AMERICAN CONSERVATISM IN 2008 AND BEYOND

ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/suppl/empsit.cpseea1.txt
2001 ------------ 4.7 BUSH 43
2002 ------------ 5.8
2003 ------------ 6.0
2004 ------------ 5.5
2005 ------------ 5.1
2006 ------------ 4.6
2007 ------------ 4.6 (Democrats blocked rectification of F&F&G)
2008 (Democrats blocked rectification of F&F&G)
January -------- 4.9
February ------- 4.8
March ---------- 5.1
April ---------- 5.0
May ------------ 5.5
June ----------- 5.5
July ----------- 5.7
August --------- 6.1
September ------ 6.1
October -------- 6.5
November ------- 6.7
December ------- ?
2009
January ---------- ?

Title: Civilian Unemployment Rate
Series ID: UNRATE
Source: U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Release: The Employment Situation
Seasonal Adjustment: Seasonally Adjusted
Frequency: Monthly
Units: Percent
Date Range: 1948-01-01 to 2009-01-01
Last Updated: 2009-02-06 10:16 AM CST
Notes: Persons 16 years of age and older.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced several revisions to
the Household Survey on Friday Feb.7th 2003, with the release of the
January 2003 Data. They introduced the Census 2000 population controls
(which affect data back to 2000 and cause a break in the data in
January 2000), a new seasonal adjustment procedure, and new seasonal
factors back to January 1998. For further information contact the
Current Employment Statistics (CES) homepage at www.bls.gov/ces or by
calling 202-691-6555.

