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Today's Poll: Do you think the economy is improving?

By Howard B. Owens
Dave Olsen

I suppose it depends on your circumstance. If I was an investor on wall st., I'd vote yes, if I was buying foreclosed homes and planning on re-selling them to make a profit, probably yes. If I was unemployed, I'd vote No. I'm a salesman hoping that the finance industry will make good on it's promise of Monday to start trying harder to make loans to businesses to buy equipment. So, I'm not sure right now.

Dec 16, 2009, 8:49am Permalink
Doug Yeomans

There's very real evidence that the American dollar will be devalued to the point of non-existence. Without manufacturing/production and an unfair NAFTA in place, we have nothing to offer the rest of the world. China already owns us, literally.

Dec 16, 2009, 8:55am Permalink
Jeff Allen

The American free market economy has always had a natural resilience built into it. If there are positive economic signs, then they are not because of TARP and the stimulus bill, but despite them. After the last jobs report, Washington touted the success of having LOST LESS jobs than expected. I don't understand how this equates to sucess. A few months ago the unemployemt rate fell from 9.8% to 9.5% and the same "success" benchmark of less jobs lost was laid on us only to see it rise to 10.2% later.
I said this on a previous post after the last time the unemployment ticked up slightly, companies have reached critical mass (or lack of mass) when it comes to sustainable jobs. The only reason we are losing less jobs is that there simply aren't that many more jobs to lose before the doors are closed. That is not improvement.

Dec 16, 2009, 9:12am Permalink

I agree Jeff. I am at bare bones staffing at my company and I have many friends within my sector that are in the same boat.

Barely surviving is not prosperity.

The stimulus bills (G.W's and Obama's) have not done the amazing things that both adminstrations have claimed.

Dec 16, 2009, 9:57am Permalink
DOUGLAS MCCLURG

I just want to add
"STIMULUS"-lets give everyone with a job and great credit a big discount on a vehicle.
oh that helped all the union auto makers.
I vote 3 years to real change.Until then,we eat the "lame duck" leftovers

Dec 16, 2009, 10:10am Permalink
Dave Olsen

When things got bad in the past, innovators and entrepreneurs came up with new ideas and the market forces started to work. Now, we have a stimulus program and our "leaders" (quotes, because I use the term loosely) tell everyone to wait and government will fix it. Just like the environment, and neighborhoods Gov't can't do it, everyone has to want it to happen. Hey, I tied 3 threads together.

Dec 16, 2009, 10:49am Permalink

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