![[menu_gallery]](http://www.theminorityreportblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/GridIcon-24px.png "[menu_gallery]"){kind=small}
Chuck Muth: The Ron Paulbarians are at GOP’s Gate
By Chuck Muth
May 10, 2012
The Nevada Republican Party convention this month was pretty much like every other GOP convention: Floor arguments over obscure Robert’s Rules of Order, bylaws and credentials. Lots of proverbial sound and fury signifying nothing. Only this year, on steroids.
The convention was fairly evenly split between Mitt Romney supporters and party loyalists vs. Ron Paul supporters and many tea party activists – with the insurgents enjoying a sufficient majority to not only elect 22 out of 25 of their own to go to the GOP national convention in Tampa, but to oust the party’s sitting National Committeeman and Committeewoman, as well.
The rabble’s success has many establishment Republicans gnashing their teeth, with one sour grapes GOP blogger referring to the Paul supporters as a bunch of “liars, cheats and thieves.”
But the reality is, the Paul folks played by the rules and more of them attended the convention than the other team. As the saying goes, the world belongs to those who show up. (Not surprisingly, the Reno blogger-whiner is one of the malcontents who didn’t bother to show up. Go figure.)
In the meantime, many in the media are scratching their heads wondering, “What was this all about? What do the Paul people want? Don’t they know that they’ve lost; that Romney’s going to get the nomination?”
While true that some Paul supporters still hold out hope for a Tampa miracle, the more realistic are already looking well beyond November’s election. They know that in politics you often lose a number of early fights in order to gain experience and grow your movement for the long term.
Indeed, should Ron Paul “fail” in his presidential effort, he will have nonetheless successfully planted the seeds for an emerging “liberty” movement (not quite the same as the “conservative” movement) that will (hopefully) enjoy far greater political victories in the years to come.
Call it Barry Goldwater 2.0.
As such, don’t be surprised when a lot of Ron Paul Republicans cast their lot in November with Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson rather than with Mitt Romney. “But that’s stupid!” many establishment Republicans who have never heard of Dale Carnegie are already braying. “Don’t they know that will only help re-elect Obama?”
Oh, they know it. They just don’t care. The emerging Liberty Movement is sick of both establishment Democrats AND establishment Republicans. Their objective is for a return to the limited, constitutional government established by the Founders. In that pursuit, you’re either with them or against them, regardless of party.
Now, unless you’re part of this movement, such logic will seem insane. But for the Paul folks, it makes perfect sense. And the GOP establishment would be well advised to wake up and smell the revolution. Better yet, embrace it. Or else.
#NVSen Embattled Congresswoman Shelley Berkley: Political Show Horse
In a desperate attempt to distract Nevadans from her ongoing ethics investigation, embattled Congresswoman Shelley Berkley released her second ad which claims all credit for a new veterans hospital currently being built in North Las Vegas.
- “It took Shelley Berkley … to finally get us our veterans a new hospital.” (Medals, Berkley For Senate, Accessed 05/09/12)
If this commercial sounds familiar, it’s because two years ago her liberal mentor Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid claimed he was the sole reason for the new hospital.
- “The VA hospital is being built for one reason, Harry Reid.” (Sen. Harry Reid Works Tirelessly for Nevada Veterans, Reid For Senate, Accessed 05/09/12)
If you get an opportunity to speak with Ms. Berkley – which is incredibly doubtful given that she refuses to go on Nevada Newsmakers or Face-to-Face – it’s worth asking the Congresswoman how she believes she is the reason for the new hospital, given that Harry Reid previously claimed it was himself.
Ryan Statement on House Passage of Common-Sense Deficit Reduction
House Republicans advance common-sense reforms to promote prosperity; President and his party’s leaders insist on European-style austerity
WASHINGTON – Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5652, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012, a package of reforms aimed to avert across-the-board cuts to our armed forces and key priorities, reduce the deficit, and foster a better environment for job creation. Replacing the “sequester” with sensible reductions in indefensible government spending would result in net deficit reduction of $242.8 billion according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stated his preference for allowing the sequester to hit unless Washington imposed massive tax increases on working families. Senator Reid’s position that the sequester represents a “balanced” approach to deficit reduction puts him at odds with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who has warned that the sequester is “unworkable” and would “hollow out” our armed forces.
