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#1
07-29-2010, 02:37 AM
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The end of the US as a world power?
There's an economist doing the lecture circuit down here - I think he may be English, not sure - who's talking about the US sliding inexorably out of world economic domination. He said the rest of the world must be prepared - and Australia is not prepared. (He's right there we aren't prepared).
He also said that when empires sink, they sink quickly. I thought - okay, all out of my league. Then I read an article on-line in one of our papers about the Gobernator's state nealy bankrupt, and basically that he won't increase taxes, and workers will have to pay for the state to get back on its feet. Civil service employees will lose wages, many others will just lose jobs. The rich, of course, will stay rich. So - is this happening over there? Can you see your country sinking into economic oblivion? I know that India and China are going very, very well, and both are well placed to take over. I'd be very unerved for China to be top dog, though. Very, unnerved! Carmel 
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#2
07-29-2010, 03:59 AM
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It's so hard to know what's really going on in this country. I don't see India or China achieving the same global dominance, simply because money is going to mean jack all when the global food and water supply tanks due to present abuse. I don't agree that China is doing well. I think it's teetering on the brink of a spectacular ecological and psychological collapse. Not for nothing, the gender disparity there is enormous...with the wrong gender in dominance. India? How? With what natural resources? Money can't purchase depleted resources. Money can't, by it's mere existence, reverse epic drought or other climate situations that deplete a food and water supply.
The USA might be the last "empire" for some generations to come. Will it collapse? Quite possibly. Will some other government take its place? I don't think so. There are no magical natural resources in existence to allow that.
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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
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#3
07-29-2010, 04:18 AM
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Actually, Chinese workers are now starting to strike for better wages and benefits. Of course, better pay is still short of the U.S. minimum wage, but things may change rapidly for them as well. I think it's tough to call anything right now with the economy the way it is worldwide.
Jan
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Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning Satan shudders and says: "Oh, $#!+! She's awake!"
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#4
07-29-2010, 04:19 AM
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I agree with WT. It's hard to know if you are collapsing, even if you live in the Governator's state, like I do. I know we're supposedly bankrupt, but I can honestly say, I don't feel any different now than I did a few years ago. But I sort of live off the grid in terms of work (I temp and there's always a need for temps), I rent my condo, until it's mine (and rents in general have actually decreased), I eat produce mainly from farmer's markets (and there are fm several times a week here. I think being vegetarian helps food money-wise, too), Even restaurant food prices seem the same as in prior years and haven't risen that I can tell and I like to go out, when I can, clothes are cheap and in CA you don't need many
 , car gas seems to have stabilized in the last year or so, utilities like electricity and natural gas have supposedly risen, but not so I can tell. I think the cost of health care has been the worst. I don't know. I'm pretty happy all around. But maybe someone's sneaked me the happy drink and it's all falling down around me and I don't know 
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"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants" Michael Pollan "We are a culture that is overfed and under-nourished," Hazel Parcells
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#5
07-29-2010, 01:02 PM
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You know I keep hearing about how bad the economy is, no jobs etc...etc...but in my little part of the universe it sure isn't so at all, I have had to fire 2 contractors working for me just last week, sadly any one with any skills is well booked weeks/months in advance, even if you try to pay them extra to work over a weekend they were booked out for the next 3 weekends also!
As far as world domination etc...I think that it will all come down to natural resources, technology to produce etc....
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Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice-Wayne Dyer If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning-Catherine Aird
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#6
07-29-2010, 02:01 PM
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I do see the problems in the job market. I have loved ones who are scrambling to feed their kids and the only reason they still have a place to live is that their landlord knows that he can't rent their house and it's better having someone living there (even without paying rent) than having it sit empty, attracting vandals. I worry about how long that can continue. If they lose their home, I'm guessing I will have houseguests for an indefinite period of time and since DH and I are old crotchety loners, that won't be a pleasant situation for any of us.
My personal world is good. Other than being very annoyed when all bankers are characterized as the spawn of Satan, I'm doing well. I wish the housing market would stabilize so we could sell this house but I just have to be patient for that. I wish my family could get into a more secure position. I hate to see them in so much stress. I won't be sorry to see the US lose our superpower status. There are other former imperial states in the world who seem to be doing just fine and don't have targets on their backs whenever they leave home, like Americans seem to. I'd be quite happy to be a citizen of a "second tier" state, myself. China is welcome to the spotlight.
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“Karma means you don't get away with nothin'." —Ruth Denison
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