interesting article

http://www.yahoo.com/news/m/0622279a-5866-3145-b448-33bda6f30fa5/america-in-decline%3F-5-reasons.html


In summary:

1. Productivity increases, but wage growth stagnates

2. Change in economy, from manufacturing based to service based

3. Education costs increasing/ education that often does not lead to work

4. Income/Economic inequality increasing

5. Over regulation of small business




I believe we will be redefining the 'American Dream' much like we have family and basic gender/biology

Hi msharmony and thank you for another interesting post. Having been born near the tail end of the babyboomer's these changes have certainly effected my working career which included a high number of applicants for precious few openings, frozen wages, job loss and going back to school to learn a whole new trade and career path. I feel lucky to have come out ahead but feel concerned for the generation(s)that follow. Hopefully, new jobs in the fields of engineering, medicine and science will replace the service driven economy and provide new career paths for the future. -Mark

lets hope

I've had similar conversation with people in the UK.
Can I just quote number 2,
In the late 70s / 80s this is what was happening here.
Problem is what do you do with all of the manual workers?
So much is being produced abroad even now, China, eastern Europe etc.
Now to have those jobs back would be great but, and it is a big but!
And same goes for cheaper migrant workers.
And mainly caused by the retailer,
If you can buy a product, a tv, toys or food for x amount but if it were produced in our own country for y amount then naturally people would go for the cheapest prices even though they would be supporting home industry. I'm trying to say that to produce all of our own things then prices would increase, do I make sense?

The law of supply and demand just won't be defeated.

too bad demand is not predicated somewhat on supporting each other and our own economy,,,,

This is my point,
Not sure how easier I can put it.
If a small local independent shop sells a pint of milk for $2 and down the road is a wallmart or whatever it is selling a pint of milk for $1 but they import it where will you buy it?

It could, If we only had a 5 year plan.

..And to think that all this time I thought there was only one reason..and that is we keep putting morons in positions of authority..

I would probably shop locally

UNLESS

I felt the price was 'unreasonable' for the product

a 2dollar pint of milk is still a good deal for the convenience of being in the neighborhood and having better and more personal service,,,

Roughly half are doing worse than their parents, but what about the other half that are doing better than their parents? Have you been to suburbia lately?The houses are way bigger and have a lot more to them than the ones of 30 or 40 years ago. Have you looked at the prices of new SUV's? Its about $80k for a loaded suburban. So why do some people have it, while others don't. Well that's complex because there are so many factors from the ability to be educated, mental heath, motivation level, amount of risk taken, pure luck, the people you know, and the list go on. As as we all know dreams are not real, the more you make, the more you spend, and many are faking til you make it. Responsible in money management is often a big factor in the haves and the have nots. Divorce rates have dropped from what the were in the 1980's and there is plenty of wealth to be had if you make the right decisions. So the American dream is still a very real possibility and there are plenty of routes to get there from union jobs, medical jobs, self employment, many others. Its even still possible for people to stay at home and raise their kids if the spouse makes enough. It all depends on what you expect out of life, and what you do with it.