quick ?

[modeltrucker]

I just got laid off friday. was just wandering who else out there is laid off and out of work? Good thing the recession is over.ha ha

[FloridaBoy]

First, model trucker, I am sorry to hear that you got laid off, and the American Tragedy continues.......Well intended hard working Americans are put at the mercy of those companies who outsource of those on Wall Street that make moves in their own self interest which translates into greed. So, get a good night's sleep, and take stock of your resources. Go down to apply for unemploment benefits, and it is not charity as some will tell you, it is a benefit you earned by contributing weekly to it. Second, don't blame yourself, it isn't about you, it is about your company reacting to a national trend. Even forget about returning to it, because if your old job opens up, they will advertise and you will have to compete just like you originally did, although you many have a slight advantage in the race.

Unemployment is nothing like a salary as it is much lower and only lasts six to eight months, so you will have to look into survivor jobs, like driving a taxi, work in a gas station or convenience store or a fast food place. There are jobs out there, but they are likely nothing like you had.

Third, look at your model collection and evaluate what you will or won't build in your lifetime. Sign up for eBay or Craig's List and start to sell off your excess.

At all times do the best to keep busy and make every move productive with an intention or reason.

Do not beat yourself up, or think you are in that cadre of victims, everyone is now considered expendable.

Inbetween times, this is an opportunity to finish some of those projects you never had time to get to with all exterior obligations. If you are married or living with someone, and she is still working, make it a point to learn household chores to relieve the stress on her. I had to leave my last and final job because surgery left me in uncontrollable pain, and I collected disability. Now I am recovered but took early retirement and making almost as much as I did when I worked.

Keep on trucking, modeltrucker, my prayers are with you.

Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

[BigGary]

I was laid off in April of '08. Now you'd think a guy laid off would have lots of time to build models, but I didn't finish a single one in 10 months off work. Then I was off work and paid all summer of '09, still didn't finish a model, just painted a few. Go figure. You'd think a guy with no job would get lots of models built. Not me. Apparently I'm good at starting them, but not at finishing. Besides, TLC has "Overhaulin," and "Wrecks to Riches" from 10-3 Wed. Fri. Love those shows.

Gary

[Lyn]

I am sorry.. I hope you find something soon... Its been a down hill run for me...... but... I will find something soon....... My thoughts will be with you

[Fuel Coupe]

What did you do there, Are you willing to relocate. The oil/petrochemical industry is booming here on the gulf coast. whether it be construction or industry. The jobs are here and the recession isn't hitting this area like others. Contact me if your wanting something here and I can give you some companies to contact...

[old low&slo]

First, model trucker, I am sorry to hear that you got laid off, and the American Tragedy continues.......Well intended hard working Americans are put at the mercy of those companies who outsource of those on Wall Street that make moves in their own self interest which translates into greed. So, get a good night's sleep, and take stock of your resources. Go down to apply for unemploment benefits, and it is not charity as some will tell you, it is a benefit you earned by contributing weekly to it. Second, don't blame yourself, it isn't about you, it is about your company reacting to a national trend. Even forget about returning to it, because if your old job opens up, they will advertise and you will have to compete just like you originally did, although you many have a slight advantage in the race.

Unemployment is nothing like a salary as it is much lower and only lasts six to eight months, so you will have to look into survivor jobs, like driving a taxi, work in a gas station or convenience store or a fast food place. There are jobs out there, but they are likely nothing like you had.

Third, look at your model collection and evaluate what you will or won't build in your lifetime. Sign up for eBay or Craig's List and start to sell off your excess.

At all times do the best to keep busy and make every move productive with an intention or reason.

Do not beat yourself up, or think you are in that cadre of victims, everyone is now considered expendable.

Inbetween times, this is an opportunity to finish some of those projects you never had time to get to with all exterior obligations. If you are married or living with someone, and she is still working, make it a point to learn household chores to relieve the stress on her. I had to leave my last and final job because surgery left me in uncontrollable pain, and I collected disability. Now I am recovered but took early retirement and making almost as much as I did when I worked.

Keep on trucking, modeltrucker, my prayers are with you.

Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

x2 on what he said I could not say it better. I too am laid off. I had to have shoulder surgery and my fmla benefits would only protect my job for 2 months because I used a month of it about 9 months earlier when I fractured my fibula (been a rough year) . I was out for 4 months before my doctor released me and the company I worked for would not hold my job that long. I collected temporary disability until I was released by the doctor now I am collecting unenjoyment. man they really suck in maryland they act like you are guilty until you prove yourself innocent. they act like you're trying to scam them or something. so just think outside the box and get creative with your resume and dont give up !! you might have to take a job paying a lot less then you made but it would be a job until you can find something better. just dont stop looking.

[Guest]

Both the wife and I have been out of work since January. I have had 2 interviews, she has had 1.

[ricky12]

just to let you know your not alone keep your head held up high. been out work my self since march and if this is what retirement is like . im not looking forward to that . it will take its toll on you if you let it . so please keep your thought s happy .

[Harold]

Sorry to hear about your job loss. The last few years I've been an unemployed college student living on student loans.

[Peter Lombardo]

Man, I feel for you, but Ken is right with everything he said. Read it again, pick yourself up and get to work looking for work. I was not laid off, but I had to lay off my two best workers, which broke my heart.

I haven’t taken a pay check since the end of April….it is just that bad out there. What makes that even worse for me is that I can’t even get an unemployment check. I am working my butt off doing the work of three and just trying to keep my company alive long enough for something to turn around and sorry, I don’t see any improvement coming in the economy. I am out here every day working with businesses and I can’t find anyone that is doing well. I handle advertising and promotions for retail businesses and most of these businesses are car dealers. This was once a thriving business and now it is on life support. All of the domestic dealers are off 50 to 60 percent in unit sales. The Imports aren’t so bad but both have a very real problem that unit sales don’t even begin to address and this problem is running rampant throughout businesses in general. The gross profits are in the toilet. Without a decent gross profit there is no bottomline profit…no bottomline profit and soon that leads to personnel cuts (your dreaded “layoffâ€) and finally the demise of the business all together.

So it begs the question….what happened and why did it happen. You can talk to a hundred so called experts and I think you will hear at least ninety nine different reasons for it. I believe it all boils down to corruption and confidence.

The confidence of the American consumer has been shaken to the core. Our economy is supported by 75% of it coming from consumption of the average citizen. If he loses his job, or is in fear of losing his job he will curtail sending and that has a devastating effect on companies, both in the manufacturing sector and the retail sector. That is killing us, that is why George Bush said (and he is still being ridiculed for it) right after 9/11 “go out American and spend.†Spend without fear he said, because that administration, as inept as they were most of the time, knew that we must keep consuming to have a healthy vibrant economy.

Remember NAFTA? I was dead set against NAFTA back when Bill Clinton, George Bush Senior and most big (major ) American companies were championing it as exactly what we, the American people needed. I told anyone who cared to listen to me that when “Big†Government and “Big†Business got together the American worker was about to get screwed. They lied and spoke only of the great opportunity that American business was about to open up. Our companies were going to open trade with Mexico and Canada where we were going to build factories, especially in Mexico and we create jobs ( Politicians just love to use that tired old line “create jobsâ€, but our new buddy in the White House has taken that line to all new heights…..he says “Create or Save Jobsâ€â€¦..save jobs??? How do you calculate that figure? Anyway, the bottomline of NAFTA is that John’s job in Cleveland or Pittsburgh just went to Jose in Toluca Mexico. I have nothing against Jose but let’s fact it that job should have stayed here.

One piece of the corruption.

Look at Wall Street, the seat of American greed and power……The financial markets run this country, not Washington. But let’s face it, both are equally guilty of causing our current problem. Wall Street is interested in making money for those in the “Inner Circleâ€. Sure, we can participate on the outer fringe of the markets…you can buy stock in companies and maybe you can make a few bucks, but you can always lose your shirt too. But the big boys, those on the inside manipulate the market for their gain. As these people make millions and even billions they use their money to wield influence and curry favor with the professional politicians in Washington. What a concept….Corrupt Politicians…ever heard that phrase before? Have you ever wondered how a Senator or a Congressman, a person who has never worked a real job in his or her life can amass a huge personal fortune? Harry Read, the most powerful man in the US Senate is worth countless millions….How? Oh, how silly of me, I know the answer to that one…..he is a senator from the Great State of Nevada. What is the big deal in Nevada? Hoover Dam? No, the Grand Canyon? No, it is America’s playground, Las Vegas. Gee, is there much development in Las Vegas? Any Hotels, Casino’s or Resorts that need administrative approval before a shovel touches the dirt? Any land deals that need the pull of a powerful Senator to get done? And in return for cutting “red tape†the Senator gets…what? Well, take your choice…..money, part of the deal….jobs for family members…you get it.

Look, you cannot stop wealthy people from using their money to buy influence and power, but you, and I mean all of you, all of us, can stop the corrupt politicians dead in their tracks if you will get involved, tune in and pay attention. I have always been a strong advocate for “term limitsâ€, but these corrupt politicians will never vote for their own term limit so it is up to us to enforce their term limits with our informed, educated vote. Sure, I know what you are thinking…one vote, my vote, or your vote means “zipâ€. Well, one vote is nothing but when that vote is coupled to another informed vote and another and another, there is actually power being exercised there. We have the power, but it takes hard work and dedication to make it pay off.

Look at what “that very corrupt†organization ACORN did last fall. They, although most will not admit it, signed up thousands ( I really mean hundreds of thousands) of dead people and duplicate voters and they were instrumental in the outcome of last fall’s election…..and remember, we are not just talking about the top job here…….there were hundreds of lower positions that were affected by this. Remember we get the government that we deserve. And please don’t misunderstand me, this is not just a rant about Obama…McCain was and is no better. We need to go back to what our founding fathers envisioned to get this country back on track. We need to jump the career politician and get back to a “Government of the people, by the people, for the peopleâ€. We need to throw out the “ruling class†the elitists who rule and believe that it is their God given right to rule. Look, this country was born because free men (Patriots) decided that it was time to “run the King out of town†and rule themselves with a just and honorable governing body. Why have we given it back to the “Kingsâ€? Take it back. Ban together and become a force for a just and honorable government.

I know we all believe in this country…why it was formed. Do we want the blood and courage of the patriots who suffered to create this great land to have been spent in vain? I disagree strongly with the President when he goes around the world apologizing for us. I resent that deeply. America is the greatest country this planet has seen. We give more aid to starving people than the rest of the world combined. Americans have paid the ultimate price for our and their freedom on the beaches of Normandy and the deserts of Iraq and Kuwait and even it the woods of New Jersey and New York 250 years ago. American as stood as a beacon of truth, freedom and opportunity……our founding fathers built a country that is the envy of the world…where people were oppressed, we fought for their freedom. Where people were hurt, we brought them aid and comfort. Where people were looking to better their life we opened our doors and hearts. I will not apologize for our commitments. Are we perfect, no, not even close but even with our mistakes or errors; I still hold our record up against any other country. I am proud to be American. So why wouldn’t we fight to get this great country back on track?

We have a corrupt government and a greedy business community that both must be reined in. We are the only ones who can stand up and say “Enough, this will no longer standâ€. Only we, the American people can change it. If you expect the elitist politicians to suddenly get a conscience, I have a bridge in New York I would like to sell you. They will never change so we have to change them. We need honest committed individuals who will work to build this country back up to where it belongs.

We are now facing the biggest problems we have ever faced. Our economy is in shambles, our confidence is shaken. Iran and North Korea will threaten us with nuc’s and we don’t have a cohesive policy on how we will deal with that problem. China could crush us whenever they choose. Right now they need our consumers for their products, but when the day comes that they believe their and the rest of the world markets are enough to sustain them, we will be toast. Russia is no friend or ours, they are working to help the Iranian Nuclear program.

We must have a government that understands the world threat and wants to protect the value of the American worker. We have been thrown to the wolves. To all of you guys who were or are about to be laid off, I feel your pain, and maybe we have not felt enough pain to convince enough of us to finally stand up and fight to get our country back. The Tea Parties are a great step forward. Get involved and stand up for your rights, your future and your children’s future. This a critical time in this countries existence, she needs our help and we must respond to her, and our own ( being laid off) cries for help. It is our duty to save her. Let’s all do our part.

Sorry I ran long, I have a habit of doing that. But this is important….it is our survival here. But if you can stand it, indulge me one more little rant. This is my opinion…it is not based upon any information that is concrete, it is based facts, personalities and previously stated beliefs, goals and plans. I want to paint a picture that is based on actual events that may or may not have come down this way. Every event named here happened but the origin is what is in doubt. Like a detective, I am just piecing together the facts that happened. And if I am correct, it is the biggest criminal attack that we have ever seen.

In the beginning, there was a follow named George Soros who has made billions of dollars in the financial markets in the US. He is Hungarian by birth but made is money as a US market funds manager. Soros ( just Google his name and see what I am talking about)is a committed leftist who advocates a one world currency and government. Of course, he has accomplices in his plans, but he is at the epicenter of the movement. Obama was receiving huge campaign contributions all during the election cycle, in fact in the month of September 2008; he received over 150 million, most all in small credit card contributions that are basically untraceable. Just the kind of thing Soros ( I just finished his last book, by the way….very scary stuff) is very capable of doing and wanting to do this. So, more than likely, Soros funded the Obama campaign which is no great stretch in thinking. They both have the same vision for America, a government centric country where wealth is shared and we all have to look to government for everything, where private business is stifled and eventually one government rules the planet, kind of like how it was in Star Wars.

