What is Digg?321 Comments
- inactive, on 04/30/2008, -14/+90This story is heartbreaking. All this money is going to pay hyper inflated gas prices, and hyper inflated food prices. In other words, the Oil companies are bleeding Americans dry to the point of selling off their stuff to survive. This is madness. This is what happens when Congress is derelict in it's duty to impeach the President. This is what happens when Americans feel powerless, and do nothing. We need to take our country back! None of this happens, not the wars, the debt, the hunger, the misery and economic disaster if we had not allowed the government to run afoul of the Constitution. By allowing our politicians to lie cheat, steal and kill, we're accepting criminal leadership. With criminals for politicians, business leaders and financial institutions, what else do you really expect? When you have no more money, what will be obligated to give then? Our children? Many of us already have. Enough!
- TYRONEBR549, on 04/30/2008, -3/+62Don't believe the hype. There is no rep. party or dem. party. It is just one big party with our money and were not even invited.But I'll wager that we get the bill for the cleanup.
- theNazz, on 04/30/2008, -2/+61The only way to 'buy American' is to shop at rummage sales and used EBay listings. It started from the steel of the east coast, slammed the Midwest automotive industry, and ended with the blue jeans of the west coast. Sad, but true.
- bixby1, on 04/30/2008, -7/+59"This is not about downsizing. It's about needing gas money."- Sad. Dugg.
- StingingNettle, on 04/30/2008, -2/+54Maybe we'll start loading up cargo ships with used items and send them back to China as part of our debt repayment plan.
- casspa, on 04/30/2008, -2/+43As Americans we're ALL pack rats, we simply have too much stuff...
- inactive, on 04/30/2008, -5/+44The reason for the increases in fuel and food prices can be found in the fact that the fed has debased the currency. Every time you hear "increase liquidity" and "lower interest rate" think inflation because that is the result.
The problem is the declining value of the dollar and the solution is sound monetary policy.
Don't look for that to happen under the three Senators.
They are economic mental midgets. - mizatt, on 04/30/2008, -4/+36If you guys read the article, a lot of it is about people who have spent their entire paychecks and lived beyond their means suddenly not being able to support that lifestyle anymore. One woman in the article had to sell the "televisions" in her mobile home and then finished her story with a bit about how sad she was to sell her grandmother's teakettle for six dollars. If you had multiple televisions in a mobile home and are now at a point where you can't forego a couple of cheeseburgers to avoid selling your family heirlooms, that ain't because of gas prices. Gas prices are no doubt doing a number on low-income commuting households but most of the people in this article have just made poor financial decisions.
- FuzzyBunny, on 04/30/2008, -9/+39What a load of crap. Spending on gasoline makes up approximately 6% of the average American's expenses. That's up from 4% in 2002. A 2% increase in spending on energy isn't anywhere near a crisis. Do you even know what the words misery and economic disaster mean? Here in America we complain when we can't drive our SUV's 100 miles every day. Meanwhile people in Africa and Southeast Asia live their entire lives without electricity and die of starvation. You think that the only reason we're having a recession is because of the leaders we have elected today? There have been 32 recessions in the US since the 1850's. The Great Depression had unemployment rates as high as 25%. All of this doom and gloom rhetoric is reaching ridiculous levels. People need to stop running around screaming the sky is falling and actually take a look around them and realize the incredible luxury that we live in here in the US. For god's sake people, the economy actually grew over the last 4 months. Someone please explain to me how the fact that we're growing at a rate of 0.6% instead of the usual 2% is a sure sign that the end of civilization is at hand.
- TexasShiv, on 04/30/2008, -3/+27"This is not about downsizing. It's about needing gas money," said Nancy Baughman, founder of eBizAuctions, an online auction service she runs out of her garage in Raleigh, N.C. One former affluent customer is now unemployed and had to unload Hermes leather jackets and Versace jeans and silk shirts.
If you had to unload these before the economy completely crashes, you were already living outside of your means. Cut down on the spending of unnecessary items that are outside of your budget. - inactive, on 04/30/2008, -23/+46Heartbreaking, I just can't wait till Hillary or Obama get in there and soak us for more taxes more government and less of our own money,or McCain sends more of our kids to war. This economy is terrible.
who's Ron Paul and why is he trying to save our country? - AlwaysAwake, on 04/30/2008, -6/+29Well it's this or some kind of prostitution or crime. We may get to that soon too, when the "stuff" runs out. Now you can see why the Authorities are busy with all these changes of spy satellites; executive orders canceling rights; Supreme Court negation of rights, etc. They see what's coming, and are getting ready.
