For the last two years, America’s job-creation machine has been like “The Little Engine That Could,” chugging ahead with “I think I can, I think I can” regardless of headwinds at home or abroad.
The nation added 3 million jobs in 2014, making up all the ground lost in the Great Recession, and then piled on another 2.7 million jobs last year. All while the broader economy, as measured by the gross domestic product, grew at a relatively lackluster pace.
But the January jobs report, released Friday, suggests that the ever-dependable locomotive for the U.S. economy has encountered a hill that slowed it sharply.
The question now is whether it is just moving through an unusually steep patch or has finally met a hill it cannot conquer. The answer probably won’t be known for a couple of months, but Friday’s report has further clouded the outlook for investors and the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy.
The Labor Department said that employers added just 151,000 jobs last month, down from an average monthly gain of 283,000 in the fourth quarter of last year.
Economists caution that one can’t make too much of a single month’s data, especially in the winter when weather can skew payroll statistics. Unseasonably warm temperatures in December probably inflated hiring that month in construction, for example.
Republican representatives look to spur national debate
By
FELICIA SCHWARTZ
Feb. 4, 2016 6:05 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON—Two Republican lawmakers introduced a bill on Thursday that would require women to register for the draft in a step meant to advance a national debate about the Pentagon’s decision in December to open all military combat positions to women.
Women have been excluded from the Selective Service System, a decision that was upheld by a 1981 Supreme Court ruling that said as long as women weren’t allowed in combat units, they shouldn’t be subjected to it.
However, Defense Secretary Ash Carter in December said the Pentagon would open all combat positions to women, without exceptions. Reps. Duncan Hunter of California andRyan Zinke of Montana said in introducing their bill that Mr. Carter’s decision mandates a national debate about the role of women in the military.
The nationwide release of “A Clockwork Orange” was 44 years ago — on Feb. 2, 1972 — but today its star, Malcolm McDowell, says the movie was more prescient than it seemed at the time.
Based on a novel by Anthony Burgess, the Stanley Kubrick film shows “a world in which all older people stayed indoors with their televisions on,” McDowell told the News. “And that’s basically what happened.
‘A CLOCKWORK ORANGE’ IS A MIND-SHATTERING VISION OF TOMORROW: 1971 REVIEW
“It’s just the young people out there doing drugs — and he foretold all this before the drug explosion.”
The film, like the book, depicts a dystopian future filled with “ultra-violence,” gangs of “droogs” and depravity at every turn. The four main characters — including McDowell’s lead character Alex — spend their free time in a bar where they drink drug-laced milk in preparation for an evening filled with violence, mayhem and even rape.
The book was released in 1962 and shooting for the film began in 1969, “so this is really before huge gang violence and drugs happened,” McDowell said.
With some of the most iconic scenes set behind bars, the prison system looms large in the world of “A Clockwork Orange” — much like in modern America.
When Barack Obama stepped onto the national political stage almost a decade ago, rumors swirled that he was secretly a Muslim. These rumors have frequently been debunked — the U.S. president is a practicing Christian — but they persist nonetheless: In a poll conducted in 2014, 54 percent of Republicans were found to believe that Obama was a Muslim “deep down.”
The endurance of these conspiracy theories can probably be attributed to Obama’s position as the first African American president of the United States — his two terms as president have been wrapped up in issues of race and identity. But it’s also worth noting how these theories have mutated as they traveled abroad, adapting in unexpected ways to fit regional arguments.
One of the most persistent and widespread of these conspiracy theories gets more specific than its American variant: Obama isn’t just a Muslim, this theory goes…. he’s a Shiite Muslim.
This week, as the Obama administration announced that it was lifting sanctions on Iran as a result of a U.S.-led nuclear deal with Tehran reached in July, Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, the head of general security for the emirate of Dubai, suggested that Obama’s “Shiite roots” had helped him get elected in a bid to bring the United States and Iran closer.
Confidence in race relations in America continues to fall, with hopes for the future at their lowest level yet.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% of American Adults now think race relations in this country are getting worse, up from 44% a year ago and 30% as recently as January 2014. Only 20% believe race relations are getting better, a new low that compares to 38% five years ago. Twenty-six percent (26%) say race relations are staying about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Only 18% rate race relations in America today as good or excellent, unchanged from last year at this time but down from 34% two years ago. Thirty-three percent (33%) now consider race relations poor, up from 15% in 2011 and 29% last January.
Interestingly, unlike most questions related to race, there isn’t a wide difference of opinion on these questions between blacks and whites. Other minority Americans are the least pessimistic.
