Re: SC75

http://jameshowardkunstler.typepad.com/clusterfuck_nation/2008/09/last-ditch/comments/page/2/#comments

Americans consume vastly more than they produce. The average American is convinced that every basic office worker or policeman or teacher or construction worker should be able to live in a big house in the suburbs, own and drive multiple vehicles, buy all the newest electronic toys and basically just live an easy live of suburban luxury.

The basic problem facing us is that we don't produce enough wealth to provide this lifestyle to our citizens. And we haven't for a long time. Instead we have been living a lifestyle we can't afford by taking on debt. The Federal Government is massively in debt and it's growing every year. I believe the Feds now pay close to 300 billion a year just in interest. States and counties and cities are overloaded with debt. Individuals are weighted down with debt that they can't hope to ever repay, starting with student loans, car loans, mortgages and credit card debt.

Globalization means that goods and services will be produced wherever it is cheapest. This isn't going to change. So high paying jobs doing work that can be done anywhere are not returning to this country. And it's not getting better in the near term future. In ten years houses will be pre-fabbed in India and assembled by robot. There is no future at all for unskilled or semi-skilled labor. There is little future for your basic office drone.

And, as Jim said, there are not issues that we are equipped to discuss, let alone deal with. So hard times are coming. Peak oil may hasten them or it may not. But the primary issue is that we simply don't create enough real wealth to provide the lifestyle that the public expects. And a greater and greater proportion of what wealth we do create is skimmed off my those who are already wealthy.

There is no way out except for a radical restructuring of our society. But what is our political debate concerned with during this season of crisis? Making our massive bloated military even bigger. Cutting taxes so the government can spiral deeper into debt. Finding more oil for our SUVs. This nation can't face reality. Anyone who tries to point out hard truths gets shouted down. So prepare for chaos, friends. The next 20 years will be very rough.