Upon passage of H.R. 5652, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin issued the following statement:
“Hardworking families deserve leaders who are willing to meet their legal and moral obligation to prioritize spending within a responsible budget. Earlier this year, the House passed a responsible budget. Today, the House passed a series of common-sense reforms that stop the abuse of public-assistance programs, restrain the bureaucracy’s growth, and eliminate wasteful and duplicative spending. The reforms passed today will reduce the deficit by more than 400 percent of the arbitrary sequester cuts they replace.
“The President and his party’s leaders are repeating Europe’s mistakes by calling for job-crushing tax increases, making empty promises to citizens, and ensuring harsh disruptions for beneficiaries of government programs. Time and again, their approach to budgeting has been the very definition of European-style austerity. House Republicans reject this shrunken vision of our future. Instead of broken promises and shared pain, we must advance pro-growth reforms that make good on America’s promise and put the country on a path to prosperity.
“House Republicans took action today to ensure our troops, hardworking taxpayers, and key priorities such as cancer research and border security don’t pay the price for Washington’s failure to budget responsibly. We invite the President and his party’s leaders to join us in our efforts to address the near-term threat of the sequester and to meet the defining challenge of our generation: ensuring greater opportunities for generations to come.”
To learn more about the House Republicans’ efforts to ensure the troops and military families don’t pay the price for Washington’s failure to budget responsibly: http://budget.house.gov/Reconciliation/
Missing Workers
Missing Workers video by let freedom ring usa
Our Founder Steve Foley, who’s running for congress in California’s 47th District, on Jobs:
Recent statistics make it crystal clear why growing private sector jobs and opportunity must be at the top of my priority list in Washington.
At 10.9 percent, California was second in the nation for unemployment in January 2012. Add in the underemployed and those who have stopped looking for a job, and the figure spikes to an abysmal 20 percent.
National figures are still poor, as well. In February, the official unemployment rate stood at 8.3 percent–14.9 percent with discouraged job seekers and the underemployed figured in.
Growing jobs involves creating an environment in which opportunity can thrive. Such an environment has several components, all of which must be addressed.
BOLD SOLUTION A: Strip away Overregulation of Business and Industry
The financial costs of regulatory compliance currently stymie both the establishment of new businesses and the expansion of existing ones.
Small business has created approximately two-thirds of all U.S. jobs in the past 15 years. However, in a February Gallup poll, 46 percent of small businesses surveyed cited concerns about new government regulations among the reasons they are not presently hiring. In addition, overregulation has contributed to an exodus of large businesses and industries from American shores. When those companies leave, American jobs go with them.
Our Founders wisely established limits on government, knowing that too much of it would hinder freedom–including the freedom to start a business, grow it, and create good jobs. Peeling back layers of burdensome and unnecessary federal regulation will help to release government’s current chokehold on job creators, stimulating real opportunity in the form of solid, private sector jobs.
BOLD SOLUTION B: Reform the Federal Tax Code and Corporate Tax Rates
Simplifying our labyrinthine tax code and structure would greatly benefit the job market in California and the U.S. In addition, we must lower corporate tax rates. In fact, the U.S. currently has the second highest corporate tax code among all developed countries. Making these crucial changes would help to stop the flight of American business overseas and the loss private sector jobs.
Visit my page on Tax Policy to learn more about the 9-9-9 tax reform plan I support.
BOLD SOLUTION C: Debt Reduction
If any business conducted its finances the way our federal government does it would collapse. Yet government spending continues, and with it the demand that business prop up this crazy spending and debt with ever more taxes and fees.
