Happy Election Day!

It will be a truly happy day if the Republicans win. Just sayin.

Rommey

A fellow therapist looked at me in total disbelief when I told him, I will not vote for Obama, but for Rommey. The reaction I got and I quote, "But you are a therapist". I know what I am. I also know therapist = help = service unto others. However, I tell any patient I have that I will meet them 50%, but they had to meet me 50% of the way. I will not do all the work. I cannot change anyone. I am here to educate, provide tools and support. I will not enable. Is it not our profession to help people stand on their own two feet? Is it not our profession to guide not supply? I can't fix anyone, so if someone comes into treatment with the mind set that they need a certain diagnosis to receive SSI or SSDI, they chose the wrong therapist. I do not get involved with those services. If someone really has a serious problem, they should be under a doctor's care. I am of the mind set that if you hurt your back in construction, seek temporary assistance until you get back in school and learn a new trade. Even the deaf and blind are gainfully employed. I teach personal responsibility. It is up to each and everyone of else to take responsibility for our lives and our choices. I see too many people looking for a hand-out. I see too many people going on SSI or SSDI, working under the table and receiving food stamps. That is the reason our current system is bankrupt. It was put into place to help the truly needed, yet it has been abused for so long that it is easier to ask for a hand-out and never make a honest attempt at self improvement. I have always worked even when I raised three children. I never applied for unemployment. When I injuried my shoulder and could no longer work in the lab, I took out loans and went back to school in my late 40's, while interning and working fulltime. Many days, I felt like saying, "fuck this". I could have gotten a nice worker's comp payout. I did not. I went back to work. I could have applied for SSDI. I did not. I went back to work. I have paid taxes all my life. I pay into short and long term disability. I used the short term for the first time in my life for 5 weeks after I exhausted all my Paid Time Off.

I am a therapist. I am a really good therapist. I am also voting for Rommey.

Update
Thanks to all the readers. I hit an all time high of 45,251 hits today. The last highest date of hits this high was October 13th. Number # topic is still How Obama paid for Harvard?

Jobless Rate

Tell me, do you still think you are better off today, than four years ago. If you do, vote for Obama, but be careful because you may be one of these numbers in the next four years. The man had his chance. He blew it. Time for a change. Vote for Rommey!

CNBC's Rick Santelli runs down the latest numbers on unemployment, and discussing what it indicates about the economy and its impact on the markets, with CNBC's Steve Liesman, and Jim Iuorio, TJM Institutional Services.

By NBC News staff and wire reports

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits leapt to the highest level in four months in the latest week, erasing the large drop reported last week and then some.
The Labor Department reported Thursday that initial claims, a notoriously volatile data point that is subject to large swings due to technical factors, rose a seasonally-adjusted 46,000 to 388,000. The four-week moving average, which smooths out wrinkles in the data, rose 750 to 365,500. Both data points remain below 400,000, suggesting that the labor market is healing, although at a snail's pace.
"Improvement in the labor market will continue to be fitful and slow," said Joseph Trevisani, a market strategist at Worldwide Markets in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
Last week, California reported a large drop in applications, pushing down the overall figure to the lowest since February 2008. This week, it reported a significant increase as it processed applications delayed from the previous week.
A department spokesman says the seasonally adjusted numbers "are being distorted ... by an issue of timing."
The government adjusts its readings for claims to take into account regular seasonal swings. Claims usually increase at the beginning of a quarter, but one state appears to be following a different pattern than normal in reporting its claims, which led to the wild fluctuations over the last couple of weeks, a department official said.

 

Rommey

Building Businesses, Creating Jobs

Governor Romney's time at Bain Capital was spent fixing struggling businesses and giving new businesses a shot at success. From 1984, when Romney co-founded the firm, to February 1999 when he left to lead the Olympics, Romney helped save thousands of jobs at companies that were in trouble. And the businesses Romney helped start while at Bain Capital employ more than 100,000 people today.

Since Bain Capital's founding, the company has had a remarkable record of success, especially considering that it largely invests with struggling or startup enterprises. Eighty percent of Bain Capital's portfolio companies have increased revenues, and only five percent of the companies under its control have filed for bankruptcy. Romney's work not only helped to save and create jobs, it also provided returns to investors, the majority of which were pension funds for retirees, university endowments helping with financial aid, and charities serving their local communities.

This experience helped Romney fix a scandal-plagued and debt-ridden Olympics in 2002 and to fix a budget shortfall in Massachusetts. He knows how to provide strong leadership in challenging times, and he will bring that experience with him to the White House to fix America's broken economy and to create jobs for the millions of Americans who are out of work.

The Obama campaign's attacks on business and free enterprise aren't just false; they explain why we aren't creating jobs. They reveal what this President really thinks about free enterprise. This is the most anti-business President in memory, and the results are clear: 23 million Americans are struggling for work, and unemployment has been above eight percent for 42-straight months. It's time to make a change to someone who understands the private sector and can get America working again.

Are You Better Off Today?

Let's look at the statistics.

-- The unemployment rate: 6.8 percent in November of 2008 and 8.2 percent now and rising in at least 22 states.

-- The national poverty rate: 13.2 percent then, and 15.1 percent now.

-- Americans on food stamps: 30.9 million then, 44.7 million now.

-- A gallon of regular gasoline: $2.40 then, $3.60 now.

-- Homeownership rate: 67.8 percent then, 65.4 percent now.

-- America's median household income: $50,203 then,$49,445 now.

-- The number of Americans participating in the labor force: 65.8 percent then, but now down to 63.8 percent because millions of discouraged job seekers have stopped looking for work.

-- The annual budget deficit: $459 billion in fiscal 2008, but $1.32 trillion in fiscal 2012.

-- The federal debt: $10.57 trillion then, $15.69 trillion now.

-- The number of civilian federal employees: 2.67 million then, 2.75 million now.

 

Debate

I watched the debate. I never realized the lack of class our current vice-president had. How many times can one interrupt another? Seriously, I think we have two puppets in the White House running (tongue in cheek) the government. The presidential debate presented a commander in chief as a deer in headlights and the vice presidential debate presented a spoiled child trying to over speak the other. God help us if those two morons get re-elected. Let's try and place some intelligent people in office.

My Political Viewpoint

I am pro-religion, anti-bureaucracy, pro-military, pro-business, pro-personal responsibility, against big government and see it as wasteful and an obstacle to getting things done. If you start a business and your business becomes successful as a result of your hard work, why the hell should you be taxed because of the irresponsibility of others. I paid my way through college, while worked long hours, paid health, dental, home, rental, liability, short/long term disability, car insurance while others purchased 75,000 dollar cars or took out mortgages they could not afford and turn around and blame government and expect a hand-out. I resent giving my hard earned money to those who are financially irresponsible. I have no time nor patience for the "woo is me crowd". Get off your ass, cut back, take responsibility. This current government enables people. Why hate the rich for their hard work? I see so much rhetoric and jealousy, it makes me sick. Tax the rich to support the poor/middle class. How about they get off their ass and educate themselves, so they can work. I will not even get into the foreign policy or the fact that Navy Seals along with an ambassador from our country was murdered and thus far, I see no real action being taken. Let this go and we can expect another 9/11. Obamacare is a disgrace. I researched the pros and cons. If things do not change and people do not get their heads out of their ass, I will not be the one who said, "I told you so". I do not do stupid well. I never did. But, I sure as hell will not remain silent.