January's retail sales weakest in nearly four decades

[Lithos]

Source: Associated Press

Here's a sign of how shaky the economy has become: Wal-Mart says its shoppers are redeeming their holiday gift cards for basic items – pasta sauce, diapers, laundry detergent – instead of iPods or DVDs.

Merchants had hoped shoppers armed with gift cards would provide a lift after a dismal holiday shopping season – partly because people tend to spend more than the value of the card.

Instead, on Thursday, the nation's retailers turned in their worst January sales growth in almost four decades as high gas and food prices, a slumping housing market, tighter credit and a tougher job market pushed consumers to the edge.

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Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-retailsales_08bus.ART.State.Edition1.39239bc.html

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It's the economy stupid. Yeah Bush, we're talking to you.

[Hugin]

1. We'll know it's -REALLY- -REALLY- -BAD- when they start giving out...

Disposable diapers and canned food on TeeVee game shows.

Next step... Mark my words.

I'm old enough to have been here before.

Maybe that's what they're waiting for? :shrug:

[nightrider767]

2. Spending money on what you actually need!?!

What a concept!

Keep it up AMerica.

[Binka]

3. Last Saturday At The Thrift Shop I Frequent They Said No More 50% Off Saturdays

The fecking thrift shops can't even have a sale anymore? Jesus HELLO 1929!

[Pale Blue Dot]

4. Hey, moderator.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3172226&mesg_id=3172226

:D

[fascisthunter]

5. Yeah But Bush Knows He's Bankrupting America

he doesn't give a damn about America as it pertains to average Americans. I don't think he is as "stupid" as most call consider him. He's ignorant, but he's still a con artist who has ripped America off, so how stupid could he really be....? Stupid as in extreme? That I can agree with.

[tom_paine]

10. To the Bushies, human misery and bankruptcies are opportunities.

The Bushies will never make the mistake they made in the Great Depression again, which is to be too connected to the Serf Economy.

The Great Depression lead to the "great compression" and the egalitarianizing of America after WWII.

Equality and egalitarianism is anathema, poison to aristocratic Bushies.

[bitchkitty]

11. Stupid like a snake. n/t

[H8fascistcons]

6. Wall Mart under pressure? Sign me up...

Bad news for average Americans but it's music to my ears that the very corporation that is directly responsible for shipping millions of American jobs to China is suffering. Choke on your China junk Wall Mart!!!! Go on line and find American clothing companies that make clothes in the U.S. and support them America...It's time we stood up to this evil corporation!!!!

[eilen]

7. Maybe we have already hit our high tide line for cheap Chinese crap.

Or maybe there is no more room to store it all. Downsizing via foreclosure.

[SoCalDem]

8. a "shoppers' economy" is a stupid idea

Rising prices only ensure that people will start to buy less and less, and set the firing-layoff spiral into motion..creating even fewer and fewer people able to "shop"..and eventually most people have more than enough $4 flip-flops & $10 knock-off jeans from China..

Most of what we DO these days in America...is sell stuff to each other, and tend to each other's personal needs..

We "service" each other..but as soon as people can no longer PAY for services they used to do for themselves, the whole scam unravels..

[amborin]

9. great news...weaning ourselves off hyper consumption and super materialism

maybe as a nation we can shift our focus to more important issues than shopping