YOUR COMMENTS

Spike's right--the free market did not cause the housing meltdown any more than it caused the housing bubble. What caused both was government intrusion into the marketplace and the Fed's loosening of credit. As for the role played by the free market, the only area that needed more regulation was in the new innovation of securitized mortgages. But these packages were a direct consequence of the lax lending practices at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac and easy credit. Unfortunately, by the time Bush realized the potential problems of securitization, he had been rendered a "lame duck" by the liberals, who, by this time, had taken control of Congress. Thus, his hands were tied; his concerns, squelched out by the likes of Barney Frank, et al. Bush's only mistake was failing to assert himself more aggressively so that more Americans would have been aware of what was happening--and his attempts to stop it.
- Susie, Horseshoe Bay, TX (NH native)

Extend unemployment benefits.........ha..there are plenty of jobs out there, I have 3...you are just prolonging these people not to look for work. Why should they, they are getting paid to do nothing!
- Renee, Berlin, NH

"What's wrong with that," KB of Berlin, is that nothing you said was true. There was no "lack of regulation" under Bush, that hapless captive of the Washington bureaucracy. Even Gramm-Leach-Bliley didn't "deregulate" anything, it just let different types of banks encroach on one another's turf. The Community Reinvestment Act forced banks not to do good banking but to be good CHARITIES, and Clinton put banks on notice that routine approvals would be used as a chance to review their obedience. Banks were forced to loan to inner-city people who could not repay. It was OVERREGULATION, with laundering and kickbacks by FNMA etc., and its authors (Chris Dodd and Barney Frank) are now agitating for even more regulation, to guard against "systemic risk" that their intervention CREATED in the banking business. Why do I think that none of the above sunk in? that you will keep believing what you want to believe, that individual liberty has forced you into poverty?
- Spike, Brentwood NH

Hey, "Jean the Tax Machine", if you stopped killing businesses, people would have jobs!

Leave it to Democrats to try to fight gravity by throwing stuff up in the air.
- David Goss, Manchester

Okay, folks...do we not yet agree that the more free the capitalist markets, meaning the less regulation, the more extreme the swings will be in the business cycle, resulting in deeper depressions?

Free markets and lack of regulation are what got us in this mess (free trade anyone? NAFTA? That's captialism. Small government w/minimal regulations and/or oversight? We get the banking mess and sweatshops.)

What we're hoping to do, as a society, with things like unemployment insurance, is try to mitigate the severity of downturns in the business cycle, and keep people fed WHILE getting retraining if needed. What's wrong with that?
- KB, Berlin

If this President does not do something quickly not only is he a one term President, but the country might not last beyond him, if we lose the war on terror. One too many mistakes less than a year in...Obama is Bad news
- Peter Haan, Amherst NH

Rising unemployment and higher taxes are not irrelevant. BO promised job creation and uemployment no higher than 8 %. He also promised no one under 250k a year getting taxed, All lies.
- Larry, Brentwood NH

This thread has now attracted its third out-of-state, first-time contributor (AJax from Minnesota) commenting on "innocent victims waiting." More than anything, this sheds light on the process by which Shaheen got elected in the first place--a corrupt process having nothing to do with those in need.

I don't know your personal situations and can't find you your next jobs (if, AJax, you don't already have one at the SEIU Union Hall). My only comment is about the ease at which citizens of this once-heroic nation are willing to DEFINE THEMSELVES by their economic failure--for the sake of momentarily having the right to point a finger of blame and beg for public benefits. Shaheen, Lynch, Obama, McCain, Clegg--you have ruined the can-do spirit of America.
- Spike, Brentwood NH

What's wrong with you people? When BHO talked about the "stimulus" bill saving or creating millions of jobs, he was talking about creating millions of GOVERNMENT jobs. How many Czars does BHO have to hire before you conservative bozos realize that the Obama economic plan is a fabulous success?

