But when gasoline costs consume as much as 8% of a household budget, recession might be inevitable. So says Jim Swanson, chief investment strategist at MFS Investment Management. He considers $4.15 a gallon the tipping point, and notes that it preceded recessions in 1974, 1978, 1981, 1991 and 2008. Gasoline is now at a 33-month high near $4 a gallon, and is poised to keep rising. (http://online.barrons.com/article/SB50001424052970203579804576285053900793160.html)
We were already well into a recession in 2008 when gas spiked, it's just that certain government officials weren't willing to admit it. If gasoline is 8% of the household budget, there is something terribly wrong besides the price of gas. I spend more on dog and cat food in a month than I do in gas, unless I'm traveling.
We're faced with problems that aren't going to be properly addressed because there are basically two political parties, and neither of them has the brains to think, and neither gives a tinker's damn about America—their only concern is their party winning. The radicalism we're seeing these days isn't helping at all, and in fact is further dividing us.
The economy is grossly affected by political climate, whether you want to admit it or not, and the climate right now sucks. It's time to stop playing king-of-the-hill and start taking care of business.
AGREED.
This country is officially in a Double Dip recession.
It's difficult to know what to expect, but we as a country are terribly spoiled, and terribly frightened and paranoid. It's nothing new, and it cannot be laid at the feet of any single administration or party. So this isn't about politics.
What do you do when you can't afford something? You don't buy it, that's what. Why is Arkansas not in the list of 40+ states that are in danger of default? Because our constitution states that we have to have a balanced budget. Sure, this state is way behind in a lot of ways, but if the rest of the states hadn't over-extended themselves, they might not be top of the list of states with the highest-paid state employees, and be in trouble financially.
We (Nim & I) made some serious sacrifices in the past, and when I saw what was coming, I tightened things up even more. I'm not an economist, and even I saw the handwriting on the wall in early 2007. I got all my ducks in a row. If we can't afford it, we don't buy it, but in the midst of this recession, we are at the most stable financially that we have ever been. Why? Because we're paying attention.
I'd like clarification on why Social Security is considered socialistic "entitlement" when I've been paying into it since I was 15. Between my wife and I, we added nearly $20,000 to the Social Security Administration coffers last year alone. The defense budget is considered a sacred cow and nobody wants to touch it, but I also want an explanation of why the US defense budget makes up more than 50% of the entire planet's defense budget when we are less than 5% of the planet's population.
It would be a dangerous time for some, but in addition to cutting expenditures—in all areas—taxes need to increase. I don't say that lightly, believe me. I don't like taxes any more than anyone else, but Houston, we have a problem, and it's been a long time coming. Everyone is going to have to bite the bullet.
Somewhat of a ramble, but there it is...
Well said good Merlin. i too agree our country is indeed spoiled and in need of a major wake up call. As a Veteran/Soldier I will admit to being hesitant at attacking our military budget however when we are placing our American Men and Weman in harms way playing referee in nations that have little or no interest in our being there but the United Nations have deemed to place us in this situation I feel that this is not only a waste of time, effort, money, and our Soldiers. The Military no longer is self sustaining but now outsources everything to independant civil contractors another huge waste of resources and money. We as a nation would well pay heed to Airline instructions "in case of emergency mothers are instructed to first place oxygen mask on themselves then thier child." We need to take care of ourselves first and then take care of others in need. How can the mother put an oxygen mask if she is blacking out from lack of oxygen. This is not a political party problem but an American problem and one I fear will take more knowledge then I have to solve.
It's certainly not about putting our military at risk. I wouldn't want that at all. But, our military shouldn't even be at risk at this point. It seems we didn't learn from our mistakes in the 50s and 60s. We keep training these people that come back and bite us on the butt. And I'm not saying that it's all been for naught, but I truly don't believe it's been worth the losses.
For an economy to grow, there has to be something there to grow. It can't grow if we're paying the corporations' taxes for them while they send all of their jobs overseas. We don't manufacture like we used to, at least the American manufacturers. The companies that were once pillars of industry are nothing anymore. If I want a quality vehicle, I have to buy one from a company based in another country. They're built here, so we are benefiting from it, but why can't the U.S. build a reliable, well-engineered car?
