The Glade 4.0

I doubt it. That's a Montegue tactic to say "they're lying" when valid sources say otherwise.

CNBC isn't a valid source, considering they left out important information; namely that the counted workforce continues to contract and is responsible for any "gains" in the employment situation. More to the point, it's rather proven at this point that they're lying about inflation and other deleterious economic indicators by removing volatile goods from the CPI and other tracking measures.

But, you know, they've been lying about it the entire time, and I've demonstrated such things more than once. So, kindly point me to a valid source on the matter, as the drop in total claims amusingly coincides with the increase in marginally attached and economically underemployed individuals.

The United States is in a depression that shows no real signs of improving.

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Why?

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"It is true that democracy undermines freedom when voters believe they can live off of others' productivity, when they modify the commandment: 'Thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote.' The politics of plunder is no doubt destructive of both morality and the division of labor."

Because it's so funny when people believe in something that has a minuscule chance of happening. It's like Christians who think the rapture will happen soon.

Except a Depression is already going on, so how is that a "miniscule" chance of something happening? States are continuing to go bankrupt. Bank closures continue to happen at an alarming rate. The Foreclosure rate is still climbing. Savings is still a net negative. And inflation exceeds anything even remotely close to healthy...

So, how is the economy improving?

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Because that'll be the first thing he will be right on in that time?

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A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. ~ John Stuart Mill

Less than 2% of banks have collapsed, which probably helps their competition. Bankrupcy isn't necessarily a bad thing. If nobody went bankrupt then probably they aren't spending enough money, and labor isn't being done. I don't see a depression going on. GDP has barely declined. People saving money means less productivity. I don't think inflation hurts things.

Why is that funny?

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"It is true that democracy undermines freedom when voters believe they can live off of others' productivity, when they modify the commandment: 'Thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote.' The politics of plunder is no doubt destructive of both morality and the division of labor."

It just is. It's funny to me.

Explain why it's funny to you.

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"It is true that democracy undermines freedom when voters believe they can live off of others' productivity, when they modify the commandment: 'Thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote.' The politics of plunder is no doubt destructive of both morality and the division of labor."

Now you're just making stuff up ...

More than 2% of banks have simply ceased to exist in the United States since 2001 when this mess started. GDP has declined significantly more than the government is stating, because it's including the nearly 6 trillion dollars it borrowed last year in GDP. Saving money doesn't mean less productivity and a debt based economy doesn't work. What the hell do you think started this mess in the first place? Seriously, stop trolling, Lex.

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If you go back to the year 1900, probably 99% of banks have ceased. This is what happens over a long period (such as a decade). Many banks have started up in this period as well.

Saving money DOES mean less productivity. If you have played any game with macro-economics you'd know that spending as much as possible is the way to win. A debt-based economy does "work". America works. We've been in debt for over a century and grew to become one of the largest super powers. GDP hasn't declined "significantly", at most it's been slight. Most figures say this unless when want to claim they are all lying. A couple percentage points is slight.

Six trillion dollars? You mean to say that GDP last year was only $6 trillion, instead of $12 trillion?

Pretty much. You do know that 100% of government expenditures have been included in GDP since Bush the Elder right?

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Well, yes I knew that. The part that I didn't believe was the six trillion dollars of borrowing part. The total budget of the federal government in 2010 was only $3.3 trillion.

Yes, and they borrowed another 2.7 trillion on top of that which they included in GDP. So, honestly, GDP is nowhere close to what they stated.

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I'm honestly wondering where you come up with $4 trillion worth of borrowing when the budget deficit was $1.1 trillion. Are you counting unfunded Social Security/Medicare obligations that will become due in 2030+ as "borrowing" like so many people like to do?

Borrow: to take or obtain with the promise to return the same or an equivalent.

How does the Social Security thing not fit that?