blame it on the economy

The recent Wall Street bailout has prompted hundreds (if not thousands) of businesses across the country to hitch a ride on the lame excuse bandwagon. Not a day has gone by since the bailout was passed that I haven't seen some company use the "impending recession" as an excuse to serve their customers poorly, charge their customers more, or quit doing business at all. Granted, I understand that the market is in sad shape right now, but I find it quite pathetic that business leaders are suddenly feeling the need to use the economy as their scape goat. If they are only now realizing what trouble they are in, then they must not be great leaders. If they're only admitting to the poor performance and/or management of the companies they are in charge of, simply because it is a "popular" thing to do at this time (or in hopes of picking up some "rescue funding" from the great bush bailout debacle), that's even worse.

Several small businesses in my area have been resorting to similarly pathetic tactics to try and drum up business and make excuses for shoddy service. One changes the name of their business about every two years. Another announced to the world that it would be shutting down, and proceeded to have a "clearance sale", only to remain in business. And now a third shut down with tears in their eyes and lumps in their throats, only to have a "grand reopening" nearly a month later. Lame, lame, lame.