Economic Downturn Has Finally Arrived!!

[Marilyn]

Haley, I'm very much in agreement with you about the big corporations!!! This is horrible. And how about those automakers taking their luxury jets to Washington to ask for a handout. They said it was for safety reasons. The wealthy in Hollywood fly commercial jets, and if they aren't safe enough for the CEO's they aren't safe enough for the rest of us either. None of those executives should make more than the President if they are taking taxpayer money to make their business work. It's a shame what is happening!!! And you are right, why the automakers and not the steel mills??? Once you start bailing out, where do you draw the line???

Congratulate your sister on making a taxable income of more than $250,000 a year. She should be having a nice Christmas. That's quite an accomplishment for a small business owner. She's doing better than 99% of them, and much better than my hard working small business owning husband has been able to do, even building several $400,000 custom homes a year. People think he makes lots of money. He handles lots of money, but net taxable income is another matter. He has lots of business expenses like rent, labor, materials, etc, etc. If the economy improves, maybe someday we can be where your sister is. I was hoping to retire and help him to get there, but the way things are looking, I'd better stay right where I am as long as I can.

[HALEY]

Marilyn, she is making that on paper only, she is into personal care, and she and her husband only make around 9.00 an hour with all the overhead they have, round the clock workers, lpn's on duty, and the things they have to claim for income is crazy, she pays her personal care home mortgage and that is considered income! I never heard of that in my life, she said its crazy.. they had to cut back some on the groceries buying store brand and shopping at Sam's club cause there prices are going up.. crazy...
And your right where does this madness end?? it's funny when the steel industries were being shipped over sea's where was the goverenment to help the millions of steel workers that lost there jobs and were an industry that's still hurting today. we want money too.. but were not going to get it.. we laid off and fired thousands of people since Sept. you don't see any of this in the newspapers why?? it makes my blood boil!!!
And Gm workers are making with benefits $ 47.00 an hour and with nothing new on the car markert, no fuel effiency cars ... let them close if you ask me.. there not competative with the foreign market... why put the money is a failing business?

[Marilyn]

We were talking about it today. Gas is down to $1.83 per gallon here. Diesel is $2 something. The grocers and everyone else raised their prices because the price of gas and diesel was so high that their costs had gone up. Has anyone seen the price of groceries and other consumer goods drop since the gas prices have dropped????

[HALEY]

groceries are going up around my area like crazy, i was emailed a list of department stores that are going to be closing soon, so sad...