am

    @El Cid:

    Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let’s move too quickly. We’re, what, less than two months into an Obama administration? I like the fact that you’re suggesting a Blue Ribbon Comission–you really can’t do any better than that–but it needs to be headed by centrist bipartisan lawmakers like Susan Collins and Evan Bayh and opinion makers like David Broder. It shouldn’t start right now, obviously. Too much change too quickly, and all that.

    @Face:

    I believe the measure you’re talking about is U6, and it’s about 14.5, if I heard it on television correctly.

  14. 14.

    KevOH

    March 6, 2009 at 9:31 am

    Remember health care is a ‘privilege’, according to Rep. Wamp (distinguished republican from Tennessee). So the obvious solution is to let these unemployed MFers die, problem solved. Killing off the nouveau poore is the best way to achieve republican nirvana.

  15. 15.

    Comrade Jake

    March 6, 2009 at 9:34 am

    Where’s all this talk of a "crisis"? Until I see breadlines, we’re not in a crisis.

  16. 16.

    Dennis-SGMM

    March 6, 2009 at 9:35 am

    Obama’s French tendencies keep him from getting it: the problem is not that there aren’t enough jobs, the problem is that there are too many workers. Any sort of national health care will only make the problem worse by enabling these surplus workers and their soon-to-be-surplus offspring to avoid dying of easily treatable diseases.
    The sooner that Mr. Obama starts listening to those sage voices advocating inaction the sooner America gets back on the Right track.

  17. 17.

    Brian J

    March 6, 2009 at 9:38 am

    @Dork:

    Along the same lines, if the Obama administration wants to head off a bank panic or should they need to nationalize or increase savings even more, I suggest they turn the mic over to Megan Fox. Imagine how quickly deposits would rise if she said, seductively, "I just love a man with a high interest savings account."

  18. 18.

    4tehlulz

    March 6, 2009 at 9:39 am

    @Face:

    True. U6 is almost 15%.

  19. 19.

    The Other Steve

    March 6, 2009 at 9:40 am

    The Market is rallying on this news… Up 65 points! Clearly Rick Santelli approves.

  20. 20.

    4tehlulz

    March 6, 2009 at 9:42 am

    Here is the link, since I tried to put it in my last post but comments haeted me:

    Click here and despair.

  21. 21.

    Atanarjuat

    March 6, 2009 at 9:43 am

    …and we have yet to reach the bottom of this recession.

    These are frightening times, indeed.

    -A

  22. 22.

    The Other Steve

    March 6, 2009 at 9:47 am

    up 140!

    This is good news people!

  23. 23.

    Laura W Darling

    March 6, 2009 at 9:52 am

    Click here and despair.

    So at what point do "discouraged workers" become "despairing workers"?

  24. 24.

    CalD

    March 6, 2009 at 10:35 am

    Guess a lot of people are about to find out what things were like when I first attempted to enter the job market. Last time around, the middle class never did make up the lost ground or recoup concessions after things started improving again.

    The 80’s, which also featured the rise of the cult of the MBA, pretty much spelled the end of single-breadwinner middle class households among other things; a development that our social institutions have yet to fully adapt to, I think. I actually believe that may be one of the reasons no one apparently taught fundamental ethics (not to be confused with morals, which are religiously tinged and often conflicting) or any sort of social responsibility to our current crop of professional business managers. Without that basic glue, any society will devolve into kleptocracy in time.

  25. 25.

    El Cid

    March 6, 2009 at 10:38 am

    @Brian J: The speed with which you responded to and evaluate my suggestion is dangerously fast. You need to slow down there pal.

  26. 26.

    El Cid

    March 6, 2009 at 10:39 am

    What happens to a wage deferred?

  27. 27.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    March 6, 2009 at 10:44 am

    So at what point do "discouraged workers" become "despairing workers"?

    When they commit suicide.

    As for lowering the capital gains tax, don’t forget to tie that in with eliminating the "death" tax.

    Can’t we just force these people to move to a select number of Southern states and let em secede?