- superkendall, on 04/30/2008, -4/+26Lots of people have always done this. Right now, the unemployment rate is actually not all that high compared to historical figures, and certainly nothing compared to Europe.
Part of it stems from people overspending when they do have jobs, and not being careful enough to save in case you lose a job. I feel for the people that truly cannot find a job and end up in a real bind, but they are not as numerous as anecdotes like this make out. - lhbaker, on 04/30/2008, -1/+23Anyone want to buy a Wii?
- inactive, on 04/30/2008, -4/+24I fully expect this to happen; however, instead of used items, those cargo ships will be filled with American Citizens looking for work.
- Look4Truth, on 04/30/2008, -1/+20BINGO!
- xGuerrillaRadio, on 04/30/2008, -1/+19We could stop pouring trillions of dollars into funding the war. Diverting that spending to pay off the deficit would be one hell of a start.
- me32, on 04/30/2008, -6/+22Living the American dream is finally starting to catch up with the average middle class American. These people needed to start living within their means a long time ago.
- pianomahnn, on 04/30/2008, -3/+19"Christine Hadley, a 53-year-old registered nurse from Reading, Pa., says she used to be "a clotheshorse," splurging on pricey Dooney & Bourke handbags. But her live-in boyfriend left last year, and she has had trouble finding a job."
I have no sympathy for someone in this situation. This type of excessive spending is how this all came to be. You ***** up, lady. Deal with it. - galeninjapan, on 04/30/2008, -1/+16i do all my investigative journalism on craigslist.
- yoda17, on 04/30/2008, -5/+20From someone who's spent the last 10 years or so, buying almost nothing, living with multiple roommates, saving as much money as I could and telling people this was my plan as they were driving around in new BMWs and Mercedes as I drove a 15 year old rusty beater car, all I will say is 'yeay'. And also I told you. I have been picking up some pretty good deals on CL the last few weeks. Buy low, sell high.
- inactive, on 04/30/2008, -10/+24Remember the first Depression was caused by the Fed Reserve too but it's okay because they said they were sorry.
- gregm11, on 04/30/2008, -0/+14I'm gonna buy people's junk and make awesome robots.
- kenplaysviola, on 04/30/2008, -1/+14And sadly, Americans will re-elect their representatives and wonder why nothing changes. Americans seem to suffer from amnesia and fall for the same political lies every time. In a way, we deserve what we get and this is a kick in the butt. There's going to be a point where the government can't help us out anymore and we are truly on our own. How bad must it get for people to wake up?
- inactive, on 04/30/2008, -2/+15Every time I hear stories like this, I wonder what they're paying each month for cable+movie channels, broadband internet, cell phones, etc.
- burnedtubes, on 04/30/2008, -1/+13Couldn't agree more. I find people are even hoarding useless downloaded content.
- KCLorelei39, on 04/30/2008, -4/+16Such a sad, yet oh so familiar tale....
We were hit by the telecom bust in 2002....and my husband could not find a comparable job after he was laid off from a nicely paying union job. He earns less than half today of what he once did, and before it was finished, we lost most material possessions, repo'd minivan, foreclosed home, and filed bankruptcy.
We were among the first to go through this kind of thing, and I don't see it ending anytime soon. My heart goes out to folks that are experiencing financial hardships in these dark times; selling off extra stuff is only the beginning. It's like a slow-motion train wreck; you see it coming but you don't know how to stop it. - toppgun, on 04/30/2008, -4/+15he can end the war which should bring prices down. or have the government invest in alternative energy sources. hydrogen fuel cells, hybrids, electric cars, etc.
- robthom, on 04/30/2008, -4/+15Boohoo.
I saw a guy who paid 90 dollars for an advanced copy of gta4 the other day. If someone else cant afford to eat while he virtually stomps hookers than thats just our american freedom doing its job. - FuzzyBunny, on 04/30/2008, -1/+12Your anecdotal experience is not representative of everyone else.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/11/news/economy/gas_p ... - Pg5of16, on 04/30/2008, -1/+12Cause people have finally decided that the Depression can now be traced back to one thing.
