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© Luke Macgregor / Reuters / Reuters, file
A man looks at advertisements posted in the window of a recruitment agency in London on March 14, 2012. Britain's economy has shrunk for the last nine months and now produces 4.5 percent less than before the economic crisis.
LONDON -- A painful economic recession, rising unemployment and biting austerity measures may have already driven more than 1,000 people in Britain to commit suicide, according to a study published on Wednesday.
The study, a so-called time-trend analysis which compared the actual number of suicides with those expected if pre-recession trends had continued, reflects findings elsewhere in Europe where suicides are also on the rise.
"This a grim reminder after the euphoria of the Olympics of the challenges we face and those that lie ahead," said David Stuckler, a sociologist at Cambridge University who co-led the study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
UK slides back into recession in first double dip since 1970s
The analysis found that between 2008 and 2010 there were 846 more suicides among men in England than would have been expected if previous trends continued, and 155 more among women.
Between 2000 and 2010 each annual 10 percent increase in the number of unemployed people was associated with a 1.4 percent increase in the number of male suicides, the study found.
The analysis used data from the National Clinical and Health Outcomes Database and the Office of National Statistics.
In debt or jobless, many Italians choose suicide
Stuckler, who worked with researchers from Liverpool University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, stressed while this kind of statistical study could not establish a causal link, the power of the associations was strong. Its conclusions were strengthened by other indicators of rising mental health problems, stress and anxiety, he added.
Hundreds of anti-austerity protesters in Greece have been remembering one of their own. In front of the parliament in Athens, a 77-year-old retired pharmacist killed himself. In a note he said government cuts wiped out his pension and robbed him of his dignity. ITV's Martin Geissler reports.
He also pointed out the study showed a small reduction in the number of suicides in 2010 which coincided with a slight recovery in male employment.
A survey of 300 family doctors published by the Insight Research Group on Tuesday found that 76 percent of those questioned about the effects of the economic crisis said they thought it was making people unhealthier, leading to more anxiety, abortions and alcohol abuse.
After Olympics boost, Britons face austerity until 2020
Data this month from the government's Health and Social Care Information Centre showed the number of prescriptions dispensed in England for antidepressants rose 9.1 percent in 2010.
A study published last July, also by Stuckler, found that across Europe, suicide rates rose sharply from 2007 to 2009 as the financial crisis drove unemployment up and squeezed incomes.
The countries worst hit by severe economic downturns, such as Greece and Ireland, saw the most dramatic increases in suicides.
'Martyr for Greece': Retiree's suicide sparks violent protests
In Britain, there's little doubt times have been getting harder. The economy has shrunk for the last nine months and now produces 4.5 percent less than before the economic crisis.
Great Britain has been struggling to find a way to recover from a deep double-dip recession. Could recovery be sparked by the Olympic Games? NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports.
Government debt is well above a trillion pounds and is predicted to rise above 90 percent of GDP even with austerity policies being pushed through by the government.
'The country is on its knees': Ireland grapples with economic collapse
Many Britons have had the worst squeeze in living standards for 40 years and the crisis has hit young people hard, with youth unemployment soaring above 20 percent.
'Income, status, importance'
Stuckler's BMJ study found that the number of unemployed men rose on average across Britain by 25.6 percent each year from 2008 to 2010, a rise associated with a yearly increase in male suicides of 3.6 percent.
"Much of men's identity and sense of purpose is tied up with having a job. It brings income, status, importance..." Stuckler said in a telephone interview.
"And there's also a pattern in the U.K. where men are three times more likely to commit suicide than women, while women are much more likely to report being depressed and seek help."
Spain's economic crisis turns middle-class families into illegal squatters
The World Health Organisation estimates that every year, almost a million people die from suicide -- a rate of 16 per 100,000, or one every 40 seconds.
The U.N. health body also estimated that for every suicide, there are up to 20 attempted ones.
New figures released on Tuesday also showed that Europe is edging closer to recession, dragged down by the crippling debt problems of the 17 countries that use the euro.
"Things are getting worse and worse in Greece. There is no future for the next few years there," says Christos Christoglou, a Greek inspection engineer, who moved to Germany to find work.
