How to Pay for that New Stove

Now I know I should not be surprised by this, but I always am.
CNN Money Majority of Americans Don't Have $500 in Savings

And so were my co-workers, most of them have dual professional incomes. Each of which is much higher than the median family income in the USA.  So in my usual blunt way I reminded them that their household incomes were likely in the upper 5 percent of Americans.  And that I try to stay grounded by remembering that almost everyone I interact with in stores, restaurants, etc probably only make $20,000 to $40,000 per year.

Well if you do have a hard time saving money, I have an acquaintance who swears by the all cash technique. And here are some other ideas.
Financial Diet All Cash
BankRate 4 Factors Before Going All Cash
CNN Money 6 Painless Ways to Save Thousands
CNN Money How He Saved $30,000

The Coming Disaster

Laurie is being upbeat and positive again...

"I place a great deal of blame for the coming disaster on right wing media. And speaking of (one aspect of) the coming disaster:

Why Most Economists Are So Worried About Trump"

"It also puts economists at odds with the judgments of small-business owners. According to the latest survey from the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the balance of members who expect general business conditions to improve has moved drastically. In October, the pessimists who saw business conditions as likely to worsen outnumbered the optimists by seven percentage points; the latest survey from December shows that the optimists now outnumber the pessimists by 50 percentage points. It’s an extraordinary shift — one the association described as “stratospheric.”

I’m not quite sure how to reconcile these conflicting signals. One possibility is that Mr. Trump remains something of an unknown, and each group is filling in the blanks differently. Small businesses, pleased to see a businessman in the White House, might be tempted to believe the best. By contrast, there’s a reason that economics is called the dismal science, and few economists trust politicians — of either stripe — to get things right. Greater uncertainty gives economists a broader canvas upon which to project their pessimism.

But it may also be that these groups are describing different things. Businesses and markets care about profits. Economists focus on workers as well as the businesses they work for, on buyers as well as sellers, and on new firms as much as existing firms. Mr. Trump’s anti-regulatory zeal may help businesses but hurt workers; his anti-trade agenda could help sellers but hurt buyers; and his instincts to protect existing jobs may advantage existing businesses at the expense of the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Or perhaps the optimism of small-business owners is about what they think is most likely to happen, particularly in the short run. My conversations with economists revealed them to be more focused on the long run, particularly on the risk of really bad outcomes. By this view, the short-term optimism may be well placed, but should be juxtaposed with the possibility of a trade war, a catastrophic economic decision like defaulting on the national debt or a foreign policy disaster. Nearly every economist I spoke with said the risk of these left-tail events had risen.

Maybe why I rarely focus on what Economists think...  If Economists don't trust politicians...  Who trusts Economists? 

Trumps News Conference

Okay it looks like their a lot of different perspectives...  Thoughts?


All Sides Home Page
CNN Trump's New Conference
CNN Opinion: Trump Nailed It
FoxNews Trump Blasts Russia Reports etc
Mother Jones Trump News Conference
Mother Jones Ethic Experts Blast Trump Plan

Obama Farewell Speech and the Haters

MP Obama Speech and Hannity Response

"At the end, you seemed to describe Hannity as a journalist. Journalists strive to objectively describe what is happening in the real world. Hannity is employed as an entertainer, feeding the far right red meat to sustain their hate. He lacks objectivity and wants to impose his view of how he would the world to be on reality.

And Hannity was an active participant in getting Trump elected. Anyone who does that shows their bias, just as sports columnists are expected to be cheerleaders for the home team. That Fox allowed that divided loyalty reveals the joke that it has become." Joel S.

Oops...  I accidentally lost the comment I submitted over there...  Hope it makes it past the moderator ...  Probably faster to re-create it here...

"I agree, Hannity is not a Newsperson... He is more of a column writer like Eric. :-) Some facts and a lot of opinion...
"Obama took office when the U.S. economy he inherited from George W. Bush (a name Hannity managed to not mention during his diatribe) was in the deepest recession since the Great Depression. The unemployment rate was 9.3 percent. The most recent rate is 4.9 percent. That’s a pretty steep drop. A rate below 5 percent is what economists call “full employment.”  

Of course it’s true that the unemployment rate doesn’t measure so-called “discouraged workers” who have stopped looking for a job. And the rate of “discouraged workers” has risen steadily during the Obama years. So, if you want to make Obama look bad, you ignore the unemployment rate (Hannity never mentioned it) and cite the rising number of discouraged workers. It’s the opposite of honest. It’s pure bias." Eric's comment
Assuming that Obama focused on the positive and neglected to note the people who have given up looking, the under employed, etc Was he being less than honest?" G2A

By the way, I agreed with most everything Obama said in the speech and think Hannity / Ingram were very unprofessional.


CNN Obamas Last Speech 

Trump Should be Ready for Disappointment

CNN Trump Wants It NOW !!!


This is going to very interesting to watch.  We have a very impatient somewhat immature soon to be President who has no good ideas of his own trying to push the political system to get SOMETHING done NOW !!!


