Do you think the economy will improve in 2009?

[gordo]

Cast your vote - Do you think the economy will improve in 2009?

 

[meddington]

I think it will improve from rock bottom, but I'm not sure we've reached that yet.

 

[oxburger]

I hope so. Luckily my wife is a career coach who does career networking webinars as well as outplacement services and resume writing, so her business is kinda swamped right now as you can imagine with all the layoffs.

 

[Tech]

It's hard to be optimistic about 2009 outlook considering a simple fact: financial/banking sector is still not out of the waters yet and considering how this thing blow up from credit-swap and no one is held responsible for anything... I don't think we have seen the end of this story.

I hated all Fed's bailouts because those whom took too much risks, actually got rewarded and protected instead of letting them to fail in a competitive "free-market". "Too big to failed" is one quote from '08 to remember because it will comeback and bite us harder. An early warning sign is that no one seems to know where and how billions are spent by banks that received them nor will they talk about it... what a surprise there.

There were plenty of warning signs from experts/scholars that goes as far back as '05. No one listened then because half-empty bottle stories doesn't feed the greed. Oddly, rest of the world looks to us for direction and other gov'ts are doing "bailouts" as well.

My job should be secured for much of '09, but I'm realistic about losing it beyond next year. Unless you are working for a good cash-flow and well managed company, don't have high hopes and better work on a backup plan now.

 

[Vee]

I think it's going to get worse before it gets better. Like mentioned above, I don't believe we've seen rock bottom as of today. 2009 may show "improvements", but improvement over this mess we are living with now isn't much to get excited about.

 

[Kristian]

I think it will get better, but not until much later in the year. First 9 months it will keep sinking.

 

[JaimeZ]

Not with Obama as President

Not with Obama as President

I'm sorry but I can't see the economy getting better with Obama as president. I still remember the disastrous presidency of Jimmy Carter. Obama like Carter are real left of center bordering on socialism. Both have Pollyanna attitudes towards world leaders like Carter with the USSR's Brezhnev and Obama with Iran's President Ahmadinejad.

I want to be wrong and I will pray that Obama will be the best president ever, but Obama is too entrenched in the Democratic Party machine and he is not known for going against it. And not to mention that both the Senate and the House of Representatives are also in control by the Democrats. Again I hope I am wrong.

 

[rbailleu]

jaimez,

Yes we can!!! go out of business. I hope we are wrong. but the us government needs to cut its overhead just like my company does. I plan on laying off myself and my wife so that I don't have to lay off anyone else. everything will be okay on January 21st. okay it might take 6 days.

but seriously, I think things will crash some more through Q2 and heat up in july. I doubt things will be great 2009. 2010 should be fine just in time to keep democrats in power in congress.

check out www.howobamagotelected.com

 

[plategirl]

I think it will improve slightly at the end of 2009, get worse spring 2010, then improve very very slowly. The worldwide economy is the worst since the Great Depression, and in ways worse, so I'm not looking to see any massive gains anytime soon..if ever again, certainly not in time to save most of the printing industry. Actually, if I can be blunt, I'm pessimistic; it'll be a miracle if I even have my job this time next year.

 

[Tech]

jaimez,

Yes we can!!! go out of business. I hope we are wrong. but the us government needs to cut its overhead just like my company does. I plan on laying off myself and my wife so that I don't have to lay off anyone else. everything will be okay on January 21st. okay it might take 6 days.

but seriously, I think things will crash some more through Q2 and heat up in july. I doubt things will be great 2009. 2010 should be fine just in time to keep democrats in power in congress.

check out www.howobamagotelected.com

If we are to assign blames, Republicans would be first in line and Obama is not even in office yet. If we are to assign blames, take a good look at lame-duck Pres. Bush and his accomplishments in last 8-yrs. While, it's true, financial deregulation started before Bush got in office, but under his watch this process accelerated. Lastly, I love how he is touring around right now trying to save his legacy.

Let's keep politics off this site because you don't want to go there.

 

[almaink]

Remember one thing, Bush wasn't a king or dictator. Democrats also share the blame. Bank Presidents and CEO's are the worst offenders IMO, they all knew what was going on, or should have, but greed took over and won.

 

[Vee]

Agreed, they(the banks) ALL knew what was going on. They were writing bad paper, making big money doing it, and it all caught up. They were writing loans for $$ to people they KNEW couldn't swing it. But the banks / lenders get paid to write loans / paper, then they just sell it off.

