Democrat Nomination for President

[Alan Klein]

To tell the truth, normally I don't watch this kind of performances, maybe that's why it disturbed me so much. As mentioned previously in another post, the speeches by Obama, Clinton and Reagan were always uplifting and more entertaining, and the clapping intermezzos were used to a lesser extent. 

They're always more entertaining and uplifting when he's your guy. 

[JoeKitchen]

Russ, having to work multiple jobs to make ends meet,  is not improving employment. It only messes up people's quality of life, and the statistics as well.

You may want to actually look at the stats instead of Dem talking points.  Average work hours per week is below 40, I think 36 actually.  That’s not working two jobs. 

Add onto that, wages are actually increasing amongst lower income jobs, something that did happen under Obama. 

Are Most People Actually Working Two Or Three Jobs? Not Really.

Fact checkers even constantly label these claims as pants on fire false. 

[Alan Klein]

Russ, having to work multiple jobs to make ends meet,  is not improving employment. It only messes up people's quality of life, and the statistics as well.

That's true to a certain extent.  But at least the second jobs are there for people to work.  Better than being unemployed.  In any case, most EUropeans would say America is doing better than Europe.  Our markets are up, employment is up, unemployment is down, ISIS is gone, NK is quiet, we're making trade deals, etc.  It's interesting we're still talking about Trump here in a thread about the Democrats. What have they done in three years except throw sticks and stone at Trump? All it's been is Nyah Nyah Nyah from them.

[Alan Klein]

Say what?  Purple heart decorated, United States Army lieutenant colonel Alexander Vindman was the Director for European Affairs for the United States National Security Council (NSC) was called by Congress to testify and tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. If Trump got pissed off by that, it must have been because he didn't want the truth be told. Is Trump pleading guilty by self implication?

How about Vindman's, and his family's personal safety? We've already seen what Esper's words are worth, less than the paper it was written on ...

Here's what Donald Trump Jr says about it:

""Allow me a moment to thank — and this may be a bit of a surprise — Adam Schiff. Were it not for his crack investigation skills, @realDonaldTrump might have had a tougher time unearthing who all needed to be fired," Trump Jr. said. "Thanks, Adam!""
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/crack-investigation-don-trump-jr-mocks-adam-schiff-for-unearthing-who-all-needed-to-be-fired

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

You may want to actually look at the stats instead of Dem talking points.  Average work hours per week is below 40, I think 36 actually.  That’s not working two jobs.

How do you know? Do only 36 hour jobs exist in the USA?

Add onto that, wages are actually increasing amongst lower income jobs, something that did happen under Obama.

"Did happen under Obama", is that a typo, or did you mean that?

Assuming the information I have is correct:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage_in_the_United_States

In April 2014, the U.S. Senate debated the minimum wage on the federal level by way of the Minimum Wage Fairness Act. The bill would have amended the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to increase the federal minimum wage for employees to $10.10 per hour over the course of a two-year period. The bill was strongly supported by President Barack Obama and many of the Democratic Senators, but strongly opposed by Republicans in the Senate and House.

Later in 2014, voters in the Republican-controlled states of Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska and South Dakota considered ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage above the national rate of $7.25 per hour, which were successful in all four states. The results provided evidence that raising minimum wage has support across party lines.

So claiming that wages were not increasing under Obama, seems to be wrong, or a lie.

Also, there is a difference between what people earn and wich part of that is disposable income (or perhaps even more importantly, discretionary income).
https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/033015/what-difference-between-disposable-income-and-discretionary-income.asp

In case you're really interested:
https://www.marketingcharts.com/industries/financial-services-2340

“While the percentage of households with discretionary income has risen over the past several years, purchasing power remains concentrated in the wallets of the affluent,” said Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center.

Nearly 78% of all discretionary income is held by households earning more than $100,000. Average discretionary income for this segment, $66,451, is 2.7 times the national average.

[Alan Klein]

How do you know? Do only 36 hour jobs exist in the USA?

That again is not correct, assuming the information I have is correct:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage_in_the_United_States
So claiming that wages were not increasing under Obama, seems to be wrong, or a lie.

Also, there is a difference between what people earn and wich part of that is disposable income (or perhaps even more importantly, discretionary income).
https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/033015/what-difference-between-disposable-income-and-discretionary-income.asp

In case you're really interested:
https://www.marketingcharts.com/industries/financial-services-2340

The important thing is that there are more jobs for more people than ever before thanks to Trump.  That's good for America and his re-election.  What have democrats done in the last three years to help Americans? 

[Alan Klein]

Here's Democrats response to what Trump has done to help Americans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LueAAY1no9Y

[LesPalenik]

They're always more entertaining and uplifting when he's your guy.

Alan,
I don't have any dogs in this fight, I can't vote for any of these guys, and I can see faults in both the republican and democratic party. So when it comes to commenting on international politics, I consider myself pretty neutral. For entertainment, I like to watch Bill Maher, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel or John Oliver. For some reason, they seem to find a lot of material on Trump. 

