Financially speaking, this is probably one of the darkest holiday seasons that many of us have seen in a very long time. Everyone is wondering, asking, are things really going to get better, or is this just the beginning of still darker things to come? Bob Herbert has a rather hopeful Op-Ed piece this morning in the NYT. If you are like me these days, you're looking for some "hope" wherever you can find it. The article is worth reading as most of his are. Here is a portion of it.
"Is the end of the war in sight?
I don’t mean Iraq. I’m talking about the war against working people in the U.S. that has taken such a vicious economic toll over the past three decades.
Even as Americans by the thousands sign up for jobless benefits in this horrendous holiday season, or line up to declare bankruptcy, or stand sorrowfully aside as their homes are foreclosed upon, there are some slender reasons to hope.
On Friday, George W. Bush, in the slapstick final weeks of his disastrous presidency, grudgingly announced that, yes, emergency loans would be made available to prevent the collapse of the U.S. auto industry. He looked like a boy who had been forced to eat his spinach, or drink his castor oil.
But the economy is in such an awful state that even the most backward administration of our lifetime recognized that risking the chain reaction of a complete auto industry meltdown was not an option. (The Bush deal is unfairly onerous to auto workers, but the loans will serve as a bridge to the Obama era, when, presumably, a more equitable arrangement could be worked out.)
Mr. Bush’s announcement came a day after it was learned that President-elect Obama had chosen Representative Hilda Solis of California, a fierce advocate of workers, to be his labor secretary. The Obama administration also is committed to moving quickly on an economic stimulus package that could reach $1 trillion over two years."
There have been so many finanacial horror stories in the past few months I have almost given up seeing better times in my life time, and yet, that glimmer of hope always seems to be there. I know, I'm one of those cock-eyed optimists, but I don't want to give up on this country, I don't want to believe there are more people like the idiots on Wall Street, the jerks in the auto industry, the normal assholes in government, than there are good, thoughtful, intelligent and capable people who still have a vision for America. I want to believe we can create jobs again, bring those that have been shipped overseas back to the people who need them here in the United States. Am I just a day dreamer living on false hopes? I hope not.
Sylvia's world in thoughts and pictures
I miss you Sam!!
I miss you Sam!!
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I'm interested in almost everything. Use to like to travel, but it's too expensive now. I take Tai Chi classes, swim, volunteer in a Jump-start program for pre-schoolers. I'm an avid reader and like nearly everyone these days I follow politics avidly. I'm a former teacher and Special Projects Coordinator for a Telecommunications company, Assistant to the President of a Japanese silicon wafer manufacturing company. Am now enjoying retirement -- most of the time. I have two daughters, one son-in-law and two sons scattered all over the country. No grandchildren.
7 comments:
Bob Herbert's column is good, and worth reading the whole thing. It's easy to see the Republicans slicing and dicing the unions in all of this. Yes, the unions have had their own corruption but without unions, all salaries would be lower. The little guy alone cannot stand against those big moneyed interests and as the union power has diminished, so has the middle class which really only grew under the power of organization. If we want to see corruption, we can find it in any big organization but without unions acting as they should, there will be no more middle class. The Republican party, using abortion and gay marriage, has nearly decimated it as it is. They don't want a middle class. They won't admit it but they don't because it's that swing vote in the middle that they cannot count on. I don't know that I feel optimistic yet but it has to start somewhere. I hope it starts January 21.
Hey there, you Superior Scribbler, you! First of all, I'm not "spamming" you; I promise! Second of all, I'd like to introduce myself: I'm Melissa B., The Scholastic Scribe, & I'm the "Original" Superior Scribbler! Third thing on my mind: I've been nominated for a pretty prestigious blog award; I'd greatly appreciate your vote, so if you click on over to my place, you'll see the info. It's an annual award from EduBlog, and I'm up for Best Individual Blog. And 4th thing on today's agenda: I've got a cute "contest," of sorts, going on at my place every Sunday. Please come by this Sunday for the Silly Sunday Sweepstakes. And, thanks for your support!
On PBS last night Shields and Brooks gave President Elect Obama's new cabinet an A. This is very hopeful. I'm looking forward to a brighter day.
It’s a very serious topic. But maybe, just maybe, it’s a chance for change. Change in us. Thinking and acting differently, get value from other things than consumerism. I just had a chat with my godson. He’s furious that, in his mind, he doesn’t earn what he deserves – (he has a fantastic salary, believe me). On the other hand, he is complaining about that everything is too expensive and that he refuses to pay so much money for local stuff. He forgets, that these people need a salary too. Everything has to be more and cheaper – made someplace or other but not here – because that would be too expensive. We refuse to pay for locally made products and so people loose their jobs all around us; worker get paid minimum wages and everybody weighs their worth in their salary. We go and buy cheep gifts of no value, hurting each other in the process; filling our tables with tons of cheap food instead of a nutritious meal, unpackaged and unprocessed – we stuff our faces instead of savouring the food. Cars, houses, gadgets – can’t be big enough and have to be new, new new!. Yes, a lot of things are completely wrong in our economy – but it’s us who have to make the change – we have to take responsibility for all our actions and start to think differently and not only see the tip of our own noses.
Ok, I stop the ramble now.
I believe like you Sylvia that there are a lot of good people out there and that this thing will turn around. I thank God every day for the blessings I do have and hope the future brings us all closer together and Obama helps the middle class working people.
I think we're in for a tough ten years. And changing the buying versus saving mentality of the American consumer is going to be very difficult. I know we need to do some buying to keep the engine of the economy moving along, but part of this problem is that big fat 0 in the bank when the shit hits the fan as it so famously did a few months ago. Maybe the big collective country can live on credit, but not on the credit card like we, the micro consumer have been doing, with the enabling hand of CITIMOTHERFUERBANKCORP. Can anyone tell how very angry I am? I do so try to keep a pleasant smile on my face when I'm out in public--this means I only go out to grocery shop.
I don't know if it will get better soon, or get much worse first. I do believe it will take a long time to fix the mess we're in, and the American people will have to learn to live with less. Many will have no choice. I am glad we'll have a new administration soon! That will certainly help.
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