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Something Doesn't Add Up

Tyler Durden's picture




 

On the one hand :

Consumers expect better economic growth and rising incomes in the coming months, pushing a measure of confidence to a seven-year high in October. The University of Michigan said Friday that its index of consumer sentiment rose to 86.9 from 84.6 in September. That's the highest since July 2007, five months before the Great Recession began. Still, the index regularly topped 90 before the downturn.

 

The solid increase suggests consumers largely dismissed concerns about slowing global growth and have ignored the sharp swings in financial markets earlier this month. Instead, greater hiring and lower gas prices are boosting their outlook.

 

"Market volatility, geopolitical tensions, and worries about the global economy weren't able to sour consumers' moods this month," said Greg Daco, an economist at Oxford Economics.

 

Richard Curtin, the survey's chief economist, says that almost six in ten of the respondents said the economy has improved recently, the highest proportion in more than 10 years.

(source)

... and:

It appears the burden of hope for the future of the American consumer, based on this morning's confidence survey data, is based on a surge in incomes. In fact, the income 'hope' index is at its highest since February 2008, which is odd given the utter stagnation of real wages. Perhaps the survey respondents have been listening to a little too much 'hope-and-change' TV promises of minimum wage hikes and fair livable wages and not enough paying attention to the layoffs, "M&A synergies", restructurings, and buybacks firms are actually undertaking, or as some call it, reality. Shown on the chart below: the largest decoupling between reality and hope in the history of income reality vs expectations.

 

 

(source)

On the other:

Voters are deeply frustrated with the economy as they head to the polls Tuesday for a midterm election Republicans hope will yield them control of the Senate.

While the unemployment rate is dropping, the economy is expanding and gas prices are below $3 per gallon, polls show that most voters feel the recovery has passed them by. “We find that most people say they’re falling behind or at best staying even,” said Alec Tyson, a senior researcher at the Pew Research Center. “Even as the overall employment picture may be improving, people aren’t feeling it in their own wages and day-to-day lives.”

 

While Obama has increasingly tried to trumpet positive news about the economy, polling shows the message hasn’t resonated with voters.

That’s party because wages aren’t outpacing inflation, according to Josh Bivens, research and policy director at the Economic Policy Institute.

 

* * *

Angst about the economy has clearly helped tilt Tuesday’s election in the GOP’s favor.

(source)

A simple request: can the "hope and change" ministry of truth please get its propaganda together and at least come up with a coherent message?

 

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Sat, 11/01/2014 - 13:52 | 5401784 ekm1
ekm1's picture

I've been saying this since May 2013

 

These guys are diletantes.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:03 | 5401803 AssFire
AssFire's picture

OT

Today is the first day of my self proclaimed Hemorrhoid Awareness Month

Take care of your asshole.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:33 | 5401863 Publicus
Publicus's picture

Ebola will create the greatest rise in wages the world has ever seen.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:36 | 5401865 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Just look what the Black Death did for artisans, and craftsmen.

So this is Obozo's plan to lift incomes ?

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:38 | 5401870 deeply indebted
deeply indebted's picture

Of course it "adds up" !!!

They are a bunch of lying shitbags!

We haven't figured this shit out yet??

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:00 | 5401902 SWRichmond
SWRichmond's picture

We've always been at war with EastAsia

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:00 | 5401906 kliguy38
kliguy38's picture

2+2= 5  Just stick with the program muppet

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:18 | 5401933 The9thDoctor
The9thDoctor's picture

I noticed after the announcement of QE being ended (take it with a grain of salt) commodities took a massive dump.

For the average joe on main street, gas prices, and food costs going down equals recovery, and their FRNs can now buy more goods.

That's what "adds up"

Whether that's mathematically sound or not is irrelevant to Joe Consumer.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:34 | 5401948 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Economics is basically counterintuitive.

Perfect for herding sheeple into the slaughterhouse.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:35 | 5401951 Headbanger
Headbanger's picture

It's because the average consumer is a clueless dumb fuck who doesn't want to see nor hear any bad news about the economy

Just see the response you get telling just about anybody that the Feral Reserve is NOT part of the Federal Government

But is OWNED BY THE BANKS!

