US buying bubble could burst the world economy

The Mail & Guardian ^ | Monday, July 28, 2003 | Larry Elliot

[Steven W.]

not only written by Euroswine but a moronic Euroswine to boot! The continued fearmongering over deflation reveals the writer is either totally clueless, hasn't been paying attention over recent weeks, or just doesn't realize that any remaining talk about deflation or the like, being generated by fed types, was merely to help minimize the crash of the bond + treasury markets; any remaining discussion by the fearmongerers is just that (fearmongering).

[superloser]

most of them do not have a grasp of history before 1980

Probably educated in public schools too. (/sarcasm)

[Dr. Marten]

The sky is falling, the sky is falling...

[Dr. Marten]

I notice that Willie isn't adding any of his own comments to the "thread". He must have knew that it was rediculous when he posted it :-)

[RightWhale]

Yup. We're doomed. Fortunately, we have already bought everything we'll ever need.

[Beck_isright]

" Probably educated in public schools too."

That's pretty much a gurantee. There's a difference between "Chicken Little" and a realist. Too bad there are, as in 1931, too many who label someone who is realistic as a "chicken little" or "doom and gloomer". I suppose that makes anyone who is aware of economic and political history an anti-Republican plant. Too bad FR has fallen so far, so fast.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Why did I know I wouldn't have to go too far into this before the author mentioned "Bretton Woods" and "gold"?

[eno_]

YES another FR WINNER!

Want to pay off the National Debt? Sell the National Real Estate. It would do everyone good if the FedGov owned less land.

[Beck_isright]

"A worrier dies a thousand deaths, an optimist but once..."

The optimist:

The cafe owner in Hiroshima who offered free rice with breakfast on August 6, 1945 because the weather was nice.

The Worrier:

The guy who shorted a lot of stocks in 1999-2000 and now is sitting pretty on cash instead of believing all of the promises of the grand economic "rebound" as advertised on CNBSC.

I wold rather die a thousand deaths and keep on living than trying to catch a falling knife. To each his own choice. I have no sympathy either way.

[Beck_isright]

Doesn't depress me one bit. You don't know me well enough to judge how I feel or invest. Let's just say, I'll be fine either way. I don't use the media for investment purposes.

[RightWhale]

Want to pay off the National Debt? Sell the National Real Estate.

Can't. It's collateral for the National Debt. We have mortgaged our grandchildrens' future, education, infrastructure, and land. Isn't much left that isn't in hock.

[Dr. Marten]

Ok then, let's nationalize all foreign investments and then turn around and sell it back to pay off the national debt :-: Then we will have plenty to sell...

[Iowegian]

My comment may not apply to you, but it does to many others who post and flock to articles such as this. I was using your comment to make a point, nothing personal meant to you.

[Dr. Marten]

oos! My smiley didnt come out right. :-)

[steve86]

It did not take long for the "don't worry be happy" crowd to get on this thread.

The problem with the optimistic crowd is they are too easily pleased by superficial glitter. To mix metaphors, it is like the 2% increase in durable goods orders is the tasty frosting on a cake. The optimists chomp into the pretty frosting, oblivious to the rotting, decaying, putrid dough underneath (the credit and debt bubble).

[BlazingArizona]

What the market is telling us is that the US standard of living, in terms of the amount of goods a dollar will buy, is too high. This expresses itself as a balance of trade deficit (difference between goods exported and goods imported) and service jobs moving overseas. It's like a rubber band being stretched. At some point, the dollar has to fall in value to equalize US wages with those in India, and equalize the price of US products and Chinese products.

[chilepepper]

only a fool assumes apriori that an optimist falls for the illusions of others... i'll repeat, after all is said and done, all the worrier gets for his trouble is an ulcer. you have to enjoy life RIGHT NOW, and that in no way assumes one is not preparing for the future. i bailed the market COMPLETELY in late 1999 and have not returned, yet i am an optimist, and enjoying life very well, thank you.

being a worrier in no way implies making the correct, or the incorrect call. ditto the optimist.

it is all a matter of attitude towards life. if you want to be a worrier, suit yourself. i will remain an optimist, particularly in the area i know best, my own intuition...

[Beck_isright]

An excellent point. It's like building a foundation for a house on quicksand. Although it seems stable when you lay it, less than a year later, the home is swallowed whole. But who cares as long as you build and sell the home to some poor sucker. The debt of the consumer and the government is so easily dismissed as a "percentage of GDP", etc, etc... The reality is that the fiat currenc collapse is one of the only ways to eradicate this debt. Or start a world war.

[Beck_isright]

No ulcer here. I'm optimistic that I'm correct. You can not build a house of cards in the middle of a hurricane. Today we are in the eye.