Most people that work in this arena know that we have been in a recession since November.?

Why does the media engage in deliberate confusion tactics? What is all of this business about ';heading'; for recession and possibly ';avoiding'; recession? Its depression we hope to avoid at this point and the outlook is grim. Thoughts?Most people that work in this arena know that we have been in a recession since November.?
I answered a similar question 5 months ago about September 2007 and got best answer. Here is what I wrote:





';In a nutshell the rest of the world is beginning to realize the US economy is not doing as well as advertised.


Case in point in 1975 I was making $5.50 and hour and a home could be had for under $50k in New York City no less. Now 30 years later a lot of individuals are making ~$10 an hour and a home cost upwards of $200K. $1 million in New York City. The only way folks could afford those homes was by extending credit. The banks are also getting what they deserve for their stupidity. How the hell did they expect a guy making $10 an hour to pay a $2,000 per month mortgage.





Gas cost more, food cost more but relative incomes are virtually unchanged. In simple terms your dollar ain't what it used to be. The housing mortgage crunch is the tip of the iceberg. With relative incomes droppng and taking mortgages out of the equation people are using credit just to eat. Well if you're using credit just to eat or buy gas you certainly don't have money to buy a television or anything on a ';wish list';. Sooner or later that credit will come due. That translates into no sales and no profit for the corporations. Also if you look at Walmart's sales I think folks are even debating about eating. Hence lower stock prices. Another factor is just like a credit crazed consumer the United States is spending money like water without the income to support it(deficit). Therefore the United States as a country is a poor credit risk. Or as I like to say ';Just plain poor';


So if I were a foreign investor I would put my money elsewhere. That's what you are looking at now.


Furthermore for at least the last 15 years moreso now the stock prices are all pure speculation. No way can some of those earnings justify the market caps these stock have.


Also by the Fed lowering interest rates may seem like a good idea it's a turnoff for an investor especially foreign. Bad enough the dollar ain't worth nothing but you want to pay even less interest? Screw that and America, Europe here I come.


I bet even rich Americans and Republicans are investing outside the United States. Take a look at where American companies are earning profits. It's not here.





To answer your question in a nutshell it's bad. This situation is unsustainable. Depression is a bad word so they use recession instead. But expect to see some really bad economic news in the next 1 to 3 months and probably years to come. Housing prices I think will tumble big time. It will be a poor Christmas.';Most people that work in this arena know that we have been in a recession since November.?
';Its depression we hope to avoid at this point and the outlook is grim. Thoughts?';





Yes, turn off your TV.
Elections are coming up. It wouldn't do the Republicans any good if they said we already screwed up.





Also, the Democrats won't be helped if all they can say is the country is already screwed, what can we do?





The economy works on a sine wave. A recession is inevitable. Inflation isn't great, either. I'm just waiting for republicans to blame it on Bill Clinton.
Yep there were some articles alluding to that back in november, some writers even mentioned it earlier, and were predicting it.
Most people have felt a recession for several years. You can't pay double fuel costs and rising prices due to them, with no little or increase in pay, and not feel the heat.
Depression is something most of us have only heard about, and it is a scary thought.


Recession is something most of us have experienced, and we didn't like it.





The government treats us like children.


This is what we voted for when we elected a democratic Congress.


Most of us, when there is something scary happening will seek to reassure the children in our lives. The government has been attempting to reassure us, just as they would children.


Like children, we look around, and understand that they are lying to us, but it makes them feel better, so we tolerate it.


We know that our money isn't buying what it did a year ago, but if no one says ';recession'; maybe it isn't happening.





Now, the President is talking about giving each of us 800.00.


This is nice. It will make us happy for a while, and it might even stimulate some new spending. For me, it will allow me to pay some taxes, so they will get it right back, but they can say, ';see what we gave you';. Aren't we good to you?


It's just a shell game, and it doesn't change the facts.





The government givith and the government taketh away.


What we really need is the ability to take care of ourselves without all their interference. Then maybe we could generate our own wealth, and not be dependent on them. The government monetary policies have cut off our legs and then they ask why we cannot walk. They make us absolutly dependent on them, and they are not dependable.
';Officially'; you don't know you are in a recession till the numbers come out and they come out AFTER you are already in the recession.





If the media was announcing that we are in a recession, you would be the 1st to complain that the media is being irresponsible.