Intel report predicts U.S. decline, Russia\'s rise

I was a little concerned until I read that so much of the premise was based on global warming misconception. Guess everything will be OK after all.

"global warming misconception?"  you've got to be kidding me?

No icepick, I was not kidding. Not everyone is willing to bet their lifestyle and their children's future on misconceptions and unproven theory. Want to by some carbon credits? I've got some here I will let you have for half price. Like new and still in the box.

Global warming is a proven fact. Whether mankind is causing global warming is the debate in some circles.

I found the report encouraging. I hope America does focus inward instead of starting unnecessary wars. I hope Obama whacks Osama soon too.

"Russia's potential emergence as a world power may be clouded by lagging investment in its energy sector, persistent crime and government corruption."  Sounds like the U.S.

Our economy is more than sagging, it's broken.

Let me see . . . most politicians in Washington and in every state in the country are crooks.  Are they organized? Yep!  Democrats and Republicans.  Can independent parties seriously participate in our elections, whether they be national or local elections?

Our military/industrial lobbying machine runs our foreign policy while using AIPAC as their front; while the Jews don't care as long as they are the main power players in front of the arabs in the middle east.

Just get used to it until the whole house of cards come tumbling down. 

The Mormon Church is telling everying one in Utah to get ready for something bad that is going to happen.  Heck, what do they know?

author, so is global cooling just as much a proven "fact". I personally am holding out for another ice age so that I can have the extra pockets on my coat, but you can cheer for a warm up if you wish.

For 'rightofcenter' if you get a cold it doesn't matter how you got the cold, the effects are still the same.  The same is true for global warming- the effects are proven (unless you only read comic books), the solutions are complicated, and the political effects listed above are predicitions.  Time will tell which solutions work, but if you put your head in the sand and hope it goes away, all you will accomplish is to get your butt kicked.

steven- the effects have NOT been proved . You take a whole lot on faith to reach that conclusion and I will not alter the complete course of this nation or my life or my children's future on guess work and blind faith.

This story sounds very scary, until you look at the real numbers in perspective and find that Russia's economy, in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is currently only 9% as big as ours. They would have to increase their economy by 11 times (while ours stayed level) to catch up with us. Maybe in a few hundred years.

I do agree that Global Warming is a problem that won't go away. Why would Russia, Canada, China and India (who's greenhouse gas emissions far exceed ours) want to cut back when they actually benefit from it with longer food growing seasons and better access to resources. We will just have to adapt, and any attempts to cut back on our emissions will have no effect, other than to make us much poorer economically because of higher energy costs than these other countries who WILL exploit cheap coal and nuclear. Look for lip service from them on Global Warming issues, but no real action.  By the way, carbon sequestering by seeding the oceans with iron apparently is a very cost effective way to reduce greenhouse gases while providing a dramatic increase in fisheries. Too bad nobody is pushing this,

If this isn't too simplistic:   I prefer that we accept the best information that science provides and make changes that are proposed solutions than deny, refuse to make changes and risk hurting our grandchildren's lives in ways we cannot now imagine.    These life altering changes being proposed by scientists and environmentalists and other policy makers aren't so complicated or horrendous that we will sacrifice very much at all.    What's wrong with preparation and ingenuity and thinking beyond our most immediate needs?   

Russia has a 13% FLAT income tax and a ruble thats backed by GOLD.  We have monopoly money that isn't backed by squat.  We're headed toward third world status, enjoy the ride.

Maybe I can move to Russia during my earning years and let all the other suckers try to pay down Iraq.

You can say that again.

Russia just needs an "Obama" of their own.  That would sure fix their ******* wagon.

I think you have a point to make, but the thoughts of all the Chinese that will be younge men give me indigestion. Considering that when we have a surplus of men we tend to have large wars. I can believe that there will be more of a chance of war. Also the the food shortages are already here in a lot of the world, and I do not see this getting any better in the future. The US will become a back seat driver with the populous as it is now -- looks to me like we are about to pull in our borders and get in the fetal position for awhile.

I was merely referring to the aspect of the story predicting the rise in Russia's power. The better way to remove oil from the equation of power is by moving forward quickly to wean us off of a petroleum based economy. Once oil becomes a less important commodity, the nations that produce it as their principal product will return back to their natural place in the world. By that I mean that their success will depend on the success of their people and not be based on the accident of being located in a place where one specific thing can be found.