DATE VALUE
1948-01-01 3.4
1948-02-01 3.8
1948-03-01 4.0
1948-04-01 3.9
1948-05-01 3.5
1948-06-01 3.6
1948-07-01 3.6
1948-08-01 3.9
1948-09-01 3.8
1948-10-01 3.7
1948-11-01 3.8
1948-12-01 4.0
1949-01-01 4.3
1949-02-01 4.7
1949-03-01 5.0
1949-04-01 5.3
1949-05-01 6.1
1949-06-01 6.2
1949-07-01 6.7
1949-08-01 6.8
1949-09-01 6.6
1949-10-01 7.9
1949-11-01 6.4
1949-12-01 6.6
1950-01-01 6.5
1950-02-01 6.4
1950-03-01 6.3
1950-04-01 5.8
1950-05-01 5.5
1950-06-01 5.4
1950-07-01 5.0
1950-08-01 4.5
1950-09-01 4.4
1950-10-01 4.2
1950-11-01 4.2
1950-12-01 4.3
1951-01-01 3.7
1951-02-01 3.4
1951-03-01 3.4
1951-04-01 3.1
1951-05-01 3.0
1951-06-01 3.2
1951-07-01 3.1
1951-08-01 3.1
1951-09-01 3.3
1951-10-01 3.5
1951-11-01 3.5
1951-12-01 3.1
1952-01-01 3.2
1952-02-01 3.1
1952-03-01 2.9
1952-04-01 2.9
1952-05-01 3.0
1952-06-01 3.0
1952-07-01 3.2
1952-08-01 3.4
1952-09-01 3.1
1952-10-01 3.0
1952-11-01 2.8
1952-12-01 2.7
1953-01-01 2.9
1953-02-01 2.6
1953-03-01 2.6
1953-04-01 2.7
1953-05-01 2.5
1953-06-01 2.5
1953-07-01 2.6
1953-08-01 2.7
1953-09-01 2.9
1953-10-01 3.1
1953-11-01 3.5
1953-12-01 4.5
1954-01-01 4.9
1954-02-01 5.2
1954-03-01 5.7
1954-04-01 5.9
1954-05-01 5.9
1954-06-01 5.6
1954-07-01 5.8
1954-08-01 6.0
1954-09-01 6.1
1954-10-01 5.7
1954-11-01 5.3
1954-12-01 5.0
1955-01-01 4.9
1955-02-01 4.7
1955-03-01 4.6
1955-04-01 4.7
1955-05-01 4.3
1955-06-01 4.2
1955-07-01 4.0
1955-08-01 4.2
1955-09-01 4.1
1955-10-01 4.3
1955-11-01 4.2
1955-12-01 4.2
1956-01-01 4.0
1956-02-01 3.9
1956-03-01 4.2
1956-04-01 4.0
1956-05-01 4.3
1956-06-01 4.3
1956-07-01 4.4
1956-08-01 4.1
1956-09-01 3.9
1956-10-01 3.9
1956-11-01 4.3
1956-12-01 4.2
1957-01-01 4.2
1957-02-01 3.9
1957-03-01 3.7
1957-04-01 3.9
1957-05-01 4.1
1957-06-01 4.3
1957-07-01 4.2
1957-08-01 4.1
1957-09-01 4.4
1957-10-01 4.5
1957-11-01 5.1
1957-12-01 5.2
1958-01-01 5.8
1958-02-01 6.4
1958-03-01 6.7
1958-04-01 7.4
1958-05-01 7.4
1958-06-01 7.3
1958-07-01 7.5
1958-08-01 7.4
1958-09-01 7.1
1958-10-01 6.7
1958-11-01 6.2
1958-12-01 6.2
1959-01-01 6.0
1959-02-01 5.9
1959-03-01 5.6
1959-04-01 5.2
1959-05-01 5.1
1959-06-01 5.0
1959-07-01 5.1
1959-08-01 5.2
1959-09-01 5.5
1959-10-01 5.7
1959-11-01 5.8
1959-12-01 5.3
1960-01-01 5.2
1960-02-01 4.8
1960-03-01 5.4
1960-04-01 5.2
1960-05-01 5.1
1960-06-01 5.4
1960-07-01 5.5
1960-08-01 5.6
1960-09-01 5.5
1960-10-01 6.1
1960-11-01 6.1
1960-12-01 6.6
1961-01-01 6.6
1961-02-01 6.9
1961-03-01 6.9
1961-04-01 7.0
1961-05-01 7.1
1961-06-01 6.9
1961-07-01 7.0
1961-08-01 6.6
1961-09-01 6.7
1961-10-01 6.5
1961-11-01 6.1
1961-12-01 6.0
1962-01-01 5.8
1962-02-01 5.5
1962-03-01 5.6
1962-04-01 5.6
1962-05-01 5.5
1962-06-01 5.5
1962-07-01 5.4
1962-08-01 5.7
1962-09-01 5.6
1962-10-01 5.4
1962-11-01 5.7
1962-12-01 5.5
1963-01-01 5.7
1963-02-01 5.9
1963-03-01 5.7