What do you think his temper tantrums will look like?


I can't wait to see how they show up on Saturday Night Live !!!


On the other hand, setting a fire under those do little pandering politicians is probably a worthwhile effort. Definitely much more exciting than if Hillary was going to take office.


Comic 1    Comic 2   Comic 3    Comic 4  Comic 5

Kids are Expensive

I knew there was a reason I still work so HARD... $233K per kid... + College...
CNN Money Cost of Children


And they have a interesting video there. Income Inequality: Hunger Down the Block From Wealth.


The touching point was when the Mother said "her goals was to break the cycle of poverty..." Even though she had 4 children...  I don't think she thought that one through.  Thoughts?


How would you help her attain that goal?

Free Loader: Person or Behavior?

From MP Media. RB and Jon called me on some name calling I did. Thoughts?

"I agree that the future with Trump is uncertain and risky. However I think following our previous path is equally so for different reasons. Here are the concerns as I see them. 

http://give2attain.blogspot.com/2016/10/boiling-frog.html 

I keep hoping that somehow both sides will change...
- Liberals will start insisting that poor Free Loaders change
- Conservatives will start insisting that rich Free Loaders changes 

But it seems both sides just keep digging in further to protect their preferred Free Loaders." G2A

"It seems many have not learned that calling people irredeemable racists, xenophobes, misogynists, etc tends to turn them off And I agree that most felt they could not afford another 4 years of Liberal policies.
Besides the whole "status quo politics" is unacceptable thing." G2A

"It also seems that calling people "free loaders" remains acceptable." RB

"The next four years will not be to most people's liking. Most won't be able to afford it.
What should people call those who are against others not like them when they don't like them? Do you have a PC word or so for it?" Jon

"Personally I would say that they believe differently from me. And I would not call them anything except maybe Religious Right, Republicans, Social Conservatives, People against having Illegal Workers in the USA, etc.

They disagree with you, what would you like them to call you?

RB raised a good question above when I used the term Free Loaders.. Technically I am talking about the behaviors of a group of people who are okay with letting others do the work and /or pay the money while enjoying the benefits of that labor. You have met them I am sure, in your classes, in your churches, in your committees, our society's criminals, etc.

So I should probably have said. People who are okay receiving benefits from the work of others on a consistent basis. Do you have a better term?" G2A

Will SS and Medicare Change?

From Laurie:

Conservatives ready to support $1 trillion hole in the budget

It seems to me rather than blowing up the deficit with tax cuts to the rich a better idea would be keeping SS fully solvent. I have worked steady since age 16 and would like to / need to collect my full benefits when I retire in 15 years.

Can Manufacturing Rebound?

From MP 5 Things, Jon continues the Liberal claim that the Blue Collar voters are idiots who will rue the day they voted for GOP politicians.  I of course disagree with this.  And he seems to think that paying for unnecessary Public employees is good because then they are employed, that automation is an immediate issue, that Manufacturing jobs can not be brought back here, etc.  I of course had some different views.

"The people who will be hurt by GOP legislation (if passed) will hurt the lower middle class and poor the most. There is no provision in their legislation that says otherwise. Because of this, a majority of those who voted for Trump and the GOP will find out the hard way what Machiavellian politics is. 'Tell them what they want to hear, then when in office do what you want to regardless of what they want.'" Jon
"I agree that the folks who are choosing to not work will find the next 4 years very concerning. And maybe those Public employees who have enjoyed excessive job security while collecting a good check and great benefits.

However for most of us working stiffs I am assuming that fewer illegal workers, more jobs, higher wages, fewer regulatory hurdles, fewer taxes, lower healthcare costs, etc could be very popular.

Of course the higher cost of foreign goods may be a bit of a shock to those who like to buy those products and services." G2A
"You do like to twist things someone else says. I hear you saying that most people are employed and there isn't a jobs crisis that Trump has heralded? Or those people who are complaining about not being able to find work just don't want to work? I've wondered about that myself. It's a red herring by the GOP maybe? You also want to eliminate government jobs adding to those unemployment figures and upping the competition for those who claim they now can't find work. It's so complicated isn't it John?

I think you still are partially living in the late 1950's and early '60's in how you see the world, especially the US. The population was just under 200 million back then. Today it's a whole lot more. 325 million and growing. Jobs are being shipped overseas.  

Automation is beginning to appear in many areas of the working country and will continue to do so, even in Cargill, or so they say (I believe them). Soon over the road drivers, delivery truck drivers, taxi cab drivers, Uber, etc. will be eliminated.  

CEO's now make 300% to 400% and more today compared to what a CEO made back then (40% in the late 50's early 60's) when comparing their wages to the average working person's wage. Wages for 'working stiffs' vary wildly. A person today getting $500 (3%) back in taxes compared to even $60,000 (15%) back in taxes still doesn't seem fair to minimum wage workers." Jon

"I agree that CEO and Board collusion is a problem. However until the Investors complain that is their problem. (ie their money) They are supporting big rewards for big returns. (and some unfortunate golden parachutes)

As for fewer illegal workers, more jobs, higher wages, fewer regulatory hurdles, fewer taxes, lower healthcare costs, lower public employee cost, lower welfare costs, etc should be very popular with most Americans working tax payers. Do you disagree?

