I can%26#039;t afford groceries, I can%26#039;t afford gas, what can we do? I had to quit my job because it was not worth buying gas and paying a babysitter, I was coming out in the hole. Absolutely, none of our politicians (Obama, Clinton, Mccain) has said anything about controlling gas prices or how they are going to take control of inflation. High gas has contributed to a lot of this sudden inflation. What can we do to get out of this mess? I am worried, I have never seen it this bad, have you all? People are losing their homes left %26amp; right. Credit card debt has finally come to a head, like I knew it eventually would, (thank god I don%26#039;t have credit card debt). I am afraid that the terrorist are going to do something bad because we are almost on our knees here in the US. If they were to place a major attack on us right now, we would be in serious trouble!! President Bush says we are not in a recession, what kind of crack is he smokin%26#039;? What are everyone else%26#039;s thoughts on this issue?
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
there is a major downturn on the horizon in which America will be the first major casualty and rest of the world will follow like a row of dominos. Food could be the biggest shortage so start stocking up.
start to cultivate your own garden if possible or form a collective with others to grow and share your produce. learn to be as self sufficient as possible depend as little as possible on paper money as it being devalued rapidly.
get out of debt and live within your means. if caught in negative equity house situation throw back the keys and get some cheap rental commendation .
The fact is the mass media has been lying for months now , The global derivatives market has collapsed last fall and the world%26#039;s economy is now in a total freefall.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
here is what you can do, Get rid of your cable/satellite TV, get rid of your internet service, get rid of your cellphone service, you will save 100%26#039;s of dollars a year
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
np politician, republican or democrat will take care of the needs of the average american. all they care about is getting into office
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
Typical america. The rich are living like royalty, and the poor are marginalized and potless.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
Wanna move to another country? I was thinking maybe Scotland where my ancestors are from.
I would recommend moving. Can%26#039;t afford to live here anymore.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
I thought that they had all talked about gas prices. They want to find an alternative to foriegn oil
(or at least i think that%26#039;s what i heard)
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
We are definately heading into a recession. There is no legitamate excuse for the high gas prices, its just adding insult to injury, and padding their pockets. its crap
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
Do be a fatalist; it%26#039;s bad for your health.
I%26#039;ve been through this in the late 70%26#039;s early 80%26#039;s, you%26#039;ll survive.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
Just settle down a little bit...things were much worse in the 70%26#039;s and even the early 80%26#039;s.
I%26#039;m not sure what you expect the candidates to do about gas prices. If you didn%26#039;t notice, the government does not sell the gasoline - large corporations do.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
High gas prices are just one indicator in the economy. Obviously their economic plans need to address a lot of factors: energy costs, mortgage crisis, job losses, weak dollar, etc.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
It was worse under Carter. The President does NOT have anything to do with the cost of oil.
People lost their homes who speculated on adjustable rate mortgages.
Its not my fault if someone spends on credit cards to live beyond their means.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
You got yourself into this mess. Not you particularly, but in general. The US citizens need to take responsibility for their actions. It%26#039;s not the governments fault if Joe Sixpack drops out of school, had kids out of wedlock, runs up his credit cards buying smokes and getting himself tattooed and pierced. Then he calls his mom on his cell phone from the homeless shelter to complain about how the government did this to him.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
take public transportation to work and get rid of unnecessary bills... anyone who quits their job because of gas prices gets themselves into deeper debt because there is no income coming in...
anyone who has credit card debt has gotten themselves there on their own... no one can force you to charge anything... the same goes for buying a house, if you can%26#039;t afford it then don%26#039;t buy one, rent...
as for gas prices, the majority of americans prefer foreign oil because it is still cheaper then our own oil... we have our own gas stations that offer american oil but a lot of them are going out of business because they are still more expensive then foreign oil... americans don%26#039;t want to have to pay american oil workers for american oil, ITS THE TRUTH AND IT HURTS!!!!
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
The economy is probably heading to recession but as every cycle will rise again. I hear your frustration but we are not as poor as other countries, imagine that!
Children not in schools but working, begging and digging into the trash for food...that%26#039;s scary
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
Don%26#039;t buy a house you can%26#039;t afford. Get rid of stuff you don%26#039;t need that costs money. Drive a fuel efficent car or take the public transportation. Don%26#039;t blame the government. Do something for yourself for once.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
This is what Americans voted for. This is what Americans want. Quit whining and keep your place while a few party hearty. Congradulations on the lack of credit card debt BTW.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
Yeah, it scares me a little.I mean I am really afraid for our future! They need to get rid of them sorry a*s candidates thats running for president! I dont know what to think about Bush! Everyone is all talk and no action! Even Bush is like that! He is suppose to be the PRESIDENT, but acts as if he has NO control of nothing! So my question is....What the hell is the presidents job????????????? I guess Bush thinks that all he is suppose to do is start wars.....
