After September, it was positive for most of the economy except for tourism. Things like car sales came back very quickly. GM and Ford got really scared about sales so they cut prices. |
Back when the program was created, elderly people were dying because they had nothing to eat and no health care. Social Security has been incredibly successful at virtually eliminating poverty among the elderly. |
Because they've got the employment, the people go there. It's a virtuous circle. It works in the right direction. |
Come hell or high water, Mr. Greenspan is going to keep tightening until he leaves. He has already proven that high water won't stop him. |
Common sense says consumers have to stop spending money at some point. But consumers haven't shown much common sense lately, despite griping about gas prices. |
Consumer spending may slow down a bit more than thought. But, it won't drive us into a recession - that would probably take oil going well over $100 a barrel. |
Consumers are getting more cautious. |
Consumers are spending their little hearts out. We are doing pretty darn good. |
Energy is the big wild card. We just don't know where prices will be. It will be a question of how fast oil refineries and oil pipelines come back. |
Energy is the big wild card. We just don't know where prices will be. It will be a question of how fast oil refineries and oil pipelines come back. |
Energy is the big wild card. We just don't know where prices will be. It will be a question of how fast oil refineries and oil pipelines comes back. |
Energy is the big wild card. We just don't know where prices will be. It will be a question of how fast oil refineries and oil pipelines comes back. |
Even a Chrysler has some imported parts in it and because these Toyotas are a little more expensive, Ford might be charging more. |
Fundamentally, money you spend at the gas pump is money you don't have to spend at the mall. |
GM is the story of U.S. auto manufacturing, and it's the story of U.S. manufacturing — that we are importing more and more of what we consume. Manufacturing is becoming a smaller and smaller part of the economy. |