By Monty Pelerin

The disintegration of an economy and a society can take two courses. One course is like rust. It is slow and barely perceptible. The other is a sudden collapse. The first course, if left untended, eventually  turns into the second.

The US economy is now rusting away. Arguably it has been for decades. For anyone interested in looking, the signs are there. They will soon become unavoidable for even the most disinterested of our citizens.

Dan Amoss correctly described what is happening as a result of Washington's overbearing involvement in the economy:

    All government-directed economic activity grows at the expense of the private sector. And the election suggests that government coercion will drive even more U.S. economic activity in the future. This is a shame, because freely adjusting prices, competition, and innovation elevate living standards. Mandates, price controls, and subsidies - coercive actions - depress living standards. Quality falls. Shortages develop and persist.

Mr. Amoss is correct but does not forcefully convey the reality of a dying economy. These effects are beginning to appear.

Many businessmen hung on, hoping for a change in the madness that passes for economic leadership and policy. These hopes were dashed with the re-election of the ideologue driving the madness. Obama won the electoral college, but not the confidence of business. They are just beginning to cast their votes and it does not bode well for the future. Here is a partial list of the business reactions to the outcome of the election:

    Layoffs Announced Since Election:

        1. Abbott Labs 700
        2. Activision 30
        3. Adventist Health 48
        4. Airlines SAS 6000
        5. AMD 400
        6. American Cotton Growers 110
        7. ArcelorMittal 20
        8. American Independence Museum 4
        9. Ameridose 790
        10. American Airlines 4400 + 800 leaving voluntarily
        11. American Coal 54
        12. Atlantic Lottery Corporation 16
        13. Assc Milk Producers 130
        14. Aveo Oncology 45
        15. ATI 172
        16. Bankia 5000
        17. Bechtel Power Corp 277
        18. Bigpoint Games 47
        19. Boston Scientific 1200
        20. Brake Parts LLC 75
        21. Brattleboro Retreat 31
        22. Bristol Myers 500
        23. Career Education 900 + Closing 23 Campuses
        24. Cigna 1300
        25. Citigroup 100
        26. Commerzbank 6000
        27. Consol Energy in W.V. 145
        28. Covidien 595
        29. Crouse Hospital Syracuse NY 70
        30. Cummins 150
        31. CVPH 27
        32. DEP in Tallahassee FL 15
        33. DuPont, Co. 64
        34. Eagle-Tribune, Andover 21
        35. Emanuel Medical Cente 24
        36. Energizer Holdings 1500
        37. Ericsson 1550
        38. Exide Tech, Laureldale 150
        39. City of Findlay, OH 39
        40. First Energy 400
        41. Gameforge Berlin 20
        42. Gamesa Energy 92
        43. GenOn Energy Inc 33
        44. Glen Falls Hospital 29
        45. Groupon 80
        46. GT Advanced Tech 165
        47. Harris' Broadcast 17
        48. Hawker Beechcraft 400 + Facilities closing
        49. Hill Rom 200
        50. Hills Holdings 300
        51. HMX Group 567
        52. Hostess 627
        53. Iberia Airlines 4500
        54. ICM of Colwich 25
        55. ING 2350
        56. Judson University 21
        57. Juniper Networks 500
        58. Kaiser Permanente 84
        59. Kinetic Concepts 427
        60. Kratos Defense Security 125
        61. Lackawanna County PA 11
        62. Lightyear Network Solutions 12+
        63. Lonza 500
        64. Majestic Star Casino/hotel 80
        65. Major Wind Company 3000
        66. Martha Stewart Living 70
        67. Medtronic 1000
        68. Mills Manufacturing NC 68
        69. Momentive, Inc. 150
        70. Monitor Group 235
        71. Montco Behavioral Health/Dev 58
        72. NBC 500
        73. Nebraska Medical Center 38
        74. Neovia Logistics Services 52
        75. New Energy 40
        76. Ormet 200
        77. Panasonic 10000
        78. PayPal 320
        79. Penn Refrigeration 40
        80. Penske Logistics 50
        81. Pepsi 4000
        82. Philips Electronics 218
        83. Pierce Mfg 325
        84. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne 100
        85. Research in Motion 200
        86. Rheem Manufacturing 50
        87. Sentry Foods 70
        88. Shaw's Supermarket 700
        89. Shawano foundry WI 90
        90. Smith & Nephew 770
        91. Smithfield Packing Co. 125
        92. Solel Solar Systems 140
        93. Southeastern Container 15
        94. SpaceX 100
        95. SRA Intl Inc 222
        96. St. Jude Medical 300
        97. Stryker 1170
        98. Sulake 60
        99. Sun Media 500
        100. TE Connectivity 620
        101. TECO Coal Corporation 90
        102. Texas Instruments 1700
        103. The Providence Journal Co 23
        104. TMX Group Ltd. 100
        105. Turbocare 220
        106. Turkey Point Nuclear Plant 277
        107. Oce North America, Inc. 135
        108. Turbocare OCE 220
        109. UBS 10000
        110. US Cellular 980
        111. UtahAmerican Energy Inc 102
        112. Volvo Trucks Pulaski County 300
        113. Wake Forest Baptist Medical 950
        114. Welch Allyn 275
        115. West Ridge Mine 102
        116. Westinghouse 50
        117. World Media Enterprises Inc 105
        118. WPS Health Insurance 600
        119. Wright Patterson AFB 115
        120. Wyodak Coal Mine 11
        121. Xerox 2500
        122. Yakima Reg Med Ctr Washington 10+

