Stock Market Up Economy Down

The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit an all-time high today cresting over the previous high in 2007. Are you better off today than in 2007? Here are a few comparisons:

• Consumer Confidence: 2007: 99.5; Today: 69.6 (just up from 58)
• GDP Growth – 2007: 2.5%; Today: 1.6% 
• Gas Prices – 2007: $2.75; Today: $3.75
• Unemployed – 2007: 6.7 million; Today: 13.2 million
• Unemployment Rate – 2007: 5%; Today: 8.1%
• Labor Force Participation Rate – 2007: 66%; Today: 63.6%
• Federal Reserve Balance Sheet – 2007: $890 billion; Today: $3 TRILLION
• Number of people on food stamps – 2007: 26 million; Today: 47.5 million
• US Annual Deficit – 2007: $160 billion; Today: $1.2 TRILLION
• US National Debt – 2007: $8.9 trillion; Today: $16.6 TRILLION

Make no mistake, our national leaders are either grossly incompetent and economic ignoramuses or they are purposely leading this country down a road of less freedom and bankruptcy. 

The Sky is Falling

Unbeknownst to the Obama sycophant authors of this NBCNews.com, sky-is-falling sequester piece (listed below), they lay out the most persuasive argument against federal meddling in the states' business that I have seen recently. 

Consider this: 

• Why does the federal government fund Head Start? Can't the states, religious, civic and local community organizations handle it? 
• Why does the federal government fund schools? Can't each community take responsibility for educating their own children?
• Why cut the FAA and the military when you can cut the Labor Department, the Commerce Department, the USDA, the NLRB, the TSA, Homeland Security, Amtrak or a dozen other unconstitutional federal bureaucracies???
• Why does the federal government fund community hospitals, institutions of higher learning and Meals on Wheels? Are the states and local communities unwilling and unable to do such?

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/02/17162039-from-coast-to-coast-states-brace-for-sequester-shock?lite