General Discussion

kelliekat44

(7,759 posts) Sat Jan 5, 2013, 11:19 PM Jan 2013

Something fishy about the economy. [View all]

I live in the DC metro area and have family in Philly, Delaware, Baltimore, Cali, and Virginia. They are all seeing what I am seein g when I go shopping. Hardly any parking spaces at the malls, heavy traffic everywhere with jams and accidents, all the fast food places doing brisk business, good restaurants with waiting lines, people spending money everywhere. Home Depots with hardly any parking in the huge lots, Costcos and Sam's stores crowded. Road construction adding to traffic jams, lots of housing starts and lots of new autos on the road and a hell of a lot of SUVs. What's up with that? Is someone lying to us about the economy? The three people in my family who lost jobs two years ago are all employed making fairly good wages...one in a temp job, though. What am I missing?

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Something fishy about the economy. [View all] kelliekat44 Jan 2013 OP

I live in nova, and i see the same things RedstDem Jan 2013 #1

If you listen to the republicans and right wing radio and fox news they are putting out southernyankeebelle Jan 2013 #2

Many DUer's say the same thing. A HERETIC I AM Jan 2013 #18

There are many who do. But there are many teabaggers who are in the lower middle class and southernyankeebelle Jan 2013 #43

I think it may be regional BainsBane Jan 2013 #3

All entertainment venues in DFW area packed with vehicles almost ChisolmTrailDem Jan 2013 #4

Not missing anything; elleng Jan 2013 #5

Economy seems to be humming along nicely, indeed .... Trajan Jan 2013 #6

"Humming along nicely"??? In November of 2012, the official unemployment rate (U3) for coalition_unwilling Jan 2013 #61

Yep. I've been unemployed now for two years here in SoCal. stopbush Jan 2013 #77

I've redacted my resume so that it does not show all my experience, education or skills. That's coalition_unwilling Jan 2013 #84

I have 4 different versions of my resume that I send out, depending on the circumstance. stopbush Jan 2013 #90

What you've been seeing is holiday traffic, but the numbers weren't really that hot this year. leveymg Jan 2013 #7

This message was self-deleted by its author happynewyear Jan 2013 #8

$750 is only about 2 car loan payments, tops. stopbush Jan 2013 #78

This message was self-deleted by its author happynewyear Jan 2013 #82

something fishy about the media unblock Jan 2013 #9

Maybe they would but it would be a lie. TheKentuckian Jan 2013 #36

+1,000,000,000 x 1,000,000,000 - A most righteous rant and sorely needed - n/t coalition_unwilling Jan 2013 #64

Preach it! nt Atticus Jan 2013 #86

My relative with the two man construction company went from $100K five years ago to $25K now Fumesucker Jan 2013 #10

You live in an area that's pretty much recession proof tularetom Jan 2013 #11

You have my condolences. I lived in Fresno for 3 years. stopbush Jan 2013 #79

Actually we don't live in the valley anymore tularetom Jan 2013 #85

Here in Hicksville USA,things are a bit different. Wellstone ruled Jan 2013 #12

I have to agree.. humbled_opinion Jan 2013 #16

Yep. mmonk Jan 2013 #32

Here in Hicksville USA,things are a bit different. Wellstone ruled Jan 2013 #13

Been saying that since the 1980s. Rex Jan 2013 #14

A reliable economic indicator The Wizard Jan 2013 #15

I never thought of that how true.... So when Vegas is booming humbled_opinion Jan 2013 #17

I have seen some advertisements inviting me to come to Vegas.... a kennedy Jan 2013 #35

Not just horse races.... A HERETIC I AM Jan 2013 #19

Wages and housing is stagnant in most of the nation davidn3600 Jan 2013 #20

Housing is trending up, first time since the bubble bhikkhu Jan 2013 #22

Not improving everywhere davidn3600 Jan 2013 #23

Apart from Nevada and California's central valleys alcibiades_mystery Jan 2013 #66

but home ownership is going down. it's 'investors' buying properties as rentals. HiPointDem Jan 2013 #26

And, a lot of the contracts aren't being completed Glitterati Jan 2013 #80

One, that you and the people you are using as your sample live in Egalitarian Thug Jan 2013 #21

Here outside of Chicago it's still around 8.3% DearHeart Jan 2013 #24

The us unemployment rate is 7.9%, years after the recession supposedly ended. and the work- HiPointDem Jan 2013 #25