In order for the American people to accept the “change†that Obama was selling, the once thriving American economy needed to be brought to its knees. Let’s be real here, under George Bush ( believe me, I am no great fan of this guy) the economy was not all that bad. The stock market was as high as 14,000, unemployment was low, we had survived the attacks on 9/11 and we had no attacks on our land since. Really, not too bad. So how did the economy falter? There were many reasons, not least was the bad loans that were out there to people who could not afford their home, but I think the trigger was the price of gasoline. That one item really tore into everyone’s budget. At over $4.00 per gallon the entire economy was sent into turmoil. People had to chose between food, medication, mortgage payments or filling up there SUV or Pickup Truck. The run up in the cost of crude oil was attributed to the speculators who drove the price up by speculating that the price of oil would continue to rise. It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy as the you drive the price higher and higher. Well, many have the financial resources to pull it off, Soros, certainly could do it, and he had a reason to see it happen. One the heels of that attack on the economy, Lehman Bros. and Bear Sterns both collapsed under the crush of “Naked Short Selling†(if you don’t know or understand this just Google it, there are great videos on how it works and the disaster it can cause). Basically, someone, and that someone has never been uncovered, at least to my knowledge, traded millions of shares in the two companies (this happened at different times) but the shares were not delivered during the trade, so IOU’s are generated ( at the time, it was a common thing for this to happen, but with rather small amounts of stock) but the effect of that inflates the number of shares of stock, which devalue the shares to the point where company shares that were trading at, say $65.00 could within days drop to a value of under a dollar thereby effectively killing the companies value. So these two pillars of Wall Street go down in flames taking the economy with them.

Since then, those wonderful morons in Washington have put safeguards in to protect us from this happening again, but the damage was done. Who has the money, the power and the ability to do this? Not you, not me, but a Hedge Fund manager like Soros was in the perfect position to pull this off and he certainly has a reason to do this. He didn’t do it for the money, he is personally worth billions, but his goal was to get his candidate into the White House. In order for this country to have a momentary fit of insanity, the economy needed to be in free fall so that Obama could throw the line “Change you can believe in†out there without ever explaining just exactly what he meant by that. It was just not going to be the same “8 years of a failed economic policyâ€. The strange thing was that it was not a failed policy, it was a policy that was under attack and we just sat back and watched it happen. Just look at what Obama is doing and saying. Our government is taking over the major components of our business community, Industrial, banking, insurance and now healthcare. He is talking us down to the world and helping to kill the US dollar as the currency the world uses for international transactions. This all works to Soros’s world vision. Gentleman, it is time to be scared, very scared. Our beloved America, I believe, is under attack from within.

Edited October 5, 2009 by Peter Lombardo

[Harry P.]

Peter, you paint a very disturbing picture. But you know what? It's all true.

I won't restate any of what Peter so eloquently has written, but I'll give him a big AMEN. He is right, the country is drastically changing right before our eyes. The America that we knew only a short time ago is no more... and more "change you can believe in" is headed our way as long as our federal government is now entirely in the control of one party.

One party rule... isn't that how the USSR operated? And China? And North Korea? And Cuba?

Checks and balances? Not any more. These days, what Congress wants, Congress will get.

And Peter is also right when he says it's up to US to get the country back on track. We have to remember that WE are the boss... the politicians that WE put into office work for US. Unfortunately too many of them seem to be totally oblivious to that fact.

[Peter Lombardo]

Thanks Harry, we are now a force of two. Let's see if there are any other Patriots out there that will join with us and (dare I say it, Glen Beck) to help get us back on track. Just as a long journey begins with a single first step, this task must begin with one, then two and then many commited individuals who work for a common good, bringing America back to her rightful position in the free world.

[Harry P.]

Peter, I'm with you on just about everything you wrote. Facts are facts, there's no good way to spin facts politically.

But I'm not about to jump on Glenn Beck's bandwagon.

He has the right to his opinions, of course, but for me he's a little too far out there. While I agree with some of what he says, I disagree with a lot of it, too. I hesitate to take anyone at the extreme of either end of the political spectrum too seriously, because mostly they're not being logical... they're being political.

The problem is, the "talking heads" that appear on TV generally put forth a fairly extreme agenda... because it makes for good TV. People who have "extreme" viewpoints, or who are on the extreme left (Olberman, Ed Schultz, etc.) or the extreme right (Hannity, Beck, etc.) outnumber (and outshout) the moderates. There are very few "moderate" pundits out there. The media gives us way too much partisanship and far too little common sense. It makes for some lively "debate" on the TV news shows (if you can call political posturing "debate"), but unfortunately the lefties and the righties endlessly spouting their respective party-line propaganda is more flash than substance.

