The times. (long, but final maybe)

Accelerating unemployment:
I noticed just this week that the government didn't publish a percentage of National unemployment. Did I miss it? Or, are they hiding it? During the Great Depression unemployment rose to over 25%. Then there were only 120 to 150 million people in the work force. How many are there now in the work force? How many become unemployed daily now?

Go find a different job, or hopefully you are not unemployed – try to find a job. {Editorial note: I do not believe in try. Either you can or you can’t there is no try. This may be the exception to the rule. I recall when it was possible to find a job in a single day. Even in a single hour. Oh my, how things have changed….}

Unscrupulous money lenders:

Why are we putting up with the obscene salaries for them to take our retirements and savings? Why aren't some of these executives in jail or at least under indictment?

A generation of self-seekers:

Why is it that we vote for our special interest instead of the self interest of the country as a whole? Let’s appeal to our ‘elected’ to represent ALL of us.

Nationalized banks:

Some say it is a passing necessity. I say bull shit. I know bull shit when I smell it, and this is a new permanent fixture in our economy.

Financiers who binged on speculative excess:

What? Are we allowing these people to stay out of jail? Are we crazy?

Banks failing:

Yes, just try to get a loan - I dare you! Then tell me how you will pay for it as the economy continues to dry up. Reduced maximum credit card limits, increased credit card interest rates, and larger penalties for missing credit card payments are all a part of this. Stricter lending guidelines are a result of the bankers seeing the downturn as a National threat..

Businesses, large and small failing:

Just drive past ten strip malls. I defy you to find just six (or four) that do not have recently vacant closed small businesses. You can read the paper, internet news, watch pbs reports and know about big businesses. Check out your local scene. I encourage you to not listen to the National news, they are selling condoms, padded bras, money lenders and American cars, not reporting the ‘real’ news. I wish we had Mark Twain to comment on the National News. Or for the younger generations, Tim Russert.

Wages being cut:

Some salaries and bonuses will take many more reductions. If you keep your job, pretty soon you will feel this event. Business has slowed down, so there is less money circulating, which means there is less to pay employees.

Hours being reduced:

When business slows, fewer people are needed to populate the stores, factories, markets, and entertainment venues.

Benefits more expensive:

As the government goes further in debt, the resource for citizen benefit will take a major hit at the lower income levels for sure. As the economy slows more, it will begin to be seen at more affluent levels. Health care and proactive ways to reduce the effects of crappy diets and obesity will become more the focus over the long run. However, when it is realized that Americans accept that they are obese and not willing to do anything about it, the benefits will become more difficult to qualify for and to receive because the ‘thinking’ will become that we have to do something for ourselves, and not rely on drugs and surgeries.

Social medicine being the means to provide health care:

We already see that America pays more for less. Do you really have a choice anymore about who you see, and what testing is allowed? Where does all of the money for health care go? I suspect that it goes to those attorneys that prosecute doctors and to the insurance companies that went upside down in our stock markets. It sure doesn’t go to the docs.

Extended unemployment benefits:

This has already started. What happens when 25% of our work force is applying? Yikes! We do not have to be the government to know this is a dead end road.



It is even starker for countries other than America.

My point of taking you on this taxicab ride is that these are nearly all the same features that America faced when we as a country had the Great Depression. You get the picture. These are all features of today's U S economy.

Do you recall that you and I knew we were presently in a recession about a year before the press and the government would admit it?

Do you realize that we are at the threshold of another Great Depression? Do you hear any alarm from the reporters? From the ‘elected’? Nope. They are afraid to admit that things are going to hell in a hand basket. 1. We may not buy what they are selling (the press). 2. We may expect them to perform for ALL of us (the ‘elected’).

What are they thinking in Washington yesterday (1 8 09) and today (1 9 09)? Do they think it is important to defend themselves as Democrats and as Republicans instead of the decision makers for ALL of America? They are still thinking they represent their home states. Who they represent is ALL of America. Period! The business model has changed!

I say it is time to call, write, email, send a telegram, share what you think with the ‘elected’ and your face book friends and your email contacts and your family and your business contacts and your blog. Oh yeah, while I am on it, it is time for us to write more instead of less. My niece’s son Andrew said it really well this a.m. (He is quite young by my standards and I really respect him for having a say). Here is his quote:

“First of all, do not apologize for length. It is nice to actually talk with someone who does not feel the urge and need to condense their thoughts down to meaningless one-line statements.” So, have a go at being conversant about the state of affairs we are in.

If you do not know how to reach the 'elected' in Washington, go to your local library or to your local library website and get the information and act now. After the recent elections, the names probably have changed and you will want to contact the current people.

We must speak for ourselves; they are not speaking for us.

Just yesterday, it looked like the politicians in Washington are attempting to wrest the changes from the new administration, and the new administration has not even taken office.

Why are they reporting about the back packs that the President elects children are using, when we are failing as a nation? Come on National News as a group, we want news, not crap.

Help yourself. Help me. Help your offspring. Help by speaking your position of co-operation as a must, party politics as a part of history.

Well, I just reread and edited this. Whew, what a mess I forecast. I am confident that we have HARD times ahead. That is my reality. I just wish we could all see it as OUR problem, and not as something that is occurring ‘over there’ or ‘over there’ or in BFE or where ever each of thinks it is or isn’t occurring.

Enough from me.

This cab fare may be the last. I am not sure if I am up to the events in the future. I will donate this fare, as I am anticipating that you will need the money to feed yourself. Please buy your sustenance wisely, nutrition will get much more expensive rather than less expensive.

Good bye from
CABBY

PS: Want a sign of the times? We just received our new Yellow pages from the local Telephone Company.

It is 3/32 of an inch thinner. It is now just 1-7/8 inches thick, and the total of pages of “Advertising” is 1415 where last year it was 1554.

A sign of two events I suspect. 1. Technology – people use them less. 2. Less money for advertising.