The country endured a bubble-and-burst cycle in housing, which was the single biggest cause of this crisis. Now many homeowners are "underwater" - owing more than their house is worth - and many more are unemployed.
"I don't think the recession is over," said Sharon Thompson, a day care owner in Wilmington. "People still can't find jobs, unions are being dismantled, and everything is just messed up."
Economists say the recession that started in 2007 ended 18 months ago. However, many people are still feeling the effects of it. Consumer spending is flat, economic growth is negligible, and the U.S. may slip into another recession because of rising oil prices and recent geopolitical events in the Middle East and North Africa.
Democrats in Washington want to revive the economy by investing more stimulus funds in creating green jobs, education and industries that will make the United States more energy independent.
Republicans, on the other hand, are pushing for less government spending and want to lower taxes as an economic path forward.
"President Obama has some very good ideas, but the Republicans are just too stubborn to listen," said Patricia Stewart of Wilmington.
Robert Lefton, 72, says of Obama: "Sometimes, I just think that this guy has no idea what he is doing. It is like he is just clueless in the White House," when it comes to the economy.
"Spending is only half of the problem," Stewart said. "We wouldn't have deficit spending if we weren't spending trillions in Iraq and Afghanistan and giving tax cuts to the top 1 percent," she added. "What we need to do raise taxes on the rich and give more tax breaks to middle class."
