10.79%	Yes
87.85%	No

Comment: It's going to get worse before it gets better. from Portland by Brian

Comment: With recent lies told to us by The Govenor and Senators Sno and Collins we will see hundreds of thousands more unemployed, i hope they enjoy there 90k raises from Gray,Maine by Shawn

Comment: Not even close! from Standish by Will

Comment: I hope that we are close, but it seems that everyday things get worse. It is a good example of the 'domino effect'. from Saco, Maine by Jim

Comment: Not yet but it won't be long from OOB, ME by Jenn

Comment: I think we are in for a longer period of recession than I originally thought. The porkulous (stimulus) package is only going to put us further in the hole. It is going to be severely mismanaged and will prove to help only the wealthy. Our own state circus (government) will swindle it all away and we will be worse off than before. I was really hoping that Obabma would be able to pull us out of this mess, but now I am seeing that he is as crooked as the rest. Just take a look at his cabinet. I predict that in the next couple of years, we are going to see political and social unrest that this country has never seen before. This may lead us into a civil war between the rich and poor. from Brunswick by Totally

Comment: no no no....its only getting worse! by Debby

Comment: It is going to get wrose. from Portland by B

Comment: i don't believe it has. we will see more bank failures. large corporation scaling back or closing and higher unemployment. i believe the wealthy in this country will become the middle class,the middle class now will become the poor and the poor will simply become impoverished from thomaston maine by william

Comment: When the news stations stop broadcasting for lack of funds then I would be concerned from Richmond, ME by Ryan

Comment: Not even close..... from Lisbon Falls, ME by Pete

Comment: All signs point downward. There are more companies teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, and this latest is going to push them over the edge. Over the next couple of weeks, you'll see additional companies and layoffs. Our excess spending is catching up with us. Interesting article: http://townhall.com/columnists/WayneWinegarden/2009/01/24/fiscal_illusion from Biddeford by Realist

Comment: atleast another year or two.. there is no way this can get cleaned up overnight from saco, maine by brenda

Comment: what a joke from westbrook by dave

Comment: You mean there is a bottom? Well, that's a relief! from anytown by Petra

Comment: l feel that as far as the Work Force goes, YES! the Economy has hit bottom..l know of alot of my friends are doing all they can to find Work..Unemployment is the highest l've ever seen..l've been seeking work in the Health Field..(P.C.A.) & their Letting people go.. Every where you go is Lay Offs! l truly hope the money the President is giving local towns & Cities will help, But! it's only the tip of the Ice Burg!! Sadie D. portland,Me. from Portland,Me. by Sadie

Comment: not close. from OXFORD COUNTY, MAINE by wendell

Comment: The stock market continues to drop and unemployment is continuing to rise. There's no indication yet that the economy has bottomed out. from Scarborough, ME by Alice

Comment: no it has not hit bottom yet . from Damariscotta Me by jean

Comment: When bureacracy fails to police itself, the "bottom" continues to get lower. from Bethel by Ernie

Comment: NO IT WILL HIT BOTTOM WHEN THE THE STATE NEEDS TO COLLECT UNEMPLOYMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE LOST THERE JOBS THEN THEY WILL KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO GO WITH OUT from raymond by mary

Comment: I think it has a long way yet to go and 2009 will be a very bad year I think The bush policeys of sending work overseas will cost us a lot from Lewiston by Brian

Comment: We are far from the bottom; 1-2 years more; 8-12% unemployment is forseeable. The stimulus should go directly to the consumer to spur purchasing. from Gorham, Me by Peter

Comment: we're getting close, but in this global economy, it's the rest of the world's economy that will prolong this recession. from harpswell by rob

Comment: It's only going to get worse--especially when the government's solution is to bribe us with our own money. from Durham by Jason

Comment: we are just starting to fall things will get a lot worst.... from fl by m

Comment: Based on what Ive seen and read,we are not even close to hitting rock bottom.Now is the time to prepare . harder .times.People need to start taking control of th from Sabattus me by Lorie

Comment: I think the worst of the economy is gone, but I think it will still take another few years to get the economy back to normal. - From a Child from Waterville, ME by Jordan