I would love to see a program where intelligent, thoughtful and insightful "experts" from the left, the right, and that great big chunk in the middle that is so severely under-represented in the media would sit down and discuss the issues without trying to knock the other guy's viewpoint.

But I do agree 100% with your overall post. Corrupt, arrogant and at times totally clueless politicians are making a mess of things... and unless "we the people" assert ourselves and do something about it, that trend isn't going to stop any time soon.

[Peter Lombardo]

Harry, if you notice, I said “dare I sayâ€. I realize that he is off the reservation, but I also realize that he is passionate and cares deeply about the direction this country is taking. Beck has made himself a lightning rod for controversy with his wild ravings and railings but he is the best out there at connecting the dots. My beliefs about George Soros are mine and no one else’s. I truly believe that he and a few others are behind this economic dismantling process. I only want America back in the hands of the people who work hard every day to make a living and provide a secure future for their children.

My daughter is now pregnant with my first future grandchild and I am sick just thinking about the country that he or she will be living in 20 to 30 years from now. I feel that we have to save America now, because down the road it will be too late.

I promise you one thing, and I realize that this means nothing to anyone else here, but if we move too far down the path that I believe we are going, I am out of here. I will not watch this country fall prey to what I consider evil socialist dogma that wants to tear away the fabric of this once great country. If I can’t be part of the solution, I will get out.

[Harry P.]

Peter, we may disagree on some of the "finer points," but as far as your overall take on things, I'm 100% with you. Your view of the "big picture" is spot on, IMO.

[Art Anderson]

I just got laid off friday. was just wandering who else out there is laid off and out of work? Good thing the recession is over.ha ha

Every generation has gone through tough times, certainly economic, and at times due to war. So try and relax, you are not alone, nor are you the first, nor is your generation the first, to go through this.

A recession can be declared over when our economy stops shrinking, and starts growing once again--the tough thing though is that even if things start looking up, employment generally does lag behind the resumption of growth. I've been not only an employee, but also an employer, and believe me you, it's hard to hold a line when people come knocking on the door, looking for work, but yet you have to steel yourself to wait just that little bit longer, to be assured that things are truly looking up, and that another employee will be needed--I believe firmly that every employer out there goes through that. We were warned back in January that recovery would be slow, and that unemployment would continue to rise through this year, due exactly to the things I just said above.

That said, be willing to take up anything that comes along--being employed for what may seem like peanuts beats the hell out of sitting around worrying. You may "starve" figuratively speaking, but at least that starvation will be slower, and you will develop valuable survivability skills that will stand you in good stead when, in the future, this sort of thing happens again, as it does, and has done, about every 10-15 years or so (historical record shows that, BTW).

In the meantime, it does little good to recriminate against those who one sees as somehow at fault in this current situation--those who truly may have had a hand in creating this economic mess will have their day of judgement, but be willing to understand truly no one person is responsible for what happened economically, not even a small group of "someones", but in a very real way, all of us have at least some culpability, either by our actions, our inactions, perhaps our own profligate ways. Pretty much, this recession came about due to all our going forward. Fat, dumb and happy were we, as credit was so easily obtained, and then used to forward lifestyles that were unsustainable by most. Just as the Wall Street Speculators played their games, and got burned badly in the end, we ourselves, the so-called "Little People" played along too, or so it seems to me.

Everyone claims to dislike Congress, judging from the polls, but do we as a people REALLY do anything about it? Not really, given the pattern of long years' standing, of sending the very same people we claim to detest back to Washington for yet another term. Don't like that? If so, why not work hard and diligently to support new candidates who just might change things for the better? Huh? Don't like your city council, your county legislators? Same thing, work hard to support some new blood there too.

I suspect that this experience, this time, will have an effect similar to that experienced by people who went through the Great Depression--they aren't going to be as eager to take on debt, many won't for the rest of their lives, being "Once burnt, twice shy", and while that will be healthy for them, it will make recovery longer and slower, but perhaps over time, that won't be such a bad thing, who knows?

We may very well decide to learn once more to enjoy simpler, less expensive pleasures, and that could well mean this hobby, which is still rather inexpensive entertainment, as it has almost always been, and that's a good thing too.

So, hold on, that light at the end of the tunnel probably isn't an 18-wheeler coming at you, me, nor the other guy.

Art

[crazyjim]

This sure has lots of info for modelers. Take it somewhere else.

[chris coller]

I will agree with both Harry and Peter. The and us is all true, but the thing is this is a rule by fear government. It has been for atleast the last 30 years. I don't think there is enough clear minded individuals to take back the country. They believe the government is right and that they have your best interests in mind. All the while they line their pockets and set themselves up along with their families. They don't care about the hard working average Joe or Jane. If they did we wouldn't be here.

