Debt that is UNSUSTAINABLE supporting a materialistic, consumerist culture that is just as UNSUSTAINABLE, in the long run.

Look at the economic policies in place for the last 28 years – since Ronald Reagan promised to transfer capital benefits and tax breaks to the industrialists and bankers so wealth would ‘trickle down’ on everyone else.

What have American consumers had going for them since 1990?

No serious, cost-of-living raises for the working classes that compromise that 70 percent of our NON-WEALTH generating service sector economy.

(Instead we keep the economy going forward by giving the consumer debt.)

No real, meaningful creation or support of energy technologies, that could bring the wealth CREATING *manufacturing sector* back to dominance.

(Instead we outsource manufacturing jobs to low-wage countries, in order to pay dividends to the excess investment capital in the markets, thus accelerating the loss of the wealth-creating mechanism of our economy. So to make up, we keep the economy going forward by giving the consumer MORE debt.)

No national healthcare plan whatsoever, just a patchwork of over-regulated, protocol-driven health care options, meted out by insurance companies who keep 40 out of every 100 healthcare dollars the consumer spends. (Let’s not even go into this nightmare..)

(Consumers who cannot pay their deductibles, often lose their homes to foreclosure and bankruptcy – the problem is, that much – TOO MUCH of the economy is now debt-based and the bankers took The Dow and the profit-projection, debt-speculation game too high and broke the banks. Instead, the consumers will pony up 700 billion in bailouts so that the debt mechanism of the economy will be saved from ruin. But it’s still MORE debt.)

When is the recession going to lift for EVERY consumer, not just the ones in the upscale markets?

From this realist consumer’s view, it isn’t going to happen anytime soon. God knows, I certainly saw this fiasco coming, and we all but stopped frivolous consumption in our home.

In fact, we don’t buy much but food now. we just can’t afford toys anymore. No new clothes, no new car, NO TELEVISION in our home anymore..

Get the picture?

Not what manufacturers want to hear, but if they can’t be bothered to build it in America with decently-paid American workers, this consumer just can’t be bothered to buy it.

I really do NOT care about my parent’s and grandparent’s generations’ investments for retirement.

Not if it comes at the cost we nationally are paying with our economy and the jobs prospects for those of us under 45.

Deb.