This cycle traps businesses, forcing them to walk an increasingly fine line between keeping production and service levels high enough to meet demand while maintaining affordable consumer prices. As the balancing act becomes more difficult, jobs are inevitably sacrificed. Addressing the national debt in a serious way will relieve this negative trend.
Visit my Bold Solutions page on the Economy to learn more.
BOLD SOLUTION D: Revamp Energy Policy
Backwards U.S. Energy policy is currently driving up the price of nearly everything…and costing jobs. The more expensive it becomes for business and industry to operate, the more our job market will suffer.
Moving energy policy in a better direction would not only lower costs; it would also create valuable private sector jobs in the energy production field
Visit my Bold Solutions page on Energy policy to learn more.
BOLD SOLUTION E: Reform Patent Law and the FDA Approval Process
PATENT LAW REFORM
Depending on licensing arrangements, an invention can actually generate jobs through multiple producers. Unfortunately, inventors and the companies that produce inventions often struggle under current patent law. Legal claims against a new invention–or fear of potential claims–often tie up tremendous time and resources that would otherwise facilitate a speedier path to production and job creation.
An Independent Inventor Defense–such as that proposed by Stephen Kinsella or Alexander Tabarrok–may be one helpful means of ensuring that more resources are invested in producing solid inventions and creating real jobs than on paying patent lawyers.
FDA APPROVAL REFORM
Reforming an overly bureaucratic FDA approval process would similarly benefit job creation.
We all want to know the products used to treat us are safe. However, copious research now reveals that the FDA has become more costly and obstructionist than valuable and effective in the approval of new drugs and medical devices. Valuable time and resources are being wastefully absorbed in political complexities and bureaucratic delays . With responsible FDA reform, these resources could be better directed into actual product manufacture and job growth.
Economists Daniel Klein and Alexander Tabarrok–both fellows of the Independent Institute and faculty members at George Mason University–have proposed a number of highly informed FDA reforms. These reforms would potentially eliminate much or all of the red tape that currently delays effective treatment for people in need, as well as provide a means for the FDA to restore its rather compromised credibility. The reforms would have the additional benefit of yielding good jobs faster.
#NVSen Embattled Congresswoman Shelley Berkley Promises Legislation She Doesn’t Deliver
(Las Vegas, NV) – Launching false attacks and claiming credit where it isn’t due is nothing new for Congresswoman Shelley Berkley. Now, it appears the seven-term Congresswoman is campaigning on legislation she doesn’t introduce. Here are some not-so-sobering facts to keep in mind the next time the self-proclaimed “workhorse” makes a promise she doesn’t keep:
SHOT:
In February 2012, Shelley Berkley announces she will offer a bill to extend a sales tax break. “One thing that didn’t make it into the payroll tax and unemployment bill that passed Congress Friday was a provision that would have also extended a sales tax break hundreds of thousands of Nevadans avail themselves of every year…Rep. Shelley Berkley said Friday that she intends to do something about it by introducing a bill to extend the tax benefit.” (Karoun Demirjian, “Berkley hopes to make favorite Nevada tax credit a campaign issue,” Las Vegas Sun, February 19, 2012)
CHASER:
Berkley never introduced the bill. But Dean Heller joined thirteen Senators urging Senate leadership to “help pass an extension of the state and local sales tax deduction as soon as possible.” (“Heller Pushes to Protect State and Local Sales Tax Deduction,” www.heller.senate.gov, February 2, 2012)
DOUBLE SHOT:
On April 25, 2012, Shelley Berkley claimed she would introduce legislation to protect Las Vegas from being unfairly targeted due to the bad behavior of Washington bureaucrats.
“Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today delivered remarks on the House floor to announce new legislation she plans to introduce that will permanently eliminate the Bush era ‘blacklist’ of American cities like Las Vegas and Reno from hosting federal agency and executive branch department conferences and conventions.” (“Will Make President Obama’s No-Blacklist Policy ‘Law of the Land’” www.berkley.house.gov, April 25, 2012)
CHASER:
Berkley never introduced the bill. The next day after making the same announcement, Dean Heller introduced S.2469, Protect America’s Cities from Government Blacklist Act of 2012.
