You know it's a recession when . . .

President Obama didn't create the mess we're in - he inherited it.  I'm thrilled he is now going off those companies who shipped jobs overseas and use tax havens to avoid paying tax here.  I didn't vote for him, but he sure has my full support now!  I've been unemployed for a year and a half - benefits gone - depleted retirement account - lost home.  It doesn't get much worse and the fact that I'm 60 doesn't help in the job market.  Washed my car out in the rain today - just toweled off the dirt with a clean old cloth.  Thanks Mother Nature!!!  I also just learned that used dryer sheets work fine for dusting furniture.  For all the education and degrees I have, it's the little things that are helping me stay afloat. 

Do people really think that they have decision making power now, and that under a socialist government they would lose that decision making ability?  If so, I've got to say that they really have you all snowed.  But, I guess if you think you have all these choices then seeing your standard of living crumble all around you with no real end in sight is that much easier to take.

Right now the decision are made largely to benefit those that have got it, and they aim to keep it that way.  So, expect a big backlash from the rich and multinational corporations should Obama succeed in putting an end to secret bank accounts, offshore tax dodges, and the abuses now being allowed to multinational corporations in not paying taxes in the U.S. while raking in money hand over fist by having access to our markets.   Expect some serious lobbying to prevent a simplification of the tax code that would making cheating harder, and fuller disclosure of earnings more the course. 

People selling things is really a good indication of how bad the times are.  First it was old gold and jewelry, but I'm seeing people sell their find china and silverware on line, getting rid of an extra car if they had it, and at my daughter's school, among her college peers the selling of plasma and blood is getting to the point where donors are lying about how frequently they are giving (several donation places to play off of each other) and student health is seeing an alarming increase in anemic students with needle marks in their arms.  Sperm donors, egg donors and surrogate wombs for rent - next you'll be seeing K-Mart Blue Light specials on infants, and not infant wear. 

I am already seeing things get better. Last year we went from spending $120 a month for the gas to get to work to over $400 (Thanks GW Bush). We could not use the boat last summer, it holds 40 gallons of premium and the truck to haul it is diesel, so it would cost almost $200 a day to operate. I noticed that our paychecks went up, probably because of a roll back of the Bush rip-off tax plan for Dual Income No Kids people (my total income taxes equaled 31% of my income). And two of the $500,000 homes in my neighborhood sold last weekend. So we definitely see things getting better. My 401-K plan will probably see a return of around 4% this year, we were lucky, we had none of it in stock or mutual funds, all in treasuries and bonds; it really paid off not to be greedy on this one and just work towards long term safe growth. I only drive American made cars (all three of them) in support of my fellow American Workers. I look for american made shoes and clothing, they're out there if you search. 

You could say that my lifestyle is contributing to the improvement of our country, rather than bashing its leaders and pointing blame in the wrong direction. Looking around me I see that the problem was created by bad consumer decisions. If we don't start making more of our products in the USA, we will never recover. Unemployment in the manufacturing segment is starting a trickle up effect and soon the highest wage earners will suffer.