[TANaples]

Where are all the snowbirds this year? I have noticed that the traffic this year is nowhere near as heavy with out of state plates in the heart of season as it was last year. Even when I go to Publix, during the week and on weekends, it is not as full as it was last year. I used to have to park almost at the end of the lot last year in season. Now it is only half full and most of the cars have Florida plates.

My daughter works in security in a retail chain. She says half the time she is falling asleep at work. NOBODY is in the stores where she works.

If it is like this NOW in the heart of season, that does not forebode well for the economy here.

[TEKSRZ]

Originally Posted by TANaples

Where are all the snowbirds this year? I have noticed that the traffic this year is nowhere near as heavy with out of state plates in the heart of season as it was last year. Even when I go to Publix, during the week and on weekends, it is not as full as it was last year. I used to have to park almost at the end of the lot last year in season. Now it is only half full and most of the cars have Florida plates.

My daughter works in security in a retail chain. She says half the time she is falling asleep at work. NOBODY is in the stores where she works.

If it is like this NOW in the heart of season, that does not forebode well for the economy here.

I've noticed the same around here too. Buckle your selt belt Dorothy because Kansas is going "bye bye".

[Shores9]

Obama warned today that failure to act on an economic recovery package could plunge the nation into a long-lasting recession that might prove irreversible

Sounds like the definition of depression

[CoventryDude]

Originally Posted by Shores9

Obama warned today that failure to act on an economic recovery package could plunge the nation into a long-lasting recession that might prove irreversible

Sounds like the definition of depression

As a person who works in finance and who has an interest in history (BA Early American History) I don't think spending trillions boosting up companies that have made bad decisions is the best idea. Putting the US further into debt, printing money, selling US debt abroad all devalue our currency and add to our woes. The media reports that the bailout has already cost upwards of $7 trillion(!!!!!) That's about $23,000 per person in the country.

Anyway, the thing that really ended the Great Depression was the Second World War, not FDR's policies. A good case can be made that FDR's policies prolonged that disaster...confiscated gold, increasing taxes....did you know that the Social Security tax was used as a revenue source to fund the recovery effort? Unfortunately that practice continued after the war....bad fiscal policy........

I don't know what the answer is, and I wish the President every success in avoiding a depression. I am pessimistic, however, particularly upon hearing about how much pork has been embedded within the stimulus package. Congress' main proclivity is in getting elected, they members rarely show any particular talent in solvign many problems. I don't consider throwing my money at companies that have tried and truly wasteful business practices a solution.

Hear me out. It would have been cheaper to have declared slavery illegal, paid the slaveowners "fair market value" for the former slaves, and set the slaves up with their 40 acres and a mule than to fight the Civil War, in terms of cost, death and maiming, destruction, and societal destruction. I believe a big spending bail out the corporations bailout is like fighting the Civil war- it's well intentioned but it's monetary cost and it's effect on society won't be worth it. Without the death and destruction, hopefully.

Personally, a much better stimulus, to me, would be to give us the $23,000.00 per legal US citizen. I'd pay off my debts and buy a new car or two. That's stimulate the economy far and above giving 11ty billion dollars to the company I owe $xxxx to on credit cards.....and a little left over for the bank account, Roth IRA, and the kids 529 Plans. Car manufacturers, dealers, etc. a true ripple affect.

I don't think Florida will fare well, but I don't see most states faring well.
I don't see the US Government giving up any of the power it assumes, either, which is a lot more frightening to me overall.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by CoventryDude

As a person who works in finance and who has an interest in history (BA Early American History) I don't think spending trillions boosting up companies that have made bad decisions is the best idea. Putting the US further into debt, printing money, selling US debt abroad all devalue our currency and add to our woes. The media reports that the bailout has already cost upwards of $7 trillion(!!!!!) That's about $23,000 per person in the country.

Anyway, the thing that really ended the Great Depression was the Second World War, not FDR's policies. A good case can be made that FDR's policies prolonged that disaster...confiscated gold, increasing taxes....did you know that the Social Security tax was used as a revenue source to fund the recovery effort? Unfortunately that practice continued after the war....bad fiscal policy........

I don't know what the answer is, and I wish the President every success in avoiding a depression. I am pessimistic, however, particularly upon hearing about how much pork has been embedded within the stimulus package. Congress' main proclivity is in getting elected, they members rarely show any particular talent in solvign many problems. I don't consider throwing my money at companies that have tried and truly wasteful business practices a solution.

Hear me out. It would have been cheaper to have declared slavery illegal, paid the slaveowners "fair market value" for the former slaves, and set the slaves up with their 40 acres and a mule than to fight the Civil War, in terms of cost, death and maiming, destruction, and societal destruction. I believe a big spending bail out the corporations bailout is like fighting the Civil war- it's well intentioned but it's monetary cost and it's effect on society won't be worth it. Without the death and destruction, hopefully.

Personally, a much better stimulus, to me, would be to give us the $23,000.00 per legal US citizen. I'd pay off my debts and buy a new car or two. That's stimulate the economy far and above giving 11ty billion dollars to the company I owe $xxxx to on credit cards.....and a little left over for the bank account, Roth IRA, and the kids 529 Plans. Car manufacturers, dealers, etc. a true ripple affect.

I don't think Florida will fare well, but I don't see most states faring well.
I don't see the US Government giving up any of the power it assumes, either, which is a lot more frightening to me overall.

You know the funny thing? The media plays it up like FDR fixed the situation. The sheeple eat it up like gospel.

[bale002]

Originally Posted by Shores9

Obama warned today that failure to act on an economic recovery package could plunge the nation into a long-lasting recession that might prove irreversible

Obama has the same credibility as other politicians and the executives at the banks and the rating agencies, actually quite an incestuous bunch.

Publicly they continue to cow-tow to populist themes, while privately their objective remains stealing the other half of the public treasury (e.g. the current head of the IRS is a tax cheat) that the previous administration did not manage to steal.

Stuff of depression indeed.

If they had any sense of country, they would examine policies that restore economic balance, but they don't care and/or they have no clue.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by bale002

Obama has the same credibility as other politicians and the executives at the banks and the rating agencies, actually quite an incestuous bunch.

Publicly they continue to cow-tow to populist themes, while privately their objective remains stealing the other half of the public treasury (e.g. the current head of the IRS is a tax cheat) that the previous administration did not manage to steal.

Stuff of depression indeed.

If they had any sense of country, they would examine policies that restore economic balance, but they don't care and/or they have no clue.

Obama's largest contributors to his campaign were the devils on wall street. So you sir are correct. But the masses won't figure that out because the News told them he is the second coming of Jesus.

[Muggy]

Shores9, can you answer a question with 100% honesty for me? Doesn't Florida suck now that your house isn't paying you to be here?
Will you please admit you miss Long Island and Florida isn't what you thought it would be so I can finally think you're an o.k. guy?

[Shores9]

Dow looking like it has a real chance to break lower possibly into the 6k’s or upper 5k’s Several large companies like GM & Chrysler and maybe Bank of America & Citi on the verge of bankruptcy or government takeover

Housing cheerleader in Oct Nov & Dec 2006 – Not so Accidental Prophet in Jan 2007 to Feb 2009

[ngrome]

Well, here's the latest news, and I'm sure you've seen this already today on TV or so:

AP Analysis: Fewer outsiders are moving to Florida (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090219/ap_on_re_us/florida_migration - broken link)

I do hope it gets better in a few years, I've got a house to sell down here...