The current downturn is mostly overplayed--to make it look dramatic. Reagan, in constrast, inherited an economy in collapse, and proceeded to keep it looking dramatic. Carter inflation was created out of borrowing, in ecess of the private sector to repay it. Prices would rise, wherever possible.
Inflation abated, but unemployment rose. It would barely come down in the following years: But banks would fail at the rate of dozens per month, the deficit soared, the federal procurements went largely to the military sector--and social spending was reduced--and the stock market finally crashed in 1987.
Under Bush I, Term I, unemployment would rise again. Reagan Bush I set the tone and the pattern of Bush II, Terms I and II--of a stock market crash coming in, Two Failed Tax Cuts--Exploding the deficit beyond Nancy Reagan's wildest imagination--and finally two phony procurement wars against 19 dead no-acccounts, from 9/11. In Reagan Bush I, minority youth were left behind to shoot it out on the streets, The Move-On.Org types would rake in the bucks from some perverse nature of "youth sub-culture," and cashed in on music, styles, and fads, and movies and dance crazes and "street" level "charming" things. In Bush II, Terms I and II, it would rely more heavily: Simply on the WarBucks Aplenty, and Sub-Prime Bucks Aplenty--personally caused by each of them.
Under Bush I, 40,000 Minority Youth every Sunday, Would arrive on Venice Beach, In California, after about 4:00 P.M: For the Cracker City Sunday Gangland Social Hour, Starring All of the "Charming People," From All of the Hoods of all of Los Angeles.
The Crisis of Confidence In The Economy, that never materialized under Reagan Bush Bush--went and and on for nearly twenty years. The deficits all became a permanent way of life. The Ivy League Obamas could generate campaign cash in the hundreds of millions--denigrating white and black people alike! White people were known as "bitter clingers," in contrast with the adult, male, "childish" black boys: Of the now-famous Obama Campaign.
Reverend Ministers of the Gospel: Would be compelled to a cajones-cutting, frame of mind: Even then.
But recently, most of the 3.6 mil. job losses have only occurred in a recent few weeks. Bush II crashed the market, just like Reagan. Mega-giant institutions finally failed. Everything holy was frozen. But even all of that(?), there hasn't been time enough to create the "crisis of confidence" that never materialized when the same Ivy League were behind Reagan-Bush--killing off minorities just like the Obama, supportive Ivy League.
In April, 150 mil. employed will get a take-home raise totalling about $2.25 bil. per week. That off-sets the paycheck loss of the 3.6 mil jobs all of last year, all by itself. The Stimulus Projects funding kicks in after that. The Stimulus Funding of the dramatic drop in fuel prices is already under way.
Retailers have noticed a slight uptick in same-store sales, over last year, already.
The crisis of confidence that never materialized in Reagan-Bush I, or in Bush II, even has yet to start yet to materialize: Only in the recent few weeks since the current downturn got started big-time.
No crisis of confidence is likely to occur in months to come.