I find it hard to believe that anyone actually thinks the two movies you named present a more accurate view of the future. Mad Max requires a nuclear war for its premise and Green's premise is totally silly. The argument that the earth can only survive with 2 billion people is patently refuted by the fact that there are more than 3 times that number of people alive today. Though not all live ideally now, all of them could live much btter lives if not for the greed and corruption built into most governments in the developing world.

Asking people to forgo reproduction is exactly your point "people have become so stupid about fundamental survival."  Try thinking through your solution a little more buddy.

In the book it says Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge.  I wonder if Adam and Eve were white.  When they were tossed from the garden of Eden did they take up residence in Europe? Most of the explorers were from Europe and if you look at all the problems in this world today you will find that most were caused by white man and their knowledge.  Most of the other indigenous cultures lived off mother earth.  She provided everything that they needed for their survival. Their medicines were provided by her.  Their food was provided by her.  Their clothes etc.  They were not geedy and wasteful.  They used everything mother earth provided and for that they took care of her.  After all without her they could not survive.  They populated as long as there was enough for everyone.  Everyone in their culture was needed and was just as important to their survival as their chief.  They hardly ever left their gardens of Eden looking for more.  They had no need for money.  They bartered amongst themselves.  And now the U.S. government is using all their knowledge to conquer our world and why?  GREED  

One really fed up boomer

You say that the Earth can sustain only 2 Billion people. What do you suggest we do with the other 4.7 Billion people now living?

In the return to equilibrium, it will be every man for himself.

Denny D, read about Olduvai Theory when you get a chance.  The REASON there are so many humans on this planet today is because we're essentially eating the oil, via mechanized agriculture and fertilzer.  When we pass peak oil, the population will crash.  We need to start thinking about sustainable levels of population ( and consumption ) instead of growth models.  But the reality is we won't get the whole world on-board, some groups will breed and spoil it for everyone else.  I'm cynical enough to think this will devolve into warfare.  So to answer ROY's question, the other 4.7 billion will either earn the right to survive, or take a dirt nap.

And if you don't think there is reason to be cynical, just take a look at the moronic commentary on the web.

I find it hard to believe that anyone actually thinks the two movies you named present a more accurate view of the future.

I'm not sure where the 2 billion figure came from either, but actually those movies maybe much accurate than people are willing to accept.  With unlimited population growth, there WILL be major wars. That is a fact. Whether they go nuclear or not, that all depends on the stakes.  When modern wars start being fought over not over political or economic ideology, but for survival...I suspect that the "MAD" concept will become much less of a deterrent than it has been in the past.

look at the ongoing chaos caused by the desire for oil.  i can only immagine what the world will be like when the natural resource being fought for the wolrd over is food and fresh water.  a shift in demand for a source of energy to one of the necessities of basic survival is going to get really ugly.

So your solution to America's problem is to reduce wages and American standard of living to third-world levels just so that exports would increase. While the top 1% will benefit even more by this economic theory, how is this going to help everyone else?  These solution is to decrease imports, not to increase exports.

Travel around the world and you'll discover that people around the world have a great envy of our economic position.

Well...those living in third world economies certainly are. And you see the solution as being to reduce our standard of living so much so they are no longer jealous???

It's going to happen, because the world will no longer need us as they do today.

Aside from our military and financing the economies of a handful of developing countries, how else the the world "need" us now?

Reducing working Americans to the same level as the rest  of the world is hardly the answer. First of all our economy differs greatly from a Communist country in that housing for example in furnished by the government while in a democracy you buy your own.

I keep seeing this effort to reduce the American worker to the same level as third world countries and I have no doubt that is what some really believe.

If it continues the real problem comes in 30 years or so when the auto workers in the South reach the point they cannot continue working because of age and find they have no health insurance and no retirement and that is going to happen. Given the problems with Social Security they may not even have that paltry stipend to rely on for survival.

The answer is not to reduce the middle class to survival status or worse, they are the answer not the problem.

