The financial markets continue to slide. When the economic crisis first became evident in the Spring, Congress decided to act with a stimulus package in which they gave many families a $400 refund on their taxes. Now, for some families, that $400 meant that they could pay off bills and buy more food to feed their families. But Congress expected that many other families would spend this money on items that were not necessities. Indeed, at the time, my mailbox was inundated with ads from big box retailers suggesting ways that people could spend their stimulus checks. Read More