Not really doom and gloom, just a trip to the alien planet called reality. In a very real sense this past year has been host to two elections. One of hollow political promise made by candidates who are the result of decades of poor fiscal policy. One of reality where people vote with their wallets. This country has been bankrupt for quite a while, unless every man woman and child in your household is holding 400,000 or so in cash.
There is no coincidence that there is a worldwide rejection of both political and corporate promises that have no basis in reality. There are easy solutions to this, but recovery isn't going to happen until people have a justifiable confidence in the economic future.
Government can't buy this, it is only achievable through sound economic action.