Economy is roaring

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Trump supporters simply aren't willing to see what is behind the curtain. It is really sad how people seem to no longer care about most of the metrics that signal a strong economy that isn't being goosed by significant deficit spending that doesn't invest in our country.

You can't stand the fact people have jobs and money. It's going to be very difficult for the Democrats on the issue of the economy. At the end of the day Joe Schmo care about whether they have a job to put food on their table and their 401k. Hate to break the news to you, but we are basically at all time lows for unemployment and the s and p 500 is over 3000. Dems are screwed when it comes to the economy.

Get it into your skull that most Joe Schmoes don’t have 401ks. And most people no longer have pensions. And where is the will to put SS back on sure footing now that the economy is so hot? Also why do cons never quote the poverty rate?

Get it through your stupid thick skull that the majority of Americans DO actually have vested interest in the stock market. Try posting cited facts next time instead of made up BS you may have heard in MSNBC.

At least half of all households have investments in stocks according to this 2017 paper:

https://www.nber.org/papers/w24085

In another fairly recent poll, over half of of responders stated they own stocks

https://news.gallup.com/poll/211052/stock-ownership-down-among-older-higher-income.aspx

The percentage of employers offering 401k or other retirement plans even as 2014 was at 79%

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/11/01/cheat-sheet-best-ways-improve-401ks/18179071/

If there are people who don't own a 401k or some type of retirement account, it is likely due to their own negligence and terrible personal responsibility at this point when the vast majority of employers offer such plans. You can also open up one yourself.

But regardless of this aside to address your asinine comment, the majority of Americans do have vested interest the market whether to they know it or not. SS? That is a horribly inefficient money suck that is going bankrupt. The performance of the market and the economy overall spells big trouble for the Democrats whether you want to hear it or not. Besides the market performance, unemployment numbers are at historic lows. Incomes are increasing. The US economy hasn't been like this since the Golden Era post WW2.

I just want to point out the level of nastiness of this poster, since cons are constantly harping about mean liberals. Goes to show nastiness is not something only one side specializes in.

At any rate, it's clear you haven't heard the statistic of how many Americans -- 40% -- would not be able to come up with $400 for an emergency. So many people living precariously, on the cusp of financial disaster. How are people who live paycheck to paycheck supposed to put away any meaningful amount of money to a 401k? Yes I know experts will say even if you just save $10 a month that is something. But is saving $10 a month going to fund your retirement? Nope.

It's too bad you live in such a bubble that you can't relate to or deny the existence of or having nothing but snide remarks for people who struggle. But that is typical for the GOP.

p.s. the headline of the article you posted is this: U.S. Stock Ownership Down Among All but Older, Higher-Income.

So, the rich are getting richer. That is true. But when almost half the country doesn't own stocks, the stock market is not the end-all-be-all of economic health. It just isn't no matter how you try to make all those millions of pesky Americans who don't own stock disappear.

Oh please. What is it you liberals want? You can't legislate people to be financially responsible. How much hand holding like babies do people need in order to take charge of their lives and finances? People spend half their entire lives these days wasting inordinate amounts of time on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media. Maybe instead of draining their brains on useless minutae that will never affect their lives they should spend a few hours reading up on the basics of personal finance 101. I learned about investing and personal finance because I chose to go out and read books on the subject matter. I mean at this point, you don't even need to read books, you can get tons of good information on YouTube and sites like Reddit. 79% of employers offer a retirement plan of some sort. If an employer doesn't offer one you can always open up one yourself and contribute. And quit with the sob stories of living paycheck to paycheck. If people were so stupid and terrible with finances, they'd realize that they can contribute to their retirement accounts with almost minimal impact on their take home pay because you can reduce the amount of taxes you owe. At this day in age, with the vast majority of employers offer plans and the ability to easily open up an account yourself online, and the fact that it is entirely possible to find a sweet spot for contributions that will have minimal impact on your take home pay, means people have no one to blame but themselves.

I used to live paycheck to paycheck for 6 years while in grad school living off of near poverty wages in a hcol area. $29,725 for two people. My wife was not allowed to work at that time. The university had a policy of requiring that all spouses had to have insurance, but departments would only cover the cost of the student's health care plan. It means I had to pay $475 per month for my wife's coverage in order to stay in school, which is crushing on such a low income. Yet somehow, someway we still managed to save almost $1000 per year every year into my IRA with pre-tax contributions. Those savings have now returned quite a bit of money over the last decade. I don't want to hear son stories of living paycheck to paycheck. Because I did it for years and supported two people on essentially what's a McDonald or Walmart workers salary while in grad school.

