I heard on the TV today that the resession was over in June 2009. I don't remember where I was then......but We're doing OK, today....Still paying taxes and shaking my head at those that are drawing welfare......I cringe everytime I'm at WalMart....no choice...It's a small town.
Has anyone else seen a CHANGE?????
Yes! I've seen a change. My recession starting ending about a year later than that, but things are booming now.
technical idea that the recession was over June 09, except for the jobless aspect of it. I don't think you can have a jobless recovery and be out of a recession.
Everything about this recession is historic, the U.S. has never been here before. The freezing of the banking system, major recession, double digit unemployment, massive gov. intervention, housing colapse, historic prolong low interest rates, low inflation, quanative easing, massive FED policy, expansion of the Fed balance sheet (with what?), historic high for gold, plunging dollar and a jobless recovery. We don't the effects down the road, but most seem to believe it's higher taxes and inflation with a cronic high gov. debt for years.
The real recession is yet to come.
I've seen pundits and ditto heads make this claim repeatedly. I want to know if they've been to the grocery store lately.
Yes, maybe I am just a little bit anal retentive. Or maybe its the fact that I'm a penny pincher. Or maybe its becuse contrary to the flamboyant and laughable claims we've seen flying around the GD board over the past year, I HAVE in fact seen a huge impact on my bussiness over the past 2 years or so.
Whatever the reason, I DO pay close attention to the price of milk. Here are some of what I've seen. These are items that I typically buy on a daily basis, and you bet your ass I've seena HUGE increase in some items (just went to the grocery store on Saturday, so today's prices are accurate):
Yoplait Whips:
1 year ago, $0.60/cup (sometimes on sale 2 for $1.00)
Today: $.73/cup
Home Pride Whole Grain White Bread: (this is one that really makes me choke)
1 year ago: $1.70/loaf
Today: $3.10/loaf (nope, not making that up. A nearly 100% increase in a YEAR)
Folger's Black Silk coffee:
1 year ago: $6.99 for a 3 pound can (not really three pounds anymore, but close)
Today: $9.99
Schikk Intuition Razors:
1 year ago: $9.99 for a 3 blade refill
Today: $12.99 (they just went up again, they were $11.99 until recently)
In other words. Yes, big ticket items like washers and dryers, mattresses, furniture, electronics have not only not seen a significant increase in price, many items are actually reduced in price as retailers are desperate to keep their sales numbers high in a recession. Also factor in the cratering of the housing market having an overall downward effect on inflation. These factors combine to give the appearance that inflation is low, or even that we are seeing delfationary prices.
But that just isn't so. On our grocery shelves, we are seeing as much as a 30% increase in prices from just a year ago. Other products are more sneaky about raising prices. The PRICE remains the same, but you are buying less product than you were a year ago. You get 8 oz instead of 10 oz. In some cases you get a little of both, slightly less product for a slightly higher price.
So we've got a jobless "recovery", and an inflation rate that is deceptive at best, or criminally glossed over at worst. Yeah, that's what I call an end to the recession.
inflation as measured by the goverment. Core inflation is a measure of inflation which excludes certain items that face volatile price movements, notably food and energy. Food and energy use to be calculated in core inflation but the politicians, CBO and goverment didn't like the unfavorable light shown on the economy.
Yea I know, it was the Republicans, no the Democrats. It was both parties who made the change so we could agrue over dabbleing in witchcraft in ones youth or who paid for bowling.
Probably GWB fault anyway, but in happend in the 80's I think.
Yes, that is why I call it deceptive at best. At worst, it is downright fraud. The Gov't's method of calculating inflation has been skewed for years. Regardless of who is responsible for influencing how inflation is calculated, neither political party will hesitate for a moment to use inflation to serve their political purpose when possible, in spite of the fact thta they know damned good and well that it is skewed and highly deceptive.
...we're right back to the wonders of a jobless recovery. That worked out beautifully the last time, didn't it?
They say a lot of sh*t on tv *shrugs*.... change for the better no... everything seems kinda stagnant.