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Today's Poll: What's your mood on the economy?

By Howard B. Owens
Charlie Mallow

If a majority of people are feeling really down about the economic situation that causes them to spend less. That lower spending lowers corporate profits and companies begin to cut back. Perception goes hand in hand with reality. With economics a lot of this is a self fulfilling prophecy.

I know one thing for certain. This feeling of economic desperation is much greater from the posters here than it is with my circle of friends at home and work. The truth is business isn’t all that bad and a 6.9% unemployment rate in the area shouldn’t cause desperation. I believe that that rate is hard pressed to ever fall below 5% under any circumstance.

Maybe Richard’s rant today is based on a lot more truth than some are willing to believe.

Oh, and I voted "The economy is improving. I'm not too worried."

Sep 18, 2009, 10:56am Permalink
DOUGLAS MCCLURG

"This feeling of economic desperation is much greater from the posters here than it is with my circle of friends at home and work."

Glad you see It this way-maybe everyone should get a job with a city-town-state-federal government
Then we'd all be staisfied with the economic times In this country

Sep 18, 2009, 11:04am Permalink
Richard Gahagan

Actually the area needs to eliminate government jobs and bring in private corporations that offer real careers in areas other than service sector.

Just take a look at the county website http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/ does anyone think that none of these jobs or even entire departments can't be cut to reduce the tax burden.

Sep 18, 2009, 11:17am Permalink
Charlie Mallow

I know it's popular to rip of city workers but, the fact is they don't make enough for it to be a career for most of us. Jason could make a hell of a lot more working in the private sector than he could with the city.

Douglas, my phone bill is $214 a month. That's far more than I make from my big council check. Add in the $5000 it cost me to run and public service is just that. Maybe it's your turn to take some of your hard earned money and use it to
run for office.

Sep 18, 2009, 11:23am Permalink
Dennis Jay

"They used to say a recession was when your neighbor lost his job, and a depression was when you lost your job. Now, a recession is when Wall Street guys get bailed out, and a depression is what you get thinking about it."

- from Jay Leno last night

Sep 18, 2009, 12:27pm Permalink
DOUGLAS MCCLURG

Ok -"not to post and then hide"
I'm good with workers that are employed by the goverment-be It local or federal.
Charlie-Your service Is much appreciated
Back to the opening topic
These tough economic times are felt by alot of Americans.
Myself I think the harder the times-The more an indivisual will search out and be more discriminate with their major purchases.Leading them to the smaller businesses<sorta mom and pop>.
I personally am getting more business these days as people are looking for value as well as quality in their dollars spent.steering away from the big box companies and trying to support the local merchants.
Being that said.
We all know It's a tough world out there.thing just seem to be getting harder for the working poor.

Sep 18, 2009, 12:35pm Permalink
Charlie Mallow

Doug, thank you. I’m also not disagreeing with you about the working poor; the lord knows that was me for a long time. In fact, if my perception of the economy is wrong, I’m not too far away from returning to that classification.

@Richard. Cutting back on government jobs is a pipe dream in this state. You know it and so does everyone else who is reading this. The minute a politician tries to cut back on anything, people come out of the wood work to pound them into salt. I have come to the realization that this is New York and New Yorkers love their government and their taxes. Everyone is for cuts, till you cut something.

Sep 18, 2009, 2:12pm Permalink

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