The hits just keep coming

[MadHound]

"Consumers spent less on autos, clothing and furniture to leave retail sales unchanged in August.

The lack of growth suggests households became more cautious during wild stock market fluctuations and increased fears about the economy."
<http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Retail-sales-flat-in-August-apf-1271111181.html?x=0&.v=11>

"U.S. household income fell to its lowest level in more than a decade in 2010 and poverty rose to a 17-year high, setting the stage for the debate over jobs and the economy that will dominate the 2012 presidential race.

Median household income declined 2.3 percent, and the proportion of people living in poverty last year climbed to 15.1 percent, or almost one in six Americans, from 14.3 percent in 2009, a U.S. Census Bureau report yesterday showed."
<http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-09-14/decline-in-u-s-income-raises-stakes-in-2012-presidential-race.html>

The economy is still tanking, millions are slipping into poverty, and the best that our representatives in DC can do is kick around a set of essentially Republican measures, tax credits, tax cuts and the like.

Perhaps it is time to fire everybody in DC, and start out fresh. Because apparently the current crop, both Dems and 'Pugs are unable, incapable, or unwilling to do what needs to be done in order to turn this insanity around.

[DJ13]

1. both Dems and 'Pugs are unable, incapable, or unwilling to do what needs to be done

I vote "unwilling".

They are captives to the big money their campaigns require to win reelection.

Well, that and a good many are just plain corrupt.

[Broderick]

2. Ain't that the damn truth!

[roguevalley]

5. stock market fluctuations ... ha. poverty is starting to rear its ugly head

such stupid peole in charge

[louslobbs]

12. True statement, and look how willing they all are to do the bidding of the corporations and wealthy

who donate to (bribe) them with contributions to help them maintain their corrupt power in order to continue to do what the rich and corporate people demand. The poverty rate is going up up up, children going hungry is going up up up, Republicans who want people without insurance to die is going up up up and the only one's who have salaries, bonuses, stock options and profits going up up up are the corporate persons and the wealthy. Those in power have declared war on the poor, the middle class, gays, Unions, teachers, women, various public workers, Muslims, science, truth, sanity, undocumented workers and others to try and distract us while they give more and more to the wealthy and corporations. Stealing from the poor and middle class, stoking division and insanity, and pushing fear through their corporate media is now what many of those in power are forcing on the majority while they take more and more for themselves.......more money and more power while causing great harm to the majority through draconian cuts and drastic austerity measures that will do nothing but cause more anger, frustration and polarization in a country that is over stressed and fearful and ready to explode. How much more can the majority take at the hands of the rich and powerful? How much longer can the majority tolerate cuts to their earned benefits while the corporations get tax cuts, tax loopholes and tax subsidies paid for by the cuts to their benefits, allowing the corporations to continue to make record profits as the rest of us suffer losses to benefits to give more and more tax breaks for corporations that are shipping jobs overseas and are not creating the jobs we were told would be created through this trickle down garbage that has failed miserably. Now the super wealthy corporations say they want to bring home trillions of dollars they have overseas, but do not want to be taxed at the regular rate, but want the rate lowered for them to bring home the money, otherwise, they won't. Corporations cannot be trusted, most of our government cannot be trusted and our media cannot be trusted. This is all so sad and sick.
Lou

[MADem]

3. Hurricane Irene took a number of "shopping days" off the table in the heavily-populated northeast.

Irene also fucked up the "end of season" crush at the beaches and resorts.

Retail might have shown slightly better figures had not the weather interfered.

[MadHound]

4. Maybe, maybe not

The thing is, even without Irene, the news was going to be grim. After all, they revised July's numbers downwards. Not to mention that Irene had nothing to do with the drop in median income.

The sad, simple stark fact of the matter is that our economy is fucked, and it is the ones who are in charge of our government who are keeping it fucked up. They are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

[MADem]

9. Irene absolutely made a difference to income in resort areas. In a huge way.

Not only were reservations cancelled, people cancelled AFTER the storm because of reports of power outages. Business owners in holiday areas lost a good two weeks of what should have been full-bore moneymaking to close out the season. Places that should have been packed with people getting their last dose of summer were ghost towns.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/hurricanes/hurricane-irene-bulldozes-weekend-plans-businesses/story?id=14382846
http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/hurricane-irene-s-effects-lasting-1.1196648#axzz1XxuhBcHA
http://family-travel-magazine.com/2011/08/hurricane-irene-storm-damage-at-new-england-resorts/
http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf/2011/08/hurricane_irene_wet_deadly_and.html
Even department store sales took a huge hit because of Irene: http://blog.retailtrafficmag.com/retail_traffic_court/2011/09/01/august-same-store-sales-reflect-impact-of-hurricane-irene/

[rhett o rick]

6. The revolution is waiting. nm

[HughBeaumont]

7. It's all a matter of whether people are willing or not.

Or whether they'll blame the right people or not.

[cui bono]

8. Unwilling. n/t

[JoePhilly]

10. When we fire Obama, do we get Perry or Bachmann as the replacement?

Or does that not matter?

[Historic NY]

11. I guess people don't realize that along with Koch Bros & all those PACs.