    Announced Business Closures Since Election:

        1. Bakers Footwear closing 150 stores nationwide, including 21 in California
        2. The SCA plant in Barton - Plans Staff Reductions
        3. Handy Hardware to close its 2-year-old Meridian, Miss. warehouse
        4. Caterpillar Inc. will close its plant in Owatonna Minn.
        5. Waltz Pharmacy in Waldoboro Maine
        6. Zac's Place in Hinsdale IL
        7. Lone Star Steakhouse at 70th and O streets and Ruby Tuesday at 56th Street in
        8. Lincoln NE
        9. Career Education Corp - Closing 23 Campuses - 900 Jobs Lost
        10. Handy Hardware to close its 2-year-old Meridian, Miss. warehouse
        11. Shamrock Bar at Payne City's Rose Avenue. in GA
        12. Monitor Company Group LP
        13. ThinkEquity LLC
        14. Homer City Funding LLC
        15. Caterpillar Inc. will close its plant in Owatonna Minn.
        16. Mount Pleasant's Albrecht Sentry Foods
        17. The Target store at Manassas Mall Va.
        18. Millennium Academy in Wake Forest NC
        19. Target Closing Kissimmee FL Location
        20. Calgary's iconic Rideau Music store ( International )
        21. The Andover Gift Shop in Andover MA
        22. Grand Union Family Markets Closing Storrs Location CT
        23. Movie Scene Milford Location NH
        24. Update: TE Connectivity Closing Greensboro Plant - 620 Layoffs Expected
        25. Gomer's Fried Chicken in South Kansas City
        26. Kmart in Homer Glen
        27. Fresh Market on Pine Street in Burlington
        28. AGC Glass North America to permanently close its Blue Ridge Plant in Kingsport Tenn.
        29. The Target store at Platte and Academy in Colorado Springs
        30. Island Colors - A Carolina Beach Clothing Store
        31. The Roses store on Reynold Road in Winston-Salem NC
        32. Meanders Kitchen losing its West Seattle location at 6032 California Ave
        33. Bost Harley-Davidson at 46th Avenue North and Delaware Ave. in West Nashville TN
        34. Townsend Booksellers in Oakland
        35. The Kmart store in Parkway Plaza off University Drive in Durham NC - 79 Jobs Lost
        36. Guarantee Shoe Store in Beaumont Texas
        37. Associated Milk Producers Inc. Closing manufacturing facility in Dawson Minn. - 130
        38. Jobs Lost
        39. FacadeTek Inc Closes Whitestown Facility - 72 Jobs Lost
        40. Comet Market in Punxsutawney Pa.
        41. JC Penney store in Miracle City Mall Titusville FL
        42. TurboCare Inc Closing Manchester CT Facility - 88
        43. The United Colors of Benetton store on Armitage Avenue IL
        44. Update: Bicycle shop Ten 27 Cycles 1027 Davis St. in Evanston IL
        45. Two Sears Product Rebuild Centers in The Woodlands Texas
        46. FesslerUSA Clothing Maker Closing in PA
        47. Ralph Lauren's plans to close its 14 stand-alone Rugby locations
        48. Nashville Sash & Door Co. Inc Tenn.
        49. First Portuguese church in North America in Bedford Mass Closing?
        50. International Fashions in Carbondale's University Mall IL
        51. Harper's Old Army Surplus Store in West Monroe La
        52. Nova Financial Holdings
        53. The Party Warehouse in West Springfield Mass.
        54. TLC Wine and Liquor at 1205 W. Main St in Kent Ohio?
        55. The HAPPY Place 1042 N Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA
        56. Air Carrier Accessory Services - Chapter 7
        57. SOW Inc. shelter on South Broad Street GA?
        58. Systemax Inc., Closing Miami County Ohio Computer Plant - 120 Jobs Lost
        59. Textbook publisher McGraw-Hill Cos. Closing 2 Distribution Centers - 166 Layoffs
        60. First Place Financial Corp
        61. Nash Finch Closing Cedar Rapids Iowa Food Distribution Center
        62. Johnnie's Foodmaster MA Closing all 10 Locations
        63. Rainbow Foods will be closing its Forest Lake location MN - 59 Layoffs
        64. Berry's Camera Shop Inc. in Downtown Lafayette
        65. Schreiber Foods to close their food packaging plant in Ravenna - 70 Jobs Lost
        66. Kmart store at 5300 Salem Ave. Trotwood Ohio
        67. Mr.Christie plant in Toronto ( International ) 2013 - 550 Jobs Lost
        68. Coffee with T cafe in Stevenson Village business MD
        69. Minas Basin Pulp and Power are closing a mill in Hantsport ( International ) - 135