+1,000,000,000 x 1,000,000,000 - Well put and definitely coalition_unwilling Jan 2013 #67

They don't give a shit about that. Their tax cuts are safe, no more need to TheKentuckian Jan 2013 #87

You live in DC, DC UE rate has been relatively low for the last decade IIRC uponit7771 Jan 2013 #27

Wisconsin is now the 42nd best state for business postulater Jan 2013 #28

The economy is getting better OccupyManny Jan 2013 #29

You are in the DC metro area.. sendero Jan 2013 #30

The media is in full hate Obama hate America hate the fact that life is getting better mode graham4anything Jan 2013 #31

Your eagerness to slime anyone not doing well in this economy is noted n/t Fumesucker Jan 2013 #37

If you and I ever agreed on anything, I would change my mind graham4anything Jan 2013 #45

Easy to say material things don't matter when you have enough spare to go to a fancy restaurant Fumesucker Jan 2013 #46

You know why Manhattan does better than other places don't you? graham4anything Jan 2013 #50

I know quite a few people in construction, indeed I have a family member in construction Fumesucker Jan 2013 #54

New homes are on the rise. Again, not all areas, but some. graham4anything Jan 2013 #59

Horatio Alger was a myth Fumesucker Jan 2013 #63

Poppycock and balderdash. What an inane comparsion survey. graham4anything Jan 2013 #69

You forgot the uber classist UK, you know the one with Earls and Dukes and a house of Lords Fumesucker Jan 2013 #72

you can take a train and be anywhere in the UK in a few hours graham4anything Jan 2013 #74

What does that have to do with the price of tea in Darjeeling? Fumesucker Jan 2013 #83

Why the hell would you wait 95 minutes for a table? Orrex Jan 2013 #38

One must be seen in the right places of course n/t Fumesucker Jan 2013 #40

oh, the crooner is a comic as Bing Crosby magnificently said in White Christmas. graham4anything Jan 2013 #47

Lots of places in suburbia on a Friday Pretzel_Warrior Jan 2013 #48

No thanks. Orrex Jan 2013 #49

That is great if one wants to eat at home, however, graham4anything Jan 2013 #52

If you parked at your table for 90 minutes, then you're part of the problem Orrex Jan 2013 #55

When places are full, service is slow graham4anything Jan 2013 #70

Yup. The poster above assumed I ate in a fancy place in Manhattan. I ate in a regular place in NJ graham4anything Jan 2013 #51

This might be sacraligeous here but... R_Flagg_77 Jan 2013 #91

Spam deleted by NRaleighLiberal (MIR Team) John_UAC Jan 2013 #33

Unemployment rate in California was 9.8% in November. (December CA stats not released yet.) - n/t coalition_unwilling Jan 2013 #68

Where I live it's better than it was, but still not great gollygee Jan 2013 #34

Of course D.C. is doing well. MKITEM Jan 2013 #39

+1 duffyduff Jan 2013 #42

Amen to that. nt raccoon Jan 2013 #73

nothing like that going on in my corner of the world. KG Jan 2013 #41

I think you're seeing normal return to full employment--not a bubble Pretzel_Warrior Jan 2013 #44

Perhaps many others share in my curent 2013 affirmation, "2013, the best year yet!" Kip Humphrey Jan 2013 #53

You Live In One Of The Most Affluent Parts Of The United States - Your Local Economy Is Great cantbeserious Jan 2013 #56

The economy sucks. limpyhobbler Jan 2013 #57

There are still empty store fronts on a main street near my home. Hatchling Jan 2013 #58

If there is much congestion in areas... WCGreen Jan 2013 #60

Same thing Chicago North Side alcibiades_mystery Jan 2013 #62

Local situations vary. LWolf Jan 2013 #65

You're extarpolating from a region of the country awash in lobbyist swill, mercenary coalition_unwilling Jan 2013 #71

this ^^^^ Do you really think the pols are going to let DC go all to hell? magical thyme Jan 2013 #75

Onther than immediately after the Bush meltdown, the economy never CONTRACTED BlueStreak Jan 2013 #76

What I'm seeing Glitterati Jan 2013 #81

My So Cal community has homes being remodeled, solar panels added and low water gardens being... Tikki Jan 2013 #88

Real GDP per capita is over $40 K FarCenter Jan 2013 #89