Chances are they'll either say they didn't know that or they'll go completely dumb fucking blank on you.

 

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:54 | 5401981 TheReplacement
TheReplacement's picture

DFB is the most common response.  As in, 'Huh.' or 'Uh.'  Long silence.  'Did you see the game?'

They haven't a clue that it even matters much less why.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:57 | 5401997 WTFRLY
WTFRLY's picture

AE 9/11 Truth researchers plan lawsuit to seek release of 500,000 documents held by FEMA, NIST

 

http://wtfrly.com/2014/11/01/ae-911-truth-researchers-plan-lawsuit-seek-...

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:08 | 5401808 Deathrips
Deathrips's picture

Fuck ...I dont understand common core either.

 

RIPS

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:57 | 5401895 TahoeBilly2012
TahoeBilly2012's picture

That means that we are all basically the same...except for Jews (the chosen). Got it?

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 16:10 | 5402029 tarabel
tarabel's picture

 

 

Don't have much confidence in your ability to express subtext, do you?

And you're right to feel that way.

Here, let me have a try...

Jews-- bred for intelligence.

You-- not Jewish.

See how that works?

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 19:23 | 5402510 Dinero D. Profit
Dinero D. Profit's picture

If Jews were 'chosen' Yaweh would have given them their own planet.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:57 | 5401898 holgerdanske
holgerdanske's picture

"These guys are diletantes."

I think you are far too kind, they are criminals, they are ruthless, non caring psychotics.

And they are not going to change before they loose their heads.

If voting would change anything, we wouldn't be allowed to vote. History tells you clearly what is in store. Revolution and civil war. It might not be tomorrow, but nothing will change before this happens. This is class war, and it is global.

If you want freedom, you will have to fight, there are no short cuts left.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:36 | 5401950 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Americans will bleat them to death.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 13:53 | 5401786 cpnscarlet
cpnscarlet's picture

Truth, is seems, depends on one's point of view.

/sarc

So does sarcasm.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 13:59 | 5401790 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

It seems even sums are hard for sheeple.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:23 | 5401830 Kirk2NCC1701
Kirk2NCC1701's picture

As is basic grammar: How many times have we heard the wrong usage of the pronoun Who and That?

I hear That being used in place of Who, when referring to a person, ALL the time.

Surprisingly, even "educated" people use it incorrectly. Most foreigners use it correctly, Americans do not.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:26 | 5401846 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Americans don't speak English if you hadn't noticed.

I don't even remember what my first language was, courtesy of multi lingual parentage,

but I do think in English, not American.But I know what you mean.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:30 | 5401852 tenpanhandle
tenpanhandle's picture

I use the words "that" and "it" when referring to Hillary Clinton.  What is incorrect about that.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 16:52 | 5402140 worbsid
worbsid's picture

you are supposed to use the "C" word.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:32 | 5401856 therearetoomany...
therearetoomanyidiots's picture

Oh...another America Hater....oh wait, you're right.   :-/

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:56 | 5401992 TheReplacement
TheReplacement's picture

Should not "pronoun" be plural?  Grammar Nazi will stop at one.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 13:58 | 5401791 no more banksters
no more banksters's picture

"There is a clear saturation of values in Western societies, especially during the economic crisis. People appear to be tired from this culture of economic indexes and consumerism. More and more try to change their lives and set different priorities, but it is difficult to make it happen as they still greatly depend on the present system."

http://failedevolution.blogspot.gr/2014/11/revolution-evolution-or-revol...

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:02 | 5401793 JustObserving
JustObserving's picture

please get its propaganda together and at least come up with a coherent message?

If you tell too many lies, it is difficult to have a consistent, coherent message.  Helps if your citizens are leading vicarious lives occupied by movie and sports personalities, TV and twerking. They will never notice your lies.  That is why the Nobel Prize Winner is the second most admired person in this world despite bombing seven Muslim countries, assassinating 16 year old American citizens, droning women and children and wedding parties and being a stranger to the truth.

Forward. More and bigger lies await. And more twerking.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:04 | 5401805 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

And if you tell nothing but lies, after six years you ain't foolin' nobody!