1963-04-01 5.7
1963-05-01 5.9
1963-06-01 5.6
1963-07-01 5.6
1963-08-01 5.4
1963-09-01 5.5
1963-10-01 5.5
1963-11-01 5.7
1963-12-01 5.5
1964-01-01 5.6
1964-02-01 5.4
1964-03-01 5.4
1964-04-01 5.3
1964-05-01 5.1
1964-06-01 5.2
1964-07-01 4.9
1964-08-01 5.0
1964-09-01 5.1
1964-10-01 5.1
1964-11-01 4.8
1964-12-01 5.0
1965-01-01 4.9
1965-02-01 5.1
1965-03-01 4.7
1965-04-01 4.8
1965-05-01 4.6
1965-06-01 4.6
1965-07-01 4.4
1965-08-01 4.4
1965-09-01 4.3
1965-10-01 4.2
1965-11-01 4.1
1965-12-01 4.0
1966-01-01 4.0
1966-02-01 3.8
1966-03-01 3.8
1966-04-01 3.8
1966-05-01 3.9
1966-06-01 3.8
1966-07-01 3.8
1966-08-01 3.8
1966-09-01 3.7
1966-10-01 3.7
1966-11-01 3.6
1966-12-01 3.8
1967-01-01 3.9
1967-02-01 3.8
1967-03-01 3.8
1967-04-01 3.8
1967-05-01 3.8
1967-06-01 3.9
1967-07-01 3.8
1967-08-01 3.8
1967-09-01 3.8
1967-10-01 4.0
1967-11-01 3.9
1967-12-01 3.8
1968-01-01 3.7
1968-02-01 3.8
1968-03-01 3.7
1968-04-01 3.5
1968-05-01 3.5
1968-06-01 3.7
1968-07-01 3.7
1968-08-01 3.5
1968-09-01 3.4
1968-10-01 3.4
1968-11-01 3.4
1968-12-01 3.4
1969-01-01 3.4
1969-02-01 3.4
1969-03-01 3.4
1969-04-01 3.4
1969-05-01 3.4
1969-06-01 3.5
1969-07-01 3.5
1969-08-01 3.5
1969-09-01 3.7
1969-10-01 3.7
1969-11-01 3.5
1969-12-01 3.5
1970-01-01 3.9
1970-02-01 4.2
1970-03-01 4.4
1970-04-01 4.6
1970-05-01 4.8
1970-06-01 4.9
1970-07-01 5.0
1970-08-01 5.1
1970-09-01 5.4
1970-10-01 5.5
1970-11-01 5.9
1970-12-01 6.1
1971-01-01 5.9
1971-02-01 5.9
1971-03-01 6.0
1971-04-01 5.9
1971-05-01 5.9
1971-06-01 5.9
1971-07-01 6.0
1971-08-01 6.1
1971-09-01 6.0
1971-10-01 5.8
1971-11-01 6.0
1971-12-01 6.0
1972-01-01 5.8
1972-02-01 5.7
1972-03-01 5.8
1972-04-01 5.7
1972-05-01 5.7
1972-06-01 5.7
1972-07-01 5.6
1972-08-01 5.6
1972-09-01 5.5
1972-10-01 5.6
1972-11-01 5.3
1972-12-01 5.2
1973-01-01 4.9
1973-02-01 5.0
1973-03-01 4.9
1973-04-01 5.0
1973-05-01 4.9
1973-06-01 4.9
1973-07-01 4.8
1973-08-01 4.8
1973-09-01 4.8
1973-10-01 4.6
1973-11-01 4.8
1973-12-01 4.9
1974-01-01 5.1
1974-02-01 5.2
1974-03-01 5.1
1974-04-01 5.1
1974-05-01 5.1
1974-06-01 5.4
1974-07-01 5.5
1974-08-01 5.5
1974-09-01 5.9
1974-10-01 6.0
1974-11-01 6.6
1974-12-01 7.2
1975-01-01 8.1
1975-02-01 8.1
1975-03-01 8.6
1975-04-01 8.8
1975-05-01 9.0
1975-06-01 8.8
1975-07-01 8.6
1975-08-01 8.4
1975-09-01 8.4
1975-10-01 8.4
1975-11-01 8.3
1975-12-01 8.2
1976-01-01 7.9
1976-02-01 7.7
1976-03-01 7.6
1976-04-01 7.7
1976-05-01 7.4
1976-06-01 7.6
1976-07-01 7.8
1976-08-01 7.8
1976-09-01 7.6
1976-10-01 7.7
1976-11-01 7.8
1976-12-01 7.8
1977-01-01 7.5
1977-02-01 7.6
1977-03-01 7.4
1977-04-01 7.2
1977-05-01 7.0
1977-06-01 7.2
1977-07-01 6.9
1977-08-01 7.0
1977-09-01 6.8
1977-10-01 6.8
1977-11-01 6.8
1977-12-01 6.4
1978-01-01 6.4
1978-02-01 6.3
1978-03-01 6.3
1978-04-01 6.1
1978-05-01 6.0
1978-06-01 5.9
