Mexstan

I keep reading that the recession in the states is over, but then I also read articles like this one http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41151947
I also read other news articles that contradict one another as to which direction your economy is going, but generally my impression is that it is going down.
Curious to find out what you guys and gals think is happening.

1-2-3

It's all news media. They gotta have something to talk about.

cincydiesel

Stan,

From a personal view, the economy seems to be slowly back on the climb. I visit approx. 30 different companies weekly and I always make it point to ask them how business is going. All the responses seem to be the same, "Staying Busy".

Unfortunately jobless rates continue to stay the same. This is due to companies learning how to achieve the same production with less employees. Employees had to learn how to where many different hats in order to keep their jobs.

klx650a2

Even up here, everyone says things are going great guns, yet Saskatoon (population 230,000) has 4,300 FEWER jobs in December 2010 than it had in December 2009..

Maybe its the new math?

Foxborough

The economy is trying to recover in spite of the massive government involvement. In 2010, the new administration issued 43 major new regulations at an estimated cost of $28 billion, this was a new record. For example the 2300 page financial regulation bill, the 2700 page Obama care and don’t forget 40 or so special czars. The mandates on power companies add to the cost of electricity is another example. The drilling ban in the gulf alone will decrease our supply of oil, where will we make that up from. The point is the massive regulations add costs to everything and make the future more uncertain than it normally is.

Businesses will be taking baby steps in any type of expansion or growth. The business that can’t adapt will go out of business. The mainstream news is not much help either, just yesterday I heard on ABC news that the unemployment rate of 9.6% was a good thing because it showed stability in the economy, oh brother. I am afraid this is the new norm, "not real bad is good because it could be worse".

GIT-R-DONE

In my area things are on the decline. IMO, its just a matter of time for another depression bubble hits.....mainly in the housing and commercial real estate.......JMO

Justwannabeme

travelling the country and never afraid to talk with folks (heheh) I found that the media is so out of touch from the streets. figure ten percent is truth, 90 percent opinion of another news report somewhere.....anyone else notice that 'news' seems to have far less actual details anymore?

watching the newer cars parked around, lots of tractor trailers on the highways, and yes- empty businesses. it is a balance. just ^^^ what they said for the government involvement/welfare/mandates that add to the reportable bottom line. the money just shifted, the gov isn't giving it out but keeping it. and yup, it's survive or be eaten for regular folks like you and me.

chromehound

Technically the recession was over after two consecutive quarters (6mo) of positive growth in GDP. The key to economic growth is cutting taxes and increasing gov't spending but most want tax cuts and lower gov't spending which just serve to cancel each other out for the most part. Now the gov't spending needs to be on improvement projects like dams, roads, airports, etc. One of the biggest tax surpluses the gov't had was after the Bush tax cuts passed (1st time not the new extension). How I wish I could send my micro/macro economics book to DC with these proven concepts highlighted since it seems that most have forgot or are too busy screwing each other over to remember the basics.

gorms

At our work our peak low was last spring into summer. Worst in over 60 years. Starting to pick up around here a bit. Not sure it's picking up or, like stated above, businesses are "doing more with less", either way it's good for me working at an electrical service company.

SIXSLUG

I haven't worked in over two months and haven't got anything lined up. Everywhere I look they are not accepting applications or just don't respond to my inquiries at all.

Construction is so slowed down and the guys that are working are giving such low bids that I can't even compete.....
I don't care what the papers say, Its stone dead up here and I'm not feeling any signs of a rebound any time soon.

BarryG

I think Cincy and others hit the nail. Overall in general it is improving albeit slowly. The housing market is really holding it back. Along with other construction at least here commercial vacancy rates are still pretty high. Until the huge amount of housing on the market is dwindled down residential construction is going to be stuck in a quagmire. Same with the comm construction. Businesses are doing more with less and many people are wearing multiple hats at work. Until there is enough growth to force that issue hiring is going to be on the slow side. And with business being, well business, now that they have seen what they can do with less they are going to want to continue that trend in the future to help increase profits. I know where I work we have cut everything we can to the bone to stay afloat. We would not have considered ourselves running fat by any means but now that we have seen that we can do that we are wondering why the heck we didnt do it a long time ago. If we had we may not be in the situation we are in now. However that may mean if this trend holds that if something in the future happens a lot more businesses may fail sooner due to the fact that they are running so tight that they wont have anything to cut back.

1-2-3

I watched some politicians for a very short time yesterday talking about the health care bill and it reminded me of this thread. They really have NO CLUE as to how the average real actual American lives daily.

Mexstan

This should help to muddy the waters:

http://www.nationaljournal.com/membe...0110120?page=1