Things ARE much worse than our "betters" seem to think. My own business, providing personnel on a temp or perm basis, is 1/3 what it was a year ago. Biz fell off a cliff starting in November. Meanwhile, my interest rate which formerly was pegged on prime, now is called "variable" with a 7.5% minimum rate; this from a dividend-paying bank (in which I own stock) that got $250 Million in TARP money. And, after 14 years of timely payments, our credit line was removed. Yeah, you tell me that TARP is really being used as intended!
And speaking as an old Vietnam vet deeply involved in fighting the VC/NVA, I wish that someone in this administration would read a little Afghan history, from Alexander to the Brits to the Russians! To say nothing of the love of war it's people demonstratively have, it is the kind of terrain which can swallow up brigades, divisions, entire armies. I expected a lot more of Obama.
If Obama wants to be so damn bipartisan, he should make Mr. Roberts a close advisor!

The voice of sanity PCR so constantly brings forth is nowhere to be heard among the corporate media. The concept that it does no lasting good to pump money into an economy that is 70% consumer driven when nearly every material object we buy is made overseas seems beyond the grasp of all the talking heads who so drearily pontificate on stuff they are allegedly expert in; perhaps if we started hiring foreigners for their jobs, they might be able to grasp the concept then. Beyond that, pouring money into a financial system so rife with both crooks and no accountability due to deregulation is similar to having anal sex with your wife, all the while expecting to become a daddy via that act. God help us. Like Mr. Hope, I too fought in Vietnam so we wouldn't have to fight them over here and now, of course, you can buy all the crap you want from those very same Vietnamese. Don't get me wrong, we had no business over there and I do not begrudge any nation doing well for itself, but it should be a reminder for those who get caught up in the flag waving that all wars begin with; what really matters is making money and when nationalism gets in the way of profit, it exits stage right. As far as Afghanistan, a Marine I know who has served both there and Iraq says Iraq was, even at it's worst, far easier combat due to the terrain and tactical differences encountered in the two countries. We have no business in either place; what good is "victory" when we are clearly collapsing as a viable country. Perhaps it's best that the world rid itself of one more bullying empire; really who needs a country that consumes far more than it produces and devotes so much of it's energy, resources and people to needless wars? World, just stop loaning us money and force us to become a better and more peaceful nation.