Pirate's Cove

Obama zombies tell us we should be more positive about the economy, ones such as Robert Samuelson at the Washington Post

It may be time to move beyond pessimism. Ever since the financial crisis, Americans have wallowed in fear and anxiety. Understandably. Although a recovery — as defined by academic economists — started about two years ago, it hasn’t felt like one. Of the 8.7 million payroll jobs lost in the recession, only 1.8 million have returned. The recovery rivals the slowest since World War II and faces continued threats. High oil prices. Europe’s debt crisis. Unexpected inflation. Washington’s bickering over the federal debt ceiling.

Somehow, we are supposed to find cheer in something or other in the economy. He tries his hand at telling us why we shouldn’t be so gloomy, yet, let’s cut to a different page of the Washington Post

Cash-strapped states are scaling back efforts to provide life-saving medicines to HIV patients.

The result: more than 8,300 people — a record number — are on waiting lists in 13 states to get antiretrovirals and other drugs used to treat HIV and AIDS or the side effects, mental health conditions or opportunistic infections. And that number probably understates the need, say advocates, who note that many states have simply eliminated waiting lists or reduced eligibility.

This is just another example showing the economy as being stagnent: states aren’t seeing enough operating revenue, because people are still out of work, meaning lower income tax revenue, aren’t buying stuff, meaning lower sales taxes, and aren’t purchasing as much property (boats, auto’s, land, homes), meaning lower property tax revenue. (also, this is what implementation of ObamaCare will look like). Speaking of jobs

Some of the states that have drained their unemployment insurance funds are cutting the number of weeks that a laid-off worker can count on those benefits. Legislators are trying to limit tax increases for businesses to replenish the pool and are hoping the federal government keeps stepping in when the economy slumps.

And high unemployment looks to keep on chugging along. The damage the Democrats did with their spending spree from 2009-2010, which painted a few bridges and filled some potholes, led to their historic loss of the House. Socialists in Spain found themselves out of their own jobs

Spain’s governing Socialist party has suffered heavy losses in local and regional elections.

With municipal votes counted, the centre-right Popular Party (PP) had a 10-percentage point lead, winning in virtually all 13 regions up for grabs.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero conceded defeat but ruled out early general elections.

Voting took place amid mass protests against high unemployment and the government’s handling of the economy.

Socialism may somewhat work when everything is just hunky dorey, but, when the poop hits the fan, socialist policies are a disaster. And usually make the situation much worse and last for longer than it should.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.