The Great Double Dip Recession

My friends, America is in a very bad state. To be honest, I think all that is going on from underemployment, to homelessness, to unemployment could have been prevented. Well, maybe not prevented but various implementations to help the millions of Americans losing their houses, living with no food to eat, and can't pay their bills but still working a 9 to 5. These situations and many more has become a common occurrence for many of us. I remember telling people a couple of years ago that we were in a recession. Some people believed me yet other mistook my synopsis as a joke. Come now into the year 2012, a time when some economists say we're experiencing a double-dip recession and everybody (and I mean everybody) in more ways than one is feeling the burden of it. A lot of us hear it and read the headlines but a lot of us don't know what a recession is. Here is what the dictionary characterizes this word:

recession:  a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP in two successive quarters.


America is experiencing a double-dip recession and we've been in this state for a very long time. Ever since the collapse of various big time banks in late 2007, this country has yet to regroup. The bailouts, which I think should have went to the American people and other social services, only condoned the actions of these crooked businessmen and politicians. International corporations like JP Morgan are still doing horrible, recently admitting to a 5 plus billion dollar shortfall. Right now, we're experiencing a "hiring crisis." Some reports say that unemployment claims are falling and some say they're rising. Do you really want to know the truth? The estimated average rate of unemployment in America is between 13.5 to 15.1 percent. In certain parts of the east coast, south, Midwest, and western states, these rates are almost up to 19 to 20.1%. Now, we're experiencing a great wave of underemployment. Many magazines like Newsweek, Time, and Bloomberg Businessweek are discussing the topic of college graduates within the past 4 years not able to find jobs. From engineers, to business administration workers, to even people wanting to be educators, they can't find a job or a good paying job to save their life. More people in America are in ground zero being laid off, having their hours cut, and they're benefits taken away. You even have certain towns laying off or reducing the pay of cops and firefighters to minimum wage while the mayor and other city officials boost their own pay. We're seeing about 90% or more of our "representatives" (excluding the president and vice president) in Washington D.C. making millions while the rest of America is barely making it. More jobs are being sent overseas and jobs aren't giving the younger generation to utilize their skills in the workplace. The cost of education is increasing and many people who have taken on student loans are defaulting on them. Even in my area, if you've defaulted on your student loan but try to get a certain federal job, you won't get hired based on your credit (unless you know somebody-in Central Texas-it's about who you know not really based on your skills/potential). To quite honest with you, we might as well admit that America has lost its business savvy consisting of ethical business principles. I think two major things continue to contribute to this double-dip recession; greed and the unwillingness to invest for the future. The Bible states that the love of money is the root to all evil (1st Timothy 6:10). Although some people think those words are just from men, when you look at our society, you can't help but agree with this quote that was given by God's foresight  of our hearts. There are people in our society who are filthy rich and care less if the next man's family is homeless and don't have any food to eat. These people are found in law making, politics, and run the bureaucratic affairs at our jobs. These people are the ones causing many of our finest institutions to drastically increase the cost of education and decrease the quality of education in our public school systems (without knowledge, we have no power). In terms of investing, I mean investing in people; giving people a chance. Back in the days, people used to have apprenticeships to guide the next generation along so they could learn and be masters of a trade. Today, that is hardly seen in our society. My age group and the ones under my age group probably don't have a trade. Most of the kids I see in my area want to be a rapper or a pimp rather than a doctor, nurse, or a mechanic. They want to be the next Lebron James than be the next Ben Carson. It's crazy. Instead of seeing investments in people with knowledge of certain trades and business concepts, we're seeing investments of trash, mess, and all things that pulls people down. It's sad and these two have just some of the problems out of many contributing the lingering affects of the double-dip recession. Even in the Central Texas area, I see many jobs willing to pay or invest in the older generation than investing in the newer generation. So what will the newer generation do, they'll get into trouble. One finance book I remember reading was talking about how the affects of poverty increasing the rates and probability of crime. Company executives will hire their good for nothing friends or family instead of hiring Mr. or Ms./Mrs. Do It Right The First Time worker. For some reason, people pick the messiest people instead of picking the people who may hold others accountable but will become a jewel for that company. My friends, we're in a decline and instead of ignoring what's going on around us, we need to acknowledge it. We need to acknowledge that we're going down instead of going up. We're experiencing the great double dip recession. A lot of us don't know the business cycle, but I'd like to share it with you:




We're in a trough, meaning a low point of activity in our economy. Don't be fooled by the new IPhones, wireless technology, and all the gadgets. There are still millions of America out of work or having to work multiple jobs to even see one end meet halfway to the other end. There are still millions of college graduates ready to be hired to take a company to the next level but shunned because companies still run in the good ol' boy system. There are millions of Americans in need of a good samaritan to help them get back on their feet and become a contributor in our society. However, people are just passing them by judging them because of their race, age, creed, criminal history (of which they never get a chance-I see it everyday at my job), and so on. The only way we're going to make it out of this pit is when the powers that be stop being greedy (in DMX's voice) and invest in the right people. It's time we as the American people start to hold our politicians accountable for their undercover actions as well as their lack of action. Why should they get paid thousands to millions of dollars of our hard earned tax money while we struggle to provide for our children? Are they better than us? It's time to hold these crooked businessmen and women accountable for their prejudices hiring schemes so that these college graduates' skills don't go to waste. It's time we hold accountable these school boards who are inserting crooked tools of educational practices and information infecting our kids with garbage (history, social sciences). It's time we learn to invest in one another, namely the next generation. It's time we stop the other half of greed called selfishness and spend time with our kids; making sure they do their homework and excel for success. Dudes and dudettes, it doesn't take much. All it takes is using the business principles correctly and we'll see a turn around. It won't be overnight but it will happen. In Haggai chapter 1, God had got on Israel for these same practices and situations I've talked about in this blog. They have business savvy but used it wrongfully; causing the work of God to experience a double dip recession. He told them what to do and the fire kindled in them once again. The person that spoke to them on God's behalf had held the people and the leaders accountable. They had no other choice but to heed to the wisdom higher than them and get to work the right way. Then the work of God was getting complete. They experienced an expansion like never before. So as I end today's blog, don't take my words as gold because I'm just a man and I can lead you wrong. I'm just concerned about the welfare of our nation; looking passed the glitz and seeing the ugly side. I'm done.
Til next time, dgwo.

Reference:

Haggai 1