'It is virtually impossible to find a job': Brain drain is new Greek tragedy
Eurostat, Europe's statistics agency, said that the economies of both the eurozone and the European Union, which has 27 countries, shrank by a quarterly rate of 0.2 percent in the second quarter of the year. In the first quarter, output for both regions was flat.
"Austerity measures are sending us into poverty," said Armando Farias, executive committee member of the Confederation of Portuguese Workers. "We need development and investment, and we can't get them this way. We need to change path. Something needs to be done, and quickly."
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
I d rather read of suicides then some deranged S O B getting a gun and killing a number of people.... Quietly kill yourself if you must and leave us alone..
Your an idiot. You seem to not understand the devastation people face when they have not been able to work and provide for their own well being.
If anyone wants to see this trend continue then elect those who want to slash assistance programs. They are called safety nets for a reason.
It's a sad day for society and the world at large when we turn our backs on people, continue to bailout corporations that do not hire, and think that gutting programs that save lives is a waste of money.
I pray for all those that suffer.
It is sad, but I would like to believe that if driven to this point I would be far more likely to be homicidal then suicidal.
In either case let me say is correct without safety nets and the gutting of the economy for middle class citizens you will see more suicides and a spike in violence.
Actually, I would rather read of some deranged SOB with a gun going to some of the headquarters of some of the more infamous job-slashing, off-shoring corporations in the US and putting a cap in one of the C-suite execs. Or two or three or more. That would be leaving us alone, as well.
al, Not only an idiot, but cold. Hey Mr. Insensitive, I hope you recall yourself when you need help from others if you are ever incapacitated ( in any form ) at some point. Oh wait.......nevermind.
Obviously a Republican. This is all caused by the hand and mouth of George Bush, and Romney, Ryan and the GOP want it to continue. Take from the poor and middle class until they have nothing left and then discard them. All the better if we kill ourselves so we don't end up on the public dole and cost the 1% richie rich to spend their stolen money on us. Not me though. My plan is to bring many Richie Rich down with me before I go. Stop the Anti-American 1% Republicans. Vote them out of every office.
the US is going in the direction this is the path socialism takes you too many extravagant social
benefits unions running the country and eventually it will catch up with you!
we need to stop now the US became great because of capitalism we need to
protect it
Thank you, NBC, for quantifying the issue with such a precise number. You definitely poured out some journalistic sweat on that one.
The morale of this country, the USA, is dangerously low. Something must be done and done soon.
A change in presidential leadership will help but President Obama is clueless on how to lead this great country. He has been on social welfare all his life - we don't really know because the records are sealed but if one takes a look at his background its easy to see he and his family were welfare dependants. Then his civilian life experiences are easy to determine he was dependant on welfare money.
I don't know if Mr. Romney is capable of steering the country on a path of excellence but the congress is. Many changes must be made there. The members must be astute, aggressive and have a desire to do for the country rather for themselves.
Its a shame we cant come together as societies and support a safety net for people in distress, it would be man helping man the old fashion way..
I personally think someone is robbing me of my confidence when I feel anxiety myself, and I have a job but when I get ahead something comes up to take it away.
Is there a higher power involved here or is this a new tactical war.
What a laugh. Graduating Magna cum Laude from Harvard, working as an accomplished constitutional lawyer, and becoming President of the United States is on social welfare all your life?
Your golden boy, Paul Ryan, received social security survivor benefits that he didn't need, so he "saved them" to help pay for college. While the rest of us are borrowing money at usurious rates to pay for college. While Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney want to take away benefits that help kids get through college. You won't see many people on social security "saving it for college." What a hypocrite.
Bo Setser........Boy are you dreaming a fantasy. The reason for the shape that this world is in right now is for no other reason than unbridled greed on steroids. Greed is THE single worst human trait that has ever been. Once it's ugly head has risen it totally consumes. It doesn't rescind, relinquish, or retreat, it only continues to snowball until it destroys first,everything, then everyone. Due to the uncontrollable nature of greed we will continue to only helplessly watch as humanity self destructs. Good luck with your fantasy.
Is that a viable choice .... Suicide or homicide? both can be manifestations of extraordinary frustrations ... brought on by multitudes of events ... hopelessness is a horrible sensation, and unquestionably brings on the "fight or flight" syndrome .. is a common responses among vertebrates and other organisms . Suicide (sacrifice) is simply a extension of "flight"
When numbers on a world or national scale reach the levels we are seeing it becomes imperative that we understand what is driving the elevation ....
The world, has reached a point where there are to many humans vying for its resources ... the advancements in technology have eliminated the need for great human work forces to advance human kind, which by its very nature, lessened the need for jobs (at all levels) that has been well hidden, by "make work" over the last 25 to 40 years .. (by that statement I am not implying it was intentional) overriding it's true effects.
Without a correction by decreasing populations worldwide by agreement, it can only lead to a catastrophic conclusion .... and human sacrifice by ones own hand or war is natural way ... watch for rising numbers in both.
Natural selection at work... hate to sound so cruel, but it's a fact.
It is not a fact and your statement belies your ignorance of natural selection. The forces that compel otherwise intelligent, hardworking and dedicated humans to take their own lives are anything but natural within the context of this story.
I thought they had socialized medicine in Britain? Why can't the depressed simply go to the nearest doctor and get some anti-depressants. Have an acquaintance that lost his real-estate related business in the collapse and became very depressed. He got some meds and said he felt like nothing could bother him, even though he lost his life savings and was dead broke.
hs321, why live a life heavily medicated? sad thing is, anti-depressants make you care about NOTHING. Not the people around you, even. then you just walk around like a careless zombie.
having a job, being productive and doing something for society gives people worth. take these things away, and people are driven mad with listlessness and eventually hopelessness. During the time that I was unemployed out of school I started to feel myself fall into a spiral of depression, but luckily I still kept my head high and eventually found a job. At least I wasn't broke and had a support system, for whom I am very grateful. Lots of the people who commit suicide probably have nothing, feel too much pressure, or can't maintain a positive attitude, but who can after years of unemployment? I can surely sympathize with them, and if you have experienced even a fraction of what these people felt before taking their lives, then you would too.
You need to cope with stress. Those who do not learn that are doomed one way or another. No 'rope', no 'dope'... just 'cope'. Adapt or die. Intelligence is simply the ability to SOLVE life's problems. Nobody who is 'intelligent' kills themselves. Even animals have more sense than that. Got it? Natural selection works to preserve the species, not individuals.
hs321, Ahem, antidepressants can't clothe, feed or put a roof over one's head. Also, the popular antidepressants can increase despondency in some. Great solution there......good for your friend. Geesh.
why is it that the people from way over the big pond can come and make a living here so easily? just look at all of the tv shows with brits in them, hosts, actors, etc... just think of all of the brits that we do not know about in this country. how many of them are here with no legal papers? why do we not ever ever ever hear of these brits here. we fought for independence from them. now they are here everywhere. i bet if they were brown, black, tan, or whatever other colors you can think of, there would be something about these illegal aliens in the news. but never. never. never . never, do we hear about this. why? because they go to war with us, against our so-called enemies? we saved them in two world-wars, and god only knows what else this government of ours does for them. it's an island nation. think about it. where do they get their natural resources from? that is why they had to be colonialists and invaders, and killers and destroyers of other nations. get the brits out of america. have them show us their papers !!!
Victor, Man......you sound like a real featherbrained dolt. That's a compliment to you.
Boy, you just dig yourself a little deeper into the idiot hole with each post. Are you going to tell me that Seneca the Younger, Petronius, Vincent Van Gogh, Virginia Woolf, Alan Turing, George Eastman, Sigmund Freud, Ernest Hemingway, to name just a few, were not some of the most intelligent people to bless the earth with their presence. Suffice it to say, Max, if God forbid, you kill youself today, it is certain an intelligent person will not have died.
No, they were not intelligent in the biological sense... only weak.
everyone is going to have to wake up and smell the hard times....this is world wide...it will never be as it was before 2008...
those good times based on greed are long gone...
the sooner we all realize this...and downsize on the crap we don't really need the better....
And what are your qualifications to make that distinction?