    Actual Layoffs:

        1. The Colonial Country Shoppe on Park Street in Adams MA
        2. Vestas Wind Systems Closing R&D; Office in Louisville - 60 Jobs Lost
        3. Dollar Castle in downtown Ferndale MI
        4. Bistro One West in St Charles IL
        5. Sun Dog Diner in Neptune Beach FL
        6. Jim's Builders Hardware in Wichita, Kansas
        7. Madeleines Bakehouse in Fort Wayne Indiana
        8. Barnes & Noble plans to close its doors in Union Station Dec. 31
        9. The Semiahmoo Hotel in Blaine Washington
        10. Highland Curves CA
        11. The Salem Sport Shop in Salem Ohio
        12. Navistar International Corp. to Close truck assembly plant in Garland, Texas - 900
        13. Jobs Lost
        14. Divine Mercy Catholic Books & Gifts Denton Texas
        15. Singer Mental Health Center in Rockford IL
        16. Garelick Farms Ends Production at Bangor Maine Facility
        17. Fashion Tech Window Coverings in Portland?
        18. Custom House Tavern Chicago IL.
        19. Jim's Builders Hardware in Delano
        20. Lone Star Steakhouse at 1801 22nd St. in West Des Moines
        21. Sears to Close Woodlands Product Rebuild Center - 117 Jobs Lost
        22. Whitehead Inc Rockford Real Estate Company
        23. Robert's Mens Shop in Downtown New Philadelphia Ohio
        24. Fort Tecumseh Olde Fashun Store in Ohio
        25. Lakewood Beginnings Child Development Center in Lakewood Ohio
        26. Green Fields Seed & Feed in Grand Junction Colo.
        27. The Army and Navy Store in Melrose Mass.
        28. Vitalistic Therapeutic charter school PA
        29. Diamond Foods Inc Closing a plant in Fishers Indiana
        30. Old Town Alehouse 5233 Ballard Ave in Seattle
        31. Space Aliens restaurants in Minot and Grand Forks ND
        32. DeWaay Financial Network LLC
        33. Sears at Quail Springs Mall Oklahoma City OK.
        34. Fashion Bug in O'Fallon MO is closing in January
        35. Kmart Store in Oak Hill W. Va
        36. Update: Jett & Hall men's clothing store in Richmond KY
        37. D.C. school List of Possible Schools Closing to Be released Later today
        38. Dunkin' Donuts in Holly Hill FL
        39. Hostess Brands Inc Permanently Closing 3 Bakeries Following a Nationwide Strike
        40. Philips Electronics subsidiary Lightolier will close its local fluorescent light
        41. fixture manufacturing plant in Willington
        42. Smithfield Packing Co. will close in 2013, laying off a total of 400 employees
        43. SuperFresh outlets in Marlton and Westmont NJ
        44. The Bagel Shoppe in Katonah NY
        45. Ben Franklin and Homestead House Gifts in the Kimball Ridge Center in Waterloo IA
        46. Several West Virginia Suzuki dealerships Being Forced to Close
        47. Kowalski Cos Closing All 4 of its Metro Detroit Delis but to Continue Food
        48. Production
        49. Three Memphis charter schools and one in Nashville Tenn. Could Close Due to Poor
        50. Test Scores
        51. The Custer School District SD - Closing 2 Rural Schools
        52. The Dressing Room, on North Lincoln Avenue IL
        53. The Utica Office Of Ibope Ny