Comment: the economy has not got any better there are no job's out there and everything is going up like food and other thing's to so not a thing happened yet about our economy so they need to fix it. from portland,maine by kim

Comment: I believe that it could be a lot worse. from Topsham, ME by Aimee

Comment: This is a million dollar question. Any one who is brazen enough to think that they know the answer is in for a surprise. My answer is: nobody knows.If we knew we could solve the problem. from Lyman, ME. by Naamah

Comment: yes. the economy has been at the bottom for months now. from Livermore Maine by Eric

Comment: When it does, People get ready cause Jesus is coming soon. from Lewiston, ME. by Kim

Comment: We're not even close. Once Baldacci gets his fingers on that money consider it toast because he'll eat it up on his failed ventures. we're closer to a civil war than we are having the economy bottom out. This Country has only begun to feel the impact of poor Governing! from Auburn by Don

Comment: No, I still think it has a little way to go yet, but by this time next year, I think that things will start to look more promising. from Bristol by Storm

Comment: It is my conclusin that we have not come close to the bottom. With record jobs being lost, more people facing poverty and more monies spent than the state has we will not recover for a long time. We need to invest in our future and we need to look at how we can create and keep employment within our State. from Livermore by Crystal

Comment: I think things will get worse for quite some time before getting better. by wilma

Comment: There is no bottom, we can thank Collins and Snowe for that.The pain of paying back this rip off stimulus is gonna go on and on. You can't solve a problem with borrowed money from Newcastle by Paul

Comment: not yet. it will continue to get worse. especially with the new useless stimulant package for maine from durham, maine by A.J.

Comment: Next month when I'm living on the streets I'll have to say yes but right now there is still a way to go - down. from South Portland by Russ

Comment: We are in for a long hard ride. This economy will continue to tank until the government stops messing with it. Let the markets work for themselves. from Auburn by Gail

Comment: I believe this is only the tip of the ice burg and things are going to get worse before they get better. from Oxford, ME by Karen

Comment: It took a long time to get here and will take a while to fix even with stimulus, if the actions of Hoover and FDR provide us with a comperable historical perspective. from Turner, ME by Garrick

Comment: It's going to take a lot more than just stimulus money to turn this country around... from Buxton, Maine by Laurie

Comment: The economy is near bottom, the turnaround will be gradual starting late spring. from Gorham / Maine by Jeff

Comment: We will hit bottom when the country can't pay off its debt. from OOB, ME by Mike

Comment: Ask Walmart to help the government. from saco by k

Comment: hopefully it will turn around soon. by Hebba

Comment: I dont think we've even seen the beginning of this. We've surely had lots of warning signs. But it hasnt even hit yet...We're in big trouble when it does. Too many folks still not paying attention. by ~Maine Momma~

Comment: I dont think so yet. from Me by Sophie

Comment: we are given money to people how do not need it. from Lewiston Me by Guy

Comment: The Economic reality left by the previous Administration has not even come close to bottom from freeport by Ben

Comment: No, not yet. I'm sure there will be more business closing and more jobs lost before June. from Brunswick by Joni

Comment: oodles of noodles and kool aid baby from portland by james

Comment: We still ahve a ways to go before we hit rock bottom. Sad but true. from Westbrook by Nica

Comment: i think it has but hasnt its getting there. from livermore falls,maine04254 by caroline

Comment: Not even close! from Bath, Maine by L

Comment: THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END....... from SABATTUE MAINE by LORIE

Comment: I THINK THE GOVENOR OF MAINE WILL BE A CROOK AND GIVE IT TO FIXING ROADS,MEDICAL BILLS,AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND NOT HELP THE PEOPLE WITH JOBS AND NOT GIVING SOME MONEY TO HELP WITH THE FOOD BANK'S AROUND THE STATE OF MAINE AND THE FOOD BANKS REALLY ARE NEED OF FOOD TO FEED THE NEEDY. from BIDDEFORD, MAINE by JIM

Comment: this time of year is usually slow , but this year it is disturbingly quiet as people and corporations are holding back on doing things. As a independent electrical contractor my back log is not what it has been in years past. from Auburn , Maine by Mike

