Did anyone hear the financial analyst who suggested

[malaise]

that there was anarchy in the market because people are not shopping?
The report was on M$NBC earlier this morning.


Will forced shopping be next? :shrug:

[Angela Shelley]

1. Ooohh, I want to sign up for that program too,

that would be sooo cool, being forced to shop til I drop.

[malaise]

2. I'll pass

I have never really liked shopping.

[Angela Shelley]

4. Maybe you haven´t tried hard enough?

:-)

[DrDan]

3. this whole reagan scam is based on unbridled shopping and spending

throw the savers in jail, I say!!!!!

[kelligesq]

5. Well how terrible, the Amerian Consumer

might put the big multi-nationals who have moved all their factories and jobs
to China OUT OF BUSINESS. tsk tsk

Payback is such a bitch

BUY AMERICAN or dont buy.

Put the bastids out of business.

[notadmblnd]

12. The thing I never figured out is; who did they think was going to buy their crap?

the people who made it and shipped it over to us? To me it was just a matter of adding two plus two. You take away the jobs of people who consume the most stuff and then wonder why they're not buying your crap anymore? Did they really think the low wage earners like the Chinese and Indians was going to make up for it?

[raccoon]

17. You and me both, brother/sister.

People who work for $8-10 an hour can't buy expensive clothes, much less new, big cars.

[JHB]

18. Step 1: Steal underpants...

Step 2: ???? (lots of handwaving, no specifics: "Free Market! Rising Tide Lifts All Boats! Bull market!") ????
Step 3: PROFIT!
(for reference, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnomes_%28South_Park_episode%29#The_Gnomes )

That's how they figured it.



Seriously, it's one of those "if you're rats on a sinking ship, be the top rat" kind of thing (it never enters their mind to save the ship).

[SammyWinstonJack]

20. A question I have asked more than once.

:shrug:

[rucky]

6. GOOD

Except for the forced shopping scenario.

Maybe the retail sector will support policies that put a little spending money into the pockets of average Americans. they've been anti-worker, anti-consumer for too long. A little healthcare could go a long way in boosting the economy and keeping jobs here. Alternative energy would cut distribution costs even further, control prices without cutting labor costs, and free-up some consumer cash.

Progressive policy is GOOD for business. Don't be afraid to repeat this.

[DrDan]

24. how about putting some "saving money" into the pockets of average Americans

It is pathetic how little is saved in this rich country.

But . . . saving is neither rewarded nor encouraged, only spending. Listen to inSannity or cheney - they feel we are "entitled" to the big SUVs, big mortgages, etc etc etc. Why are we not entitled to a decent return on our CDs?

[Demeter]

7. The Anarchy Is That the Gentlemen's Agreement Has Been Violated

and now the people with power and money are losing both. It's not just the little people going down on this ship. This is the end of life as we know it. Most major financial institutions will fail, and maybe even the Treasury will go bankrupt, or damn close to it.

[malaise]

25. I think you're right n/t

[annabanana]

8. Where the hell did these bozos get the idea that we can spend

WHAT WE DON'T HAVE??

Which bright shining voodoo, free market, trickle-down radical economist managed to sell this boneheaded idea?

[Demeter]

9. Denial Is Much Cheaper for the Rich

So they buy into it in quantity.

[kelligesq]

10. Demeter you do have a way with words

:D

[Demeter]

14. Why Thank You!

I'm so glad somebody noticed!

[malaise]

40. Beautifully stated n/t

[sendero]

11. Exactly..

... the rich have soaked the poor and middle class dry, and now they whine that we aren't buying?

What we arent' buying is your bullshit. Hey, market bozo, we're buttressing our personal finances against your gross mismanagement.

We take some cold comfort in the fact that it isn't just us who will take it in the backside this time, you're getting reamed too. And since it was your greed that got us here, it only seems fair.

Hunker down you assholes, its going to be a long bumpy ride.

