Kinda depressing

So I went to the Chicago RV show today in Rosemont. I ran into the owner of my dealership who I know pretty well. I kidded with him and asked him "So, what are you giving away for free?" His answer was "My place" meaning his business. He went on to talk about how bad things still are for dealers out there. He pointed primarily at the banks who are still squeezing the nickel like never before. I asked him specifically how the show was going and he just shrugged and said "so so". I wanted to say something encouraging but Im not sure what that would be. Frankly, I don't think we've seen the worst yet. We had some postings in the past six months where people were hopeful that the industry was on the upswing after the temporary downturn. I guess from what I'm seeing the RV industry may still have a long way to go and we may still see a good number of casualties.

I agree - I don't think we have seen the worst yet. DH is a civil engineer and says he doesn't see a turn around in the industry at all. He's seeing huge amount of firms laying off employees or firms closing their doors and walking away. Anyone saw the show "Undercover Boss" the other night? Maybe we should have our government officials spend time in the real job world instead of sitting on the hill being catered to. B--

The show was about WM waste managment??
the big shot got an eye opening of his company and changed thing after his undercover.
Will be tuning into more of them.

And yes in Calgary buisness's are folding regularly. layoffs and noone hiring for good paying jobs now.
lots of retail, store, jobs. but hard to live on $9.00/hr

I guess I'm puzzled why most everyone thinks things are going to ever "turn around" For twenty years years we've been pushing for the global economy. We've done this through long-term trade agreements and the economics that support it. Well, the global workforce is still coming. Things may find some more sense of balance one day, but the only way we will compete globally with many countries where workers are paid with a bowl of rice a day, is when we will work for the same.

As consumers we must look to cheaper goods to stretch our family, which due to unfair price competition supports imports and continued job erosion in the US. Even service industries once considered immune are not. My employer (in the Building construction and Service sector) has denied raises for two years for engineers. Not only do we send a vast amount of engineering work to India, we have continually laid off, and brought Indian workers to the US to work locally on projects. Even with the travel costs, an Indian contingent worker is about 60%-75% cheaper than American counterparts.

There is no turnaround. There is no end in sight. We are just 20-years down a road paved by corporate greed, and no one knows just where it goes or when we'll get there.

We have seen the best, It was a ride that all of us retires have enjoyed and I am sad to say that our sons and daughters will not have the chance to experience.
We Baby Boomers had it all, but it took us years to have it.
I see the younger ones want everything we took years to get by the time they are 25. I am saying that is passed and nothing but worst is coming down the tube.

I payed $1200 for a 26" TV in the 70's and made 7K salery, Now on 30K salery I can buy one for $200. No way can locale workers make it for that price.
I have seen 21% mortgage interest in the 70"s and in no way can anyone afford a house if the interest rate goes to 10%.
The future is not clear, but I live by what I have learned through the years and I am happy to be retired from the rat race yet to come.

As long as we keep electing politicians that wont support building energy related projects this is only going to get worse. Most of the current group of Senators and Representatives are in the pockets of outsiders. The next couple of elections will show you where we are headed. You cant build things without cheap energy and you cant create wealth with service jobs. We are doing this to ourselves due to the way we have voted. Now there are so many on the free lunch side it is going to be difficult to vote responsible people back into office.

"Kinda Depressing"?

The sun will come out tomorrow
Betc'ha bottom dollar that tomorrow, they'll be sun...

I guess we all agree that we have dug ourselves one ugly hole to try to climb out of. But I guess the point here is more personal. I have owned three rigs over the last 22+ years. This dealer serviced my first one even though I bought it elsewhere. I then purchased rigs #2 and #3 from him. My father in law purchased a rig from them in the same period. I currently store my Bighorn with them and if I ever have any issues, they're on it. They have been around my whole RVing life.

Now I don't want to start any unfounded rumors here either. There's probably absolutely nothing to this except a guy venting some frustration over some tough conditions. I'm simply saying that if someone as established and steady as that were to be pushed out of this business, it would be a sad commentary.

The old saying "you haven't seen nothing yet, just wait and see whats comming. In the year 2020 our Countrys debt (thats us) will be 80% of the budget and that doesn't count SS or the Military. Now think about that. As was said credit is the problem. A few years back if a person was breathing he or she could get all kinds of credit. And now we make very little in this country as for as manufactoring. So what are we to do??? And we aren't drilling for Oil, what is wrong with that picture. This country runs on Oil. GBY...