The majority of the American public are walking wounded. The sad part is we are all so numb, that we don’t realize how badly we are hurting.
The the speed and vitriol of this economic slowdown has occured with such intensity that we have been concentrating of survival. We are reacting to what is being thrown at us, with no opportunity to stop and evaluate the longer term implications of this mess.
Of course the experts are shouting their visions, but the average American is just trying to survive in a world where all the rules have changed.
Oil at 140 + / barrel, $5 gas, heading towards $6, all commodities are getting more expensive and becoming scarce.
With flooding in the American Mid West, the spectre of runaway food prices and resulting scarcity, points to World Wide shortages and possible food riots, as underdeveloped poor nations run out of money to feed their people.
The next big pain for Americans will come this winter . With the cost of heating oil surely above $5, it will cost between $ 1200- 2500, to fill our tanks.
We will be forced to make drastic choices. Food or warmth. As Obama has told us, get in step with the rest of the World, and lower our thermostats. Buy more sweaters.
Perhaps he would like us to start burning our furniture to stay warm. We could always take cold showers to save fuel. Come to think of it maybe we could take showers together.
Save fuel, shower with a loved one. Now thats an idea I could live with. Maybe the only silver lining in this whole mess.