TRIPLE SHOT:
On January 12, 2012, Shelley Berkley holds press conference in Reno announcing her “Clean Energy Jobs Act.” “U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Las Vegas, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, made a campaign stop in Reno on Friday, promising to introduce a ‘Clean Energy Jobs Act’ when she returns to Congress. Berkley, speaking at the Desert Research Institute, said her jobs act would extend a 30 percent tax credit for domestic companies that manufacture products used in clean energy projects such as wind turbines and solar panels. (Gazette Journal: Berkley stumps at DRI, Shelley Berkley for Senate, www.berkleyforsenate.com)
CHASER:
The seven-term Congresswoman finally got around to introducing the promised legislation on February 29, 2012. (www.thomas.gov)
It wouldn’t be the first time the Congresswoman scrambled to campaign on legislation under false pretenses: “You can tell a lawmaker is in a close race when her campaign starts claiming credit for legislation she didn’t write. That’s what’s happening today with Rep. Shelley Berkley, who is running for Senate against Sen. Dean Heller, as she trots out Mayor Carolyn Goodman and other Las Vegas figures to praise what the campaign is calling her proposed expansion of the visa waiver program.” (Karoun Demirjian, “What her campaign calls ‘Berkley’s legislation’ isn’t really hers”, Las Vegas Sun, March 12, 2012)
End the Shariah War On Women: Center for Security Policy Launches Campaign
[list type="arrow"] [li]
- Nonie Darwish: Ms. Darwish is an American human rights activist, writer, public speaker as well as founder and Director of Former Muslims United and founder of Arabs For Israel. She is the author of a new book titled The Devil We Don’t Know: The Dark Side of Revolutions in the Middle East. She is also the author of Now they Call Me Infidel; Why I Renounced Jihad for America, Israel and the War on Terror and Cruel And Usual Punishment: The Terrifying Global Implications of Islamic Law. She speaks frequently at college campuses, religious institutions and civic association meetings. She is currently a Senior Fellow with the Center for Security Policy.
- Cynthia Farahat: Ms. Farahat is an Egyptian political activist, writer and researcher. In December 2011, Ms. Farahat testified before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in the US House of Representatives on the roots of the persecution of the Coptic Christian minority in her native Egypt. In 2008-2009, she was program coordinator and program officer at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty in Cairo, a multi-national free market think tank. She co-founded the Liberal Egyptian Party (2006-2008) and served as a member of its political committee. She is a fellow at the Middle East Forum and the Center for Security Policy and works with the Coptic Solidarity organization.
- Clare Lopez: Ms. Lopez is a strategic policy and intelligence expert with a focus on Middle East, homeland security, national defense, and counterterrorism issues. Lopez began her career as an operations officer with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), serving domestically and abroad for 20 years in a variety of assignments, acquiring extensive expertise in counterintelligence, counternarcotics, and counterproliferation issues with a career regional focus on the former Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Ms. Lopez is a regular contributor to print and broadcast media on subjects related to Iran and the Middle East and the co-author of two published books on Iran. She is the author of an acclaimed paper for the Center for Security Policy, The Rise of the Iran Lobby, where she serves as a Senior Fellow.
