[Dems2008] Re: Income is down for the middle class

I've seen some significant signs (to my way of thinking) that the
economic slowdown is spreading more deeply than I'd thought:

First, I understand that Macaroni Grill will close ALL its restaurants
in Connecticut. I don't particularly like (in fact I don't like) MG,
but it's very popular here, and they're packed in our area.

Second, we've just hired a contractor for a bathroom remodel; we've
seen his work; it's first class; we know three families who have used
this guy, and we've seen his work. When we signed contract today, I
asked when he thought he could begin work: I was shocked when he
said "A WEEK FROM MONDAY." Our first trip thru Lowe's and Home Depot
on this job showed us a WHOLE LOT of interest in sales persons wanting
to help us; and Home Dep and Lowe's in my experience are not renowned
for good service; they are hurting it appears.

[Fortunately, my wife holds several international shopping titles, so
I just follow along and push the carts.]

We live in a recession-resistant locale (unemployment lower than 3
percent), but when it starts hitting contractors, you know it's
deepening. A local nursery that just finished landscaping the side of
our house said its business has been cut IN HALF compared to a year
ago (much of that I presume due to a decrease in new home construction
landscaping).

We are far from out of the woods, and Fed short-term rate cuts are not
alone going to solve things. It's not the COST of credit these days;
it's the AVAILABILITY (or lack thereof) of credit that's hurting more
and more.

-- In Dems2008@yahoogroups.com, rightdemocrat@... wrote:
>
> _http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20080410/BUSINESS/804100593_
> (http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20080410/BUSINESS/804100593)
>
>
>
> **************Planning your summer road trip? Check out AOL Travel
Guides.
> (http://travel.aol.com/travel-guide/united-states?
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