Razzmatazz:
The US economy is not a disaster.

Chris L Peterson:
That does, of course, depend on the metrics we use to evaluate it. I
don't place much value on GDP, on employment. We have massive and
growing wealth disparity, we have massive amounts of capital being
held out of circulation by corporations, we have a significant
percentage of our population living under poorer conditions than their
parents lived under, we have crumbling infrastructure, we spend more
than we collect.

By my assessment, that's a disaster. It's unsustainable, and when it
collapses it isn't going to be pretty.

I agree with your assessment in general, but I don't believe that a
precipitous collapse is coming. My experiences while living in the
Third World for quite a few years tell me that a nation can be in
decline socially, morally, and (for the masses) economically for a very
long time without their being a crisis point. You and I have to try to
come to terms with the fact that this is no longer "our" -- yours and
my -- country. Americans in sufficient numbers have rejected liberal
democracy, embraced racism (now permitted to be manifested openly) and
xenophobia, rejected education (elitist) and embraced misogyny and
theocracy. I don't see that changing. I wish I could get to the point
where I just say "I've got mine, screw everyone else." That's very hard
for a life-long idealist.

--
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm