Are we at the beginning of the end or are we at the end of the beginning??

[kentuck]

I'm talking about our economy of course. Is this recession really just beginning or is it near its end? Unfortunately, I think a lot of people, realists perhaps, that believe it is going to get worse and a lot of folks that agree with them.

And sadly, the Republicans - the vanquished Party of the last election - are doing their partisan best to destroy what little hope some people have left. Thank you, you Bozo Assholes! That's OK. You never did put that much stock in those words that are in the Constitution about "promoting the general welfare". I wonder what you actually think it means??

Forgive my anger but the Republicans could not wait to attack the unions. Even though they knew that our country was standing on very shaky economic grounds. Even though they were told that 2 to 3 million more people would be without jobs if we let these companies starve to death. They didn't seem to care. What did they really care about? Can someone please tell me??

[Skittles]

1. repukes care about themselves and their rich bastard friends

and through propaganda which I find absolutely silly, they've been able to garner the support of idiot America

[BulletproofLandshark]

2. They only care about lining their pockets and those of the corporations that own them.

They're nothing more than pirates in expensive suits.

[opihimoimoi]

3. The Pub Party is a Group who like the Power/Status/etc...they love to dominate,,,have the final say

They do this by Fooling their people....many are good honest people but unable to discern between a Lie and the Truth...

The Beginning...Obama is the closest thing we got in this HOUR OF NEED/ DESPERATION

He cannot do this by himself/Team...this is an all out effort...

Answers/ideas/concepts must come fro all directions and levels...Pronto...ASAP

Come, we go help the Man

[kentuck]

5. One thing is for certain...

At some time or another, this Congress is going to have to sacrifice like the rest of us, instead of giving themselves raises every year. I wonder just what is their concept of "public service"?

[Speck Tater]

4. I have the uneasy feeling we are at the beginning of the beginning.

With much more bad stuff to come. :(

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

6. In my beginning is my end. In my end is my begining.

TS Eliot aside, I really don't know. This is something my father (a financial adviser of some 20 years) and I have been discussing. He believes that things will settle down mid-2009 from a combination of the housing market settling down, Obama's public works, and the general good feelings Obama will probably give investors. I'm not as optimistic, but since I'm a novice at my dad's trade, I'll trust his judgment.

What we both agree on is that a lot is riding on Obama - not that we think he can magically fix everything by the sheer force of his will, but because a good chunk of financial markets is psychological. As long as it looks like Obama is in control and knows what he's doing, we'll have a speedier recovery than we would otherwise. So here's to this picture catching on:

[FirstLight]

7. I don't know squat about econ or finance... BUT here's my ..02

It IS going to get much worse, but we still won't be as bad off as the depression folks. Though the climate and food and farming makes me really nervous. That could be the straw that breaks the camel's back, for sure...

But I think there is something bigger to this than we can even begin to see from this side of the hurdle.

We are changing the way banking and finance and all of it is done.
What is marketable or a good investment now will be ridiculous to our children's generation. We will come to value the eco footprint of our consuming, we will re-boot our local economic structure by learing to rely on eachother offering real things of value.
Not that global markets won't exist, but the idea of shipping so much food so far will be revolutionized. There are ways to create agriculture in the worst of climates with certain innovations...those will grow. energy wll be harnessed finally and will perhaps even be linked with a way of capturing all that Co2 and making our earth breathe a sigh of relief in the meantime (that would be nice - as long as I am imagining my utopia, I can take some liberties) We will import what we can't make here with our respurces, but not what we don't need. It won't be logical with fossil fuels for much longer to ship so much so far either. what would happen if the bottomn fell out of THAT industry?

What I am trying to say from an observation standpoint is that this is going to be sticky for some time yet,
but it all has to seemingly fall apart before we can rebuild it.

be grateful that some walls are crumbling before Obama gets there, so he can rebuild things from the ground up - as he plans to.
(god, I am SO ready for February!!!!)

[madrchsod]

8. end of the beginning

but 2009 is going to be a tough year....

[Jackpine Radical]

9. We are at the beginning of the beginning.

Of many things.

[kentuck]

10. I feared this would turn into a philosophical discussion...

;-)

[Trajan]

11. The Beginning of the End ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyCFi7lbw50

NIN - THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Down on your knees, you'll be left behind

This is the beginning

Watch what you think, they can read your mind

This is the beginning

I got my mark, see it in my eyes

This is the beginning

My reflection I don't recognize

This is the beginning

We think we climb so high
Upon the backs we've condemned
We'll face our consequence
This is the beginning of the end

You wait your turn, you'll be last in line

This is the beginning

Get out the way, 'cause I'm getting mine

This is the beginning

God helps the ones that can help themselves

This is the beginning

May be too late as far as I can tell

This is the beginning

We think we've come so far
On all our lies we depend
We've seen our consequence
This is the beginning of the end

-snip-


Nika ! ... Vanquish !