Monday, December 8, 2008

This economy hurts...

Throughout the blogosphere, a number of writers have explored the ups and downs of our economy but few of them are currently living it. If you have taken a visit over to my good friend’s TrackboiATL’s blog, you will see a very real exploration of how our economy is hurting people.

The recession is real and has been real since 2007, despite the denials of Republicans and various talk show hosts.

Another of my dear friends recently lost his job and my heart breaks. When will the economy finally hit the bottom and when will we finally start to see some economic relief? I am afraid that things will only continue to get worse. And what can you say to someone you love when they have not only lost his or her job but there appears to be no jobs insight? Not only is it the holiday season, but unemployment is higher than it has been in recent years. No one is hiring.

Hospitals are cutting staff members. Doctors and nurses are going part time. Because property taxes were not paid, police officers, teachers, and other civil servants are looking for work.

Bailout, bailout, bailout… Leaders of major corporations are searching for help so they can keep not only their jobs, but their six figure salaries. Banks, the auto industry, builders- everyone is seeking help, but what about the average American citizen who is feeling the pain of foreclosures, unemployment, or the loss of health care?

15 comments:

C. Baptiste-Williams said...

and the bad thing is it is getting worse everyday Dow Chemical cuts 5000 jobs today.

Acoustic Soul said...

Very True! Very Real!

Unknown said...

everyday I say a prayer hoping that things will turn around

BPS 4.0 : Soul Exposure said...

I have seen with my own eyes how it is affecting my family. Many of my relatives are laid off and on unemployment. Many of them have worked their whole lives and know nothing else but working.

I pray and show thanks for my job every morning and save money like it is the end of the world approaching. I never know if I will rejoin the ranks of the unemployed. No one is immune right now.

Darius T. Williams said...

Wow - yea, these are some very discouraging times we're living in.

deonte' k said...

A mess it is man.... I know personally how this feels right now.

Keith Jones said...

As a political science student I have been watching this thing intently everyday looking for signs of relief. Obama has a lot to fix when he gets in office.

Q said...

I work for a very high end retailer. Of course it has hurt my pockets quite a bit. My clients don't wanna spend 3G's on a handbag when they just lost $300,000 in stocks last week. It is ridiculous.

fuzzy said...

Find yourself a business where the economy is not greatly effecting it! Get in there and nest yourself! Kohl's is still hiring! Walmart is still hiring, hotels are still hiring, there are places but you have to look!

One Man’s Opinion said...

It's funny that you should mention this, because as I was driving to work, i was looking at how low gas prices were and I was thinking about how car company's were begging to a bail out. What my mind went to was how cocky some car dealerships were about how their sells remain the same, even with the gas prices were hella high!

"Bail Out" equals "Welfare" for the rich, but they asses need to pull their own asses out the fire, everyone else does. I mean, seriously, it is not like they don't have the money to fall back on. The only way I would support the bail out would be if they lowered the own damn salaries and the adverage joe got to keep their jobs.

Mr. Jones said...

My homegirl just emailed to tell me that Constellation Energy, another Fortune 500 firm in her building let go 200 employees today. She mentioned the crying and hugs and sad faces she passed int he lobby on her way out to lunch. We've become so used to seeing these numbers that it's easy to forget that there are 500,000 actual faces with beating hearts and families to take care of who lost their job in 2008.

@ Fuzzy - I hear what you're saying, but Kohl's and Wal-Mart are eager to hire front-end holiday help, but they aren't hiring for corporate positions. It's tough for a person used to making $55-60K/year, for example, to take a cashier job paying $10/hour.

TrackboiAtl said...

Mr Jones you are so correct. In my situation there is no way a job at Walmart would even come close to the previous salary I was making. Also its not about just a job. Its a job that supports your responsibilities. In Corporate America if you are late on one bill you will not get a job. So it is very stressful to maintain say a 5,000 a month lifestyle on say walmart less than 1,000. But one day at a time things are changing and you have to think outside of the box.

life said...

I too have watched one of my friends lose his job. I think you share the sentiment of many Americans. You are right, it's going to take years for everything to become stable

j_shanlin said...

even though i don't particularly love my job, I just thank God everyday that I have a job to go to that helps me sustain life.

John the Scribe said...

Sour economies have a way of bringing people back to reality and reminding us all about what's truly important in life. I have seen and heard of lots of people returing to their parents' homes due to forclosures or lost jobs. While some people may have lived extravagantly, this could happen to anyone. Lord knows I'd be stuck if I lost my job. Like my auntie says "You've always got to have more than one thing going on." I sure hope things get better and pray for those who have been affected.