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Xyzse

(8,217 posts)

15. I kinda blame GWBush on that one.

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 11:18 AM

Mar 2015

When 9/11 happened during his watch, instead of actually doing things to shore up our infrastructure his solution was to just tell Americans to spend more, tap in to credit and live large.

The issue with that is that now many Americans are now merely paying for those interest fees, and that is pretty much what supposedly grows the economy without really getting to buy real stuff in industries that actually make products.

Banks and financial services that charge fees are what earns the most money nowadays, and we have hit the saturation point of productivity creating products and materials which people are not really buying.

Productivity is there, and I am actually shocked that prices haven't dropped, though I shouldn't, since prices are not based on demand and quality any more, but by how it is marketed.

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“Consumers Aren’t Spending Even In a Booming Job Market” [View all] marmar Mar 2015 OP

Some of us just don't buy shit we don't need! leftofcool Mar 2015 #1

Some of us can't afford to buy shit we DO need. dixiegrrrrl Mar 2015 #16

Your doctor is basically full of horse shit to blame Obamacare, the ACA, if SheilaT Mar 2015 #33

I guarantee you that the ACA has negatively impacted my wife's income taught_me_patience Mar 2015 #55

...^ that 840high Mar 2015 #36

Please provide proof your grocery budget has increased 50% taught_me_patience Mar 2015 #54

Here is one example: dixiegrrrrl Mar 2015 #62

Well I can certainly attest to the cost of ground beef inanna Mar 2015 #65

No pay raise for me in four years. Drahthaardogs Mar 2015 #58

A lot of the "job boom" jobs are low-paying. Plus rents are up. djean111 Mar 2015 #2

This! inanna Mar 2015 #39

One factor: the rising cost of healthcare is sucking every dime out of the economy GreatGazoo Mar 2015 #3

You are right CountAllVotes Mar 2015 #7

oh, my! I'm on Medicare, and the three prescriptions I have SheilaT Mar 2015 #34

I too am on Medicare CountAllVotes Mar 2015 #42

You might need to revisit what supplemental plans are available to you. SheilaT Mar 2015 #44

I have no choice CountAllVotes Mar 2015 #45

You're on Medicare and your union tells you what supplemental or Advantage plan you can have? SheilaT Mar 2015 #46

Yes they do CountAllVotes Mar 2015 #47

Then look into the Advantage and supplemental plans for your part of the world if you are over 65. SheilaT Mar 2015 #48

I am not over 65 CountAllVotes Mar 2015 #59

Why are your office visits no co-pay? dixiegrrrrl Mar 2015 #63

I believe it's because of the ACA, which requires various routine office visits be free. SheilaT Mar 2015 #64

Two of my monthly medicines went up over $100 all of a sudden. tblue37 Mar 2015 #53

And student loans nt riderinthestorm Mar 2015 #12

But the ACA is the greatest law ever passed in history! Doctor_J Mar 2015 #26

It has slowed the rate of increase.... daleanime Mar 2015 #28

Personally PowerToThePeople Mar 2015 #50

That is great for you, but someone is paying for those astronomical profits Doctor_J Mar 2015 #56

I agree with you 100%. PowerToThePeople Mar 2015 #57

Complaining about consumer spending...in a BOOMING job market? Thanks, Obama. Fred Sanders Mar 2015 #4

Occupy agrees, they put this on Twitter: dixiegrrrrl Mar 2015 #67

My own personal saga may help shed light on this paradox. After a prolonged bout KingCharlemagne Mar 2015 #5

That's my story, too. I'm spending alright, Saphire Mar 2015 #8

I'm making ends meet with only one job (at the 30% pay cut), but only barely. If I want to have fun, KingCharlemagne Mar 2015 #20

This is exactly what is happening everywhere... sendero Mar 2015 #11

+1,000 CountAllVotes Mar 2015 #14

I read somewhere quite awhile ago that 95% of the gains from this so-called KingCharlemagne Mar 2015 #18

They are "completely useless"... sendero Mar 2015 #21

True. 840high Mar 2015 #37

Same here Scootaloo Mar 2015 #51

maybe people are finally realizing that they can... lame54 Mar 2015 #6

or they are realizing they have to fund their own retirement Skittles Mar 2015 #32

Even with a job the money all goes to bills madokie Mar 2015 #9

booming my foot. the bloomberg crowd is suffering from economic disconnect ND-Dem Mar 2015 #10

Disposable income aspirant Mar 2015 #13

I kinda blame GWBush on that one. Xyzse Mar 2015 #15

There's another word for "consumer". Binkie The Clown Mar 2015 #17

Simple, they want the rewards..... daleanime Mar 2015 #30

Yep. GummyBearz Mar 2015 #38

Can't spend what you don't have. hobbit709 Mar 2015 #19

''I’m thus mystified by the uniform tone of boosterism in the media...'' DeSwiss Mar 2015 #22

Thank you.. sendero Mar 2015 #61

Desperate doesn't denote booming as enough to prop up demand. mmonk Mar 2015 #23

"Booming?" davidn3600 Mar 2015 #24

The market is booming with part time low wage no benefit jobs Doctor_J Mar 2015 #25

First, the weather, second, no 'minimum wage,' elleng Mar 2015 #27

You would think that all of those brilliant minds Tsiyu Mar 2015 #29

Some of it is likely a sense of insecurity HereSince1628 Mar 2015 #31

While I'm outside the job market, having retired almost a year ago, SheilaT Mar 2015 #35

You make a very good point about advertising. F4lconF16 Mar 2015 #40

Your reply reminds me that movies and TV shows themselves SheilaT Mar 2015 #41

Luckily you have control of what internet sites you retrieve PowerToThePeople Mar 2015 #49

The more often I live without tv, the more irritating it feels when I see one blaring away. dixiegrrrrl Mar 2015 #66

Same here. I sometimes dislike SheilaT Mar 2015 #68

Goes to show you that tv will be obsolete soon dixiegrrrrl Mar 2015 #69

No. TV will not be obsolete, not any time soon. SheilaT Mar 2015 #70

Oh sure gas is 2 dollars, but a gallon of milk is 6. Rex Mar 2015 #43

Because more money goes to necessities abelenkpe Mar 2015 #52

It has more to do with the labor participation IMO. Savannahmann Mar 2015 #60