The new normal

[eddiep]

did anybody see 20/20 tonight? It was about the new normal and how people, businesses, industries and even countries are making changes and are now surviving/thriving in this economy. It was a great show, very inspirational.

Here is a new motto to live by: hard work and simple desires.

[dgjmj]

did anybody see 20/20 tonight? It was about the new normal and how people, businesses, industries and even countries are making changes and are now surviving/thriving in this economy. It was a great show, very inspirational.

Here is a new motto to live by: hard work and simple desires.

Getting back to the basics of life. How refreshing

[JRScott]

If only the government would adopt such a policy we could save us all

[newbeginning]

If only the government would adopt such a policy we could save us all

Unfortunately, that would require making difficult choices and changes that would appreciably and uncomfortably disrupt "our" way of living. Something that neither the government nor the citizenry are willing to make for the most part.

Contrary to disgruntled and frustrated citizens' beliefs, it's as much about "the people" as it is about the government.

[AngelinaCatHub]

Unfortunately, that would require making difficult choices and changes that would appreciably and uncomfortably disrupt "our" way of living. Something that neither the government nor the citizenry are willing to make for the most part.

Contrary to disgruntled and frustrated citizens' beliefs, it's as much about "the people" as it is about the government.

This is true. However, the way our government is going, the people won't have much choice.

It is possible this Country has seen it's last elected president. He has More than less ignored the other two thirds of Government called the checks and balances of the Congressional branch and the Judicial branch. He is not leading, he is dictating. 'Hub

[newbeginning]

This is true. However, the way our government is going, the people won't have much choice.

It is possible this Country has seen it's last elected president. He has More than less ignored the other two thirds of Government called the checks and balances of the Congressional branch and the Judicial branch. He is not leading, he is dictating. 'Hub

Sounds like Bush's administration...

What "choice" are you referring to that was present prior to the current administration? We are reminded daily, that the so-called checks and balances of government are in place. Despite control over both branches of congress, Obama is not getting all that he would like.

As for the way our government is going.... this is the way our government has been moving towards for decades. We are in "unusual" times and such times call for unusual (therefore, unsettling) measures. Our "system" is very much entrenched in maintaining as much of the status quo as possible. The makings of a rogue president will not happen.

It's unfortunate that it took this level of crisis to get people seriously talking about issues that burden our nation to mediocrity; health care reform, environment, financial institution that has long placed profits ahead of people, country, a sky-rocketing deficit that has been mounting for decades, but few common American's expressed concern as long as he/she continued to get a piece of the pie and continued living comfortably...

Don't worry. Obama's attempt to reform institutions that need reforming will be watered-down or dismissed so that we can continue going down the path of mediocrity and bankruptcy.

You may disagree with his methodology, but one cannot deny that his attempts at reform are needed. It's too bad, but predictable, that those who disagree make little or no attempt at helping shape debate, policy- only disagree to disagree or continue with comfortable, but perilous policies that do nothing to get us out of this mess.

[Bandit]

Sounds like Bush's administration...



You may disagree with his methodology, but one cannot deny that his attempts at reform are needed. It's too bad, but predictable, that those who disagree make little or no attempt at helping shape debate, policy- only disagree to disagree or continue with comfortable, but perilous policies that do nothing to get us out of this mess.

is isn't just the bush administration. it sounds like them all.

You are doing what you did before, trying to blame the past lousy leadership & pass the buck to something else instead of current lousy leadership. The only attempt at reform he has made is the automatic reform in his personal retirement plan that comes with the job.

it isn't about the people being comfortable either. I can assure you a great deal of people are not comfortable with it. Republican and democrat lying leaders have taken way too much power from the citizens and that power needs to be returned to the people. In one area, the people have been revolting against the continued rising property tax in masses when we know the law says not to raise it when the prices decline, so don't say the people are making no attempt to correct its poor leadership of a pathetic rep/dem congress from robbing them.

[Bandit]

This is true. However, the way our government is going, the people won't have much choice.

It is possible this Country has seen it's last elected president. He has More than less ignored the other two thirds of Government called the checks and balances of the Congressional branch and the Judicial branch. He is not leading, he is dictating. 'Hub

Exactly. We are being robbed of choice/freedom.

