There has been a lot of talk about the economy lately and it appears that every time, the blame seems to be put on the housing market and banks.

I just do not get it.  I have been having to watch my spending for the past several years and as far as I can remember, it has been because the cost of living, for me, has been rising faster than my income.  My biggest cost increase has been due to energy prices, like the price of gas for my car.

It seems at one time you could find stories about high gasoline prices causing consumers to cut back:

• CNN Money - 2006 : Rising gasoline = trouble for retailers
• MSN Money - 2007: Summer warning - Gas pains ahead
• MediaPost News - 2008: Consumers Cut Back On Everything But Driving, Study Finds
  

So my question is why is nobody talking about this?  Are people really cutting back on buying stuff, because the value of their home has gone down, or some bankers made some bad decisions?

By the way, I do not see anyone in our government reducing energy prices, because that would mean an increase in green house gases and that is more important than the small amount of pain us common people are feeling.

I actually see energy prices going higher, because of the carbon cap legislation. I hope I am wrong because if my theory is correct, the economy will continue its downward trend.