Here in Portland, OR our weekend forecast is for temps in the 80's and sunshine. I know that this great weather after a particularly dreary winter is all it will take to get people to make their summer plans. My vacation rentals will get a boost of reservations for the summer. I'm finalizing my own vacation plans also.
The stagnant economy has become a way of life for us and I hate it. I remember in late 2008 saying we should kiss goodby any recovery for 2009, that 2009 was a lost cause, a year where real estate prices, jobs, everything would be flat. What a horrible outcome our politicians have brought upon us; 2009 is long gone, 2010, more of nothing, 2011 is half over and all we get are gas prices so high all our money is gone. Yes I blame the politicians, and I blame ourselves for continuing to vote the same failures into office. Oh you can place responsibility on banks, wall street, world events, but these people are reacting to policy and laws enacted, or not enacted in Washington. You and I have no power except our votes, and our spending; and of course we also act and react to policy and laws, just like the big bad guys. The members of congress, our senators and the current president are the real bad guys, they are the reason gas prices are high, they are the reason your house is no longer your nest egg. On the local level there is just as much blame, our local city and county government have enacted so much regulation and fees that mom and pop business is reeling, new start ups are almost non existent, real estate development is dead largely due to outrageous costs and regulation. We as a society have allowed ourselves to lose what we hold dear. By always saying yes to costly, touchy, feel good earth saving rules and regulations we have ruined our way of life and become indebted to the point of no return, and yet when faced with opportunity to do something, instead of saying "no" we quickly vote our special interests or self serving law makers. I know I only speak for myself, I know that many (about 50%) people are happy with life the way it is. Polls announced on the news are always showing satisfaction with our politicians; are you one of them?
John 6/2/11