Intelligence is by definition an ability to actually solve a problem. If you consider killing yourself a real solution to the life's problems of an individual, then people who kill themselves can be considered intelligent. It has nothing to do with my qualifications, only with logic. A weak person is someone who will retreat in the face of a serious challenge rather than face it and attempt to solve it.
I may not agree with you but I credit you with making reasoned and rational arguments and intelligently articulating your viewpoint.
Thank you, TN. I had a good friend who killed himself. That was definitely not an intelligent thing to do, and very cruel on his family. It took me by a surprise and made me think hard about life's problems and our reactions to them.
Isn't is interesting that every body (from America) thinks "gun" when they hear suicide, and expresses thanks that these depressed persons shoot themselves instead of going on a gun rampage against others.
I believe that guns are outlawed in Britain, and the article says nothing about how the suicides were committed. Hanging? Carbon dioxide? Jumping off bridges? Nope. Just guns.
In America, our lives are held in balance by the good-will and temporary sanity of every nut with gun.
That's pretty heartless al-.
If the depression is economy-related, then someone is close to the cause: corporate exec, banker, someone who has had a wicked finger in the economy.
Let's try this: for every suicide related to being undeservedly made redundant, having pension slashed, or a victim of an austerity programme, the top law-maker in that region should be fired with no severance package or pension. That's all, heartless, so I'm sure you'd approve, unchallengeable, a simple system of keeping society balanced by the grim reaper who indiscriminately tolls his bell.
You can bet law-makers would be a hell of a lot more attentive to the conditions of the electorate in his district.
No $h!t!! I could not agree more!!
You are only forgetting one major thing there. They are the wolves in charge of the flock. Have you ever known of a sheep (sheeple) taking down a wolf?
Midnight, what about a pig?
global economic picture is dismal unless you are a oil producing country. given that this is world wide why do repubs keep beating the drums against obama claiming he hasn't produced new jobs. short of a wpa project-government works program -just what is he suppose to be able to do? the low tax rates for the rich are supposed to allow them to produce new jobs. there is no proof of this approach ever working. let's have these people who have taken advantage of the tax cuts for the rich provide evidence of new jobs or deny the tax break. why should corporations like ralph lauren that manufacture over seas and earn mega millions from sales in this country get tax breaks? i suggest a huge tarif on goods imported from other countries. if not then let them call these other countries their home base. see how they would like calling china their home country. perhaps they should have to re-locate their headquarters and take up residence there.
My congratulations to the governments of the world who are working so tirelessly to solve the overpopulation problem.
Over population may be a tiny part of the problem, but the main ingredient is nothing more than GREED. Runaway, out of control greed for money and power will be the cause of the total annihilation of mankind.
Greed is horrible thing. what do you call the 99% who want to steal from those who work hard and have done well? This mind set that you are wealthy, because you stole from the poor is complete BS. people were born equal, but what they do with themselves after that is what distinguishes between them. Not everyone works as hard some people, do they? Some kids do their home work, some dont. Who should get the A in the class? The whole idea of this all encompassing safety net is detrimental to our country. it breeds irresponsible behavior. It removes all consequences for being an idiot. people start to think that they should get something for nothing. This my friends creates a culture of death and destruction. Eventually there will become more people on assistance than can pay for all the benfits, what will be the outcome then?
Ah, we got a Fox Noise (sfox) person here speaking for the 1%.
The world is not overpopulated. There is some much unused space, but because of propaganda in the media millions actually believe it. We are in this situation because of greed and mismanagement. Our politicians (no matter their party) are easily corruptible and spineless. We the people need to fix the system because the fools in office do not seem to understand the issues that the majority of the population encounters.
Recently someone told me that there were a number of deaths in the US attributed to Reagan Economics. However, I have never read it myself. I do believe that the US has numbers and doesn't want to tell the American people how the 2008 crash has effected our suicide rate.
Suicide rates in the US have increased since this economic crisis. Statistic gathering on this although has been slower ( no wonder ). However, 11 suicides out of every 100,000 people, secondary to acute financial stress and depression "has been reported" for 2008 and 2009, roughly ( I'd bet that's a real low estimate ). As have the rise in calls to our national suicide prevention call centers.....36% in 2008 and 15% added onto that in 2009. This story of what's happening in Europe is terribly sad and disturbing.
