Trickle-down Misery

Firing large numbers of people doesn't just affect the fired workers. It doesn't just affect their families. It affects all the small businesses around their homes and workplaces.

Fire 500 people, and that's 500 people who don't need to get anything drycleaned any more, 500 people who aren't stopping for coffee on the way to work, who aren't going to that little deli for lunch, who won't impulsively stop to buy flowers on the way home, 500 people who aren't able to pay for daycare now, who won't go to the car wash every week, who can no longer afford the farmer's market on the weekend, who won't be replacing the old couch after all, who start cutting their own hair instead of going to the salon, who decide to cut back on Christmas presents this year.

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