How is the economy treating you?

[fett]

Yikes:ROTF: No carbon footprint there.

[SouthPlatteDemon]

Money isn't our issue. Time is.

I've been in public sector since 1998. I get regular pay increases and have job security. Both are because I meet or exceed expectations regarding performance.

Work hard, make fiscally responsible decisions, and follow the golden rule. This life thing can actually be pretty enjoyable.

[fett]

It sounds like what you do can't be outsourced. And that's a good thing.

[Jason1212]

For me the economy went south in 2003. I got laid off from MCI and went through debt hell. Now I am out of hell and on the other side things are ok for the most part. I make about 28% less than I was, but I no longer have the revolving credit accounts that were dragging me down then. The % rate on my home loan is fixed and pretty good. Gas could be cheaper as well as utilities, but again it could be worse.

[Horse Called War]

Things are going ok. I work 2 jobs, my day job is a government contractor, my night job is a Limo Driver. 12-16 hour days are not uncommon. I cant go to any meetings at work for more than 15 minutes without falling asleep The old lady works and makes good money too, but taxes,insurance ,utilities, gas, are killing us.I hope to have my own Limo business up and going in 08. Owning your own business is the way to go, but lots of risks.

[1979Charvel]

Today I'm better off physically and Mentally Last year I was at a meager 125,000.00 Today Im only at 76,000.00 BUT AND EMPHASIZE BUT, I work
2/3rds Less than I did last year.....have LOADS OF FREE TIME AND LOVE IT!!!
Only need to be in the Office ALL Day 2 Days a week!!!

[RobRR]

Work hard,

Thanks to unions, this doesent really make a difference. I was the hardest/fastest/best quality worker in my occupation at Lockheed Martin... but thanks to the union, that didnt matter. I went out on the streets, while lazy pieces of shit BUMPED me out of my job because they had seniority.

Thanks to unions, lazy piles of rubbish keep their high paid jobs, but people like me who TRULY want to WORK and do their best get thrown out on the street.

[fett]

You're a what?

I meant "negative".:ROTF: But, I'm a negger living in a trailer park saving every penny I have. Living cheap. Knowing that when something medically hits me I will be wiped out.

[yard dawg]

The economy is treating me like a fresh new virgin butt hole at a gay mens prison. Im blue collar so the illegals are taking the jobs Id do. They have all the landscaping,construction,irrigation and outdoor lighting install jobs here. I cant tell you how many americans here would do those jobs just not for $9 hr at 60 hr weeks with no benifits. Thats why theyre here!!!!! Cheap labor plain and simple. A carpenter used to make $20 hr or more in the south and now cant even hardly find a job because of the illegals.

[fett]

My 24 year old son is working at Home Depot for $15.25/hour. He's single and lives with two roomates. He thinks life is grand. He's a highschool grad. I told him that I could help him with college. But, he didn't take me up on the offer. Now, don't get your panties in a wad, but he is free, white and 24. But, in the long run he will lose. He needs to get into a trade. He, being 6'6", I would not recommed plumbing.

[RickStar]

The economy here in Iowa has been pretty good. But in November we elected another democrat and he jacked up our taxes a great deal. With the jobs me and the wife have we don't really worry too much cause we have pretty good job security but the taxes on my property and smokes and everything else is getting rediculous. Gas prices never really affected me cause my work is pretty close. I have a 2000 ford ranger I bought brand new and just hit 42,000 miles on it. I do feel for people who don't live that close to their work and also got in on those ARM mortgages on their house. Hate seeing people lose their homes.

[delt]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kIUCTbi_XZs

[UFORocks]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kIUCTbi_XZs

wow... what else is there to say?

[hippietim]

I am doing fine. The stock market and the DOJ killed my chances of retiring early but I make a very good income and have a sweet home in a great area.

We have so many problems to fix: illegals, outsourcing, job-killing imported shit goods from China, massive abuse and waste of the public money by our government.

I love the way our government loves to spin unemployment statistics. Heck even when they make the numbers look good they fail to note the fact that just because someone is employed does not mean they are in the same financial situation - going from $50k a year to struggling for 6 months to find a job for $30k is not a net positive.

I remember back when Reagan used to talk about retraining "dislocated" workers - what a crock. Then all the bullshit about so-called free-trade came along. Yeah, that's working great.

We gave away the so-called undesirable jobs many, many decades ago to illegal workers. Then we gave away the manufacturing jobs to China. In recent years the illegal workers got promoted as we gave away the infrastructure jobs. And now the current plan is to give away the remaining jobs that actually create or produce things.

I think I need to learn how to get on the board of directors for major corporations - those jobs seem secure. The work seems easy enough - sell out your fellow Americans and distribute a meager percentage of your income in sealed envelopes to the politicians you bought along the way.

[Jackson/Charvelfan]

I am better off than I have ever been in my life at this point.
This is not to say I haven’t gone threw many years of hard times.
It has taken a lot of hard work and relocating from west to east coast.
We relocated for my wife's job at the time and she has had four jobs in as many years.
I have been working in the same area for 4 years and with a lot of hard work moved up the ladder.
Don’t even get me started on illegal immigration as grew up in southern CA and have watched how the open boarders and free trade have effected the job situation for everyone.
The illegal immigrants broke the law when they came in.
If some one broke into your house or tried to steal from you would be very upset and want justice wouldn't you?
Illegals do this every day.
Try traveling over to any other country even on a buss. trip.
You must show and have your ID (passport) with you at all times.
In the US, the ACLU acts as if it is a crime for the police or an employer to ask you immigration status.
When you come back into the country (US), you are treated like you a suspect in a crime.
Anyways back to the main topic am I better off yes.