Bud's Daily Diatribes

(From an anonymous blogger)

The reason we are not coming out of this recession is we have lost our industrial base that made us the powerful country we once were.

In WWII when Japan attacked us, they were far superior in military might that we were. They did not fear our military, they feared our industrial capability to build an endless supply of weapons and field troops endlessly. ("I fear we have only awoken a sleeping giant.") Back then we had the edge because our economy was based on goods and services.

Since the 1980's when Ronald Reagan removed tariffs on foreign goods, businesses have begun moving overseas to take advantage of cheap labor, and remove the crippling greed of the labor unions, which when first organized, were a necessary entity in order to protect the worker from the robber barons.

Now, our economy is completely service based, leaving it volatile - we are at that "tipping point" of an economy having less income than goods are available.

It is impossible for government to not be involved in private business because we are all part of the government - we are all part of the community. Greed spawned this recession just as it did the Great Depression. But as an individual, I have no power to stop Wall Street from running companies into the ground to increase profit for rich share holders and insuring CEO bonuses.

It is obvious that the argument that we should leave big business alone to keep the best and brightest almost seems invalid. Obviously, big business is rewarding bad business practices more than they are the good. What happened to honest corporate governance?

Health care is out of control because of greed. Banks are out of control because of greed. Oil prices are out of control because of greed. Political power, profits and salaries rule this country...and soon (because of our national debt), China could.

Out of work? Thank Obama for your healthcare instead of a job - then buy yourself a shotgun.

For the sake of argument, let's say the national average for rent on a one-bedroom apartment is $750 a month.

Then add another $750 a month for:
* car payment
* car insurance (State mandated)
* heat (electric, gas, or oil)
* electricity
* water
* phone (land-line or cell)
* (cable - not optional, necessary in many areas)

Average unemployment benefits doesn't even cover this!

Now, how much is left over for food, gas, and other basic necessities? Do you like eating macaroni and cheese 7 days a week?

If you're single, unmarried, live alone, and don't have children, you won't qualify for food stamps either. Do you still have a few dollars in the bank for a rainy day? Better not have much or you're also disqualified for food stamps.

Forget about having any healthcare (even Obama-care). COBRA won't help, it's nearly impossible to afford it if you also want to eat.

And if you're not yet 65, forget about Medicaid or Medicare too (unless you're a single mom with lots of kids).

Never take away someone's hope, it might be all they have.

Are you without friends, co-workers and familiy members?

If you're over 40 years old (but not yet 65), you probably won't get a job; but you can't get Social Security either. Forget a pension too, at least until you're 55, but most likely with a 50% reduction of what you would normally receive.

No room-mate or someone to help share the monthly expenses? You're in deep trouble - close to living on the street. Start looking at the homeless shelters...

Unless you're strong and fit and have the wherewithal to survive on the mean streets, you'll probably succumb to a long miserable death by starvation, exposure to the elements, or by brutal violence.

If you end up homeless, you'll also face the humiliation and ridicle as well...it's a hard world out there, and teen-agers may throw garbage at you.

...or consider buying a shotgun while you are still enjoying the comfort of a roof over your head. Your local Wal-Mart might help you.

No one lives forever anyway...have a cigarette and a glass of wine, and then write your final note...remembering to thank Obama focusing on jobs.

Then just pretend you're going to sleep, but you'll never wake up to know the difference.

The Jobless and Suicide - Direct Connections

In situations where continuing to live is intolerable, some people use suicide as a means of escape.

The most common reasons are:

1- an underlying mental disorder which include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism and drug abuse.

2 - Financial difficulties or other undesirable situations play a significant role.

Over one million people commit suicide every year, making it the tenth-leading cause of death worldwide.

External circumstances, such as a traumatic event, may trigger suicide but it does not seem to be an independent cause. Thus suicides are more likely to occur during periods of socio-economic, family and individual crisis.

Socio-economic factors such as unemployment, poverty, homelessness, and discrimination may trigger suicidal thoughts. Poverty may not be a direct cause but it can increase the risk of suicide, as it is a major risk group for depression.

In the United States 52% of suicides involve the use of firearms.

According to 2005 data, suicides in the U.S. outnumber homicides by nearly 2 to 1 and ranks as the 11th leading cause of death in the country.

The ones being passed over for jobs

In the United States, the rate of suicide is increasing for the first time in a decade. The increase in the overall suicide rate between 1999 and 2005 has been due primarily to an increase in suicides among whites aged 40-64, with white middle-aged women experiencing the largest annual increase.

In the USA, Caucasians are nearly 2.5 times more likely to kill themselves than are African Americans or Hispanics.

