December sales come in better than expected...much gnashing of teeth in Republicans circles

[JohnWxy]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2010-01-06-retail-sales_N.htm

"Major retailers Thursday reported much-better than expected December sales.."

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...retailers are feeling somewhat encouraged, entering 2010 with fewer clearance racks and expecting fourth-quarter profits to improve compared with last year, when many lost money.

"It was a holiday season of modest sales gains but healthy profits," said Michael Niemira, chief economist at the International Council of Shopping Centers. "The question is, what kind of momentum do we have in the next few weeks? There is no reason for shoppers to buy."

Niemira estimates that his index of sales at stores open at least a year for December will rise 2.5%, following a disappointing 0.2% decline in November. The index is based on sales at stores open at least a year, considered a key indicator of a retailer's health.
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Analysts say discounters and wholesale club operators such as Costco Wholesale and TJX will emerge as the holiday winners, while many apparel stores are likely to suffer sales declines.

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More bad news for the Republicans who are fighting the Dems efforts to keep this REpublican Dystopia from becoming the Second Great Depression.

Not to worry though Corporate Lobbyists, the damage done to the economy by your programs of increased tax burden for the middle class and growth built on easy-money (and no regulation of predatory lenders fraudulent practices in making untenable loans), followed by your Deregulation Disaster in the Banking Sector was MASSIVE. It will take many months to make significant progress in rebuilding our tattered economy. This Republican Dystopia will last for many more months--- especially with you fighting the Democrats efforts to cure the economy every step of the way ("We'll make Health Care Reform 'Obama's Waterloo'". Theres really nothing to it, being pro-disaster and anti-America for the Fascist Corporate Lobbyist party.

Who needs Al Kaida, when we've got the GOP?

[CoffeeCat]

1. I'm a Democrat, but I'm concerned about the economy...

I'm not some Republican who is out to blame a bad economy on Obama. It was the Republicans
who spearheaded all of the banking/financial deregulation that allowed the housing bubble
to happen, and the banks to get "too big." All of their shady derivatives and secondary-market
nonsense were made possibly by business-friendly Republicans who gave these corporations
everything they wanted--including an environment with no regulations.

With that said, I continue to be concerned about the economy--in particular consumer consumption.
This drives 70 percent of our economy.

People have a lot more cash now. It makes sense that they spent some of it on Christmas and that
sales increased, although modestly. As the article points out, what about Jan, Feb and March?

People splurged on Christmas. I expect that Q1 will be as bad, if not worse, than Q109.

Unemployment is still at 10 percent. That frightening statistic affects people who do have
jobs and money to spend. They've been terrified into spending less and saving more. I'm glad
that Christmas spending was up--but I think we're in for an extremely rough ride going into 2010.

[JohnWxy]

2. O.P. "It will take many months to make significant progress in rebuilding our tattered economy"

"It will take many months to make significant progress in rebuilding our tattered economy. This Republican Dystopia will last for many more months--- especially with you fighting the Democrats efforts to cure the economy every step of the way ("We'll make Health Care Reform 'Obama's Waterloo'". Theres really nothing to it, being pro-disaster and anti-America for the Fascist Corporate Lobbyist party."

In beginning of 09 Democrats (and ALL economists) recognized the need for a stimulus to the economy. The Republicans fought to reduce it's size by one third, by demanding tax cuts which everybody knew would not be stimulative to jobs growth and thus the economy. They reduced the all important stimulus bill by one third! Most economist felt the stimulus bill was too small. But the Dems got what they could.

They criticized the stimulus at the time for having impacts too late (not till 2010). Now they are saying (since the stimulus did have good affect in the fourth quarter) well, "it ain't gonna last! What'll happen when the stimulus money stops, HUH??".

But, WAIT, they previously complained too much of the stimulus will hit in 2010!! so NOW ISN'T THAT A GOOD THING??? Now we see Obama's economic planners knew what they were doing, perhaps.

[CoffeeCat]

3. The Republicans are all liars and posers...

The Republicans don't care about healing the economy. Look at healthcare. They know damn well that
national healthcare would run just fine and would help so many. So, they lie their asses off about it
and scare people.

Same with the economy. They cry "Oh the spending!" when it comes to that bill, but they had no problem
spending trillions on war and corporate welfare. They're such lying liars. Too bad so many are dumb
enough to believe their nonsense.

If unemployment decreases to 6 percent, they'll manage to give George Bush the credit. They're
nothing but liars and story tellers.

The problem is--they convolute reality--and pretty soon the true economic picture is clouded. If
you step back and take a look at where we are--we are in really bad shape regarding the economy.
Much of Q3 growth was due to cash for clunkers and the tax cuts for first-time home buyers sparked
economic activity. So...yes, the Republicans do have a point about stimulus not lasting forever.
However, they are hypocritical asses. There should have been a lot more stimulus and more
productive solutions--much like FDR did. But we didn't get that and won't. So these Republicans
continue to insult, lie and chip away and what we did pass.

They are insidious. However, that doesn't negative the reality about our economy. Many Democrats
are worried about the economy too. We want real solutions. The Republicans just want to tear
down Obama. Maybe if Obama did what he wanted and took his case to the American people--like
he did during the campaign--things would improve. He's not going to change the world by listening
to and compromising with these rabid neocon Fascists who pretend to be his friends.