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
Well, first off, calm down. The US has been in recession before and we%26#039;ve always recovered. Ever see those old news clips of the 70s when people had to sit in long lines just to fuel up because of the gas shortage? And how about the US during wartime in the 40s when resources were scarce and women took men%26#039;s industrial jobs because the men were all at war? Remember Rosie the riveter?
Finally, it%26#039;s time to tighten your belt. If your finances are stretched, cut out as much of the wasteful expenses you have that you can. Like books? Go to the library instead of the bookstore. Need a break? Find an inexpensive way to get out (maybe try local parks, museums etc. with little or no entry fee). Try the cheaper grocery stores.
We%26#039;ll make it. We always do.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
Balance your budget. Take another job for extra income. These are just two of the things you can do. But don%26#039;t look for the government or anyone else to help you. Only you can do it. Hard work and sacrifice will take you to the top!
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
you need to tighten your belt and get ready for the crunch, I think for a while, things are going to get lean and mean. I think we are heading into stagflation. It is a recession with inflation rising. I would cut out a lot of extra expenses and try to consolidate. Maybe you can%26#039;t pay for cable TV or the Internet. maybe you will need to sell the car and get public transportation. I think these coming years will be very hard. As for the terrorist, we do what we can. Being afraid does nothing, you should be strong for your kid.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
i hate to break it to you, but its not getting any better any time soon. Inflation is horrible for people holding moderate US assets (such as most of the general population) but for the corporations with large amounts of capital and international investors, inflation helps their business tremendously by making US goods easier to buy around the world. The powers in Washington like it that way, and its not going to change any time soon no matter who is elected.
what we can do in the meantime is either invest in foreign funds or hard assets like gold. if you dont want to invest outside the US market, expect your money to loose value at a rate of about 3-4% a year.
and no, the US is not on its knees in the fight against terrorists. in fact, we are in much better shape than anyone in Washington is going to tell you. it is to their advantage that people feel imminent threat cause they are willing to give away their freedoms and afraid to question the government. basically... get out while you can, cause its only going to get worse for a while before it can get any better
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
Gas prices are high because the dollar is falling like a stone. Bush is spending money like a drunken sailor! The National Debt increases 1.49 billion dollars per day. There%26#039;s a direct connection between these things. Crude oil is priced in dollars so when the dollar falls in value oil prices go up.
We need a total change in our government. Bush announced today he wants to give American tax dollars to arm POLAND! Unbelievable!
Republicans will tell you to cut your expenditures, like food. Many people will have to move in with relatives and share expenses.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
awww so srry that u gotta live dat way!
and dont critcise anyone, just read the facts on the net
and u%26#039;ll find out what hillary obama and mccain are doing about it
and read about george bush too first then find out if he%26#039;s smokin or not
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
What you call coming to our knees, others around the world would call wealthy. Get over yourself and find a way to make it. The government isn%26#039;t there for you to beg to.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
We are headed for another depression. Dig out your history book and read about the Great Depression that began in 1929. And then practice this phrase: %26quot;We%26#039;re screwed!%26quot;
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
Bush is one of the worst presidents we have ever had! He is doing NOTHING about the inflated gas prices because he is one of the ones making a profit from it (did you forget his family is in the oil business)? What is the most disturbing to me is that the reason the gas is so high is not because of the cost of oil but because investers are driving up the price because of the economy (in other words: GREED). The rich will continue to get richer and the poor will get poorer. The only thing we can do is VOTE! And when I say vote I mean vote for the candidate who will do something about our problems NOT create more) - In other words DON%26#039;T VOTE REPUBLICAN! They will always screw up the economy and put us into unnecessay wars. As far as quiting your job goes: Why didn%26#039;t you take a bus or car pool? Find cheaper child care. Eat cheaper meals, etc. There are alot of little things we can do to help our finances rather then quit working and take a free ride for the government because you%26#039;d get the same amount of money if you worked. When a person does this they become a part of the problem! We all need to do our part! Find a better paying job or take on a second job if you have to. JUST DON%26#039;T GO ON WELFARE then come here and complain about the world you helped to create.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
If you live on or near a bus line, ditch the car, and find a job you get to on the bus. Se what kind of public assistance you can qualify for, and don%26#039;t feel bad about taking it, if the government can afford its big tax breaks to the rich, and billions in corporate welfare, it atleast owes you the little bit due you.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
I see many young people in the same situation. I write a lot about the government in this forum, our federal government is too large and pry into matters that are better left to the states and to the free markets in my estimations.
