On 13-Jan-2010, "Eisboch" wrote:

Don't get me wrong - I don't care - I'm not that inflexible. The U.S.
will
never be the country it was 30 years ago. BFD


I hope not. 10.8% unemployment or more, interest rates near 20% and 12%
inflation.

Those conditions lasted 3 to 4 years - the U.S. has been nose diving
following a brief period of productive growth. Since the late 80's, the
U.S. has been losing core production like the famous loud sucking sound.
There are acrtually 2 loud sucking sounds - producers leaving, and the fat
masses sucking the huge government nipple as a result.

After the late 70's early 80's debacle, core industries that survived,
thrived, and employed millions. Those are gone for at least 3 to 4
generations until costs (wages, materials and taxes) reach an equilibrium
with the 3rd world. THAT is because those functions are no longer needed in
the U.S, and neither are engineers, designers, chemists, metallurgists,
managers, machine designers, forging companies, castings, conveyors, robots,
tool makers, steel producers............

There are still high wage jobs, but not everyone can aspire to be the head
cook at the K-Mart dining room.