- Karen Lugo: Karen Lugo is the founder of The Libertas-West Project and in this capacity she responded to a request from French jurists to submit a brief to the Conseil d’Etat on the legal grounds for banning the burqa. Karen is also Co-Director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence. In this role, she directs the Center’s litigation in support of constitutional issues. She has submitted amicus briefs to the US Supreme Court on such issues as Healthcare Reform, Arizona’s Border Security, Gay Marriage, The Ten Commandments, Christian Clubs on University Campuses, and Material Support to Terrorists. She is a visiting professor at Chapman Law School and co-teaches the advanced Constitutional Law Clinic. Karen is president of the Orange County Federalist Society lawyer chapter and sits on the Federalist Society International Law Executive Committee. She is also on the board of advisors for Trinity Law School in Orange County, CA and an advisor to UK Baroness Caroline Cox’s HART US. Karen is a regular guest on the Orange County PBS local issues debate program, Inside OC, and she is a frequent contributor to RedCounty.com, FlashReport, and contributing editor to Family Security Matters. She has been interviewed by dozens of radio hosts on the matter of sharia law. Ms. Lugo is an appointee to the California Advisory Committee to the US Commission on Civil Rights.
[/li] [/list]
Politico: Sorry, Dems: Mourdock is no novice
Link:
Democrats desperately want voters to believe Richard Mourdock is another Sharron Angle.
There’s just one problem: his résumé.
The newly minted GOP Senate nominee from Indiana is one insurgent to whom it’s difficult to affix a label — and his candidacy isn’t likely to keep Republicans leaders anxiously awake at night the way Sen. Harry Reid’s infamous 2010 opponent did.
While Democrats are moving swiftly to try to define him as a figure of the fringe right, the political reality is that the 60-year-old Mourdock — twice elected to statewide office — remains the heavy favorite to keep the seat in Republican hands this fall.
“Richard Mourdock’s going to be a very strong candidate,” popular Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels said Wednesday when asked to prognosticate on Mourdock’s upcoming contest against Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly. “He is squarely in the mainstream of Indiana opinion. You shouldn’t confuse firmness with a lack of friendliness. He is a very kind and gentle person. People will like him.”
There was a reason for the warm embrace: Mourdock isn’t an angry outsider suddenly grabbing a pitchfork and storming the gates. He’s been active in Republican politics for decades and deftly seized the chance to take on Lugar long before most others realized how vulnerable the senator was.
A two-term state treasurer and three-time failed congressional candidate, Mourdock managed to run against the establishment while spending his weekends trekking to party Lincoln Day dinners. Local and national tea party groups embraced him, but Mourdock, mindful that his task didn’t end with his GOP primary win, has taken pains to avoid being branded a tea party creation.
“It’s hard to label me … as the tea party candidate,” Mourdock said as recently as Monday.
“Gloomy Job News For Young Americans”
‘One In Three’ Underemployed, More Than Half ‘Disappointed,’ ‘Worried’ Or ‘Angry’ With The Obama Presidency
GALLUP: ‘A Disaster For… Younger Americans As A Group’
“Today’s slow economic growth is a disaster for those unemployed and underemployed as they look for jobs when so few new jobs are being created. For younger Americans as a group, this is a particularly acute issue.” (“One In Three Young U.S. Workers Are Underemployed,” Gallup, 5/9/12)
“…April has also brought gloomy job news for young Americans and underscores that this group has been struggling disproportionately for some time.” (“One In Three Young U.S. Workers Are Underemployed,” Gallup, 5/9/12)
“Thirty-two percent of 18- to 29-year-olds in the U.S. workforce were underemployed in April, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment. This is up from 30.1% in March and is slightly higher than the 30.7% of a year ago.” (“One In Three Young U.S. Workers Are Underemployed,” Gallup, 5/9/12)
· “Underemployment among 18- to 29-year-olds has hovered around 30% for most of the past year, showing no real improvement.” (“One In Three Young U.S. Workers Are Underemployed,” Gallup, 5/9/12)