1978-07-01 6.2
1978-08-01 5.9
1978-09-01 6.0
1978-10-01 5.8
1978-11-01 5.9
1978-12-01 6.0
1979-01-01 5.9
1979-02-01 5.9
1979-03-01 5.8
1979-04-01 5.8
1979-05-01 5.6
1979-06-01 5.7
1979-07-01 5.7
1979-08-01 6.0
1979-09-01 5.9
1979-10-01 6.0
1979-11-01 5.9
1979-12-01 6.0
1980-01-01 6.3
1980-02-01 6.3
1980-03-01 6.3
1980-04-01 6.9
1980-05-01 7.5
1980-06-01 7.6
1980-07-01 7.8
1980-08-01 7.7
1980-09-01 7.5
1980-10-01 7.5
1980-11-01 7.5
1980-12-01 7.2
1981-01-01 7.5
1981-02-01 7.4
1981-03-01 7.4
1981-04-01 7.2
1981-05-01 7.5
1981-06-01 7.5
1981-07-01 7.2
1981-08-01 7.4
1981-09-01 7.6
1981-10-01 7.9
1981-11-01 8.3
1981-12-01 8.5
1982-01-01 8.6
1982-02-01 8.9
1982-03-01 9.0
1982-04-01 9.3
1982-05-01 9.4
1982-06-01 9.6
1982-07-01 9.8
1982-08-01 9.8
1982-09-01 10.1
1982-10-01 10.4
1982-11-01 10.8
1982-12-01 10.8
1983-01-01 10.4
1983-02-01 10.4
1983-03-01 10.3
1983-04-01 10.2
1983-05-01 10.1
1983-06-01 10.1
1983-07-01 9.4
1983-08-01 9.5
1983-09-01 9.2
1983-10-01 8.8
1983-11-01 8.5
1983-12-01 8.3
1984-01-01 8.0
1984-02-01 7.8
1984-03-01 7.8
1984-04-01 7.7
1984-05-01 7.4
1984-06-01 7.2
1984-07-01 7.5
1984-08-01 7.5
1984-09-01 7.3
1984-10-01 7.4
1984-11-01 7.2
1984-12-01 7.3
1985-01-01 7.3
1985-02-01 7.2
1985-03-01 7.2
1985-04-01 7.3
1985-05-01 7.2
1985-06-01 7.4
1985-07-01 7.4
1985-08-01 7.1
1985-09-01 7.1
1985-10-01 7.1
1985-11-01 7.0
1985-12-01 7.0
1986-01-01 6.7
1986-02-01 7.2
1986-03-01 7.2
1986-04-01 7.1
1986-05-01 7.2
1986-06-01 7.2
1986-07-01 7.0
1986-08-01 6.9
1986-09-01 7.0
1986-10-01 7.0
1986-11-01 6.9
1986-12-01 6.6
1987-01-01 6.6
1987-02-01 6.6
1987-03-01 6.6
1987-04-01 6.3
1987-05-01 6.3
1987-06-01 6.2
1987-07-01 6.1
1987-08-01 6.0
1987-09-01 5.9
1987-10-01 6.0
1987-11-01 5.8
1987-12-01 5.7
1988-01-01 5.7
1988-02-01 5.7
1988-03-01 5.7
1988-04-01 5.4
1988-05-01 5.6
1988-06-01 5.4
1988-07-01 5.4
1988-08-01 5.6
1988-09-01 5.4
1988-10-01 5.4
1988-11-01 5.3
1988-12-01 5.3
1989-01-01 5.4
1989-02-01 5.2
1989-03-01 5.0
1989-04-01 5.2
1989-05-01 5.2
1989-06-01 5.3
1989-07-01 5.2
1989-08-01 5.2
1989-09-01 5.3
1989-10-01 5.3
1989-11-01 5.4
1989-12-01 5.4
1990-01-01 5.4
1990-02-01 5.3
1990-03-01 5.2
1990-04-01 5.4
1990-05-01 5.4
1990-06-01 5.2
1990-07-01 5.5
1990-08-01 5.7
1990-09-01 5.9
1990-10-01 5.9
1990-11-01 6.2
1990-12-01 6.3
1991-01-01 6.4
1991-02-01 6.6
1991-03-01 6.8
1991-04-01 6.7
1991-05-01 6.9
1991-06-01 6.9
1991-07-01 6.8
1991-08-01 6.9
1991-09-01 6.9
1991-10-01 7.0
1991-11-01 7.0
1991-12-01 7.3
1992-01-01 7.3
1992-02-01 7.4
1992-03-01 7.4
1992-04-01 7.4
1992-05-01 7.6
1992-06-01 7.8
1992-07-01 7.7
1992-08-01 7.6
1992-09-01 7.6
1992-10-01 7.3
1992-11-01 7.4
1992-12-01 7.4
1993-01-01 7.3
1993-02-01 7.1
1993-03-01 7.0
1993-04-01 7.1
1993-05-01 7.1
1993-06-01 7.0
1993-07-01 6.9
1993-08-01 6.8
1993-09-01 6.7
