The final pre-election Jobs report - and a new spin?

[J. J.]

The government can't really do anything about private-sector unemployment.  But it can combat underemployment, which has been a bigger problem recently by doing, among other thing:

- Raising the minimum wage
- Increasing welfare and unemployment benefits
- Enacting universal healthcare

To do this, the government will need to raise taxes.  So yes, raising taxes can help the economy.

What makes you think that any of these things will help the economy?

[J. J.]

The government can't really do anything about private-sector unemployment.  But it can combat underemployment, which has been a bigger problem recently by doing, among other thing:

- Raising the minimum wage
- Increasing welfare and unemployment benefits
- Enacting universal healthcare

To do this, the government will need to raise taxes.  So yes, raising taxes can help the economy.

What makes you think that any of these things will help the economy?

They may not increase the rate of total economic growth, but this is not the big problem with our economy right.  The biggest problem is that the direction of our economy is really punishing the poor and working class, and these measures would help the people who aren't benefiting from the current economy.   Our economy can't really be considered in good shape while so make people are struggling....right now inequality is a much bigger issue than growth.

You've just posted two excellent reasons not to vote for Kerry.  His proposals won't stimulate economic growth and he will raise taxes not to stimulate it.

[J. J.]

There is something else to consider.  Unemployment rates.  Bush's first two years were better than Clinton's first two years.   His third year was worse.

Is creating positions necessarily good if there are no workers there willing to take them?