by Pam Martens and Russ Martens
Wall Street on Parade
Over the past week Rasmussen polls have captured the epic disgust of voters in the direction America is heading. Only 31 percent of likely voters believe the country is heading in the right direction; 67 percent of voters are angry at the current policies of the federal government; and just 24 percent trust the federal government to do the right thing most or nearly all the time.
The smooth functioning of the U.S. economy is based on citizens having confidence in the country’s leaders. Over two-thirds of the U.S. economy stems from consumer spending. When consumers lack confidence, they scale back spending. When businesses lack confidence, they lay off workers or stop hiring. When new home buyers lack confidence, they postpone signing a contract. Last Friday, Bloomberg News reported that the CEO of Signet Jewelers Ltd., Mark Light, was blaming a slowdown in diamond wedding ring sales on “a presidential campaign season that has scared couples into closing their checkbooks.”