Do you think we're on the road (take pun or leave it) to another inflationary period or worse another Depression?
213289
I JUST PAID OFF MY HONDA INSIGHT.  IT HAS A 10 GALLON GAS TANK.  BUT IF BUSH'S GAS PRICES GOTO $6 A GALLON IT'S STILL GOING TO HURT TO PAY $60 EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND.
12674
i dont know that I see it as the next third world.  But I do see it slumping close to it.  We are as a nation losing power, wealth, reputation.  I have been abroad and I can tell you the picture that Europeans paint of us is not always nice.  Economically we are losing our footing.  Banking, cars, products in general.  People in america and abroad are buying European products, Jananese proiducts.  It doesnt do our economy any good and yet as far as I can tell they have done nothing to change this.  We are busy fixing the lives of others however we havent taken the time to take care of our own citizens lives.  And you have other countries offering us help becase we are unable to do so because of the mess we have created else where.  I truly believe we are losing our super power status and becoming just another country that exists on the planet.  Living abroad I dont like telling people i am from america because it starts up alot of contoversy.  Alot of arguments as to what it means to be an american and what we have become.  I agree with you when you wake up and smell the coffee. you arent smelling folgers any more.  Its just the reality we are forced to swallow as americans and it isnt easy for us I think.
209295
We won't go into a depression.  We could go into a recession though, a really bad one.  If the economy ever took that type of tailspin again (I assume you are referring to the great depression of the 1930's), it would be devastating to our country!  It would also affect the world economy is a big way!!  Back in the 1930's, the U.S. nor other countries, did business together (loaning money) the way they do now...so it is nearly impossible to compare what happened then to what would happen now...but it would be very very bad.  Interest rates could shoot WAY up...at recent as the 1980's interest rate for even home mortgages were in the middle teens...what do you think would happen to the average American that carries mortgages, huge credit card debt, etc....the interest on these loans alone would way surpass what people are paying right now on principle and interest.  Many people would lose EVERYTHING!  But as in the 30's, the folks who have lived conservatively and have money saved would make out like bandits.  Their money would be accruing interest at those high interest rates and all the items that are repossessed would be able to be purchased at a fraction of their worth.
558082
I believe we are in the end times and that the tribulation is near, but I can't agree with you on 2018. We don't know when it will be and date setting is a good way to be wrong.
546467
the current rate need not be extended for your hypothesis to take effect\nthe damage is done, it is irreperable\ni predict that the country will financially crumble by 2012\nthere will probably be another party in power and they will take the fall for the ineptness of the republican party
358354
Definitely the future, sometime when war, crime and famine are no longer an issue.  And skycars, yeah, we gots to have skycars :-) they are long overdue!!!
134557
ITS IN OUR HANDS OR NOT.WELL BIG COMPANYS KNOW THAT THE SMALL BUSSINESS OWNERS WILL BE BATTELING TO STAY AFLOAT AHA WALLMART LIKES THAT,ENRON STOCKS NOT FALLING.This is pure discrimanition against the working class,ONLY THE AFLUENT GET TO BE ON THE ROADS DURING THE PEAK GAS INCREASES.WHAT BETTER WAY THAN TO STRAND THE LESS DESIRABLES THAN TO PRICE THEM OUT OR OFF THE ROADS,MEAN WHILE THE DECENT FAMILYS WHO STRUGGLE TO MAKE A VISIT TO THERE LOVE ONES ARE FORCED TO STAY HOME MISSING THE HOLIDAYS AND SPECIAL EVENTS THAT MAKE A FAMILY AFAMILY,BREAKING THE BONDS THAT WE ALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE PROUD OF. i SAY WHO DO I CHARGE WITH DISCRIMINATION. oR ARE WE ALL LIVING IN A PRISON CAMP CONTROLLED BY THE ELITE WORLD GOVERMENT THAT HAS TAKEN ROOT SINCE bUSH SR AND SON HAVE TAKEN OVER AND 911.lETS SEE HOW HIGH OUR TAXES WILL GO UP SO THE LOCAL GOVERMENT WORKERS USE THER SUVS TO GO LUNCHING,LAUNDRYING.WHAT ARE THE INCREASES WITH THE AIRLINES?
53154
Ask G.W. Bush. Thanks to his vendetta, it doesn't look like we're gonna get out of there anytime soon.
267777
Hate to be the one to break the bad news!\n But...the economy will never be any better..only worse.\n You can't "fix" the kind of problems our economy\nhas overnight.It took YEARS to get the way it is!
442338
Depends on the Fed. And what happens with interest rates and inflation.
269234
i don't know what the final outcome in iraq will be, but i have made this very point to people i know. i heard the same thing in 1969 myself. we were in an unpopular war then, gas prices were soon to rise, people, for the most part, were becoming disillusioned with our government, jobs were soon to start drying up and many were to move overseas, interest rates were starting to rise. sounds like deja vu all over again today, doesn't it?
603988
Given the situation, there's a high chance that America could fall into an economic depression. Looking at it now, it seems almost impossible to pay off the debt. I believe that America will collapse if it suffers from severe depression and attacked from numerous outside forces. But then again, America's suffered two depressions and it managed to survive, so we'll see.
233077
Hypothetically speaking, I'm not entirely sure the world will exist in 10 years the way current world affiars are going what with the nuclear tension in Iran and North Korea...But I predect the economy will be better if we're still around.
639155
Yes, because if I'm going to die soon, I'm not going to graduate school! I'm maxing out some credit cards, and having a heck of a time before I go. If I find out i'm not going for awhile, then fine, I'll keep at it, until then, and you guessed it! Time to start ringing up some debt.
19464
In my not-so-humble opinion, I see the standard of living in the USA taking a dump.  Look at the actual quality of life, the hours spent in a commute, the elimination of affordable housing.  In this age of online degrees, imported doctors, and idiotic health care, duplicitous Enron executives, can the system still function when more and more people are added?  To be frank--my concern is that America is becomming 2nd world.  Our time has come and gone.  I guess it will be interesting to see what happens in China....\n\nNot to mention places like Africa, where HIV has made such an impact.  How is the world going to care for all those people? Or will the suffering continue????\n\nMy theory is things never get better until they hit absolute rock-bottom.  Nature will have to step in and trim the trees so to speak.  We will never, as a race of beings, voluntarily reduce population.  Humping is just too darn fun and easy....\n\nI guess to summarize, I think the resources are not enough to maintain the standard of living we have.  The more and more people that are added, the lower and lower the living standard goes.  You will end up with an elite rich class which owns everything, the middle class will be abolished, and everyone else will be scraping by.
192245
The Great Depression of the late 20's and 30's was felt in all western industrialised nations. Nations that were mainly agrarian (based on agriculture) were little affected by it. Here, in Australia, (I'm guessing that you are in the USA) we had most of the workforce unemployed, businesses bankrupt, starvation and poverty rampant - as did all industrialised countries. Now that governments realise that it isn't all that important to balance the budget, they can start to spend, reduce tax or reduce interest rates (use methods to stimulate spending) if they see the economy heading down. These tools stimulate spending and give the economy a boost.heading that way.
270702
You're absolutely right.  We can't afford protracted wars when we owe other countries trillions (espeically Japan, China and Germany).\n\nStagnation with inflation (called "stagflation") and high unemployment is the BEST and "softest" landing I can think of.  The economic future of the USA is risky at best and bleak at worst.