“More Now Than at Any Time in Past Year Working Part Time, Looking for Full-Time Job. Another 18.4% of young adults in the workforce were working part time but wanting to work full time in April. This is up from 17.5% in March and 17.1% in April a year ago, and is the highest percentage of part-time young employees looking for full-time work seen during the past year.” (“One In Three Young U.S. Workers Are Underemployed,” Gallup, 5/9/12)
More Than Half ‘Disappointed,’ ‘Worried’ Or ‘Angry’ With The Obama Presidency
UNIVERSITY STUDY: “In a study to be released Thursday, the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University found that recent graduates are taking awhile to find work. Only 49% of graduates from the classes of 2009 to 2011 had found a full-time job within a year of finishing school…” (“For Most Graduates, Grueling Job Hunt Awaits,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/7/12)
AP: “The college class of 2012 is in for a rude welcome to the world of work. A weak labor market already has left half of young college graduates either jobless or underemployed…” (“1 In 2 New Graduates Are Jobless Or Underemployed,” The Associated Press, 4/23/12)
· “…53.6 percent, of bachelor’s degree-holders under the age of 25 last year were jobless or underemployed…” (“1 In 2 New Graduates Are Jobless Or Underemployed,” The Associated Press, 4/23/12)
WSJ: “The U.S. labor market is in a malaise, but young adults are in crisis.” (“Generation Jobless: For Those Under 24, A Portrait In Crisis,” The Wall Street Journal, 11/7/11)
PEW: “…the lowest employment-to-population ratio for young adults since 1948.” (Pew Research Center, 2/9/12)
ABC NEWS: “A survey released Thursday showed that only 34 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds are ‘satisfied’ with the Obama presidency. More than half — 51 percent – said they were either ‘disappointed,’ ‘worried’ or ‘angry,’ according to the survey from the Public Religion Research Institute and Georgetown University’s Berkeley Center.” (“Bad Economy Puts Obama In Tight Spot With Young Voters,” ABC News, 4/20/12)
“Nearly 25 million adults live at home with their parents because they’re unemployed or underemployed…” (TIME Magazine, 2/14/12)
Jobs Groups ‘Strongly Oppose’ Dem Tax Hike
‘Organizations Representing Millions Of Employers’ Sound Alarm Over ‘A Tax Increase’ That Could Hit ‘A Significant Portion Of The American Economy’
Job Groups: ‘We Strongly Oppose The Provision’
JOBS GROUPS LETTER: “As organizations representing millions of employers, we strongly oppose the provision in S. 2343 to increase payroll taxes… by $9 billion.” (37 Jobs Groups, Letter To Senators Harry Reid And Mitch McConnell, 5/3/12)
· “…this provision represents a tax increase rather than a clarification of existing tax burdens.” (37 Jobs Groups, Letter To Senators Harry Reid And Mitch McConnell, 5/3/12)
· “…could embrace a significant portion of the American economy. Closely-held businesses engaged in health, real estate, engineering, architecture, consulting, financial services, billing, and other fields could be affected.” (37 Jobs Groups, Letter To Senators Harry Reid And Mitch McConnell, 5/3/12)
· “Legislation similar to the payroll tax provision in S. 2343 failed to move through the Senate in 2010. Like S. 2343, that provision was made public at the last minute and brought directly to the Senate floor.” (37 Jobs Groups, Letter To Senators Harry Reid And Mitch McConnell, 5/3/12)
· “…we are concerned that the permanent payroll tax increase in S. 2343 would be used to fund a temporary program… we would argue that payroll tax collections should be reserved for Medicare and Social Security and not diverted to offset unrelated federal spending.” (37 Jobs Groups, Letter To Senators Harry Reid And Mitch McConnell, 5/3/12)
Letter Signed By:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
National Federation of Independent Businesses
National Small Business Association
Air Conditioning Contractors of America
American Bankers Association
American Council of Engineering Companies
The American Institute of Architects
American Rental Association
American Supply Association
Associated Builders and Contractors
Associated Equipment Distributors
Associated General Contractors of America
Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association
Financial Executives International’s Committee on Private Company Policy
Financial Planning Association
Financial Services Institute, Inc.