Remember that the goal is to push companies to pay lower end workers more... Correct? Therefore we want to decrease the number of these workers who are available and increase the number of jobs available for them. And as long as the majority of tags say "Made in China, Taiwan, Japan, etc" we have jobs that could be brought back through automation and a willingness to pay higher Prices for "Made in America?

And since many on the Left support Union jobs, Higher wages for American workers, etc I am sure they will be happy paying more for their products and services as foreign goods increase in price and American workers are paid more.

Yes automation is coming, but let's figure out how to solve today's problems first. And pulling the jobs back here may help solve that problem also.

Your last sentence left me confused." G2A

Yes The GOP is STUPID

CNN GOP Plan to Defund Planned Parenthood


I am assuming I will be using that post title many times over the next 2 years as the Religious Right chooses to over reach and alienate many Fiscal Conservative Socially Moderate voters like myself. Here are posts where Jerry and I have been arguing this lately.


G2A Conservative vs Liberal Intent
G2A Birth Control Funding

Is Trump Worth the RISK

From MP Media / Trump

"And Trump lies about things that have occurred in the past and we know are lies.

At least when Bush was wrong about WMD's and Obama was wrong about keeping one's doctors... They were forward looking with no proof either way.

Now I voted for Trump, but only because Clinton went so far Left and I did not find her much more transparent." G2A

"An evolving legacy that can be traced back to the Clinton's and their propensity to "trim and spin" the truth to best suit their needs. From "trim and spin" we move on to Karl Rove's "we make reality in the form we choose", which, I believe, is a step further from the truth than "trim and spin" and finally we reach bottom where a Trumpian agreeable lie is much preferred to disagreeable truth.

The way that the Russian hacking case plays out will tell us a lot about our future: If Trump wins it means truth and fact are pretty much irrelevant and extremely consequential decisions will be made on the feelings and desires of one Donald J Trump. My father in law, a life long Republican and resident of New Jersey always pointed out that Donald Trump's partners NEVER came out very well in any of his deals and always behind the returns to the man himself.  

Hillary would have been a competent caretaker as President: throwing a few bones to the progressive left, providing for Wall Street's basic needs and hawkish enough to satisfy those on the right who care most about those things. Maybe big time change works, maybe big time change blows up the world. Seems a risky bet made by otherwise rational conservative voters like G2A." Edward

"I agree that the future with Trump is uncertain and risky. However I think following our previous path is equally so for different reasons. Here are the concerns as I see them.
http://give2attain.blogspot.com/2016/10/boiling-frog.html

I keep hoping that somehow both sides will change...
Liberals will start insisting that poor Free Loaders change
Conservatives will start insisting that rich Free Loaders changes

But it seems both sides just keep digging in further to protect their preferred Free Loaders." G2A

MN GOP Goals

I haven't even jumped into this one yet, but it looks interesting !!! MP 7 Things to Watch For


Thoughts?

Fed GOP Goals

This is interesting and the comments are lively. MP 5 GOP Fed Goals


Thoughts?

Surprise: People are Nervous about Trump's Capabilities

Thought I would throw the anti-Trump folks a bone...

Poll indicates People less confident about Trump's capabilities than Other Recent Presidents

Who is Failing Who?

Jerry and I are participating in our endless Bad Schools vs Bad Parents & Community argument.
G2A MN Education 2017

I personally think the school systems and bureaucracy are responsible for 35% of the problems in inner city schools, and that unlucky kids with questionably competent parents are responsible for 65%.  Where as Jerry is pretty adamant that it is totally the school systems and bureaucracy that are failing the kids, and that things will only get better when vouchers encourage more choice and competition. His logic is pretty simple, we spend the most there, they still have terrible results and therefore it must be the school's fault.

So I want to try this same logic with law enforcement. At some time in the past, North Mpls was a good working class community with good schools, a low crime rate, nice houses, etc.  Then people with money started moving further out to get bigger yards, bigger houses, newer communities, etc.

People with less money then bought or rented those small older houses.  And this cycle repeated itself for decades. And with each turn the communities got a little poorer and more worn down. And for some reason the violent crime rates started to go up and the schools started to struggle. Then even more people sold their homes and moved out to the burbs.  And that brings us to today.

The questions I have...  Is there so much crime in North Minneapolis because the Police are failing and incompetent?  Or is it because of the demographics and beliefs of the people who live in those communities?

Please remember my old question. Should Parents move their family from a high crime to a low crime neighborhood?  Or should they stay and fight for their neighborhood?

And if most of the law abiding people flee from the high crime area, what happens to the community they left?  Does the Law Enforcement group become less competent or do the challenges just increase geometrically?

And what will happen if we pay even more law abiding folks to run from their community instead of encouraging them to fight for it?