I knew a great guy who committed suicide at 49-years old. He was once making six figures and then lost it all. He hated his new job in a factory. He left behind a wife and four kids. So sad. The implosion of America will be an inside job. Took a break at his job and went to his car and shot himself in the heart.
What is even more cruel is this guy took the easy way out and left his wife and kids to fend for themselves. Maybe there is another part to the story above but to me, it is a selfish act.
Yeah, I knew of a guy in his mid 60's, who was downsized from his high paying corporate job just before he was to retire. He was lucky enough to land a gig bagging groceries with the kids at my local supermart around 2008, in ChicagoLand.
I get so tired of hearing people telling others to quit whinning and get a job. When someone works forty hours a week at hard labor and have to depend on food stamps, it's just wrong. Redistribution of wealth took place on Wall Street. From hard working Americans retirement to the 1%. 401K's were a great scam.
And it's only going to steadily continue to worsen, just hide and watch. They WILL NOT stop until THEY have it all.
one voter...clearly you have no idea how much money is flying around wall street. Obama and Biden might be interested in nationalizing your 401K to redistribute the wealth, but the money in 401ks is a pittance compared to the total volume.
Well said, one voter. The redistribution of wealth to Wall Street is what Reaganomicis all about. Suicides among US farmers reached all time high during the Reagan era but they continue to support the GOP trickle down economic blindly because they believe in the GOP BS about christian values. Here in Midwest corn belt, we got nothing but bible thumpers. They even blame the drought on Obama rather than believe in science/climate change.
Welcome to the world of vulture capitalism, where instead of innovation and production, there is manipulation of the markets with fake money and "funny money", and hedging bets on which way things go...hedged both ways, insurance on the insurance so they collect anyway.
The same people who tell us to accept responsibility for our actions when we screw up, believe they are entitled to a government bailout. These same people don't think we deserve unemployment of any other type of aid, even when we are out of work through no fault of our own as a result of their greed and mismanagement.
Expect more of this if Romney gets in. He likes firing people; and seemed to find nothing wrong with strapping his poor dog to the top of his car. People are too stupid to realize that the Republicans have made Obama the bogey man. They've got money to hire people put they won't; they are hoarding it for themselves. Trickle down my ass. The GOP--keeping millions out of work to put one man out of a job.
Freakin' Brits. It's a good thing us Americans sucked it up during the great depression.
This has been happening all over Europe and the US. The suicide rates due to the economic crisis in the US are under estimated.
And at all costs, kept very very quiet.
The U.S. rates are underestimated now. But if Romney gets elected, they will automagically skyrocket and be attributed to Bush and Romney, as if Obama never existed.
Anyone stupid enough to kill themself over money get's what they derserve
Hmm.....I think it's a bit more complicated than that.
And you are a moron. Never presume to know what goes on in the tortured mind of another person. The reasons are far more numerous and complex than just money. And it's "deserve" you heartless prick.
I have to agree with you. I was thinking the same thing when I read the previous post about a guy going from a 6 figure salary to working in a factory.
What about killing yourself because you've no place to live, nothing to eat and no hope for the future, it that OK with you? What if you've spent 40 years pulling yourself up from poverty and pursuing noble purpose and then you find out the garbage man is better off than you, is it OK then?
kill yourself if you want to. one less human on this earth. no money? oh my. as long as you have your health, and can get your hands on some food and water, deal with it . no money is no reason to kill yourself. selfish materialistic humans do that. life will be over before you know it fools. if you want to die, then die. i will not shed a tear, or have any sentiment for such crying in their pitty-pot fools.
Victor, Seems like you're putting the "cart before the horse"......do you need it explained to you like a five year old? I think we're talking basic necessity here.
I'd imagine like all government statistics they're off by massive amounts. The actual number of suicides that can attributed to the recession is probably more like 100,000 if it's one.
Hey wait a minute! Isn't this one of the intended bi-products of the George Soros society?
You're getting really really warm my friend.
The fuching idiots running this country and others is shameful.
The fox has finally managed to put himself in charge of the hen house. Expect to see much much worse going forward.
