Well your statement makes no sense, especially with regard to the Japanese. (Maybe cut down on the weed ?) It reminds me of the one made by a guy (here on this forum) that 10% current unemployment, means that 90% of people are working. I guess the Great Depression of the 1930s was no big deal because, even at its worse - 75% of people were working ! Wake up, look around, and educate yourself on economics - outside of the b.s. wrapping the party line. And, in a couple of years - if you have the ability to remember at that point - - recall that you were warned - - repeatedly.
The Japanesse have a very high standard of living and the 2nd or 3rd longest life expectancy on earth. Don't try to use them for your doom & gloom descriptions. I'm 55 yrs. old and I've been hearing the same ole 'woe is us' for most of my life. If it wasn't, 'oh dear, the Russians and Chinese are going to invade us', then it was 'our young people are so lazy and apathtic', or 'these deficits are going to cause hyperinflation', or 'those damn gay people are going to destroy marriage, or welll.. on & on ..you get the picture. Once again, stop your whining, take control of YOUR life and work thru the system whatever it is.
That won't work. Imagine two new candidates for Senator. One guy says he wants to build a 12 lane expressway through the middle of the state. The other guy says he's going to cut every program you ever heard of and raise taxes a bit. Guess who wins by a landslide?
Well, on the positive side, if you look at deficits combined with the demographics problem headed our way and all over the world over the next 20 years, compared to Europe and Japan we'll be looking pretty good..................comparatively speaking. Europe and Japan are screwed. Unless technology and productivity picks way up, we're in for a long slow ride. Better keep those borders wide open too, because well, somebody's gotta pay the tax to keep the old folks alive.
You may be right. Others have argued that democracy isn't viable over the long term, and centuries of history give plenty of examples of how a demagouge can sway the people. - - But, since I am one of 'the people', rather than a ruling 'elite' - - - it is my hope that this can be changed. Perhaps someone can appeal to & awaken our concern for our long term interests and that of our families. Many great minds have worked to do this very thing - - and have often been a bit skeptical as to whether it was actually doable. If not, the rather short lived (in historical terms) American democratic republic experiment will end completely. It has already been disassembled bit by bit - - - with most of the populace completely unaware of what has been lost. The current boomer generation - raised in the belief that the world revolved around them, and that their luck at being born in a particular time & place in history was a deserved entitlement - - will have a wake up call. Of course, many of them will just hit the snooze button once again. - - -
I think you're wrong about this. Sure, the Boomers feel "entitled".. but only so to what the prior generation got and to what we and all generations have been promised by government and "the system". Boomers are likely to be a drag on the economy and a strain on the social system... not because we are "demanding more" of anything or expecting special treatment... but more because we are the largest generation. Don't forget... We Boomers have also been responsible for the most growth and have paid the most taxes of any generation... I've never heard a Boomer say, "Give me [something] and charge it to my kids and grandkids"..... though that's the false impression younger generations have of us. If you "Xers" and younger want to lay blame, suggest you start with CONGRESS!! They should have recognized 40 FRICKIN' YEARS AGO the system wouldn't be adquate in its present form... and should have overhauled it. Instead, they did the opposite... THE BASTARDS STOLE THE SS RESERVE... JUST LIKE THEY F^ EVERYTHING UP!!
I wasn't referring to all boomers, just to some of them. (Though in looking back at my earlier post, I see how I mis-stated my position. ) In particular to those who think that the world is going go along merrily as it had since the end of WW 2. Its that outlook that I was addressing, not a bash on some grouping of people with vastly varied opinions & outlook.