Wastin Away, I understand how you feel as a small business owner. I closed my company just under two years ago. And, I am doing everything I can to turn my situation around, have fun and appreciate the experience because it was quite an experience. Geo is right in that we personally seek solutions for our own bumps in the road despite more bumps being thrown in our paths. The present state of the economy and the President, Congress, etc that we have in office are here for a while and we have to learn to deal with all of that even if you don't believe in the philosophies. It stinks that you have to (as it appears by your post) layoff 50 employees. You aren't the first company to do so and you won't be the last, unfortunately. You're exactly right that small businesses make up the majority of jobs in this country. Everything ebbs and flows and I hope your business can shift gears through this because I do think it is going to deteriorate.
Right after 9.11.01, I was for the Patriot Act, but others here are correct; that Act is a step toward stripping us of our rights. I guess there's a fine line between protecting us and not becoming more socialized.....by definition.
Lake View Too, while we felt the banking collapse in 2007, it had been brewing for about a decade prior to that. These kinds of collapses don't happen overnight. I do believe 9.11.01 helped facilitate this collapse because of our fiscal reaction to the effects that day had on our economy. Record bankruptcies (individual and corporate) were filed by the end of 2001 and through 2002, the Discount was taken down to 1% and creditors were throwing money at us, even if we couldn't afford it......and, people took the bait. This, after barely recovering from the 1999-2000 recession, which brought about more regulation in the financial industry. Y'all can bat around the blame for which Administration if you want, but not one sole President is 100% responsible. I do find it interesting to look back at our biggest economic downturns and they were mostly banking/financial/securities related.
We invaded Iraq in 2003, all hopeful that it would be swift. The war was essentially over with the capture of Hussein and unfortunately we remained there to be a stabilizing force for them. I wish for us to be out of there, also and I hope Obama is successful in beginning the exit next month.
Comparing deficits is tired. It is tired in the news. It is tired on a message board. Of course, just my humble opinion.