Job creation ain't what it used to be!

With today's employment data release, I thought a trip down memory lane might be informative. My focus today is NAFTA, the North America Free Trade Act, and the Presidential run of Ross Perot in 1996. First, below is a chart posted by Chart of the Day which shows Non Farm Payroll job gains, by decade, from the 1940's. Here's the chart below:

What is significant from this chart is what has happened the past decade of the 2000's. Basically, no jobs were created. In fact jobs were lost during the Bush Presidency. Jobs have been created the past several years, but no where need the number required to sustain a good economy with low unemployment.



Now we bring in Ross Perot. If you remember when Ross Perot ran for President, he warned us all about NAFTA not being good for America. In fact, his famous quote from the Presidential campaign became, "If NAFTA passes you will hear a giant sucking sound of jobs leaving America. In 1994, NAFTA became law. I think Ross Perot has been proven to be correct after all!

Democratic debate in Ohio: Hillary's to win and Barack's to lose. Stay tuned!

Tonight is the Democratic debate from Ohio. It's Hillary's last chance before the voting in Texas and Ohio to go for a win over Barack or it is Barack's to lose. What will happen tonight is very important for both candidates.

In the past few days, Hillary has been on the attack over pamphlets Barack's campaign sent out which described Hillary's support for NAFTA, with all its problems. She and her husband pushed NAFTA and now she says she can and does plan to fix it. Barack didn't vote for the legislation so doesn't have to "fix" it. He was right on NAFTA and right on Iraq. She has been wrong on NAFTA and wrong on Iraq. Do you really think the voters need more comparisons to make their choices? I think not. And if we are so lucky to see Hillary play the politics of the past during the debate, and Barack not seizing the bait but rising above it, we will know who is better prepared to talk with world leaders we don't always agree with and also who is best prepared to talk to our enemies. It will be Barack.

Stay tuned, as it is only a mater of hours before we are treated to bear witness!