Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Confidence among U.S. consumers climbed to a 12-month high in February, signaling household spending will help sustain the expansion.
Americans are growing more upbeat after unemployment fell to a three year low and stock-market rally boosted household wealth, helping them withstand lower home prices and higher gasoline costs.
Unfortunately, I sincerely believe that many Republicans want to see the economy decline. It's a sentiment based on pure political selfishness.
Yeah, things really seem to be roaring back in pretty big way. I thought actually this was going to happen LAST YEAR - the economy got off to a good start early in the year, but then as summer approached we went back into the doldrums. There are various possible reasons for that - the massive damage inflicted on Japan by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami (and the economic ripple effect it had), the government budget cuts of last year that laid off thousands of government workers, the end of the bulk of the stimulus funds, etc, etc, etc. WHATEVER the reason - the impressive start last year showed fizzled by mid-year and we kind of drifted along - not getting worse, but not really getting much better either - UNTIL the fall, then the economy starting picking up again. Once that happened we really started to notice it locally here in Seattle.
For example, we frequently go to movies at The Landing - a fairly new residential/retail hub in Renton (a suburb of Seattle) that was completed just as the economy plunged off a cliff in late 2008. Because most of the shops never got tenents, the parking garage in the area there remained pretty empty the last couple of years - only gradually adding cars as slowwwwwwly the vacant shops became rented to various retail tenants. This fall however - as Christmas approached most of the remaining vacant shops got tenants - the garage became more busy (as it did SOMEWHAT last year at that time).
What was REALLY different this year though was that even AFTER the Christmas season ended, the number of cars in the garage didn't shrink again like it's done over the last 2 years but instead continued to grow so that instead of being able to park on the ground floor as we've always done, we were finding that had to go up to the 2nd or 3rd level.
I know this is simple anecdotal "evidence" but it was pretty obvious none-the-less and seems to backup what the numbers have been saying about the economic recovery really starting to FINALLY take hold.
Ken
Last edited by LordBalfor; 02-28-2012 at 05:16 PM..
Unfortunately, I sincerely believe that many Republicans want to see the economy decline. It's a sentiment based on pure political selfishness.
I think you are mistaken; it is the Democrats that want to see the economy decline. And they have been working on it (quite successfully, too) since Obama waltzed into office and declared himself God.
They have done nothing to improve what they "inherited" (which was blissfull, compared to what we have now), and everything to make things a complete disaster.
Last edited by CaseyB; 02-28-2012 at 06:15 PM..
Reason: language
Um, those are DECEMBER numbers - meaning CHRISTMAS shopping. Debt ALWAYS goes up that time of year. More people were taking on debt last year because more of them HAD JOBS.
Yeah, well fortunately for America, that "propaganda" is happening in LOTS of places around the country. A quarter of million new jobs last month alone.
..instead of being able to park on the ground floor as we've always done, we were finding that had to go up to the 2nd or 2rd level.
LOL! L like that! The higher you have to go to park...the higher the consumer confidence!
Probably pretty accurate, actually.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
