It's going to be a long hard winter.

[cali]

Food prices continue to rise. Oil prices are rising. They're cutting the food stamp program and home heating aid program. No COLA for SS recipients.

Yay. Tax cuts for the wealthy.

[Newsjock]

1. But, but ... there is no inflation

And stop saying that there is. :sarcasm:

[spanone]

2. what party is in control?

[eilen]

3. If only we had such staunch stalwart champions

for the poor as the wealthy do in the highest reaches of government.

[GoCubsGo]

4. And, likely few or no jobs for the 15 million of us who need them. n/t

[TBF]

5. Happy to rec your post, Cali. Reading the news is mind-numbing lately. nt

[Catherina]

6. Rec'd n/t

[Tatiana]

7. Tell me about it. I have to buy groceries for my grandmother.

Took her shopping to Jewel (local grocery store), spent $105 and didn't really have all that much to show for it.

She hates it, but her small pension and SS is not enough to pay housing costs, utilities, medical expenses and buy food so I try to help when I can.

It's infuriating that this administration would find tax cuts for people who don't even need them more acceptable than a very modest SS cola.

[cali]

9. Nice that you're such a good granddaughter.

Food prices are just going to get higher. It takes me a couple of hours to do my grocery shopping now because I have to be so careful about what I spend. I'm so glad I know how to cook healthy cheap foods and that I have the time to do it.

[TBF]

10. I've had to help my mom as well.

Her social security is less than $700 per month, and she works at McDonald's part-time (at age 67). When she fell into the donut-hole on prescriptions I sent her the deductible so her state back-up care would kick in. It is brutal out there.

[Little Star]

8. You are right on this one, imho.

There are a couple of things I do agree with you one and this is one of them. k&r

[KharmaTrain]

11. A Consumer Death Valley Ahead...

While it's in vogue now to blame all the economic woes on this administration, the "hang-over" of the free-wheeling booosh era will be with us for a long time. During those years oil prices doubled which was in effect a major tax hike on the already stressed middle class. Paying more for gas and heat meant less money for paying mortgages and credit cards...and the rise rippled across the entire economy that resulted in higher food costs...yet again more money spent on the necessities rather than the luxuaries...the cataylst to this country's economy. We don't make things, we buy things...and if you can't afford to buy then the economy will stagnate.

The wealthy have already shown that with more money in their pockets they're not going to spend more (unless you build yachts) and with the middle class beaten down and many underwater, these "cuts" will do little to turn things around. The wealthy are oblivious at their own peril as they have screwed their biggest customers and until they start feeling it in their own pockets nothing will be done. They're used to getting their way and that's all that matters.

[Scurrilous]

12. I remember when winters were short and sweet.

*sigh*