US corporations flush with profits

[Arrian]

Well, found out what my raise for the year is. Not great, but by no means bad. Overall,

Let the good times roll (for ME, anyway)

-Arrian

edit: **** you, OTBOT.

[Dinner]

One_more_turn, exactly what industries were deregulated in the 1990's? The only obvious example was the energy industry getting deregulated in a few states most of whom quickly experienced bastards like ENRON manipulating the system to the detriment of consumers. Out right illegal behavior yet here in California, dispite mountains of evidence, we couldn't get Bush to enforce the law on his Enron buddies. Hell, it was only after the State of California went after Enron that the massive amounts of crimes were uncovered, the media got ahold of it, and only then did the feds finally give up playing dumb.

Of course that is an aside. What deregulated industries are you refering to?

[Zkribbler]

This bears repeating

Originally posted by GePap
What is funny is how DanS claims higher corporite profits are good for workers, then posts an article form the WSJ saying that the high corporate profits are around because corporations have kept the money, instead of passing it on as wages, hence refuting his statement that high corporate profits mean good things for the little guy....

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

It occurs to me that wage increases are greatly tied to worker mobility i.e. job hopping that was the fad in the 90's. ANyone have any statistics that indicate that workers are leaving employers in droves for better opportunities.

I assume this is also a lagging indicator of long term good times but by now I would expect to see some indications this is taking place.

[GePap]

Crime was low in the 60's, when income equality was far higher and corporate profits made a smaller percentage of the national GDP.

Capitalism has little to do with a reduction in violent crime. The US remains a far more violent place than Europe, if we measure homicide rates. Heck, some of the biggest gains in crime prevention in the US have been in the northern states were the economy is not booming as steadily as say in the south and west.

[Ted Striker]

Originally posted by One_more_turn


The homicide rate peaked in 1980.

The recession of 1990-1992 brought a brief spike in overall crime rate.

The crime rate PLUNGED during the 90s when the economy was booming, the stock market was rising, more industries were deregulated, and the welfare reform was initiated.

The crime rate bounced a little during the 2001-2002 recession, but is headed lower again. I wouldn't worry about poverty rate until we see a trend reversal in crime rates and increasingly frequent riots.

If you think economy is not one of the driving forces behind the crime rate, then you are out of your mind.

A good economy not only reduces the desperation of many to commit crime, it also fills government coffers with money to hire more cops. Low unemployment rate is important in the aspect as it keeps many occupied who would otherwise dream up nefarious schemes.

Sorry but you got your "facts" wrong bud. Violent crime is more than just homicide. Your whole omission of the whole crack epidemic is a major flaw. Crime was on an epidemic scale in during the late 80s and early 90s, with drugs and gangs out of control. It settled down by the mid 90s.

This was one of the first hits on just a quick search but we can find more stats if you want.

Notice how the rate stays nearly the same, though improving a little bit, until 1986, where it takes a huge spike.

1. Is violent crime all that bad?

FBI UCR reports for the 80's, in rate per 100K:

1980 597
1981 594
1982 571
1983 538
1984 539
1985 557
1986 618
1987 610
1988 637
1989 663
1990 732

The violent crime index consists of murder, forcible rape,
robbery, and aggravated assault. 1980-1990 change: +22.6%. 1985-1990
change: +31.4%.

This data is a 1993 Usenet post from alt.fan.dan-quayle

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.dan-quayle/browse_frm/thread/dc6ceb8d6d6afd4f/5711e2ed44618e5b?lnk=st&q=violent+crime+rate+fbi+1980-1990&rnum=1&hl=en#5711e2ed44618e5b

Anyone who lived through that time period knew exactly what was going on.

Look for facts, don't get bogged down in ideologies.

Nice projection there.

[One_more_turn]

My basic point is that if economy goes well, the crime goes down. Maybe I made some mistakes about the 80s' data, so what? That doesn't refute my claim and the fact.

It was not even I who brought up crime rate in the first place. That MRT dude claimed that because income disparity, people are more desperate in a capitalistic society and more likely to commit crimes. It appears that Gepap refuted that claim even better I did:

Crime Was Low In The 60's, When Income Equality Was Far Higher And Corporate Profits Made A Smaller Percentage Of The National GDP.

[One_more_turn]

Anyway, the original discussion was about whether US corporations flush with profits will start hiring and raising wages.

Lots of people here think no. I definitely think IT'S ALREADY HAPPNENING. Jobs are plentiful these days and payouts also start getting better. Couple more years of stable growth and businesses will really have confidence to start hiring en masse again.

I'm cautiously optimistic.

[MRT144]

Originally posted by One_more_turn
My basic point is that if economy goes well, the crime goes down. Maybe I made some mistakes about the 80s' data, so what? That doesn't refute my claim and the fact.

It was not even I who brought up crime rate in the first place. That MRT dude claimed that because income disparity, people are more desperate in a capitalistic society and more likely to commit crimes. It appears that Gepap refuted that claim even better I did:

at least you referred to me as dude.

i didnt intend for my statement to refer to either capitalist or socialist or whatever, whenever there is an overwhelming disparity in income there is crime, revolution, anger. and the US doesnt seem to be on that trend because we like to placate any desire to advance with meaningless consumer goods like ipods and flatscreen TVs.

[Zkribbler]

This time of day, the sunlight bursts thru my window, directly into my eyes, so when I read the title of this thread, I saw:

US corporations Bush with profits

O. the irony.

[One_more_turn]

Originally posted by MRT144


at least you referred to me as dude.

i didnt intend for my statement to refer to either capitalist or socialist or whatever, whenever there is an overwhelming disparity in income there is crime, revolution, anger. and the US doesnt seem to be on that trend because we like to placate any desire to advance with meaningless consumer goods like ipods and flatscreen TVs.

Isn't that great? To prevent riots, we need to crank up the luxury/psych/culture slider.

[Ted Striker]

Originally posted by One_more_turn
My basic point is that if economy goes well, the crime goes down. Maybe I made some mistakes about the 80s' data, so what? That doesn't refute my claim and the fact.

Well, yeah, it does.