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 16:04 | 5402010 TeethVillage88s
TeethVillage88s's picture

Total Confidence, Leadership in Action,

- When they want War, it is total confidence
- When they want Illegal Immigration, total confidence
- When they Explode the Federal Budget under Continuing Resolutions, total confidence
- When they Turn Over TARP to TBTF & Fed Policy on ZIRP to TBTF, total confidence
- When they Offshore Manufacturing & Decapitalize the USA, total confidence

hmmm, probably just the payoff that leads to policy.

---------

Scientists predict up to 130 Ebola cases in USA by end of year...

CDC: SNEEZE WARNING...

DELETES!

CONFUSION: WHO urges SNEEZE PROTECTION...

PENTAGON FUNDS VACCINE TO COUNTER AIRBORNE EXPOSURE...

UPDATE: Judge rejects Ebola quarantine for nurse...

Roommate in Africa Developed Virus?

Hospitals prepare for confusing season...

Nurses plan strikes...

FEMA conducts pandemic training...

CDC Purchases Body Bags...

Studies show airport screenings largely ineffective...

Sierra Leone Ebola outbreak 'catastrophic,' cases 'under-reported'...

Canada suspends visas for residents of West African countries...

Spanish intelligence intercept Jiahdist plot to weaponize Ebola...

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:15 | 5401823 Consuelo
Consuelo's picture

United States Foreign Policy, courtesy of the Wolfowitz Doctrine.

It may not be a good policy, but it is definitely one you can place your bets on - even 'believe in', because the Results are what ultimately matter.   Just don't count on those results being beneficial to your wallet, your job or even, your security.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:44 | 5401877 Solio
Solio's picture

Everybody on some level understands that where money, taxation, and corporations that benefit by the status quo  are concenred that all we have is a reflected hologram and nothing is real, except everyones' pain from being denied fulfillment.

The Peoples' energy and time have been stolen in various clever ways!

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:02 | 5401802 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

the "recovery" has passed them by but that doesn't stop them from buying shit

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:26 | 5401841 nodhannum
nodhannum's picture

Right on buzzsaw99!  Individuals are in contrfol of 95% of their lives whether they like it or not.  If you are bleeding then stop the bleeding fress the wounds, splint the fractures...in the budget.  When the situation got nasty for me in the past and I was living alone in a townhome, I got a two roommates for the two other bedrooms and bought a motor scooter to go to and fro.  It was save, save, save not pissing and moaning about "it's not fair" and doing the "yes but" thing.  Suck it up and cut out buyinbg the shit that we want but do not need (yes and that includes expensive pussy).

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:34 | 5401859 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

Many keep living beyond their means because they think this downturn is just a temporary soft patch. It isn't, it is a structural decline and it is terminal.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:24 | 5401939 Dinero D. Profit
Dinero D. Profit's picture

We've been cutting expenses in our home every way we can.  These days I cut my wife's hair.  And, she gives me handjobs.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:08 | 5401804 Kirk2NCC1701
Kirk2NCC1701's picture

Rising income? Good one. It's not rising relative to real inflation, if at all. Wages peaked in 2001 for 95% of the populace.

E.g. The job I had in 2001 paid $125k, and a nice house in Ventura County cost $450k. 13 years later, that design engineering job still pays the same, and that particular house was sold recently for $850k.

RE is a Ponzi by the FIRE* Industry.
* Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 16:26 | 5402060 TeethVillage88s
TeethVillage88s's picture

Weekly and hourly earnings data from the Current Population Survey

Series Id: LEU0252881600

Series title: (unadj)- Constant (1982-84) dollar adjusted to CPI-U- Median usual weekly earnings, Employed full time, Wage and salary workers

Year Qtr1 Qtr2 Qtr3 Qtr4 Annual
1979 339 334 325 328 332
1980 324 314 315 317 318
1981 317 311 304 314 312
2012 337 335 329 336 335
2013 334 333 330 337 333
2014 339 328 332

Constant Dollars, Weekly Earning same in 1979 as 2014.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:11 | 5401814 FreeShitter
FreeShitter's picture

