THE GUNS OF AUGUST

Lowering the flag on the American Century by Chalmers Johnson

"Where exactly are we, as we continue to garrison much of the globe even as our country finds itself incapable of paying for basic services?"

Take a moment, think about the last 3 years, look around.....try to think of where we are NOW......are we headed in the right direction? What if the US pulled in its horns and instead of being the worlds policeman, we poured that money and invested it back into ourselves? Why is it that our government feels the way to world power is through military power? even as we DECLINE soically? economically and have taken such actions as to fan the fire which is CHINESE POWER? People say.." This is made in China?....I don't want it......" Then in my case I have to tell them that ALL the US manufacturers have plants in CHina or similar and don't make entry level products anymore......but if they want US made....it will cost them 3X as much....they then put their flag down, fold it up and smile about all the cash their saving...BUY AMERICAN? in many cases no one can afford to do so.

I know you have heard Obama's CAR speech, drive the car, R's want keys back now economy is out of the ditch, blah blah....blame game and stump is all we get.....from either party.....there is NO VISION.....NO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE....just politics.

It has been said "let NO crisis go unused..." well instead of introducing REAL REFORM....banks got bigger, more power.....the American people even if paying attention think the adm actually did something......what a joke

Our economy has near ground to a halt, the ENGINE, the US CONSUMER is on the endangered list. Near 8 MILLION have lost jobs and MAYBE some have found LOWER paying or part time jobs. They have cut back on spending, and they dont have a NEW ENGINE to borrow from...like their HOMES during the END of the GREAT CREDIT BUBBLE.

If you paid $300,000 in 2006 for your home, that is now valued at $250,000 WHAT BANK will let you REFI at todays LOW LOW RATES?

Savers get near 0% returns, can't spend that! STocks below levels of 10 years ago....can't spend that.

When is the last time you saw an application for a credit card come in the mail?

The demand for stocks has waned, but for BONDS it has boomed.....am I the only one who finds this continuing rally from MArch 2009 a little puzzling? suspicious? ON PUTRID VOLUME?

2 years of FED policy of ZERO interest rates, lowest mortgage rates in HISTORY......and all we have done is enrich banks, and destroy savers.....and leave NO CHOICE FOR SAFE LOW RISK RETURNS.....great plan!

I am sorry to tell you IMHO we are in the EARLY STAGES (denial?) of the aftermath of the exploding historic credit bubble.....and its collapse has left deflating values and ruin in its path.

Businesses face uncertainty with government policy health care and taxation, State and local governments are forced to CUT back.............in an HISTORICL CONTEXT we are witnessing one of the weakest recoveries from Recession n recorded history and how can anyone DENY even the jaded BLS data coming forth is showing a weakening diminishing economy?

ALmost all of the growth coming from government spending. Profits shown at financial institutions that are using change of GAO accounting urles to NOT HAVE TO show mortgages held at REAL VALUES...mark to market.....their profits which FEED the SPX 500 are mostly bogus.

Good luck in the new normal.....my only hope is that the new normal has you seeing things more for what they are,

Duratek