Comment: I don't believe that the stimulus package will provide the desired results. Too many pent-up democratic pet projects and not enough tax cuts for small businesses. And as much as I've been a 'free marketer', I think the government must federalize the banks. They are not lending and they are using the mergers to jack fees and interest rates to squeeze the desired revenue from already struggling consumers. from Limington by Bruce

Comment: No . People have yet to learn that money is a "tool" to be used wisely. Do not buy what you can not afford to buy and what is not necessary. Buy real food and not packaged junk that will send you to the doctors office! from Sanford, ME by Ruth

Comment: I think it is going to get alot worse before it gets better because the rich get richer and the poor get nothing!! from brunswick by adam

Comment: i believe that we have not even come close to hitting bottom. i do believe it will get alot worse. brace your self, we will be looking out for our selfs, our goverment wont do it for us. from south paris by janet

Comment: Hold on! We're going down! from Portland by Cole

Comment: no, not yet. from lewiston by cynthia

Comment: when the federal government gives GM billion of dollars so they can close a bunch of factories and lay off thousands of worker than I don't believe we;ve hit bottom from me by rick

Comment: I feel, although the goverment's help, we still have another few months of hard times before we even see the ripple effects of the stimulus. from West Newfield by Jennifer

Comment: I believe another reason for the recession is because most people no longer have high limits on credit cards, as they once did. Therefore people cannot make as many purchases using credit cards and money people are paying down those credit card balances, leaving even less money to be spent. If people did not have credit card balances, all the money going to those payments would be stimulating the economy better than any stimulus package could. from Bryant Pond, ME by Jeremy

Comment: I believe that the economy has hit bottom and is slowly recovering. from Woolwich,Maine by Ashley

Comment: I don't think it will until sometime this summer. Hopefully, the tourist season will help give it a boost. from Biddeford by Brian

Comment: Not yet from Lewiston by Donald

Comment: I would like to think that we have not hit bottom yet. President Obama has given us a chance to fix the economy, and I think that he will be successful. from Portland, ME by Lynda

Comment: I think we have a ways to go before we hit bottom but it sure feels like the bottom. from Kennebunk by Lynn

Comment: Throwing money at state agencies who have a reputation of mismanagement is not going to refresh the economy. Until we truly make steps to correct the past eight years we will continue to sink into a deeper recession. from Berwick, Maine by L

Comment: I feel like the economy has hit rock bottom, but I always expect the worst, and that way if it does get worse, it wont be that bad. from Westbrook by Ashley

Comment: The economy will continue to slump if the government keeps spending money on medicaid for illegal imigrants. This Country needs to restructure it's thinking. The government can't honestly think this Country will thrive if it becomes a nation with Socialists running it. from South Portland /ME by Walter

Comment: We haven’t hit bottom yet, wait for this porkulus bill to work its way through this hypocrisy. from Turner / Me by Brian

Comment: Hell if this is bottom I didn't fall into it too deep!!!! I think that Obama has a big job ahead of him that will take years to bring us out of this mess. from Auburn

Comment: and the sad thing is that it is going to drag on the bottom for a while from mechanic falls by christina

Comment: it will only get worst before it gets better from Otisfield by Samantha

Comment: this is just the begining...the las depression lasted for 10 years...this one will last close to the same duration...businesses are still closing the worst is yet to come! The american people of today havent ever seen anything like this yet from rockland by ramona

Comment: YES I DO GAS IS GOING UP AND FOOD . from MAINE by DONALD

Comment: Nope...and this additional government spending is not going the make any difference to the average family. from Durham, ME by George

Comment: We are no way near bottom. Just see how far our wondeful politicians can take us. Time to have a clean sweep of everyone in Washington. They are killing the USA> from Newington, CT by Margaret

Comment: I hope so for all our sakes !! from Auburn by Debbie

Comment: It will take time to straighten this mess out. from randolph Me. by kerry

Comment: it hasent yet until the president stops from maine by ken

Comment: no,but i believe its very close,im buying stocks that are very low and believe the price will only rise in the near future from buxton by gary