So... "In many countries, the people are not dumb and ill-educated. I know most Americans see Europeans as being very well educated and super competitive in the world. But, unfortunately, most Americans don't see anyone south of the border as anything more than a gardener. We'd better wake up and take notice, because in many South American countries, like Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, education is very high on the list of things that are important. Children are required to attend school through high school and many advance to university."

Since that is the case, and so many people are NOT uneducated, then your other statement is false:  "Americans are going to have to get used to the idea that we are not so special that the world must bow to us. Travel around the world and you'll discover that people around the world have a great envy of our economic position. The believe that every American is rich. They believe we have the ability to spend as freely as we wish. The believe that it is okay to steal from us, because we have so much money that we won't miss it anyway. They are extremely jealous of us and our life style. "

Anyone who is educated has access to the internet.  And if they have access, they are surely seeing the stats on the 'average' American.  They can see that we are NOT rich, that we don't think we are 'so special'  and we don't expect them to bow to us.  Please.  That kind of opinion is just idiotic.   A very small percentage of people who live in America might have that opinion, and personally I don't know anyone who has implied that sentiment, but in general most Americans are just busy trying to live their lives.  I personally hope we DO stop being so involved with other countries.   I don't want OUR country to be the one others depend on for their economic solvency.

"First, it is now more than critical that we get our economic house in order. We need to completely reorganize our economy and get wages in line with the rest of the world. If we don't we will never be able to increase our exports in order to eliminate our deficit balance of payments. That is we now buy more goods and services from people in foreign countries than they buy from us. This has to change, and the only way for it to change is for our products and services to be competitive with the rest of the world. If we don't, we'll see rampant inflation and the US Dollar will become worth even less than the Venezuelan Bolivar. "     How about if we STOP importing so much from OTHER countries and start making our own stuff again?  How about if we start manufacturing in the USA again?  HOw about we step back...realize that this whole 'global economy' process was not such a great idea when it was taken to such an extreme?   Our country needs to start making our own goods again!  It's all very well and good to say that our people need to be educated and move on to other ways of work...but there are always going to be a good percentage of our population who don't WANT or CAN'T go to college, and they need manufacturing jobs in order to work!  Not everyone wants higher education or wants to go into a business, tech or professional sector.  They want to work with their hands.  Some people need a job like that to begin with, and then later in life go into a higher type of position.  We no longer have those types of jobs here.  Or at least not in the qty that they are needed.  It's time we STOP importing those products and services from other countries (which certainly helps 'their' economies, but hurts ours)...and we start making our own products again.   I would rather pay $100 for something made here in the USA, than $75 for something made in China!  So you are right.  We need to get our house in order.   And stop worrying about whether or not we are a 'Global Power".  If we concentrate on our people, get them economically solvent, make education more easily available without all the red tape, then our PEOPLE will be the thing that keeps us Globally involved.  Our technologies and advancements.  It won't be the NEED for the American dollar.

The world is metaphorically coming to an end the day Barack Obama takes office.

The world is metaphorically coming to an end the day Barack Obama takes office.

Well..maybe YOUR world is....and thank God for that!

Florida_kes

You couldn't have said it better!!

There is an ABC report coming out that has senior Obama reps attempting to quell any idea that Obama will be able to get things back in order within the first year of office. Maybe as late as 2 to 3 years. So all these ideas that Obama is going to "change" everything and when he takes the oath that all the money, foreign policy, Middle Eastern, terrorists organizations, problems will just simple fade away, is really wrong, and even Obama's soon to be administration is toning down the "change is coming" speeches in order to prepare the American public that the problems will still be there even when he takes office.

There was a woman who said, "Obama just took office, give him a little bit of time to get things in order..."

Another person said after the elections, "I don't have to worry about paying my rent, my bills, or if I miss a payment then it will be okay. I am going to do right by voting for him and he is going to do right by me..."

??? Oh well, at least he won right?

Obama sat through his first real intelligence briefing. He has since sought additional information, intelligence, and guidance from top military brass. He has sought to keep the current SEC of Defense in place when he takes office. I guess all that discussion about getting out of Iraq quickly, gutting the oil companies for additional money, and taxing the rich might change within the next year after JAN 2009.

I like Obama, but the fairy tale is over and the real work needs to be addressed. You got the votes on some false promises, you got the job.

