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SD Homesteader, you have some valid points. I agree that our society has strayed too far from determining wants and needs. Executive compensation is excessive and these people are treating people like commodities, when in fact that the work force in a company is its valuable asset. Without trustworthy and dedicated people, a company is worthless in my opinion, even with the right numbers on a financial statement (which enough financial statements are distorted and hide fundamental problems, remember Enron, MCI Worldcom-cooking the books).
I do not think that things will get as dire, but there are enough people in our society who are oblivious to common sense (living beyond their means, having no sense of hard work, arrogant, etc.)who need a reality check. I think that inflation will be worse with the tacking on additional deficit and the government needs to slim down a little. If the US government abides by a balanced budget like South Dakota, we all would be in better shape.
What people do not realize is that the market, especially the housing market needed to correct itself. Buying a single family home in many areas is expensive relative to the incomes people make. Unfortunately people get hurt in the process. But I hope that through this series of economic challenges that people wisen up and act more prudently and conservatively instead of lustfully and wildly.
Regarding the politicians, this is what we get with enough people across the US having political apathy and not holding the politicans accountable as much as should be done. THE GOVERNMENT IS THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE. We as people need to hold our polticians of both parties accountable and our government accountable. We also should pushing for more of an entreupeneurial society with new and progressive ideas that create opportunties and innovation instead of relying on big business for jobs and marketing BS. Most jobs are created by small business, many of which grow. Many small businesses serve niches and often come up with new ideas, which is tougher in big business (follow the pecking order).
Time to wake the hell up people. The economy is gonna do nothing but get worse and worse, bail out or no bail out. And if you think it isn't then you got another thing coming.
I sure the hell don't see any of the Prices going down. Yeah Gas is going up and down and up and down but honestly, has any of the grocery prices gone down. Nope, Notta, Zilch. I live paycheck to paycheck and just recently have spent all the measly savings we had in the bank just to make ends meet. And I'm not exactly making minimum wage here. I'm a disabled vet and the pay although not great is pretty ok.
You got People in america that just can't live without the Luxuries of life and now 90% of the country no longer knows the difference between a want and a need. Personally I would welcome a depression just to knock a few of the ignorant people onto their keesters for once. Wake some of these people up. Every little extra money I have, I've been stocking up for this economic disaster, I now have 1 years worth of Potty paper (especially that LOL) and about 6 months to a years worth of Food on hand now.
Most people can't make ends meet any more without working 2 damn jobs. How much time does that leave to spend with the kids, Family time, To cook dinner, to spend with kids helping them with homework. Oh I forgot, We don't need to do any of that anymore. The only thing we have to do in life now is to work and pay the man.
A funny (and really sad) thing that happened to me when I lived back in iowa (Council Bluffs area) was I had a friend there, She had a job at a place that made Fiberglass Doors, Mostly for hotels and an occasional guvment contract. She made almost 15 bucks an hour and had all the overtime she could ever dream of. Came to me and complained she wasn't making enough money. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. You know how many minimum wage workers (and this was back when minimum wage was like 5 bucks and change) that would kill to have a job that paid even half that much.
You got Colleges that are charging more for tuition than most people make altogether in 10 years time for ONE FRIGGIN YEAR of tuition. You got 65+ yr olds competing for jobs now because they relied on the SS system to take care of them (we all know thats a joke now, or at least we should). So ya got 16 yr old, 17 yr olds and 18 yr olds competing with Retirees for what little jobs we got left that haven't been auctioned off overseas.
And as for voting, we didn't learn anything last election when thousands upon thousands of absentee ballots and the like were just thrown out? Voting Counts my rear end. The elections are already figured out. I'm sorry but the politicians have driven this country to the crapper, while they sit there and collect thousands upon thousands of dollars for their pockets, while most americans can't even afford a cheap grisly steak once a week, even at wally world now. We got chinese product after product being recalled for health and safety violations, Food Born illnesses in many products now cuz apparently the FDA is too busy trying to help Old man boner products hit the shelf. Kind of amazing that most insurance (and medicare now) will help with the purchase of Old Man Boner pills but won't cough up a dime for Birth Control pills for the women folk.
We need to wake up and take our country back from these criminals. But we can't even do that because of FEAR. The fear of being thrown into jail for standing up for the rights we were supposedly guaranteed. How can you support your family from jail. boy the guvments got it all figured out don't they. fear and intimidation drives us every day to stay away from our rights. But what people don't realize is "there really is safety in numbers, The jails can't hold us all". But We can't even do that cuz there are too many "indians that wanna be Chief" and not enough Chiefs that wanna step up and lead. Remember the 4th Branch of the Government, the branch they no longer teach you about it school, The 4th Branch of the Guvment is THE FRIGGIN PEOPLE. Hold these politicians accountable for their crimes, Hold the Big Business jerk offs that are making millions per year accountable. I don't see any politician jumping up and saying, Hey these jerk offs have spent millions on Yachts, Cars, Homes and such and now want us to bail them out, Liquidate these CEO's assests. Take it back and sell it, They can drive around in a 84 Plymouth Volare like their Employees. Use that money to help bail them companies out.
And shouldn't we as the taxpayers have a say in this. Hellllllllllllll No. Cuz we put up with it.
Sorry to be so negative but I see things how they are, not sugar coated like the news reports it now. So people, Start stocking up on the Canned Goods and Toitty Paper, Pretty soon we won't even be able to afford to wipe our butts.
I agree that there are challenges and our society is screwed up in some regards, but thinking negative is not going to help matters any. I come across this with my grandmother. She thinks in the similar frame of mind and it drives me nuts. Yes, there are problems and there will be problems, but lets shed some positive light on the situation. Let us look at the potential problems and challenges that may lie ahead and figure out ways to tackle and address them. As FDR said, "The only thing to fear is fear itself." Through the clouds of uncertain times and challenge, there is always a silver linging of opportunity and hope. Our society has been stupid before and has gone through challenges, but it is resiliant and got through it with greater wisdom and foresight in the end.
Homesteader, even though what you said is pretty negative and depressing, there is a lot of truth in it.
One of the things that caught my attention was the part about Social Security. There are still many people who think it is there to support us when we get to that age. That's such a fallacy and everyone needs to know that. It was never designed to actually support us. It is just there to supplement our income. We've always made an effort to save a bit here and there in case we live long enough to semi-retire. For us to be able to both fully retire would just be out of the question and we live frugally.
There was just an article circulating about how much bigger and fancier houses have become and yet family sizes have dwindled. There are areas of the country that a private pool and hot tub aren't considered to be a luxury. They're fairly much the norm. That's great if you actually have the $$, but dangerous if you don't.
Chris is right, too. We've really got to think positive. Not sure if that'll help, but it'll keep us out of a depression.
Another possible reason that our economy is foundering is because nothing really new and innovative has come along. The 50s had the automobile, the 80s and 90s had the computer. What have we really had other than a few improvements to the computer. I think this decade's new innovation could be clean renewable energy and we need to look into it more to get away from 'oil almighty'. Just my thoughts.
That's a good perspective, Danny. I personally think Bush made very many wrong decisions during this presidency. This war has cost the US an unbelievable amount of money.
I agree with Jammie... I think many people got in over their head.
IPODS !!! Hell Yeah !!! Although, I don't think that can really sustain an economy, so that probably doesn't count...
Can''t forget smart phones and blue teeth.
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