You know the economy is bad when:

[acs88]

I know we are in an economic crisis but this really drove it home to me. This is an e-mail sent out from my college (which is the largest public college in the state, and has great academic programs, one of the programs is top 3 in the nation).

To: Members of the University Community
From: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Re: State request for budget cut scenarios

We all are reminded daily of the seriousness of the country’s financial situation in all that we read, see and hear—and these same fiscal challenges are confronting our university.

Last week we learned that our state is facing an estimated $340 million shortfall in its budget through June 2009. We have been asked to prepare scenarios describing how we might operate with drastically reduced state appropriations that could range between 15 and 25 percent for FY2010. We typically receive more than $400 million in state funding, so these scenarios will reflect between $60 million and $100 million in potential budget cuts across our campuses.

The magnitude of this potential reduction is unprecedented and will require an extraordinary response on our part. The deadline for this response to the XXXXXXX Department of Higher Education is Dec. 18. In addition, we will need to anticipate a “withhold” from our current 2009 operating plan.

As other states grapple with similar shortfalls, and our nation struggles with the larger global financial crisis, traditional cost-cutting responses—such as across-the-board reductions, trimming travel and training costs, or freezing open positions as we have done—will not adequately address this challenge.
------------------------------------------

It amazes me how we are preparing a 22 billion dollar bail out plan for the auto-companies. Where is the bail out plan for the states? If you ask me higher education > then auto-industry. You will have no one to design the new cars so therefore the auto-workers will be out of a job regardless.

-Austin

[Nomad]

The automotive industry has let the unions run them into their own demise. Inferior products, with outdate technology at an unreasonably high price simply isn't a great sales pitch. Of course there will always be those who buy "American", not realizing that most of their vehicle was never built in the CONUS.

So what I am getting at is that the complete and utter failure known as Detroit needs to just go away. Let it die.

Education is important. But to bail out the States (who have good reason to manage their own budgets) is certainly not the solution. As a matter of fact, the whole bail out thing while a good idea overall can turn into a complete financial quagmire if not managed competently.

[rgrokelley]

Interestingly, the economy is so bad that it has now almost reached the horrible levels during that economic depression during Bill Clinton's presidency.

Unemployment now = 6.7 % (followed by much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth by the media)

Unemployment in 1993 = 6.8 % (touted by the media as a fantastic comeback from the recession caused by Reagan and Bush)

Interesting what a bit of spin does for the public's perception.

News story on this:

http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/a ... rcID=40477

[rangertough]

Christine Gregoire (D-govevenor WA), actually wanted people to suggest what programs her citizens would be willing to go without because we have a shortfall approaching 3 billion (that is a B). I suggested all salaries of our legislators and governor, yet somehow the crone is still getting paid.

Nomad-
I've thought unions have had way to much power here and in Canada for awhile. The Teamsters (to a man Hells Angels) in Vancouver were one of the reasons that the movie industry took a major hit. Transportation captains were regularly walking off set with 3000 dollars a day.

Tough

[Ranger Bill]

When you take from Peter and give to Paul - what government does - Paul usually has no objection. But when Peter loses his good paying job and has to take one paying less, Paul objects to anything less than what he got before and raises holy hell to get more.

[Black 6]

Christine Gregoire (D-govevenor WA), actually wanted people to suggest what programs her citizens would be willing to go without because we have a shortfall approaching 3 billion (that is a B). I suggested all salaries of our legislators and governor, yet somehow the crone is still getting paid.
.....
Tough

Actually if you remember, during the elections, her opponent’s ads were claiming a projected deficit of 3 billion. Recent reports (just weeks after the election was called) now put the “short fall” at 5 billion. And now she is talking about cutting health care 7000 of the poorest in the state. I can’t wait for her “partial income tax”, you know she wants to bust that one out.

[Boudicca]

When you rob Peter to pay Paul, it makes Peter sore.

And everybody knows you can't do business with a sore peter....

I am sooo stealing that phrase from you.