1993-10-01 6.8
1993-11-01 6.6
1993-12-01 6.5
1994-01-01 6.6
1994-02-01 6.6
1994-03-01 6.5
1994-04-01 6.4
1994-05-01 6.1
1994-06-01 6.1
1994-07-01 6.1
1994-08-01 6.0
1994-09-01 5.9
1994-10-01 5.8
1994-11-01 5.6
1994-12-01 5.5
1995-01-01 5.6
1995-02-01 5.4
1995-03-01 5.4
1995-04-01 5.8
1995-05-01 5.6
1995-06-01 5.6
1995-07-01 5.7
1995-08-01 5.7
1995-09-01 5.6
1995-10-01 5.5
1995-11-01 5.6
1995-12-01 5.6
1996-01-01 5.6
1996-02-01 5.5
1996-03-01 5.5
1996-04-01 5.6
1996-05-01 5.6
1996-06-01 5.3
1996-07-01 5.5
1996-08-01 5.1
1996-09-01 5.2
1996-10-01 5.2
1996-11-01 5.4
1996-12-01 5.4
1997-01-01 5.3
1997-02-01 5.2
1997-03-01 5.2
1997-04-01 5.1
1997-05-01 4.9
1997-06-01 5.0
1997-07-01 4.9
1997-08-01 4.8
1997-09-01 4.9
1997-10-01 4.7
1997-11-01 4.6
1997-12-01 4.7
1998-01-01 4.6
1998-02-01 4.6
1998-03-01 4.7
1998-04-01 4.3
1998-05-01 4.4
1998-06-01 4.5
1998-07-01 4.5
1998-08-01 4.5
1998-09-01 4.6
1998-10-01 4.5
1998-11-01 4.4
1998-12-01 4.4
1999-01-01 4.3
1999-02-01 4.4
1999-03-01 4.2
1999-04-01 4.3
1999-05-01 4.2
1999-06-01 4.3
1999-07-01 4.3
1999-08-01 4.2
1999-09-01 4.2
1999-10-01 4.1
1999-11-01 4.1
1999-12-01 4.0
2000-01-01 4.0
2000-02-01 4.1
2000-03-01 4.0
2000-04-01 3.8
2000-05-01 4.0
2000-06-01 4.0
2000-07-01 4.0
2000-08-01 4.1
2000-09-01 3.9
2000-10-01 3.9
2000-11-01 3.9
2000-12-01 3.9
2001-01-01 4.2
2001-02-01 4.2
2001-03-01 4.3
2001-04-01 4.4
2001-05-01 4.3
2001-06-01 4.5
2001-07-01 4.6
2001-08-01 4.9
2001-09-01 5.0
2001-10-01 5.3
2001-11-01 5.5
2001-12-01 5.7
2002-01-01 5.7
2002-02-01 5.7
2002-03-01 5.7
2002-04-01 5.9
2002-05-01 5.8
2002-06-01 5.8
2002-07-01 5.8
2002-08-01 5.7
2002-09-01 5.7
2002-10-01 5.7
2002-11-01 5.9
2002-12-01 6.0
2003-01-01 5.8
2003-02-01 5.9
2003-03-01 5.9
2003-04-01 6.0
2003-05-01 6.1
2003-06-01 6.3
2003-07-01 6.2
2003-08-01 6.1
2003-09-01 6.1
2003-10-01 6.0
2003-11-01 5.8
2003-12-01 5.7
2004-01-01 5.7
2004-02-01 5.6
2004-03-01 5.8
2004-04-01 5.6
2004-05-01 5.6
2004-06-01 5.6
2004-07-01 5.5
2004-08-01 5.4
2004-09-01 5.4
2004-10-01 5.5
2004-11-01 5.4
2004-12-01 5.4
2005-01-01 5.2
2005-02-01 5.4
2005-03-01 5.2
2005-04-01 5.2
2005-05-01 5.1
2005-06-01 5.1
2005-07-01 5.0
2005-08-01 4.9
2005-09-01 5.0
2005-10-01 5.0
2005-11-01 5.0
2005-12-01 4.8
2006-01-01 4.7
2006-02-01 4.8
2006-03-01 4.7
2006-04-01 4.7
2006-05-01 4.7
2006-06-01 4.6
2006-07-01 4.7
2006-08-01 4.7
2006-09-01 4.5
2006-10-01 4.4
2006-11-01 4.5
2006-12-01 4.4
2007-01-01 4.6
2007-02-01 4.5
2007-03-01 4.4
2007-04-01 4.5
2007-05-01 4.5
2007-06-01 4.6
2007-07-01 4.7
2007-08-01 4.7
2007-09-01 4.7
2007-10-01 4.8
2007-11-01 4.7
2007-12-01 4.9
2008-01-01 4.9
2008-02-01 4.8
2008-03-01 5.1
2008-04-01 5.0
2008-05-01 5.5
2008-06-01 5.6
2008-07-01 5.8
2008-08-01 6.2
2008-09-01 6.2
2008-10-01 6.6
2008-11-01 6.8
2008-12-01 7.2
2009-01-01 7.6