[newbeginning]

bandit,

i can "hear" the anger and disgust in your comments. fair enough.

i am aware that people are making "some" impact, but not in terms of who and how we elect our national leadership.

blame past leadership? of course they take some or much of the responsibility for what we have to deal with today. BUT, i have no illusions that the buck now has to stop with the current leadership, not because it is responsible for all that is occurring today, rather, it makes no sense nor is it productive to continue blaming those who now have no control over current events...

...again, this notion that our degradation of choice is a recent phenomenon is not true. this is something that has been festering for years. things are tough for most of us, so we amplify more today than we should have decades ago...

[Bandit]

bandit,

i can "hear" the anger and disgust in your comments. fair enough.

i am aware that people are making "some" impact, but not in terms of who and how we elect our national leadership.

blame past leadership? of course they take some or much of the responsibility for what we have to deal with today. BUT, i have no illusions that the buck now has to stop with the current leadership, not because it is responsible for all that is occurring today, rather, it makes no sense nor is it productive to continue blaming those who now have no control over current events...

...again, this notion that our degradation of choice is a recent phenomenon is not true. this is something that has been festering for years. things are tough for most of us, so we amplify more today than we should have decades ago...

oh really. if all you say is true and leaders have absolutely no control over current events, then why do we have leaders??? why do we vote on leaders who have no control who claim to make changes?

[Bandit]

did anybody see 20/20 tonight? It was about the new normal and how people, businesses, industries and even countries are making changes and are now surviving/thriving in this economy. It was a great show, very inspirational.

Here is a new motto to live by: hard work and simple desires.

That is a great motto but I honestly am not following the content of the story, so I found this from the 20/20 story interview:

"I don't think there's any doubt that we can't compete with them on the playing field ... because they're still growing cotton and we aren't," he said.


Turning away from what was his trade, Belk has replaced thousands of acres of cotton fields with corn and soy beans. His cotton farming equipment now stands idle, because recession or not, people are still eating.

Following suit, the Pillow family -- fifth generation cotton farmers -- is not planting any cotton this year.

"Like the car dealerships, if you're not selling the cars, I mean that's kind of where we are. ...The farm has got to be viable and we have to be able to be here the next year for our families," Reese Pillow told ABC News.

"I think everybody wants to grow cotton. You know we're cotton farmers. We're cotton farmers growing corn and beans," said Belk.

While the article is primarily about harnessing wind it is clear that our country is not going to be able to "compete" until americans work for 25 cents an hour like in china sweating and bleeding picking cotton, so we will just stop growing cotton and, plant soybeans instead.

I think if you go back not too far, you will find out that our government allowed and GAVE the textile industry away for free as if it were garbage. So, now we use the second hand stores for product to buy twice, what was made somewhere else. That really fits in well with the present economy too, because big governments have made it so you have no other choice, through using the third world mentality on its people, especially when you can't have success by growing to compete with that which is a necessity for something as simple and important as clothes.

Other than that, I do appreciate a good find in the second hand store Too bad the cotten soybean scenario at the thrift store doesn't work that way for white cotton socks.

[newbeginning]

we elect leaders, presumably, to make changes to what can be controlled. it is disingenuous to suggest that we, our leaders have control over every aspect of society, events that are already in motion, etc. some things cannot be stopped, only, perhaps, mitigated.

we vote in the hopes that the next leadership will be wiser than the previous... at least that's what i pray for...

[Bandit]

we elect leaders, presumably, to make changes to what can be controlled. it is disingenuous to suggest that we, our leaders have control over every aspect of society, events that are already in motion, etc. some things cannot be stopped, only, perhaps, mitigated.

we vote in the hopes that the next leadership will be wiser than the previous... at least that's what i pray for...

if you really want that, then the current system has to be stopped. Not reformed, but thrown into the garbage and burned.

[Ifonly]

Did anyone else notice something missing from the story of the couple with the house in Maryland? They took out a mortgage way over their heads and then racked out CC debt trying to hang on? (sounds familiar).

Anyway, they talked to them and they said, "well now we're cash only." and everything seemed all happy and pleasant. Um, how they did fix their situation?

I said to my husband that they must have filed bankruptcy. Money didn't just fall from the sky to allow them to pay that mortgage, pay at least the minimums on their racked-up $50K in debt and now they have cash to cover all of their living expenses? Even if you cut back, that doesn't make sense.

I'd like an explanation, please !

[eddiep]

nothin wrong with filing bk, right?