This Old Economist: Now I’m a sump pump?

I am (unofficially) an old economist and you can call me picky, or demanding, but I don’t like being called a sump pump.

Being called a ‘consumer’ all the time by economists with degrees from who-knows-where (my B. A. degree - in its own plastic sleeve and taped to the back of the furnace - is from the University of Western Ontario, a prestigious educational facility in Deforest City) is bad enough.

Having such high expectations placed upon my shoulders doesn’t feel good either at times.

For example:

“Consumers are going to drive any economic turnaround.” (Sept. 24, London Free Press)

Really? What if I don’t want business as usual, same-old same-old? What if I sit on my wallet as much as I can to help spur a smaller, more sustainable economy? What will you call me then?


["There you are, hard at work. Life sucks, eh."]

And after reading the following, i.e., “it doesn’t seem that government stimulus efforts have done the trick when it comes to increasing, or even stabilizing, consumer confidence,” I feel that not only has the economy been manipulated - poorly - but I’ve been manipulated too and am now poorer, deeper in debt.

Is it just me? I don’t think so.

And wait until people read that we’re now seen as sump pumps.

Michael Antecol, VP of TNS Canada recently said, “While a listing economic recovery is better than no recovery, it might not take much to sink the whole ship. After last month’s mini-rally, it seemed consumers might be the sump pumps that could return some buoyancy to that recovery in the form of sustained confidence. Now it seems as if those pumps are sputtering, leaving some rocky days ahead.”

Being called a sump pump just sucks.

Call me picky, or demanding, but if the government and economists want my help driving the economy, then they should listen up.

This old sump pump wants to see 900 sq. ft. homes and smaller apartments in every new development, especially near the historic core of the city (and not out near some God-forsaken big box complex), smaller models of ‘Made in Canada’ furniture and appliances, smaller cars for the smaller driveways and real efforts to get bums and freight out of cars and trucks, respectively, and onto trolleys and trains.

I want to hear government leaders advocating for much smaller lifestyles.

That’s just for starters.

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See, I told you I was picky and demanding.

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