Looks like Clinton wasn't doing so well until the GOP Congress took over in 1994. And Bush wasn't doing so bad until the housing bubble and market crashed in 2008. And neither has that bad a record.

This is ridiculous. Can you name the bills the Republicans wanted to put forth, and the Dems blocked it? Link to the President giving speeches about how necessary this was?

And it wouldn't have mattered. See, this shows how little you understand our current financial crisis; by 2007 the damage was done already, too many institutions had huge amounts of assets which were of shaky value. Nothing we could have done in 2007 would have stopped ANY of the problems we are seeing today.

As for your chart,

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

December - 7.2
January - 7.6

Make sure you note that unemployment rose by half in Bush's last year in office, the deficit rose to over a trillion dollars, and the economy tanked - when you are posting how good his record was.

Cycloptichorn

It is important to note that there was massive government spending under Reagan and the two Bushes, accompanied by inadequate taxation. This resulted in massive deficits and the great growth in our national debt. Thus, the modest gains under them in employment and GDP were made at the expense of future generations who will have to pay off that debt. Clinton, on the other hand, had tremendous employment growth, a great economy, and, at the same time, resultant large surpluses, reducing the national debt. (The bursting of the IT bubble was due to the ridiculous run-up in IT stock prices, and did not really damage the economy significantly.) Moreover, he had a great time in the White House until that pinched Ken Starr came along.

Of course not. Bush didn't give speeches to the public on this topic. Shame on him! He discussed this only with members of Congress according to members of Congress.

