$90 Oil Means Our Economy is In Trouble--GOT IT?

So, I've blogged a LOT about our failing economy. In the beginning I tried to play it cool and unbiased--I knew what logic seemed to be telling me, but in the face of the TV's talking heads and liars like Greenspan and Bush telling us that all was fine with our economy, I felt that if I blatantly criticized the economy anyone who didn't know me would think I was biased.

Of course, what no one likes to admit is that knowledge makes you biased.

Since those earlier posts, however, I've come across more and more evidence that the shit really is starting to come down--it's a trickle, of course, but it is coming down. The weak-ass dollar is one bit of evidence (as I type this, one US dollar buys .97 Canadian dollars). The abundance of closed up brickandmortar stores in Los Angeles (where I live) suggests people are spending less on things and one of the more recent personal discovers I've made is that prices have gone up distinctly just over the past couple of months on everything.

See, my temp job ended back at the end of July and while I've been looking for work, TheWife has been picking up the financial slack by paying bills and buying groceries--so I haven't been watching the prices. However, just last week I got a paycheck for a short temp gig I did and was able to buy some groceries on my own for the first time in a month or so. One of my staples is store-brand orange juice. Approaching the juice section in my supermarket last week gave me a surprise.

The last time I bought OJ, back in July (and for months/years before that) I remember spending around $5 for a gallon of "Kroger's" brand "Homestyle" Orange juice. Sometimes it was even cheaper if you buy two half-gallon bottles. Either way, I usually spent between $4.50 and $5 for a gallon. Last week, I paid $5.50.

Now, $5.50 isn't that big of a price for OJ but fifty cents is kind of a big jump for a price to make. Are we having weather problems? No. Are shippers on strike? I don't think so. So, why the hell has OJ jumped so far in the past month?

I've noticed that most of my staples have gone up in price as well. The price jumps haven't been as extreme, but they're up nonetheless.

Of course, the most depressing jump in recent days has been oil. As I type this DrudgeReport.Com is reporting that it went past $90 per barrel today. At this point I'd just like to say one thing:

WHO FUCKING CARES ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING? THAT OIL IS TOO GOD DAMN EXPENSIVE!!

We need to get off that shit for a DOZEN OTHER REASONS on TOP of global warming.

I am so glad I don't own a car. Of course, because of my job situation I can't afford a bus pass this month, but hey, I'm sure those will go up in price soon, too. I think I'll start saving for a skateboard.

So, this is what a failing economy looks like. When moron-kiss-asses like Fred Thompson go out there and say that "I see no reason to think we're headed for an economic downturn," it makes me want to reach through the TV, grab these idiots by the collar and demand to know: "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU LYING TO US?"

They're lying to us, dear reader, because they need us to not put up a fight as the rich stay richer and we stay their effective slaves.

See, I'd be cool with globalism if only we Americans actually saw some benefit to it.

Instead, we see our jobs vanish, wages drop, currency value follow our wages (and drop), prices rise, and our quality of life lower.

Where the fuck are our leaders leading us??

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