Yesterday, Wednesday, I went to my local Safeway Store (Safeway, Inc.) in a small, rural, Northern California town near where I live. As it's the closest large market to where I presently reside, I normally shop there a couple times a week. I've been shopping at Safeway for over 50 years.
This visit to the market was different though, as are so many things these days. Below the fold, I'll tell you the story of one small, rural town, and the effects of the "Depression" here so far. Jump with me....
Over the last several months, I've noticed many changes in my area. Stores are closing by the dozen, "for-sale" signs are rampant, newspapers are filled with foreclosure sales, and jobs have dried up. This upper Northern California area has long relied on farming, ranching, and real estate, for growth. All are in the pits now.
And over the years, the ultra-Repuglian-Limbaugh worshiping owners of the ranches, farms, and construction companies in this area, have imported and employed thousands (yes, thousands), of illegal workers. During the "good times", these workers, some of whom bought homes, expensive trucks and cars, and had large families, are now without work, nor, any support mechanisms whatsoever. Because they are "illegal", they are not filing for unemployment, nor any of the other benefits a legally employed person/citizen might be entitled to receive. So now, we have thousands of people here without hope, nor a way to pay for their food and rent, let alone the fancy trucks and homes some were allowed to buy.
It's a recipe for disaster. Already, crime is up almost 40% in this area (I get this figure from a friend who works for the local police department, and another in the District Attorney's Office). When people have no hope, and they have children to feed, anything can happen. It's a VERY combustible situation. And do you think these wealthy Repuglian farmers, ranchers, and construction outfits might now help these workers? Ha! Don't be ridiculous. They're Repuglians! They take, ....not give.
As for the rest of the people who live around here, those who are "legal", things aren't looking so hot either. As I mentioned above the fold, today I went in to my local Safeway store. The store was freezing cold. I was told by one of the clerks (shivering, despite her heavy jacket), that "management had cut the heat to save money". It was no more than 45 degrees in that store.
In addition, I found out that they are also laying off many of our friends and neighbors who work(ed) there, and severely cutting back on the hours of those that remain.
The problems in that store (aside for current economic conditions) were/are caused by upper management, NOT the employees. It was upper management that decided to revamp the entire store, bringing in thousands of items that this small, rural community will never buy (we really don't need ten kinds of goat cheese here, OK?), yet it is the "lowly" employees who will suffer for management's poor decisions.
For instance, every week they revamp the freezer section so one cannot recognize it week to week. It no longer carries the things I, and many others, want to buy (they've all been "discontinued"). I found the manager, and told him that " After 50 years, I am going to take my business elsewhere, someplace where they keep the store warm, the employees happy, and have the things I want to buy." Several other nearby store patrons heartily applauded my upbraiding of the manager. Somehow though, and despite the applause, I derived little satisfaction from my tirade.
This is just one little town in America. It's happening all over the nation now, in both larger, and smaller towns. We had all better hope President Obama's "stimulus plan" does the trick, for if it doesn't, we're in for things none of our generation have ever seen before. And as for the Repuglians? They better get with the program, and damned quick, or they're going to start paying a heavy price for their many crimes against this nation.
I wish I had better news, but I don't. If some should arrive, I'll be sure to write a diary about it. Gawd knows, we need good news....!
Reporting from the hinterlands, I am ......Hornito.