Comments on: Economic storm clouds gather

By: Bethany, Ermmons, Minnesota

Bethany, Ermmons, Minnesota — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:25:36 +0000

I believe that we are already in a recession, and that people aren’t taking it seriously enough. People are struggling to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, and gas in the car to get to work. Of course, many people complaining of those things still want the luxuries of multiple cell phones, flat screen TVs, and the newest techno gadgets. I feel that if more people reduced their “want” spending and made smarter choices with their needs, the impact on their families would be lessened.

For instance, in our family, it made more sense for me to stay at home with the children, cook from scratch, drive less often (do all the errands together once a week), hang laundry up to dry, and grow a garden for my fresh herbs and vegetables. We also shop at farmer’s market and from local butcher shops to lessen the amount of oil used to transport our food. We live in a cold state, but the thermostat stays at 68 degrees and we wear warmer clothes in the winter.

By: tim may london ky

tim may london ky — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:12:02 +0000

bush has runied this country.bush
needs to live like all of us.if
bush didnt own oil wells he would get the prices down. but dont think the
check will help nobody but bush because it will go back in the gas
tanks and energy costs.

By: matt, olathe, kansas

matt, olathe, kansas — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:19:07 +0000

In other headlines, 3 out of 4 kindergarten students think our trade policies are wrongheaded. No offense, people, but our collective grasp of economics is pretty much zero, so maybe a poll of ECONOMISTS would have been more useful.

Also, wasn’t there a time when newspapers actually published WHAT HAPPENS instead of what they THINK is going to happen? Given the constant media drumbeat of “recession-recession-recession,” no wonder people think we’re in a recession! CNNMoney and the rest of you media jackals–this is your fault!

By: Richmond, VA

Richmond, VA — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:08:56 +0000

The US economy is in a downward spiral. I lost not one, but two state jobs, one full time, one part time due to budget restraints and found out about it one day before my return from unpaid family medical leave act leave after having a baby. This is serious. I think we will see families gathering together under one roof. The rich keep getting richer and the ‘middle class and poor’ keep getting poorer. All I can say is “Save, Save, Save” any penny you can.

By: Bob Henderson, Ann Arbor, MI

Bob Henderson, Ann Arbor, MI — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:07:34 +0000

Free trade provides a huge benefit to American consumers and American workers. It’s not just inexpensive T-shirts from China. It means paying a lower, fair market price for anything that is more efficiently produced in countries where the cost of doing business is lower. What American companies should be doing is seeking out business opportunities that take advantage of things that we can do better in America than anywhere else in the world. Companies that ask the United States government for protection from foreign competition are asking Americans to pay more than they should for goods and services.

Inefficiency should not be rewarded. However, unfair business practices that keep American companies from freely competing in foreign markets cannot be tolerated. Stiff trade sanctions should be enacted against any trading partners who let down their end of the free trade bargain.

By: Charity Angel, Missouri

Charity Angel, Missouri — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:49:26 +0000

Clearly we are in a recession, that is obvious today, and we are dragging the World down with us. Congress should have listened to Ron Paul and stopped this overspending. I agree with the world news I read that the “Economic Surplus” is too little too late. If we would have tightened the governments belts like we have had to tighten our own, this would not be happening. This is the result of a nation trying to build a global empire, we just can’t afford it.

By: tom n. dallas, tx

tom n. dallas, tx — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:45:25 +0000

Shareholders…Blame yourselves.

You bring in CEO’s for millions of dollars (per year). They and their very high paid staffs play “outsource, cut the job, take a bonus” game until the company fails. And when it collapses, they get paid even more! More jobs get cut to cover paying the CEO for failing.
You pay them to screw up. No backlash, no restitution.
What did you expect?

By: M. Rodriguez, Diamond Bar

M. Rodriguez, Diamond Bar — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:29:38 +0000

I am a single parent and only parent contributing financially. I am very worried about losing my job to India or china and then losing my house.

By: MJB Surprise, Az

MJB Surprise, Az — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:19:18 +0000

Most of us are very, very worried. I thought I was about to retire at 63 and now this looks impossible. As it is now, I don’t have a newer car, no DVD, no cellphone, no new clothes,never, never eat out our go to the movies. I’m single. Paying rent, utilities, food, gas. Work 40 hrs a week and make about 40,000 and find it hard now. My savings have just been hit with a loss of over $6,000 in the last 2 weeks. And that is working for the government savings program. We are at a loss. Help us Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

By: Ravi, Reston, VA

Ravi, Reston, VA — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:59:43 +0000

Only ‘Made in America’ and Control on government spending can save the country and the economy.

