Subscribers toASI’s E-Newsletter may have noticed the addition of a weekly survey to the news features section. Here we present the results of the April 28 survey.

Do you think the recession is abating?

Yes: 37.2%
No: 61.7%

ASI recently added a comment box to its weekly E-News survey. Here are a few highlights from the past week.

“I haven't seen any signs that things are getting better. I still worry about my job.”

“There will be many `two steps forward and one step back’ before we've recovered.”

“If I had a dollar for every car going to the local mall, I'd be sitting pretty.”

“I believe we have hit `the bottom.’ How quickly we climb out is anyone's guess. The GM announcements are concerning.”

“I think we haven't even hit the tip of the iceberg. I think things will hit the tip when the handouts stop. That will be when the healing will start, though there will be a lot of pain to be felt and lessons to be learned.”

“Other dominos are supposed to be falling soon, like consumer credit companies.”

“The stock market seems to have found a bottom. Now, to work off the unsold home inventory.”

“I live in Detroit. Are you kidding me?”

“Too many foreclosures to come, more job losses, and more bank failures.”

“Yes, credit is more readily available and consumer confidence is on the rise. Product demand will follow.”

“Our orders have picked up. Not sure if it is just a glitch or if things are really turning around.”

“Businesses are still going bust.”

“For the majority of Americans, there has been no major, long-term, adverse impact during this recession. The majority of people are employed, are seeing very little evidence of price inflation and are living relatively 'normal' lives. Yes, stocks have nosedived as have home prices, but these will revive and exceed their previous high levels. The news media focuses only on the negative items such as auto and banking industries, which have been heading for disaster for quite some time.”