You Gotta Spend More to Get More ... I Think

Let me get this straight. In order for the economy to recover here, we as U.S. Americans are going to have to spend more money. If we don't spend, we're going to crash again. WTF (Why the face?)

How long has our economy relied almost entirely on how much Americans spend on stuff they don't need. I say “stuff they don't need,” because if we need something, we usually find a way to get it? How long has this been going on?

I know the pilgrims did not come over on the Mayflower expecting to start a country completely based on how much stuff they could purchase at the Plymouth Rock Target, right?

So, when did it come around? And how did we get here? And is this right? Can we survive as a nation long term if all we're about is how many new televisions the American family buys each year.

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, consumer spending amounts to 70 percent of the economic activity for the United States' economy. The same story I read said that consumer spending was down for the third quarter.

“The Commerce Department reported Friday that consumer spending fell 0.5% in September. The decline was largely attributed to reduced car sales a month after the "cash for clunkers" program ended. Spending on durable goods such as cars and other products designed to last more than three years fell 7%, more than erasing gains from a month earlier.” (the story is here).



So, if we don't spend, we are going to be owned by the Chinese or worse, the French. There's only one thing we can do ...

Does anybody know what brand of 50” televisions are the best? I'm in the market.