quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Bill, my husband works for federal agency and first, only gets about one more paid holiday than "the average worker." Second, he and his co-workers never missed a day of work, but they've been working from home.

For those workers who, by the nature of their job, need to interact with the public - that has been a different story. The pandemic is just as dangerous to them and their families as it is to yours.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Pre-pandemic our economy was just continuing on the upward track that Trump inherited. All he had to do was get out of the way of 90 straight months of private sector growth.

He couldn't quite help himself to get out of the way, though. His trade wars and tariff fights meant that something like 3000 small family farms shut down, so, correct - nothing great. And correct - more debt. And the chasm between the rich and the not-rich had grown even wider - which is most certainly not good for an economy.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mark Anderson

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Pre-pandemic our economy was just continuing on the upward track that Trump inherited. All he had to do was get out of the way of 90 straight months of private sector growth.

He couldn't quite help himself to get out of the way, though. His trade wars and tariff fights meant that something like 3000 small family farms shut down, so, correct - nothing great. And correct - more debt. And the chasm between the rich and the not-rich had grown even wider - which is most certainly not good for an economy.

In your opinion, was there a trade deficit with China? If yes, just bend over and take it or try to do something about it?

Will the tariffs and trade war work? I have no idea. Maybe a waste of time. Maybe there is no going back and we are just stuck.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Bill, my husband works for a federal agency and first, only gets about one more paid holiday than "the average worker." Second, he and his co-workers never missed a day of work, but they've been working from home.

For those workers who, by the nature of their job, need to interact with the public - that has been a different story. The pandemic is just as dangerous to them and their families as it is to yours.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mark Anderson

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Pre-pandemic our economy was just continuing on the upward track that Trump inherited. All he had to do was get out of the way of 90 straight months of private sector growth.

He couldn't quite help himself to get out of the way, though. His trade wars and tariff fights meant that something like 3000 small family farms shut down, so, correct - nothing great. And correct - more debt. And the chasm between the rich and the not-rich had grown even wider - which is most certainly not good for an economy.

In your opinion, was there a trade deficit with China? If yes, just bend over and take it or try to do something about it?

Will the tariffs and trade war work? I have no idea. Maybe a waste of time. Maybe there is no going back and we are just stuck.

It wasn't and isn't just trade wars with China. Canada and Mexico gained in trade also---they didn't want to change NAFTA. That trade agreement was made when I was a college kid in the 90s....

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mark Anderson

quote:

ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mark Anderson

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Pre-pandemic our economy was just continuing on the upward track that Trump inherited. All he had to do was get out of the way of 90 straight months of private sector growth.

He couldn't quite help himself to get out of the way, though. His trade wars and tariff fights meant that something like 3000 small family farms shut down, so, correct - nothing great. And correct - more debt. And the chasm between the rich and the not-rich had grown even wider - which is most certainly not good for an economy.

In your opinion, was there a trade deficit with China? If yes, just bend over and take it or try to do something about it?

Will the tariffs and trade war work? I have no idea. Maybe a waste of time. Maybe there is no going back and we are just stuck.

It wasn't and isn't just trade wars with China. Canada and Mexico gained in trade also---they didn't want to change NAFTA. That trade agreement was made when I was a college kid in the 90s....

Is USMCA passed and in effect? Or still NAFTA rules?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Bill, my husband works for a federal agency and first, only gets about one more paid holiday than "the average worker." Second, he and his co-workers never missed a day of work, but they've been working from home.

For those workers who, by the nature of their job, need to interact with the public - that has been a different story. The pandemic is just as dangerous to them and their families as it is to yours.

I read somewhere that there has been a lot of concern about the fact that no work is getting done.

Most government workers barely get anything done when their at work. Send them home can only drop that work production further. Problem is that it's simply not a result orientated work atmosphere.