Comment: Unfortunately I think it will get even worse before it gets better!! Prices on food went up because they claimed that the cost of shipping was so high - well gas prices have come back down to earth, but the price of food is skyrocketing to MARS!!! Once companies start making money nothing will get them to lower them. We will starve before places like Hannaford, Shaw's, and even Walmart will do what is right and what is fair for its customers. The truth remains the same no matter what the economy does - the rich get richer and the poor get poorer!! Unfortunately!! If we could figure out how to even things out even a little then we would be going in the right direction!! from East Waterboro, ME by Kathy

Comment: 2 more years by Frank

Comment: PUTTING MORE TAXES ON WILL DRIVE THE ECONOMY DOWN. from SACO/MAINE by MORRILL

Comment: unemployment is still rising.. im hopng to not get laid off in april.. from oxford me by Heather

Comment: I think that we have to be careful with what money we have left,and even though Obama has promised all this change and help,he's only one man, not a miracle worker! from Biddeford, Me by Melanie

Comment: i can not find a job and ive tryed every were from East wWaterboro, ME by Jerry

Comment: We have a ways to go yert so all we can do is tighten our belts another notch and ride it out!Like Pres.Obama this is going to take a bit. This didn't happen overnight & it's not going to be fixed overnight. from Auburn by Deborah

Comment: I'm not sure why investors are disapointed that the stimulus package didn't immediately jumpstart the economy and that all will be well in the world. Something that has taken years and years to bring down can't be fixed overnight.Its time we got back to the basics and spend only what we have and not rely on paying for our purchases in the future. Nothing will change until that happens. from Harrison, Maine by Carlene

Comment: Ahhhh.....NO from Falmouth by Eric

Comment: yes it is going up so bad that MY LIFE IS GOING DOWN THE FUCKING TUBE! from Maine by Vickey

Comment: NO! However I am sure glad that I will have $13 more dollars, before taxes, in my pay to stimulate a number 3 at the Burger King drive through. What a joke! Cut corporate taxes, and offer incentives for capitol investments to businesses that produce jobs. We need to recreate the manufacturing base in this country and abolish unions. This is not the 50' and 60's. Lastly, we need to impose the same import taxes for all materials produced overseas even if produced by an American owned company, bring those jobs back to America. from Lewiston Maine by Steve

Comment: This won't stop till the dollar is worth nothing and the Government creates a new form of currency. from Aubrun by Brian

Comment: THEY SHOULD OF GIVING THE TAX PAYERS THE MONEY TO CATCH UP ON BILLS. GET THEIR MORTGAGES PAID THEN THEY WOULDNT HAVE TO WORRY WHAT THE BANKS ARE GOING TO DO WITH THE MONEY.THAT WOULD STIMULATE THE ECONOMY SO PEOPLE WOULD START SPENDING AGAIN !!! from New Gloucester/ Maine by Gail

Comment: duh.... from portland by tate

Comment: Yet I do think that President Obama is doing a wonderful job concidering the mess he walked into. I think the bottom is near and soon we will be on the upswing. from Old Orchard Beach by Brandon

Comment: PROBABLY THIS SUMMER WILL BE THE BOTTOM from WINDHAM by BOB

Comment: No, I don't..I think it has a ways to go, there will be more companies close and job losses, but of course Obama doesn't have a clue! from OOB by Babs

Comment: Not even close by Dave

Comment: I think is has this is the worst that I have ever seen. You no longer have the choice of where you want to work you take the job that is open thats to bad. from Biddeford by Sarah

Comment: As long as there are giant bailouts, the trouble will continue. from Hartford, ME by Lennie

Comment: no way not for a few years, 2012 will hopefully be the bottom. people have to start thinking about whats "needed" and "wanted", we have 2 spoiled generations that have beseige our country and around the globe. from Freeport by Rob

Comment: WE ARE STILL IN A "DEATH SPIRAL". NOBODY IS SPENDING,NOBODY IS MAKING ANYTHING SO THERE ARE FEWER JOBS. I STOP AND THINK BEFORE I BUY. I'M IN THE THOUGHTS OF RETIREMENT AND IT SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME. from PORTLAND by THOMAS

