Sorry - I strongly disagree with some - this current recession was caused by 3 main factors that are above and beyond all other factors. --------------------------------------- #1 We were attacked by terrorists requiring a very expensive, long range plan to retaliate and protect ourselves. We have never had a single significant attack since, so the response was extremely successful although costly. Our economy would have easily survived this factor had it not been for the next two that followed close behind. ------------------------------------------------- BTW - This 9-11 attack happened in the early days of the George Bush administration but was a result of bin Laden planning and working for years to pull it off. Blame who you want but Bill Clinton and the largely Democratic congress had EIGHT whole years that they knew bin Laden was after us and they did nothing! -------------------------------------------- #2 - The Democratically controlled banking committees in BOTH houses (Barney Frank & Chris Dodd) changed all the banking regulations to not only allow easy access to risky mortgages but also allowed banks and financial houses to pull strings and teeter us close to financial disaster. All it took was for enough irresponsible people to fall for the line handed them and enter into those risky loans, then default. This is nobody's fault but their own - they sought and signed willing for those loans then failed and defaulted. Blame who you want but it doesn't take a genius to see who caused the banking and mortgage crisis. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #3 Lastly - after one useful and successful "bail out" - then the current President decided to throw more GOOD money down the drain and again, it doesn't take a genius to know if you give away and waste all your money you will have a severe financial crisis - which we do. Almost 6 TRILLION more dollars in NEW debt in just the past 3 years - almost as much as all 43 presidents before him combined ran up! So again - tell me just who is responsible for the financial problems we have? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BUT even despite this we are a nation that is GREATLY blessed...and most people who work do well for themselves and are abundantly satisfied with what they have in this FREE NATION! and even those who don't or can't work have access to many forms of assistance. How can you deny that even the poor in this nation own cars, cell phones, color TV's, and virtually everyone has food and a place to live. In fact - strangely a large percentage of those claiming to be poor have enough expendable income for cigarettes, liquor, drugs, and other things that prove they are not so much destitute but instead irresponsible. ---------------------------- Those pointing fingers constantly and looking for someone to blame for their dissatisfaction - the rich, the working class, politicians, Wall Street, talk radio hosts, Tea Partiers - are largely looking for a scapegoat to lay the blame on for their own outcome or laziness. There is a GREAT difference between those who are unable to work or who have nobody to help them or support them - and those who are unwilling to work or waste the help given to them.