The question in New Orleans is what will happen to the economy. The key to housing is jobs.

When returns drop, farmers start tightening their belts. This flows through the rural economy and will have a significant impact on rural servicing towns and provincial cities, where the buoyant agriculture sector has really been the driver of positive economic activity.

The Bush rate hike would have a devastating impact on our economy and jobs. I will not rest until the administration's plan is dead and gone.

The economy is generally chugging along. From the consumers' perspective, jobs remain an important issue. Consumers will also be keeping an eye on gas prices and what happening on the global front in terms of terrorism.

We will have no option but to take industrial action and commence a political and community campaign to protect jobs in Australia.

What's great to me is that we're building jobs, and we're really building northern Michigan's brand. We're helping the economy here.