Weak economy with record profits?

I've long thought that blaming government policies for the "weak economy" has been so much hooey and that blaming the Democrats alone for all the "bad" government polices has been even more hooey.

Morgan Heusel looks at all the factors in "Why Corporate America Isn't Hiring".  He has a long list of factors including that many companies have learned they are getting just as much work from fewer employees and that older employees are staying longer.

I also note that the Star Tribune has been reporting many Minnesota MANUFACTURING companies have seen increased business, especially exports, and profits.  And so many letter writers complain, "We don't make anything in America anymore."  Hooey!

Heusel concludes with "we have a jobs crisis not because of a lack of demand, but because we're suffering from a mental recession of fear and uncertainty."

No one is really hiring?

This was a headline in today's Duluth News Tribune as a declarative statement.

"Come on!" thought I; somebody has to be hiring for a variety of reasons. I checked the Help Wanted section and there were several jobs listed. The appeal of them varied as well as the pay. Even the beleaguered school district was hiring.

I stopped at a Radio Shack for a dock for my iPod. I asked the sales representative if Radio Shack was hiring. He paused and said, "I think we have an opening."

As I'm writing this, I'm waiting for service on my truck. I chatted with the service manager on a variety of issues and asked him about hiring. As expected for the auto industry, his answer was negative. On the other hand, I overheard a customer saying that the repair bill on his out-of-warranty truck was going to be three to ten thousand dollars. He must have enough business to justify paying that kind of money to stay in business. And both of us are helping the service part of the auto industry keep going.