Just Announced on The Evening News...

[fletcher4u]

I think isolationism must have been a good thing and I'm ready to see it come back . working in the auto industry I've been waiting for G.M. to grow some balls and bust the unions to survive. Sam Walton had it right and his kids ed it up to help COMUNIST CHINA grow. over

[LS2POWA]

Idk couple more natural disasters overseas, and those countries will be beckoning for outside help.

[thebeepster]

The following things are a virtual certainty:

1. Continuation of the Iraq war and resulting middle east instability.

2. An Obama presidency along w/ a Democratic Congress.

3. $200 per barrell crude oil

Get ready friends, it is really going to hit the fan!!

[Shadow]

Although I'm a registered Democrat, I vote pretty much non-partisan.

That said, I don't care which party is in the white house as long as they take thier head out of thier arses (and keep the other one out of the intern!) and do something to effect POSITIVE change!

The republicans havn't done anything to impress me and the last democrat didn't either.

I'd rather have Jesse Ventura if I had a choice.

I hate to think it but LS2PWR may have a valid point. Let things go to hell in a hand basket a few times and they'll find themselves depending on someone....then is when we strike our best deals....you can bet enemy will be watching!

[Rich Z]

Originally Posted by Shadow

And if they cut off thier imports, what is it that we can't make right here in the US?

Take a look around in the nearest Walmart. Try to find ANYTHING made in the USA any longer. Businesses, heck entire INDUSTRIES, have gone away because they couldn't compete with imported products. So when they went out of business, where did the tooling go to? And guess there the machinery to MAKE that tooling comes from as well?

And in another generation, the expertise needed to run those machines and the know how to make those products will be completely lost in this country. How many have already been forced into retirement when their jobs, company, and entire industry just went away?

Yes, maybe it could still be turned around now, but it would be a very bitter pill to have to swallow, and there would be powerful financial forces fighting it tooth and nail as well. Yes, there are Americans who would sell their country for the profits they make off of those Chinese imports. And they would not sit idly by while they watched us trying to put them out of business.

[fletcher4u]

Walmart is a good example and our government is still pushing industry over seas .

[thebeepster]

Seems like we are in for a rough ride. The prices of necessities (food, utilities, etc.) will go up substantially. Chances are our paychecks will not go up accordingly. Lower property valuations for real estate will cause a decrease in government revenues causing budget "shortfalls". Bottom line: higher tax rates. Folks will seriously curtail discretionary spending because a larger portion of their income will have to go to out and out survival. Sales of big ticket items (autos, homes, etc.) will flounder. Service industries (particularly those serving the tourist industry) will likely suffer because fewer people will be able to afford to vacation in FL....

DAAAAMMMNNN! Anybody got any good news??

[Rich Z]

Seems to me that traffic has been VERY light lately when I went out to run errands. People will still drive to and from work, but I believe discretionary driving trips are few and far between. Yes, the tourist industry is going to take a BIG hit because of the cost of travel. They will certainly try to compensate by lowering the price of rooms at motels, which will be a stopgap measure to keep from having to go out of business.

Wonder how many people who had plans of cashing out at retirement and buying a motor home to just drive around the country have seen that dream collapse?

Heck, just yesterday Connie was asking me if I wanted to trade her car in to get a 2009 Z06. I told her "not while the economy is like it is". And I'm sure a lot of other people are saying and thinking the same exact thing. I'm just not willing to take on any new debts for the duration.

[thebeepster]

My dreams of a new Callaway are beginning to disintegrate before my very eyes...

[Kap142]

Originally Posted by Rich Z

Find out how many of our representatives in Washington D.C. have stock on the oil companies and then perhaps you will understand why nothing will be done about it. Can you say "conflict of interest"?

Ya know Rich, I'd love to see such a list in print.