Independent Community Bankers of America
Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America
International Foodservice Distributors Association
International Franchise Association
National Apartment Association
The National Association for the Self-Employed
National Association of Convenience Stores
National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors
National Electrical Contractors Association
National Funeral Directors Association
National Grocers Association
National Multi Housing Council
National Restaurant Association
National Roofing Contractors Association
National Utility Contractors Association
Printing Industries of America
Professional Beauty Association
The S Corporation Association
Truck Renting & Leasing Association
U.S. Business and Industry Council
Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America
Obama Economy ‘Grueling’ For Grads
New Study: ‘Only 49% Of Graduates From The Classes Of 2009 To 2011 Had Found A Full-Time Job Within A Year Of Finishing School’
University Research: Grads ‘May Never Catch Up’
“In a study to be released Thursday, the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University found that recent graduates are taking awhile to find work. Only 49% of graduates from the classes of 2009 to 2011 had found a full-time job within a year of finishing school…” (“For Most Graduates, Grueling Job Hunt Awaits,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/7/12)
· “…even when new graduates do find jobs, their starting salaries tend to be lower than those for their counterparts who graduated a decade earlier, adjusted for inflation. With a lower base pay, research shows they may never catch up.” (“For Most Graduates, Grueling Job Hunt Awaits,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/7/12)
· “Men and women both now earn just a bit more than they did in 1989…” “According to the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank… Men and women both now earn just a bit more than they did in 1989, when measured in 2011 dollars.” (“For Most Graduates, Grueling Job Hunt Awaits,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/7/12)
More Than Half ‘Disappointed,’ ‘Worried’ Or ‘Angry’ With The Obama Presidency
AP: “The college class of 2012 is in for a rude welcome to the world of work. A weak labor market already has left half of young college graduates either jobless or underemployed…” (“1 In 2 New Graduates Are Jobless Or Underemployed,” The Associated Press, 4/23/12)
· “…53.6 percent, of bachelor’s degree-holders under the age of 25 last year were jobless or underemployed…” (“1 In 2 New Graduates Are Jobless Or Underemployed,” The Associated Press, 4/23/12)
WSJ: “The U.S. labor market is in a malaise, but young adults are in crisis.” (“Generation Jobless: For Those Under 24, A Portrait In Crisis,” The Wall Street Journal, 11/7/11)
PEW: “…the lowest employment-to-population ratio for young adults since 1948.” (Pew Research Center, 2/9/12)
· “Young adults hit hard by the recession… And the gap in employment between the young and all working-age adults—roughly 15 percentage points—is the widest in recorded history. In addition, young adults employed full time have experienced a greater drop in weekly earnings (down 6%) than any other age group over the past five years.” (Pew Research Center, 2/9/12)
ABC NEWS: “A survey released Thursday showed that only 34 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds are ‘satisfied’ with the Obama presidency. More than half — 51 percent – said they were either ‘disappointed,’ ‘worried’ or ‘angry,’ according to the survey from the Public Religion Research Institute and Georgetown University’s Berkeley Center.” (“Bad Economy Puts Obama In Tight Spot With Young Voters,” ABC News, 4/20/12)
THE ATLANTIC: “It is, very simply, a tough time to be young.” (“No Country For Young Men (Or Young Women),” The Atlantic, 11/8/11)
‘25 Million Adults Live At Home With Their Parents’
TIME: “Nearly 25 million adults live at home with their parents because they’re unemployed or underemployed…” (“Romance & Real Estate: How Your Housing Situation Affects Your Love Life,” TIME Magazine, 2/14/12)
PEW: “Roughly a quarter of adults ages 18 to 34 (24%) say that, due to economic conditions, they have moved back in with their parents in recent years after living on their own. Among those ages 25 to 29, the share moving back home rises to 34%.” (Pew Research Center, 2/9/12)
MSNBC: “Their employment prospects are dim, their debt is high, their lives are on hold and a stunning number are living with their parents, even into their 30s. They are young adults, 18 to 34, struggling to begin their adult lives during the worst economy since the Great Depression, and they risk becoming a lost generation…” (MSNBC, 11/2/11)
