But, on the other hand, the "Optimist-in-Chief" also said that the financial crisis "isn’t as bad as we think," so you have to wonder which it is and, if things aren’t as bad he has been saying, they why the debt dumped upon our children and great grandchildren?
That's fodder for another column.
But, there’s no doubt that things are bad. You probably know someone who is out of work, or who has had their pay cut, or was asked to work less.
Maybe you.
And the local petroleum conglomerate where I tirelessly serve on the board of directors is no different.
It’s a place where the rubber hits the road. A real place with real people who work really hard putting high quality tires on the road, six days a week.
Unlike most gas stations these days, it’s a place where, if you want the good stuff in your tank, you can get 100 percent, genuine, honest-to-goodness, Ethanol-free, pure gasoline. (Note: If you have small engines that just aren’t running right, check your gasoline - ethanol.)
Some have asked me if or how the continuing financial downturn is affecting the business.
I have always been scrupulously honest with my readers and will continue to do so now.
Things are good.
Customers and hangers-on still have access to the same free Maxwell House coffee custom brewed by the owner himself.
Cookies and pretzels cans are still there for those nursing a slight hunger pang.
Kids and those young in heart can grab some free mints or bubble gum off the counter as they have for decades.
Occasionally, a bag of Krispy Kreme donuts rests by the coffee pot, donated by one of the devoted and thoughtful local hangers-ons.
The well-worn rocking chairs, thoughtfully dedicated to board of director members only, still function flawlessly.
No cut backs there.
The owner has rejected any thought of tapping into his great grandchildren's future income by accepting stimulus money from Washington.
He is from the old school, a charter member of the Greatest Generation. A man who has "been there, done that," and still can.
Not worried about the economic downturn he is a fierce defender of gasoline, free from food derivatives.
But there has been one cutback that I have discovered, contrary to management's desire to keep it hidden.
It appears that the owner's son has quietly decided to shave his head himself rather than taking 90 minutes off to go to the barber. A small, but sacrificial move brought about by the economic downturn.
That in and of itself shouldn’t give perceptive customers pause.
The company is sound and the traditional quality associated with the corporation remains unchanged.
But there have been cutbacks.
Customers waiting for their tires to be changed or installed can still bide their time by reading a couple of newspapers.
As noted, the snacks are still there but the library is in shambles.
U.S.A. Today — otherwise known as U.S.A. Yesterday because you got Monday's on Tuesday — is gone, a merciless decision by the owner's son.
As if that wasn’t enough, The State newspaper has been discontinued, leaving just shop-worn Sports Illustrated and The Union Daily Times, Tuesday through Saturday.
And one frequent hanger-on, who shamelessly uses corporate water and soap to wash his personal car, has come under increasing surveillance from the owner's son.
He has a point.
Corporate water and soap is for corporate use, not private use. The individual, who has ample financial resources, should stimulate the local economy by using Union's many car washes.
Finally, a shallow attempt by the owner's son to charge board members a parking monthly fee was rejected by his father, a wise and compassionate person.
So, life is still good at corporate headquarters.
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