When they built the interstate bridges around here, they bought the steel from Japan. The U.S. couldn't compete, even though all of the raw materials came from the U.S., were shipped to Japan, and Japan shipped the finished product back to us.
QuoteI'd like clarification on why Social Security is considered socialistic "entitlement" when I've been paying into it since I was 15. Between my wife and I, we added nearly $20,000 to the Social Security Administration coffers last year alone.
Ah. A common misconception. You're thinking Social Security is a savings plan. You put it in, the money collects interest and builds up, then you get to take a payout. Like a 401k, bank CDs, or an annuity.
Its nothing of the sort. Its a pay as you go scheme. There is a huge pot of money in the social security trust fund. For now. The new payments - what you and I pay in - and the returns from the trust fund are used to make payments to the people currently drawing social security payments. Both the payments into the fund and the payments out of the fund are dictated by various laws. Of course those of us paying the tax want the tax to be lower, and for this year at least, it has been lowered. The people getting payments want higher payments. If the total of the payments made to retirees is more than the incoming taxes from workers plus the returns from the trust fund investments, then the shortage must be made up out of the trust fund. That's exactly the case right now. So, every penny you and I are putting in from our paychecks is going
directly to some retiree. There's no savings going on at all. This is, plain and simple, a tax on workers that's used to make payments to retirees.
It is at least a contractual obligation by the government, in my humble opinion, even if nothing more than verbal. I have been told for years that I WOULD be getting x-number of dollars in return. If they renege on that, they are in for some serious backlash.
I would agree that it is a very real obligation made by our government to its citizens. Nothing comes for free, though. The money has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is taxes.
This situation is far worse for many cities and states. They've given their employees pension plans that are woefully underfunded. Again, this money is going to have to come from somewhere.
Take your own conclusions from this; but the tax rate for the top brackets is almost the lowest percentage that it has been since 1963. (http://ntu.org/tax-basics/history-of-federal-individual-1.html)
Regardless of what you hear from pundits on the left or the right, the tax rates for the wealthiest in America have been going down for nearly fifty years.
The rates for the bottom and middle brackets have fluctuated up and down.
The problem isn't the tax rate its the loopholes politicans put in place to buy votes. You could cut the tax rates by 2/3 and if you closed all the loopholes politicans have given their special donors you would double the money the government takes in in taxes.
I expect the second dip of the present recession will hit some time around Oct maybe Nov. The next five to six years are going to be very rough. Expect people to see thier home value to drop another 20% and unemplyment to go from the present 18-20% to 25-30%. Inflation could hit 30% too.
Sir Richard, unemployment is that high only in a very few markets, at least for the moment. Nationally, it's sitting at around 9% (Source: US Dept of Labor), and in Arkansas (my home state), it's 7.7% (Source: Ark Dept of Workforce Services).
Home values here have been going up and down, and we're currently in a second downward trend, but the swings have been much more moderate in my area—and state—than in some others. Statistics for my town showed a peak average home price of $192k in April 2007, and hit its bottom during the housing collapse in January 2009 at $181k, not at all a drop I would consider catastrophic. But that's more the exception than the rule. The most damage seemed to come where the housing prices had been overly inflated, or where industry collapsed, which is where the high unemployment numbers will be found.
The major tax loopholes, if you look at what they are, are loopholes that tend to favour those who are more well off. And Doña Catalina is correct on the top tax bracket. There was even a time some years back when the top tax rate (%) actually dipped down below the second-from-the-top. The tax code is bloated, and totally aimed at the middle class. It most definitely needs a complete overhaul, simplification, and firing of all the people who are there to keep it complicated.
If Social Security has failed, it's due to mismanagement, and robbing Peter to pay Paul. S.S. should have been self-supporting. There is NO excuse for it not being such. How can my other retirement account be worth twice what I've put into it? Social Security has had many more years, much more diversity available. I hear what you're saying, Wheatie, but it's a failure of the government to live up to its obligations. It's done the same to our soldiers for years.
