General feelings on economic woes, compared to previous rough times

[KevK]

Originally Posted by travelmate38

I think there is another thread on here for military haters. You should find it. The military, contrary to your rant is an economic stimulus. Always has been a stimulus aand, probably always will be. Some of the other points you mention, make sense, but not your anti-military stance. If not for the military, you and I would not be here. That is a fact, like it or not.

I don't take what he said to mean he hates the military. I was IN the military and I agree with what he said. The military is NOT a "stimulus". It adds NO productivity to the economy at all. It only takes money out of the economy but returns nothing in the way of production to it. Yes, we need a military but it needs to be a smaller military. A lot smaller. And it is going to get smaller. We cannot afford it anymore.

[jimhcom]

Having been thru those times, the biggest difference now is sheer number of problems the economy is facing. In past recessions there were only a few basic problems to work thru, but the economic foundations were in pretty good shape. This time is different. All recessions are caused by over consumption and debt, but the amount of debt we are facing now is staggering in comparison to past. When you combine the American consumer’s debt with the debts of banks, cities, states, and Feds, and then add in England, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, and most of the rest of the free world, you have a situation we have never seen before. Then add to that commodity shortages and you have a very bad state of affairs. It may not feel that bad yet, but it will get worse.

[lifeisbigger]

Hello ...
This is the original poster here. I thank you for your responses. It helps shine a bit of a broader spectrum onto the whole situation ... even though there appear to be different opinions to my original question, I feel more informed now.

[KevK]

In the end we will be fine. We always come out better in the end!