I really have little to complain about in the terms you have spelled out. In my mid forties and am sitting here at my home office in a very nice home, have a beautiful family and have no real economic reason to be discontent. I guess the reason I am discontent is that most of my fellow citizens seem to push for the opposite, more government intervention. You suggest that it is the purpose of our federal government to control pricing.
I disagree.
All of those answers above me telling you to get up and work it out for yourself are correct. I worked a full time job while attending college full time for four and half years. It is possible. I got absolutely no monetary help from my parents. Take advantage of this fairly liberal education system we have. It exists for you to take advantage of.
Well hell, if your house is paid for, what are you complaining about? I have to make mortgage payments after buying food.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
The president and congress have to come to the hard realization that gasoline is a unique commodity in our society. It is unlike anything else. Everything is dependent on the price of gas: jobs, food, housing, transportation, even the stability of the political system itself. The welfare of the American people is at stake.
Financial speculators and profiteers are driving up the price of gasoline because they can make lots of money doing it. Read this and tell me that is not how it is:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080311/oil_price...
They don%26#039;t care how it hurts the rest of us - maybe a very little, but clearly not enough. Investors are making tons of money and that is what really matters to them at the end of the day.
The government must step in and act for the good of the nation. That is why we have a government - to provide for the common welfare. Price and profit controls on this one unique item must be mandated. Something must be done soon or we are facing the real possibility of collapse.
Edit: of course, Bush and Cheney are not the men to do anything about the price of gasoline. They are oil men themselves. They are quite content to see the price at the pump go sky high. That means huge profits for them and their buddies and their political contributors.
It will take a new democratic president in office before change occurs. Let%26#039;s hope we can last that long.
Post edit: look at these republican solutions. Read them. In essence, they all say the same thing: %26quot;suck it up - stand still little sheep and be shorn - pleae allow us to make our obscence profits in peace and spare us your whining.%26quot;
Profit and price controls must happen soon.
Of course, republicans will immediately start screaming at the top of their lungs %26quot;socialism!%26quot; But, that is what they always scream to manipulate the American public when their outrageous profits are in danger.
Enough is enough.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
No politician, republican or democrat is responsible for taking care of the needs of the average American. That%26#039;s YOUR job. Move closer to work so you can walk or take a bus. Form a baby sitting co-op...why the blazes did you get pregnant if you can%26#039;t afford to support the child you had? Seems like you%26#039;ve created most of your problems and now you want the government to solve YOUR problems. Typical. Personal responsibility and self reliance seems to be a dying commodity in America these days. And THAT is the real problem. THAT is the reason this nation is in serious trouble. More and more people wanting to suckle up to the big old government tit.
By the way, the only people losing their houses %26#039;right and left%26#039; are the ones who shouldn%26#039;t have bought those houses...not THAT house anyway...in the first place. Once again, you%26#039;re looking for the government to compensate for the stupidity and poor decisions of the individual. Amazing. Why aren%26#039;t you pissed at THEM? They are the ones primarily responsible for your $4 gas because we%26#039;ve had to drop the interest rate so much that the dollar is of no value. Them and people like them are directly responsible for our heading toward recession, the high gas costs and you%26#039;re ticked at the government. Amazing.
US CITIZENS, What are going to do?
You and everyone else needs to learn that we are the masters of our own fate. No government official is going to do it for you. If you think quitting your job is the answer, then that is what you have to live with. We are the victims of our own decisions.
Personnally, quiting my job is not an option. How can no income be better than inadequate income? Whatever you were earning could have been stretched by better money management. As someone has stated already, we can certainly live without cell phones, cable tv, internet access etc. If child care is a problem seek a solution. Perhaps you could find less expensive or find another mother who works a different shift and watch each other%26#039;s child.
When my sons were small, I worked days and my wife worked evenings so we did not need to hire anyone. You have the power to make it work. That is what you have to do. That is part of being an adult; part of being a parent.
Do not worry about things that are beyond your control such as terrorism. All the worry in the world will not stop a single incident. Just get on with your life.
Our economy is not in a recession. The rate of growth is slowing but we are not going backwards. Many of today%26#039;s younger people are quite spoiled by the robust economy we have experienced almost non-stop since the 1980%26#039;s. Believe me, we have survived far worse.
I recomend you get back to work and gain control of your expenses. Shop carefully and wisely and do not drive unnecessarily. Try to carpool or use other means to avoid unnecessary driving. Get all errands done in one trip.
Then take the advice of someone who lived through the Carter Administration. When the economy starts to rebound, stay at the same level of living until you save up about three or four months of expense money in the bank. You should always have this much in liquid assets on hand to get past the rough spots.
You can do this.
*
No comments:
Post a Comment