What Does it Look Like to You?
Sharon October 7th, 2009
It has been a while since I’ve had people post their updates of what they are seeing, but this article at Huffington Post encouraged me to ask how things are going in your neck of the woods? Are things as much better as the news reports?
I find myself fascinated by the insistence of the media that things are getting better - it is true that the stock market is up, and that the rate of job losses has declined slightly (although not nearly as much, we learn, as the reports suggest), but the idea that not losing quite so many jobs constitutes recovery is sort of fascinating. The definition of “a good sign” or an indication of “recovery” keeps changing, and getting lower.
Meanwhile, at the practical “affects how you actually live” level, things are getting worse. Deflation seems to have taken full hold, state budget receipts are falling, leaving deficits that state constitutions don’t permit, and services for those most in need are falling. The big question is how long the nation can borrow from the future to keep things going.
So what does this look like through your eyes? Are things getting better? Worse? How about for your community?
Sharon