Economic Upswing? Ask Again in a Year

Psychological or your lying eyes?

I can do without new cars, appliances, communications and entertainment, hair cuts, manicures, vacations, discretionary purchases of every kind. I can't do without fuel, food and health care; they are necessities NOT luxuries, and the fact that economists have been touting the "good news" for the past few years while consumers wonder if they're living on another planet, doesn't bode well for the economy. The equity in my house is irrelevant to milions of people like me who try to live responsibly, within our means, and don't consider our house collateral but a home. It's the people who think it's a liquid asset who are in trouble right now, yet you continue to think we should get back into that same shell game that's collapsing around us. Ah, well, we're just small thinkers, but then again the government won't be coming around to bail us out like the millionaires in Bear, Fannie, Freddie, et al. Major tax increases are now local so the Federal Government can enjoy running on "no tax increases", but people who've lost their jobs are responsible for school and local taxes no matter what their situation. From health care, pensions, insurance premiums, all offering a pittance compared to what they did 20 years ago whle their costs skyrocket, to the ubiquitous taxes that are stuck on every phone and electric, water and gas bill, Americans are assuming all the responsiblity and getting none of the benefits of this global economy. That Wall Street was awash in money and is now sticking us with their bill is just the icing on the cake. We can't even count on a job anymore as they're continually being outsourced. This is the first time in my 59 years that every indicator has conspired to show me how much worse off I am than I was in the 1960's. It's not just the politicians that are clueless.

AnneMaire of PA @ Jul 23, 2008 19:21:07 PM