And your last point regarding the source. I mean duh. Older people make more and own more in stocks. They've been contributing a lot longer. Many people also have investments that re-invest dividends etc, so it isn't shocking at all that older people will make more money and acquire more shares than younger people. The point of that source was in response to anther poster who stated that the majority of Americans don't have 401ks. Maybe that's true, but the vast majority of employers offer plans, and the majority of Americans DO actually invest in stocks when you combine all forms of retirement accounts and investing directly into the market with taxable accounts. Many people are very happy to see the market and economy exploding. And the Democrats are going to have a very difficult time ahead for themselves come 2020 on the issue of the economy. If Trump signs a Chinese trade deal, the markets are going to explode even more. We may have never seen a market and economy like this in American history if it keeps firing like this and at this rate if the trade deal also gets signed.

[Anonymous]

As has been the case for decades, economic trends are driven by the life-cycle of baby boomers simply because of their numbers.

Unemployment is staying low as baby boomers are retiring, while the boomers still in the workforce pump up the stock market by maxing contributions to their 401k's to prepare for retirement.

Job growth in health care, leisure and hospitality, and other personal services is largely due to increased demand from boomers.

There will be a tipping point in the next decade once most boomers have retired, when their health costs will keep going up, they will pull more out of investment accounts than they put in, and their consumer spending will go down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I used to live paycheck to paycheck for 6 years while in grad school living off of near poverty wages in a hcol area. $29,725 for two people. My wife was not allowed to work at that time. The university had a policy of requiring that all spouses had to have insurance, but departments would only cover the cost of the student's health care plan. It means I had to pay $475 per month for my wife's coverage in order to stay in school, which is crushing on such a low income. Yet somehow, someway we still managed to save almost $1000 per year every year into my IRA with pre-tax contributions. Those savings have now returned quite a bit of money over the last decade. I don't want to hear son stories of living paycheck to paycheck. Because I did it for years and supported two people on essentially what's a McDonald or Walmart workers salary while in grad school.

It is easy to live poor while in graduate school because you are full of hope for the future. But our nation does need garbage men, waiters, gardeners, etc. These people have to live on that money for the rest of their life. They cannot all eventually have whatever fancy job you have. It is harder to scrap and save knowing there will never be an end.

(but also, these people vote. and they are not doing well. You telling them they are bad bad bad isn't going to make them appreciate what Trump has done for you)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I used to live paycheck to paycheck for 6 years while in grad school living off of near poverty wages in a hcol area. $29,725 for two people. My wife was not allowed to work at that time. The university had a policy of requiring that all spouses had to have insurance, but departments would only cover the cost of the student's health care plan. It means I had to pay $475 per month for my wife's coverage in order to stay in school, which is crushing on such a low income. Yet somehow, someway we still managed to save almost $1000 per year every year into my IRA with pre-tax contributions. Those savings have now returned quite a bit of money over the last decade. I don't want to hear son stories of living paycheck to paycheck. Because I did it for years and supported two people on essentially what's a McDonald or Walmart workers salary while in grad school.

It is easy to live poor while in graduate school because you are full of hope for the future. But our nation does need garbage men, waiters, gardeners, etc. These people have to live on that money for the rest of their life. They cannot all eventually have whatever fancy job you have. It is harder to scrap and save knowing there will never be an end.

(but also, these people vote. and they are not doing well. You telling them they are bad bad bad isn't going to make them appreciate what Trump has done for you)

+1. An the former grad student should be grateful for their abilities. Many don’t have them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Trump supporters simply aren't willing to see what is behind the curtain. It is really sad how people seem to no longer care about most of the metrics that signal a strong economy that isn't being goosed by significant deficit spending that doesn't invest in our country.

You can't stand the fact people have jobs and money. It's going to be very difficult for the Democrats on the issue of the economy. At the end of the day Joe Schmo care about whether they have a job to put food on their table and their 401k. Hate to break the news to you, but we are basically at all time lows for unemployment and the s and p 500 is over 3000. Dems are screwed when it comes to the economy.

Get it into your skull that most Joe Schmoes don’t have 401ks. And most people no longer have pensions. And where is the will to put SS back on sure footing now that the economy is so hot? Also why do cons never quote the poverty rate?

Get it through your stupid thick skull that the majority of Americans DO actually have vested interest in the stock market. Try posting cited facts next time instead of made up BS you may have heard in MSNBC.

At least half of all households have investments in stocks according to this 2017 paper:

https://www.nber.org/papers/w24085

In another fairly recent poll, over half of of responders stated they own stocks

https://news.gallup.com/poll/211052/stock-ownership-down-among-older-higher-income.aspx

The percentage of employers offering 401k or other retirement plans even as 2014 was at 79%

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/11/01/cheat-sheet-best-ways-improve-401ks/18179071/

If there are people who don't own a 401k or some type of retirement account, it is likely due to their own negligence and terrible personal responsibility at this point when the vast majority of employers offer such plans. You can also open up one yourself.

But regardless of this aside to address your asinine comment, the majority of Americans do have vested interest the market whether to they know it or not. SS? That is a horribly inefficient money suck that is going bankrupt. The performance of the market and the economy overall spells big trouble for the Democrats whether you want to hear it or not. Besides the market performance, unemployment numbers are at historic lows. Incomes are increasing. The US economy hasn't been like this since the Golden Era post WW2.

I just want to point out the level of nastiness of this poster, since cons are constantly harping about mean liberals. Goes to show nastiness is not something only one side specializes in.

At any rate, it's clear you haven't heard the statistic of how many Americans -- 40% -- would not be able to come up with $400 for an emergency. So many people living precariously, on the cusp of financial disaster. How are people who live paycheck to paycheck supposed to put away any meaningful amount of money to a 401k? Yes I know experts will say even if you just save $10 a month that is something. But is saving $10 a month going to fund your retirement? Nope.

It's too bad you live in such a bubble that you can't relate to or deny the existence of or having nothing but snide remarks for people who struggle. But that is typical for the GOP.

p.s. the headline of the article you posted is this: U.S. Stock Ownership Down Among All but Older, Higher-Income.

So, the rich are getting richer. That is true. But when almost half the country doesn't own stocks, the stock market is not the end-all-be-all of economic health. It just isn't no matter how you try to make all those millions of pesky Americans who don't own stock disappear.

Oh please. What is it you liberals want? You can't legislate people to be financially responsible. How much hand holding like babies do people need in order to take charge of their lives and finances? People spend half their entire lives these days wasting inordinate amounts of time on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media. Maybe instead of draining their brains on useless minutae that will never affect their lives they should spend a few hours reading up on the basics of personal finance 101. I learned about investing and personal finance because I chose to go out and read books on the subject matter. I mean at this point, you don't even need to read books, you can get tons of good information on YouTube and sites like Reddit. 79% of employers offer a retirement plan of some sort. If an employer doesn't offer one you can always open up one yourself and contribute. And quit with the sob stories of living paycheck to paycheck. If people were so stupid and terrible with finances, they'd realize that they can contribute to their retirement accounts with almost minimal impact on their take home pay because you can reduce the amount of taxes you owe. At this day in age, with the vast majority of employers offer plans and the ability to easily open up an account yourself online, and the fact that it is entirely possible to find a sweet spot for contributions that will have minimal impact on your take home pay, means people have no one to blame but themselves.

I used to live paycheck to paycheck for 6 years while in grad school living off of near poverty wages in a hcol area. $29,725 for two people. My wife was not allowed to work at that time. The university had a policy of requiring that all spouses had to have insurance, but departments would only cover the cost of the student's health care plan. It means I had to pay $475 per month for my wife's coverage in order to stay in school, which is crushing on such a low income. Yet somehow, someway we still managed to save almost $1000 per year every year into my IRA with pre-tax contributions. Those savings have now returned quite a bit of money over the last decade. I don't want to hear son stories of living paycheck to paycheck. Because I did it for years and supported two people on essentially what's a McDonald or Walmart workers salary while in grad school.

And your last point regarding the source. I mean duh. Older people make more and own more in stocks. They've been contributing a lot longer. Many people also have investments that re-invest dividends etc, so it isn't shocking at all that older people will make more money and acquire more shares than younger people. The point of that source was in response to anther poster who stated that the majority of Americans don't have 401ks. Maybe that's true, but the vast majority of employers offer plans, and the majority of Americans DO actually invest in stocks when you combine all forms of retirement accounts and investing directly into the market with taxable accounts. Many people are very happy to see the market and economy exploding. And the Democrats are going to have a very difficult time ahead for themselves come 2020 on the issue of the economy. If Trump signs a Chinese trade deal, the markets are going to explode even more. We may have never seen a market and economy like this in American history if it keeps firing like this and at this rate if the trade deal also gets signed.

The economy is experiencing a sugar high. Don’t be naive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Trump supporters simply aren't willing to see what is behind the curtain. It is really sad how people seem to no longer care about most of the metrics that signal a strong economy that isn't being goosed by significant deficit spending that doesn't invest in our country.

You can't stand the fact people have jobs and money. It's going to be very difficult for the Democrats on the issue of the economy. At the end of the day Joe Schmo care about whether they have a job to put food on their table and their 401k. Hate to break the news to you, but we are basically at all time lows for unemployment and the s and p 500 is over 3000. Dems are screwed when it comes to the economy.

Get it into your skull that most Joe Schmoes don’t have 401ks. And most people no longer have pensions. And where is the will to put SS back on sure footing now that the economy is so hot? Also why do cons never quote the poverty rate?

Get it through your stupid thick skull that the majority of Americans DO actually have vested interest in the stock market. Try posting cited facts next time instead of made up BS you may have heard in MSNBC.

At least half of all households have investments in stocks according to this 2017 paper:

https://www.nber.org/papers/w24085

In another fairly recent poll, over half of of responders stated they own stocks

https://news.gallup.com/poll/211052/stock-ownership-down-among-older-higher-income.aspx

The percentage of employers offering 401k or other retirement plans even as 2014 was at 79%

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/11/01/cheat-sheet-best-ways-improve-401ks/18179071/

If there are people who don't own a 401k or some type of retirement account, it is likely due to their own negligence and terrible personal responsibility at this point when the vast majority of employers offer such plans. You can also open up one yourself.

But regardless of this aside to address your asinine comment, the majority of Americans do have vested interest the market whether to they know it or not. SS? That is a horribly inefficient money suck that is going bankrupt. The performance of the market and the economy overall spells big trouble for the Democrats whether you want to hear it or not. Besides the market performance, unemployment numbers are at historic lows. Incomes are increasing. The US economy hasn't been like this since the Golden Era post WW2.

I just want to point out the level of nastiness of this poster, since cons are constantly harping about mean liberals. Goes to show nastiness is not something only one side specializes in.

At any rate, it's clear you haven't heard the statistic of how many Americans -- 40% -- would not be able to come up with $400 for an emergency. So many people living precariously, on the cusp of financial disaster. How are people who live paycheck to paycheck supposed to put away any meaningful amount of money to a 401k? Yes I know experts will say even if you just save $10 a month that is something. But is saving $10 a month going to fund your retirement? Nope.

It's too bad you live in such a bubble that you can't relate to or deny the existence of or having nothing but snide remarks for people who struggle. But that is typical for the GOP.

p.s. the headline of the article you posted is this: U.S. Stock Ownership Down Among All but Older, Higher-Income.

So, the rich are getting richer. That is true. But when almost half the country doesn't own stocks, the stock market is not the end-all-be-all of economic health. It just isn't no matter how you try to make all those millions of pesky Americans who don't own stock disappear.

What you're trying to sell us on is to socialize the failure of one group to save for the future over the larger group and I say NO.

Google The Ant and the Grasshopper (new version for 2018)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Many people are very happy to see the market and economy exploding. And the Democrats are going to have a very difficult time ahead for themselves come 2020 on the issue of the economy. If Trump signs a Chinese trade deal, the markets are going to explode even more. We may have never seen a market and economy like this in American history if it keeps firing like this and at this rate if the trade deal also gets signed.

Since when is annual growth of under 3% considered an explosion? I'm pretty we've seen better. Much better.

And if, as you believe, the economy is doing so well, then why is Trump exploding the annual deficit (after Obama steadily reduced it over his eight years in office)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Many people are very happy to see the market and economy exploding. And the Democrats are going to have a very difficult time ahead for themselves come 2020 on the issue of the economy. If Trump signs a Chinese trade deal, the markets are going to explode even more. We may have never seen a market and economy like this in American history if it keeps firing like this and at this rate if the trade deal also gets signed.

Since when is annual growth of under 3% considered an explosion? I'm pretty we've seen better. Much better.

And if, as you believe, the economy is doing so well, then why is Trump exploding the annual deficit (after Obama steadily reduced it over his eight years in office)?