“The Obama doctrine — denying reality in the name of hope and refusing to acknowledge the critical need for American leadership — has led directly to disorientation, confusion and increased threats in almost all the major arenas of the world.”
By Judd Gregg – 01/11/16 06:00 AM EST
The world is missing America.
It may not want to acknowledge this fact but it is true nonetheless.
A stabilizing power that is governed by principles and the rule of law is critical to maintaining some reasonable level of order in a world that is inherently disorderly and chaotic.
If such a power is not willing to take on this role then a vacuum occurs. In global affairs, nations or groups who are governed neither by admirable principles nor by the rule of law almost always fill that vacuum.
We are seeing this today, of course.
The Obama doctrine — denying reality in the name of hope and refusing to acknowledge the critical need for American leadership — has led directly to disorientation, confusion and increased threats in almost all the major arenas of the world.
Eastern Europe has devolved and Russia is filling the space with aggression. The Middle East has become totally unhinged from any force for coherent and constructive governance due to the Obama administration’s negligence.
China is expanding its sphere of influence and doing so in international waters. It is clear that Afghanistan is headed in the same direction as Iraq, with the likely re-establishment of the Taliban as the dominant force.
Then there is North Korea, which appears to be moving again toward a capability of delivering a nuclear weapon with a missile.
Those are the obvious results of the Obama administration’s policy of denial.
Ridgewood NJ, Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) issued the following statement after President Obama delivered his final State of the Union address:
“Tonight’s State of the Union address seemed like a victory lap for the president, but for many Americans victory is still nowhere in sight. The six million people still looking for full time employment haven’t seen victory. Neither have those who lost their health care or preferred doctor because of ObamaCare. Or the future generations who will be burdened with debt because of the reckless spending of this administration.
“We must work hard to unleash the American spirit so everyone can pursue their dreams. That means meaningful reforms that reduce regulatory burdens, fix the broken tax code, and rein in the national debt. These are solutions that will empower Main Streets in New Jersey, not bureaucracies in Washington, D.C.
“Additionally, I was troubled by only one fleeting mention of the nuclear deal with Iran and nothing about the U.S. Navy vessels and their crews that are being held captive by Iran. This deal is fundamentally flawed and Iran cannot be left on a path to obtain nuclear capabilities in a few short years.
“If the president wants to work on cutting red tape and regulations, I invite him to join the House Financial Services Committee in looking at the 400 new rules imposed by Dodd-Frank and their massive compliance costs that are being passed along to hardworking families. If he wants to put the American people first, I encourage him to look at the ObamaCare repeal bill that would put health care back in the control of the American people that he vetoed last week. And if he’s serious about the future of America, please Mr. President, deliver a budget next month that actually balances to preserve prosperity for our children and grandchildren.
“We can do better, and this year the House will continue to put forward ideas and legislation that put Americans in the driver’s seat to recovery. I invite the president to join us.”
Tavis Smiley: On Every Leading Economic Issue Black Americans Have Lost Ground Under Obama
Jim Hoft Jan 11th, 2016 8:53 pm
On Monday night urban radio show host Tavis Smiley told Megyn Kelly Barack Obama has failed black Americans as president.
Megyn Kelly: On the subject of race, are we better off today that seven years ago?
Tavis Smiley: I’m not sure we are and I think ultimately the president missed a moment… On every leading economic issue, in the leading economic issues Black Americans have lost ground in every one of those leading categories. So in the last ten years it hasn’t been good for black folk. This is the president’s most loyal constituency that didn’t gain any ground in that period.
Conservative Larry Elder wrote about the increase in black poverty under Obama last year.
Via Townhall:
What about poverty? In 2009, when Obama took office, the black poverty rate was 25.8 percent. As of 2014, according to Pew Research Center, the black poverty rate was 27.2 percent.
What about income? CNNMoney says, “Minority households’ median income fell 9 percent between 2010 and 2013, compared to a drop of only 1 percent for whites.” The Financial Times wrote last October: “Since 2009, median non-white household income has dropped by almost a 10th to $33,000 a year, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve’s survey of consumer finances. As a whole, median incomes fell by 5 percent. But by the more telling measure of net wealth — assets minus liabilities — the numbers offer a more troubling story.”