I did not like this story.

I would much rather have looked at the Global Trends 2025 report myself.

I too would like to see the last three reports to compare their accuracy.

I don't have a prediction for recovery for USA, but I hope for the best.

I agree with Maryponders, I also would like to have read the Global Trends 2025 report myself, since I personally do not trust the way they may have reported this and edited it giving us only the things that will worry the population.  I mean look at the title "Intel report predicts U.S. decline, Russia's rise"  The title of the article itself seems like it is designed to strike fear; because I'm sure the article may have forgotten to tell us some major things perhaps about the advancement of technology.  Being here at MIT we have projects that are trying to address the possible future food and water shortage and we have projects in which we're very close to breakthroughs which could happen in the next decade or perhaps even less.  I'm sure that other colleges and research institutions are doing some of the very same things

You only had to pay attention to the news to know that report is legitimate. The economy in Russia has never been better and you kow what the economy in the US is like.

The greatest boon for Russia was the rise in oil prices, they have quite a lot of it.

The difference was Putin used the windfall to improve the Russian economy Bush used it to improve the economy of Exxon who just posted record profits..again..

This incessent effort to eliminate the middle class in by Republicans, (and more than half the posts here claim the problem is American workers are paid too much), Since we have seen 28% of Americans fall below the poverty line and the resulting lose of consumer power it would seem to be not working.

I found the site link for the report;

http://www.dni.gov/nic/NIC_2025_global_scenarios.html .

It has an Adobe format download.

I guess all those Billions of dollars sent to Russia to maintain basic governmental operations, nuclear control, arms depot safety, and nuclear arms destruction, was just a thank you for not allowing some terrorist to walk away with a former Soviet warhead. The United States spent and gave away Billions and Billions of tax payer dollars to the Russian republic. It was also Putin who asked George Bush jr. to seek support from the EU and US for removing any notion to pay-back any of those loans. Russia got free money, gave a huge portion to corruption and established a power base for Putin. Putin then clamped on any major reforms and brought back some of that good old Soviet style power and governmental control.

We gave Russia ample support. Our return from Russia was bank rolling the Russian bear who profitted from our lack of common sense and stupidity. Putin a former KGB agent and had no real love for the West or the US paraded as if he was a "friend" of the US. Now flushed with profit from the period of high oil prices, the Russian bear seemed to have a new face. Putin authorizes the deployment of Russian bombers back to perform their flights near the US Northern airspace. A more aggresive Russia is not all the direct result of US foreign policy but the lack of any control or groups to counter Putin's power. Putin selected the new Russian President while Putin remains in control of the government.

We didn't screw up, the Russians took that direction to head back into the USSR days again. They just destroyed those statues of Stalin much to soon.

Wow Scott, it sounds like this story took back seat to the comments here, to make you go off like this.

I hope you feel better soon.  

Thanks Jared.....aren't you sick of Subway sandwiches yet?

Mary:

Get out and do something constructive, your comments were not necessary, no one's were.I made basically a rhetorical commentary that did not need rebuttal or anyone else s opinion. You actually without knowing it, proved my point to no end! That is it easier to comment on something or something someone says then actually getting out there and doing something positive.

Thanks' Mary always nice when someone inadvertently comes along and proves one's point without wanting or meaning to.

Good job!

Seems you should take your own advise.

If you don't like what you read, move on. 

Why pick on me?

I like making comments here.

I think you have a problem, but if it make you feel better, go ahead, say what you will.

I am not picking on you. I am just using you as an example to prove my point of people on here making comments that are useless and have no bearing on anything other then to vent frustrations, like I say go out and do something constructive instead whine and complain...

Gotta go now, have to go serve lunch to the homeless and pick up trash in my neighborhood.

If only we could one day all be Scotts.  Praise your name, dear Scott.  America needs more humble servants like you.

Jeez that wasn't so hard to say was it Whyit? Why couldn't Mary have done it as easy as you did.

hahahahaahahahahahaha... Live life to the happiest and fullest! Don't take it too seriously and above all... Have fun!

Scott said he had to go clean his neighborhood and feed homeless at 10:30, and came back to bicker at 11:30. I am sure he got LOADS of trash off the road in that amount of time. Freakin loser.

