The U.S. Economy and Jobs Thread, or...

[Arrian]

I can't. Above my pay grade, and I'm not afraid to admit it.

By the way, is anyone else getting "subscribed" to threads just by posting in them? At least 10 times recently, I've gotten emails from 'poly alerting me to a reply in a thread to which I did *not* subscribe. I keep haveing to go unsubscribe.

edit: ok, I found the setting that was auto-subscribing and changed it. But I did not change that setting to auto-subscribe in the first place. Bah.

-Arrian

[Lorizael]

By the way, is anyone else getting "subscribed" to threads just by posting in them? At least 10 times recently, I've gotten emails from 'poly alerting me to a reply in a thread to which I did *not* subscribe. I keep haveing to go unsubscribe.

edit: ok, I found the setting that was auto-subscribing and changed it. But I did not change that setting to auto-subscribe in the first place. Bah.

-Arrian

The new co-owner recently changed everyone's settings to piss off the regulars.

[giblets]

Yeah, it's pretty obnoxious.

[Arrian]

You're kidding, right?

-Arrian

[Lorizael]

Apparently he had an actual reason, but as yet we've not been made aware of it.

[Arrian]

Boo! Hiss!

-Arrian

[Lorizael]

You can complain here.

[Guynemer]

Question: Let's ignore the issue of what the original "cause" of the growth slowdown circa 2008 was. What is the reason for the almost unprecedented ongoing weakness in the US economy?

Options:

1) nominal shocks (aggregate demand)
2) rbc (recalculation)
3) long-term structural problems (skills mismatch, labor market distortions, regulatory strangling)
4) external supply shocks (terms of trade)

I'm just a simple unfrozen caveman hyperchicken from beyond the moon country doctor, all your high-falutin' jargon frightens and confuses me.

I just want to know whether I need to go to the free clinic to be tested for STDs or not.

[rah]

Yes, get tested because the bending over will continue as long as gas is up near where it is (raising the cost of everything), unemployment stays up near where it is, and politicians continue to raise taxes to pay for the budgets we can't afford.

[Whoha]

...how ****ed are we?


On a scale ranging from a gentle ball tickling, to full-penetration ass-rape by a herd of elephants without lube.

Closer to the elephant herd.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

US main problem is structural... locked in governmental spending in myriad poorly regulated directions (including military, and ridiculously expensive health provision, Bush tax cuts, corporations not paying taxes etc)...combined with manufacturing and services moving out to cheaper overseas providers... The way out? I am not sure that I see one...

[Darius871]

Indeterminable.

fixed

[Tupac Shakur]

Question: Let's ignore the issue of what the original "cause" of the growth slowdown circa 2008 was. What is the reason for the almost unprecedented ongoing weakness in the US economy?

Options:

1) nominal shocks (aggregate demand)
2) rbc (recalculation)
3) long-term structural problems (skills mismatch, labor market distortions, regulatory strangling)
4) external supply shocks (terms of trade)

I choose 3. This isn't the first recession where labor market recovery has been very slow.

[Kuciwalker]

1, 1, 1, and 4. 2 would be a lot easier without 1. 3 used to be much worse in the past and we had sharper recoveries. 4 is moderately true, but without 1 the economy can actually be pretty resilient to supply shocks (see 2008 oil prices).

[Aeson]

Stop weaseling. Assign weights.

1) 82kg
2) 2750 newtons (fig, metabolized)
3) 427 days (is "run by people" count as a long term structural problem?)
4) Rosie O'Donnell

Now I suggest you stop weaseling and give your own answers