Malcolm, you took the words right out of my mouth. I agree with you 100%. We really did get CHANGE when President Obamanible took office. He didn't say in which direction we would get change!

Sounds like democrat talking points have been handed down to local government. We've had empty store fronts in Tewksbury for the past 20 years. It has had nothing to do with the federal government defaulting. Perhaps the tax rate of local and state government is the part of the problem...Government - local, state and federal, has become so greedy, intrusive and far reaching, that it's going to hurt while we change the attitude that government should be involved in every facet of our lives. Threatening default is a scare tactic to keep us in line.

Good piece, Bill. But, I didn't hear anything about seniors in the community not getting checks. "Our President" went on television recently and threatened the seniors saying that their checks probably would not go out on the 3rd. I don't believe it for a minutes but think of the impact on them if it should happen. Now, he is trying to scare people with his statement of a depression. Let us pray that they come to a conclusion soon. Before the President goes on vacation!

I smell Another Tax hike...Maybe we could move out some of the illegal's (14,000) according to the Mass Taxpayers Ass. 110 million a year in classroom instruction for under 18year olds of Illegals...Maybe the people who live here legaley could use that money!!!!Your Gov who You voted for wants instate tuition for Illegals, and Your lt Gov wants to Raise the Gas Tax some more..No new jobs and all these Pol's want is to Scare people to give them More money that goes in Thier pockets!!!!

Why is SSI a part of the Social Security Distribution when in fact it is a welfare program. I don't think the money for people who collect such a distribution should come from people who pay into the system all of their working life. You do not have to pay into Social Security to get SSI benefits.

I find so much media reporting as political as some in DC; the gist is a downgrade will happen because we won't raise the debt-ceiling in time. But S&P and Moodys haven't specified that. US is on a downgrade watch because the debt-ceiling debate presents the last real opportunity for government to enact meaningful fiscal-reform before it's well and truly too late to avoid a national crisis.

Lesser known agency Egan-Jones already cut our top ranking. After doing so they were specific. It was not based on fears not raising the debt-ceiling. Instead it's due to the US debt load standing at more than 100 percent of GDP (compare with Canada's ratio of 35 percent).

That's the problem. We cannot produce jobs and a strong GDP to begin paying back. We're going deeper in the hole while taxes pay the interest.

I keep reading the problem is those disarrayed Republicans and intransigent Tea Party newbies. Yet Obama preaches class warfare and scare. Reed talks of a Dem plan when in fact nobody has seen it.

One blogger suggested for the next presidential race: "I’d like to see Obama 2007 vs. Obama 2011. Someone should talk him into coming out of hiding - he won running against the same issues; politics of fear, cronyism, transparency, corruption, economy in the tank, Gitmo, wars, hope, change, etc.,.."