The Freakin' loser picked up more trash from his neighborhood then you did today, so shut your trap, you self righteous moron!! Sorry I didn't do it in the time frame you alotted me! Not only that but did the dishes at the homeless shelter, took an old lady shopping, got a stray cat out of a tree, went by the humane shelter washed and deloused four dogs, one cat, a ferret, went to the other side of town and helped an old lady across the street (she gave me a quarter she was so grateful)! I am friggin' exhausted!

I see you did not say what you are doing???

Universities are bastions of ignorance and liberalism.  What else do you expect?

Let's see....blind faith in free market "principles" have destroyed this country, yet it's the liberal Universities that are the problem?  Talk about the pot calling the kettle!  LOL

Free markets work unless you put a bunch of indoctrinated young socialist in charge of making them work or if you allow government to control some or all of it, then you get the problems we have now.

Hey I went to a university and I'm not a liberal.  Plenty of people aren't, either.  It's about 50/50 like the rest of the country.  You guys have a distorted view if that's how you paint educated people in this country.

This is the funniest thing I have ever heard! I am sitting here just laughing my butt off. You could not have made this up as a joke if you tried!!! The other students shaking their heads in agreement....priceless!

Herstal:  I completely agree.  Our education system is held hostage by $$$.   We make it extremly easy for some people to get into college just based upon race or minority...but make it hard on others based upon income level.  Shouldn't going to school be based upon ability and desire to learn?

One of the things that aggravates me is that public schools no longer teach Civics. Nor do they require that Government (OUR Government) be taught to ALL students.  Our kids no longer know HOW our Government is supposed to work.   Oh they do touch on it...somewhere in 5th grade or so...but you know the old saying...use it or lose it.  If it's not taught repeatedly, then it goes away.  A fifth grader is not going to remember about the Electorial College in 11th grade if it's never mentioned again.   That whole say it, say it, say it again applies here.  Also...and you've probably seen this...most high school graduates have NO idea about real life requirements.  How many of them know how to compute APR?  or even what it is?    Can they even balance a checkbook?  "Real Life" needs to be taught in schools and should be a requirement for ALL students.  Do you know that I had never even heard of a 'Credit Score' or how important it is until I was in my 20s?  Shouldn't kids be taught that?   And it's easy to say that parents should be responsible, and in a perfect world that would be the case, but it's not a perfect world.  Too many times kids are from single family households, or both parents have to work just to make ends meet.  It's a sad thing that too many kids are 'latch key' and you know they are going to pick up that playstation rather than the book if they have their druthers.  It's not the right thing...but it is what it is.   If kids can't get life skills at home...then where does that leave them?  Some life skills SHOULD be taught at school.  Especially those that will impact both the kids when they grow up, and the countries economy as a whole.

I was an asst teacher in public school, and I worked with the 4th and 5th grades.  I know that kids pass just based on the fact that schools don't want to deal with disgruntled parents.  They are passing 5th grade with a 3rd grade reading level.  The administration will say..well it's just reading.  They do well in other subjects...but tell me...how can you do well in History or Science without being able to READ???  Or even in math problem solving?  Reading is the key to understanding the subject.  But schools don't want to hold back someone who is already 2 grades behind.  They will pass them and put them into 'remedial' reading.  Which means they will leave class for about 20 min a day to go get reading help.  Not really helpful, especially if the reading teacher has 5 others she is working with at the same time. 

Our whole education system has become so PC...that kids from all levels are being left behind.  Really bright students are being held back from accomplishing what they could...average students are not getting enough encouragement to do better, and below average students are not getting the intense help they REALLY need to do well in life.   I've seen this time after time after time.

Mainstreaming students in public school has not worked.  The greater percentage of students are just hurt by this, but in order not 'embarrass' certain students, we let the rest of our student population be hurt.   Not to mention that class size keeps increasing.  How do you teach division to a class of 30 kids in 35 min?  When do they get to ask questions?  They don't.  Questions are not encouraged at school.  There is not enough time.  AND...teachers don't ask "do you understand what I've just taught?", because that in turn encourages QUESTIONS!