Our great government of ours chose to bail out corrupt banks and incompetant auto makers. If they cared the would have taken that money and gave back to the hard working , tax paying, true citizens that carry the country. Or just make taxes a certain percentage across the board for everyone!

[Ragnar]

Man, I feel for you, but Ken is right with everything he said. Read it again, pick yourself up and get to work looking for work. I was not laid off, but I had to lay off my two best workers, which broke my heart.

I haven’t taken a pay check since the end of April….it is just that bad out there. What makes that even worse for me is that I can’t even get an unemployment check. I am working my butt off doing the work of three and just trying to keep my company alive long enough for something to turn around and sorry, I don’t see any improvement coming in the economy. I am out here every day working with businesses and I can’t find anyone that is doing well. I handle advertising and promotions for retail businesses and most of these businesses are car dealers. This was once a thriving business and now it is on life support. All of the domestic dealers are off 50 to 60 percent in unit sales. The Imports aren’t so bad but both have a very real problem that unit sales don’t even begin to address and this problem is running rampant throughout businesses in general. The gross profits are in the toilet. Without a decent gross profit there is no bottomline profit…no bottomline profit and soon that leads to personnel cuts (your dreaded “layoffâ€) and finally the demise of the business all together.

So it begs the question….what happened and why did it happen. You can talk to a hundred so called experts and I think you will hear at least ninety nine different reasons for it. I believe it all boils down to corruption and confidence.

The confidence of the American consumer has been shaken to the core. Our economy is supported by 75% of it coming from consumption of the average citizen. If he loses his job, or is in fear of losing his job he will curtail sending and that has a devastating effect on companies, both in the manufacturing sector and the retail sector. That is killing us, that is why George Bush said (and he is still being ridiculed for it) right after 9/11 “go out American and spend.†Spend without fear he said, because that administration, as inept as they were most of the time, knew that we must keep consuming to have a healthy vibrant economy.

Remember NAFTA? I was dead set against NAFTA back when Bill Clinton, George Bush Senior and most big (major ) American companies were championing it as exactly what we, the American people needed. I told anyone who cared to listen to me that when “Big†Government and “Big†Business got together the American worker was about to get screwed. They lied and spoke only of the great opportunity that American business was about to open up. Our companies were going to open trade with Mexico and Canada where we were going to build factories, especially in Mexico and we create jobs ( Politicians just love to use that tired old line “create jobsâ€, but our new buddy in the White House has taken that line to all new heights…..he says “Create or Save Jobsâ€â€¦..save jobs??? How do you calculate that figure? Anyway, the bottomline of NAFTA is that John’s job in Cleveland or Pittsburgh just went to Jose in Toluca Mexico. I have nothing against Jose but let’s fact it that job should have stayed here.

One piece of the corruption.

Look at Wall Street, the seat of American greed and power……The financial markets run this country, not Washington. But let’s face it, both are equally guilty of causing our current problem. Wall Street is interested in making money for those in the “Inner Circleâ€. Sure, we can participate on the outer fringe of the markets…you can buy stock in companies and maybe you can make a few bucks, but you can always lose your shirt too. But the big boys, those on the inside manipulate the market for their gain. As these people make millions and even billions they use their money to wield influence and curry favor with the professional politicians in Washington. What a concept….Corrupt Politicians…ever heard that phrase before? Have you ever wondered how a Senator or a Congressman, a person who has never worked a real job in his or her life can amass a huge personal fortune? Harry Read, the most powerful man in the US Senate is worth countless millions….How? Oh, how silly of me, I know the answer to that one…..he is a senator from the Great State of Nevada. What is the big deal in Nevada? Hoover Dam? No, the Grand Canyon? No, it is America’s playground, Las Vegas. Gee, is there much development in Las Vegas? Any Hotels, Casino’s or Resorts that need administrative approval before a shovel touches the dirt? Any land deals that need the pull of a powerful Senator to get done? And in return for cutting “red tape†the Senator gets…what? Well, take your choice…..money, part of the deal….jobs for family members…you get it.

Look, you cannot stop wealthy people from using their money to buy influence and power, but you, and I mean all of you, all of us, can stop the corrupt politicians dead in their tracks if you will get involved, tune in and pay attention. I have always been a strong advocate for “term limitsâ€, but these corrupt politicians will never vote for their own term limit so it is up to us to enforce their term limits with our informed, educated vote. Sure, I know what you are thinking…one vote, my vote, or your vote means “zipâ€. Well, one vote is nothing but when that vote is coupled to another informed vote and another and another, there is actually power being exercised there. We have the power, but it takes hard work and dedication to make it pay off.

