It seems as if it could have a smooth landing and runout before it starts the trudge back up. And it seems as if it could just plain wipe out, and hurt itself pretty badly. Either way I suspect a recovery back to where the middle class was is a long, long time coming. For what it's worth, I'm getting a bit more pessimistic than I was regarding this economy.

I remember some setbacks, some recessions, times when marginal folks had a hard time finding a job. One always knew next year would be better. I sure don't remember anything which struck so deep or affected so many people and I'm losing any hope that next year or the year after will bring significant improvement. Adjustments, yes, but it looks to me as if a growing underclass shut out of any hope achieving the "American Dream" is going to have an even tougher time.

"Traditional market thresholds don’t matter. Stocks continue to plow downward as investors try to predict a bottom."

Scary.

I'm also waiting for the Conservative clamor to lower the minimum wage, that it is stifling the economy, depriving workers of jobs and management of profit. And to defend the bonuses of the folks who ran the economy into the ground. Anything requiring the attention and time of a worker which can't pay the minimum wage does not need doing.

Arf