Percents are relative, genius.

It's much easier to grow an economy by 8-10% after it massively tanks or it is much smaller, than growing an economy that has a large GDP.

Go look up the following answers to these questions and post what you find here with cited sources.

What is the current unemployment rate and how does it compare to unemployment levels for the last 75 years?

At what percentage are real house hold incomes increasing or decreasing since 2016?

How much has the market grown since 2016?

How much has inflation been increasing over the last 4 years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Many people are very happy to see the market and economy exploding. And the Democrats are going to have a very difficult time ahead for themselves come 2020 on the issue of the economy. If Trump signs a Chinese trade deal, the markets are going to explode even more. We may have never seen a market and economy like this in American history if it keeps firing like this and at this rate if the trade deal also gets signed.

Since when is annual growth of under 3% considered an explosion? I'm pretty we've seen better. Much better.

And if, as you believe, the economy is doing so well, then why is Trump exploding the annual deficit (after Obama steadily reduced it over his eight years in office)?

Percents are relative, genius.

It's much easier to grow an economy by 8-10% after it massively tanks or it is much smaller, than growing an economy that has a large GDP.

Go look up the following answers to these questions and post what you find here with cited sources.

What is the current unemployment rate and how does it compare to unemployment levels for the last 75 years?

At what percentage are real house hold incomes increasing or decreasing since 2016?

How much has the market grown since 2016?

How much has inflation been increasing over the last 4 years?

DP. Trump said he'd make the GDP grow at 5 or 6 percent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Many people are very happy to see the market and economy exploding. And the Democrats are going to have a very difficult time ahead for themselves come 2020 on the issue of the economy. If Trump signs a Chinese trade deal, the markets are going to explode even more. We may have never seen a market and economy like this in American history if it keeps firing like this and at this rate if the trade deal also gets signed.

Since when is annual growth of under 3% considered an explosion? I'm pretty we've seen better. Much better.

And if, as you believe, the economy is doing so well, then why is Trump exploding the annual deficit (after Obama steadily reduced it over his eight years in office)?

Percents are relative, genius.

It's much easier to grow an economy by 8-10% after it massively tanks or it is much smaller, than growing an economy that has a large GDP.

Go look up the following answers to these questions and post what you find here with cited sources.

What is the current unemployment rate and how does it compare to unemployment levels for the last 75 years?

At what percentage are real house hold incomes increasing or decreasing since 2016?

How much has the market grown since 2016?

How much has inflation been increasing over the last 4 years?

DP. Trump said he'd make the GDP grow at 5 or 6 percent.

So basically you've got nothing. The economy continues to grow at a pace that's good because it isn't overheating and leading to substantial rates of inflation increases. Inflation remains incredibly low, the S and P 500 is now over the 3000 for the first time in history, we have unemployment levels never seen since about the 50s and 60s, and HHIs are increasing in real terms. Americans are winning, despite how negative the Democrats are. The Democrats would love it if people lost jobs, inflation started increasing, and if the stock market crashed just to score some political points. Democrats can't stand the fact that Americans are doing so well right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

What is the current unemployment rate and how does it compare to unemployment levels for the last 75 years?

I have no idea. Trump repeatedly told us that the jobs numbers are fake. So we shouldn't believe them.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/03/10/19-times-trump-called-the-jobs-numbers-fake-before-they-made-him-look-good/

[Anonymous]

I haven't believed any gov numbers for the past 30 years. They're all cooked for politics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't believed any gov numbers for the past 30 years. They're all cooked for politics.

100% true for CBO scoring. That's why the ACA was "budget neutral" (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha....)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What is the current unemployment rate and how does it compare to unemployment levels for the last 75 years?

I have no idea. Trump repeatedly told us that the jobs numbers are fake. So we shouldn't believe them.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/03/10/19-times-trump-called-the-jobs-numbers-fake-before-they-made-him-look-good/

I am am finishing a terminal degree and every job I see is basically paying next to nothing for my skill set. I have friends who graduated with a similar skill set who made 6 figures coming out of their program in 2010. Now if I want to work at Starbucks I am set. There a loads of low skilled low paying jobs.

[Anonymous]

If the economy is so great, why are the budget and trade deficits at record levels?

Why are jobs still being outsourced to other countries?

Why is the infrastructure rotting?

I thought the Tax Cuts for Wealthy Donors and Jobs Act was supposed to fix everything?