Now most of these observations are based upon my experience with 4th & 5th graders, in an urban school, with a class size of about 27-30 kids, and a class make up of 4 above average students, 12 average students,  9 below average students(half of whom were 'just' above being labeled learning disabled), and 4-5 learning disabled students.  I would work with the LD kids and most of the below average kids, and there was never enough time to really teach.   What the other 20 kids could learn in 20 min, it would take me 40 min or more to teach them...and we just didn't have that kind of time.  Between recess, art, music, lunch, gym, projects, etc....and having to keep up with SOL requirements, and only having just so much time for each subject....they never had the chance to really catch up.  It was very discouraging.  Mainstreaming does not work. 

So most of what you are talking about comes from these types of roots.  and it's a damn shame that we've let our kids education become so convoluted and 'politically correct'.  It's no wonder that we are so behind the education 8 ball in comparrison to much of the world.  And it's happened within the last few decades.   When political correctness became so important and was taken to such an extreme.

@ herstal:

I was attending a community college back in the mid 1990s and the teacher told the students that the American military was no better then the Nazis. I was stunned that a teacher getting a paycheck would spout such dribble out? She said that the US Marine Corps teaches it's enlisted to kill without reason and to kill anyone and everyone, regardless of combatant or innocent civilian. For almost an hour this lady trumped out the BS that I stood up and told her that her teaching style was way off and she had no clue as to the instructions that basic recruits were receiving at the USMCRD sites.

I brought in a copy of the Law of Land Warfare and explained that rules and restrictions are adhered too during combat operations. Mistakes are made and there are personnel that conduct criminal acts, but if found gulity that the US military would attempt to convict them. She still kept with her lessons plans. I received a C in that course, even though I passed all of the test and requirements.

Is this normal now? I mean is this the new teaching fad? I keep running into students at the unniversity level who seem hell bent to blame everyone's problems on America? Is this some group of late wanna be protestors that missed out during the 1960s? All I keep hearing is how America is so bad and the rest of the world is so innocent? How do you maintain a job right now through all the BS?

Over here on Fort Gordon, there was a meeting at the education center for out-going troops to get certification to teach. The program, "Troops to teachers" is looking for prior military NCOs and Officers to get their training to teach civilian students. I couldn't do it, if I had to put up with that type of BS in the schools. One of my friends who served in Iraq is now teaching and he said, to stay away, the teachers now are very liberal and hate the US more then they would hate a terrorist. He has been picked out because he was prior military and that he had deployed to Iraq.

Mass generalization is the fuel for the uninformed. I am a liberal and I love my Country! Members of my family fought and died for this Country.  Your narrow-mindedness will hurt us much faster and much worse! 

Liberals do not hate their country. That is right-wing fanaticism speaking, and you can keep that BS to yourself. You forget that America is about free thought and the right to one's own opinion. Should you wish to believe otherwise, there are other countries in which you can live.

Why do you people take these reports so seriously? 1. It is not a good report. The world will be free from the use of oil. Yet, the report says that Canada will rise because of easy access to oil. If the world will not depend on oil, how will Canada rise from oil?

THe government thought this country was going to decline in the 1970's because of high inflation and a economy that was being beat by Japan. I bet  two years ago our government predicte great things for the USA.

Look I don't like Bush either but if you think January will bring the land of Milk & Honey you are one delusional person. And by the way Al Gore is a Nut Job!

Look I don't like Bush either but if you think January will bring the land of Milk & Honey you are one delusional person. And by the way Al Gore is a Nut Job!

And your mom dresses you funny.  So what's your point?

I thought my point was clear to anyone that finished the 4th grade!

Wow. We almost got through one page of comments without blaming President Bush.  I knew someone would eventually have to bring it up. Gore should have been President???  How many times do we have to recount the ballots to prove to the Neanderthals that Algore lost?  He was a double loser.  Not only did he lose the vote count but he also lost the fight to steal the election through the court system.

Dang Patricia,

The only keywords you left out were "Regime" and "Halliburton."

I'll be interested to see how long it takes all of the Bush Derangement Syndrome sufferers to be healed. And, will they stop hoping America fails now that their guy is in charge?