    Bankruptcies:

        1. AMF Bowling Worldwide Inc
        2. Aletheia Research & Management Inc
        3. Omtron USA
        4. Helmkampf Construction in Olivette
        5. Clear Light Publishers
        6. Monitor Company Group LP
        7. ThinkEquity LLC
        8. Homer City Funding LLC
        9. US Suzuki Distributor - Chapter 11
        10. Revolt Technology

This list should frighten every thinking American. It is a huge warning regarding what lies ahead. These changes are coming to an economy that is already unable to provide jobs or sustain living standards.

Decline is a slow process, until it becomes fast. It is not easy to see at first. It should be obvious to most that our economy is approaching a critical stage. When you have destroyed the trust and confidence of business, there will be no job creation.

Some parting words are in order for those responsible for the decisions reflected above. Shutting down and giving up is anathema to the spirit that built this country and is now only found among our entrepreneurial class. It goes against the very fiber that drives success. It is a last resort for entrepreneurs.

The decision to quit is lonely, involves guilt, self-doubt and remorse. It is the last act for someone that has tried everything to avoid it. Giving up and withdrawing is not an act of retribution. People do not willingly choose to go to Galt's figurative gulch. They are forced there.

While the masses exult in the continuation of their  food stamps, cell phones and other booty, the real story of this election is yet to be told. The nation is about to find out that policies and elections have consequences more important than free stuff.

The war against private enterprise can no longer be denied. President Obama's re-election ensures that it will continue and likely accelerate. The makers are beginning to give up. The takers don't have a clue. Soon the country is going to get a real-life lesson in economics. TANSTAAFL (There ain't no such thing as a free lunch) is about to be learned.

November 20, 2012 Home Archives Video Merchandise Donations Contact About Search Login Rules/FAQ

