Jobs, Politics and the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown . . . . .

First off, let me just preface this by saying that this is a non=partisan post and when I mention"the Government", you may feel free to include your villain of choice....

Now . . . . . . . .

WHY IS IT, that ever since the economy took its precipitous downturn, that the Government has made such a big deal about how many jobs it's either created or saved, when the reality is, that over 90% OF these so-called "jobs" are only temporary?

Highway jobs are linked to temporary highway projects and, once they're done, the "new" workers will all qualify for government-sponsored unemployment, at government salary rates....

As far as the Private Sector goes, I haven't heard of a single job "created" or "saved" as a result of the big Government bailouts / programs / stimulus, etc. - - - In fact, what I am seeing (all too personally, to be sure), is a further decline in the number of jobs out there AND, considering that they say 10% of Americans are now out of work, once you take into account that this number referred mainly to 2-worker households--- meaning, that if you look at single-worker households, this really means that almost 20% of us are either un- or underemployed, now.... that's a full FIFTH of this country, kids!!!

Corporations have downsized and, even once recovery begins, they realize they actually CAN get "more for less", in that their staff are already accustomed to sucking it up and working harder for the same amount of money - - meaning that the company no longer HAS to hire back those theyt let go, and then they KEEP the profits made or saved, by NOT HIRING additional staff!

Yeah, yeah - - it's fair game in a capitalist society; I know . . . . but the sad truth, is that we are entering an age of radically different norms for the working world, and we are ALL going to feel the pinch, in ways we haven't even yet realized!!!

AND to top it off, we're gonna' overhaul healthcare to bring 94% of people under some form of coverage, likely LESS quality than what we now have, at a staggering cost that we will all have to shoulder the burden of. Jay Leno was right--- the Government did such a fantastic job of running the Post Offices, let's give 'em healthcare, too!!!!

Whether you are republican OR democrat or Independent, you HAVE to admit that we are in the beginning stages of a vicious spiralling circle of debt, increasing taxes and lower quality goods & services produced by a more overworked workforce than ever before in our nation's history....

What will this mean for America, and for the world????

Locally, I predict a staggering rise in property and violent crime within the next three years, an increased reliance on unemployment insurance and the fraud of same (right after we saw "Workfare" become successful in removing over 50% from the welfare rolls, by the way), longer waits and worse healthcare and an increased mortality rate for all age groups EXCEPT infants....

Yeah - - - this ain't the Garden of Eden baby, and this ain't the Summer of Love (Blue Oyster Cult). . . we are entering an age of Fear and Loathing that even ol' Hunter S. Thompson couldn't begin to dream of in his wildest mescaline trips.... and we're all gonna' get to watch it unfold, right in front of our eyes, while the majority of Americans just continue to wear their blinders and preach pie-in-the-sky philosophies that have, time and again, been debunked, disproven and, unfortunately, disastrous for each and every place that's tried it before....

I'm not blaimng Obama or Bush for this . . . I'm blaming you and me, collectively, for NOT standing up to this governmental largesse and nonsense and writing, calling and calling OUT our Congressional delegates and saying, "NO!!!--Don't steal ANY MORE OF MY MONEY from an already overburdened system, you dolts!!!"....

If it ain't broke don't fix it - - - well, it IS and HAS BEEN "broke" for a long time now, and I do give an "E" for "Effort" that they're trying to do something about it, but change for the sake OF change is never a good thing, and we're about to be taught that lesson, once again. . . . . . Maybe this time, we'll internalize the lesson and remember it, instead of procrastinating and pushing off our own responsibilities onto a government that knows even less than they care.....