Yes people have continued to lose their jobs and their pensions. The economic situation is like a big ship. It takes a long time for it to stop when it is moving. Economic trends come from long established business and government policies.
These destructive economic forces were set up and then put on steroids in 1980. When I was at the labor I could see these trends developing from policies put into place for over a 30 or 40 year period. Businesses and conservatives began dismantling all the safeguards put into place by FDR. By the time Bush was put into office we had all the same conditions that existed in 1929. The economy was never really that good under Bush. It only looked that way. It took a while for the economy to really crash.
Unless we reinstall those safeguards, end outsourcing and demand labor friendly practices, then we will continue down this destructive path. The GOP has created a very complex economic dynamic that favors the rich overwhelmingly. It also makes it very difficult for any single politician to change our direction. Besides the same forces are attacking Europe for their "socialism".
Obama was not bold enough and is surrounded by "watchers" who are there to make sure he does not totally disrupt their game. As President you have to hire advisers. There are some advisers around who worked for Bush. Obama is partially a prisoner to the situation he inherited from 30 to 40 years of economic malpractice.
On hindsight the Kennedys and other forward progressive looking politicians and activists like MLK have been killed or neutralized over time. I am now convinced that a right wing conspiracy was responsible for the Kennedy deaths. They were rich and championed the rights of working people. Kennedy was as much reviled by rich conservatives as Obama is.
Most Americans do no know much about our history since 1900. We are fighting the same battles that were prevalent when Teddy Roosevelt was president. He was a very progressive Republican who supported a workers economic bill of rights.
As a worker or laborer a person has a RIGHT to fair pay for fair work. If that is socialism then that is ok. Then we DEMAND that kind of socialism. "If you are economically enslaved, then you are a slave."
= new reply since forum marked as read