[snowsislander]

Yes, the point about of the skyrocketing import of goods is well taken: it's up 28% in just two years.

We are piling on debt at unsustainable rate:

The good news from the trade situation is that our overall exports of goods also set a record last year in dollar value.

Our exports of capital goods, while not quite at record levels, are also picking up.

Employment, while it is not at 2000 levels, at least is also on an upward trend and we may be able to break those record levels even this year; however, there's not much chance that we will actually have caught up in terms of the participation rate of employed persons to the whole population.

But the amount of debt we are creating is a lead weight on our system. Our international investment position was at -$2.6 trillion dollars as of last year's report, and I suspect that it will be far worse this year.

[ninenot]

Participation at this time is around 65%--quite low by historical standards.

And COLA-adjusted private wage is still trending downward since about 1976--more particularly since 2000.

There's good reason to be concerned about industrial investment levels in the US.

And even more good reason to examine very closely the CPI formulas invented by the Clintonistas and perpetuated by the Bushies.