Oil prices have passed $143 in early trading this morning.  A poll released today by Associated Press-Yahoo News shows 9 of 10 expect the ballooning costs of everything to squeeze them financially over the next half-year.  Gas prices in this part of the country, Massachusetts, are in the range of $4.15 – $4.30, and this tourist-driven economy on the coast is suffering.

In fact, there is no good news to find anywhere today. Weather has torn communities apart in the mid-west and destroyed crop production. Stocks opened down first thing this morning.  California is burning, over 1400 wildfires, and the drought continues. We learned over the weekend that the US has increased its covert operations inside Iran, raising the specter of another act of aggression, perhaps another “regime change.”  But today, let’s get back to the local word for a moment.  The survey is very unscientific, but it is also very real.

Bob, a 78 year old retired G.E. executive, reported a conversation he had over the weekend with his next door neighbor, the manager of a major name supermarket.  The fellow says sales are 18% below same time last year, and incidences of shoplifting are up considerably.  He’s been in management for this major supermarket for more than 15 years, and told Bob he’s never seen it this bad before.

Paul, a 76 year old retired house builder just had his oil tank filled last week.  The price of home heating oil is nearing $4.80 a gallon, up 40% from same time last year.  His dealer guessed it will be in the $5.25-$5.50 per gallon range by the time winter rolls around.

Leon, a 40 year old electrical contractor, told me he is paying over $2000 per month to fuel his fleet of three trucks.  This is up by 35% over the same time last year.

A local fishmonger who has a seasonal seafood restaurant adjacent to his market told Bob his sales are a little more than 50% below the same time last year.  While Memorial Day is usually considered the official start of the tourist season hereabouts, he’s hoping that the July 4 holiday coming up will help jump-start his season and some fried clams will sell this weekend.

Last month, one of my columns raised the spector of folks having to choose between being warm and being fed when the cold weather returns this fall.  Today’s gym chat suggests it’s not mere speculation, and the AP-Yahoo poll tells us much to remove all doubt about the effects everyone is feeling.  Last fall, when the price of gas was about $1 less than it is today, most people were expressing concern.  Today, concern has blossomed and those same people are having to change their lives.

It has become far more than a political issue today – it is a very real issue affecting very real people in very real ways, and no one thinks it is going to get any better. Neither Bob, his neighbor, Paul, Leon or the local fishmonger at Rock Harbor sees anything to feel good about, and all have resigned themselves to the fact that neither Barack Obama nor John McCain can help them at the moment.  Mr. happy could have, had he made better decisions during his eight years on duty, but he’s a lost cause and none of those fellows are going to miss him.  They’re just counting down the days until he’s gone.

And, actually, that is the good news this morning.  If you want to keep track, you can do so quickly at www.howlonguntilbushisgone.com.  It’s down to 204 days.  Let’s hope we can all hold on long enough to see it happen.