Monday, February 02, 2009

Help save the economists: Spend your asses off!

"Please take care of my dog until I return," a home-
less woman said just before leaping from the bridge.


Note: America, economists are extremely upset with you! Don't you know saving more of your income in the face of a little financial insecurity is actually contributing to the nation's worsening economic woes? What the hell's the matter with you all?

The gist from "Good saving habits hurt, economists say," an AP article in this morning's paper: Because of your uncertainty of the future, your savings rates are increasing. Called a "paradox of thrift" (another of those delightful idioms economists love so much), it couldn't come at a worse time. America, wake the hell up! You are actually contributing to the loss of your jobs, homes and your very way of life. All because of your new miserly mien!

Dada asks: America, what the fuck's wrong with you? The quickest way out of your financial morass, this Great Depression, is for you all to "SPEND! SPEND! SPEND!" LET'S GO, YOU BASTARDS!"

Get busy! If you have charge cards below their credit limit, max them out! If not, apply for new ones and max those out! Borrow money on your home equity (if you still have one) before it declines more. Go buy a big new truck.

Let's get with it! Spend like you still have a job, health insurance, retirement savings! C'mon damn it, help the economists save your economy. You must snap out of this paradox of thrift you're now so enjoying. Quit saving all your damn money for cripes sake. Spend us out of this crapitalistic chaos, you sons of bitches!

8 comments:

Billie Greenwood said...

I can't stop laughing long enough to type a comment. Someone, help me!!!!

Cripes, if I'm not getting arrested for civil disobedience I'm being harassed to spend money. Ya just can't win. They'll never be satisfied with me.

Dada, this post was an absolute hoot. Thank you so much.

Fran said...
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D.K. Raed said...

LOL, I guess I am unpatriotic again!

Have you noticed how many fewer credit card offers are arriving in the mail? We got one today & I suddenly realized, hey that's something I haven't seen in months! Guess they gotta find some way to drum up biz to pay off those bonuses. Sorry, but it went right into the shredder.

very sad pic of dog waiting on the bridge.

Fran said...
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Fran said...

Good point DK- We used to get about 3 credit card offers a week. Now they are more rare, & come with a lot more fine print.... much to the effect of- if you are at all late, your APR will go to 30% plus the going interest rate, pus late charges. Credit offers are more like flaming hoops one is dared to jump through!

Fran said...

I WILL get this post properly edited!!!!!

In this scenario I am part of the problem. In my defense, with unemployment there is a waiting week, and there were some other payment delays. So we had little cash flow flowing, and failed to use plastic as pretend cash.
We are so irresponsible, making sure mortgage payments are together, we forgot to get out there & blow the non existant wad for Christmas, and paying high winter utility bills rather than buying big screen tv's.
We failed to buy a new vehicle, instead had the 15 year old vehicle repaired.
Oh for hell's sake- We are total consumer slackers!

Dada said...

I gotta tell ya. I think I've been listening to ALL the wrong news and talk radio shows. Stuff like Amy Goodman, Mike Malloy, etc. I finally had to pull the (ear)plug (see, B.E., Mrs. Dada got the new 2nd generation iPod Touch sans earplugs, I've inhe

So I resorted to reading. Same thing, reading all the wrong stuff.

To say this has only further cemented my convictions would be putting it lightly. Crapitalism is dead! I'm no longer worried about what direction health care may go - that's because I don't think we'll get a chance to reform it, so busy will everyone on the upper decks be, bailing, bailing whilst we in the steerage are fighting and drowning one another for just one more gasp of breath from the air pockets of our submerged decks.

While there's two major subsets to America -- us (being most Americans who work hard, abide by the laws, try to file their taxes correctly and fly coach on public transportation) and *them* (them, pardon my English, who bank offshore, incorporate offshore, evade or dive thru loopholes to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, and dole out $18 billion of the bailout money WE THE HONEST TAX PAYERS GAVE "EM [that's right!, $18 billion in bailout money for bankrupt corporation's employee--upper echelon employees--bonuses!], fly on private corporate jets and wear American flag pins in their lapels -- I have a better idea where they could stick those flag pins!)

So, thanks for your observations all. Thanks for your confession, Fran. I confess too. In light of where I think we are all being taken, we've pulled back. Scrimping where we used to luxuriate. But just like bailing from the sinking ship, the value our saving is overwhelmed by the sinking value of the dollar.

I got an e-mail from my niece in Portland the other night. Their taxes continue to rise, while my nephew's monthly PURSE payment (retirement) has gone down $350/mo. they just learned. They asked if we'd like to move in with 'em. (They're thinking they may have to take in boarders to stay in there house.)

Hyperbole? Maybe - for now. But how soon will the hyperbole become reality? Sooner, much sooner, than I'd like I fear -- for ALL of us.

Fran said...

As we the little people scrimp & hold back, the government is throwing out money like drunken sailors on weekend leave. You look at the financial details & it's hard to comprehend.