4 Ways to Tell When a Real Recovery Has Begun

The Economy

Of course, the President can say the recession is improving.He has a job and what about the American people.I had never seen it so bad the last two years.Jobs are lost, people losing their homes, children are foster out into the system(where their parents have no money to take care of them),people are living in tents or out on the streets.This is America but we are like a Third World country.Of course, we bought things on credit but then we had a job to support our lifestyles. My husband and I are one of the "lost American people", we had to go to bankruptcy, lose our retirement funds and now we are awaiting foreclosure on our home.We had the all-American dream but now we will one of the homeless.What does Obama say about that, the economy is improving.....

Sherry Ward of KY @ Jul 28, 2009 20:04:39 PM

home prices

There is no way homes are actually worth as much as they cost now, let alone a year ago. If things kept going as they were, I don't see how someone like myself could *ever* afford to buy a home without going into a dangerous amount of debt. And I make a decent salary.

When you can buy the cheap houses in CA for about 150k-200k, and the expensive ones are about 1M, then prices should stop falling. Before that, they are fool's gold.

Paul of CA @ Jul 17, 2009 17:28:01 PM

Housing prices

Ok I have to say that the house prices stablizing is not what we as a country want right now until they get to a more reasonable point. That is what we want as a knee jerk reaction.

People keep saying how the housing economy needs to be repaired and that houses need to start going back up in value. However the problem was they were so far beyond their actual value it was sick. There is a problem when people are buying houses and selling them for double just by the time they are built. There is a problem when people are buying houses and selling them for 4x more than the owner bought them in less then a couple years time. There is a problem when you HAD to be a two income family since one spouses check is going to the housepayment alone. The market needs to correct itself from all this junk and houses unfortunately need to hit rock bottom. Afterwhich I would wish that the goverment(locate, state, and federal) would learn from this mistake and try to curb the sudden rise of housing costs. It is one thing for a house to go up 20-30% in a good market. It is another for it to double or quadrouple.

The same can be applied for the cost of major goods such as a vehicle. Considering now that your average vehicle is around 20,000-25,000 by the time you factor in all the licenses fees, etc. Yes there have been some cheap cars hitting the market but if you look at most of those cars they may sticker cheap however when you get into the dealership, etc.

Basically what is happening right now is a forced correction of the economy. Wages were not going up as fast as the prices were, now prices are having to come back down. Unfortunately the job sector is responding by panic and laying off.

Drew G of CA @ Jul 16, 2009 13:17:19 PM

Foundation of prosperity

Prosperity, a good comfortable life, comes from creating valuable goods and services, emphasis on creating. Creating takes natural resources, knowledge and hard effort. Think of all the things we really need to live-- water, food, shelter, health. These come from agriculture and industry, which are supported by the good earth, air, water and our knowledge. Knowledge of physics, chemistry, engineering and medical science, are suported by schools and teachers.

So ask yourself the question, are you going to be one of the producers--scientists, teacher, engineer, medical professional,or blue collar backbone of these professions, or one of the hangers on who siphon off productive wealth because of the vices of humanity, or worse. Not to say they areen't absolutely needed, but the military, the legal and justice professions, to name a few, exist to counter the bad effects of vice, crime and greed. They produce nothing of tangible value. A perfect world would be much more efficient and prosperous without the need for them.

Other things like arts and entertainment are nice extras if you have the time and money to enjoy them. Not essential.

So when things go south you should consider what's necessary and what's not, and plan to acquire skills that will always be valuable, translated--produtive--to maintain a level of prosperity in a world that is focused more on essentials rather than extras.

P.F. Normand of LA @ Jul 14, 2009 14:24:34 PM

Growth through diversion

Soon, the US will begin fortifying the border with Mexico. That situation is going to escalate . . . enter unmanned drones and the Taliban playbook to reset MXO. Welcome states 51 - 60!

Freddie Rio of CA @ Jul 14, 2009 13:50:21 PM

stocks

This is not a comment but a question.

A stock that was worth $33.00 per share two year ago, now worth only $12.00 per share. Why is the stock still remains $12.00 per share if the company declares after tax profit and promise to pay dividend?

Anthony Adelakun of MI @ Jul 14, 2009 13:25:29 PM

Job Loss

To create new jobs here in the United States is one thing. Regardless of which industry (new or old)it can be very costly and the newer energy research jobs are total speculation at this point. How did we ever allow our nation to outsource america's future knowing full well that it would be our doom?

I don't know how we can ever get back to basics where every household in America has the opportunity to grow ,prosper and once again pursue "the dream" unless we quit talking about it and start reducing goverment spending and waste to the point where we are actually PROVING to the American public that we are truley doing just that! Give our children and grandchildren a future that they can believe in instead of continually blow smoke trying to covince some poor soul to elect or re-elect someone that has only personal gain in mind.

Dave Ward of IL @ Jul 14, 2009 13:17:12 PM

no account fool

six years ago i got rid of all of my credit cards and closed my bank account. I pay cash for every thing that i buy. if i cannot afford it i dont buy it. i am better off now than i have ever been. no bad check fees from writing bad checks and no debt. i know exactly where i am at with my cash and i am able to save and keep it in my personal safe. many need to follow this advice and the country's economy will soon start thriving again.

joe of MO @ Jul 12, 2009 21:53:43 PM