"Baby boomers" may still outlive assets

[treehugger1]

JR, did you mean that a "consumer nation cannot survive," or did you mean to imply that a nation where individuals finance their consumption through debt cannot survive? I would think we will always be a nation of consumers. In my own opinion, we make use of what becomes available to us; baby boomers, myself included, have run up the largest proportion of debt in th ehistory of the US. And, even though I know this is not the way to operate, I bought into the system.

I'm not sure we will see a depression, but I feel it is not unlikely that we will see economic hardships that parallel the early 1980's (the depression of my generation living in the Pacific Northwest). Inflation will increase while wages and total employment decrease in real dollar value.

It would also be nice if the federal government would put back food, energy, and transportation costs in the analysis of inflation. In particular, there is a very high association between transportation cost and food costs. While the fed's numbers may suggest inflation is modest, my own personal experience based on what I need to survive (food and trasportation) has doubled or tripled in the past 3-4 years. My income has not even kept up with the lower values for these items. TH

[JRScott]

I agree Bandit in many ways we are becoming the Roman Empire. Rome fell because it became a consumer nation where Rome itself produced nothing, not even soldiers in the end. We are so close to falling just like Rome did, hopefully the people will awake and see before it is entirely to late.

[JRScott]

JR, did you mean that a "consumer nation cannot survive," or did you mean to imply that a nation where individuals finance their consumption through debt cannot survive? I would think we will always be a nation of consumers. In my own opinion, we make use of what becomes available to us; baby boomers, myself included, have run up the largest proportion of debt in th ehistory of the US. And, even though I know this is not the way to operate, I bought into the system.

I'm not sure we will see a depression, but I feel it is not unlikely that we will see economic hardships that parallel the early 1980's (the depression of my generation living in the Pacific Northwest). Inflation will increase while wages and total employment decrease in real dollar value.

It would also be nice if the federal government would put back food, energy, and transportation costs in the analysis of inflation. In particular, there is a very high association between transportation cost and food costs. While the fed's numbers may suggest inflation is modest, my own personal experience based on what I need to survive (food and trasportation) has doubled or tripled in the past 3-4 years. My income has not even kept up with the lower values for these items. TH

No nation that has principally done as we have in the last 50 years has survived. A nation that increasingly builds nothing but only consumes what others build is a disaster.

Debt is part of the problem but only part. We must get back to the old days where our stores were stocked with goods made domestically, rather than in China or Indonesia or Mexico. By having so much imported we are courting disaster. If another Great War comes, we are not well positioned to save ourselves or others this time because we have allowed so much industry to leave our nation. The rising generation lacks many of the skills needed should we ever need that industry again.

[treehugger1]

Yes, I would agree. And interestingly, in my own community I now see almost ten times the amount of people shopping our local Saturday market for produce and wares. A year ago, it was "cheaper" for most folks to make the 65 mile drive to the closest urban center in order to save on local producers prices. Now, with fuel prices extremely high, I think more folks are looking locally to have their needs met. This is not such a bad thing and reminds me of how my grandparents conducted business in the early to late sixties. I'm hoping that the current financial dilemma will result in stronger communities and closer ties to the folks around us. I'm beginning to think that the phrase "think globally and act locally" is more appropriate now than at the time it was first stated; the context is different, but the modern response may be more meaningful.

[bmrigs]

I agree Bandit in many ways we are becoming the Roman Empire. Rome fell because it became a consumer nation where Rome itself produced nothing, not even soldiers in the end. We are so close to falling just like Rome did, hopefully the people will awake and see before it is entirely to late.

Also remember that democracies never last long in history. Alot of Americans think that democracy is what this country has been since its birth and also because they hear that clown Bush always preach "freedom and democracy". The Founders depised a Democracy and founded this nation on a Constituional Republic where checks and balances were put into place so no majority could institute "mob rule" over the minority. We dont have that anymore. Its special interests groups and the priviledged. The haves and have nots. Samuel Adams warned: "Remember democracies never lasts long. It soon wastes and murders itself". James Madison wrote: ..."democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security, or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths". A woman asked Benjamin Franklin as he was coming out of the convention that created the Constituion, "What have you given us"? and he replied, "A republic IF you can keep it". Well we didnt keep it very long unfortunately. Its only a matter of time when this house of cards comes crashing down.