What about net worth and the black-white “wealth gap”? The Financial Times said: “The median non-white family today has a net worth of just $18,100 — almost a fifth lower than it was when Mr. Obama took office. White median wealth, on the other hand, has inched up by 1 percent to $142,000. In 2009, white households were seven times richer than their black counterparts. That gap is now eightfold. Both in relative and absolute terms, blacks are doing worse under Mr. Obama.” Remember, these numbers apply to all “non-whites.” For blacks, it’s worse.
When looking only at “black net worth” — which is lower compared to non-whites as a whole — white households are actually 13 times wealthier than black households. From 2010 to 2013, according to the Federal Reserve, white household median wealth increased a modest 2.4 percent, while Hispanic families’ wealth declined 14 percent, to $13,700. But blacks’ net worth fell from $16,600 to $11,000. This is an astonishing three-year drop of 34 percent. Investors Business Daily put it this way, “That’s a steeper decline than occurred from 2007 to 2010, when blacks’ net worth fell 13.5 percent.” The black/white “wealth-gap” has reached a 25-year high.
What about unemployment? In 2009, black unemployment was 12.7 percent, and by 2014, it had fallen to 10.1 percent. This sounds like good news until one examines the black labor force participation rate — the percentage of blacks working or seeking work. It’s the lowest since these numbers have been recorded.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) issued the following statement before President Obama’s final State of the Union address this evening:
“Like a bad New Year’s Resolution, for the past six January’s President Obama has come before Congress and the American people and delivered a State of the Union address that promises that this year things will be different. But despite all of the president’s words and promises, our economy continues to struggle, the national debt threatens the future of our country, and the nuclear deal struck with Iran and lack of a clear strategy against ISIS make the world a more dangerous place for the United States.
“Tonight is a chance for the president to leave the rhetoric and failed policies behind him and come to Capitol Hill with something new. Hardworking Americans deserve an outline for a people first, pro-growth economy, a real plan to balance the budget, a strategy to protect the United States, and an emphasis on the rights and liberties granted by the Constitution. Those are 2016 resolutions that everyone can get behind.”
Rep. Scott Garrett is a senior member of the House Budget Committee and Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises.
A new poll from FoxNews finds voters souring on President Obama’s tenure in office, as his presidency enters its final year. President Obama entered office in 2009 with some of the highest approval ratings recorded in modern politics. He prepares to leave office with every poll finding his approval rating underwater.
This isn’t simply the weariness of voters with a President entering his eighth and final year, but a growing sense that he has failed on every major issue and leaves office with America weaker than when he arrived.
In this latest Fox poll, 61 percent of voters say they are unhappy with the direction of the country. Only 38 percent say they are largely satisfied. This is consistent with most other recent polls. A CNN/ORC poll last week found that 75 percent of Americans were “dissatisfied” with the governing of the country, with 69 percent at least “somewhat angry” about the situation.
Only 23 percent of Americans describe the economy as “good” or “excellent” in the Fox poll. More than three-out-of-four Americans, 76 percent, describe the economy as “fair” or “poor.” Just 27 percent say America is strong and confident today.
There isn’t simply an ennui that has settled over the body politic. Rather, the voters believe that Obama has failed on very specific issues. On “improving health care,” 53 percent of voters say Obama has “mostly failed.” Stimulating the economy? Fifty-one percent say Obama has failed.
A strong majority, 58 percent, say Obama has failed in “making the country safer.” Sixty percent say he has failed to “improve America’s image around the world.” Two-thirds of voters, 65 percent, say Obama has failed to “handle ISIS.” A similar number, 62 percent, say he has failed to “handle illegal immigration.”
Perhaps most disappointing, given the promise that swept him into office, 59 percent say Obama has failed to “improve race relations.” The same number also believe he has failed to run a “transparent administration.”
Presidents are often eclipsed in their final year in office, as the political world turns its attention to the campaign for the next President. The “best and the brightest” in any Administration have long departed for a calmer, or in many cases more lucrative, life after government. Even in Congress, the political debates and discussions turn to policies and budgets that stretch beyond a President’s tenure.
Traditionally, Presidents devote their time to foreign policy, striving to solidify their legacy as a global statesman. In this case, however, President Obama is constricted by a series of world events that raise more questions about his culpability, rather than leadership. Obama’s unconventional pivot to the divisive issue of gun control last week is indicative of his weak hand in global affairs.
Americans are starting 2016 with more job security, but most are still theoretically only one paycheck away from the street.
Approximately 63 percent of Americans have no emergency savings for things such as a $1,000 emergency room visit or a $500 car repair, according to a survey released Wednesdayof 1,000 adults by personal finance website Bankrate.com, up slightly from 62 percent last year. Faced with an emergency, they say they would raise the money by reducing spending elsewhere (23 percent), borrowing from family and/or friends (15 percent) or using credit cards to bridge the gap (15 percent).
