Hey Buddy! Can you spare a Dime!?!?

[chefdennis]

I guess it should be Hey Uncle Sam! Can you share a Dime!?!

The libs and there entitlement programs are at a record level of the US Fed budget and getting bigger.....and no we can't spare a dime...every single entitlement program should be cut....


Welfare State: Handouts Make Up One-Third of U.S. Wages

Published: Tuesday, 8 Mar 2011 | 3:59 PM ET
By: John Melloy
Executive Producer, Fast Money
News Headlines

Government payouts—including Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance—make up more than a third of total wages and salaries of the U.S. population, a record figure that will only increase if action isn’t taken before the majority of Baby Boomers enter retirement.

Even as the economy has recovered, social welfare benefits make up 35 percent of wages and salaries this year, up from 21 percent in 2000 and 10 percent in 1960, according to TrimTabs Investment Research using Bureau of Economic Analysis data.

“The U.S. economy has become alarmingly dependent on government stimulus,” said Madeline Schnapp, director of Macroeconomic Research at TrimTabs, in a note to clients. “Consumption supported by wages and salaries is a much stronger foundation for economic growth than consumption based on social welfare benefits.”


The economist gives the country two stark choices. In order to get welfare back to its pre-recession ratio of 26 percent of pay, “either wages and salaries would have to increase $2.3 trillion, or 35 percent, to $8.8 trillion, or social welfare benefits would have to decline $500 billion, or 23 percent, to $1.7 trillion,” she said.

Last month, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a $61 billion federal spending cut, but Senate Democratic leaders and the White House made it clear that had no chance of becoming law. Short-term resolutions passed have averted a government shutdown that could have occurred this month, as Vice President Biden leads negotiations with Republican leaders on some sort of long-term compromise.

“You’ve got to cut back government spending and the Republicans will run on this platform leading up to next year’s election,” said Joe Terranova, Chief Market Strategist for Virtus Investment Partners and a “Fast Money” trader.

Terranova noted some sort of opt out for social security or even raising the retirement age.

But the country may not be ready for these tough choices, even though economists like Schnapp say something will have to be done to avoid a significant economic crisis.

A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released last week showed that less than a quarter of Americans supported making cuts to Social Security or Medicare in order to reign in the mounting budget deficit.

Those poll numbers may be skewed by a demographic shift the likes of which the nation has never seen. Only this year has the first round of baby boomers begun collecting Medicare benefits—and here comes 78 million more.

Social welfare benefits have increased by $514 billion over the last two years, according to TrimTabs figures, in part because of measures implemented to fight the financial crisis. Government spending normally takes on a larger part of the spending pie during economic calamities but how can the country change this make-up with the root of the crisis (housing) still on shaky ground, benchmark interest rates already cut to zero, and a demographic shift that calls for an increase in subsidies?

At the very least, we can take solace in the fact that we’re not quite at the state welfare levels of Europe. In the U.K., social welfare benefits make up 44 percent of wages and salaries, according to TrimTabs’ Schnapp.

“No matter how bad the situation is in the US, we stand far better on these issues (debt, demographics, entrepreneurship) than other countries,” said Steve Cortes of Veracruz Research. “On a relative basis, America remains the world leader and, as such, will also remain the world's reserve currency.”

 

[asjssl]

How long can we keep this up........and why do I have to take a drug test to keep my job....but no drug testing for all these handouts????

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[purgoose10]

"NO", I'm saving up for a new truck.

 

[Brisco]

Hey Buddy! Can you spare a Dime!?!?

This phrase is from the Andy Griffith era. Can't tell you last time I heard someone asking for just a dime, or even spare change. Last few times I've been approached the asking has been for a few dollars.

Under Obawas plan, Americas future beggars are going to be asking for a few hundred dollars when they approach you while you're filling up, walking out the door at the C store, and in the left turn lane at every busy intersection in America.

Hell....I've started practicing my "Radio Voice" just in case. You never know............

 

[Turtle]

Hey Buddy! Can you spare a Dime!?!?

This phrase is from the Andy Griffith era.

Not that it matters much, but the Andy Griffith era was the late 50's ad early 60's (the show aired from 1960-1968) when times were relatively good. The phrase is from the Great Depression era when times weren't so relatively good. It comes from a song (Brother, Can You Spare a Dime) written in 1931 by Yip Harburg (lyrics) and Jay Gorney (music), for a Broadway Musical called Americana. The song was recorded by both Rudy Vallee and Bing Crosby in 1932, both releases coming just before FDR's election, with both versions hitting #1 on the charts. Among many others, Al Jolson, Barbara Streisand, Tom Jones, Judy Collins, Tiny Tim, George Michael, and Peter, Paul & Mary have also recorded the song. Tom Waits' version is probably the most haunting and depressing of this enduring Depression Era anthem.

Next week on American Music History, The Night Ella Fitzgerald Forgot the Lyrics to Mack The knife, and Won a Grammy Because of It.

 

[aristotle]

Not that anyone's counting, but Alison Krauss has won 26 Grammy Awards. Hard to believe she's still in her 30's. Lots of music left to play if she can avoid burnout. Catch Alison's live performances with Union Station if you can. Worth time, travel and trouble.

 

[Brisco]

Hell...you wanna get that detailed over a quick saying I said, Why not just go all out??? (referred to the Griffith era cause that's about how far back I can remember-Sorry I brought up memories from your childhood )

"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime," lyrics by Yip Harburg, music by Jay Gorney (1931)

They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob,
When there was earth to plow, or guns to bear, I was always there right on the job.
They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead,
Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?

Once I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad; now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime;
Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell,
Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum,
Half a million boots went slogging through Hell,
And I was the kid with the drum!

Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time.
Why don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell,
Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum,
Half a million boots went slogging through Hell,
And I was the kid with the drum!

Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time.
Say, don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime?

<snort>

 

[Turtle]

Sorry dood, I was a music major.

BTW, the link to Ella... that's from the Andy Griffith era.

 

[jaminjim]

Sorry dood, I was a music major.

BTW, the link to Ella... that's from the Andy Griffith era.

What the heck can you do with one of those degrees? I'm guessing you could teach music class with it, but I have you pictured as a history major.

 

[Brisco]

What the heck can you do with one of those degrees?

Leads to a prosperous career as an Expediter...............

 

[Turtle]

What the heck can you do with one of those degrees? I'm guessing you could teach music class with it, but I have you pictured as a history major.

Leads to a prosperous career as an Expediter...............

Actually it led to a prosperous career in restaurant management.

I won't go into my musical career, or why I left it, or how I got here, other than to say I'm doing this because I want to. I had a pretty good musical career, but one that ended on several sour notes (several band members died in a plane crash, and Epic records (now Sony Music) is still screwing me to this day, every chance they get, among many other things).

As for what you can do with a music degree, it depends on which one (or ones) you have. You can teach certainly, as well as work in several varied positions within the music and recording industry. I have a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) with a post graduate MFA Master of Fine Arts in Performance, and a MMus (Master of Music) in Music Theory, which the two automatically combine into a third degree, a DMus. It was realy easy, trust me.

I was also a mathematics minor, and took several physics courses, but didn't get a degree in those. All of my undergraduate, graduate and post graduate work was done at the University of Cincinnati - College Conservatory of Music.

History was easily my least favorite subject in high school, and I all but avoided it in college (except for music history, as that's required for Theory). I have since come to have a great appreciation of history.