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

It's interesting we're still talking about Trump here in a thread about the Democrats.

They are opponents who react to each other.

[petermfiore]

How do you know? Do only 36 hour jobs exist in the USA?

Assuming the information I have is correct:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage_in_the_United_States
So claiming that wages were not increasing under Obama, seems to be wrong, or a lie

This is a wikipedia post...sometimes misinformation is at play here.

You should check the US Department of Labor


Peter

[petermfiore]

Alan,
I don't have any dogs in this fight, I can't vote for any of these guys, and I can see faults in both the republican and democratic party. So when it comes to commenting on international politics, I consider myself pretty neutral. For entertainment, I like to watch Bill Maher, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel or John Oliver. For some reason, they seem to find a lot of material on Trump.

I watch these guys too...But they are from a common mind which is not neutral.

Peter

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

The important thing is that there are more jobs for more people than ever before thanks to Trump.  That's good for America and his re-election.  What have democrats done in the last three years to help Americans?

Thanks to, or despite? Look at the National Debt. Printing money is easy, but not always a wise thing to do. Who is going to pay the bill? Trump or the people (and amongst them, who)?

[Alan Klein]

Alan,
I don't have any dogs in this fight, I can't vote for any of these guys, and I can see faults in both the republican and democratic party. So when it comes to commenting on international politics, I consider myself pretty neutral. For entertainment, I like to watch Bill Maher, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel or John Oliver. For some reason, they seem to find a lot of material on Trump. 

Trump is making all of them rich along with all the cable news hosts as well.  They all ought to chip in and give Trump a thank you party for making their careers so successful.    I stopped watching the late night shows.  SNL is like them too. They all hate Trump and their jokes are stale already.  The old late night comics were somewhat balanced and you could laugh at all the politicians on all sides.  Today, their shows are like reading the anti-Trump Washington Post or NY Times.  If Trump loses the election, they'll all go broke.  He's what's keeping them in green.  No one would watch without Trump. 

[Alan Klein]

Thanks to, or despite? Look at the National Debt. Printing money is easy, but not always a wise thing to do. Who is going to pay the bill? Trump or the people (and amongst them, who)?

Well, when NATO countries finally pay their 2%, we'll be able to cut some of our defense spending and reduce our deficits.    Please urge your government to start spending more for our sake.  Thank you.

[RSL]

Russ, having to work multiple jobs to make ends meet,  is not improving employment. It only messes up people's quality of life, and the statistics as well.

I can guess where you get this idea, Bart. I see this crap in left-wing publications and TV all the time. I suspect that to learn the truth you have to be here in the USA, walk around, talk to people, and see what the attitude really is. As usual, in spite of misleading arguments on either side, it's a mixed bag. But increased employment isn't because people are having to take on multiple jobs. I know you love charts, so here's one:

[JoeKitchen]

How do you know? Do only 36 hour jobs exist in the USA?

"Did happen under Obama", is that a typo, or did you mean that?

Assuming the information I have is correct:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage_in_the_United_States
So claiming that wages were not increasing under Obama, seems to be wrong, or a lie.

Also, there is a difference between what people earn and wich part of that is disposable income (or perhaps even more importantly, discretionary income).
https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/033015/what-difference-between-disposable-income-and-discretionary-income.asp

In case you're really interested:
https://www.marketingcharts.com/industries/financial-services-2340

I believe I wrote average, and I am pretty sure you understand what an average is and that it does not imply that only 36 hour per week jobs exist.  Come on Bart. 

Insofar as wages increasing under Obama, during his entire two-term tenure, wages went up 4.2%, most of which occurred in his 2nd term.  It's about half way down this article, Are Wages Rising or Flat?.  Rate of inflation was 11.4% over his two terms. 

Trump tenure has seen low income worker's wages raise 5.8% in the past year alone.  State of the Union: Fact-checking Trump's claims on jobs, wealth and wages. 

Of course you will see that he fudged other parts of his speech in that article, but overall wages at the lower end have increased faster in one year, then in all 8 years under Obama. 

[LesPalenik]

Well, when NATO countries finally pay their 2%, we'll be able to cut some of our defense spending and reduce our deficits.    Please urge your government to start spending more for our sake.  Thank you.

France is spending 2.3% of their GDP on their military budget. Hopefully, on the latest military hardware, not on new uniforms and gourmet meals.

[Manoli]

It's interesting we're still talking about Trump here in a thread about the Democrats. What have they done in three years except throw sticks and stone at Trump? All it's been is Nyah Nyah Nyah from them.

Pretty much identical to Republican behaviour throughout the eight preceding Obama years.

[RSL]

I watch these guys too...But they are from a common mind which is not neutral.

Peter

Peter, the only neutral minds are those under the ground.

[Manoli]

I know you love charts, so here's one:

Make my day !!
Even you should know better. 2008 was the start of the financial crisis - started under a Republican administration and inherited by Obama.
Move forward to mid 2011 and start from there ...