If voters really think a republican controlled senate (or a democrat one for that matter) is going to somehow fix the economy, then I want out of planet stupid.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:12 | 5401817 Jack Burton
Jack Burton's picture

If any person believes voting will return any return to market driven capitalism and an improved, changed, way of operating the system, they are fucking off their heads! Democrat Leadership council is the corporate Democat party, run by corporations for their benefit. Mr. Clinton, who deregulated all finance, did it through the DLC. ASllied with the Republican Party and Corporate America, Clinto dumped regulations across the board, and fought to expand globalization across the earth. His success rate was very high. Republicans voted with Clinton on most of his ecnomic goals. Republicans don't answer to economic conservatives, they answer to the same people and corporations that Clinton did. Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama going forward: Bush or Clinton! Can you fucking believe it!?

The election may be a BUSH versus a CLINTON.

One nation, under One Party! Fuck this minor social shit like right to abortion, and concealed carry laws. The real issues are the same in both fake parties. There is only one ruling class, they sell you these social issues shit to make you forget that on every major real issue of economcis and war, and police state and spying. One Party Rule. The USSA!

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:13 | 5401820 FreeShitter
FreeShitter's picture

Exactly. How can the NWO lose if we get another clinton and/or a bush this time? Just to keep the morale going, the beatings will continue....

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:21 | 5401834 Maxter
Maxter's picture

It would be a good start if people voted for independants.  Image if only a bunch of no name were elected instead of the currents known assholes.  They would certainly do a better job as they would have more chance to side with the people since they don't have all those big campain donners to please.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:39 | 5401869 the grateful un...
the grateful unemployed's picture

another bush another clinton

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 16:55 | 5402150 RaceToTheBottom
RaceToTheBottom's picture

Another CLinton chasing Bush.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:09 | 5401913 Chuck Knoblauch
Chuck Knoblauch's picture

I was hoping Mitch McConnell was going to stimulate the economy,

With the 90 pounds of Cocaine seized from his father-n-law's cargo ship,

Last week. The Chao family is a proud family.

http://libertyblitzkrieg.com/2014/10/30/90-pounds-of-cocaine-found-on-ca...

Business as usual in the narco world.

Don't blame Mitch, he knew nothing.

 

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:49 | 5401972 TeethVillage88s
TeethVillage88s's picture

Plus 1

And we let they boost their egos by permitting Lobbying, campaign fund raising, and all sort of free meals, plane rides, conventions, hotels, vacations, weekends in resorts.

The Ego must be equal to that of a Royal after the process of campaigning and building yourself up, all those people complimenting you.

Solution: Get Money OUT of Politics. Don't even let corporations or lawyers pay for university seminars for justices or Medical Professionals

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:49 | 5401973 ChiangMai
ChiangMai's picture

"...There is only one ruling class, they sell you these social issues shit to make you forget..."

 

[VIDEO - 00:93] George Carlin - Voting is meaningless

Text version:

Voting for Death: Criminal vs. Criminal

Linh Dinh

Excerpts:

 

"America, you have become a nation of enablers and apologists for tyranny and mass murder…

"The Good Old Party spooks the upper and middle classes by threatening, If you don't vote for us, the Dems will take your hard-earned cash and give it to the freeloaders, crackheads and other miscellaneous losers, while the Democrats, in turn, scare the lower rungs by snarling, If you don't vote for us, the Republicans will let your retired, diapered ass rot under a bridge, on a piece of cardboard, but lordy, lordy, lordy, it is already happening, but let us not sweat the details...

"Each party paints the other as the greater evil, though both are *equally whorish to a military banking complex [I'd suggest: military-banking-congressional complex] that has wrought so much grief and destruction worldwide, including here. As they offshore your job, they may toss you a free cell phone or allow you to wed your same sex lover, but isn't it time, seriously, we demand that our money be spent responsibly, for our benefits? 

"But no, we can only beg for small change, instead of real ones, and must vote, again, for proven liars and criminals, and hope, against all evidence, that they won't impale us this time…

"Already, nearly half of Americans don't cast ballots in any election, but we must make this abstention purposeful, as a clear sign of protest and not an act of apathy. The world must see that Americans aren't all deranged and hypnotized as those who cheer and vote for one lying criminal after another. We're better than this, so let's prove it."

