I began a series of articles a couple of weeks ago and will continue to reiterate the message. I can only hope you are listening.
As I previously mentioned, I study trends and have a good sense of making sense of them. I hear a lot of people talk about the recession as being something we shouldn’t spend much time worrying about. They claim that they’ve lived through one before and they will get through this one. And while I appreciate the positive attitude, it is a little too rosy-colored for my eyes. I’ve also mentioned how I can readily see the similarities between the Great Depression and our current recession.
For the first time in American history our economy has declined in three major sectors: 1) The Financial World 2) Construction/RE and 3) the Auto Industry. During any previous recession, only two were impacted. We now have instability in three of them and many other major corporations are failing as well. As seventy-five to ninety percent of your income filters through these sectors, whether you truly realize this or not, these changes are affecting you and are projected to continue to do so, in very significant ways.
The world of finance is revealing the worst crisis since 1930. Housing markets project statistics which remain flat for the next several years. It is further speculated that within the next two to three years, twenty percent of homes will be vacant and we will move back into multi-family living situations. General Motors, the second largest auto manufacturer in the world, lagging only slightly behind Toyota, is in dire economic instability. And it is further predicted that roughly fifty percent of all auto manufacturers will phase out in the next few years. It is also projected that many large corporations will also close their doors. Most of the shopping malls in America are owned by three large corporate entities, of which one, is already folding.
Unemployment is being predicted (by top economists whom for the first time in ages, agree in unison) to increase by another 78-80 million by year end! Do you realize that is twenty-five percent of the US population? And for those that are currently employed, ninety-five percent of the population is in debt. Depression, Divorce and Violence are also statistically on the rise.
Four or five months ago, our economic recession was projected to last four to five years. Seven or eight months ago, it was seven or eight years. As of last month, the projection has climbed to a twelve to fifteen year period and there is talk of our economy going into another depression.
I realize we don’t want to hear anymore. But we must listen up! We are by nature, resistant and afraid to make changes. The unknown can be scary but it can also be a time of great opportunity. The structures with which we have learned to live in, are no longer serving us well. We cannot continue to wait for something to happen. WE have to begin making changes.
Recession can also be a good thing, as it thins out the garden. Some of the greatest things happen in decline. Innovations and new opportunities present themselves out of a necessity for survival. We got lost along the path we rode through the Golden Ages. It’s time to create a new path to walk on.
We are a country that stands for freedom and free enterprise. Jobs do not support either of these premises, not really, not anymore. When was the last time you worked for someone else and honestly believed you were paid what you were worth?
So in looking back, we can use that information to forge ahead. How did we pull out of the depression? We shared, we sacrificed and we invested in our people. We had a mind set of a shared stake. We collaborated for a common cause. Our Nation.
We cannot and should not sit by and hope or expect government to bail us out. By and large, we don’t agree with corporate bailout so why should we expect a bailout plan for ourselves? It isn’t possible and it isn’t the role of government. We must create our own efficient markets and insist upon our independence. We must enact local movements and mobilization strategies to take care of our country and its citizens. It is again time to support our country’s entrepreneurial spirit and invest in free enterprise and each other. Corporations have been in control because we let them. We supported them by showing up to work every day. We traded our control and freedom for a diminishing paycheck and a few benefits. They made huge profits and paid their stockholders handsomely while we continued to work for less and less. We need to choose freedom. We must create the solutions we need to sustain our economy.
It is time for an economic revolution! Every individual in America needs to do their part to help keep our country, the greatest country in the world. We have the resources and intellectual property to do it and we need to do it now!
Tags: Collaboration, Community, depression, Economy, entrepreneur, free enterprise, jobs, Local, recession, solutions, Sustainable
