On The Domestic Front

• The official poverty rate rose for the third year to 12.5% of the population
  
  
• For the 3rd year the number of people w/o health care rose to 45 million (16%)



• In the same period, median household income declined



• The dow is now nearing the 9,700 mark, down almost 1,000 points



• The index of leading economic indicators is down for three months in a row



• New job growth has not even kept up with population growth for 4 months



• Deficits are growing at an alarming rate



• As a result companies are uncertain about the future and are not making investments in either capital goods or new employees