Whatever your party affiliation is, you need to make it clear to your people in Washington that it's time to make things work like a business instead of like a hunting club, or carnival, or whatever. Whatever percentage you want to cut from one program or budget, you need to cut that from ALL budgets. Some budgets are already being subsidized by money that is SUPPOSED to be earmarked for that program (read: Social Security). Others, like the defense budget, are sucking the life right out of the budget without giving anything in return.
Social Security: The biggest legal? Ponze scheme. When times were good, Politicians said, "Hey, look at all this surplus, we'll use it for a, b, c, ......... x, y, z." And now we're in depletion mode, as all those who paid in are retiring at an accelerated rate.
Taxes were 1-2% in 1913...... what happened, taxes inflated? No, gov't inflated. And as gov't made these small increases everyone said, "Well it's only a little bit more." And each generation saw the tax creep, but it was never that much more than a little bit at a time.
I'm all for less taxes. Not no taxes at all, but less taxes and less gov't.
We can all complain about it, but I have solution at least to the 14 Tril National Debt:
You cut gov't jobs...... yep I'llbe hated for saying by those employed by the gov't but there it is......
But I said "cut", NOT terminate......Instead of shutting the gov't for 2 weeks as was done in the past, I say they cut the gov't work week. I propose gov't workers take a pay cut, AND a work time cut. Less work, = less pay.
The start on Monday morning at 10 AM, and get out early on friday at 3 PM. Late start - early end.
They can party on Sundays and start partying ealier Friday.
And they still make a living, AND have benefits.
And the country moves forward without too much disruption.
We'll just have to adjust our habits those two days.
OH, and rescind the politicians pay and benefits back to 1967 rates. ;)
Do this until we start moving debt rate backwards until it get fixed. However long that might take.
There are private sector jobs that get "laid off", "No raises", "pay cuts", Or just shut down as companies can't afford to continue OR get a loan from big banks. In the private sector, if they don't make make money jobs are at risk.
With Gov't they may institute a "pay freeze", but they seldom lay off (it does happen).
Merlin the Elder the real unemployment rate is around 18 to 20 percent the reason the government reported rate is half the real rate is that the government doesn't count people whose unemployment has run out and are not activity looking for jobs. Home prices are getting ready to take a major dive again due to the fact that commerical property is getting ready to drop like a rock. which will pull all property down.
Yes the major of loopholes are for corporations and the rich which is why they pay so little in taxes the problem is not the tax rate but the loopholes. evertime they rise the tax rate they add new loopholes so that the corporations and the rich end up paying less taxes. Like GE not paying any taxes. What needs is the lower the rate down to 20% or so and close all the loopholes then the government would get twice the taxes off the rich and corportations.
Social security is failing because it was always been a pyramid scam depending on increase the number of people paying in than taking out. Once we got into a flate population curve the system had to fail.
Quote from: SirRichardBear on May 24, 2011, 12:00:04 AM
Yes the major of loopholes are for corporations and the rich which is why they pay so little in taxes the problem is not the tax rate but the loopholes. evertime they rise the tax rate they add new loopholes so that the corporations and the rich end up paying less taxes. Like GE not paying any taxes. What needs is the lower the rate down to 20% or so and close all the loopholes then the government would get twice the taxes off the rich and corportations. Quote
I can not agree with the desire to raise corporate rates. Corporations do not pay taxes, consumers pay taxes. Any "taxes" businesses pay are included in the price of what they sell. However, it is easy to claim to raise corporate taxes because corporations don't vote and by doing so citizens never figure out just how much our bloated goverment is actually costing them.
Just my cheap 2 cents. Corporations do indeed pay taxes. The corporation I own pays estimated quarterly tax to the PA Department of Revenue (form PA-40ES) and to United States Treasury (form 1040-ES). The estimates are based on our current sales/receivables and the safe harbor from the prior year. The checks come out of our operating account. How is that not paying tax?
