# Family Values and the Democrats



## Plasticweld (Jun 12, 2014)

President Obama and the Democratic Party working harder than ever to keep families together. 
In the past 5 years the president and the Democrats have been working overtime to keep families together, the days of young adults growing up and leaving their parents is a thing of the past. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS] recorded the lowest percentage of 16 to 19 year olds working or looking for work since 1948, [32.9%] For 20-24 year olds employment rates have only done a little better, with an average working rate of right around [70%] For 25-29 year olds the [BLS] reported the lowest labor participation rate of [79.8%] the lowest ever recorded since it started keeping records in 1982. 
Last month the [BLS] reported that there was in increase in the employable market, “those capable of working” of 14,217,000 while the actual number of people employed decreased by 94,000

What does this mean for the average American, it means that the kids are more than likely living with you. It means there is a good chance you will be paying extra for them to be on your health insurance. With the passage of Obama Care the cost of hiring new employees has risen, some jobs will be eliminated or will be limited to 30 hours to avoid the employer providing health care.  With the cost of minimum wages going up in some places, there will be fewer jobs at entry levels. With the costs of the new EPA Carbon rules going into effect the cost of heating oil and gas is going to rise along with all of other goods and services, as most things still come on a truck.

Obama has had 5 years to put his liberal politics into motion, we are starting to see the results. So when you are huddled in one room to save on heat, all gathered together because there is lack of jobs or opportunity, make sure you give credit to the guy who had the vision to keep your family all together.


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## Pandora (Jul 26, 2014)

I'd rather they were down the street . . . ha! and I love them dearly. Our country is an absolute mess but we are damn busy printing at the shop. So money is coming in regular, knock wood, our employees got raises this year. I'm not stealing from our 401K to loan to the biz. Taxes are paid on time the load feels lightened personally.

I won't have health insurance though in a month which is the first time in my adult life. I best tip toe about and pray a lot. What will be will be.  I always thought insurance was invented by the Mafia . . . ha! Just thought of the thumbs instead of guns pics, Al with the thumbs up 8) thumbs down to insurance companies and a big ole tongue wag. :tongue:

I enjoyed your article Plasticweld as always, thank you . . . what will become of U.S.?


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## dither (Sep 11, 2014)

What will become of us ALL?


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## Elvenswordsman (Sep 11, 2014)

Economics of labour have always been difficult, especially when you fail to take into account other factors. Ceteris paribus is the detriment of economic theory.

The age ranges you're talking about are self-entitled, and the studies show that most expect to earn $100,000+ a year upon graduation of a college or university; no wonder they're not finding jobs. I'm part of that age range, and see it around me daily; our parents didn't teach us realism, but instead babied us because "The only thing more detrimental than failing a class is learning the virtues that come from falling and rising again."

I think there's more to the story than just "Jobs are scarce." I'd argue corporate mentality is crucifying jobs, because a corporation operates efficiently, where an entrepreneurial pursuit hires to achieve production minimums.

Too much to write on the topic, not enough time.


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## midnightpoet (Sep 11, 2014)

I'm a conservative democrat, but i see good and bad on both sides of the issue.  I do agree that we have an entitlement society, and many don't really know what hard work is like; however, I see major corporations as well as government and labor run by greed.  It could be argued that a lot of our current problems started in the 19th century with the industrial revolution.  Big business was unleashed and treated employees like slaves (and some were actual slaves) and in effect started the labor movement as well as kick-starting liberalism. 

Having worked for corporations one way or another for over 40 years, I have seen that lessons of history have not been learned.  The stock market wants immediate results, not always long term growth.  Customers should always be number one, employees second in importance and stockholders third.  If customers are treated with respect, they will buy your product.  If employees are treated (and compensated) fairly they will be happy and work more efficiently, which should lead to long term profits.  Our present situation is just the opposite.

I have always supported small business, and that is where the heart of our economic progress should be.  However, we have a global economy and corporations are many times a necessary evil.  

As to where this country and world are heading, I don't have a good feeling.  The new golden rule : he who has the gold, makes the rules.


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## LeeC (Sep 11, 2014)

Nice op-ed piece Plasticweld, singling out facts as you see them without distasteful ranting  

Of course Elvenswordsman adds some balance to the immediate situation, even more so midnightpoet, and others with the age old quandary of "what will become of us."

