Song lyrics? Or economic analysis?
Both, actually.
Gwen Stefani’s tune Danger Zone said it best: “We are in a mess, a Danger Zone. What will happen next? You never know.”
Sounds a lot like the latest report from eocnomic guru Ernie Goss.
Creighton University professor Goss says our MidAmerica regional economy has found a danger zone of its own.
Goss measures the nine-state regional economy, including Missouri and Kansas, with an index based on surveys of the folks who do the purchasing for businesses.
His assessment of January: “While the overall index is up slightly for the month, it remains in the danger zone.”
In more specific terms, Goss sees “a deepening recession for the region during the first half of 2009 and potentially stretching into the second half of the year.”
To put a number on things, Goss’s index reading for the month just ended was a paltry 33.5. That’s on a scale where it has to top 50 to show economic growth.
At least conditions have stopped deteriorating for now. December’s index was 33.0.
Missouri’s own reading dipped to a state record low of 32.4. Kansas rebounded to 39.6, which Goss called “very weak” but better than the 31.1 it scored in December.
Nationally, the same index reads 35.6 for January, up from 32.9 in December. Those thoughts come from the Institute for Supply Management, whose survey Goss replicates for the region.
There could be no better investment in America than to invest in America becoming energy independent! We need to utilize everything in out power to reduce our dependence on foreign oil including using our own natural resources. Create cheap clean energy, new badly needed green jobs, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. OPEC will continue to cut production until they achieve their desired 80-100. per barrel. The high cost of fuel this past year seriously damaged our economy and society. Oil is finite. We are using oil globally at the rate of 2X faster than new oil is being discovered. We need to take some of these billions in bail out bucks and bail ourselves out of our dependence on foreign oil. Jeff Wilson has a really good new book out called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence Now. He explores our uses of oil besides gasoline, our depletion, out reserves and stores as well as viable options to replace oil.Oil is finite, it will run out in the not too distant future. WE need to take some of these billions in bail out bucks and bail America out of it's dependence on foreign oil. The historic high price of gas this past year did serious damage to our economy and society. WE should never allow others to have that much power over our economy again. I wish every member of congress would read this book too.
www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com