by Jeff McNeil, vendor

Dear Mr. Obama,

I know when you came into office you inherited a country in disarray. I for one am still bitter that being in a self proclaimed democracy the American people would elect George Bush and Dick Cheney twice.
I also believe that you are getting poor advice from your economic advisors. They are using outdated information to gauge the impact of how the economy is affecting the American people.
I like to demonstrate a new way to gauge the economy,

The Street Sense vendor indicator, by using this method my indicators measures the overall health of the economy. Street Sense is a D.C. newspaper that offers the poor and homeless, income while providing opportunities for individuals who might not be able to seek employment.
The vendors who sell the paper receive income through donations, I am a vendor who sells regularly, and I have customers basically in all parts of the Washington area.

My indicators basically works this way

1. moods
2. size of donations
3. frequency of customers
4. overall health of those who beg for money

A. the mood indicator I regularly sell on K and L Street early in the mornings. I can tell when people have money when I see a lot of smiles instead of scowls. When people come and chat with you, this means they usually have time and there jobs are relatively secure. When they are moving fast that means stress, tension and nervousness. A layoff might be around the corner. When they are mean, that means there annoyed and irritated which may mean a sign of financial stress.
please take note of this indicator, the sentiment lately has been awful, people no longer stop and talk to me they usually grunt by me like I am a nuisance, I believe it’s the financial strain and fear of losing there jobs that they act this way.

B. Donations for a Street Sense vendor, their income comes from contributions through people who are willing to give a dollar or two. When the economy is good paper sales is usually robust and the donations are hefty, when people are struggling they are going into there change or they say things like this is all I have. Sometime you get the angry buyer who is pissed because he donated a dollar to you.
Lately donations have been paltry, regular customers say can I pay you later and with the recent high jack from the metro my regulars are financially strained.

C. customers, vendor relationship. This is a depressing indicator, I been around a few years, and I pretty much know many people in the Washington D.C. area. I have built bonds with many people who have lost their jobs and it saddens me, because one day you see someone and then one day they disappear because they got laid off, not only does it effects them. It filters down to the hot dog vendor, to even a vendor who sells newspapers, such as me. I urge you for more stimulus to give relief to those who lost.

D. The Georgetown indicator whenever someone begs for money in Georgetown, I look at there weight, and if there thin and frail I know there hurting and will give what I have, when someone who begs has a round belly and very jolly this tells me that things are pretty good for them.. Georgetown is a good area to check this data, lately many of the beggars have been frail and skinny which means that even the wealthiest areas in Washington are feeling the strain of the economy..