Now I have to disagree.  I agree with Patricia...Al Gore should have been President.  He DID win the popular vote by more than half a million votes.  He just lost because of the Electorial College that you were talking about.  But more than half a million more people voted for Gore than they did for Bush.  Unfortunately, our country does NOT run on the popular vote.  What the majority of people want really doesn't matter.  Which is why I never put that much emphasis on voting for President.  Most of my emphasis goes towards electing my Representatives at state level.  Will THEY vote the way I want them to.  The Presidential election can be manipulated...and the Gore/Bush election results proved.  State Reps are by popular vote.

And Bush is ONE of the contributing factors in why this countrys economy is in such a mess.  To say he isn't...then you are making like the proverbial ostrich. He made bad choices.  And to say he kept this country safe?  Perhaps from outright terrorists...but I would hardly say we are 'safe' from a failing economy, the effects of hugh gas prices over the last 6 years, the housing crunch, etc....and you can't tell me that he or his economic advisors weren't aware of the current issues developing over the last 4 years...unless they were also making like the ostrich.   There are always 'signs', and isn't that what Economic advisors are SUPPOSED to be paying attention to?

Katrina?  Oh...you mean the flood that resulted from the busted levees that couldn't handle the backwash of a hurricane that BARELY even touched New Orleans.  So many people like to say Katrina was what decimated New Orleans.  No. It wasn't.  Katrina decimated the Missippi coast.  Completely blew away entire towns.   Katrina hardly even went near New Orleans.  WATER from the back flow broke down levees AFTER Katrina went through.   Those levees that the Army Corp of Engineers had warned everyone about years prior...but neither the city, the state or the Federal Government wanted to put up the money it would take to fix them, or shore them up.  So again...the people paid for the mistakes of a corrupt system.  Of course, perhaps they should stop electing those same corrupt officials into office. 

The floodiing of New Orleans was a horrible horrible tragedy that didn't have to happen it only people would have listened to the experts that knew what they were talking about...and if the varous governments would have worked together to fix it.

No things are not going to magically get better in Jan.  That would be an impossible expectation to put on Obama.  It's going to take a long time to find some way to fix our mess.  But I have hopes that he will start focusing on OUR country, and OUR people, and maybe let Foreign Policies and Foreign agendas take a back seat to the more immediate need of the millions of people in THIS country.

And I bet HE knows that 'entrepreneur' is a FRENCH word!!!!   LOL!

I do not know about the cars, but one thing on these blogs has always struck me funny.  Posters often trash "rednecks" but if the doodoo ever truly hit the fan, rednecks would have food on the table every night.  Most of them still possess basic hunting/farming/sewing skills that have gone by the wayside in today's world.  I'll be going to my redneck relative's house rather than the computer programmer.

Give up alot?  When the government starts giving things up I will be next in line, I promise.

They are down the drain because of excessive government regulation and excessive union compensation packages that the foreign car companies you mention do not have to deal with.  As a matter of fact, the US automakers are doing quite well in the overseas market where they do not have to deal with any of this stuff.  Only their US markets are suffering but it is enough to bring the whole company down.

I totally agree with your assessment on CEO compensation (how much does anyone really need???) but that should be market driven.  Everyone has a right to make as much money as the market will bear.  It is when companies lose money and the CEO's walk away with huge compensation packages that irks me. 

Professor 698957, You are right, professional ball payers and Hollywood stars do make ridiculous salaries. But most CEO's will cut jobs to produce more profit's, and in return they will get bigger bonuses. When they cut staff, the workers have to work harder for the same money, morale goes down and business will suffer.

Stephen 256262.  You are correct, CEOs will cut jobs to produce more profits as long as it does not hurt quality and productivity.  Or they will cut jobs when sales are off.  If they are cutting staff and the remaining workers are working harder it makes me wonder if the jobs lost should have been there to begin with.  If the "harder" working are not happy they are free to find another job (difficult I know in this economy, but not impossible), they are not slaves.  This is what makes America great.  There are countless opportunities available in this country; more than anywhere in the world.  If you can't find a job, you can even make your own job.  Start your own business.  Become a consultant etc.. Find a need and fill it as they say.

Producing more profits is part of the CEOs job.  Even if it means cutting jobs.  I don't want to see anyone lose their job, but what would the alternative be?  For the company to become less competitive? If that happens then there will be even more jobs lost. 

