Nituktetanhan he?

Now this is the substantive problem described once again in obfuscating ways.
The sales report was worrying because consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of U.S. economic activity and has been the main driver of the rebound from the 2001 recession. The concern is that, pinched by pump prices, people are reining in spending on other things. On top of that, the bulging trade deficit shows that consumers' money is going less to U.S. companies and more to firms overseas. Finally, job growth remains anemic, possibly making shoppers even more reluctant to buy. A slowing economy could mean that today's unusually slack job market and stagnant wages may be the best that can be expected this business cycle. It also could deep-six the booming housing market and further depress stock prices.

These paragraphs followed one that started with the phrase "most economists believe." Think about that for a moment. They don't know, they don't factually present, they don't manifest any greater degree of reliability than belief. An entire system of machinations that do nothing so much more than increase human suffering and all based on faith and a desperate absolute need to increase consumer spending as a means to maintain the system. People spend less and that ruins the economy; this basic principle is so flawed, so vile in its manifestations. If we have a system that is foundationally dependent on convincing the population that it must purchase goods and services it doesn't need at an evergrowing 2% rate just to maintain itself, we have a system deeply detrimental to the health and welfare of the planet. But do they care?? No of course not. As the New Yorker magazine pointed out last week, if you aren't one of the wealthiest people in the world then you just dont understand how good they are for the rest of us. Well a simple reading of basic economic theory renders that argument moot.