Archives Home --> Articles Share on email  Email | Print | 109 Comments | Share on facebook Facebook | Share on twitter Twitter | Share November 20, 2012 Economic Disintegration is Almost Here By Monty Pelerin The disintegration of an economy and a society can take two courses. One course is like rust. It is slow and barely perceptible. The other is a sudden collapse. The first course, if left untended, eventually  turns into the second. The US economy is now rusting away. Arguably it has been for decades. For anyone interested in looking, the signs are there. They will soon become unavoidable for even the most disinterested of our citizens. Dan Amoss correctly described what is happening as a result of Washington's overbearing involvement in the economy: All government-directed economic activity grows at the expense of the private sector. And the election suggests that government coercion will drive even more U.S. economic activity in the future. This is a shame, because freely adjusting prices, competition, and innovation elevate living standards. Mandates, price controls, and subsidies - coercive actions - depress living standards. Quality falls. Shortages develop and persist. Mr. Amoss is correct but does not forcefully convey the reality of a dying economy. These effects are beginning to appear. Many businessmen hung on, hoping for a change in the madness that passes for economic leadership and policy. These hopes were dashed with the re-election of the ideologue driving the madness. Obama won the electoral college, but not the confidence of business. They are just beginning to cast their votes and it does not bode well for the future. Here is a partial list of the business reactions to the outcome of the election: Layoffs Announced Since Election: 1. Abbott Labs 700 2. Activision 30 3. Adventist Health 48 4. Airlines SAS 6000 5. AMD 400 6. American Cotton Growers 110 7. ArcelorMittal 20 8. American Independence Museum 4 9. Ameridose 790 10. American Airlines 4400 + 800 leaving voluntarily 11. American Coal 54 12. Atlantic Lottery Corporation 16 13. Assc Milk Producers 130 14. Aveo Oncology 45 15. ATI 172 16. Bankia 5000 17. Bechtel Power Corp 277 18. Bigpoint Games 47 19. Boston Scientific 1200 20. Brake Parts LLC 75 21. Brattleboro Retreat 31 22. Bristol Myers 500 23. Career Education 900 + Closing 23 Campuses 24. Cigna 1300 25. Citigroup 100 26. Commerzbank 6000 27. Consol Energy in W.V. 145 28. Covidien 595 29. Crouse Hospital Syracuse NY 70 30. Cummins 150 31. CVPH 27 32. DEP in Tallahassee FL 15 33. DuPont, Co. 64 34. Eagle-Tribune, Andover 21 35. Emanuel Medical Cente 24 36. Energizer Holdings 1500 37. Ericsson 1550 38. Exide Tech, Laureldale 150 39. City of Findlay, OH 39 40. First Energy 400 41. Gameforge Berlin 20 42. Gamesa Energy 92 43. GenOn Energy Inc 33 44. Glen Falls Hospital 29 45. Groupon 80 46. GT Advanced Tech 165 47. Harris' Broadcast 17 48. Hawker Beechcraft 400 + Facilities closing 49. Hill Rom 200 50. Hills Holdings 300 51. HMX Group 567 52. Hostess 627 53. Iberia Airlines 4500 54. ICM of Colwich 25 55. ING 2350 56. Judson University 21 57. Juniper Networks 500 58. Kaiser Permanente 84 59. Kinetic Concepts 427 60. Kratos Defense Security 125 61. Lackawanna County PA 11 62. Lightyear Network Solutions 12+ 63. Lonza 500 64. Majestic Star Casino/hotel 80 65. Major Wind Company 3000 66. Martha Stewart Living 70 67. Medtronic 1000 68. Mills Manufacturing NC 68 69. Momentive, Inc. 150 70. Monitor Group 235 71. Montco Behavioral Health/Dev 58 72. NBC 500 73. Nebraska Medical Center 38 74. Neovia Logistics Services 52 75. New Energy 40 76. Ormet 200 77. Panasonic 10000 78. PayPal 320 79. Penn Refrigeration 40 80. Penske Logistics 50 81. Pepsi 4000 82. Philips Electronics 218 83. Pierce Mfg 325 84. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne 100 85. Research in Motion 200 86. Rheem Manufacturing 50 87. Sentry Foods 70 88. Shaw's Supermarket 700 89. Shawano foundry WI 90 90. Smith & Nephew 770 91. Smithfield Packing Co. 125 92. Solel Solar Systems 140 93. Southeastern Container 15 94. SpaceX 100 95. SRA Intl Inc 222 96. St. Jude Medical 300 97. Stryker 1170 98. Sulake 60 99. Sun Media 500 100. TE Connectivity 620 101. TECO Coal Corporation 90 102. Texas Instruments 1700 103. The Providence Journal Co 23 104. TMX Group Ltd. 100 105. Turbocare 220 106. Turkey Point Nuclear Plant 277 107. Oce North America, Inc. 135 108. Turbocare OCE 220 109. UBS 10000 110. US Cellular 980 111. UtahAmerican Energy Inc 