And the Wall St bankers who caused the global economic collapse are laughing all the way to the bank. And pubs want to further deregulate them. Welcome to serfdom.
yeah still making million dollar bonuses...and still working
ROTFLMAO Yash!!! Glass-Steagall repeal was signed by Bill Clinton.
Just curious. What flavor is the kool-aid today?
Nothing a pike and a hacksaw can't solve, a properly motivated population could quickly festoon Wall St. and K St. with appropriate decorations.
That doesn't change the fact pubs want to continue the trend. So stop being a simpleton. Both parties suck, and you're too willfully ignorant to realize it.
Now shall I call you Pot or Kettle oh empty headed one?
What?? I've gotten this far through the comments and no one has blamed President Obama for the UK economic slump? Is it a slow day over at Romney HQ?
No they are still blaming Bush and apparently you are going to blame Romney. I find it funny that your savior has done nothing in the time he has been in office. If he can't cut the deficit in half he is gonna be a one term president. Praise Allah.
You are seriously maintaining that this country is worse off than it was the day President Obama took office. Seriously. Unbelievable. We were hemorrhaging 600,000 jobs a month when he took office. As soon as the president's policies began to take effect those numbers rapidly dwindled and we've been adding jobs every month for over 2 years. The auto industry - whose ripple effects by the way affect the entire economy - was going under. Despite loud wailing and gnashing of teeth from ROMNEY, he saved it and today it leads the world. He did this with a Republican congress digging in its heels and fighting him all the way. They did not want Obama to succeed in saving the economy. They said it right to our faces, Mitch McConnell leading the pack. All they wanted to do was defeat President Obama, and they didn't care how many people like you went down the tubes in the process. "Your savior has done nothing in the time he has been in office." You should be ashamed of yourself for perpetuating that bald-faced lie.
Yes we are....
I'll take the Mormon over the Moron...
Then YOU are the
moroner, moran.Four more years of this moron and there will be a whole lot more suicides than little ol' England is hav'n. This clown doesn't portray one ounce of hope to anyone, he's mister "you have to much and you should be ashamed of yourself, now give it to me so i can distribute it to my voters and kool-aid drinkers." When he has to read a telepromter to give enthusiasm to a crowd of people, because it doesn't come from his heart, you know something is wrong with this man as the symbol of the greatest country on the Earth. Replace him before were all looking for a gun.
Because Romney's speeches come from his heart ? Please....a republican with a heart eh ?
It makes no diff who resides in the WH. The greatest plundering of wealth in the entire history of the world will continue unabated until they finally have it all and it WILL NOT stop one moment before. Grab a bag of popcorn, sit back, watch, and be entertained. There is little else we can do.
Romney wants my business to succeed and grow a whole lot more then Obama, that's guarenteed. Obama wants me on the unemployment line. I didn't build my company! BS, i've worked my tail off trying to survive these last three years. The first forty were the easiest.
and
the US is going in the direction this is the path socialism takes you too many extravagan Social benefits unions running the country and eventually it will catch up with you! we need to stop now the US became great because of capitalism we need to protect it
Unbridled capitalism with no social conscious got us in a mess, there has to be a meeting in the middle. I think we have protected capitalism above and beyond fairness in the US. Capitalism brought us to our knees with unregulated greed and mismanagement.
Don't worry, capitalism is not going anywhere. It's what made the American middle class the envy of the world after WWII (when the top tax rate on the wealthy was 90% by the way). What we have now is the Bizarro version of capitalism. It looks like capitalism on the outside, but on the inside it's a rotten cesspool of corruption that has funneled money from the middle class to the wealthy ever since Ronald "the saint" Reagan invented "trickle down my leg onto your head" economics.
President Obama understands what REAL capitalism is and that a strong, economically healthy middle class is essential to its survival. The economic inequality in this country is greater than that of CHINA! Imagine that. A communist country with less economic inequality than what used to be the greatest capitalist country on earth. This cannot continue. This type of inequality is the greatest threat to capitalism there could possibly be. Throughout history it has been economic inequality that has led to the overthrow of capitalism and the institution of communism. We cannot let that happen here.
Our capitalistic economy has been hijacked by the Repubiican Guard of the Wealthy. This is our LAST CHANCE to take our country back for the middle class.
