The only thing that will save the US economy is time?

Discussion in 'Economics' started by crgarcia, Nov 25, 2008.

  1. How about a $Trillion in electric cars, a new grid, new wind power, new batteries....as a requirement imposed on GM,C,F....etc...etc...

    Would this not eliminate the "GAS GUZZLER" issue ?

    Would this not eliminate the oil issue ?

    Would this not create millions of jobs ?

    And get the electric cars financed at $199/ month at 7% ?


    Why not ?
     
    #11     Nov 26, 2008
  2. For every million electric cars on the road, you need the rough equivalent of a Three Gorges to power them. On the east coast, some of this can be taken up by running the coal-powered parts of the grid 24/7. On the west coast, you either need to build similar plants or start flooding the state of Oregon for the mother of all hydroelectrics.

    It's all solvable, but make no mistake, electrics aren't a free lunch and they sure as heck aren't "green".
     
    #12     Nov 26, 2008
  3. Yeah...but the ME would be starting colleges for professional glass blowers....

    With all that FREE SAND......and oil blast furnaces.....

    And the little SA red man would be wanting the US to drop the banana import tax....

    Electric can get green...and create jobs and export products doing it....

    Furthermore ...why does the $trillion have to pass through a failing bank(s).....Why not just do it direct ?

    The dollar ? How about gearing up in the US to sell electric cars to China....would it not be great to know you have an endless supply of buyers ?

    By the way...just how is it the $billions that flow through WMT is any different than the $billions flowing to the ME ? Money looks to be the same color.....

    What if one was able to walk into WMT and actually buy some products that were made in the US ?
     
    #13     Nov 26, 2008
  4. the whole problem, is the presupposition, that an economy must be based on growth

    it doesnt have to be

    one of the greatest anxieties of learning to fly a small airplane, is that you cant just pull over. if your engine stalls, there are measures you can take but it is a big deal - motorcycling is far more relaxing on a weekend

    it has been possible, to have throughout human history, economies that are simply sustainable. Such societies are far less wastfull, and encounter far fewer crisis

    all the bullshit fads or 'green' and 'eco-friendly' could easily be replaced with a policy of lower immigration, and an economy that didnt require 'growth' to survive. what would you really rather have - every latest acronymed gadget with a zillion buttons to figure out, or the feeling for decades at a time, that your future is really secure? that your money and assets are real?

    this country, had an incredible chance to build pretty close to a self sustaining utopia. a land existing, virgin, for millions, billions of years, with every kind of resource imaginable, is now full of problems in only 232 years

    people can talk about creating this, that or the other thing, but what good will it do? It's gonna be outsourced, and you're right back where you were, except with more DEBT that the government financed to create the new thing

    the fatal flaw of the USA, is becoming an Empire, rather than a Nation, for it's own people.

    and every empire ends the same way

    every quality of life survery (while admittedly biased and flawed), shows that the norther european nations that focus on themselves and just watch the world go by, rather than having to control it, are the happiest
     
    #14     Nov 26, 2008
  5. Mvic

    Mvic

    Wishful thinking. There are other countries out there that will not sit still while yours opts out, eventually the country trhat does not grow will be dominated by the ones that do.

    Our reality is we are in massive debt and have unfunded liabilities that will crush us if we do not grow. Growth is our only palatable option.
     
    #15     Nov 26, 2008
  6. It can't get green - driving lots of things and lots of people lots of miles is inherently un-green.

    But IMO it's worth at least considering regardless, as a means of reducing reliance on imported energy. Which in turn should have a beneficial knock-on effect on defense costs. The NIMBY battles that will come with it, though, wow, they boggle the mind.
     
    #16     Nov 26, 2008
  7. gucci

    gucci

    Rational thinking.
     
    #17     Nov 26, 2008
  8. gnome

    gnome


    Never happen. Not to a significant degree... until Asian manufacturers are paying $15/hr or so... currently <$1/hr. (?)
     
    #18     Nov 26, 2008
  9. Or the dollar obliges.....

    Look at the multiplier effect of the money that would stay in the US...

    OIL and WMT....easily > $1 Trillion per annum.....

    This has to be in the equation....

    The question is ......the dollar has to be obliged or one is never going to see US products on WMT shelves.....

    And by default.....Oil will skyrocket anyway if the dollar rocks downward again....

    Bottom line...

    The manufacturing sector cannot return until the dollar obliges....and people will keep buying low price oil from the heroin pushers.....Alts have to be cheaper to get off dope.....

    And oddly enough...dollar pain could stengthen the US economy in that once more it has a manufacturing base....and is energy independent....

    Hell of a way to get there....though....
     
    #19     Nov 26, 2008
  10. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/JK27Dj01.html


    Picture this....

    How much financial pain would the current US demographic have to endure to be able to make the statements:

    The Chinese are thrilled to have the wholesale retailer Eggofish to offer goods cheaper than what can be produced in China.....

    In fact.....almost every item in Eggofish is manufactured in the US..... There is not a single Chinese housewife that does not love Eggofish.....to buy their essentials.......

    Eggofish = WMT in China.....ie only
     
    #20     Nov 26, 2008