Which is the greater priority for America?

Curing unemployment or fixing the economy?

For me, I feel that the economy must be fixed first. With a better economy, it opens new doors for industries to expand which would gradually take down the unemployment.

What's your opinion?

There is no poll here.
In addition, fixing the economy generally automatically guarantees keeping down unemployment, so the answer is obvious

ClaytonMartin said:

Curing unemployment or fixing the economy?

For me, I feel that the economy must be fixed first. With a better economy, it opens new doors for industries to expand which would gradually take down the unemployment.

What's your opinion?

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The two go hand in hand.

StillBallin75 said:

The two go hand in hand.

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Not really. Not if by "fixing the economy" you mean merely growth. Growth can happen without job creation. It's essentially like kick starting Wall Street so it works well, but doing nothing for the actual people unemployed. So no jobs are created, but it looks like things are growing because stocks and such can do ok. But the Federal Reserve's mandate is not on growth (even though that's what they've interpreted it as and hence why we have the "solutions" to our economic problems that we have). The Federal Reserve's mandate is to balance inflation and unemployment.

businesses can grow revenues thru enhanced efficiencies while shedding jobs
it's happening now


but i would submit that neither of your priority options is paramount

in my never humble opinion, revising campaign finance laws, such that only registered voters can make campaign contributions (up to a defined maximum) for only those candidates who could be found on their ballots
is the number one issue to be changed
right now, we have the best government money can buy
we must return government to responding to the needs of the citizens ... and not to monied interests and foreign governments

Ikari said:

Not really. Not if by "fixing the economy" you mean merely growth. Growth can happen without job creation. It's essentially like kick starting Wall Street so it works well, but doing nothing for the actual people unemployed. So no jobs are created, but it looks like things are growing because stocks and such can do ok. But the Federal Reserve's mandate is not on growth (even though that's what they've interpreted it as and hence why we have the "solutions" to our economic problems that we have). The Federal Reserve's mandate is to balance inflation and unemployment.

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I don't really see "merely growth" as really "fixing" anything. I mean, we have growth now. Doesn't seem to be making a whole lot of difference in the lives of the millions of unemployed.

Ikari said:

Not really. Not if by "fixing the economy" you mean merely growth. Growth can happen without job creation. It's essentially like kick starting Wall Street so it works well, but doing nothing for the actual people unemployed. So no jobs are created, but it looks like things are growing because stocks and such can do ok. But the Federal Reserve's mandate is not on growth (even though that's what they've interpreted it as and hence why we have the "solutions" to our economic problems that we have). The Federal Reserve's mandate is to balance inflation and unemployment.

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Not quite. Economic growth without job growth is largely unsustainable as you'll end up with huge amounts of unemployed causing a real drag upon your economy. So that's not really fixing the economy per se when the growth that's "fixing it" cannot be reasonably sustained beyond the short term. As our economy is 70% consumer driven, without job growth, it's only a matter of time for that "Growth" to come crashing back down.

To me when you say economy, it means jobs..there are MILLIONS of people out of work that cant pay their bills. This is the worst ive seen it in my lifetime.
Ive given alot of thought to how to fix it...and I dont think it can be fixed long term. The teaparty keeps saying ad nauseum cut taxs, cut government. Cutting govt just cuts more jobs at this point. Corporations and banks are sitting on trillions of dollars and making hundreds of billions in profits and not hiring one person. Why? because they are creating jobs everywhere else to make an EXTRA BUCK.
I dont see CEOs whos golden parachutes just broke a record mark of a 100 million plus...just saying Ok lets help out America and Americans and bring the jobs back...that aint happening...so other than that..whats left...americans all agree to work for chinese wages in an american cost of living ? or do americans just start eating dogs and cats and dieing in the streets like the chinese used to before our wonderful corporations made them a superpower ....I dont know you tell me.

StillBallin75 said:

I don't really see "merely growth" as really "fixing" anything. I mean, we have growth now. Doesn't seem to be making a whole lot of difference in the lives of the millions of unemployed.

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Economists tend to measure economies with GDP, so the OP has to define "fix the economy" first before a logical debate can take place. Whatever be the case, I think reducing unemployment will encourage GDP growth, although, not necessarily vice versa. However, there is a risk that raising unemployment with lower wage jobs will still lead to lower standard of living, and perhaps even very low growth compared to previous level.

obvious Child said:

Not quite. Economic growth without job growth is largely unsustainable as you'll end up with huge amounts of unemployed causing a real drag upon your economy. So that's not really fixing the economy per se when the growth that's "fixing it" cannot be reasonably sustained beyond the short term. As our economy is 70% consumer driven, without job growth, it's only a matter of time for that "Growth" to come crashing back down.

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At what level of "unemployment" is it unsustainable? European countries, like France and Spain, maintain a higher structural unemployment level than the US and appear to be fine.

The US doesn't have to stay consumer driven, it can change, as China is shifting towards a higher consumption as part of its GDP from Export, so the US can do the reverse.

StillBallin75 said:

The two go hand in hand.

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I think there is a difference...
fixng/growing the economy improves unemployment...

but improving unemployment doesn't necessarily mean a growing/fixed economy... they could be forced jobs paid by debt/taxes, could just be switching money around instead of any actual growth... for example Vietnam has a good unemployment rate but terrible economy with tons of inflation.

What's the difference?
Can one be done w/o the other?

I think that the gov't needs to implement policies that cause job growth in new industries especially local utilities. Downhome solar and wind, not incestous Corporate wind turbines that are a financial structure and not a renewables structure. I don't want to grow already too large Corporations. If one seriously attacks global warming and acknowledges the fact that our centalized energy distribution is a financial albatross and a dinosaur, then we can begin local job development that grows the ecomomy from the bottom up. Forget that mythical "trickle down" that has been found a fraud since Saint Ronnie.

Simon W. Moon said:

What's the difference?
Can one be done w/o the other?

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Yes, they can

nonpareil said:

At what level of "unemployment" is it unsustainable? European countries, like France and Spain, maintain a higher structural unemployment level than the US and appear to be fine.

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Depends what you mean by fine. Per capita growth in Europe is relatively low. Europe trades high growth for stability. When the US is roaring, they're just puttering along. When the US tanks, they suffer, but not as bad. Furthermore, the debt issue is going bring real questions about how long Europe can sustain its welfare society. Basically everyone but Germany is moving towards austerity and welfare is going to get whacked. It remains to be seen how long they can sustain 8%+ unemployment.

The US doesn't have to stay consumer driven, it can change, as China is shifting towards a higher consumption as part of its GDP from Export, so the US can do the reverse.

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That's true, like German does the same thing relying heavily on exports. Both have their ups and downs.

celticwar17 said:

I think there is a difference...
fixng/growing the economy improves unemployment...

but improving unemployment doesn't necessarily mean a growing/fixed economy... they could be forced jobs paid by debt/taxes,

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Right, but depending on how it's done, you can have good GDP growth, decent employment numbers, as well as deficit spending.

could just be switching money around instead of any actual growth...

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This does nothing to help unemployment, either, really.

or example Vietnam has a good unemployment rate but terrible economy with tons of inflation.

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We live in a market economy.

So I think you DO have a point. But in this particular case - our current economic recovery - they go hand in hand.