It's a struggle with a Republican congress kicking and screaming all the way, but President Obama is slowly but surely bringing us out of this mess. Four more years for President Obama and REAL capitalism that benefits the entire country, not just the silver-spoon elite.
You sure summed it up. We all know we haven't been getting ahead for decades, and it has been tallied up, adjusted for inflation the middle class makes about the same as they did back to the beginning of trickle down economics. It promoted a weak middle class and the whole country is paying for it.
Yeah he is doing it really slow, the highest unemployment rate in history. The national debt is out of skelter. I wish he would speed his process up...
carol reiner, you are a fool indeed and very ignorant. When did america become a socialist country? If you do not know what socialism is then shut up and tell you mother and grandparents to get off social security and medicare because that is socialism. When your savior bush was screwing up the economy where where you? Did you protest that time?
All that you republicans can use is code words which is believed by uneducated racist white people like you. Get some education and broaden you mind view because you desperately need it otherwise you may die and painful death.
The code words are on the democrat side. The republicans i know speak plain in your face logic, it makes thing a lot easier to understand and move forward with. There's no "now watch what you say, you might offend someone", or "don't do that, you might end up in court". The Democrats love to find falt with anybody that doesn't fit there decription of fair or giving or understanding. Please, let me live my life the way i want too. Enough with the regulations!!! Democrats, pass the Kool-Aid!
All of you people are totally dilusional. This has nothing to do with political leadership and everything to do with the worst trait ever known to humanity. Unbridled, out of control greed, and there's not a damn thing any of us can do about it, singularly, or as a whole. It will not stop until the total destruction of humanity and the world as we have known it is totally complete.
Don't give a gun to Midnightridr!!!
Midnightridr owns plenty of guns and ammo and has no plans to go anywhere. I intend to stick around as long as humanly possible. I am truly interested in witnessing just how cruel mean and nasty the greediest of the greedy can possibly be, although I already know there is no limit to it, I still feel like I need to witness it as long as I can manage to hang in there. BTW, I have already lost absolutely everything, the whole ball of wax, business, home (living with my brother), all my vehicles but the oldest one which was paid for, AND the old nest egg. Three yrs. ago to be exact. But I still have a $hit load of guns and ammo.
Well this isn't just the US...it's the world economy...and you can't blame obama for all of that...
there are those of us who know this is NOT going to be fixed in his 4 years...we may never recover but we may possibly be able to survive...if we ALL reign in our spending...
I am amazed at how uninformed everyone is! If you want to get back to true capitalism and the rule of law the federal reserve bank must go. It's sole purpose is to transfer the wealth of a free society to the politicians and banksters that control them. It has been going on since FDR and has continued unabated through both Republican and Democratic controlled central governments. What we have today is crony capitalism with a corrupt central government trying to pick winners and losers. I find it quite interesting that while we have enjoyed the greatest standard of living the world has ever known how the statist that control the current government can say the US is a failure. Please show me one country that had a planned central economy that has succeeded. Soviet Union, oh right that failed. Western Europe or the eurozone, oh that;s right they are in the process of gong down the tubes as we write. China, they have enjoyed great prosperity adapting our economic system. This current political argument is designed to distract you while the foxes rob the hen house.
cry me a river
carol reiner, Maybe you're on "easy street"......and out of touch, good for you. But there is a "new face of poverty", called the "middle class". Many wouldn't be able to scrape by these days without those "social benefits" our taxes paid into. I do believe the despair and subsequent sequels would be much higher here, if not for the various relief systems. Let's hope things get better and that you never go hungry.
Pray to Obama and it will be.
WeAllHaveOpinions, Pray? Now that is funny.......LOL.
And your answer, WeAllHaveOpinions, is to give millionaires an average $250,000 tax while raising the average middle class tax bill by $2000, while simultaneously gutting Medicare and Social Security. Wow! What a plan!
Hurry out to the mail box and get your welfare check "Yes we Can"..
Obooma's has your back...
I won't be getting a welfare check, but I'll wave at you while you pad out to the mailbox in your fuzzy pink slippers to pick up your social security check and Medicare SOB, Old Gator. And all the while you'll be cursing the damned socialist government.