Not singling out your husband but he is a Packers fan[:D]

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mark Anderson

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mark Anderson

quote:

ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

quote:

ORIGINAL: stfrank

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

I looked it up. It was New York City. DeBlasio did it to satisfy people who were concerned about the police using the information. He maintains that the questioning gives them the opportunity to volunteer the information without being directly asked. Not sure how they do that, but that's what he says.

In my cursory interweb search on my Google machine, I didn't find any other cities or states doing this.

It is an example of a failed health care system. In Europe they do contract tracing because the health care system cares about its people. It is baked into the DNA. In Germany they have an app on your phone that tells you whether or not you have been close to anyone with the virus.

A heath care system that isn't based on profits over health care is considered socialist by the angry old white men in charge and thus has no chance in the USA. [:D]

As an FYI the Big Health Insurance Companies have had record profits the last quarter....there is money in this pandemic. A big reason why the politics are what they are and money is getting thrown at campaigns.

Nasdaq loves the Pandemic. Unbelievable the gains it has made.

Tell that to the 40-million people out of work.

Relax. Just pointing out that some companies are getting rich off of a bad situation.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Bill, my husband works for a federal agency and first, only gets about one more paid holiday than "the average worker." Second, he and his co-workers never missed a day of work, but they've been working from home.

For those workers who, by the nature of their job, need to interact with the public - that has been a different story. The pandemic is just as dangerous to them and their families as it is to yours.

I read somewhere that there has been a lot of concern about the fact that no work is getting done.

Most government workers barely get anything done when their at work. Send them home can only drop that work production further. Problem is that it's simply not a result orientated work atmosphere.

Not singling out your husband but he is a Packers fan[:D]

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mark Anderson

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mark Anderson

quote:

ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

quote:

ORIGINAL: stfrank

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

I looked it up. It was New York City. DeBlasio did it to satisfy people who were concerned about the police using the information. He maintains that the questioning gives them the opportunity to volunteer the information without being directly asked. Not sure how they do that, but that's what he says.

In my cursory interweb search on my Google machine, I didn't find any other cities or states doing this.

It is an example of a failed health care system. In Europe they do contract tracing because the health care system cares about its people. It is baked into the DNA. In Germany they have an app on your phone that tells you whether or not you have been close to anyone with the virus.

A heath care system that isn't based on profits over health care is considered socialist by the angry old white men in charge and thus has no chance in the USA. [:D]

As an FYI the Big Health Insurance Companies have had record profits the last quarter....there is money in this pandemic. A big reason why the politics are what they are and money is getting thrown at campaigns.

Nasdaq loves the Pandemic. Unbelievable the gains it has made.

Absolutely. Reducing office space and laying off or cutting thousands of employees looks great to the bottom line.

It really shows how one of the most widely (mis)used barometers of our economy in no way reflects the economic health of the nation.

Bill.

What would say about our economy pre-Pandemic? Good numbers but more debt? Nothing great?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

Get a kick out of how all the state and government employees whom enjoy multiple more paid holidays than the average worker don't even need to go to work anymore.

Went to the courthouse the other day to renew my passport. What an absolute joke. They had a policeman in the entryway but no one else in the building. he went and got me the forms as that the public wasn't allowed in.

After filling out the forms and mailing them somewhere out east including my original passport. I go home and google how long this is going to take. Appears they're 250 million renewals behind because due to the covid no one is working. Appears the government isn't considered essential. Be lucky to see my new passport within the next 2-5 years.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Bill, my husband works for a federal agency and first, only gets about one more paid holiday than "the average worker." Second, he and his co-workers never missed a day of work, but they've been working from home.

For those workers who, by the nature of their job, need to interact with the public - that has been a different story. The pandemic is just as dangerous to them and their families as it is to yours.

I read somewhere that there has been a lot of concern about the fact that no work is getting done.

Most government workers barely get anything done when their at work. Send them home can only drop that work production further. Problem is that it's simply not a result orientated work atmosphere.