The Moral Issue - And why many think it's OK

In most forms of Christianity, suicide is considered a sin. In Catholic doctrine, the argument against suicide is based on the commandment "Thou shalt not kill". However, it is believed that mental illness or grave fear of suffering diminishes the responsibility of the one completing suicide.

Counter-arguments include the following: that the sixth commandment is more accurately translated as "thou shalt not murder", not necessarily applying to the self; that taking one's own life no more violates God's law than does curing a disease; and that a number of suicides by followers of God are recorded in the Bible with no dire condemnation.

Some see suicide as a legitimate matter of personal choice, and maintain that no one should be forced to suffer against their will, particularly from conditions such as incurable disease, mental illness, and old age - and have no possibility of improvement.

See all my well-researched posts on the current unemployment situation:

The New Poor - Millions of Unemployed Face Years Without Jobs
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/02/21/the-new-poor-millions-of-unemployed-face

Out of work? Buy a shotgun
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog3.php/2010/03/07/out-of-work-buy-a-shotgun

Government Jobs (Bigger Government) Drive Employment Numbers
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/03/01/government-jobs-bigger-government-drive

Actual Unemployment in 2010 - Recession Worse than Reported
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/02/04/actual-unemployment-in-january-2010-rece

Deep Recession Shows No Sign of Letting Up - Maybe Getting Worse
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/02/24/deep-recession-shows-no-sign-of-letting

Largest U.S. Labor Union: AFL-CIO says Jobs Won't Return
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/01/07/largest-u-s-labor-union-afl-cio-says-job

More Bad News for the Unemployed in 2010 - and Beyond
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/02/23/more-bad-news-for-the-unemployed-in-2010

Almost 1 out of 5 People are Out of Work in the U.S.A.
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2009/12/31/unemployment-december-2009-new-release

FOX News Wages War on Unemployed - Thinks They're Lazy
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/03/02/real-reason-why-extended-unemployment-be

Tea Party, Fox News, and Conservatives Attack the Unemployed
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog3.php/2010/03/04/tea-party-gets-in-wrong-on-unemployment

Extended Unemployment Benefits in 2010 - Fully Explained
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog3.php/2010/02/16/extended-unemployment-benefits-in-2010

Being 50 to 65 years old is like being between a rock and a hard place in 2010 - Too old to be hired for work, but too young to qualify for a pension or Social Security.

The big FIVE-O is about where most potential workers are left on the sidelines. When we were younger we weren't chosen for the team if we weren't big enough, quick enough, tall enough, or old enough.

We couldn't WAIT to be older so we could hang out with the older kids and do all those cool things they could...like stay up late and watch those scary movies.

We used to lie about our ages to be older so we could buy beer or drink in a bar, or to get a certain job, or to drive a car, or to join the Army.

We never used to be old enough to do many things, but now it seems people think we're too old to do anything...as if they themselves will never be 50 to 65 years old. And what happens to those people who think so - when suddenly they themselves are also "old"?

Let me explain to them.

Aging is as natural as birth and death, but younger people consider it a handicap. Maybe it is - I myself am a little slower than I was when I was 21; but I also know that I'm not going to live forever anymore either. Age does have some advantages...like acquiring more common sense.

In most cultures outside the U.S., the elderly are respected and taken care of by their families and society as a whole. Here, they're tossed to the curb like an old beer can.

I remember very well when I used to be 21 and considered myself somewhat "cool" for my time. I once drove a sports car, customized a motorcycle, played guitar a little, smoked pot around a campfire on the beach in California (when it was once permitted - the campfire, not the pot - that wasn't permitted in those days).

But when I was doing all those things (enjoying my youth), I never outwardly disrespected older people; though I must admit, because of my immaturity and lack of understanding, I did privately feel some ridicule for them.

It's impossible to explain these things to younger people...but when they get older themselves and gain more life experiences, they ALL eventually understand this point of view (if they are lucky to live long enough).

It's all part of nature's life-cycle. You're born, you get a driver's license, you get laid, you get a hangover, you get a job and work like a dog all your life. Then you get insulted for being old, before you finally slow down, get sick, and die. It happens to all of us. It will happen to your wife or husband, to your mom and dad, to your brother and sister, and it will happen to you...no matter how young, cool, and pretty you are at this moment in time. You will get old and you will be discriminated against.

Some of the older people get angry at the younger generation for harboring those feelings of age discrimination - - - but me, I get angry at the employers (the enablers) who have the economic power to perpetuate this discrimination on the elderly. Profits and productivity is always the argument. 30-year-old managers are going to hire 21-year-old punks to boss around - not older people with more experience than them!

If you're 21 today, plan on facing this same dilemma when you too are older...trust me, I know, it will.

