[Hydrae]

With people running scared, those that still have disposable income are less likely to spend it and more likely to save it "just in case." As a result, consumer spending goes down, companies lose sales and revenue and wind up having to adjust in the easiest way of all, with their payrolls.

This is the problem with being a consumption-based economy, if people don't spend the whole thing freezes up. That is the reason for those 2 rebates, to try to get people to spend money to keep the wheels going.

Beyond that you are getting into political territory. If you want to learn this stuff in more detail, go get dirty in the DC forum. There are some pretty smart, knowledgable people over there believe it or not.