Comment: No, until we see some of the major economic indicators behind this recession like the housing price index stabilize and defaults on mortgages stabilize, the economy will continue to slump. from New Gloucester, ME by Andrew

Comment: The comforts of life have made us all weak. Many have forgotten what it means to truly live. Money is not always the answer. from Portland by Stephanie

Comment: Recessions are a normal part of a free economy and a time for renewal. What should have been a bad recession (like Carter gave us in the '70s) will now become the great obama depression, as a result of the affirmative action, coke-head in chief president and his tax cheats administration. Impeach obama. Demand his birth certificate and his education records. from Portland, ME by Ed

Comment: No, not when you see millions of dollars being spent on the Oscars and other award shows that no one gives 2 cents about except for the participants. Why don't these so-called benevolent actors, singers, tv celebs etc. give the money spent on these extravaganzas to people in this country who need roofs over their heads and food to eat! from Wells by Linda

Comment: With Mr. obama at the helm this country will continue to spiral downward. We are no where near the bottom - just wait and see! from Alna by Rex

Comment: I feel that it's only going to get much worst before it gets better. I wish it wasn't so. from West Gardiner, Maine by Jonathan

Comment: I Think That it will continue to fall and we all need to work together to bring it back from Oxford by Jacob

Comment: I believe it will get much worse when the credit card debt shows uo and the failure of venture capitalists from Wicasset, ME by David

Comment: president robin hood, excuse me obama, HOPES this will work. it won't! steal from the rich and middle class and give to the poor. If it hasn' hit bottom yet it will when they take 40 to 50% of your pay check from the rich and middle class to cut his trillions of dollar deficit in half within four years. Especially with the way that gov is spending all around. The only way to pay down the debt is to raise taxes or shrink gov and all the handouts that it gives to everybody that is not rich or middle class. ( you know that gov will not get smaller) anyway ill keep workiing my butt off to to help bailout everyone and everything that made irrisponsable decisions. Maybe I should be irrisponsable and not pay my mortgage for 90 days so I can get a bailout. Gov should just butt out and not bailout. from limington/ me by steve

Comment: Until I see the Obama's in a "soup line", I don't think we've hit bottom yet. from Lisbon by Doris

Comment: Going to contiue to sink as long as gov continues to spend more money and take more of my money. omg! What will I use my extra $13 a week on. from limington/ me by steve

Comment: I feel we will hit "the bottom" in @ least September of this year. I don't think we will even see a turn around until mid 2010. from Portland by Patricia

Comment: lol this is the new top from lewiston by eugene

Comment: We are still on the way down. People are putting too much faith in the stimulus package. The first one didn't work I don't understand why so many think this one will. from Arundel, ME by Shawn

Comment: I THINK THAT IT WILL HIT US SOON from AUBURN ME by NANCY

Comment: We have a way to gom but, by this time next year we should be on the way up. Wait and see from Randolph by Roger

Comment: Once the economy hits bottom the only direction is up,when all systems are go. "we have a problem Houston" from Maine by Steve

Comment: It is as Any Great Empire in History ,Years of Glory ,Then Then Just a Memory in the History Books,,,are we next? from wiscasset,me by bill

Comment: Gosh, I hope so. from Kennebunk, ME by Jenn

Comment: No uptick in our plumbing and heating business. All going down hill for the last two years! Worst I have seen in twenty years. Already selling things to make ends meet. Especially when you are tied with real estate and oil. Great domino effect. The perfect storm. from Lyman/ME by Richard

Comment: what about all the parents that work mon-fir dont you think the cost of child care is high enough for working families from chesterville by june

Comment: It's been said that if the "stimulus package" handed out $30,000 checks to EVERY FAMILY IN AMERICA, it would cost us less than this spendulous package! Even if people just paid their bills with this money, it would free up lending money, get people out of debt, get people shopping & spending money in our economy! I think we should leave out any government personel or the disgusting scumbags that killed the banking industry...... from Lewiston by DISGUSTED WITH GOVERNMENT

Comment: It's going to keep going down as long as the democrats are in control...Look at Maine's economy with democrat in control....hmmmmm well dont worry change is on the way...BS from S.China Maine by Peter

Comment: plenty more screwin up to do from jameson by Harry