The American Dream - Is it Over?

[Mecky]

China has a potential problem approaching a social catatophe looming in the next two decades. A huge aging population and a much smaller younger population who will have to bear the cost of supporting them.

 

China like Japan can only base it's prosperity on exporting goods to the rest of the world. If the market economies take a dump so does China

 

You're talking about a single country, most large businesses are multinational and multicultural.

[Harleyman]

Britain as its problems but then again we have got over the days of the Empire and ruling the waves ………… are Americans ready for the day when they aren’t the world force they once were.

 

I dont think the average American is much bothered about what the future role of the country is as a "military super power"

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Like much of the rest of the western world and maybe most of the world at large the issues concerning them are the economy, jobs, the cost of kids education and the budget deficit to name some.

 

If a poll were to be taken I would wager that most people would be glad to see a withdrawal from Iraq, Afganistan and a dowsizing of the defence budget which could only mean more money for domestic programs

[Grandad.Malky]

China has a potential problem approaching a social catatophe looming in the next two decades.

 

Did you see the program about whole cities that have been built but are virtually uninhabited …………. They could be facing a collapse in property prices that will make the sub-prime crisis look like a hiccup.

[Harleyman]

You're talking about a single country, most large businesses are multinational and multicultural.

 

Obviously we live in a global economy also. What happens to the American economy largely affects China. What happens in Zurich or Brussels affects Wall street

[WasThatWise]

Based on a program I saw some time ago one action that would bring the US economy to it's knees is for barrels of oil to stop being sold in dollars, the "petrodollar" has been the main reason they aren't bankrupt as of now.

[dabuckle]

Obviously we live in a global economy also. What happens to the American economy largely affects China. What happens in Zurich or Brussels affects Wall street

 

The collapse of the US economy has the potential to hugely effect the rest of the world, we thought 2008 crash was bad just wait for the 2011 crash.

[chem1st]

China has a potential problem approaching a social catatophe looming in the next two decades. A huge aging population and a much smaller younger population who will have to bear the cost of supporting them.

 

China like Japan can only base it's prosperity on exporting goods to the rest of the world. If the market economies take a dump so does China

 

We have the same problem.

 

And that retired demographic that didn't fund it's own retirement, are the largest block of voters.

[chem1st]

Based on a program I saw some time ago one action that would bring the US economy to it's knees is for barrels of oil to stop being sold in dollars, the "petrodollar" has been the main reason they aren't bankrupt as of now.

 

Saddam wanted to sell his oil in Euros, we all know what happened to him, and Gaddafi before the war was about to start selling his oil in Gold! $1000000 dead or alive is the price on his head now. We also give the rebels weapons.

 

The Somalis will be forced into selling their oil in dollars via a bag of rice exchange rate.

[Harleyman]

Did you see the program about whole cities that have been built but are virtually uninhabited …………. They could be facing a collapse in property prices that will make the sub-prime crisis look like a hiccup.

 

That was interesting but not entirely applicable to China either. During the housing boom in the US new developments were going up everywhere. Florida was the hardest hit when it all collapsed. Big condo developments with outdoor pools. tennis courts, basketball courts, golf courses, jacuzzis, club houses all deserted and fenced off with weeds sprouting up over once immaculate landscaped surroundings.

 

There were brand new houses being demolished by developers in one area near me because they couldn't sell them.

Other brand new housing developments have a foreclosure rate of about 50 percent. Lovely 2 and 3 garage, 4 bedroom 3 bathroom homes empty and going to rot

[Harleyman]

The collapse of the US economy has the potential to hugely effect the rest of the world, we thought 2008 crash was bad just wait for the 2011 crash.

 

If you follow the stock exchange it's been on something of a roller coaster ride over the last few weeks.

The Dow has plunged as much as 500 points in one day then shot up 300 the next. Aside over the dismal and disappointing statistics on job growth, manufacturing and consumer spending much of it has been caused by concerns over the EU's handling of the debt crisis in Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and lately Italy.

 

The recent "crisis" over raising the US debt ceiling which caused a lot of jitters throughout the world was largely a manufactured one caused by partisan politics particularly those of the Tea Party. The debt ceiling has been raised many times over the last 50 years but the right wing Tea Party nutters just wanted to play a little hardball and political brinkmanship before voting to raise it