- falkonv7l, on 04/30/2008, -0/+10"There is no rep. party or dem. party" = Dugg!
- CobaltBlue, on 04/30/2008, -2/+12It's not all bad. I get an awesome teakettle from only $6 on ebay. She said it was her grandmothers.
- feonixphlame, on 04/30/2008, -2/+12here in the US, its about filling up the gas tank. in most of the world, its about filling your stomach. we have it too easy.
- highstriker, on 04/30/2008, -1/+10Most people I know need to fill their gas tank if they want to fill their stomach... gotta get to and from work one way or another.
- inactive, on 04/30/2008, -3/+12Sorry fuzzy bunny, but it's not just waht you pay at the pump. Literally everything in your life is brought to you on a truck. So when diesel goes to $4 a gallon, it affects the price of everything ... food, clothes, everything. Throw in the ethanol debacle and you have hyper-inflated food prices. For many people who squeak through the month every month, it's the straw that breaks the camel's back so to speak.
- frepnog, on 04/30/2008, -2/+11I currently am. Oh dear god.
- johnomaz, on 04/30/2008, -1/+10I'm not resorting to selling my stuff...yet. I am however going today to buy a bike to start pedaling my way to work. Fortunately, I live about 5 miles from work and with the current price of gas where I'm at (3.90 a gallon in the California Valley) the bike will pay for itself in at most 2.5 months. Plus, the general wear and tear and oil changes I didn't include. I use my AC less, am being very anal about turning off lights, taking shorter showers, turning off the TV when not in use, and maybe even getting rid of my beloved satillite dish. Wish I could get rid of the cell phones too, but am under contract. I have a few things I could sell, but am hoping it doesn't get that bad. People hat are selling heirlooms, jewelery and whatever else they can are probably so far in debt, the high prices of gas and everything else isn't making that big of a difference. Its just something new for them to blame for their debt. I am in debt too...as a lot of others are too. And guess what, my wife and I put us there. We spent the money we didnt' have and the last thing I will do is look to others to help get me out. Its my problem and its something that i need to get myself out of.
- gojohn99, on 04/30/2008, -3/+12sad but true... sounds like me. Try also going through a divorce in THIS economy
- sinurgy, on 05/01/2008, -1/+9What's sad but true is that people spend lots of money on ***** they don't need, ***** they really couldn't afford in the first place and then end up in financial trouble. The fact they feel so entitled to do so is the crisis, not them having to part with all that *****.
What's really sad is they likely did this to keep up with the illusion of affluence that is based on some other person who is doing the exact same thing! lol....that person you wish you wish you were wishes they were you who wishes you were them who wishes they were you who....dumbasses!! If people would learn to idolize character instead of money, then perhaps America wouldn't be so obsessed with shallow rich people. - theycallmebubba, on 04/30/2008, -2/+10If you haven't noticed, one of those 'alternative energy sources' (ethanol) has GROSSLY inflated the cost of corn and some other related foods. Also, I heard that many schools are being told to 'go green' and use solar power - and their energy bills are projected to increase by over 20,000 a year because of it. Too bad we don't have much oil here in the U.S. we could use...
Oh, wait. - philipl411, on 04/30/2008, -0/+8Yes, by leap and bounds. My wife and I have more than doubled our income
- andy3109, on 04/30/2008, -2/+10If they are living so close to the "red" that gas is giving them problems, they are probably living above their means.
In Somalia they are happy if they get fed..in the US, people bitch if they can't keep their 5K guitar. - KSUdesigner, on 04/30/2008, -4/+12It does not matter what percent of an average person's income gas is if the average person is already spending close to 100% of their income.
- philipl411, on 04/30/2008, -1/+9The average person spend close to 35% to 55% of their income federal, state, county and local taxes and fees. Get the government out of people lives and people will have more to spend
- twinklyJesus, on 04/30/2008, -0/+8If they are, it is by choice, on items other than gas.
- jedmed, on 04/30/2008, -2/+10Having politicians determine economic policy makes about as much sense as having the foxes guard the chicken coop.
- RomeyRome, on 04/30/2008, -1/+9Profits are determined in percentages & not just dollar amounts. After operations costs & what not, 10% profits for oil companies isn't that big.
- DRINKxREDxBULL, on 04/30/2008, -1/+8So lets drill for oil in Alaska, of the west coast, in the gulf, and of the east coast!!
You're with me right?
"chirp, chirp" -
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