They'd write a loan, sell it off that same night, and do it all over again the next day. It's a shame that there is no real accountability on there behalf....

 

[John A]

This is US economy centric but probably applies to other countries as well:

If government were run more like a business with accountability and fiscal responsibility to the people who pay for the bloated political machine we have we wouldn't be in this mess. Unfortunately, Fed bailouts are not the answer beyond keeping the sector in question afloat until they burn through the bailout money. If you think about it, our country has been bailing itself out for years now (with risky credit and loans facilitated by our short-sighted friends in the government as well as lenders looking for any way to make a buck) and now we're just making it an official Government tactic. The result will be no different than the private lender based "bailouts" our society has been living off of for years.

We need to wake up and realize that propping up the economy in an artificial fashion has been going on for years (stock market, real estate, financial shenanigans) and until it settles into a state of equilibrium (which may be painful for lots of us) it's never going to be on solid ground.

We need politicians who are able to recognize the ugly truth of our situation and provide real solutions (cut spending and reduce debt) and we haven't had those since the early 80s.

Think really hard before you vote the same people back into office in 2 years.

 

[rbailleu]

the government should have backed the money and let the banks fail. protect the assests kick the ceo to the curb. I believe thats what ireland did? yes the stock holders lose but they should have voted out the bum that got them into the situation.


2006 was a good year for us then the democrats took over congress and things went to heck. but your right this should be taken to the lounge my bad. darn republicans made me do it.

 

[oxburger]

Remember one thing, Bush wasn't a king or dictator. Democrats also share the blame. Bank Presidents and CEO's are the worst offenders IMO, they all knew what was going on, or should have, but greed took over and won.

I agree, it's like blaming a football loss on the head coach. Sure he was in charge, but alot more had to happen for the team to lose. Like cheating (subprime mortgage lending), players leaving to go to different teams (job outsourcing).

What strikes me as funny is that my wife and I bought a Honda Accord recently. One of our neighbors berated me and told me that I should have "bought American" to save jobs. I then proceeded to tell him that the Accord was actually built in Marysville, Ohio. The same people who work for GM who proclaim "buy american" probably buy their groceries at Wal-Mart because it's cheaper there. Wal-Mart does more damage to the American economy then buying a foreign car ever will, but that's a whole new argument.

People will have to sooner or later realize that we're moving toward a world economy.....

 

[oxburger]

If government were run more like a business with accountability and fiscal responsibility to the people who pay for the bloated political machine we have we wouldn't be in this mess.

Ross Perot in 2012!

 

[johnnyba]

Yes but not for many printers

Yes but not for many printers

I think the economy as we know it will not recover quickly if at all. Printers will have a tougher time as companies shrink or close the advertising budgets will also shrink. Newspapers are already closing and/or limiting printings to to certain days to cut cost and with Obama in office pushing technology, newspapers, magazines and the like will soon not be available except on-line. So as I am optimistic for the coming year I am not optimistic on the printing industry.

 

[meddington]

and with Obama in office pushing technology, newspapers, magazines and the like will soon not be available except on-line.

Don't be too sure. Obama might have to give up his Blackberry and email.

 

[prepress@labels]

The blame game

The blame game

This mess is a long way from "over" -- whatever that means.

I have to laugh when I see folks attempting to place blame on Democrats or Republicans. Who's fault is this mess? I put it squarely on the electorate, the citizens, the dopey masses who allow Democrats and Republicans to fool them over and over again. And we allow them to point fingers at each other when both parties are entirely complicit for the wars, the wasted lives, the financial disasters, all of it.

Sadly, most people are really not that interested in the truth. Instead, they continue to look for a saviour in some elected politician who will tell them what they want to hear. We may have finally reached that point where the truth has begun to overtake us. I hope so.

 

[Brad38CMU]

I think much of the blame falls right on the shoulders of the irresponsible citizens of our country. There are way too many people that buy houses, cars and other crap that they don't need and can't afford. Just because the bank approves you to buy a $$ quarter million dollar $$ home, doesn't mean you have to buy it. Yes, the banks' lending habits were out of control, but people need to be responsible for their own actions and stop blaming the banks because they made a poor choice. I have absolutely no sympathy for the people that have stretched their budget to the max and live paycheck to paycheck. I respect the guy that lives in his mobile home and drives a 20 year old car because that is all he can afford. People want everything, but do not want to work for it.