Indexes
February 8th, 2010
February 6th, 2010
February 5th, 2010
February 4th, 2010
February 3rd, 2010
February 2nd, 2010
February 1st, 2010
The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.
- Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (75)
- Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
- President Obama's first year (45)
- Many reject the politics of 'no' (45)
- Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (44)
- Writer comments on Neely column (42)
- The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
- Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (34)
- We need to conduct respectful conversations (30)
- Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam (25)
ADVERTISEMENT
In 2010 elections, Democrats may pay a big price for their blunders
Saturday, September 5, 2009 6:32 AM PDT
In California, the unemployment rate is 12.1 percent. Only four states have higher unemployment: Michigan, Rhode Island, Oregon and South Carolina.
California's unemployment picture is unique, however, because it has affected men disproportionately.
Out of every four jobs lost nationwide since the recession began in December 2007, three were held by men.
Some experts have dubbed the phenomenon a "mancession."
The adverse impact on family income is easy to understand. Men traditionally work in the high-paying manufacturing and construction fields, the two most devastated California industries.
Women, on the other hand, are employed in lower-paying service, health care or education jobs.
The good news is that women have managed to keep their jobs. The bad news is that when men are laid off, their larger incomes (women earn just 78 percent of what a man is paid in a similar occupation) and benefits including costly medical insurance are lost, too.
Nationally, the employment picture is equally bleak. During his campaign, Obama promised the American public that the hundreds of billions of dollars pumped into the economy would prevent layoffs and revive America.
Obama sold his economic stimulus package by predicting, "Our plan will likely save or create 3 to 4 million jobs. ... Ninety percent of these jobs will be created in the private sector."
To say that Obama broke his promise is an understatement. Since making his campaign pledge, Obama's administration has seen unemployment skyrocket to a national level of 9.4 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Broken down over the last six months, job losses are as follows: February, 651,000; March, 663,000; April, 539,000; May, 303,000; June, 443,000; July, 247,000.
As unsettling as these figures are, a complete picture of unemployed America evolves when the underemployed are factored into the equation.
A CNN special titled "Jobs Now" concluded that nearly 30 million Americans are either unemployed or underemployed.
The official unemployed population is 14.5 million. But when economists add 8.8 million part-time workers who want but cannot find full-time jobs and 6.2 million who have been unemployed so long that they are no longer included in labor statistics surveys, then the total unemployed reaches 30 million.
With any serious uptick in jobs unlikely, and with the economy still staggering, analysts wonder if in 2010 mid-term elections the Democrats will pay the political price for their failures.
Republicans like to compare the current political climate to 1994, during Bill Clinton's first term when the Republicans regained Congress.
Two major factors are in play today for Obama that were not involved back in 1994. Neither bode well for Obama (or the Democrats) over the short or long term.
Leading up to the 2010 mid-term elections, the current uproar over unemployment, the mortgage crisis, the deficit and, most importantly, health care are much greater than anything that occurred in 1994.
Under Clinton, the country had already pulled out of a recession, but nevertheless the Democrats suffered catastrophic defeats by losing 54 representatives in the House and eight in the Senate.
If the Congressional mid-terms went badly for the Democrats in 1994 under much better economic circumstances, even larger 2010 defeats may loom.
As for Obama and 2012, while that date is a long way off, dark clouds are gathering.
Although Clinton had no trouble getting reelected in 1996, he is a much smarter and smoother politician than Obama. The liberal Clinton, an Oxford scholar, understands economics.
Obama, on the other hand, knows nothing about economics and is on the extreme left wing of his party, as opposed to the majority of Americans who are moderates.
While it's uncertain whether the Republicans will capture either the House or the Senate next year, they will make significant gains. By so doing, the GOP will lay a foundation for 2012 to take both Congress and the White House.
Joe Guzzardi retired from the Lodi Unified School District in 2008. He now lives in Pennsylvania where the unemployment rate is 8.5 percent. Contact him at guzzjoe@yahoo.com.
Search for Ads 
Today’s Print Ads 
RSS Feeds
Reader Feedback
Brian wrote on Sep 12, 2009 9:27 AM:
Everyone from everyone party and every
walk of life should be floored by what ACORN is up to in the video on the link I posted. Will you just explain it away
as a well correographed stunt? And the billions of dollars in stimulous money that has gone to ACORN hasn't been used to further their racketeering? Huh Lodian? "
Brian wrote on Sep 12, 2009 9:18 AM:
The GOP may be upset about how Wilson made his point. But they aren't the least bit upset about the point being made. All politicians are self-serving.