Look at what “that very corrupt†organization ACORN did last fall. They, although most will not admit it, signed up thousands ( I really mean hundreds of thousands) of dead people and duplicate voters and they were instrumental in the outcome of last fall’s election…..and remember, we are not just talking about the top job here…….there were hundreds of lower positions that were affected by this. Remember we get the government that we deserve. And please don’t misunderstand me, this is not just a rant about Obama…McCain was and is no better. We need to go back to what our founding fathers envisioned to get this country back on track. We need to jump the career politician and get back to a “Government of the people, by the people, for the peopleâ€. We need to throw out the “ruling class†the elitists who rule and believe that it is their God given right to rule. Look, this country was born because free men (Patriots) decided that it was time to “run the King out of town†and rule themselves with a just and honorable governing body. Why have we given it back to the “Kingsâ€? Take it back. Ban together and become a force for a just and honorable government.

I know we all believe in this country…why it was formed. Do we want the blood and courage of the patriots who suffered to create this great land to have been spent in vain? I disagree strongly with the President when he goes around the world apologizing for us. I resent that deeply. America is the greatest country this planet has seen. We give more aid to starving people than the rest of the world combined. Americans have paid the ultimate price for our and their freedom on the beaches of Normandy and the deserts of Iraq and Kuwait and even it the woods of New Jersey and New York 250 years ago. American as stood as a beacon of truth, freedom and opportunity……our founding fathers built a country that is the envy of the world…where people were oppressed, we fought for their freedom. Where people were hurt, we brought them aid and comfort. Where people were looking to better their life we opened our doors and hearts. I will not apologize for our commitments. Are we perfect, no, not even close but even with our mistakes or errors; I still hold our record up against any other country. I am proud to be American. So why wouldn’t we fight to get this great country back on track?

We have a corrupt government and a greedy business community that both must be reined in. We are the only ones who can stand up and say “Enough, this will no longer standâ€. Only we, the American people can change it. If you expect the elitist politicians to suddenly get a conscience, I have a bridge in New York I would like to sell you. They will never change so we have to change them. We need honest committed individuals who will work to build this country back up to where it belongs.

We are now facing the biggest problems we have ever faced. Our economy is in shambles, our confidence is shaken. Iran and North Korea will threaten us with nuc’s and we don’t have a cohesive policy on how we will deal with that problem. China could crush us whenever they choose. Right now they need our consumers for their products, but when the day comes that they believe their and the rest of the world markets are enough to sustain them, we will be toast. Russia is no friend or ours, they are working to help the Iranian Nuclear program.

We must have a government that understands the world threat and wants to protect the value of the American worker. We have been thrown to the wolves. To all of you guys who were or are about to be laid off, I feel your pain, and maybe we have not felt enough pain to convince enough of us to finally stand up and fight to get our country back. The Tea Parties are a great step forward. Get involved and stand up for your rights, your future and your children’s future. This a critical time in this countries existence, she needs our help and we must respond to her, and our own ( being laid off) cries for help. It is our duty to save her. Let’s all do our part.

Sorry I ran long, I have a habit of doing that. But this is important….it is our survival here. But if you can stand it, indulge me one more little rant. This is my opinion…it is not based upon any information that is concrete, it is based facts, personalities and previously stated beliefs, goals and plans. I want to paint a picture that is based on actual events that may or may not have come down this way. Every event named here happened but the origin is what is in doubt. Like a detective, I am just piecing together the facts that happened. And if I am correct, it is the biggest criminal attack that we have ever seen.

In the beginning, there was a follow named George Soros who has made billions of dollars in the financial markets in the US. He is Hungarian by birth but made is money as a US market funds manager. Soros ( just Google his name and see what I am talking about)is a committed leftist who advocates a one world currency and government. Of course, he has accomplices in his plans, but he is at the epicenter of the movement. Obama was receiving huge campaign contributions all during the election cycle, in fact in the month of September 2008; he received over 150 million, most all in small credit card contributions that are basically untraceable. Just the kind of thing Soros ( I just finished his last book, by the way….very scary stuff) is very capable of doing and wanting to do this. So, more than likely, Soros funded the Obama campaign which is no great stretch in thinking. They both have the same vision for America, a government centric country where wealth is shared and we all have to look to government for everything, where private business is stifled and eventually one government rules the planet, kind of like how it was in Star Wars.

