Unemployment Up Dramatically! Stocks Rise! Huh?

And in an economy where fully 72% of economic activity is consumer spending, that is no longer a "lagging indicator." High, prolonged unemployment becomes a causal factor in the economic downturn.

That's the first time I've seen consumer spending quoted as more than two thirds of the economy. What's key in my view is that we the people still hold the bulk of the economic clout, though you'd hardly know that from the way consumers are treated by Wall Street or Washington.

Part of the problem with the current, collapsing economy is that it operates for quarterly profits for Wall Street, rather than focusing on sustainable growth for communities and the population in general. Too much money funds those who create nothing and as much goes to funding destruction in assorted ways from war to industrial waste and infrastructure decay.

My hope is that Americans lead a shift from feeding the corporate welfare beast that has a strangle hold on Congress and revert to small, sustainable growth that is based on local resources, local needs and local employees.

As long as it is worth more to the investment world to chop and drop domestic workers and production facilities the upside for the DOW is downside for most of the rest of us.

Pamela Drew: What's key in my view is that we the people still hold the bulk of the economic clout, though you'd hardly know that from the way consumers are treated by Wall Street or Washington. As long as it is worth more to the investment world to chop and drop domestic workers and production facilities the upside for the DOW is downside for most of the rest of us.

My hope is that Americans lead a shift from feeding the corporate welfare beast that has a strangle hold on Congress and revert to small, sustainable growth that is based on local resources, local needs and local employees.

Part of the problem with the current, collapsing economy is that it operates for quarterly profits for Wall Street, rather than focusing on sustainable growth for communities and the population in general. Too much money funds those who create nothing and as much goes to funding destruction in assorted ways from war to industrial waste and infrastructure decay.

As crisp, concise, and easy to understand an explanation of what's happening to us as I've ever seen. Which is no small thing, since you can't fight something you don't even know is happening.

Now if there were some way to bottle that, mass-produce it, distribute it, and inject it into the veins of We The People regardless of the party or philosophy we've aligned ourselves with, maybe the scattershot, misdirected, poorly-articulated wrath most of us really don't know what to do with would bear fruit.

And wouldn't that be something.

shift from feeding the corporate welfare beast

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well said

Prospero1...Now if there were some way to bottle that, mass-produce it, distribute it, and inject it into the veins of We The People regardless of the party or philosophy we've aligned ourselves with, maybe the scattershot, misdirected, poorly-articulated wrath most of us really don't know what to do with would bear fruit.

And wouldn't that be something.

Yes indeed, marvelous doesn't begin to capture the spirit of it, stupendous for sure. While there isn't one thing any of us can do there are a lot of small things we can accomplish.

Support small and local efforts where ever possible, especially with bank deposits. Don't give the TARO gang one penny of your money to hold and try to spend where it feeds families over funds. Take a peek at The Tapeworm Economy for more on the broad economics and dirty Wall Street Cartel and look to Local Harvest for delicious antidotes from gardeners to greenmarkets!

It's happening already and what a wonderful ride, one by one, day by day, dollar by dollar, go us!!