I Have Never Met People So Upset That The Economy Is Rebounding
tweeted by, allanbrauer @allanbrauer
Occidental Prof Heldman On Her Fox Appearance: "I Have Never Met" People "So Upset That The Economy Is Rebounding" http://mm4a.org
from the March 12 edition of MSNBC's Politics Nation:
read/watch clip
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Some of us who recently found work are probably happier than they were when unemployed. Yet the fact remains that wages are stagnant, that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find work that provides benefits, or full time employment. Most of the jobs gained are part time, low paying - while at the same time we have corporations making record profits. The idea that the wealth is going to trickle down is ridiculous. The stock market is only one indicator of the status of the overall economy. Consider the 1920s, even though overproduction became a severe issue, it was largely overlooked, ignored, as people continued to invest money they didn't have (borrowed from banks) into the stock market - thus the numbers kept looking good. Eventually, however, this contributed to The Great Depression. A Nation of people who sort of dreamily, optimistically believed in this idea of eternal prosperity.
It took a great progressive like FDR to start pulling us out of The Great Depression. It required someone standing up to the corporations, to the wealthy, to demand a fairer deal (or a "New Deal"
for everyone. What has been done since? Well, slowly, republicans and democrats alike are dismantling our social safety net. Welfare reform is one example of this, there are others, up to and including the current sequester. The loss of our manufacturing industry and the jobs that went with it... results of very low priced foreign labor, production, etc. One need simply consider the Citizens United ruling to understand that the odds do not favor the average worker. One need simply consider the very existence of the super pacs, or the enormous amounts of tax relief given to corporations and executives who didn't need them. The bail out of the financial institutions that created a global economic crisis.
The economy is, at the moment, improving in terms of overall job numbers, stocks and so on. Yet if you look at the larger picture... well, there are reasons for grave concern.
It hasn't improved for me. I'm still unemployed, struggling through college with only my parents and some financial aid to rely on. Jobs are low in supply here and high in demand, yet they are also paying less, offering less, than ever before.
I am not optimistic, perhaps this is a failing of mine. My fear is that we will call minor improvements hugely significant, that we will manufacture an image of a healthy economy while so many of us are digging through dumpsters for our dinner. The system requires fundamental change before things really get better for everyone.
. . .this is just some fake prop prof sent out by conservatives to confuse the public with an economic perspective that makes FOX fundies want to barf in their mouths. 