It is the responsibility (a dirty word in today's vernacular) of the worker to educate and train him or herself and be the best worker he/she can be regardless of what their job entails.  If their job becomes obsolete, then they must retrain themselves.  In a perfect world, the hardest and best workers will guarantee themselves some job security.  Now I know we do not live in a perfect world, but that should not be a reason to deviate from these principles.

Too many Americans look at their job/career as simply a means to collect a paycheck.  We all need to invest in ourselves and take some initiative to become a productive member of society and not just worship the almighty dollar.

Professor: "CEOs will cut jobs to produce more profits as long as it does not hurt quality and productivity. "   I am cracking up!  Do you really believe that?    I happen to have worked at an international company in a mid-management position, and I can tell you...that is not the case!  If profits are down...they cut jobs.  Regardless of whether or not quality or production is hurt.  The bottom line and how it looks on paper really is what matters.  If we normally had 10 people doing something...and they cut 3 of them, then the other 7 had to pick up the slack.  And normally that meant they had to work overtime...or work an extra day on the weekend.  which was okay because they were still saving part of the salaries paid to the 3 they laid off..not to mention the money they paid for insurances (unemployment, workers compensation, etc...).  So paying the overtime was actually cost effective for THEM....no matter HOW detrimental it was to the other 7 workers having to put in 50 hours a week, no matter how worn out they would get, no matter they didn't get to pay attention to thier families or their kids (which people say is the problem with kids today..parents not doing their parenting jobs).   So you say that they can just go off and find another job if they are not happy....but the point is...should workers be treated this way?  If they had given their all and their loyalty to a company over the years, why should they have to be treated badly?   I do believe in companies making a profit.  I do beleive in capitalism.  But I don't agree with greed, which seems to be the order of the day these days with these companies. No matter who they hurt.  As long as the Execs and CEOs don't lose their bonus...then they could care less.

A job is, first and foremost, a way to make a living.  Than means collecting a paycheck.  Investing in yourself is something you do when you have the luxury of not worrying about getting the money to feed your kids. Or buy gas to get to work in the first place.  People should take initiative...they should improve their education and have a fall back plan if their job is in danger.  I agree with you on that.  But since it is NOT a perfect world, that ideology is not practical.  Especially if people get hit out of nowhere with the loss of their jobs.  If you are already working 50 hours a week just to put food on the table, then the opportunity for further education looks bleak.   Sometimes the time table just doesn't leave that option open. 

Right now I would like to take a couple of classes....but since we just moved to this state, I can't attend the local college without paying out of state tuition.  I have to live here for a year before that happens.  And I can't afford to pay out of state tuition.  The difference between paying $275 for a class or $850 for one class.  And because we've moved out of our home state, my daughter (who is 18 and lives on her own but the state says, for tuition purposes, she's our dependent until she's 24) no longer qualifies for instate tuition either.  And according to the government, we make too much money to qualify for grants for her.   And this is even though we own property in this state and still pay taxes.  And they won't declare her a self reliant person unless she makes over $10k and can prove she is supporting herself.  And we have to provide certified letters stating this, along with expense sheets, etc...

It's crazy the red tape people have to wade through just to get educated.  It can be done...but it's like banging your head against a brick wall.  So don't lay too much blame on people for not taking 'initiative'.   The initiative is usually there.

And in case you haven't noticed...this day and age you can't just go out and make your own job or start a business.  Small businesses are closing up left and right due to the credit crunch and NOT being able to get loans to start a business.  The opportunities are a bit less today than in the past.  It might get better...but I'm not holding my breath.

Oh, do you mean during the Clinton presidency? When the country was not at war, the government ran budget surpluses, the economy was humming and the US was admired and respected all over the world? Are you referring to those bad times?

We run our country. Regardless of who is in the driver's seat, they are politicians. Popular uprising forces politicians to take appropriate action. Read a little history, especially concerning the Great Depression days. Food riots, rent riots, farmer rebellions forced FDR to create the programs that returned our country to prominence.

Repeat - politicians will not change the country. Only we can change the country. We can not afford to simpy comply with what is mandated from above.

I know the history of what your speaking, I also know that this isn't the same America. We have to many special interest groups who won't work for anyone other than themselves.