[JRScott]

Yes all the founding fathers were very wise.

George Washington refused to be King and turned in his sword. "I did not overthrow King George III to be King George I."

He also despised partisan politics and spoke against political parties.

[ssdsco]

Yes, but how do the citizens of the US come together and gain enough power to fix the problems with government, let alone all the issues the government has created ? Whoever is elected president will not be able to fix the mess we're in. He'll just be another part of a cog in the wheel of federal government that can't find it's way out of a paper bag with a GPS.

Very frustrating !

[Bandit]

Yes, but how do the citizens of the US come together and gain enough power to fix the problems with government, let alone all the issues the government has created ? Whoever is elected president will not be able to fix the mess we're in. He'll just be another part of a cog in the wheel of federal government that can't find it's way out of a paper bag with a GPS.

Very frustrating !

That is the problem because the people let it get so far out of control & keep voting the same people with the same ideas back in. If we can expose enough of the problems & lies, people may start to look for better leaders.

It is frustrating because you love your country but realize the politicians are working against the people creating problems on purpose so we can vote for the same system to fix it.

We have to get the fed government out of everyones lives & give the authority back to each of the 50 states & let each state compete & work together. That is one thing that made the country get so great.

[JRScott]

The first step is to realize that we need change.

The next step is to realize that real change is not going to come from the Republicans and Democrats. While there are a few good members of each party, as a collective the parties are inherently corrupt.

Look at the other options available.

Libertarian: Bob Barr (Will be on the ballet in most states)
Constitution: Chuck Baldwin (Will maybe be on the ballet in half the states, will be write in candidate for more).
U. S. Socialist Party: Brian Moore (Will only appear in a few states)
Green Party: Cynthia McKinney (Unsure how many states she'll be in)

If you want to move back to the founding fathers more I'd suggest Barr or Baldwin, if you want to go more environmentalist than even Obama then the Green Party, if you want to finally socialize everything then Moore. You can visit each of the candidates sites and their party sites:

http://www.baldwin08.com/

http://www.constitutionparty.com/

http://www.bobbarr2008.com/splash/video/?s0618

http://www.lp.org/

http://www.votebrianmoore.com/

http://www.sp-usa.org/

http://mckinney2008.com/index.html

http://www.gp.org/index.php

I strongly support Baldwin, followed by Barr, but provide the others just for folks to make up their own minds. Changing president will not be enough though, you need to vote the R and D out of congress. I know its hard and folks think it can't be done but if everyone who thought that would vote for a C, L, G, S or other party then it is possible.

[bmrigs]

Yes, but how do the citizens of the US come together and gain enough power to fix the problems with government, let alone all the issues the government has created ? Whoever is elected president will not be able to fix the mess we're in. He'll just be another part of a cog in the wheel of federal government that can't find it's way out of a paper bag with a GPS.

Very frustrating !

Good points ssdsco. I have said on here that Presidents are basically useless. They are puppets controlled by those behind the scenes. I believe the secret ballot will not implement change. People elect new faces to the White House but nothing ever changes and it only gets worse. But this is the nature of all goverment, it starts out small and with the best of intentions and then grows unwieldly eroding liberites and creating an oppressive tax burden on its people. So what can the people do? I really dont know at this point. Armed revolution? I dont think Americans have it in them in this day and age to rise up forcefully against this goverment. Or something along the lines of Ghandi's Satyagraha- civil disobedience by non-violent non participation of anything dealing with the goverment. Everybody stop paying their taxes, stop accepting adhesion contracts with the govt. like renewing drivers licenses, business licenses, social security participation, and other things that can make the goverment realize that Americans mean business. That's some of the ideas.....

[JRScott]

I wanted to add changing the federal government is also not enough. We need to replace state and local leaders as well. It is not a process that will be done in one election, keep in mind it takes 6 years minimum to cycle through everyone in the Senate.