Gina
When it gets refunded back at the end of the tax season ala General Electric and many others.
But apparently you have to be big enough to buy your own special tax loophole from your congressman.
No loopholes here. We get a refund or credit if we overpay our taxes. Just like a personal tax return.
Although I must admit, my business has gotten very busy these past 5 months. Hence the reason to remit estimated tax...don't want to get caught owing a penalty come next tax return.
Gina
Quote from: arbcoind on May 24, 2011, 08:18:25 AM
Just my cheap 2 cents. Corporations do indeed pay taxes. The corporation I own pays estimated quarterly tax to the PA Department of Revenue (form PA-40ES) and to United States Treasury (form 1040-ES). The estimates are based on our current sales/receivables and the safe harbor from the prior year. The checks come out of our operating account. How is that not paying tax?
Gina
Do you pay those taxes completely out of corporate profits, or are they another expense that is included in the total price of your goods and services? The argument is not that business do not write checks to taxing authorities, but that ultimately the consumer is paying those taxes through increased prices.
Zaubon
Quote from: Zaubon on May 24, 2011, 12:37:55 PM
Quote from: arbcoind on May 24, 2011, 08:18:25 AM
Just my cheap 2 cents. Corporations do indeed pay taxes. The corporation I own pays estimated quarterly tax to the PA Department of Revenue (form PA-40ES) and to United States Treasury (form 1040-ES). The estimates are based on our current sales/receivables and the safe harbor from the prior year. The checks come out of our operating account. How is that not paying tax?
Gina
Do you pay those taxes completely out of corporate profits, or are they another expense that is included in the total price of your goods and services? The argument is not that business do not write checks to taxing authorities, but that ultimately the consumer is paying those taxes through increased prices.
Zaubon
Thank you Zaubon, you explained it much better than I could. Theroretically, without corp income taxes, the price of goods would be lower to the consumer but the goverment's revenue loss would be made up by higher taxes to the individual.
These taxes are paid right out of our operating account. Deposits to this account are funded only by sales/receivables from customers we invoice for our product. It is not funded by other means. We as a corporation truly pay income taxes to both the state and federal governments just like a working person pays taxes from income earned in their paycheck.
Why is this so hard to understand? Do you think that all corporations skate paying taxes?
Gina
Quote from: arbcoind on May 24, 2011, 08:18:25 AM
Just my cheap 2 cents. Corporations do indeed pay taxes. The corporation I own pays estimated quarterly tax to the PA Department of Revenue (form PA-40ES) and to United States Treasury (form 1040-ES). The estimates are based on our current sales/receivables and the safe harbor from the prior year. The checks come out of our operating account. How is that not paying tax?
Gina
Sorry, Gina. I was talking about the really big corporations — the ones that are in the news for not paying taxes. There are
lots of smaller corporations that are the backbone of middle-income America. I know most of those are paying taxes. But there are a lot of crazy loopholes for them, too, for those in a position to take advantage of them. Middle-income America doesn't have enough money to buy their way out of the taxes like the very wealthy do, and yes, I know it's not all of them, but it most definitely goes on.
It's painfully obvious that things aren't working, and they haven't been for many, many years. Tax breaks should never have been implemented while the US had debt—
any debt. Taxes should most definitely be more equitable, and less arbitrary. "Use" taxes are probably the most fair. Sales tax and fuel tax are two good examples. "Sin" taxes are the least fair. Taxing something because you don't like it is just plain stupid, unless the entirety of the tax revenue goes to mitigate the effects of the "sin." Unfortunately, those effects are usually ignored when the money is doled out.
Like Sir Richard is saying, we're in for some deep poo! In response to Sir Richard regarding the unemployment rate, as a scientist by training, I must only accept statistics that are consistent in their determination. I'm not saying that you're incorrect...I know what you are referring to and totally accept that as being true. However, I must compare apples to apples, and the methods remain somewhat statistically accurate overall.