It just happens to be Obama had it coming to him long ago. When he stands up there and spews out lie after lie with such glee and committment and to expect us just to be silent. It doesn't work that way. "
Lodian wrote on Sep 11, 2009 11:21 PM:
OTH wrote on Sep 10, 2009 9:49 PM:
Brian wrote on Sep 10, 2009 9:34 PM:
last night? Every time Pelosi stood up to clap she was trying to kiss Obama's a$$. "
Brian wrote on Sep 10, 2009 8:19 PM:
ACORN Officials Videotaped Telling 'Pimp,' 'Prostitute' How to Lie to IRS
-And this will be another nail in the Obama administration's coffin. Oh what a tangled web they weave. "
RV wrote on Sep 10, 2009 3:46 PM:
ok wrote on Sep 9, 2009 8:14 PM:
sparky595 wrote on Sep 9, 2009 7:58 PM:
rantraves wrote on Sep 9, 2009 8:07 AM:
dyan wrote on Sep 9, 2009 7:12 AM:
Lodian wrote on Sep 9, 2009 12:05 AM:
" I just watched the President's speech to America's young. We are so blessed to have a man like this as President of our country. At last- a person of intelligence and character and accomplishment that we can all have as a role model. I will pray for President Obama. I will pray for him to guide us along the correct path. I will pray for his safety, health and success. And I will pray for his reelection by an overwhelming majority of American citizens. And I will pray for all of President Obama's bitter, acidic, narrow-minded critics, that they may always have the right to publicly say their piece, no matter how inaccurate and moronic their points of view may be. "
So very well said! I agree 100%! Nice job, jramagic. "
jramagic wrote on Sep 8, 2009 2:38 PM:
Socrates wrote on Sep 8, 2009 11:25 AM:
sparky595 wrote on Sep 8, 2009 8:32 AM:
jramagic wrote on Sep 8, 2009 8:14 AM:
is pulling hard back on the controls, but this giant beast of a machine has enormous downward momentum...its no Beechcraft! It takes time...let's just hope we don't hit the ground first. "
sparky595 wrote on Sep 7, 2009 5:06 PM:
veritas wrote on Sep 7, 2009 4:48 PM:
sparky595 wrote on Sep 7, 2009 3:55 PM:
Presidential Approval Rating:
Strongly Approve 28%
Strongly Dis-approve 41%
Total Approve 48%
Total Dis-approve 51%
Would like to see all of congress replaced: 57%
Nancy Pelosi below 35%
Harry Reid is behind in the polls for his seat in the Senate race of 2010
Charlie Rangel is in charge of the House Ways & Means Committee (the committee that make the tax laws that we have to follow). He is currently under investigation for several tax evasion charges.
Chris Dodd and Barney Frank are in bed with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
I would like anyone to please tell me specifically one thing any of these people listed above have done to personally help you and your family.
Congress needs a wake-up call. "
max stanfield wrote on Sep 6, 2009 9:02 PM:
Gator wrote on Sep 6, 2009 7:19 PM:
Sure you can Type Barney Frank, hell I’ll go along with that.. But put the
Blame where it belongs. 8 years of the worst President ever. And I voted
for him…The damage that idiot did to this country will take years to put
back together. He has no guts, he won’t defend his administration. he’s
letting Dick Cheney do it for him…Failed SS. Failed Medicare, failed
Education. Failed energy policy. Failed War’s in Iraq and Afghanistan
almost 5000 dead and untold numbers of wounded and for what?? You tell
Me Max ol Boy… For what??? "
max stanfield wrote on Sep 6, 2009 5:39 PM:
max stanfield wrote on Sep 6, 2009 5:37 PM:
max stanfield wrote on Sep 6, 2009 5:33 PM:
Gator wrote on Sep 6, 2009 9:17 AM:
for it’s self eh what…. "
Gator wrote on Sep 5, 2009 10:20 PM:
Caught up in bigger is better and credit cards are for maxing out, hell do
It with 4 or 5...Buy that 4000 sq ft house with 2 mortgages. Got that
Chevy Suburban for only 48,000.00 hey how about a new Sanger wake
Board boat for only 55.000.00. Even Ray Charles could see the train wreck
That was coming…Now people sit around and wait for someone to fix it, Duh.. You people broke it you need to fix it….. "
anthropis wrote on Sep 5, 2009 9:38 PM:
jbhiker wrote on Sep 5, 2009 9:36 PM:
wtf wrote on Sep 5, 2009 12:49 PM:
Hmmmm....maybe this unemployment thing was planned so the "all volunteer" army would have plenty of "volunteers" "
wtf wrote on Sep 5, 2009 12:48 PM:
jnaatus wrote on Sep 5, 2009 10:15 AM:
Just because Obama and his administration hasn't cleaned up the mess created by all of us (including holier then than thou Republicans) , doesn't mean the Republican's will benefit.
Anyway I still can't afford to vote Republican and for a hands off business government. "
jbhiker wrote on Sep 5, 2009 7:12 AM:
Comments on this story are now closed.