[bert]

Here's my graphical representation of the American economy. It is the view from Mule Point and the Moki Dugway on the Cedar Mesa loosing south towards Monument valley. Once you fall off the mesa, it is flat forever

[Sequoyah101]

Your graphic is accurate and perfectly awful. The economy of the US is dead, stagnant, flat, dried up, desolate. It is a sham.

Sure, there is some activity but it is phony. A new normal of low expectations has been established. The youngsters generation don’t know anything but 3.5% interest rates on houses and if it is anything higher they will be devastated. That is but one reason why the economy can’t stand higher rates. Add to that:

1. We could not even service the interest payments on national debt at higher rates
2. Big business would not have the profit to pay ossifers massive amounts of money they will never be able to spend.

Once upon a time, in a land far away we lived sensibly on interest rates of 6 to 8%. Things went along pretty well. Those days are long gone and will not return in my lifetime. In that time central banks were seldom heard of or from but likewise we hardly ever dealt with the feral gubment. Now both are in our faces every single day keeping us on edge and making us think we can’t live without either one of them.

“looKing” and it is all dirt, hot, dry wasteland.

[expat_panama]

There are a lot of folks from that area that rave about how much they love it, no mildew, dry fresh air, plenty of room. Only time I was ever there I was anxious to get somewhere else...