And some of the younger people are angry at the older generation, as if we're in their way, slowing down progress, or somehow denying them of something. To them I say,"Look in a mirror. One day you will be me."

Now I have to go...I'm old and tired and have to take my daily nap.

See all my well-researched posts on the current unemployment situation:

The New Poor - Millions of Unemployed Face Years Without Jobs
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/02/21/the-new-poor-millions-of-unemployed-face

The Jobless and Suicides in 2010
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog3.php/2010/03/07/out-of-work-buy-a-shotgun

Government Jobs (Bigger Government) Drive Employment Numbers
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/03/01/government-jobs-bigger-government-drive

Actual Unemployment in 2010 - Recession Worse than Reported
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/02/04/actual-unemployment-in-january-2010-rece

Deep Recession Shows No Sign of Letting Up - Maybe Getting Worse
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/02/24/deep-recession-shows-no-sign-of-letting

Largest U.S. Labor Union: AFL-CIO says Jobs Won't Return
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/01/07/largest-u-s-labor-union-afl-cio-says-job

More Bad News for the Unemployed in 2010 - and Beyond
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/02/23/more-bad-news-for-the-unemployed-in-2010

Almost 1 out of 5 People are Out of Work in the U.S.A.
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2009/12/31/unemployment-december-2009-new-release

FOX News Wages War on Unemployed - Thinks They're Lazy
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/03/02/real-reason-why-extended-unemployment-be

Tea Party, Fox News, and Conservatives Attack the Unemployed
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog3.php/2010/03/04/tea-party-gets-in-wrong-on-unemployment

Extended Unemployment Benefits in 2010 - Fully Explained
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog3.php/2010/02/16/extended-unemployment-benefits-in-2010

What "Bozo" will Fox News hire next?

(Click image to enlarge)

Did Fox News commentator Sir Stuart Varney ever see the TV show "Dirty Jobs"?

If he did, then he would know that every treasure he prizes, every creature comfort he enjoys, and the very food he eats every day, was all made possible by common people who proudly worked hard to make sure he lived a civilized lifestyle.

Sir Stuart Varney, who hails from England (and says he's an expert on class-warfare), should appreciate the unemployed Americans because, through no fault of their own, they lost their jobs - - - jobs that these commoners once took great pride in to satisfy Sir Stuart Varney's every need, want, and desire.

For Sir Stuart Varney to say on Fox News (seen around the world) "Cut off their unemployment benefits and maybe they'll go find a job" is totally despicable; and Sir Stuart Varney should himself be fired from Fox News; then he can stand in line with the other miserable poor people who also lost jobs.

The only difference being...the pompous Sir Stuart Varney will have deserved to lose his job.

I tried writing to Sir Stuart Varney, but I recieved no response...maybe he was too cowardly and ashamed to reply.

http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/03/02/real-reason-why-extended-unemployment-be

Despite the current excessive Democratic government spending, the conservatives would do well to stay away from one bill - The Jobs Bill. They should tread VERY lightly with any proposition of eliminating (or reducing in any way) extended unemployment benefits for a VERY good reason.

With real unemployment near 17% and well over 11 million people on state and federal unemployment rolls, many Republicans, conservatives, and Tea Party members might vote for Democrats (no matter how much they're hated) just to keep their benefits. It's called survival!

See all my well-researched posts on the current unemployment:

The New Poor - Millions of Unemployed Face Years Without Jobs
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/02/21/the-new-poor-millions-of-unemployed-face

Government Jobs (Bigger Government) Drive Employment Numbers
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/03/01/government-jobs-bigger-government-drive

Actual Unemployment in 2010 - Recession Worse than Reported
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/02/04/actual-unemployment-in-january-2010-rece

Deep Recession Shows No Sign of Letting Up - Maybe Getting Worse
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/02/24/deep-recession-shows-no-sign-of-letting

Largest U.S. Labor Union: AFL-CIO says Jobs Won't Return
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/01/07/largest-u-s-labor-union-afl-cio-says-job

More Bad News for the Unemployed in 2010 - and Beyond
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/02/23/more-bad-news-for-the-unemployed-in-2010

Almost 1 out of 5 People are Out of Work in the U.S.A.
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2009/12/31/unemployment-december-2009-new-release

FOX News Wages War on Unemployed - Thinks They're Lazy
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog1.php/2010/03/02/real-reason-why-extended-unemployment-be

Tea Party, Fox News, and Conservatives Attack the Unemployed
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog3.php/2010/03/04/tea-party-gets-in-wrong-on-unemployment

Extended Unemployment Benefits in 2010 - Fully Explained
http://tobuds.com/blogs/blog3.php/2010/02/16/extended-unemployment-benefits-in-2010