Not singling out your husband but he is a Packers fan[:D]

Possibly a fair question about how much work gets done from home, but yes, I can attest that my husband is extremely diligent about putting in his hours in the home office we created for him, and he's often (in fact right now) part of agency zoom-type calls (I have no idea what platform they use) where no doubt everyone has to be up to date on what they're working on.

Even before the pandemic, his office had an option for people to work from home a couple days a week and it seemed to go pretty well. He had no interest in it at that time, but obviously there was no choice once Covid hit. I suppose it depends on the kind of business someone works in, but it seems that if someone is not getting much done, the employer would recognize that and send them packing. The obvious news about how many people are unemployed right now should be a butt kick to make everyone keep up with their duties so they don't end up in the unemployment lines too.

Nothing I can do about the Packer-fan thing though. [>:]

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Now reading upthread and see Brad's comment, which earned him five stars from me. There is a routine meme that goes around that government workers are lazy and don't do much. I've had several family members work in government and others who were teachers. You're going to have to fight me if you want to claim that they don't work hard. My dad was the perfect example.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

quote:

ORIGINAL: stfrank

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

I looked it up. It was New York City. DeBlasio did it to satisfy people who were concerned about the police using the information. He maintains that the questioning gives them the opportunity to volunteer the information without being directly asked. Not sure how they do that, but that's what he says.

In my cursory interweb search on my Google machine, I didn't find any other cities or states doing this.

It is an example of a failed health care system. In Europe they do contract tracing because the health care system cares about its people. It is baked into the DNA. In Germany they have an app on your phone that tells you whether or not you have been close to anyone with the virus.

A heath care system that isn't based on profits over health care is considered socialist by the angry old white men in charge and thus has no chance in the USA. [:D]

As an FYI the Big Health Insurance Companies have had record profits the last quarter....there is money in this pandemic. A big reason why the politics are what they are and money is getting thrown at campaigns.

Sure there is. There just isn't money in testing and tracing. They'd rather put a person on a ventilator and have the person stay in their high-priced hospital for 30 days. That's where the money is.

Our health care system clearly revolves around the almighty dollar.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Now reading upthread and see Brad's comment, which earned him five stars from me. There is a routine meme that goes around that government workers are lazy and don't do much. I've had several family members work in government and others who were teachers. You're going to have to fight me if you want to claim that they don't work hard. My dad was the perfect example.

Didn't mean to lump teachers in. I know they work hard. As do many others in different fields.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Now reading upthread and see Brad's comment, which earned him five stars from me. There is a routine meme that goes around that government workers are lazy and don't do much. I've had several family members work in government and others who were teachers. You're going to have to fight me if you want to claim that they don't work hard. My dad was the perfect example.

Didn't mean to lump teachers in. I know they work hard. As do many others in different fields.

Firefighters have been pretty busy these days in California. Cops have their hands full.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

Get a kick out of how all the state and government employees whom enjoy multiple more paid holidays than the average worker don't even need to go to work anymore.

Went to the courthouse the other day to renew my passport. What an absolute joke. They had a policeman in the entryway but no one else in the building. he went and got me the forms as that the public wasn't allowed in.

After filling out the forms and mailing them somewhere out east including my original passport. I go home and google how long this is going to take. Appears they're 250 million renewals behind because due to the covid no one is working. Appears the government isn't considered essential. Be lucky to see my new passport within the next 2-5 years.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

Now reading upthread and see Brad's comment, which earned him five stars from me. There is a routine meme that goes around that government workers are lazy and don't do much. I've had several family members work in government and others who were teachers. You're going to have to fight me if you want to claim that they don't work hard. My dad was the perfect example.

Didn't mean to lump teachers in. I know they work hard. As do many others in different fields.

Firefighters have been pretty busy these days in California. Cops have their hands full.

I fought forest fires out in Calif 30 years ago. Brutal job.

I was wrong to paint a broad brush regarding Gov workers not doing their jobs. But some of the higher level services regarding paperwork don't seem to perform with any urgency.

Slow on the passport and we're also experiencing long delays on the state level.