Comments on: “United We Stand…”

By: funny

funny — Tue, 25 May 2010 12:26:20 +0000

@ Simple in France: IMHO Americans are only just beginning to realize that our comfortable lifestyle is going away, and that realization is still inchoate. Doctrinaire ideology gets in the way of understanding what’s really going on.

The result is that as the middle class disappears, people blame the drop in their standard of living on various scapegoats. In my part of the country it’s immigrants, as though any of the people screaming in the streets would take jobs mowing lawns and shoveling gravel in 115-degree heat or are likely to get hired cleaning rich folks’ toilets. Raw, open bigotry now is not only commonplace, it’s acceptable and has even been institutionalized into my state’s law. The low standard of education and a simmering sense of desperation contribute to this.

An ill-educated, often superstitious electorate is easily fooled. It also is unpredictable and potentially violent. Mark my words: in a generation our children and grandchildren will be at the barricades. A whole new way of life is coming our way.

By: Technology and entertainment making us unhappy? « Simple Life in France

Technology and entertainment making us unhappy? « Simple Life in France — Tue, 25 May 2010 07:25:39 +0000

[...] On Funny about Money: an interesting article on unemployment, political polarization as major threats to the US economy in United We Stand [...]

By: Simple in France

Simple in France — Tue, 25 May 2010 06:12:28 +0000

It’s an interesting perspective. Here in France, you see people/media arguing that the US economy hasn’t taken such a bad hit. But to me people in the US actually appear to be struggling more–possibly due to recent job loss. Here there is worry, in the US there is something much more urgent. I don’t know if there is a way to diffuse partisan politics, but I can say that I’m fully disgusted with the whole thing. Maybe the centrists should get their acts together. But our system seems practically designed to make sure that doesn’t happen. . .

By: Balance Junkie

Balance Junkie — Sat, 22 May 2010 12:40:17 +0000

Interesting article. I’m not American, but I can see what you’re talking about in terms of the disorganized centre. I disagree with Krugman on quite a few things, but I do worry about the prospect of a Japanese style deflation coming to North America.

Twice this week I’ve referenced a chart of the Nikkei 225 in order to raise awareness of the fact that markets can and do remain down to stagnant for periods in excess of 20 years. If that happens, buy and holders over 40 may have a tough time saving for retirement.