(BTW--rising unemployment and jobs lost to regulations & higher taxes are irrelevant.)
- Paul, Sunapee

Stop buying foreign goods and bring back jobs to the U.S. I used to work for a catalog company in Maine. First, I saw the production go out of the country, next the management of that product, then product testing, production planning, product support, etc. This is happening with many many jobs, including the federally funded stafford loans for college that are serviced by Sallie Mae. They are in India and the Phillipines. Pretty soon, there won't be anything but government jobs left in the U.S. and no tax money to pay the bill.
- Jane, Maine

Yup, keep overburdening the system all the way to collapse. It's the plan. It's always been the plan. Obama's policies are in no way meant to revitalize the economy. It's the exact opposite, and Jeanne Shaheen either knows it and is complicit or doesn’t and is ignorant.
- Craig, Manchester

Bail out sounds like something used to help someone whose done something wrong or suspected of doing wrong. Millions of unemployed workers have exhausted their benefits weeks to months ago and they are innocent victims waiting on a bail out. This situation was strategic. The strings are being pulled as we dance faster and faster for the amusement of the rich and wealthy. You want to feed your family "dance", You want healthcare "dance", You want a job "dance"... this is sick. We are hard working, ambitious, reliable Americans. But our worst quality is how trustworthy we are to people that get a kick out of watching US struggle.
8.5% seriously? Leave the rest to figure it out on their own? Not sure who ordered this new world but regardless it's here and now what are we going to do?
- AJax, Minneapolis,MN

It would help if government would use some of OUR money to stimulate the economy, make the tax laws more business friendly and help business grow those jobs we so badly need instead of using billions to bail out tired and mismanaged big business. But no, instead we're going to throw more money into paying people not to work instead of finding incentives for them to work - even if for less at a job not all that exciting. Guess the bottom line of the Dem's is to keep people unemployed and barefoot until the next election hoping they'll be grateful enough to vote for them again.
- Sandy, Thornton

Senator, why don't you show some real courage and work to repeal NAFTA, reduce immigration (both legal and illegal), drastically change all our trade policies and start putting our own people back to work in this country! This is what it takes to put upward pressure on wages and grow jobs in the United States! We've got 20 million unemployed and still growing which is a major crisis and I am sick of the media making this just a footnote in the daily news so as not to embarrass the administration.
- Bill, Brookline

She should be working to improve the job market by supporting the private business sector and generating jobs instead of grandstanding on the extension of unemployment. Ask her about the ARC program and why that doesn't work here in NH.
- LynnG, Dover

Ok plan "a", extend jobless benefits. Let's hear about plan "b", getting good paying jobs so when plan "a" runs out we don't hear "duh"!
Spike your totally right. Unfortunately everybody is hurting and jobs are vaporizing quickly. It is the domino effect I've warned about in the past. Even if they have to allow a twenty year tax hiatus on manufacturing businesses. They'd better do it and do it quick. Also many other bothersome regulations need to go too. And instead of getting in conflicts all over the world, put the money into the EPA working on solutions instead of just being another regulator. Same goes for OSHA. Assist first fine second if assistance is refused. And don't use fines as a revenue source either. I've seen some ridiculous levies by these agencies.
- Steve, Raymond

Creating new jobs from the stimulus was the goal, where are the jobs? Heloing small businesses from the stimulus was another goal, how are they doing? Extending benefits in a recession is smart. Until the economy changes peopple cannot expect to find reasonble work. Cutting them off to teach them a lesson is cruel punishment, especially if they are mandated to get heatlh insurance or go to jail. It should extend to all states, period.
- Lisa, Salem NH

"Learn a new trade, move to a new city, agree to work for less money, find out what services people need, stop waiting for your exact old job to come back. -Spike, Brentwood, NH" Easy for you to say that, you no doubt have a job. Try moving when you only get about $120 per week in unemployment, try traveling to a job training program when your car/truck needs gas. What is needed is our state and nation to start with creating jobs in America and start going after businesses that outsource thier work overseas. Training programs work IF you can get to them? Smaller towns and cities don't offer such because they don't have such high tech job sectors in those towns. All in all, this unemployment money will need to be paid back next year in the form of an IRS taxes, so there goes all that EIC that you thought you might be getting to help pay for rent, food, utilities and gas for your family.
- Robert M Tarr, Manchester

PS to William of Dover--It's not the President's duty to fix (or run) the economy, but I would be grateful if he would stop ruining it: Set aside the vain concept of "fairness" and make the "Bush" tax cuts permanent, and throw in the towel on health care (and its new taxes and burdens on the employer) and they'll start hiring again.