LOL!
the middle class use to carry this country...but that is long gone now....who is going to step up
unfortunately...this is going to happen all to often...and nuts blowing people away....
we can't all live like kings...just the 1%
the middle class made the 1% rich...but now they look down upon us as they took our jobs overseas so they could get cheap labor and give themselves million dollar bonuses....
It's all Obama's fault.
No it's not......bumrusher.
I think he may have been being facetious, XPW4. But in this thread it's hard to tell. lol
YesWeCan, Oh Yeah.....Ok, maybe. LOL. It was his handle that dragged me in for some reason......help.
Correction, it's ALL greed's fault. Greed has finally busted loose to the point of becoming unstoppable.
Oh yeah life was just wonderful under the 8 year Cheney/Bush puppet regime.
What a disturbing story. After reading the comments of other readers and my own personal experiences, I am convinced that a growing number of American citizens are catching on to the fact that our politicians and company executives/elites have given us a raw deal. Exploiting peoples ignorances and prejudices to get exactly what benefits them, and the hell to the taxpayer. This is evident from your city/county politicians right up to the lead dog. Just like the health insurance fiasco that no republican will acknowledge or even offer up an alternative solution. This would be the fix for this subject: Eliminate ALL government pensions, once you retire from government, you have to buy insurance or go on medicare.... Then these politicians would compromise on something meaningful towards health insurance reform. The current situation (benefits forever for politicians and robber baron drug makers and doctors) would be remedied quite quickly. There is absolutely no incentive for dems and repubs to come up with something that works. They got theirs, and what the hell are the citizens bitching about? We need to let the light of day in these government buildings and corporate campuses to kill off some of the germs and bacteria that been allowed to root and take over. Enough already, but certainly food for thought.
What you are suggesting is nothing more than that the sheeple gang up on the wolves and take back control. Let me know how well that one works out.
Frank and Dodd decide to "level the playing field"; Fannie and Freddie are taken over by irresponsible ideologues; they poison the financial system with bad mortgages and bring down Wall Street's house of cards; the whole world suffers; the real culprits slink off to retirement or other government jobs.
Frank and Dodd leveled the playing field? Are you out of your mind. You really have know idea what they did, do you! Pass the Kool-Aid!!! Your kids are going to be paying for Frank/Dodd forever. The suddle little taxes and invasive changes put in that bill will forever change the machanics of how this great country works forever, from banking to person savings. Bad mortgages was started by a democrat congress and Bill Clinton.
sweaver ; Obviously you didn't understand the post. Maybe reading comprehension isn't your forte.
The rich has alway's messed with the poor, alway's have, alway's will, would be nice if the "roles" would pitch in some of there millions and help there country, and stop living off the backs of there people. yea! Like that would every happen. Same with american fat cats. If all the super power countries in the world would get together for a meeting and work together on this issue, and say, Hey! lets forgive everyone dept and start fresh. Help one another out on this, Yea, like this will every happen, to much greed and useless politics. This is just my opinion,
like your idea
You get out of school, work 20-25 yrs at building your life, you're supposed to be in your prime making money, living good, and boom. Economy pulls all your hard work down the toilette. Kids getting out of HS can get better interest rates and buy homes that mortgaged for us at let say $250 k, they can buy now for $145 k. Life stinks and we got the raw end of the deal.
So, has the royal family taken a pay cut and been required to get real jobs, yet?
Don't tell me that the "health care" program of tea partiers, republicans already made it to England? Wow, ex-representative Grayson was right on the money. I wonder when the seniors there are going to have their final solution. Ta ta!
When hope is lost, society from all walks feel it... There's sadness in suicide, because then you have to pay to be buried...
"When hope is lost, society from all walks feel it..."
Do you truly believe that the ones at the top who are responsible for perpetrating all of this destruction of humanity for one fraction of a second feels any remorse?
See any Wall St bankers committing suicide?
Coming soon to the good ol' USA.
Already here, Mr. Tom! Why do you think psychos are running around shooting people in the U.S.? It is just one more horrendous problem for people on the edge of life anyway. The rest of us just keep working and trying to survive because we have strong wills to live and strong wills to allow others to live, and help if we can.
people get desparate when they can't feed their kids...