Are we going back to our bad ways?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

Some time ago gas prices were high and there was a move towards hybrids, electric cars. Now people are continuing to buy 'beasts' (SUVs/Hummers).

People were moving towards alternative energy.

After the bail out to banks, the fat cats are dishing out big bonuses again.

Are people starting to take out loans they cannot afford again?

?

[Ivan the So-So]

1. Why is this here instead of General Discussion?

Nothing to do with the president, really.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. really?

[anonymous171]

3. That really isn't the problem.

The problem is that our consumer/service economy is unsustainable. That is what needs to be dealt with. Conspicuous consumption is just a symptom of our capitalist corrupted society and culture.

[lunatica]

4. When you say people were moving towards alternative energy

What people were you talking about? Who bailed out the banks and who's dishing out big bonuses again? I don't see how 'we' are going back to 'our' bad ways. Now if you change that 'we' to 'they' I'll probably agree with you.

What I do see is that 'we' need those in leadership positions to have the political will that we voted for. We aren't holding the purse strings, nor do we create bills and laws nor do we have the resources to mandate the following of those laws other than with what is turning out to be our pathetically inadequate voting power.

Speaking for myself, I've just received a layoff letter on one of my jobs while every credit resource I've faithfully kept payments up on are sending me letters cutting me off, just like they're doing to millions of other people. I doubt I could get a loan of $10 from my bank. And here in California the unemployment rate is 12.2% with extremely poor prospects for getting jobs. I'm afraid my bad habits are going to be defaulting on my credit cards and hoping to keep my condo while working a part time job. I'm hoping to keep my condo because I take care of my mother who has dementia and can't afford to pay a higher rent than what my mortgage payment is.