Fall temperatures always give me an extra bounce to my stride and that was the case this morning. I'm trying to get back on schedule with the dog's morning routine and my own. Crisp air and the smell of slightly decaying leaves always lightens my mood, but the leaves aren't the only thing falling; so is the U.S. Dollar and it's hard to ignore.

Again today we're given news, albeit second and third-page news of the U.S. Dollar hitting a new low, and oil prices hitting a brand-spanking-new high: $100 per barrel by the end of today quite possibly. Shit, by the time I finish writing this drivel we may have hit it. It's the dirty little secret that isn't so secret and not enough of us or our mass media are talking about it.

I don't necessarily march in lockstep panic over all the sociopolitical catch topics 'they' like to ruffle our feathers over, but if you aren't paying attention to what's going on, you're a blind lamb. Its okay, I'll forgive, just try to keep up from here on out, 'k?

At this point, one U.S. Dollar is almost equal to that of the Canadian Dollar, and I won't even compare it to the Euro or British Pound. Let's just say Europe will have a LOT less Americans lingering about, including yours truly. And I'd SO hoped Tom would be giving me that European tour for my upcoming 40th. Damn the luck.

The Bush Administration's spin is that the weakening is good for U.S. exports; again Bush proves his concern is not for the general welfare of the American people and our overall economic health, but to help big business, REALLY big business make a few extra bucks at the expense of driving our currency into a second-tier status.

My bigger concern is that the average man on the street is blissfully unaware of this and as someone else questioned this morning during an online discussion, how long will this go on before the average American wakes-up and realizes what's happened? Why are we completely blind to it? Because we have our own, greater personal worries? Is the light bill hard to pay? Trouble in the relationship? Rent late? We can't sacrifice our eye on what's going on with the country as a whole simply because daily life is keeping us preoccupied.

I would rant about the soon-to-be $4.00 per gallon gas prices but I'm out of gas and have calls to make. Just remember, there's a dirty word to call all of this which hasn't been spoken in decades: Recession..

Is anyone listening?

Posted by JD on November 7, 2007 8:58 AM