 

 

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:18 | 5401829 moneybots
moneybots's picture

"polls show that most voters feel the recovery has passed them by."

 

That is because it has.  The recovery was designed to benefit the bankers and the wealthy at the expense of most voters.  Voters have lost hundreds of billions of dollars in interest income, as well as real wages due to the slack in employment demand.

Financial repression is causing consumption austerity for most voters, who are left with less discretionary income.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:43 | 5401875 Al Huxley
Al Huxley's picture

Yes, however, that means that, to some extent, the propaganda is working, in that people believe there has been a recovery, but they've missed out on it, rather than believing that there's been no recovery.  So they may through out Kang for Kudos in the election, but they won't revolt en-masse, because they still feel they're in the excluded minority of outsiders rather than that they're in the majority who's been lied to and fleeced by both parties for at least 15 years, and in reality probably since the early 70s.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:20 | 5401832 unionbroker
unionbroker's picture

Just came back from the phillipines if you worked all day for minimum wage you would make enough to buy a slice of pie in your local restaurant.I fear this is where we are heading

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:20 | 5401835 eyesofpelosi
eyesofpelosi's picture

The MSM bs industry is the only business that is thriving...even the whores are having a tough time! 

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 16:33 | 5402082 TeethVillage88s
TeethVillage88s's picture

Series Id: LEU0252882800
Not Seasonally Adjusted
Series title: (unadj)- Constant (1982-84) dollar adjusted to CPI-U- Median usual weekly earnings, Employed full time, Wage and salary workers, Women

Year Qtr1 Qtr2 Qtr3 Qtr4 Annual
1979 256 249 248 249 251
1980 248 242 241 242 244
1981 245 239 237 240 241
1990 270 267 259 265 265
1991 271 271 266 269 269
2003 301 298 298 304 300
2004 305 303 301 303 303
2012 306 300 298 300 301
2013 304 303 299 306 303
2014 307 301 300

All Industries, All Occupations, Women, 16 years and older.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:23 | 5401839 besnook
besnook's picture

after 6 years of something you get used to it, good or bad. once you are used to it things don't look so bad. the people who managed to stay employed or maintain a steady income stream have done pretty well. like the politician said when asked to comment on 15% unemployment he replied that 85% were working.

all the numbers are showing improvement but not anywhere near what is needed for a return to pre recession levels. those days are gone forever. things are getting better. the people in the workforce since the internet bubble don't know any better(15 years) and the rest of us couldn't care less in retirement or close to it.

this is what you get and this is all you get? the sort of androgynous halloween femboi society the west has devolved into fits the times.

 

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:38 | 5401957 TeethVillage88s
TeethVillage88s's picture

I was thinking about similar thing this morning;

- What could our Leaders to to Further Wussify USA? Men can appreciate women's bodies, pop tarts in the shape of a gun get you suspended from school, steal a kiss from a girl in college or K-12 you could be labeled a sex offender

- Confidence returning to USA must be since the Neocons are back in town, the Boys are Back, probably means a new war or the official start of Cold War Part Deux

- We need 25-30 Million Full Time Jobs with good compensation to justify Confidence in the Economy

- Federal Budget Explosion happened in 2002 under President Bush and has been full Retard since then, Continuing Resolutions passed with budget increases since 2009 are Criminal and Treasonous (and outside of the US Constitution)

- Amnesty for Illegals is a Financial Scheme, Suppresses US Wages for Blacks, Latinos, Whites, Asians

- US Demographic problems could be addressed if we didn't undercut US Manufacturing, Suppress Wages, and spend Federal Funds on Corporate Welfare, War, and Lobbying, It doesn't help that Corporate Wealth gets Looted by Executives for compensation, Tax Schemes, Outsourcing, Offshoring, and casino type investments

- US Fixed Income People are seriously being ignored as a Class, this includes Baby Boomers who are about to retire, Handicapped, Elderly, and the sick, LIRP, ZIRP, and the Federal Reserve take the responsibility along with TBTF Wall Streeters who destroyed the US Reputation as a Financial Center and destroyed the Global Economy in 2008

