Every state has a huge unemployment deficit right now. I don’t know how many are handling it like MA is, but it is not good news. On the surface, it sounded great. They were freezing the rate paid by employers so the ones who had layoffs didn’t get a rate increase based on layoffs. Sounded too good to be true, and it was. To offset the huge deficit, they are adjusting the rate paid by all employers that isn’t based on layoffs. It’s typically been about half of a percent. It will now be almost 10%. So, what was about $500.00 per year will now be $10,000.00. Even if you don’t pay unemployment as an employer it will hurt us all. Think lumber was expensive before? Now the mill has to pay an extra 10% on labor, the trucking company that gets it to HD has to pay an extra 10% on labor and HD has to pay an extra 10%. The contractor who installs it has to pay the 10%. There is no way the cost can’t get passed on to the consumer. Did nobody think this one through?

"Did nobody think this one through?"

I think you answered your own question.

My theory since the beginning of the Rona was the whole thing was overblown, knee-jerk, ham-fisted, one-size-fits all Govt "DO SOMETHING!"

We could have published the known risk factors and the advice to reduce the risks, then let people take the actions they felt necessary to protect themselves, their employees, etc. There would have been some mistakes early on, but quickly those who were not doing the right thing would have been "educated" by their results and would have changed course. But no...we just slammed the doors shut on the world. Seriously. About 1/3 of Missouri's 114 counties have posted single-digit deaths since March 2020. Yet their businesses and schools were just as shut down as places like New York City. Huh?

I should say "official shut down" by the Governor. Most of us with two nickle's worth of sense know these mostly rural counties ignore overreaching Govt schtick. Yet they still post so few deaths as to be utterly unremarkable compared to any past event.

I'm not quite as pessimistic as Ken...most days. But I do know that when people are afraid, they are more compliant with authority. If nothing else, this past year has been a nation-wide case study in how obedient people are, even when common sense tells them "something aint right with this."

So yes, we will all pay more. Renters are paying more right now due to all the non-paying renters who are sitting tight under Govt protection. Land lords are leaving units vacant vs. putting in non-payers. Lack of payment means rental stock quality is deteriorating, and those months (years?) of lost rent are being borne by land lords who will not do upgrades or repairs unless they are absolutely essential, leading to a downward spiral.

The only thing that has kept us from feeling the full brunt of this is Uncle Sugar's magic money tree. And, in spite of what some of my good friends here think, that bill will come due. Maybe tomorrow, maybe in 10 years. Doesn't matter. Avalanches become more likely and deadlier the more snow you pile on the mountain. Just because X hasn't happened yet doesn't mean X won't happen. Quite the opposite!

This all boils down to: "There is no free lunch."

Absolutely we are all going to pay more for everything.

I believe I read that the average new construction home is now costing $24K more due to increased prices of lumber? It is not likely to go down significantly in the short term.

JAC,

Ivermectin prophylaxis highly effective along with Vits D,C and zinc supplementation. Also effective for early outpatient treatment. Letting people get sick enough to be hospitalized and die was largely preventable with effective, CHEAP outpatient therapies available. Hospitals and doctors all over US are now ignoring the FDA, CDC, and NIH as well as NIAID and using Ivermectin as frontline therapy, finally putting patients above profit. Letting businesses crash and burn also preventable. Preventable but part of the plan.

I heard something on the radio this morning about people choosing to stay on unemployment because they can make more that way than getting a job.

I challenge you all to review the trends in the exchange rates in the dollar against all major world currencies.

We are down against all currencies.

Its almost as if the largest holder of US Debt was trying to benefit from this whole C-19....but how is that possible.

Oh wait, China holds the largest debt and where did Rona start at?

Perhaps though there are some other learning point here....have any of you seen any Incan people lately? They were the largest civilization in the western Hemisphere until alien peoples showed up and brought new disease to the "new world". As we go off racing to new worlds like Mars, what prevents C-22 from showing up? How about an new virus?

J, I also have a sneaking suspicion that some businesses are being paid by the state to close. We have a daycare locally that shuts down for every sniffling nose or positive case. Lost revenue due to 1-9 and closure equals $$$. We have a bank that closes, EVEN THE DRIVE-THRU for every case. Makes no sense and there is no reason that they can't have one teller and one manager at least keep the drive thru open. I'm mean good God, come on.

NE,