Closer to the abyss

Unemployment for those between 16 and 24 is now officially at 52%, according to the labor department. Is this another sign the government is going to point to when they tell us the recession is over?

Labor Dept. statistics also show that the number of chronically unemployed -- those without a job for 27 weeks or more -- has also hit a post-WWII high.

WWII is what got us out of the Great Depression. So is the labor department alluding that our current unemployment is now rivaling what was experienced in the 1930's?

It is interesting that this story got released late on a Friday and then buries deep in the Sunday news. This has long been the policy of releasing not so good news that the folks in charge legally have to release, but don't really want anyone to see.

You can find the entire story here:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/the_dead_end_kids_AnwaWNOGqsXMuIlGONNX1K

This and the unavoidable tax increases that are coming our way can only spell disaster for any economic recovery.

I am sure President Obama is a nice guy. I am sure he truly wants to improve the country. And I believe he believes in his vision of overhauling the way the government and business work.

And there is where we have issues. In the world of academia, one can envision all sorts of social ideals that on paper, seem like it would create a wonderful utopia. In reality, these plans simply do not work.

I would venture to speculate that the combined true unemployment numbers are nearing 25%, if not a little above. An understanding of Business 101, which only gives the fundamentals of how business works in the real world, would clearly show the folly of the present plans in congress.

In a badly damaged economic environment, tax revenues are already down. Down by at least 21% Federally, probably more at the state level, depending on the state. With the work force still shrinking, and business's closing and going bankrupt, logic would tell you that increasing the tax burden will only lead to more job losses, and more business closings.

This will lead to the Fed printing even more money to keep the government up and running, which will only devalue the dollar more, and add to the defect, which is already at unsustainable levels.

The Stimulus clearly hasn't done anything to help the situation. But then, that is also by design. The majority of the money isn't set to be released until before the congressional elections next year. A clear and blatant ploy by the Democrats to try to buy votes next year.

Clearly, the social agenda of transforming the nation into a Progressive paradise is taking precedence over any real attempt to actually get the country going economically again.