Why We Aren't Ready for Great Depression 2.0

Like a lot of people, I'm really really freaked out by some of the dismal predictions people have for 2009 and beyond. I get a double dose of Depression speak though, because in addition to scanning all of the mainstream media I happen to have a wife whose job it is to forecast just how bad the shitstorm will be. So, she spends all day predicting the scale of the disaster before us, and that's what I get for pillow talk before I fall asleep each night.

So I've had ample opportunity to come to the conclusion that I don't have the emotional means to deal with the worst case scenarios. I'm a real sissy when it comes to confronting bad news. And then to exacerbate my anxiety, I opened the paper the other day and saw this image from Great Depression 1.0. WTF! Look at that line. It's so perfect it almost looks staged. Does anyone among us really have the discipline or temperance to stand in a line that perfect? Look at it! They are all huddled against the each other as though their shoe laces are tied together. And how much skill does it take to leave 30% of the sidewalk free (presumably for all the rich people that don't need to stand in line)?

I don't go to McDonald's very often, but it's probably the best proxy we have for something like this, and I can assure you our collective line standing ability has suffered mightily with all of these decades of wealth and affluence. Obama would be wise to go ahead and name a Line Czar, because we're going to need one.