THE DUST SETTLES

NOW THAT ALL OF THE PRESENTS ARE PACKED AWAY, THE TREE WRAPPED UP WAITING FOR NEXT YEAR AND OUR NEW PRESIDENT HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING IT'S TIME TO EVALUATE WHAT JUST HIT US. UNLIKE THE TWIN TOWERS DISASTER, WHERE WE HAD A SPECIFIC CULPRIT, THIS ECONOMIC DISASTER SNUCK UP ON US FROM ALL AREAS. WHEN I LOOK AT THE PROBLEM THE WORD GREED SEEMS TO POP UP. WE ARE ALL GREEDY TO SOME EXTENT. WE WANT TO IMPROVE OUR LOT AND WHO CAN BLAME US. I HAVE A FRIEND, IS ALSO A CLIENT OF MINE, WHO DOESN'T GAMBLE WHETHER IT BE POKER, FOOTBALL POOLS OR STOCK INVESTMENT. HE SAID HIS INVESTMENT WAS HIS COMPANY WHICH HE RAN RATHER EFFICIENTLY. AS THE CARDS STARTED TO FALL AROUND US AND STOCKS DEVALUED 50% OR MORE HE FELT COMFORTABLE IN HIS DECISION. THEN THE SECOND WAVE ROLLED IN. THOSE THAT WERE HURT CIRCLED THE WAGONS AND SQUEEZED THE BUDGET FORCING THEM TO STOP BUYING. MY FRIEND'S BUSINESS GOT FEWER AND FEWER ORDERS OR LOST ACCOUNTS TO OVERSEAS PIRATES. POINT IS NOBODY WAS UNAFFECTED. NOW WHAT DO WE DO. AS AMERICANS IT IS UP TO US TO LEAD THE WAY, AS ALWAYS, AND START THAT ECONOMY ROLLING AGAIN. THERE IS ALMOST 8% UNEMPLOYMENT BUT THAT LEAVES 92% OF US STILL EARNING. IF WE ALL RELAXED A LITTLE AND WENT BACK TO OUR NORMAL SPENDING HABITS, A LITTLE WISER, PROSPERITY WILL RETURN. IN FACT I'M GOING OUT TODAY AND BUY A COUPLE OF THINGS.