It's human nature, and especially American nature, to always see the bright side of everything. I know it is my nature for sure.  For most of my 52 years I have been labeled by friends and family as a “cock-eyed optimist.”  So, when I hear bad news, I always try (in my own unique way) to find the silver lining in a dark cloud.

I was watching CNBC (as is my habit when I get ready in the morning) and there was a panel discussion regarding the recent unemployment numbers. The report that came out totaled a net loss of 36,000 jobs for the week – which, by the way, was better than the 60,000 predicted by economists (see this blog if you want some insight on what economists actually “know”).  The stock market rallied over 100 points and the panel was discussing their various opinions.  Steve Liesman, a reporter on CNBC, relentlessly touts recovery and so, very unsurprisingly, he said that happy days were just around the corner and this latest news is a sign of a boom to come.  Next, came an economist who was shilling for the administration and she heartily concurred.  Then came the voice of reason, who was from Gallup (the polling company) and he said that they had begun polling both those who were employed and those who had given up looking - along with those working part time but wanting a full time job.  Their results, very unsurprisingly, did not agree with the government statistics.  He showed a number that was not at 16.8%, but rather, at 19.7% or 1 out of every 5 workers.  This, he said without a note of irony, was very serious and made him worry.

No kidding.

And if that does not make you worry, optimistic or not, you aren't paying attention.  Look gang, being an optimist is one thing but being a fool is another.  I remain optimistic as ever in the sense that I am positive that we can weather this storm if all of us are smart about it.

In fact, I think we can even get rich - if we think outside the box.  On the other hand I am realistic when I say that there is no way, given current national monetary and governmental policy that this recovery, if that's what you want to call it, will sustain.  There are worse times ahead in the big picture, which makes it more vital than ever to abandon everything you have always thought about recovery and act in a new way.  Use debt, avoid real estate purchases, start your own business to augment or replace income, move investments off shore into non-dollar denominated investments, buy gold and other precious metals, and stop assuming that a recovery is automatic.  It's not.  Let's you and I prosper while the foolish flounder.