(10-19-2009 10:37 AM)Huskie_Jon Wrote:  

(10-17-2009 02:18 PM)klake87 Wrote:  

(10-17-2009 12:28 AM)niu79 Wrote:  

(10-15-2009 12:19 AM)RobertN Wrote:  

(10-14-2009 12:41 PM)klake87 Wrote:  The economy won't be on strong ground till the following issues are addressed and corrected.

1. Trade Deficit - Our countries wealth going abroad.
2.Budget deficit - Growing our countries debt.
3.Federal, State and Local debt - eventually no one will want to buy our debt. Inflation will make borrowing expensive and more tax dollars will go to pay interest on our debt.
4.Federal, State and Local Pension liabilities - the 800 lb gorilla in the room. Eventually, we wil not have assets to pay our liabilities. States keep forgoing contributions to fund other excesses. Got to stop.

The reality is that consumer's are afraid to spend given the uncertainty of keeping their jobs and making ends meet. With unemployment above 10% (17% if you count those that stopped looking or took lesser jobs) the recession will continue.

Until these are addressed, the recovery will be short lived if any. Consumers are spending less and saving more but our government has not learned.

I recommend gold. Soon, inflation will rear its ugly head and we will have inflation like the late seventies early eighties.

Inflation is already here. I went to Burger King yesterday, and they did not have a value meal for less that $6. Gas prices are creeping up too.

The administration is demonizing, then taking over sectors of the economy one by one: banks, auto industry, health care and insurance, oil companies, etc. Businesses are reluctant to risk expansion, when we have a government that wants to attack those who make "exorbitant profits". Business that do not expand will not hire new employees, so unemployent is going over 10%.

Meanwhile, the government is spending money they do not have to create a giant nanny state. We are turning into Europe.

Quote:5. Consumers pay off their debt.

I actually agree with RobertN on that.

I actually missed the first part of your post the first time(not sure how). Jon, you were in CT a couple years back so you should know that those were NORMAL prices back then in CT! Back then, the chicken sandwich value meals at McDonalds were well over $6.00 and actually closer to $7.00! I would be interested if they have gone up the same amount as they have here(they couldn't go much higher or they would really hurt their marketshare to diners and other local fast food places). I have a feeling this is more of a "local" inflation situation than a nationwide thing. As for gas, it looks like the speculators are back as oil was over $80/barrel. It sucks because I drive a long distance to work everyday and I have a difficult time paying the prices now BUT I can put up with it if it drives the changeover from gas to other sources at a faster pace. Btw, I got very lucky today. All the gas stations in DeKalb were over $2.70 except for the one that you would think would be the -highest-the Oasis- where it was still $2.599/gallon. Of course, I filled my tank. :)