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November 7, 2009 (LPAC)—A resident of the Tampa, Florida area gave a report today of what he described as the "catastrophic" economic situation surrounding the area, noting that its economy basically descended into total breakdown starting October. He reports that the shaky banks in the area since October have put a $500 limit on cash withdrawals. He noted that all of the car dealerships are now gone, and the only "new job opportunities that people can seek are as help in grocery stores and restaurants."

Recently in Tampa, a medical helicopter flew to a paperwork factory, to pick up a worker who had collapsed on the job. The citizen's view is that people are under such incredible stress, that such incidents are becoming a norm. "When I try to talk to people about what is happening, they say, 'the only thing that matters is where I get my meal today.'"

Recently, he went to his branch of Bank of America, which is in Tampa. He went inside to cash a check of $2,500 from his business account. The teller told him, "You can only have $500."

He said, "This seems to be a change."

She said, "New banking regulations are in effect." He said the teller was ghost-white when she said this. Most of the customers in the bank are elderly who don't challenge what they are told. It is possible to conduct transactions by check, though the clearing dates have been extended, but cash is "short."

Two years ago, billionaire narcissist Donald Trump landed in the area announcing he would build million-dollar condos on the shore. He raised investments from area people, including doctors, where the starter level was $100,000. More recently, the project was cancelled; Trump only refunded 10% of the investments, claiming the rest had been paid out for construction, and that he was not liable.

Medical jobs are a major source of employment in Florida. Now, the elderly cannot afford co-pays, even relatively reasonable ones. The only crowded establishments are the gambling casinos.

Since October, the situation has become so unbearable, the citizen is moving back to his family farm in Tennessee.

Florida's unemployment rate is officially over 11%, its home foreclosures and loss of wealth so dire that the state has lost 85,000 in population this year. In Tampa, unemployment is officially 11.7%. Orlando, with 11.5% unemployment, is the epicenter of home loss by foreclosure.

Today in Orlando an engineer unemployed for a very long time, now deep in unpayable debt and working in a sub shop, returned to the last job from which he was fired, two years ago ("where they left me to rot"), and began shooting, killing one person and wounding five others.