This Old Economist: More astute predictions

As I said yesterday, wee blurbs that quote big numbers about the economy turn my crank.

They say so little, leaving room for me to say so much more.

Another example: Go Figure - Today’s big financial numbers

49% - Half of US consumers say it’s more difficult to find a job today than it was one year ago, according to a new RBC survey. (April 1, London Free Press)

Some will say, “There’s nothing more to say. Times are bad, eh.”

Well, I have a word or two I’d like to add.

First, why are folks referred to as ‘consumers’ all the time? What ever happened to words like citizens, people, population, residents or Americans?

Half of US citizens are facing tough times. I like it. Not that I want them facing tough times, but ‘consumers’ sounds so... misleading. People are so much more than consumers.


Second, if the US, and so many other countries, persist in pursuing excessive consumerism on the back of fossil fuels (especially dirty fuels like coal and tar sands oil), two other wee blurbs will be made one day soon.

Predictions:

51% - More than half of US citizens say it’s more difficult to find a job today than it was one year ago.

51% - More than half of the US and Canadian population say it’s more difficult to breathe today than it was one year ago.

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