Small Business

Photos: Recession-proof Businesses

As the economy frowns, these enterprises flourish

Tony Soprano, the famous shrink-visiting mobster of the eponymous television show, worried about a lot of things, but recession wasn't one of them. "Sil, break it down for 'em," he tells his lieutenant, Silvio Dante, in one episode. "What two businesses have traditionally been recession-proof since time immemorial?" asks Tony. "Certain aspects of show business," Silvio answers, "and our thing." Although it wouldn't have made as good a line, Silvio could have included a host of other industries and products. From lipstick to yachts, here's our list of businesses that can safely ignore Ben Bernanke's latest interest-rate tinkering.

 
 
7 Things

In this weekly series, NEWSWEEK interviews the artists, celebrities, musicians and newsmakers that fascinate us. In their own words, cultural icons get real about their art, their passions and life on the A-list. (Or B-list, as the case may be.)

Performances

Some of music's brightest stars, including Bob Mould and Elvis Costello, offer up their latest for NEWSWEEK's cameras.

NEWSWEEK On Air

Our NEWSWEEK ON AIR radio and podcast program explores top stories with newsmakers and NEWSWEEK staffers.

Sponsored by
 
 
 
  • Social Networks
  • Links to this article
 
 
 

Email To A Friend

Please fill in the following information and we'll email this link.

Separate multiple addresses with commas

 

Discuss

Member Comments

  • Posted By: JPACTS @ 03/14/2009 1:44:19 AM

    RECESSION PROOF AMERICA
    1) Reduce permanently 10% of the federal and state work force - those left need work harder like most workers still working are forced to do,

    2) Make all government employees INCLUDING senators, house of reps & the President /VP give up earning any more pension benefits (like most americans no longer have), INSTEAD give them a match of 50% on up 6% of their annual wage they contribute into a 403B plan - USE the TAX savings resulting from the dropping of new pension TO PROPERLY FUND SOCIAL SECURITY FOR THE TAXPES SINCE THATS 10 year from going BROKE

    3) Have the FEDERAL government stop paying 80% for federal employee families health premium - drop it to 50%,

    4) Increase the FEDERAL employee health insurance deductible to $1000 like most private employers now have,

    5) make all senators and house of representatives serve NO MORE than 2 term limits - ends the power of long term senators, etc to force senators, etc to approve EARMARKS on bills alreday released from committee

    6) Go to a flat tax Federal tax program so the IRS audits can stop (laying off 50% of that organizations tax payer supported staff)

    7) after 1st child's birth to a single mom STOP paying for single mom's child birth , offer free sterilization - more than 1/2 the baby's being born in the US now being paid for by the government (TAXPAYERS in other words) and don't give these single mom's, who are abusing the free childbirth /single mom welfare system by having child after child out of wedlock, money to support more than 1 child

    8) NO Social Security, Medicaid or Medicare benefits to ANYONE NOT A US CITIZEN even if their "citizen" child brings them into the US - as are all being done now for NON Citizens!

    9) Give the President Line Item Veto rights

    10) Give life in prison to ANY politician find guilty of any abuse of power or corruption while in office

    11) OUR prisons - lower the taxes to care for the Prisoners - no more coffee or juice, let them drink water at ALL MEALS, feed them oatmeal/toast for breakfast, peanut butter/jelly sandwiches with crackers for lunch and inexpensive stew (easy to make and serve requiring less kitchen labor) And for medicines make them pay the FULL COST of medicine - why reduce their costs out of taxpayers pockets ? I didn't unjustly put them in prison THEY BROKE the law - suffer the CONSEQUENCES


    STOP THE MADNESS


    P.S. Anyone running on the above platform will WIN any FUTURE elections, so Go for IT you TRUE AMERICANS!

  • Posted By: hamesh @ 10/16/2008 6:33:22 PM

    hi people dont know if you saw my post last fall yes in 2007, was reading some of this propaganda ,,,hard times are the fault of our media ....if they wrote of good times and big spending like they did in 1997,,,we would all be thinking things were good. but i must not leave out big oil,,,bushes friends as well as the wall street ,,idiots who he backs as well..if mccain wins ,,,i will see you in the soup kitchen as i leave this country...patriotic screw it ...this counrty only cares for the rich

  • Posted By: melpol @ 10/12/2008 9:55:15 AM

    News that the big three auto makers will soon become one unit is confirmation of the pessimism that is now sweeping America. The auto industry is dependent on the world economy and the wisest of people predict a long world wide recession. Economists say that we have reached peak demand for the use of the automobile and public transportation will eventually replace individual ownership. It is obvious that most of us no longer can live in high style, we have been living large for too long and it is now time to pay the piper.

    Our nation is now imploding and despite government bailout efforts the downward spiral will not end until is it reaches a sustainable level. When that happens private industry will be flooded with applicants for employment and pay only the minimum wage. The average income will be used just for food and shelter. It will be hard times but once again our nation will rise after learning a bitter lesson. Living within ones means will then become the golden rule.

Reply

Report Abuse

Enter comments if any for reporting abuse