In order for the American people to accept the “change†that Obama was selling, the once thriving American economy needed to be brought to its knees. Let’s be real here, under George Bush ( believe me, I am no great fan of this guy) the economy was not all that bad. The stock market was as high as 14,000, unemployment was low, we had survived the attacks on 9/11 and we had no attacks on our land since. Really, not too bad. So how did the economy falter? There were many reasons, not least was the bad loans that were out there to people who could not afford their home, but I think the trigger was the price of gasoline. That one item really tore into everyone’s budget. At over $4.00 per gallon the entire economy was sent into turmoil. People had to chose between food, medication, mortgage payments or filling up there SUV or Pickup Truck. The run up in the cost of crude oil was attributed to the speculators who drove the price up by speculating that the price of oil would continue to rise. It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy as the you drive the price higher and higher. Well, many have the financial resources to pull it off, Soros, certainly could do it, and he had a reason to see it happen. One the heels of that attack on the economy, Lehman Bros. and Bear Sterns both collapsed under the crush of “Naked Short Selling†(if you don’t know or understand this just Google it, there are great videos on how it works and the disaster it can cause). Basically, someone, and that someone has never been uncovered, at least to my knowledge, traded millions of shares in the two companies (this happened at different times) but the shares were not delivered during the trade, so IOU’s are generated ( at the time, it was a common thing for this to happen, but with rather small amounts of stock) but the effect of that inflates the number of shares of stock, which devalue the shares to the point where company shares that were trading at, say $65.00 could within days drop to a value of under a dollar thereby effectively killing the companies value. So these two pillars of Wall Street go down in flames taking the economy with them.

Since then, those wonderful morons in Washington have put safeguards in to protect us from this happening again, but the damage was done. Who has the money, the power and the ability to do this? Not you, not me, but a Hedge Fund manager like Soros was in the perfect position to pull this off and he certainly has a reason to do this. He didn’t do it for the money, he is personally worth billions, but his goal was to get his candidate into the White House. In order for this country to have a momentary fit of insanity, the economy needed to be in free fall so that Obama could throw the line “Change you can believe in†out there without ever explaining just exactly what he meant by that. It was just not going to be the same “8 years of a failed economic policyâ€. The strange thing was that it was not a failed policy, it was a policy that was under attack and we just sat back and watched it happen. Just look at what Obama is doing and saying. Our government is taking over the major components of our business community, Industrial, banking, insurance and now healthcare. He is talking us down to the world and helping to kill the US dollar as the currency the world uses for international transactions. This all works to Soros’s world vision. Gentleman, it is time to be scared, very scared. Our beloved America, I believe, is under attack from within.

Join a Conservitive Group Like The RLC, Get out to the Tea Parties, and other protests( Peaceful Ones), Write Your Reprsentitives and let them no that you want this Socializing of The US stopped now! Get involved, don't just complain about things, Help To Change Them!

Tom

[Ragnar]

This sure has lots of info for modelers. Take it somewhere else.

It has profound meaning for everyone who calls themself an American, and it belongs anywhere there are CONCERNED CITIZENS!

Tom

[modeltrucker]

Back to the question who out there is laid off and out of work?Just want to know if almost 10 percent of forum members are out of work like 10 percent of americans give or take a percent.

[Peter Lombardo]

Ok, I'll go first. I am not laid off, but have not taken a pay check in 5 months, working every day to keep my company moving in these very tough times. I do not even get the benefit of an unemployment check....that really stinks. These are hard times, very hard times and mark my words...here, right now it is 7:48 EST on October 9, 2009...these hard times will only get worse, much worse. We are headed down a long dark tunnel and there is not even a glimmer of light way out there in the distance yet.

[sak]

All these problems, and NASA is spending millions blasting rockets into the moon to see if there is water in the spacedust.

[charlie8575]

Except for one full-time job last fall, which ended with the general downturn after just short of two months, I've been existing on part-time and per diem work for three years. And I've had precious little of that since the spring.

Of course, because most of my money has been in substitute teaching (always an option, it's better than nothing, but not by much,) I'm considered continuously employed, even if I don't get called, and if I resign, I can't collect because I quit.

I'm looking at doing other different things, and have been for quite some time, as much as I'd like to stay in teaching, I don't see it happening now.

Charlie Larkin

[Geezerman]

I'm retired. My wife and I live on our SS and a VERY small pension.

I really feel for the present working class.

Our politicians, ALL of them, ignore the basic problem in the country. It stems from way back when they initiated NAFTA , so their corporate supporters could outsource American jobs and bring their products back in with low tarrifs and made with cheap labor. No workers = no tax to run the country with.

I just heard yesterday that Chryser is letting the HUmmer go out of the country. Good bye American Motors. How many CEO's gave themselves million dollar bonuses for that move??

I'm sorry, this probably won't go thru because it borders on a political rant.

But I do feel sorry for those who are out of work.