I don't know the solution. There are probably only a handful of people on the
planet that
can describe the exact solution, and none of them are in Washington. I must reiterate that this has absolutely
nothing to do with political parties. I don't
care what party you are, if you have a logical solution. This is the effects of several decades of oblivion by the people we have chosen to lead us. We "hire" (vote for) mostly lawyers when we should be putting
successful businessmen — ones that made it legitimately — or economists into power.
Quote from: arbcoind on May 24, 2011, 12:53:20 PM
These taxes are paid right out of our operaterating account. Deposits to this account are funded only by sales/receivables from customers we invoice for our product. It is not funded by other means. We as a corporation truly pay income taxes to both the state and federal governments just like a working person pays taxes from income earned in their paycheck.
Why is this so hard to understand? Do you think that all corporations skate paying taxes?
Gina
Yes you pay taxes, but because of those taxes your expenses are increased. Those expenses (taxes) along with all other expenses necessary to operate your business are passed along to your customers in the prices you charge. As Keeper said, if you didn't pay those taxes your expenses would be lower and thus your prices could be lower and still maintain the same profit. We won't even discuss the increased expenses derived from the increased accounting to properly track and pay those taxes.
Zaubon
If no one paid taxes they would have more $ to spend. That's pretty simple.
Gina
Double post!
@ Merlin, no offense taken. I know very large corporations can avoid paying their fair share of taxes. We are small, 40 employees and have no loopholes. We spend $ on equipment and capital expenditures for the tax breaks those offer. I prefer to run an honest business...couldn't sleep otherwise.
@ Zaubon: We price our products based on cost of sales. Taxes fall under "other expenses" and are never factored into cost of sales. My CPA wouldn't allow it.
Gina
Merlin the Elder as an Engineer of many years I've learn to look at the statistics and if they don't match the data I'm seeing on the factory floor throw them away and look toward the reason someone has screwed the statistics. Normally its to hide a mistake they have made or to make themselves look better than they are. Which is what the government is doing with the unemployment statistics. They problem is till people stop excepting the government data as good and start demanding good data we are not going to get any were near finding a solution to our governments problems.
I agree with just about everything said here, but I think everyone gets sidetracked by the taxes discussion and thats how the politicians like it.
Like it or not, even leaving tax rates the way they are, the problem is still government spending and the mismanagement of funds.
How about bringing home all our men and women in uniform putting their lives on the line for ingrates that don't want us meddling in their affairs to begin with?/
No one appointed the US to be the neighborhood bully that tells everyone what to do and how to do it.
On another page, how about we remove the 100% government aid to people who conveniently seek 'political asylum' and get their entire life style paid for by the governemnt- case in point- cubans. Maybe because I live in south florida I have a more personal view point on it.
But explain to me why its fair that any random cuban can make it to the US and the government forks over hundreds of thousands of dollars to them while my boyfriend who spilled blood defending other countries while serving the US just had his tuition coverage lowered to 90% through the GI bill and they won't pay for summer classes.
He sacrificed for his country, he EARNED his GI bill money, and now they are refusing to give it to me.
I as a 29 year old female US citizen have to pay through the nose to have medical insurance- even more if I want the insurace to cover maternity expenses, but a cuban immigrant has 100% free health care coverage including maternity.
Oh and me- as US citizen with my own small business (all of 1 employee- me) can't get a loan to buy my first home but a cuban gets a crazy low rate mortgage to buy a $250K home and then 2 years later can get another to buy a SECOND home that he can rent out.
I'm not pulling this out of thin air- the things I listed above I know for a fact about people that I know personally that I work with every day.
Explain to me why we provide all kinds of money to foreigners but can't take care of our own military people??
There are plenty of places we can start cutting from the budget before we cut education or employment.
Oh and yesterday, I was listening to NPR and the 'economic' commentators where actually complaining that the starting salary at the new VW plant in Tennessee is going to be $27.00 instead of the $52.00 that they USED to pay in Detroit.
I am pretty sure that the cost of living in Tennesee- even in the city- is considerably less than it is in south florida and there is not a single business down here where the starting salary is anywhere near $27.
All good points Auryn. Our government wastes money. If I wasted money like that, I'd starve.