This lack of emergency savings could be a problem for millions of Americans. More than four in 10 Americans either experienced a major unexpected expense over the past 12 months or had an immediate family member who had an unexpected expense, Bankrate found. (The survey didn’t specify the impact of that expense.) “Without emergency savings, you may not have money to cover needed home repairs,” says Signe-Mary McKernan, senior fellow and economist at the Urban Institute, a nonprofit organization that focuses on social and economic policy. “Similarly, without emergency savings, people could raid their retirement account.”
Borders: The savage behavior of “migrant” revelers on New Year’s Eve in Germany should remind Europe that borders matter. But decades of political correctness and moral relativism have brainwashed a generation.
The mostly Muslim migrants from North Africa and the Mideast who have swarmed Europe over the past year have strained welfare resources and frayed social ties in nations such as Greece, Hungary, Italy, Germany and France.
The challenge faced by Europe in integrating the masses of newcomers was underscored in Cologne, Germany, last weekend. There, more than 1,000 newly arrived men committed some 90 serious crimes, including assault, rape and robbery, near the city’s train station and right next to its landmark cathedral.
The outrageous criminality has finally set off angry debate across the EU over leaders’ failure to protect citizens from those who come from nations that do not share Western values, morals and codes of behavior.
Liberal notions of seamlessly integrating hordes of immigrants into an advanced, post-industrial society have been shown to be naive and dangerous.
The Eurocrats and leftists who govern the European Union are starting to panic. “We’re willing to do more than anyone else,” said Swedish Migration Minister Morgan Johansson. “But even we have our limits.”
A lot of countries, it seems, are reaching their limits. Hungary has erected border fences to keep migrants out. Sweden and Denmark are fortifying their borders, setting up checkpoints to catch troublemakers. The New York Times cites growing “fears that terrorists are seeking to enter Europe masquerading as refugees.”
Who announces regulations on one of the top selling products of the year just before Christmas— the Obama Administration, of course! Donald Scarinci, PolitickerNJ Read more
WASHINGTON — The question from the congressman to the Obama administration official was straightforward enough: How many foreign visitors overstay their visas every year?
The reply was simple too, but not in a satisfying way. “We don’t know,” the official said.
The testy exchange during a recent congressional hearing between Representative Mark Meadows, Republican of North Carolina, and Alan Bersin, the assistant secretary for international affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, highlights what some law enforcement officials call a critical weakness in the United States foreign visa program.
The issue has taken on added urgency as part of a broader examination of immigration policy following the mass shootings in San Bernardino, Calif., that left 14 people dead and 22 wounded. Tashfeen Malik, one of the attackers, was granted entry to the United States under a K-1 visa, also known as a fiancé visa. Her husband, Syed Rizwan Farook, was an American-born citizen. Both died in a shootout with the police. While Ms. Malik did not overstay her visa, the attack added to fears that a terrorist could exploit gaps in the system.
Nearly 20 years ago, Congress passed a law requiring the federal government to develop a system to track people who overstayed their visas. After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, an entry and exit tracking system was seen as a vital national security and counterterrorism tool, and the 9/11 Commission recommended that the Department of Homeland Security complete a system “as soon as possible.” Two of the 9/11 hijackers, Satam al-Suqami and Nawaf al-Hazmi, had overstayed their visas.
Iran’s rocket launch near a U.S. aircraft carrier is likely a sign of things to come, say experts on the regime — especially as Tehran offers concessions under the nuclear deal negotiated earlier this year.
U.S. military officials on Tuesday revealed that Iran had conducted what they called a “highly provocative” live-fire exercise within a mile from a U.S. aircraft carrier.
Although Iran has conducted two other such exercises within the past year or so — one in April and one in October 2014 — a Navy official said this last exercise, which took place on Dec. 26, was unique in that it was conducted “much closer” to U.S. ships than before.
It came one day after the White House celebrated a milestone on the nuclear deal — Iran’s shipping of most of its low-enriched uranium out of the country.
Experts say they expect similar behavior going forward.
They argue that Tehran is seeking to send a message to the U.S., the region and its own citizens that despite the deal, Iran has no intention of working more broadly with the United States.
“Despite the recent agreement on the nuclear situation…I think they’re saying to us, we’re still not going to roll over on anything else,” said Retired Navy Vice Adm. Peter Daly, CEO of the United States Naval Institute.