- War is a Transfer of Taxpayer Money to Corporations, Yes it is dehumanizing and the US caused Millions to suffer in the 21st century, but the Federal Government doesn't want you to understand the financial inequality going on due to War, Inflation, Loss of Saving Interest Rates, Loss of Safe Government Investments, Loss of non-defense manufacturing Jobs, Decapitalization of the US Manufacturing Base, Loss of Reliable Government Statistics like Unemployment, Inflation, & GDP, Loss of Honest Politics in Washington, Loss of American Values for Peace & Integrity

- Lobbying & Gift Giving has invaded our Justice Department, US Medicine, MIC, and Washington Legislation, it has captured War Powers, Budget Powers, and Legislative Powers of DC

- ACA, Obama Care is a Financial Scheme, it has Financialized Health Care, Each Citizen is now a Profit Center for the Health Care Industry, just like the Credit Card Industry, Auto Loans & Home Mortgages, and Educational Loans, Securitized Assets/Credits

So yeah. Lots of Confidence in the US Way of life as long as you keep working and buying stuff, getting sick, and dying.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:29 | 5401849 q99x2
q99x2's picture

I'm voting for hope and change and I don't care who gets into office. I do not believe in anything or nothing I only believe in the ontological phenomenology of thought M'Fers.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:36 | 5401866 tenpanhandle
tenpanhandle's picture

You should go on a 7 day colon clense.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:30 | 5401854 besnook
besnook's picture

the only power a vote in the usa has is a vote against the incumbent for no other reason than he is the incumbent. that is the only thing that can disrupt the political process in the usa. in many cases it only takes 5% of the vote. it effectively renders the election circus moot if 5-10% of the voting public simply vote against the incumbent every time. do it and tell everyone about it.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:41 | 5401952 Dinero D. Profit
Dinero D. Profit's picture

Vote against the incumbent?

 

Yeah, sure.

Sessions is running unopposed in Alabama.

 

(The Alabama divorce judge says:  You are diivorced now, but you're still cousins.)

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:32 | 5401855 apberusdisvet
apberusdisvet's picture

Curtin must have just received a Federal grant.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:34 | 5401860 Lordflin
Lordflin's picture

What's not to like... production is booming. I understand Hazmat suits and body bags are going through the roof. Then of course green cards are in huge demand. Things could not be looking better.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:34 | 5401862 the grateful un...
the grateful unemployed's picture

do yo suppose the drop in gasoline prices has anything (political) to do with it? in 06 bush's new treasury sec (hank paulsen) called in a favor from his old firm goldman, which runs the most followed commodity index in the world, and they pulled gasoline from the index, sending all those hedge fund players to the sell window, and driving down the price at the pump. in a separate poll most voters said they realized it was a political shennigan, and the promptly voted in Pelosi and company. the business cycle is now the political cycle, and while the republican democrat agenda is pretty much the same, the republicans do have a number of tea party obstructionists among the ranks, and like the number of Sunnis inside Iraq who are aligned with ISIS, it represents a serious threat to the statists in Baghdad or in this case Washington, or as tortured metaphors go, the huns inside the gate.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:39 | 5401871 Atomizer
Atomizer's picture

Mrs Atomizer and I are in Hilton Head. Yesterday, walking around aimlessly in shorts and flip-flops. Today, heater is on and my prior pithole was Greenville, SC prior to buying home in Charleston. Climate change bitch.

Time to migrate to our Florida Homes. 

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:54 | 5401887 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Pretty cool down here in s. Florida today as well, maybe the Arctic is more toasty, with all this global

warming and all.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:53 | 5401889 Haager
Haager's picture

Reps want you to choose red,

Dems want you to mark blue,

Both hope you're never fed,

passing your choice through.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 14:59 | 5401900 matagorda
matagorda's picture

My personal prejudice is that consumer confidence is a two-week backward-looking index of gasoline prices.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:08 | 5401908 Duc888
Duc888's picture

besnook:the only power a vote in the usa has is a vote against the incumbent for no other reason than he is the incumbent. that is the only thing that can disrupt the political process in the usa. in many cases it only takes 5% of the vote. it effectively renders the election circus moot if 5-10% of the voting public simply vote against the incumbent every time. do it and tell everyone about it.