[bluerum]

13. Voluntary inedtured servitude. That is the brand of snake oil that they sell these days.

Max out the cards, take out loans for the two hummers in the garage, triple home equity loan, sell the kids and pimp the wife.

Don't forget gov't mandated health and auto insurance so that patriotic hard working insurance company execs can keep the yachts stocked with ice and beverages.

If you don't play you are un-patriotic.

[Echo In Light]

15. Anarchism doesn't necessarily = chaos/turbulence/unrest

anarchism: the theory that all forms of government interfere unjustly with individual liberty.

Had to toss that in for perspective...

[earth mom]

16. I always laugh when I hear those guys analyze why people aren't shopping.

Get a clue dude!

The reason is:
PEOPLE ARE BROKE & DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY FOR EXTRAS LIKE CLOTHES or BIG SCREEN T.V.S! :argh:

[NNN0LHI]

19. Shop or you hate Merca! n/t

[Solly Mack]

21. How unpatriotic of us. Downright un-American.

How are we to keep spirits high during Bush's wars if we don't shop?

Bush said to shop. If you don't shop, it's your fault when bad things happen.

Bad consumers! Bad! Bad!

[CorpGovActivist]

22. AMEX Macht Frei? n/t

[La Lioness Priyanka]

23. ending is better than mending. the more stitches the less riches etc.

[WinkyDink]

38. Soma, anyone?

[lovuian]

26. I got a call from Discover telling me they wanted me to shop more

and what could they do to make me use my credit card

I was dumbfounded

What could they give me to make me shop more

I wanted to say Healthcare and a decent retirement and a decent wage
and put Tariffs on China's goods

[malaise]

33. LOL

They really called you to go shopping?

[lovuian]

36. they did Malaise the accounting office checked their numbers

and saw I was not using their card

They wanted to know what could they give me to get me to use their card more

things for the card companies are bad
I see more and more people using checks

[malaise]

37. Hahahahahaha

This is unfuggingbelievable.

Well they screamed for bankruptcy laws to be changed.
Please call me when they start jumping through windows. I don't want to miss it.

[NashVegas]

27. Headline: Retail in a state of "anarchy" as consumers retreat

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chain stores, reeling from the slowest holiday shopping season in five years, got some more bad news on Sunday: 2008 will not be any better and could see changes that may shift the retail playing field forever.
...

"It's anarchy," said Wendy Liebmann, chief executive of WSL Strategic Retail, frequently repeating the word she used to sum up the latest results of her company's bi-annual shopper study.

"Americans cannot control the big things such as oil prices, falling home values, mortgage costs and rising property taxes, so they want to control the small things," Liebmann said. "They are watching what they spend on everything."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080113/bs_nm/usa_retail_outlook_dc

[malaise]

31. That is some crazy use of the word anarchy

:rofl: Stop shopping and show them real anarchy.

[NashVegas]

35. It's the Implication That's So Fascinating

As if to say that ordinarily, the corps are in control of our shopping habits.

Bit of a slip, if you ask me :)

[malaise]

39. You're right

Their arrogance is mind-blowing.

[Rex]

28. Well there ya go! Federal infrastructure falling apart? People are not shopping!

We've finally solved it! Now the army bases can finally get their lawns mowed! People, go out and SHOP to help maintain our military. Patriots buy stuff, traitors stay home.

[candymarl]

29. I'll be glad to shop

If Wall Street gives me some money.

[Mz Pip]

30. I bought some tea today

Did that help?

Mz Pip
:dem:

[malaise]

32. No

flat screen...flat screen...new clothes and diamonds. Tea is just not good enough!

[AlCzervik]

34. recession will cause that, the feeling of insecurity, real or imagined.

you see your friends and or neighbors losing their jobs and houses, you might be ok but the fear sets in anyhow.

[xchrom]

41. hmmm -- nothing about more good paying jobs? -- and not sending

manufacturing jobs to china and india?

[Individualist]

42. Yeah, we should all rush out and buy a wheelbarrow full of Rolexes.

2008 version of "Let them eat cake".