Main Street's Rage at the Financial Crisis

[Crewleader]

Working folks are outraged about the government's proposed Wall Street rescue

"If the CEOs end up sleeping in cardboard boxes, that's O.K. They don't deserve to be multi-millionaires." Brett Slack, co-owner of Lehigh Valley Paintball Chris Casaburi

by Susan Berfield

Allentown, Pa., is in some ways a profoundly ordinary place. Like cities and towns all over America, it has been shaken by economic changes seemingly beyond its control: the churning of industries, the dislocation of workers. Many residents just sigh at the mention of Billy Joel's anthem to the gritty, struggling Allentown of the 1980s, when the once-great Bethlehem Steel mill went into a death spiral: "Every child had a pretty good shot to get at least as far as their old man got. But something happened on the way to that place."

Allentown has reimagined itself since then. The city's biggest employer, Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Network, is thriving. Officials have enticed companies to the area with tax breaks. A small group of businesspeople is trying to make the city center more vital: Allentown Brew Works, opened a year ago in the old Harold's Furniture building, seats 400 on four floors.

Lately, though, a familiar economic anxiety has been creeping into people's lives. Some retail businesses are starting to cut back on employees' hours. And Mack Trucks announced in August that it is moving its century-old headquarters from Allentown to Greensboro, N.C.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_40/b4102000059163.htm?

[texastoast]

1. I called all my Congress critters today

And told them it was just not acceptable to "bail out" a company (WaMu) who was planning to pay their "new" CEO a $7 million+ signing bonus.

Funny how these "capitalists" are wanting a socialist handout--for themselves--on Main Street's back.

[Crewleader]

2. bravo texastoast

:applause: