Economic Slowdown

The best place to find out how the economy is doing,is to stand in line at your local check out,in the grocery store.
Today this was my vantage on just how poor our economic growth,or lack there of,is taking us.
The women placing her goods on the cashiers check out belt,turned to me and said "I wish some one would come along and pay for my food,who can even afford to eat,but it will never be because I'm just not that lucky."
Wishing I had extra cash,to assist her with her unhappiness,but only have exactly enough for myself,I agreed that continually high prices,week after week,puts all of us in a position of just getting by,unable to budget form one week to the next.
The cashier,who was in her late fifties,went on to add,that she wishes she could take a vacation,but two years of unenployment and now only being able to get 20 hours of work a week,has left her only longing for,even just a weekend away.
The lady in front of me went on to add,how her husband,who has had triple bipass surgery,can only hope to get by"no welfare help or food stamps for us,we make to much money","To much money and look what little I can purchase,it's just not fair"she added.
The world is in a sorry state of affairs and has I listened to their stories,the show the Waltons came to mind.
Oh we are doing better then they did,at least we have unemployment and welfare,but the depression in peoples voices and lives is all pretty evident.
When it became my turn The cashier noticed I had bought 4 pies that were marked down,she asked about my pie consumtion,to which I laughed and told her it was for our church community meal,we have three thursdays a month at St. Micheal Church in Southbridge Mass,I invited her to come and join us for a free meal this thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 and meet more people in need of good conversation and a chance to just shoot the breeze.
Things are not good out there and the President insisting we all need social programs,is a waste of most peoples time.
Alot of folks just want to work and maybe have enough left over to get away for a weekend,some place quite to forget their desperate situations.
See the people this economy is hurting the most are the ones trying the hardest to get by and stay afloat.
Its not the 1% or those on welfare,its the underemployed desperately trying to make the house payment,buy food,get gas,go to work and pay all the taxes and bills,swamping them.
November is coming and hopefully people will take a long hard look at what they have and what they've lost and vote accordingly.
Is your situation better then 4 years ago? How about your friends and neighbors?
If your not sure spend some time in a grocery line or sitting in a mcDonalds,have a cup of coffee and just listen to the conversations around you.
Being in a position to not only hear,but realy pay attention to what is being said,is the greatest economic classroom you will every spend time in,and the best indicator of where our markets are headed.