[yankieGirl]

Do you folks worry about the economy (no more $ for socialistic programs here and over there) and the recent riots here and there in London?

Some of us over here don't think it is the end of the world but we prepare for tough times when the $ runs out and the programs that have nurtured at least 5 generations of people (across ALL racial lines) are for the first time forced to make it on their own without a monthly check from Uncle Sam.  Also retired folks (like my parents) are faced with the fact that promises made are unable to be met (no social security check).

Just curious if this is on your minds.

[robert waddell]

the riots this weekend in London have nothing whatever to do with the economy    it will be more to do with opportunity after the man was shot by the police

[yankieGirl]

the riots this weekend in London have nothing whatever to do with the economy   

Except when people are busy (job) and have something to lose (family, home, etc)they tend to be less reckless.

[deepinthewoods]

agreed.
i think there is a bit of dissinformation re usa economy tho, the usa's biggest creditor is not china (18%) but the fed reserve and other us creditors at 60%, so im sure you guys r gonna be just fine and dandy.
 the euro zone crisis is a bit more concerning tho.
best we all buy gold!

[waterhouse]

We are in one big deep mess from which it a lot of pain will be needed by a lot of people in many countries to fix.  I think it will take a long time because there are no solutions which are politically acceptable for politicians who have voters.  Actually I don't think there are any solutions that  will fix this like was done in previous cycles because we haven't ever been quite so screwed-up in quite so many countries all at the same time before.

There are lots of stupid solutions being talked about.  But the US has to default, even if only by devaluing the dollar so it repays its debts in toilet paper.  And the Euro is such a pile of crap that it is hard to less the least worst way forward.  Easy one should be Greece cos its small.  But they aren't being allowed to default and quit the Euro cos a bunch of German banks will go belly up (OECD country risk was considered nil so banks weren't required to hold capital against Greek bonds).  If Greece did default they could depreciate by half and recover competitiveness in tourism and agriculture.  But Greece is small while Ireland is a bit bigger but Spain, Portugal and Italy are damn huge

And yes I think the riots are a symptom of the problem. 

[tizaala]

The riots are nothing to do with the economy, what has a drug dealing gunman got to do with finance?
scum like that should be dragged out of cars and summary execution is too good for them.
why should the cop who shot him be put through a public enquiry for just doing his job?
look at the money he's saved the country in not having to keep the bastard in jail and support all his appeals.
the rioters were just there to cause trouble, rent a mob,
give the cop a medal and a bigger gun.

[plumseverywhere]

The student riots earlier in the year were to do with the economy though and I was disgusted. The police were in the firing line (doing their job) and Britain's brainiest were throwing petrol bombs and the like at them - what hope do we have as a country if this is our future doctors, lawyers, architects etc?!  My children were in front of the TV for a few minutes and said "if you ever do that, I'll bloody disown you!!" 
we are all frustrated by the state of the economy but I don't 'get' how violence will improve things?!
I'm totally with Tizaala - half the time, these 'protesters' actually don't know what they are protesting about, they just jump on the bandwagon so they can get in on the looting, wanton damage and violence. and wave to their herbert mates on TV every opportunity they get     

[shetlandpaul]

yankiegirl what happens to the weaker members of your society when the usa falls. you had starving people in the 1920/30s. our system maybe be rubbish but im glad we live in a country that does not require people to prove that they can pay for health care before they get treated. you may feel safe and it won't effect me but it will and you just had better be prepared when it does after all it will be your fault when your on the street and hungry.

this crap heap of banking was caused by the rich/super rich but as always its the poors fault. it was not the teenager on welfare that has got your country into this mess its your rightwing miltrisic/political system. what system is valid that will spend trillions on war and leave the old and sick to suffer. how much does the usa spend on weapons compared to health/education.

[yankieGirl]

yankiegirl what happens to the weaker members of your society when the usa falls. you had starving people in the 1920/30s. our system maybe be rubbish but im glad we live in a country that does not require people to prove that they can pay for health care before they get treated. you may feel safe and it won't effect me but it will and you just had better be prepared when it does after all it will be your fault when your on the street and hungry.

this crap heap of banking was caused by the rich/super rich but as always its the poors fault. it was not the teenager on welfare that has got your country into this mess its your rightwing miltrisic/political system. what system is valid that will spend trillions on war and leave the old and sick to suffer. how much does the usa spend on weapons compared to health/education.

[yankieGirl]

oops....trying to respond to the last post and pushed something wrong

[yankieGirl]

we aren't so far from your system (socialism, crippling, intrusive regulations affecting every aspect of our lives).  And like your situation, we are running out of other people's money to pay for the freebies.

Yes, it would be nice to be able to provide all the perks to those who can't afford it but the unintended consequence is 5 generations of people who have been enslaved by gov't hand outs.  They have NO idea how to help themselves(please don't claim that this is a fallacy.  My town is loaded with these folks,  I know them.  No they aren't all evil, just doing what is human nature, taking the path of least resistance)

When the $ runs out...and it will...it has to unless we print more...HYPERINFLATION.

War...I don't know...what is your fix?  I'm not happy with how things are going either but I don't think peace and love is realistic either.

[deepinthewoods]

peace and love is what got us in this mess, all them damn hippys in the 60's turnin on, tunin in and coppin out. i know im the son of 2. both wasters.

i do love ben and jerrys tho!!

[tizaala]

Between WW1 & WW2 we had 0 inflation, we were safe in the knowledge that the £ was on the Gold standard. for every £1 printed we knew the Bank of England had a piece of gold to cover it, the pound was strong.
We made stuff in this country , Heavy engineering, Textiles, etc. Then along came Harold Wilson in the sixties and lied to us about the pound being too strong so He devalued it. and so began the feast of Saint Rippoff.
The unions got too strong and demanded more money to make up the shortfall in their buying power.
 Dear Maggie Thatcher decided that greed was good and paper shuffling was the way to go, Banking and Insurance would keep us all in the lap of luxury, We lost our manufacturing base and the skilled workers that went with it. Thank F..k we did not join in with the Euro , this situation will get worse before it gets better.
The 'good' news is : we can still afford to give £Billions away to third world toilets so that their corrupt governments can buy arms for genecide instead of tools and food.
Catastrophy is just around the corner and we are rushing headlong to meet it.
such a sad end for a once mighty country. ...come back Queen Victoria , all is forgiven.

[yankieGirl]

Over here if you discuss economic ideas and solutions that actually deal with reality rather than emotion(shetlandpaul) you are demonized.  Is that the case there?

[shetlandpaul]

who's reality. ask yourself this question who gains from these troubled times its no the normal man/woman its the rich who always come out of these things better off. its not your poor huddled masses that caused it or made it worse it was the rich and the greedy middle classes wanting to be like there betters.

having two right wing parties contesting for power will result in right wing policies. the poor are better for the economy than the rich. cut there jobs or welfare and you end up with a deeper recession.