Free money (previously from housing line of credit) and now from tax cuts will only quickly evaporate and add to the trade deficit;

By: lacielouhessmer louisiana

lacielouhessmer louisiana — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:54:20 +0000

if this country is in a ressesion why not help the ppl by lowering the gas at the pumps food would go down everything else would to

By: Bobby, Washington DC

Bobby, Washington DC — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:50:46 +0000

This is very frightening. I have begun stocking my basement with bottled water, canned food, whiskey, toilet paper and cigarettes. I cannot sleep at night. God help us all.

By: Thomas, Parker, AZ.

Thomas, Parker, AZ. — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:26:27 +0000

I am not really surprised at what is happening. As a student in economics I have been following the economic situation and in one study our class team had came to the conclusion that things like this would be happening in late January or early February. In one thesis that I wrote I had speculated that the housing industry and mortgage industry were going to be hit hard. My speculation and our team predictions are very close and I had prepaired for this long in advance.
As for the big give away by the congress and the president, unless it is centered to those making less than $60,000 per year then it will have no real long term effect on the economy.

By: Kina, Kansas City, Kansas

Kina, Kansas City, Kansas — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:24:02 +0000

I am in the real estate business and the only thing I can say is that ALOT OF MY FRIENDS have been fired or “layed off” from this business. I don’t know how the decline in real estate sales and refinances came about but I know that this will probably continue for some time, unfortunately and I believe that this is what has been affecting everything else along the way. When many, many people are out of work then the economy has to be touched in every aspect after that. When gas prices soared was another factor because people were debating on getting gas for the car or going out to a movie. Guess which choice had to be made and the theater lost their money. Everything effects everything else and I believe it will be awhile before we see things come back around again.

By: Ken - Bend, OR

Ken - Bend, OR — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:21:09 +0000

It’s time for those in leadership to stop making decisions based on what the general public (who generally have little to no understanding of what the best economic policies are) and start listening to real economists, especially on issues of welfare, social security, health insurance, taxes, tariffs, etc. It’s time we start entrusting our economy to economists who actually went to school for and studied economics, not politicians who went to school for and studied politics and are only concerned about winning the election by talking about policies that sound nice in fantasy land where everything is free and the poor have just as much money as the rich, even though the rich actually went out and worked for it (fact: 90% of millionaires DID NOT inherit their wealth). I wouldn’t let my Senator perform heart surgery on me, why would I want them to set economic policy, especially when they are basing it on polls of people who, most of which, didn’t even take ECON 101? Take a poll of economists to see what we should do.

By: Jim Cleveland ohio

Jim Cleveland ohio — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:20:54 +0000

Wall Street owns the Govt. The dot com boom. Wall street got greedy and destroyed it. The sub prime lending, let me help those were and are BAD LOANS period. Wall Street created that beauty.Now we have to bail them out like McCains friend Keating
The Govt needs to stay out and let the markets self correct.
The Congress and President I include Greenspan and theh Federal reserve, really don’t have a clue.
Stop the GOVT spending and giving everything away.
Congress has destroyed this Country and We fight over Democrats and Republicans they are one party “The washington Party” and we are the surfs that support it.
We need a new party the two we have don’t work!!

By: Ann, Ventura, California

Ann, Ventura, California — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:02:23 +0000

I absolutely love our country, it is still the best in the world. If only we would go back to the founding roots and everyone would start working for what they are given we would be a much stronger nation. Let’s teach our kids to have better work ethics and we will withstand anything.

By: jack,phoenix,az

jack,phoenix,az — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:57:33 +0000

What we need is to GUT Wallstreet and Government. Everyone making over $1 million will be taxed 200%. Lets start with money grabbing Politicians. Anyone of them taking BRIBES or REBATES, whatever they want to call them will placed in Prison for 20 years. Close our borders to anyone except 20 day visitors/tourists. Buy American products. Taxes based on consumption.

By: Ted, Chicago, Illinois

Ted, Chicago, Illinois — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:37:08 +0000

Recession! LOL Ha ha ha.
This is the start of the Depression.
American’s are strapped with heavy credit card debt coupled with high int. rates on credit cards.
There is very little disposable income after credit card payments. There will be a record number of Chapter 13 Bk’s. unless the Congress forces lower credit card rates on the Banks by about 50%.

By: Mike, Austin, Texas

Mike, Austin, Texas — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:11:13 +0000

To jean and maddawg, the hilarious part is that we subsidize the milk and gas, artificially creating the inflated prices by our own hand! Duh.

You know, folks complain about health care costs, and yet we as a nation spend TRILLIONS on XBox’s, designer clothes, unhealthy dining, smoking, drinking, cars (a truly crappy investment), and drugs. Whatever…