My employees would walk from PA to TN for $27 an hour. Is that figure the base wage or does it include their benefits as well?
Gina
As I said, Sir Richard, I know there are isolated spots where unemployment is terribly high. I know that statistics for unemployment are also skewed. But they have always been skewed the same way. That's all I meant by the "apples-to-apples." In your area, unemployment may be crazy high. Around here, it's not.
The cost of the mistakes have been accruing interest—literally—for decades. To lay the problems of today at the feet of one or two administrations totally defies logic and reality. To suddenly, and drastically, change some of the things that are on the chopping block would have disastrous and long-reaching effects. More recent increases in expenditures show be reduced first, as they would have the least negative effect. The sacred cow that nobody wants to touch is the one that needs to be brought under control. Even the Secretary of Defense has stated that too much money is going to defense.
Auryn, mismanagement is right. It's happened with some of the big corporations (i.e., auto manufacturers), the government, especially, and in plenty of cases, individuals. Although I am not crazy about the government having excessive control over individuals, which is increased exponentially since 9/11, I do feel like the American people would have been much better off had the government not eliminated controls over banking and other industries. Middle America is who have suffered the most from bank and market collapses, large corporations going bankrupt with the CEOs, CFOs, COOs, et al walking away with millions of dollars, and the "little guys" losing their entire retirements, their jobs, and having absolutely no recourse.
The $27 figure included benefits, but still thats entry level.
thats a lot of money for basically unskilled labor on a factory floor doing mind numbing repetitive tasks.
At the rate we are going we will have a great defense system and diddly squat to defend
Merlin the Elder I agree that the problem can't be laid on one or two admin. I put the problem as starting with FDR and was made much worst with LBJ it was those two that taught the government that it could buy votes to stay in power using tax payer money. Once the government learn that lession we lost all hope of having a reasonable government. Nothing is going to stop the slide till country is totally bankrupt and we reach third world status.
I disagree that government eliminated controls over banking and other industries it didn't it just changed the name of the controls and switch the PR on the control. The banking industy is the perfect example it eliminated some oversight but at the same time put in place more rules on loaning money so that the banks had a huge insetative to loan to people who could never be reasonable expected to pay the money back. The outcome was easly predictable and was just what we got.
Remember the government never gives anything without taking two things away.
SirRichard
totally agree on all you said except- the banks didnt force people to take out loans that they couldn't afford.
Each person is supposed to have the personal responsibility to look out for themselves and at least try to make intelligent decisions.
Did the banks set up the entire system to fail so they could line their pockets- of course they did, but it only worked because people choose to wallow in ignorance and expect someone to come rescue them rather than be responsible.
It really makes you wonder just what kind of government we really have, doesn't it? The United States is supposedly a republic, but is also called a democracy, yet it could arguably be described as an oligarchy at times, kind of what you are alluding to, Sir Richard. Washington can't seem to maintain control of things, and a few very rich people are able to push things in directions we don't need to be going in.
I think we can all agree that something has got to change. But extremism is no answer. A firm grip to turn this around is needed, but if you whip the rudder too hard, we are going to capsize.
Like it or not, we're tied into the global economy, which has been unstable for quite a number of years. According to economists, the banks have been broke for decades, and the only reason that they appear to maintain solvency is because they are carrying worthless loans (to countries), rather than writing them off as defaults. The problems are much deeper than most people even realize.
Easy--bring back Prohibition. Tax the speakeasies. Use the tax money to jumpstart the economy.
And maybe men will wear fedoras and trenchcoats again.
What was the topic again?
Oh yeah. The Depression.
(http://www.gramercyconsultants.com/fenn_wp/wp-content/uploads/fedora.jpg)
I like fedoras and trenchcoats and was very disappointed that JFK ruined the hat industary. I've a picture around some place of me as a kid maybe four or five going to Easter Sunday service wearing a fedora and a trenchcoat. I'd love to see a return to people dressing for church, movies, dinner out.