  28. 28.

    Keith

    March 6, 2009 at 10:45 am

    If a cut in the capital gains tax will get all of these people jobs, I bet dropping the death tax will help them get *two* jobs! Twice the stimulus!

  29. 29.

    Michael

    March 6, 2009 at 10:51 am

    Yes, it’s CNBC, but he seems okay, and Erin Burnett is just beautiful. One can only wonder how much higher the Dow would move if she stripped off an article of clothing every time it increased by 100 points.

    If Erin dropped in and said she wanted me in the worst way for one exciting three day weekend, but that I have to get permission from my missus, I’d actually make the call…..

  30. 30.

    Dave S.

    March 6, 2009 at 10:52 am

    Capital gains? Eliminating the death tax is obviously the first thing to do.

    Also, to paraphrase Barnum, people who took the sunset provisions at face value are born every minute.

  31. 31.

    Dave S.

    March 6, 2009 at 10:55 am

    Looks like I picked the wrong time to step away from my desk before posting. (shakes fist at 26 and 27)

  32. 32.

    jrosen

    March 6, 2009 at 10:59 am

    @Comrade Scott

    Hear, hear! I suggest an exchange of populations: surely there are milions of sensible people in the South that could change places with our local crazies, bigots
    and wingnuts. Then they could stop sending their Michelle Bachmanns, JIm Bunnings, and Richard Shelbys to gum up the Congress with their ignorance, K-LO and her buddies could move down there (and away from me), and Mississippi would no longer take $2.02 from the federal government for every $1.00 they put in. We could actually inspect the peanuts that come over the border for salmonella. Cutting away the backward (in every way) states would no doubt improve things like the infant mortality rate and the divorce rate (which state has the lowest? Massachusetts, that Gomorrah of gay marriage!). I would name the seceded province Rushland and it’s obvious who their president for life should be.

    I’m really falling in love with this idea.

    Switching gears: Do those who constantly sneer at the unemployed really believe that suddenly millions of hitherto hard-working people suddenly became lazy?

  33. 33.

    colleeniem

    March 6, 2009 at 11:25 am

    EL CID @ 26:
    How about you stop being a racist.
    Being white, I can not understand your jargon. This is a big tent blog.

  34. 34.

    colleeniem

    March 6, 2009 at 11:26 am

    Sorry, at work, messed up my imbeds.

  35. 35.

    Gus

    March 6, 2009 at 11:29 am

    Don’t laugh too hard at the "eliminating the capital gains" snark. I heard on the radio that Boehner says that this shows that Obama should veto the budget bill.

Comments are closed.

Primary Sidebar

VA Purple House Delegates

Donate

Political Action

Postcard Writing Information

Recent Comments

  • wjca on Friday Night Open Thread: The Looming Shutdown (Sep 30, 2023 @ 2:38am)
  • NotMax on Friday Night Open Thread: The Looming Shutdown (Sep 30, 2023 @ 2:35am)
  • ArchTeryx on Friday Night Open Thread: The Looming Shutdown (Sep 30, 2023 @ 2:32am)
  • wjca on Friday Night Open Thread: The Looming Shutdown (Sep 30, 2023 @ 2:28am)
  • Hkedi [Kang T.Q.] on Friday Night Open Thread: The Looming Shutdown (Sep 30, 2023 @ 2:24am)

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
We All Need A Little Kindness
What Has Biden Done for You Lately?

Balloon Juice Meetups!

All Meetups
Talk of Meetups – Meetup Planning

Fundraising 2023-24

Wis*Dems Supreme Court + SD-8

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Mailing List Signup
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)

Twitter / Spoutible

Balloon Juice (Spoutible)
WaterGirl (Spoutible)
TaMara (Spoutible)
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
TaMara
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
ActualCitizensUnited

Join the Fight!

Join the Fight Signup Form
All Join the Fight Posts

Balloon Juice for Ukraine

Donate

Cole & Friends Learn Español

Introductory Post
Cole & Friends Learn Español

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!