Adele, getting a college degree does not indeed feed the kids--I hope the husband does--and I'm amazed you think I should. As always, the waste of tax money is not the most grievous thing, but the conversion of America the Proud into a nation of "able-minded, passive victims" of Goldy's "mess I didn't create."
- Spike, Brentwood NH

Lets skip the unemployment benefits and open up a brand new Navy base right in Hampton beach. How bout an Air Force base in the struggling Berlin area? Welfare............its all about presentation.
- Jake, Manchester

When will the Democrats admit that Obama's so called "economic stimulus plan" has been a total abomination. Can the Democrats name one single job it has created or supposedly saved? With a simple google search one can easily find that Obama's plan did nothing but grow the size and power of the federal government, and bailed out some business friendly with his administration. Almost $3 trillion in added debt and for what? Wait until the hyper-inflation of the U.S. dollar hits along with some of the largest tax hikes in U.S. history in the near future - after all who do you think has to pay when the government is redistributing money (taxes) to a combination of itself, crony international businesses & banks, and those on welfare who never had a job to begin with.
- Mac Wade, Newmarket

If our Senators and Congressmen worked as hard to keep jobs here in the US as they do to pay people for doing nothing, (except voting Democrat) and getting paid for it, we'd have our free market economy back.

All you folks who blasted Bush for "Tax cuts to the richest Americans and less for the poor" blather, please tell me how many jobs have been created by this new plan to increase welfare and unemployment benefits. The government isn't creating any jobs, except in the federal bureaucracy and those jobs are going to all of the thugs and political hacks.

Jobs are created by businesses. And businesses start up when taxes are low and they can make a nasty capitalist profit. And poor people on government benefits don't have the capital to start businesses, rich people do.

When are we going to learn?

Please liberal posters tell me where I am wrong....I'm waiting.
- Melvin, Keene

Instead of throwing money at a stopgap life support measure why not cut business and personal taxes to actually stimulate growth and job creation?

What a novel idea DOH!
- JP, Warner

Sen. Shaheen wants cap and trade to pass so more jobs can go overseas. Maybe we an all go on unemployment because these folks aren't creating jobs but helping to eliminate jobs through restrictive gov't regulations.
- dave, littleton

Unemployment isn't going to get the country on track, won't let people live beyond paying their taxbills and maybe live on reduced rations.

What Congress needs to do is re-convene immediately to open a dialogue on how to get jobs back in this country.
They keep promoting small businesses, we need large businesses too. They also need to examine the tax policies on businesses and some of the legislation they put into law to make it business friendly. Let's face it, they've done a good job of forcing many industries out because they thought the jobs were not good enough for us.

We need to take care of ourselves and that means being self-sufficient as a country. If I knew a product was made here in the USA I'd shell out the extra few dollars to buy it over some import item.
- Jack Alex, Manchester

Wheres the pork for NH. Why cant we get any of that.
- Bob, Salem

Spike, you are exactly right. Week 72 will be the same as week 90, week 120 and on and on. The economy is bad and the PREZ has done nothing to fix it. And to the Adele's of the world looking for ANOTHER government bailout, stop making excuses and GET A JOB! If you are looking to "McDonald's" for a job, you are looking in all the wrong places to feed your kids - Pun intended. YOU may want to stop and think before YOU speak. Try not to be so condescending because freeloading went out of style a long time ago.
- William, Dover

It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is for the fortunate to judge the struggling. Its not my trade, my city, or my wage requirements. Its the fact that Entrepreneurs cant start new business because they cant get a loan. Its the fact that the companies in my town (and the towns surrounding thank you very much) that did cut back or close down are still where they were a year ago. Oh but wait, the companies that cause this mess get billions of dollars, I never heard anyone say they should just up and dive into an entirely different industry because they failed. IF AIG can get billions, why cant I get a little extra help for a few more weeks? After all, I sure as heck didnt create this mess. Ive always considered my self a hardworking conservative American...15 years of paying taxes and supporting 4 children. I unfortunately worked in financial services, and Im telling you...there are too many unemployed and not enough jobs, bottom line.
- Goldy, TX

Ok, "SPIKE" I have been unemployed for 2 years.... I was laid off from an automotive supplier. After I was laid off, I went back to school. I am still in school working towards a nursing degree... I understand the whole "learn a new trade" concept, but going to school full time doesnt feed my kids right now... working part time wont cut it either, especially when McDonalds isnt even hiring. Think before you speak, please... ;-)
- Adele, Lexington, ky

I wonder if her Daughter will get a job with the Insurers left. Just like she did after Shaheen drove all the insurers out of NH except for the one Shaheen stacked the deck for. But hey her little girl got a great job even if our rates Skyrocketed.
- John, Manchester

Here is a little secret. If you have been unemployed for anywhere near 72 weeks, do something. Learn a new trade, move to a new city, agree to work for less money, find out what services people need, stop waiting for your exact old job to come back. Do something. Ignore the gift of free money from politicians who want to show how compassionate they are (when someone else is paying). If you have been unemployed for 72 weeks, you will still be unemployed in the 85th week. Bailouts delay adaptation.
- Spike, Brentwood NH