Throughout 2007 and too much of 2008, the Democrats in the House blocked the Republicans from even discussing in committee the problems of F&F&G in 2007 and 2008. Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, et al admitted in public this was true and repeatedly claimed that it was justified because there was "nothing wrong with Fannie and Freddie.".

I'm not responsible for your isolation from or neglect of the facts. You are!

Link to evidence proving your accusations. Bush is responsible for making important things public. If he attempted to get something done, and the Dems blocked him, he can't just shrug and abdicate his responsibility; it is his job to get something done, period. For you to try and hold him blameless for actions which went on during his presidency is asinine.

You also should admit that nothing they could have done would have helped the situation one bit, by 2007. Do you admit this? If not, what specific actions do you think could have helped?

Cycloptichorn

The also grew the government that "may have" increased tax revenue, but government employment does nothing for commerce; they do not produce goods and services to add value to the economy. They, instead, increase inflation, because they add more dollars to the economy without producing more goods and services.

This has been posted before a number of times many many pages back on some threads, I think on the economy. There are videos of congressmen attacking Republicans, attacking the messenger, for saying Fannie and Freddie needed more oversight. I am fairly certain you know this, but you choose to obfuscate the issue when it comes up, to protect the Democrats.

Yeah, politicians often level incorrect or false attacks at each other.

So what? You guys act like Bush had no power whatsoever. He was the Goddamn President. He can't just abdicate responsibility on issues b/c the other side isn't playing nice.

Cycloptichorn

Numbers copied from Foxfyre's post.
YEAR MONTH-DAY .. % UNEMPLOYED
2000-12-01 3.9
2001-01-01 4.2 BEGINNING OF INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
2001-02-01 4.2
2001-03-01 4.3
2001-04-01 4.4
2001-05-01 4.3
2001-06-01 4.5
2001-07-01 4.6
2001-08-01 4.9
2001-09-01 5.0
2001-10-01 5.3
2001-11-01 5.5
2001-12-01 5.7
2002-01-01 5.7
2002-02-01 5.7
2002-03-01 5.7
2002-04-01 5.9
2002-05-01 5.8
2002-06-01 5.8
2002-07-01 5.8
2002-08-01 5.7
2002-09-01 5.7
2002-10-01 5.7
2002-11-01 5.9
2002-12-01 6.0
2003-01-01 5.8
2003-02-01 5.9
2003-03-01 5.9
2003-04-01 6.0
2003-05-01 6.1
2003-06-01 6.3
2003-07-01 6.2
2003-08-01 6.1
2003-09-01 6.1
2003-10-01 6.0 START OF IMPLEMENTATION OF MAJOR TAX CUT
2003-11-01 5.8
2003-12-01 5.7
2004-01-01 5.7
2004-02-01 5.6
2004-03-01 5.8 BEGINNING OF DECREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
2004-04-01 5.6
2004-05-01 5.6
2004-06-01 5.6
2004-07-01 5.5
2004-08-01 5.4
2004-09-01 5.4
2004-10-01 5.5
2004-11-01 5.4
2004-12-01 5.4
2005-01-01 5.2
2005-02-01 5.4
2005-03-01 5.2
2005-04-01 5.2
2005-05-01 5.1
2005-06-01 5.1
2005-07-01 5.0
2005-08-01 4.9
2005-09-01 5.0
2005-10-01 5.0
2005-11-01 5.0
2005-12-01 4.8
2006-01-01 4.7
2006-02-01 4.8
2006-03-01 4.7
2006-04-01 4.7
2006-05-01 4.7
2006-06-01 4.6
2006-07-01 4.7
2006-08-01 4.7
2006-09-01 4.5
2006-10-01 4.4
2006-11-01 4.5
2006-12-01 4.4
2007-01-01 4.6
2007-02-01 4.5
2007-03-01 4.4
2007-04-01 4.5
2007-05-01 4.5
2007-06-01 4.6 BEGINNING OF INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
2007-07-01 4.7
2007-08-01 4.7
2007-09-01 4.7
2007-10-01 4.8
2007-11-01 4.7
2007-12-01 4.9
2008-01-01 4.9
2008-02-01 4.8
2008-03-01 5.1
2008-04-01 5.0
2008-05-01 5.5
2008-06-01 5.6
2008-07-01 5.8
2008-08-01 6.2
2008-09-01 6.2
2008-10-01 6.6
2008-11-01 6.8
2008-12-01 7.2
2009-01-01 7.6

