The Record on the Economy

Some quick finds on the economy of the United States:

Nationally, 3 Million Jobs Lost; Unemployment Rate Up 39 Percent. The national unemployment rate in December 2003 was 5.7 percent, up from 4.1 percent when Bush took office in January 2001 and a 39 percent increase. Nationally, the economy has lost nearly 3 million private sector jobs under Bush. [Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov]

Nationally, Workers’ Wages and Salaries Are Stagnant. In the third quarter of 2003, America's gross domestic product surged at a rate of 8.2 percent and corporate profits grew at an annual rate above 40 percent. But during this same period, wages and salaries grew by less than 1 percent. Furthermore, in the six months that ended in November 2003, income from wages rose just 0.65 percent after inflation. [Department of Commerce, 12/23/03; New York Times, 12/31/03; Charleston Gazette (West Virginia), 1/2/04]

Bush Proposed to Eliminate Overtime for 8 Million Workers. Bush proposed regulations that would end eligibility for overtime pay—a critical source of income—for 8 million workers by reclassifying them as managers, administrative workers or professional employees. In addition, Bush's Department of Labor issued advice to companies in its explanation of the proposal on strategies to avoid paying overtime. Among these were cutting workers' base pay to subtract extra overtime pay costs and cutting workers' hours to strictly enforce a 40 hour work week. The non-partisan Economic Policy Institute called the proposal “pure special-interest politics with complete disregard for the democratic process.” [Akron Beacon -Journal, 12/5/03; EPI, 7/03, www.epi.org; New York Times, 7/1/03; AP, 1/6/04]


The manufacturing industry has lost 2,472,000 jobs nationwide since Bush took office in January 2001. Employment for this key sector of the American economy is at its lowest level since October 1958. Of the nearly 3 million private sector jobs lost under Bush, manufacturing losses account for 86 percent. [Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov]
George W. Bush: Record of Failure on the Economy

The Numbers Tell the Story of Failure
• Three Million: Since George W. Bush took office, America has lost 3 million jobs.
• Every Month: Manufacturing jobs have been lost every single month of the Bush Presidency.
• Eight Million Deficits: Even in the 26 months since the recession ended -- a period where under typical recovery circumstances we would have created over 7 million jobs -- we lost one million jobs. That’s an eight million jobs deficit.
• One Million: One million jobs have been outsourced since President Bush took office.
• 50 Percent Higher: Health care costs have increased 50 percent since 2001 when Bush took office.
• 33 Percent Higher: Unemployment has increased 33 percent since Bush took office.
• $10,368: American families will pay $10,368 in interest on the debt by 2014.
• 68,853: The increase in number of Americans in Florida who are unemployed since George W. Bush took office.
• 56,000: Number of manufacturing jobs lost in Florida since Bush took office.

Teaching

Teaching in NYC is one of the most difficult and rewarding things that you will ever do. I teach seventh grade Social Studies in a under performing school at the northern tip of Manhattan. The school has 97% free lunch and is primarily made up of Dominican immigrants. My students are all bi-lingual but speak English exceptionally well. I love my students, even though I want to strangle them on some days. J I attend Fordham University, which is exceptional. You do not get to choose your university and I hear that the experiences vary widely.



The application process was pretty basic. You had to do a 5 minute lesson (keep it very simple). I did Haiku poetry. Other people did introduction to fractions using 10 M&Ms. Then you are given a scenario that the school is failing and parents want answers on how you will fix it. You discuss solutions in a group and decide on the top three solutions. Then everyone must write a letter to the parents. I found this to be the worst part because there are no word processors. Think about your organization first and then write as fast as you can, there isn’t much time. The last part is an individual interview. They are looking for people who don’t quit easily and believe that all students can learn. I hear the applications are down this year, so if you don’t stick your foot in your mouth you are in.



The Fellows program and the NYC Department of Education are Extremely disorganized. I did get paid but my husband hasn’t been paid yet (he started in December). It took them four months to get me health insurance and I am still not on direct deposit. They change their mind all the time. At the beginning of the year, they informed me that I had to teach in the workshop model twice a week and last week they decided that I didn’t have to. The Board of Ed came to visit and cared more about my bulletin boards than my teaching. It is a crazy system and you just have to not get too worked up about it. Focus on your students and you will be fine.



The summer program is very intensive and only prepares you minimally for the real experience. Then they kind of desert you. The most important determinant of your experience will be the actual school in which you teach. You do have some choice in that. Make sure that you have a supportive administration. Also, you need to realize that you will not be teaching middle-class suburban kids. Your classes will never be perfectly quiet with students raising their hands and doing all of their work. They may truly want to learn but many have such horrible things going on outside. One of my students lives in a shelter in Queens and commutes almost two hours each way. Others have parents who are drug users or just don’t give a damn. You can become a surrogate parent to them. You just have to be consistent, firm and committed. Don’t make excuses for them and demand quality work. Most will come around and the rest will at least try more. On most days, I really feel that I have found my calling. On others, I just try to regroup and attack it from a different angle. My students are learning a lot. My husband has had a similar experience. He teaches eighth grade math in Washington Heights. His students are a little rougher and older than they should be (literally and figuratively). The hardest part is realizing just how little they actually know. The system has really let them down. That is where you come in…



Just know that it is probably one of the toughest jobs you will ever do. Also, learning to teach is a process and you will not be super teacher on your first day. Though, you can do a pretty good job. Just keep working and it will all start to fall into place. My husband got an email from one of his students thanking him for being such a great teacher and for caring so much. It came on a day in which he had felt like a failure. My mentor came to watch me teach and several students shouted “You’re a great teacher Mrs. Pecunia! You don’t need a mentor”. It felt good to hear but I was also grateful to have a mentor to help me improve even more.



Understand that the job of teaching continues long after the last bell rings. Lesson planning, phone calls and grading take a couple of hours a night. You will find your free time significantly limited. The next time someone mentions all the time I get off, I swear I will smack them! The graduate coursework isn’t overly strenuous. I already have a Master in Policy Analysis and found the coursework to be a lot easier. However, it can be difficult to juggle everything. Just be organized.