Posted by
Sgt Relic on Sunday, March 01, 2009 8:08:53 AM
The L.A. Times reported today that the unemployment rate in California has risen above the 10% level leaving 1 in 10 Californians out of work. Hardest hit were retail, manufacturing and construction industries but the film industry was close behind the big three in shedding jobs. There has even been talk that some California State employees, now currently being furloughed two days a month, could actually be terminated, which threatens to slow the growth of the very important bureaucratic sector in the Golden State.
Many of these job cuts will not necessarily have the impact that some might expect. The manufacturing and construction industry, long a bastion of employment for illegal aliens, expects that as soon as their unemployment benefits run out these undocumented workers will probably return to their native countries until the economy improves, “very likely only returning for medical treatment as needed or to birth a child” said a L.A. County supervisor.
What is being under reported is the impact that the recession is having on other less visible sectors of the economy? In Orange County there are reports that wealthy trophy wives, feeling the pinch of recession, also have to economize. Although it appears they leave the OC in search of bargains not available in their local Whole Foods market, or in the case of one housewife who wished to remain anonymous, “It’s too icky to be seen buying boxed Merlot and powdered Mai Tai mix in my own supermarket.” The next victim of the recession may be the cosmetic surgery industry as wealthy spouses cease repairing their existing wives and rely more on the homegrown organic market to fill their requirements.
The recession’s effect on retail has been the most troublesome to an often overlooked area of the economy, that of the illegal substance industry. There has been stiff competition at the manufacturing level for years and distribution has always been highly competitive in this industry that has also seen massive incursion by illegal aliens.
Homegrown dealers, usually biker gangs, have been fighting for market share against the Mexican drug cartels and transplanted gangs such as MS-13 for years. A spokesman for bikers gave the following statement after forcefully insisting on anonymity, “It’s murder out there, literally murder”, “These dudes are eroding our bottom line, the cost of new weapons and ammunition is ruinous - not to mention gas prices. Do you have any idea what it costs to keep all those Escalades and Navigators on the road?”
Also suffering are the consumers. Many are being forced to cut back on their drug use or in some cases making do with cheaper and less effective drugs, and in some rare cases, resorting to alcohol use alone. There has been talk on the streets of bringing back a WWII standard, which in this case is referred to as “Drugless Day”, in emulation of the “Meatless Day” rationing strategy of that period.
The impact of this recession is making the life of most junkies very difficult. Retail stores, long a mainstay of the theft needed to support these habits are so empty that shoplifters are hard pressed to conceal themselves while they ply their trade. Small businesses are closing rapidly thus drying up the traditional “heist” locations. A young man concealed by a hoodie told this reporter, “Yo, it was really embarrassing, like me an my boys rolled up in the C-store and there was like, two other crews already in da place, this be whack.” It was further stated that with Mr. Obama and Attorney General Holder making noises about gun control the public is arming itself at an alarming rate further increasing the difficulties of these hard working Americans.
While most high end thieves, such as politicians, liberal support groups, bankers and market types are receiving massive taxpayer support, little is being done to relieve the suffering in those shadow communities which are so much a part of modern American life.