Tell me how we are supposed to buy, buy, buy when our jobs are disappearing daily?

[Skidmore]

Can someone tell me how this works? How are we supposed to borrow to buy when income is disappearing and prices are still going up faster than income? How is this supposed to work? I keep listening to these overpaid bloviaters and politicians who also have personal wealth say that it is somehow our fault that we know that we won't be able to spend. Some of us have tried to save and not live beyond our means.

It is time to retire the idea of "good debt." There is no good debt. Debt is debt and the wealthy should also pay their bills when they come due. I read an article a few months ago about how many people of celebrity who are perceived of as being wealthy are actually teetering on a mountain of credit. My $25 credit card purchase this month is no doubt more collectible than that of those with 6 digit plus incomes and with more consequence.

Tell me why it is okay that we must continue to justify this top heavy system?

[CoffeeCat]

1. I think most people are saying, "Screw that!"

I think most people are hunkering down. Unless you're in the top 5 percent, you are worried and
hoarding cash.

I think most people no longer feel obligated to prop up this economy, which has clearly failed the
entire world. As you said, 70 percent of our economy is consumer spending.

That's absurd.

We no longer make anything, and it's becoming clear that our government--in tandem with the corporations--has
put the burden on the consumer to hold up the economy, while they ship our jobs and our companies overseas.
This makes any sort of recovery horrendously challenging--as these companies swim in their billions.

Our country is a hollow husk. No one realized it when we were busy shopping.

I think most people are realizing how wrong it's all been. Those people certainly aren't spending. Even the
people who still don't "get it" aren't spending either.

It's too bad though....because, in the end--the absence of spending hurts the consumers. The corporations that
destroyed our economy will not suffer. Those CEOs have all ready bilked the system.

[NOW tense]

2. This is why I oppose getting a rebate

all the money goes to Credit cards and bills anyway. We should be creating sustainable jobs instead.

[Waiting For Everyman]

3. The more people who can participate in an economy, the stronger it is.

We are going in the direction of fewer and fewer, and we have reached a tipping-point with it. All our credit system does, is blackball more and more people - through means from foreclosures to denying credit, to exorbitant rates. It all continually diminishes the consumer pool.

Instead, the idea is to only sell to the few people who we siphon all the wealth upwardly to. That will not sustain an economy. Therefore, jobs are being cut. And the spiral continues.

Until this is stopped, and turned around, we're on the path we're on. Keep going further this way, and we already see the destination.

This is simple stuff. It doesn't take rocket science to get it.

It's outsourcing and foreclosures on the front lines right now, followed closely by health care and energy. What are we going to do about it? More of the same? Or change the landscape?

[kickysnana]

4. Buy, buy, buy is sooo early 2008.

:sarcasm:

[bdamomma]

5. it maybe stupid to say.

but if they treated the people as citizens and not consumers this wouldn't be happening.