Sure, Fannie and Freddie required more oversight, but that's not what created the current crisis. It's only one of many that caused the problems we are faced with today. If it was only Fannie and Freddie, all the banks and financial institutions and foreign investors wouldn't be in the current mess.

If my memory serves me, I think there were accusations of racism tossed at Republicans for the mere suggestion that Fannie and Freddie should not be handing out loans to folks unable to repay the loans. Thats where we are at in this country. We can't even discuss issues on the merits, without things like racism being tossed about. Thats true with illegal immigration, heck that was involved with the election, if you opposed Obama, you were maybe a racist. Your party is responsible for this sad state of affairs, in which problems cannot be fixed based upon the merits.

Right. Have any links to back up your memory? It doesn't serve me.

Cycloptichorn

Fannie and Freddie were the catalyst that caused the current debt crisis. They did that by encouraging too many people including wall street people, to make inadequately secured loans. This contributed to the worldwide debt crisis when increasing numbers of collapsed domestic loans began to collapse foreign loans to the USA as well as to each other.

Accelerating the effects of this collapse was Bush's federal loans to domestic debtors. Now Obama is advocating expanding our collapse with increased federal indebtedness to finance federal spending.

To rescue ourselves from this rapidly increasing mess the government ought to accept Foxfyre's recommendation:
"Instead of the government accumulating trillions more in debt by attempting to spend us out of the current economic mess, if we must accumulate a huge deficit, let's do it by trusting the people to spend more of their own money more wisely, efficiently, and effectively than the government will do on their behalf."

This is simply incorrect. I wonder if you have paid any attention whatsoever to actual reporting on the causes of the crisis in the last 5 months.

You say, "They did that by encouraging too many people including wall street people, to make inadequately secured loans. " Freddie and Fannie did nothing of the sort. The business owners and investors in question saw an area where they could leverage massive loans and shuffle around mortgages from company to company to make tons of paper money. These guys saw a risky investment situation and decided to move heavily into the market.

The decision to do so lied with the owners of the companies in question and with nobody else. It is not the government's fault that these companies made poor investment choices. Not every investment company made poor choices, so obviously some had better judgment than others.

It simply doesn't fit your scenario to lay blame with the people who were directly tasked with safeguarding the investments of their clients and the health of their companies - the Executives and investment bankers in question. The government did not cause them to make bad decisions. Why are you trying to blame the Democrats for the poor decisions made by investors? Specifically.

No Conservative has really been able to answer that question to date, or admitted that ultimate fault lies with those who made the investment decisions. Instead, a big shell-game is put forth, where the government is responsible for everything, and more specifically, the Democrats. It's ridiculous and unsupportable by logic.

Cycloptichorn

It has been answered numerous times but your delirious state of denial erases your memory.

Put your hat back on, Tex, you've been getting way too much sun.

I think it is insinuated, cyclops, but regardless of that, these videos have some pretty damning evidence of Democrats clearly denying there was a problem, but instead attack the Republicans, they attack the messengers for suggesting one of their favorite cultural engineering programs might be seriously mismanaged, and possibly corrupt. And one person, was it Maxine Waters, accused them of a political lynching of Franklin Raines.

Even Bill Clinton blames Democrats in Congress.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usvG-s_Ssb0

Uh oh, someone got their feelings squished...was it the crickets chirping?