If I might respectfully add some perspective beyond the political arena, a broader view is possible if one starts back at least as far as Adam Smith's 1770s Summa of Scottish Enlightenment, especially the ideas about the necessity of ever increasing slicing and dicing of economic and intellectual activity, otherwise euphemized as specialization. 

As in the natural world's continuance of life cycling through balance that sustains our being, lasting societies require balance. Tolerance is helpful, but balance of rending forces is essential. Historically throughout humankind's blink of an eye evolutionary existence, it's clear that societies fall when balance breaks down. 

The consequences of the current dilemma you allude to can, as Elvenswordsman touched on, in good part be attributed to corporate ascendance. Though not simply because of efficiency thinking, because such is as important to the small business owner as the corporate giant, but rather in their power to unbalance society to their will.

Of course the people at the top of large corporations can't anticipate the longer term consequences that will affect us all. We see the same subjective human condition in the arms race.

Where this comes back around to your political arena, is that the major corporations and institutions (e.g. hedge funds) have a strangle hold on world economics, and thus on politics, regardless of factions. All an outgrowth of our natural order drive to not only survive but thrive. 

In a paper I wrote some years back, I included the following illustration which might provide additional perspective.
http://achinook.squarespace.com/storage/personal/Graph.png

My personal perspective is that blame aggravates a situation, where greater objective understanding improves our chances of well-being  


"Life does not cease to be funny when people die
anymore than it ceases to be serious when people
laugh."                   ~  George Bernard Shaw


Live, love, and laugh,
LeeC


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## Kevin (Sep 11, 2014)

When I'm old I plan on being tough and chewy. That way the young won't eat me.


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## ppsage (Sep 11, 2014)

> President Obama and the Democratic Party working harder than ever to keep families together.


If this is a deliberate fragment maybe give it it's own paragraph so it feels more like a subtitle. If not then _are working.

_


> In the past 5 years the president and the Democrats have been working overtime to keep families together, the days of young adults growing up and leaving their parents is a thing of the past.


Maybe just _have worked? _Cuts out two _working_s in a row. Pretty sure this is a comma splice, probably use a semi-colon.



> The Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS] recorded the lowest percentage of 16 to 19 year olds working or looking for work since 1948, [32.9%] For 20-24 year olds employment rates have only done a little better, with an average working rate of right around [70%] For 25-29 year olds the [BLS] reported the lowest labor participation rate of [79.8%] the lowest ever recorded since it started keeping records in 1982.
> Last month the [BLS] reported that there was in increase in the employable market, “those capable of working” of 14,217,000 while the actual number of people employed decreased by 94,000


 I think it would be more standard to use regular parenthesis instead of brackets to introduce the acronym and thereafter nothing should enclose it. This paragraph reads hard and is sorely in need of better introduction. Presented without comparison, the statistics are meaningless to me, as demonstration of record lows. Normally one would want to give them some context; what's the next lowest (and maybe under what administration?) How much is normal variance? Those of us who aren't labor statistic nerds won't be able to interpret these numbers without more information.

Always delighted to see people putting their politics in written form. However, as a another joke about Obama not knowing what's going on, this is pretty basic and is probably strictly preaching to the choir. What I'd call a rant, instead of an argument. Maybe that's the intention; it's hard to say, but with a little more effort, I think some information could be garnered, to actually have a chance of convincing someone whose mind isn't already set this way. Might have to cut back some on the boisterously confrontational tone. Just depends on what the intended purpose is. In appreciation, pp.


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## Plasticweld (Sep 11, 2014)

thanks for the input PPsage. This was written more out of disgust than anything else.  I feel as though a young ambitious guy of today does not have the same chance I had almost 40 years ago.   I came from a wealthy family, my father helped me with my first business by giving me the down payment needed so I could get started.  I was 18 years old, I struggled, did ok, for awhile, then almost when broke.  Started another business and did a little better.  I have been in 11 businesses since then, made a million lost a million, and in the end the have done very well.  I look at the obstacles that are in the way today and realize I could not do today what I did in the past.   


I have found that once you do well, there is a line of people that form to try and take it away from you.  I would have never thought that someone would think  ill of me just because I was successful, I never would have dreamed that the government takes just about half of everything I make.  


So I guess I might sound confrontational for a reason...Bob


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