 

So how would that have worked out if Obama was voted out and Romney was voted in?  Any difference?  Nope.  You've still consented to rape.  All you've done is to vote to get orally sodomized instead of anally sodomized. 

 


Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:18 | 5401932 besnook
besnook's picture

try the next few rings on the ladder tosee where it goes. in the end, the power structure of the two party system is dismantled for lack of interest due to lack of relevance. the 5-10% become the power. the system changes until it devolves into the past again.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:01 | 5401910 Svendblaaskaeg
Svendblaaskaeg's picture

"I know this steak doesn't exist...."

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:08 | 5401919 Duc888
Duc888's picture

Maxtor:It would be a good start if people voted for independants.  Image if only a bunch of no name were elected instead of the currents known assholes.  They would certainly do a better job as they would have more chance to side with the people since they don't have all those big campain donners to please.

 

It will never happen on the national level.     Remember when Ron Paul was running?  The Networks would NOT EVEN MENTION HIS NAME!  Every night they would have "the two" contenders and blab endlessly about them, when ever they had to mention "Third Party" they rarely mentioned RP's name.  Even funnier was the fact that over and over when they showed the third party candidate he was a blue silhouette on the TV screen.

 

Persona non grata.  The system is designed to KEEP THE PEOPLE who are BEHIND the scenes in power.  The (s)election is your entertainment purposes only.

 


Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:19 | 5401934 seek
seek's picture

People have given up and accepted the new normal, and then gas prices dropped. There's your things are getting better.

In the 90s the confidence went up to high levels when people could afford to eat steak. Now it hits the high levels when they can afford to eat, period.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:38 | 5401955 Yancey Ward
Yancey Ward's picture

I think, in the Age of Obama, the various surveys have become corrupted.  I guarantee you, given the identical economic circumstances, that the surveys would be ass-backwards if this were a Romney 1st term or McCain 2nd term.  I think the people running these surveys, or conducting them, are putting fingers on the scale in attempts to influence perceptions.  It may have always been happening, but I think the effort has intensified in the last 4 years. 

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 18:29 | 5402391 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Taking the Census Bureau under direct White House control as his first action should

have given you an inkling of what was going to happen.

Every reporting stat is now bogus, along with most public company accounting.

Smoke and mirrors, with extra smoke.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:44 | 5401966 Fuku Ben
Fuku Ben's picture

The baphomet hand signs in the picture add up perfectly

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 15:49 | 5401976 limacon
limacon's picture

Divorcees remarry .

Hope trumps experience .

Remember the Struldbug motto : " Live long and have a short memory . Only regret is eternal"

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 18:33 | 5402397 roadhazard
roadhazard's picture

Yes, repubicans will save us.

Sun, 11/02/2014 - 07:24 | 5403487 barroter
barroter's picture

...like they did the last time.  Pick your war, Russia? Iran? Or everybody?

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 19:18 | 5402498 robnume
robnume's picture

This should tell you all you need to know about how much you can trust polls. There is no way on earth that I'm going to believe U of MI's numbers. Universities in the USSA are all compromised by corporate association. Trust only your yourselves!

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 20:08 | 5402636 begintowin
begintowin's picture

Lots of sarcasm on this topic and rightly so.

Instead, how about a ZH quick survey?  Yeah!!

For every American who is abstaining from voting in the mid-term congressional elections, please up vote this post.

For those who will vote, down vote this post. 

Let's see what the count shows before Tuesday, November 4.

Sat, 11/01/2014 - 21:51 | 5402892 flyonmywall
flyonmywall's picture

I doubt I will make it to the polls. It doesn't really matter who you vote for, it matters who counts the votes. So, I will probably go vote, usually for a third party, and NO for every proposition that I see. Just because I'm a contrarian.

I don't really waste a lot of time thinking about the voting, because it really doesn't matter anyway. I just go vote so that I can screw up the statistics. At least they'll have something to doctor.

Heh.

 

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