May 2, 2014 at 5:00 am
by Candace Hardin
The recession is supposedly over. That is the rumor, but have we had a recovery? Are people any better off than they were in 2008? Has the quality of life improved or eroded for the average household?
People lost so much of their savings, their jobs that paid them a living wage. Unemployment has only escalated. People are terminally unemployed or under employed. The only jobs that have been created in the last six years are minimum wage jobs. They are not designed to support a family. They are entry level, low skill positions.
Most of the manufacturing jobs have gone to countries where low wages are accepted.
Middle management positions have evaporated and the new normal is more work done by fewer employees.
Employers realize that choices are very limited and hold employee’s jobs over their heads. They don’t feel obligated to provide raises and incentives as they did in better times. Many fear leaving the job they have, even if they are extremely unhappy.
Foreclosures have wrecked people’s homes and taken the greater part of their wealth. Families have been demoralized by upheaval of all they hold dear and an inability to create any security for the lives.
Divorce and broken homes abound, unable to take the stress that financial want creates.
More and more, people cash out their retirement savings so they can survive another month.
In the years since 2008, the suicide rate has steadily risen. People cannot support themselves or their families and the struggle has gone on so long now that they cannot see any real chance for improvement.
Normal outlets for stress, such as vacations, have had to take a backseat to living expenses. Many employees are afraid to take any real time off as they fear for their jobs, or they have so much responsibility that they will never catch up if they leave for a few days.
With billions of TARP money spent to correct the damage done to the economy and the banking systems, what has really been accomplished?
Special interest groups have once again delayed the Keystone Pipeline, frustrating our Canadian allies. We risk losing this opportunity for lower fuel prices and jobs as our leader prefers to pander and put off what could be done today for the country’s greater good.
TARP money that was earmarked for short term loans to businesses, credit card default and mortgage rescue has gone to CEO bonuses and into the coffers of the banks.
In order to get a loan today, one cannot hold any debt. The requirements for a mortgage extend to house itself. Banks say which house they will finance. Fixer uppers have to be bought with cash, an investment strategy that is left only to the very wealthy.
Quantitative easing has super inflated the stock market, allowing the very wealthy to attain even greater wealth. Another bubble could occur and the explosion could be worldwide and far reaching.
There has been no real solution to the 2008 crash. Mostly it has been good money thrown after bad, and the money tossed into the trash has been ours.
People in the United States have been stretched to the physical and emotional breaking point and that can be a very dangerous situation.
(Additional links found in article)
1) The suicide rate has steadily risen -
http://www.jhsph.edu/news/news-releases/2008/baker-suicide.html2) TARP -
http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/feds/2013/201322/201322pap.pdf3) The requirements for a mortgage extend to house itself -
http://www.guldigroup.com/2012/04/3-4-million-completed-foreclosures-since-sept-2008-corelogic-reports/4) Quantitative easing -
http://data.bls.gov/pdq/SurveyOutputServlet?request_action=wh&graph_name=LN_cpsbref3http://politichicks.tv/column/breaking-point-much-can-america-withstand/
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