Perhaps these people represent the same made-up people that are now employed by the 2 million jobs created by the Stimulus Bill? Or....perhaps they will come out next week to update their numbers and realize that counted at least 800,000 people that don't exist?

This is crap. Pure and simple. This article should be headlined:

Be prepared for something else to get rammed down your throats that you won't like.

The only time they start talking about how happy Americans are is when they are getting ready to spend more of our money that we don't even have. So....what could be on the horizon? Jobs bill and healthcare. War expansion perhaps? Who knows.

But one thing's for certain -- happy (fake) headlines make for terrible news coming out of the White House. Generally followed a few weeks later with a "oops -- our numbers are wrong again."

The ups and downs of life and economics are cyclical.

They come, and they go.

Buy real estate NOW.

Wow, I have a hard time believing that. With unemployement and homelessness/foreclosures in the US at crazy high levels, wars and threat of wars everywhere, economy in the tanker, congress has record low approval ratings... Maybe it's one of those wishful thinking might make the US a better place.

Did they poll government employees or folks in the open market?

I run a sales route in Eastern NC and Southside Va, and the economy stinks, many of my clients are really pushed to the limit, those that are old enough are retiring and getting out, all, not most, but all of our competitors are hurting ... as we are too.

The towns my customers serve and live in are slowly being boarded up. They are surrounded by closed shops and storefronts with brown paper over the windows, by thrift shops, by businesses that just opened 6-9 months ago with "going-out-of-business" signs. Next to them, are churches and holiness temples that set up in an old store front. Those of you close enough, ride through Scotland Neck, Roanoke Rapids, Emporia, Lawrenceville, Henderson, South Boston, South Hill, Littleton, Rocky Mount, on it goes.

The other wholesalers I run into that border our sales area from surrounding regions all say the same thing. When I ride down a major blvd thick with restuarants and fast food outlets on Friday at noon, and the parking lots that were full just 2 years ago are now only half full, you can see whats happening. Banners everywhere offering discount meals and daily specials.... really good buys...and noone is there.....economics 101, we've got a problem.

And yes, you can listen to the local news...state has budget deficits, tax revenues are down, the DOT in NC and VA are closing maintenaince yards, and laying off workers. Plants in towns that I sell in are closing down, and in a rural area..that can literally shut down the entire town or even the county.

No, by any estimation...things are not getting better. And God help us when inflation starts to creep in( which it is starting to do in Jan'10), and gas starts going up because of some crazy man in the mid-east. Also, most folks are not fooled by the stimulus money...many state and county workers realize when it starts running out this spring, they too will lose their job.

God Save America

People are sensative for the emotion they get from others or from tv.
They naively start feeling up or down according to there input.

Governments know this. Very, very rich people know this. ( They are most definitly became filthy rich because their scouts behaviour. )
The same people use their money to occupie high possitions in the government, They influence it, they own the media with it.

So.
What brings people to ATS again ?

Probably because they are being screwed. They sense it but without any good way to point a finger to it.

The same counts for this IMO.

[edit on 20/2/10 by Sinter Klaas]

A thought...

As the middle class disappears, it's creating a situation not dissimilar to (visualize an hourglass) type of employment situation. Those in the middle are in trouble. Being squeezed. They have two choices (generalized example) move up or fall down. The numbers in the bottom half are growing as well as the numbers in the top half (in comparison to the middle.) Those in the bottom half are unemployed or working "poor" while those in the top half are making more money than they have in the past.

Think about this.