NYT:Statistics Aside, Many Feel Pinch of Daily Costs

[Pirate Smile]

Statistics Aside, Many Feel Pinch of Daily Costs

By JENNIFER STEINHAUER
Published: May 6, 2006

BRANDON, Fla., May 2 — As a rule, when Americans feel financially pinched, the causes are clear: high unemployment, soaring interest rates, depressed home values and a wilting stock market.

But many Americans now say they are feeling squeezed in the absence of these factors. Their concerns are instead centered on a combination of high gasoline prices, creeping insurance costs and the pressure of a large number of adjustable-rate mortgages, now jumping to market rates, that helped to fuel one of the largest housing booms in American history.

Though they may not fear for their jobs or worry about long-range financial health — national polls show a general satisfaction with the economy — their kitchen-counter economy is an increasing source of everyday anxiety.

In Brandon and other suburbs of Tampa, where gas prices are among the highest in the nation and home insurance rates have risen since last summer's hurricanes, residents say they have had all they can take.
"We're really worried about a lot of things," said Nancy Tuttle, co-owner of a vending machine business in the suburbs here. "The cost of gas, the cost of house insurance, the cost of medical insurance, it's just everything."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/06/us/06prices.html?hp&ex=1146888000&en=66533a2598086459&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Robbien]

1. And they think it is only happening to them because

the media keeps telling them that everyone else is doing great. They keep looking around to see where the great economy is happening and wondering what is wrong with them because they aren't doing so great.

Its a cruel dirty trick.

Even this article is written late on a Friday night so it will not reach a wide audience, so the poor suckers miss out on the info again.

[ovidsen]

2. It's obvious to everyone but Bushbots

Whenever consumer confidence surveys come out showing that Americans are worried about their financial futures, my wingnut "friends" point to a soaring stock market and dropping jobless rates and crow, "It's the media's fault! The economy's doing great, but the doom 'n gloom libs in the MSM are poisoning minds!"

I answer, "No, they're not. Real wages are down, the cost of living is up, traditional jobs with things like health insurance, sick leave, and pay above the Wal-Mart level are scarce, and people are scared".

I think I'll forward this article to them.

[NYC]

3. People have a problem affording the things they need.

So much for the economy being in a "sweet spot".

[Nomen Tuum]

4. Maybe if the New Yor Times didn't have so many millionaires writing for it

They might go back to reporting the news instead of shilling for the Christian Politburo

[xchrom]

6. christian politburo -- i like that.

[Mountainman]

5. There are two economies. One for those that got rich off the repubs and

the one the sucker repubs live in. The working class repubs thought Bush cared about them. Now things become clear, they were fools voting to hate gays and abortion now they are screwed.