Market Watch

[Torvy]

Most of the job openings are just replacing people who bailed or didn't work out. Not a lot of actual job growth.

 

[jyoutz]

No, I think it is a case of only seeing the forest that is around you. I've no doubt what you see is real to you.

My guess is that the TBNers who are negative on the economy live in an area where the economy is down. The newscasters emphasize the negative, but It isn't that way everywhere.

Also, a lot of TBNers are older and either on or approaching a fixed income. Many on this forum have moved or are looking to move to a more rural area with lower expenses. That shapes the viewpoint here. As a group we TBNers tend to do things ourselves instead of using our income to pay someone else to do the work....that's fine individually, but it doesn't help grow an economy.

Of course there is inflation. There always is. It's a part of the economy. Be glad it isn't half so bad as it was in the 70s and 80s. Inflation then didn't make it hard to get a house loan; it made it impossible. Educational loans hadn't even been invented.

rScotty

My first mortgage in 1987 was at the prevailing rate of 10%. Current rates are still relatively low even if they are higher than last year.

 

[jyoutz]

Most of the job openings are just replacing people who bailed or didn't work out. Not a lot of actual job growth.

Actually there is a lot of growth in the skilled trades. And new growth in tech/chip manufacturing. In my area Intel is adding an additional 40% manufacturing capacity. Of course there has also been lots of boomer generation retirements in the past 5 years. Regardless, jobs are currently plentiful.

 

[rScotty]

Debt isn't forgiven b/c the gov decides to complete giant projects which in turn would add more debt. SNIP

We have to shift gears when talking about gov. debt. "Debt" owed by a country to itself is a ratio betwen currency and productivity. It is an accounting tool that works much differently than private debt between countries or individuals. . Technical innovation and large projects are both possible ways to "use" that debt to advantage.

Every employer in my area is hiring and most aren’t getting enough applicants. The job market is red hot if someone has relevant skills and/or education. I hear this throughout the region, not just in my state.

What he said.... It's the same in a lot of the western US. Lots of jobs; not enough qualified applicants.

 

[jyoutz]

We have to shift gears when talking about gov. debt. "Debt" owed by a country to itself is a ratio betwen currency and productivity. It is an accounting tool that works much differently than private debt between countries or individuals. . Technical innovation and large projects are both possible ways to "use" that debt to advantage.

What he said.... It's the same in a lot of the western US. Lots of jobs; not enough qualified applicants.

Go west young man…

 

[edgarrian]

We have to shift gears when talking about gov. debt. "Debt" owed by a country to itself is a ratio betwen currency and productivity. It is an accounting tool that works much differently than private debt between countries or individuals. . Technical innovation and large projects are both possible ways to "use" that debt to advantage.

What he said.... It's the same in a lot of the western US. Lots of jobs; not enough qualified applicants.

I suppose that sounds right. I just dont see that being an easy thing to do. Democrats and Republicans would likely squabble and never get anything passed and i suspect something like this would not get much favoritism from the voting base. We already have so much not being done. Debt owed to the country I suppose is something you could just make disappear but that would essentially make the green back worth less. Technically we are doing that now. I guess I dont really understand what ur saying and how it could be translated into anything good.

IN all honesty what happened to budgeting properly and doing the right thing. Its unpopular, more constraints, and not exciting.

 

[Hay Dude]

We have to shift gears when talking about gov. debt. "Debt" owed by a country to itself is a ratio betwen currency and productivity. It is an accounting tool that works much differently than private debt between countries or individuals. . Technical innovation and large projects are both possible ways to "use" that debt to advantage.

What he said.... It's the same in a lot of the western US. Lots of jobs; not enough qualified applicants.

Hmmm, sounds like liberal hocus pocus excuse to blow trillions on pet projects for donors.

 

[Hay Dude]

My first mortgage in 1987 was at the prevailing rate of 10%.

We know. You’ve told us like 10-15 times

Current rates are still relatively low even if they are higher than last year.

Irrelevant. People get mortgages in the 3’s & 4’s then they make big jumps to 6’s & 7’s. Yeah I know, it’s in the fine print, but rates don’t always have to go up that much, either.
And what caused the high interest rates? Runaway inflation
And what caused runaway inflation? Government overspending.

 

[rScotty]

Hmmm, sounds like liberal hocus pocus excuse to blow trillions on pet projects for donors.

How an country's economy works to create wealth is a subject I find fascinating. Whether to run a deficit or not, and if so how much, and where the limits are - if there actually are limits.... are all part of that same fascinating machine. I do love a machine that runs well....

But how the people in the country decide to tax and spend that wealth is in the realm of politics. Or if you prefer, liberal vs conservative. Frankly, that political world doesn't interest me much. Sorry.

rScotty

 

[rScotty]

Most of the job openings are just replacing people who bailed or didn't work out. Not a lot of actual job growth.

Here in the front range of the Rocky Mountains - the Colo Springs & Denver to Wyoming area - we are seeing an interesing rise in lateral job movement as employers are hiring workers from competitors.

It even extends to small towns and suburban municipalities hiring each other's municipal employees. Especially those who have required state certifications....water production, sewage, electrical, building inspection.

That job movement always existed, but the competitive market it is growing very fast. A lot of it is driven by increasing educational regulations - and the cost to the municipality of complying with those regulations and certifications.
Basically It is cheaper to hire a "class C water operator" than to train one. And so we have higher wages, benefits, & newest of all: 90 day hiring bonuses.

rScotty