Stimulus Job Creation - States Include 1 Week Jobs in Tally –U.S. Corporate Tax Remains 2nd Highest Globally - Long-Term Jobs Stay Abroad.

Stimulus at Work - image: Red County

Massive government spending programs aimed at job creation is nothing new – under the Carter administration, government job creation was preferred to “tax cuts”, and a stimulus for job creation failed..

Fast forward 30 plus years, and the Obama administration’s stimulus for job creation is stagnant. In order to boost the numbers, the AP is reporting that certain states count jobs that last only 35 hours as a “job created”. The Administration is using a different method of accounting, whereby a fulltime job is counted as 1, a part-time job, as ½ of a job, and a temporary 3 month job as a ¼ job – adding part time and contract jobs into the mix allows the administration to “boost” jobs created under the stimulus.

The problem remains that jobs being created or “saved” are in the government as opposed to the private sector, where there is little room for growth in a position, and long-term employment is based on political fortunes. An overhaul of the current tax structure, a flat tax, or fair tax, cutting “loopholes” would have been this “Monday-Morning Quarterback’s” preferred method of creating jobs, while stimulating the economy. Additionally, the corporate tax rate should be lowered in order to compete globally. Currently, the U.S. has a corporate tax rate that is the 2nd highest globally (Tax Foundation) and the Obama administration is proposing additional taxes on corporations which can only cause U.S. concerns to be less competitive. In lowering the corporate tax rate on a state level (Take Massachusetts, for example, who’s state tax rate is the 4th highest globally, while the other 49 are not far behind ”leading the world” in corporate tax rates(Tax Foundation).

Therefore, the key is to create private sector jobs, that will employ individuals for longer periods of time, allow for personal growth through promotion, and increase the tax base – by lowering the state and federal corporate tax rate – to induce U.S. as well as foreign concerns to set up shop in the U.S. – a bold move to be sure for a campaign that promised to tax the rich (without explaining that the “rich” are generally the “employers”). History, repeating itself, while some in the State and Federal job creation business are busy re-writing both mathematics and history in an attempt to continue to sell the people a bill of goods that would make P.T. Barnum’s competitor (Hannum – created the phrase “There’s a sucker born every minute.”) blush.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s Approval at 36%, Obama Approval Drops below 50% - Tales of Dukakis and Carter.

News of "Stimulus" Signs - Massachusetts residents Not Impressed - photo: Springfield Republican

A new poll conducted by the Boston Globe last week showed Deval Patrick’s approval among state residents has remained low at 36%. In a match-up with both Republican gubernatorial candidates, Christy Mihos and Charles Baker, Patrick is at a “dead heat” – he does no better should Democrat turned Independent Timothy Cahill, enter the race. Regardless of who the Governor faces, 16 months prior to the election, he is faced with poll numbers similar to Dukakis in 1983 (35%), which made headlines suggesting that then Presidential Candidate Walter Mondale, was afraid of Massachusetts voters.

Deval Patrick’s “political cousin”, Barak Obama (both under the mentoring of David Axelrod), is now under 50% for job approval, with just 6 months into his administration. The Rasmussen Daily tracking poll for Sunday, July 26th, showed the strongly disapproves now at 40% with the strongly approves falling to 29 %.

Of particular interest is the fact that both men used the same “slogan’s” and made the same campaign promises (hope, change, tax cuts for the middle-class), pre-election, with the results, upon election, quickly showing little change, and tax cuts (in Massachusetts) to be non-existent. It would appear, at this point, that Patrick is clearly not electable, regardless of who runs against him. Although, Patrick has made the case that it is not “his fault” that the economy is in its present state, it is a stretch, to say the least – bad management is simply bad management – Massachusetts voters were told in 2008 that to repeal the state income tax (which would have been a tax cut) would result in loss of jobs statewide, are now experiencing loss of jobs statewide, even with the Federal Stimulus funds apportioned to Massachusetts.

Evidence of the Stimulus at work, came in the form of signs touting the Stimulus at work, placed along Massachusetts Roadways - comments on the article are decidedly negative. It is a known fact, in Massachusetts, that Barack Obama and Deval Patrick have a better relationship (given their similar backgrounds as well as ties to Axelrod), which led some to believe that Massachusetts would fare better in any bailout (or Stimulus) program. As Massachusetts residents (and retailers), rush to stock shelves prior to the 25% sales tax increase effective August 1st, the comments under the article (here) are pointing to the “liberal” tax and spend legislature and Governor (Patrick).

The “liberal” label has been firmly attached to Obama who is now viewed with that “tag” by 76% of registered voters.(Note: Rasmussen polling uses registered voters, rather than "adults" (most survey's taken use "adults" - allowing non-voters to be factored into the results)

Although, given the timing, Obama will, in all likelihood, not have to worry about Patrick’s popularity, in 2012 when it comes to the state of Massachusetts - he will have to worry about his own. Patrick is to Dukakis (Mondale) as Obama is to Carter.

Iran Update 07-26-09 - Large Protest Planned August 8

A large protest is being planned for August 8, the fortieth day of Iranian Martyrdom – There are 5 areas of Tehran that will be targeted, and understanding that this protest is being planned to succeed. The source, a Farsi website, has been withheld due to details regarding the areas and activities. Suffice it to say, the translation of the date and the notation of Bloody Sunday, do not coincide, this may be due to the limitations of the on-line translator. One must admire the determination of the Iranian People, with an almost complete communications blackout by the Regime, they continue to plan, and execute demonstrations while finding ways to communicate with the world.