I wouldn't mind the return of people dressing a little nicer for certain things. Someone sure needs to bring back good manners. Can't tell you how many times we go out to eat and there will be someone in the restaurant that leaves their ballcap on during dinner. Absolutely rude.
Well, good manners and morals would help this country very much, and while were at it bring back Personal Responsibility. We stop with the Nanny State all the freebie crap, go from being a user nation back to a producing nation, then we might just be able to fix some of our problems.
I LOVE THAT
I'm so glad I am not the only one who feels like that about people dressing nicer, men wearing hats again and personal responsibility
Why do those that make up the lowest common denominator of the population always make up the majority?
Quote from: Auryn on May 26, 2011, 11:33:30 AM
I LOVE THAT
I'm so glad I am not the only one who feels like that about people dressing nicer, men wearing hats again and personal responsibility
Why do those that make up the lowest common denominator of the population always make up the majority?
Numbers- sheer volume of people. (http://www.kids-iq-tests.com/iq-scores.html)IQ Percentiles Related to IQ Scores
•50% of IQ scores fall between 90 and 110
•70% of IQ scores fall between 85 and 115
•95% of IQ scores fall between 70 and 130
•99.5% of IQ scores fall between 60 and 140
I would have thought I'd be safe in that 0.5% above the line...
I copied this comment from an article on the CNN website. Jeff says:
Our sickness is that we are lazy, complacent, given to wishful thinking and can't seem to handle the real job of managing our countries affairs any more.
I agree with the comment.
And I used to wear a little dress suit, patent mary janes, a hat, and white gloves to go shopping in downtown Pittsburgh with my mom and grandmother. We dressed like that for church and we even dressed very nicely for the zoo and hockey games. If we tried to be more casual my dad would exclaim
"you look like a bum, go change your clothes!!!"
Gina
There's nothing that a nice little power suit, stilettos and Veronica Lake hair wouldn't fix.
The problem is we have become an instant I-want-it-now-hurry-up-microwave, self indulgent society.
Use it and throw it away. Kids for the most part don't work for what they want.
Quelle domage.
Besides, there is nothing that gets a woman's blood racing more than a man pushing up the brim of his fedora with the barrel of a gun so he can look in your eyes and....what?
Oh.
Wrong thread.
Is it time to get my leisure suits out of moth-balls? ::)
small world arbcoind I remember my mother and grandmother taking me chirstmas shopping in down town Pittsburg I would put on a new suite with hat and coat my little sister would have a new dress and gloves just like you said and feel oh so grown up at 5 or so we felt. I remember when Sunday best was just that you put on your best clothing to go to church and maybe stop someplace afterwards for dinner, everyone in suits and women in their best dress. Last Chirstmas at church i saw tore jeans and t-shirts and even 19 20 years wearing PJ to Chirstmas midnight mass. I was wearing propery highland dress kilt with Argle jacket the priest came up and said how nice it was to have someone dress for Chirstmas service. I thought how sad that it a requires comment when someone dresses for propery for church
Well I've been trying to help bring back men wearing hats.
I've been wearing my Derby every day for the past 6 years, but it seems to be taking longer than I had hoped... ::) ;D
@SirRichard: Just to get a glimpse of Kaufmann's window! Yes, I was all of 5 at the time and we took a bus from Westmoreland County. Unheard of now.
Gina
If I may contribute my 2c to the topic;
Lets not forget another salient point, leading to the demise of this country; inflation. Since the 1913 inception of the Federal Reserve, and the disconnecting of our currency from the gold standard, thereby leaving us with a true fiat currency, this gives Congress the arbitrary ability to have the Federal Reserve print more and more and more cash ("inflating" the volume of currency) making the money, truly, "worth less". That dollar bill in your pocket is now worth 3c, compared to the 1913 dollar.
Our money is literally broken. We are 3c away from living with hyper-inflation. The moment that happens, the world banks will remove from the United States, our world reserve currency status (most likely giving it to China), instantly making us a 3rd world nation, and 14 trillion dollars in debt.
I can't think of a worse nightmare, that of my kids living in a 3rd world nation.