Shopping

I was listening to the radio this morning and the host was saying that he went to the mall yesterday to stimulate the economy. I just have to wonder - when did the word "shopping" get replaced with the phrase "stimulate the economy"? How many points did the Dow have to plummet in order for this change to occur? I have even caught myself saying it. Where are you off to? Oh, I'm off to stimulate the economy. Have things really gone so off course that our weekend hobbies are being renamed? I don't even really know if it is up to us as citizens to stimulate the economy. Maybe if companies would stop laying people off, canning anyone who has been in the company longer than 5 years, and closing down offices like it's going out of style, we would have more money to spend. But they are cutting costs because no one is spending. How do you stop something that is a never ending cycle of poor decisions? I heard about a week ago about how companies are getting rid of employees with seniority because they pay them more so it is more cost effective. However, once the economy does try to recover - these same business will be unable to satisfy demand because they will be understaffed with incompetent people. Is there really a solution to this? Obama is trying to pass his stimulus package. Most people see it as throwing money at the problem, just like the last checks we received. However, I'm sure these same people will be just as happy to accept THEIR check from the government as everyone else. But they will most likely put it into a savings account or pay off some old debt with it. Me....I think I'll go stimulate the economy.