Posted: 29 Jul 2016 Michael Snyder THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG
We just got another extremely disappointing GDP number. It was being projected that U.S. GDP would grow by 2.5 percent during the second quarter of 2016, but instead it only grew by just 1.2 percent. In addition, the Census Bureau announced that GDP growth for the first quarter of 2016 had been revised down from 1.1 percent to 0.8 percent. What this means is that the U.S. economy is just barely hanging on by its fingernails from falling into a recession. As Zero Hedge has pointed out, the “average annual growth rate during the current business cycle remains the weakest of any expansion since at least 1949″. This is not what a recovery looks like. In addition, Barack Obama remains solidly on track to be the only president in all of U.S. history to never have a single year when the economy grew by at least 3 percent. Every other president in American history, even the really bad ones, had at least one year when U.S. GDP grew by at least 3 percent. But this has not happened under Obama even though he has had two terms in the White House. The following are the yearly GDP growth numbers under Obama. They come directly from the official website of the World Bank… 2009: -2.8 percent 2010: 2.5 percent 2011: 1.6 percent 2012: 2.2 percent 2013: 1.5 percent 2014: 2.4 percent 2015: 2.4 percent Does that look like a “recovery” to you? Of course not. And many are anticipating that this latest extremely disappointing GDP number will discourage the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates any time in the near future… The disappointing report could keep the Federal Reserve on hold longer as it considers another interest rate hike. The Fed lifted its key rate in December for the first time in nine years but has held it steady since.According to the pundits in the mainstream media, this was supposed to be the year when the U.S. economy finally returned to “normal”, but that has not happened at all. In fact, in recent days we have gotten a spate of bad news about the economy. We just learned that the homeownership rate in the United States has hit the lowest level ever, and Gallup’s U.S. economic confidence index has fallen to the lowest level so far this year. With the election coming up rapidly, this is the kind of news that Hillary Clinton definitely does not need. She needs to be able to sell the American people on the idea that the Obama years have been very good for the U.S. economy. If things take a sharp turn down in the coming months, that may be enough to cost her the election. So far, Hillary Clinton’s economic agenda has not received that much scrutiny, but the truth is that she hopes to increase taxes in a whole bunch of ways which would be very harmful for the economy. The following comes from an excellent piece by John Kartch and Alexander Hendrie… Hillary has endorsed several tax increases on middle income Americans, despite her pledge not to raise taxes on any American making less than $250,000. She has said she would be fine with a payroll tax hike on all Americans, she has endorsed a steep soda tax, endorsed a 25% national gun tax, and most recently, her campaign manager John Podesta said she would be open to a carbon tax. It’s no wonder that when asked by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos if her pledge was a “rock-solid” promise, she slipped and said the pledge was merely a “goal.” In other words, she’s going to raise taxes on middle income Americans.Taxes tend to be a pet peeve of mine, so looking at that list of proposed taxes definitely makes me cringe. If Donald Trump wants to hit the Democrats really hard on the economy, all he has to do is point out the fact that Barack Obama is going to be the only president in American history to never see 3 percent economic growth for an entire year, and he had two entire terms in which to try to turn things in a positive direction. Sadly, things are very likely going to be worse for the economy no matter who wins the election. Under Obama, our national debt, our trade deficit, and most of our other long-term economic problems have gotten much, much worse, and so the table is set for a major economic disaster during the next presidential administration. And if what I have to share about the future of America in my new book is correct, we are definitely moving into a “perfect storm” that will not just be economic in nature. The things that are coming are going to shake this nation to the very core, and I believe that we will soon face the consequences for decades of exceedingly foolish decisions. So in the end, we may look back and long for the days of 1.2 percent economic growth, because what is on the horizon is going to make that look like a Sunday picnic. |
How the Holy Spirit Works as Your Helper in Any Situation
SARAH BOWLING CHARISMA MAGAZINE
The SpiritLed Woman podcast is empowering women weekly to follow their purpose in Christ and boldly walk in faith. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
Help! I choked as I said this word, bungling my way past my seatmate to hustle to the lavatory at the back of the airplane for the umpteenth time.
I was flying home from a recent trip to Africa, and my stomach was looking for every way possible to expel the mischievous amoeba creating chaos in my digestive tract. The common translation for this experience is food poisoning. I dislike asking for help, but this nice woman was quick to oblige, especially since I'd already used both of our "gag bags."
I lost count of how many times I ran to the tiny lavatory. By the time we landed, I was pale, weak and dehydrated. Obviously I needed help, despite my reluctance to admit it.
Do You Ask for Help?
How do you feel about asking for help? Maybe, like me, you find it difficult to admit you need help, let alone ask for it. Or perhaps you are gracious and vulnerable in seeking, receiving and even giving assistance. Regardless of how you feel about asking for help, here's something important to consider: Helper is the name Jesus gave the Holy Spirit at the beginning of His tutorial about the third person of the Trinity in John 14-16. In John 14:16, Jesus said, "I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, that He may be with you forever."
The word used in John's Gospel for the Helper is the Greek word paraklete. When I first began studying Jesus' introduction of the Holy Spirit to His disciples, I realized that paraklete was an abundantly common word, used hundreds of times throughout the New Testament. So I was frustrated at first, trying to figure out what exactly He meant by this idea of "Helper" or "help." Then I realized that the New Testament usesparaklete in many different ways to illustrate the Helper is in our lives to help us in innumerable ways!
How the Helper Helps
In my life, I've experienced the Helper giving me wisdom on dealing with my kids, strength to keep my mouth shut, insight on constructive conversations, confidence when insecurity feels overwhelming and much more!
The Holy Spirit is our daily help. Take a few minutes to consider all the places where you can ask for heavenly help—and then do it! Maybe you could use some help today with balancing all the things you need to get done in a short amount of time. Maybe you need healing in your body, health in your emotions or wisdom in your finances—heavenly help is available for the asking!
Sarah Bowling is the founder of Saving Moses, a mission organization dedicated to reducing infant mortality around the world. She is also a Bible teacher, international speaker, author and pastor. Visit sarahbowling.me.
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Get to know the Holy Spirit and how to interact with Him on a daily basis. Learn to enter God's presence and hear His voice clearly for yourself! Go deeper in your faith with Life in the Spirit and change your life and destiny. Are you ready to start your journey?