102 112. Volvo Trucks Pulaski County 300 113. Wake Forest Baptist Medical 950 114. Welch Allyn 275 115. West Ridge Mine 102 116. Westinghouse 50 117. World Media Enterprises Inc 105 118. WPS Health Insurance 600 119. Wright Patterson AFB 115 120. Wyodak Coal Mine 11 121. Xerox 2500 122. Yakima Reg Med Ctr Washington 10+ Announced Business Closures Since Election: 1. Bakers Footwear closing 150 stores nationwide, including 21 in California 2. The SCA plant in Barton - Plans Staff Reductions 3. Handy Hardware to close its 2-year-old Meridian, Miss. warehouse 4. Caterpillar Inc. will close its plant in Owatonna Minn. 5. Waltz Pharmacy in Waldoboro Maine 6. Zac's Place in Hinsdale IL 7. Lone Star Steakhouse at 70th and O streets and Ruby Tuesday at 56th Street in 8. Lincoln NE 9. Career Education Corp - Closing 23 Campuses - 900 Jobs Lost 10. Handy Hardware to close its 2-year-old Meridian, Miss. warehouse 11. Shamrock Bar at Payne City's Rose Avenue. in GA 12. Monitor Company Group LP 13. ThinkEquity LLC 14. Homer City Funding LLC 15. Caterpillar Inc. will close its plant in Owatonna Minn. 16. Mount Pleasant's Albrecht Sentry Foods 17. The Target store at Manassas Mall Va. 18. Millennium Academy in Wake Forest NC 19. Target Closing Kissimmee FL Location 20. Calgary's iconic Rideau Music store ( International ) 21. The Andover Gift Shop in Andover MA 22. Grand Union Family Markets Closing Storrs Location CT 23. Movie Scene Milford Location NH 24. Update: TE Connectivity Closing Greensboro Plant - 620 Layoffs Expected 25. Gomer's Fried Chicken in South Kansas City 26. Kmart in Homer Glen 27. Fresh Market on Pine Street in Burlington 28. AGC Glass North America to permanently close its Blue Ridge Plant in Kingsport Tenn. 29. The Target store at Platte and Academy in Colorado Springs 30. Island Colors - A Carolina Beach Clothing Store 31. The Roses store on Reynold Road in Winston-Salem NC 32. Meanders Kitchen losing its West Seattle location at 6032 California Ave 33. Bost Harley-Davidson at 46th Avenue North and Delaware Ave. in West Nashville TN 34. Townsend Booksellers in Oakland 35. The Kmart store in Parkway Plaza off University Drive in Durham NC - 79 Jobs Lost 36. Guarantee Shoe Store in Beaumont Texas 37. Associated Milk Producers Inc. Closing manufacturing facility in Dawson Minn. - 130 38. Jobs Lost 39. FacadeTek Inc Closes Whitestown Facility - 72 Jobs Lost 40. Comet Market in Punxsutawney Pa. 41. JC Penney store in Miracle City Mall Titusville FL 42. TurboCare Inc Closing Manchester CT Facility - 88 43. The United Colors of Benetton store on Armitage Avenue IL 44. Update: Bicycle shop Ten 27 Cycles 1027 Davis St. in Evanston IL 45. Two Sears Product Rebuild Centers in The Woodlands Texas 46. FesslerUSA Clothing Maker Closing in PA 47. Ralph Lauren's plans to close its 14 stand-alone Rugby locations 48. Nashville Sash & Door Co. Inc Tenn. 49. First Portuguese church in North America in Bedford Mass Closing? 50. International Fashions in Carbondale's University Mall IL 51. Harper's Old Army Surplus Store in West Monroe La 52. Nova Financial Holdings 53. The Party Warehouse in West Springfield Mass. 54. TLC Wine and Liquor at 1205 W. Main St in Kent Ohio? 55. The HAPPY Place 1042 N Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 56. Air Carrier Accessory Services - Chapter 7 57. SOW Inc. shelter on South Broad Street GA? 58. Systemax Inc., Closing Miami County Ohio Computer Plant - 120 Jobs Lost 59. Textbook publisher McGraw-Hill Cos. Closing 2 Distribution Centers - 166 Layoffs 60. First Place Financial Corp 61. Nash Finch Closing Cedar Rapids Iowa Food Distribution Center 62. Johnnie's Foodmaster MA Closing all 10 Locations 63. Rainbow Foods will be closing its Forest Lake location MN - 59 Layoffs 64. Berry's Camera Shop Inc. in Downtown Lafayette 65. Schreiber Foods to close their food packaging plant in Ravenna - 70 Jobs Lost 66. Kmart store at 5300 Salem Ave. Trotwood Ohio 67. Mr.Christie plant in Toronto ( International ) 2013 - 550 Jobs Lost 68. Coffee with T cafe in Stevenson Village business MD 69. Minas Basin Pulp and Power are closing a mill in Hantsport ( International ) - 135 Actual Layoffs: 1. The Colonial Country Shoppe on Park Street in Adams MA 2. Vestas Wind Systems Closing R&D; Office in Louisville - 60 Jobs Lost 3. Dollar Castle in downtown Ferndale MI 4. Bistro One West in St Charles IL 5. Sun Dog Diner in Neptune Beach FL 6. Jim's Builders Hardware in Wichita, Kansas 7. Madeleines Bakehouse in Fort Wayne Indiana 8. Barnes & Noble plans to close its doors in Union Station Dec. 31 9. The Semiahmoo Hotel in Blaine Washington 10. Highland Curves CA 11. The Salem Sport Shop in Salem Ohio 12. Navistar International Corp. to Close truck assembly plant in Garland, Texas - 900 13. Jobs Lost 14. Divine Mercy Catholic Books & Gifts Denton Texas 15. Singer Mental Health Center in Rockford IL 16. Garelick Farms Ends Production at Bangor Maine Facility 17. Fashion Tech Window Coverings in Portland? 