“Do Your Research” — Sherlock

This lovely article shows the importance of independent research: “Republicans Stretch Truth in Debate Salvos on Jobs, Taxes”

My only complaint with America’s still pretty much intact freedom of speech is that truth is not required. Spinning, twisting, and outright lying are protected except in a few specific circumstances. In other words, “news” doesn’t have to be accurate. In fact, it doesn’t have to be news at all. It might be a press release from some company.

Considering the dangers, all I can say is this:

Blessed be the fact checkers.

Cassandra

The Unemployment Hockeystick

Here’s a chart from John William’s Shadow Government Statistics: Analysis and Beyond Government Economic Reporting.

Even if one decides to go with the tepid “Official” U3, this chart doesn’t look good, does it?

Interestingly, in the entry for August 8, 2010, Stoneleigh of The Automatic Earth blog disagrees with Williams over the general trend this portends. He sees hyperinflation. She sees deflation.

To me, her arguments are stronger.

Cassandra

The Baseline Scenario

Sometimes I’m more than a little slow to find things, and today I found a resource I wish I’d known of many, many months ago: The Baseline Scenario

Anyone who hasn’t been following the current economic situation carefully or who wonders about the elements of said crisis can almost certainly benefit from reading at least this section of this blog:

Financial Crisis for Beginners

Cassandra

The American Dream

I was just rereading the transcript of Bill Moyers August 15, 2008 interview with Andrew Bacevich.

In one part, Bacevich responds to the infamous remark Dick Cheney parroted about the American way of life not being negotiable.

The American way of life equals The American Dream, doesn’t it? So what does that mean?

Ever consider the word “dream”?

Here’s the definition from dictionary.com for the noun form:

1. a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind during sleep.
2. the sleeping state in which this occurs.
3. an object seen in a dream.
4. an involuntary vision occurring to a person when awake.
5. a vision voluntarily indulged in while awake; daydream; reverie.
6. an aspiration; goal; aim: A trip to Europe is his dream.
7. a wild or vain fancy.
8. something of an unreal beauty, charm, or excellence.

Nice mix of possibilities here, huh?

As far as I can see, most Americans have slipped well away from “aspiration; goal; aim” to “wild and vain fancy.”

And how many of us noticed? And, assuming many now agree this has happened, WHEN did it happen?

And what–if anything–are most Americans going to do about our current economic crisis?

From what I’m seeing, our government intends to fan the flames rather than extinguish the fire. And it looks like too many who are still employed are grudgingly adding to savings and cutting back while still expecting the good times to roll again.

Dream on.

Cassandra