Follow the money !

As a small businessman, I am always looking for signs or clues as to what is going to happen with this
economy in the next few weeks and months.   As someone who has some retail trade and some trade in the transportation sector, I am among many in the small business world who is wondering if the end of
summer has any meaning as to the question of how is the economy going to be in the next few weeks,
quarters--especially with the general election coming in about 60 days.

While there is a lot said in these political times, the economic reports that are issueed monthly or weekly
are both up and down, take your pick.   But there is little to no question that for small businesses, who rely
on the consumer or other small businesses, everyone is either non commital or politically linked to whatever
answer they seem to give.

The truth is always in between those two points, but people are still not spending as they used to a few years ago.   The unemployment situation is still real bad and I blame the past and current administrations for that, even though they keep coming up with excuses and blame for everyone else but themselves.   They bet or guessed wrong, one would have to think, as so many qualified people cannot find work, it is sickening.

What is worse is that most people get scared about their own situation when they hear this news or the employment report, they redfine what is a necessity and what is not a necessity.   And I know this is true
as I am always thinking that what if times actually get worse.

A lot of people are warning that might happen if the tax cuts expire for all taxpayers, by the end of the year.
I am already extremely dismayed that the Social Security Tax rate is going up 1/1/13 and no one seems
to care, as for most Americans, this has helped pay the extra high fuel bills we are dealing with.  

Am I the only one in America to think that the oil firms and the banks are the only ones that are making money because they can charge whatever they want as there is not any real competition in these and many other markets today--almost a de facto price fixing situation, as how can a commodity go up 20% in one
week, when our use has only gone down steadily over the past three years?   Follow the money, it pays for them to manipulate the market and no one in government does anything about it.  And why doesn't this administration go after the oil industry as anyone can tell you that there is something wrong here, that when
Chevron is negligent and allows a fire to one of its refineries, and then all of us have to pay more for their
negligent act.   How come they do not have to pay, as they were the ones who were negligent, right?

What about the banks, who are all making money and still not loaning it, as they have learned how to make
money overcharging their customers and they do not have to lend to do it.  They are all the same, none of them today are giving any deals or paying any interest and which business do you know of, that has a cost
factor (for money) that is as low as it has ever been (i.e. 1-1.5%) and they charge you 8% if you are a good
commercial customer and 18% or more on credit cards.   Who makes 1500-1800% on their margins?

This was the industry the taxpayers had to bail out?   I do not get this yet, a couple of years later as they
never say thanks for the bailout, they just act like we are here for them to mess with and overcharge.

I do not see anything positive from the street either, as the only places that are newly opened are Chinese
masage parlors and dog grooming sites.   How is this economic activity meant to show positive change in the economy?

I hope I am wrong and that the economy gets better fast as this downward cycle has gone on long enough,
that my new byline might as well be hope and change--for the better and hopefully soon.