18. Custom House Tavern Chicago IL. 19. Jim's Builders Hardware in Delano 20. Lone Star Steakhouse at 1801 22nd St. in West Des Moines 21. Sears to Close Woodlands Product Rebuild Center - 117 Jobs Lost 22. Whitehead Inc Rockford Real Estate Company 23. Robert's Mens Shop in Downtown New Philadelphia Ohio 24. Fort Tecumseh Olde Fashun Store in Ohio 25. Lakewood Beginnings Child Development Center in Lakewood Ohio 26. Green Fields Seed & Feed in Grand Junction Colo. 27. The Army and Navy Store in Melrose Mass. 28. Vitalistic Therapeutic charter school PA 29. Diamond Foods Inc Closing a plant in Fishers Indiana 30. Old Town Alehouse 5233 Ballard Ave in Seattle 31. Space Aliens restaurants in Minot and Grand Forks ND 32. DeWaay Financial Network LLC 33. Sears at Quail Springs Mall Oklahoma City OK. 34. Fashion Bug in O'Fallon MO is closing in January 35. Kmart Store in Oak Hill W. Va 36. Update: Jett & Hall men's clothing store in Richmond KY 37. D.C. school List of Possible Schools Closing to Be released Later today 38. Dunkin' Donuts in Holly Hill FL 39. Hostess Brands Inc Permanently Closing 3 Bakeries Following a Nationwide Strike 40. Philips Electronics subsidiary Lightolier will close its local fluorescent light 41. fixture manufacturing plant in Willington 42. Smithfield Packing Co. will close in 2013, laying off a total of 400 employees 43. SuperFresh outlets in Marlton and Westmont NJ 44. The Bagel Shoppe in Katonah NY 45. Ben Franklin and Homestead House Gifts in the Kimball Ridge Center in Waterloo IA 46. Several West Virginia Suzuki dealerships Being Forced to Close 47. Kowalski Cos Closing All 4 of its Metro Detroit Delis but to Continue Food 48. Production 49. Three Memphis charter schools and one in Nashville Tenn. Could Close Due to Poor 50. Test Scores 51. The Custer School District SD - Closing 2 Rural Schools 52. The Dressing Room, on North Lincoln Avenue IL 53. The Utica Office Of Ibope Ny Bankruptcies: 1. AMF Bowling Worldwide Inc 2. Aletheia Research & Management Inc 3. Omtron USA 4. Helmkampf Construction in Olivette 5. Clear Light Publishers 6. Monitor Company Group LP 7. ThinkEquity LLC 8. Homer City Funding LLC 9. US Suzuki Distributor - Chapter 11 10. Revolt Technology This list should frighten every thinking American. It is a huge warning regarding what lies ahead. These changes are coming to an economy that is already unable to provide jobs or sustain living standards. Decline is a slow process, until it becomes fast. It is not easy to see at first. It should be obvious to most that our economy is approaching a critical stage. When you have destroyed the trust and confidence of business, there will be no job creation. Some parting words are in order for those responsible for the decisions reflected above. Shutting down and giving up is anathema to the spirit that built this country and is now only found among our entrepreneurial class. It goes against the very fiber that drives success. It is a last resort for entrepreneurs. The decision to quit is lonely, involves guilt, self-doubt and remorse. It is the last act for someone that has tried everything to avoid it. Giving up and withdrawing is not an act of retribution. People do not willingly choose to go to Galt's figurative gulch. They are forced there. While the masses exult in the continuation of their  food stamps, cell phones and other booty, the real story of this election is yet to be told. The nation is about to find out that policies and elections have consequences more important than free stuff. The war against private enterprise can no longer be denied. President Obama's re-election ensures that it will continue and likely accelerate. The makers are beginning to give up. The takers don't have a clue. Soon the country is going to get a real-life lesson in economics. TANSTAAFL (There ain't no such thing as a free lunch) is about to be learned.

Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/11/economic_disintegration_is_almost_here.html#ixzz2CnQi0BDR